Toyota MR2, Acura Integra Type R, Honda Civic

1989 Toyota MR2

# 31550. S/N JT2AW16JXK0148631. 49k miles. “Supercharged and intercooled 1.6-L inline 4, 5-speed manual transaxle, Super Red over black leather, sport seats,14-inch Teardrop wheels, $3k service in January 2019.” Condition: 2. SOLD AT $23,500. Bring a Trailer 5/11/2020.

Brian’s take: This MR2, short for Mid-ship Runabout 2-seater, sold for what seems like a lot of money. Most first-gen MR2s, if you can find one in decent shape, tend to sell for $2,000–$5,000. Another MR2 sold right around this time on Bring a Trailer for $10,000 (#31831), but the big difference between the two is 150k miles. Low mileage plays a huge part for classics like this MR2. As for the MR2 itself, this car comes with a supercharged version of the desirable 4A-GE, one of Toyota’s more-popular 1980s engines, which is also found in the Corolla. I consider the MR2 as a somewhat desirable classic. Some things to keep in mind before buying an MR2 are the lack of space, its snap oversteer and the relative scarcity of MR2-specific parts. I think this car was well sold, and it will probably enjoy its life in someone’s garage.

2001 Acura Integra Type R

# 31505. S/N JH4DC23121S000062. 50,000 miles shown. “#82 of 1,158 U.S.-market examples for 2001, 1.8-liter DOHC inline 4, 5-speed manual transaxle, limited-slip differential, Phoenix Yellow, Black Cloth Interior, Mugen air intake, Field VTEC controller, Clifford alarm.” Condition: 3. SOLD AT $25,000. Bring a Trailer, 5/18/2020.

Brian’s take: We have watched the Type R rise in value during the past four years, but why is the price low on this particular car? A couple of bolt-on parts couldn’t hurt the value, and the mileage is also low. After digging through the photos and text, it is mentioned that the aftermarket roll bar was removed, but the welded mounting plates are still attached to the car.

I think bidders were hesitant on this car because of a possible history of racing. The seller stated it was probably used for some track days, but it wasn’t a dedicated track car. A lot of these Japanese cars were very cheap at one point in time, and it is likely they were used for some spirited driving. Does that mean you should stay clear of cars like this? Probably not, but I would give this example a very thorough examination. It is annoying that holes were drilled into the floors for the mounting plates, but it isn’t the end of the world. The winner definitely got a deal.

1991 Honda Civic

# 29147. S/N JT2JA82J8S0023799. 120,000 miles. “1.6-L D16A6 inline 4, 5-speed manual Transmission, red over two-tone gray cloth interior, JDM SiR rear spoiler, factory cassette stereo with equalizer, factory wheels refinished in black, Eibach springs and Bilstein shocks, DC sports exhaust header.” Condition: 2-. SOLD AT $8,300. Bring a Trailer 5/20/2020.

Brian’s take: This car would have been worth $3k–$4k 10 years ago, but time has passed — and things have changed. A Civic that looks as good as this one is worth more these days. Like many of the cars I feature, most Civics tend to have some modifications — usually good parts or ones that are easy to swap back. This car falls into that category. Although the wheels aren’t original, putting the originals back on is an easy fix. It’s the same deal with those other bolt-on aftermarket parts. Or you could keep them on — and bolt on some more parts. Always keep the original parts in a cardboard box — just in case you want to change the car back to original. This car looks like a great driver, and it sold for a pretty good price. Well bought and sold. ♦