I started shopping for a new car around the spring of 1991. I had specific criteria to fill... I wanted a sports car and in my
book that meant that the rear wheels had to be driven. And I wanted it in black. At the time I was simply obsessed by this colour and didn't even consider any other. The cars that I looked at that
were in my price range were the Eagle Talon, the Mazda Miata, the Nissan 240SX and the Toyota MR2. I read and studied everything I could find about these cars. Strange thing though, I only test drove the
240SX and the MR2. I should have test drove all the cars.
The Eagle Talon Tsi AWD was fast and well... all wheel drive. But I was fixated on a black car and the black 91's were painted silver all along the
bottom of the car.. the air dam, side skirts and rear valance. I didn't like how it made the car look.
The Mazda Miata was a true sports car. But I wanted a roof. I wasn't much interested in a
convertable. There was the optional hardtop, but that was $1,500. extra. And... black was not a 91 Miata colour. I do wish I had taken one out for a test drive. Who knows.
The Nissan 240SX
looked nice and sporty. A hatchback 2+2, it felt very familiar inside. But when I drove an SE, I was put off by what seemed like an expansive hood and it also didn't feel all that quick.
The Toyota MR2 had
the sleek styling and mid-engine exotica. I didn't find anything I did not like about it. My mind was made up. I decided on a black, normally aspirated "base" MR2. I skipped the options package
since it included stuff I wasn't interested in (and it saved a few bucks). At the time, I already had an 89 Honda CBR600 that I used for my speed thrills. There wasn't much on the road with 4 wheels that
could accelerate like a Japanese sport bike. So, I passed on the MR2 Turbo. The fact that it was about $5,000. more didn't help. A big OOOPS..
But by the time I decided, there were no black "base" NA
MR2s left in BC! So on June 12, 1991, I ordered one from the factory thru Kingsway Lexus Toyota (now Regency Toyota). It didn't arrive at the dealer until October 15, 1991. I took delivery on
October 17. I was now the proud owner of a 1992 Toyota MR2!
In retrospect I chose the right car for myself. The only thing I would have changed would have been to buy the Turbo... in white. I'm
missing out on the power and black looks great, probably the best looking, but it is a LOT of work to keep it looking good.
