"The Italian job"..Part 1

[Mr-Italia]

Hi all,

Seems I’m new to this forum and club id thought it only fare that i introduce myself/my car and its its arrival/sourcing and journey to its new home here in Calabria, Italy.

Im a 40 something, Ex-pat, aka, “lunatic” that resides and runs a business here in Calabria Italy, im a car nut, always have been and ive had my fair share of “toys” over the years, Alfa’s, BMs, Audi’s, inc a “TT” aka “clit-car”, (yep, that’s true indeed that is, got shot after a few months as started getting “Eyes” from hairdressers and not the female ones!!) Porkers, blah, blah etc, etc, they all have had their attributes but!!, the one that I’ve had three of (now four) and the one ive always had a soft spot for...The MR2!!, well its just gotta happen and so..........

It all starts a little something like this.......

I’m board, im sat in front of the computer and looking at old photos, I’m thinking back to a few years ago to a time when i had a mrk1 and then a rev1 followed by a rev2turbo and I’m thinking to myself, Hmmm, id like another MR2?, so as you do, i start mooching about on the net, one thing leads to another and after three months of searching hi and low, back and forth i find "The one".
Now this would normally be a straight forward case of phoning up, going to, bargaining for and driving away...Normally.
Seems I’m in Italy (Moved here five years ago) its not quite as simple as, A, many people are or have been "scammed" or think its some kind of wind up and put the phone down. B, think “yeh right” tw*t and laugh and put phone down. Imagine the conversation.......”Hi I’m ringing about the car, uh huh, right, good, ok, look the trouble is, I’m in Italy and I’m wondering if you might hold it for me until i get over and come and have a look?”....CLICK....BUZZZ....”Hello?”, get the picture?, yeah, funny right? So, this calls for cunning and a “ikle” deception (in a good way, not malicious) as this type of attitude from people is a little disconcerting (warranted from their perspective ill grant you) especially when your about to go to all the trouble of laying out the extra expenditure on top of just buying the car, i need to take into account, flights to get to the UK, travel to see the car, insurance to run the thing in Europe (ruddy expensive), ferry charges, fuel, tolls and other costs, like servicing it and getting it ready for a 2850km run to to its new home, so cheap it aint gonna be!!

“The one” as it turns out lives near Ipswich, owned by a chap called “Dave” who is its third UK owner, its a Rev3, unmolested, clean and tidy save for a little hole in the drivers seat bolster, got a shed load of history and also, all its import papers from when she was bought into the UK back in 04, metallic blue/gray with all the bells and whistles, bonus, they all work too, result!!. Also as a “Brucie bonus", after doing a little homework, its a original “TRD” they are as rare as hens teeth, even in Japan and so ive had a proper result.

Now i don’t like doing it but as explained above, people were sceptical and sometimes rude when i said the truth and so unfortunately i had too tell a “ikle” porkie to Dave, this was to allow me time to get over to the Uk and get to the car i even offerd him a 25quid drink over the asking price to hold it. This i did pronto (within three days) and once at “Dave’s” i explained the whole story, surprise on his part was an understatement but in fairness to him, he kept his word and i mine, (yes i did give him the drink too) his description was bang on, no bending of the truth and the car was as described and so, pay money, get receipt and shake hands and of i go proud owner of my new toy. You know, we all get the feeling i think just after parting with money for a second hand car, that “i hope this thing don’t go “bang” on the way home” and “He better be on the level if not im gonna go ape”...you know, those type of things, well i had um alright, every little creek, rattle, noise, i was alert to everything but you know what.....NOTHING!! 280miles back to my mates in Wiltshire and not so much as a “knock” anywhere, thats good then me thinks. Next up, a service...at Toyota. Book service, car goes for service, report from service and i quote from the man that did it and came to see me personally at the collection of car from service “Mate, where you get that car?”, “why” i say?”, well cos I’ve seen my share of MR2s in my time and that one is as sharp and clean as the day it came out the factory, whoever had it, loved it, there isn’t a thing wrong with it, full stop, its a cracking car!!”......well that will do it then, me thinks, so pay the “George” and waltz of into the sunset with a smile on me face, cracking!!
Next up the trip home to Italy, now this ill do a bite later as ive some pics to add to cover the three day trip down and so ill post that up later, its a good road trip report that includes amongst other titbits, getting sideways in the snow in Swiss going over the “San Gottard” pass, Italian police in a not so fast Alfa159 asking stupid questions and there subsequent losing to a coffee bet and just how fast can you go in a TRD Rev 3?
All will be explained later with pics....

For now, Big thanks to “DAVE” (Mr2 owners club member), you know who you are, your a top bloke and thanks for letting me have “Daffy”, she’s now in the sun and will face a salt free existence and i will now face the enviable task of answering questions from small boys to grown up men and plod who will ask “What the f**k is that mate??” “how fast does it go” and all manor of other questions as the 2 was never imported into Italy and as such is rarer than a “Buggati Vernon”..........ya just got to love it just for that fact alone!!

Thanks to you for reading this and i hope that in due course ill be able to share the trials and tribulations that go on with me and my “Duck” here in Italy........

Cheers
M

[manta5]

welcome to the club mate
good post and can't wait for the addition of the trip

[chris]

a great post and a lovely background story, welcome to the club... and looking forward to the photos of the trip back home.

Chris

[Toms-MR2]

Legendary first post

Can't wait to see pics, expecially of the trip back to Italy, i bet that was one hell of a drive in the 2!

Welcome to the club mate

[RickMcRick]

Looking forward to the next installment