Adios - MIDN1T3. End of an era.

Hey all,
After 7 years of owning this amazing car, I have said good bye to it.
 
Don't stress, I didn't crash it - it was sold as I'm looking at buying a house.


 
But first, let me tell you my story...as I need some closure lol :)
 
Back in 2007, when I was still in my last year of school, my brother bought the car and I immediately fell in love with it.  He joined the army a couple months after buying it, so I was left to 'look' after it while he was away. Driving it to school and around town, I loved it so much I convinced him to sell it to me.
 
So there I was, 17yrs old, with a 1990 SW20 MR2 that had the NA 3sge engine. I had absolutely no idea about the car at the time, despite a mechanical background, had to learn so much in order to work on it.
 
In 2007.
 

 
I then spent the next 7 years - along with blood, sweat and tears - modifying it.
 
The main modifications were the 1994 Gen 3 3sgte (that I put in after a year of owning it), along with rims, custom built intercooler, gen 3 taillights and much more.
 
This car has been part of my life for so long it feels strange knowing I no longer own it.
I have loved it, hated it, cursed it, spun out in it, raced it, driven it like a grandma, made out in it, got naked it in, thrown up in it and slept in it.
I have washed it, polished it, been defected it in, loved it, hated it and loved it again.
 
It taught me to respect the mid-mounted engine, the cornering capabilities and the gen 3 3sgte engine. It punished me when I went too far and rewarded me when I drove it well.
I learn so much about this car, and when I though I knew everything, it would teach me something else.
 
I had dreams of building a 350rwkw monster, with a 2.2 engine, all the works and a massive turbo.  I never got to that stage, but I look back and think my Gen 3 3sgte with bolt-on's was perfect.
 
And after 7 years of owning it, I'm not too sure if I ever really did own it.
 
It was more of a relationship.
 
All I can say is it was the best car I have ever bought, and probably will ever buy. 
 
Adios MIDN1T3. 
 

 
 

Definetly a great story. I had a 77 Celica 20 years ago that i had a similar experience with. I have missed it and regret selling it every day since. My MR2 that i have now was bought to try to fill the Celicas void. I think you'll miss your car and regret this decision too. You never feel the same about a house as you did about that car...

5SGTE

rikkir
I had a 77 Celica 20 years ago that i had a similar experience with. I have missed it and regret selling it every day since.

 
Holy crap!  Me too (but 18 years ago), RA23...  Thats why I'm keeping my mr2. 
 
All the best.

I had a RA28, best car i ever had on an emotional level....i rebuilt it many times, abused it, had fun with it and thought it was time to move on after 7 years.... big regrets now, coz they are almost impossible to find in the condition that mine was in and they're bloody expensive now...

Very sad, you are right though, we don't really own our cars, so much as mind them. This applies to all material possessions, even if you keep them your entire life, one day you will die and they will be passed on to others, to be loved, restored, abused, neglected, abandoned or destroyed as fate decides.

I also totally get the relationship connection and the love/hate/curse/love cycle. I explain my passion to non-car enthusiasts by comparing my car to a beloved pet. Cars aren't just inanimate objects, they sleep and wake up, they behave and misbehave, like animals with individual personalities.


Haha, my first car was a 1976 TA22 Celica! However I most regret loosing the really rare ones: JDM Daihatsu f50v 2.8 diesel 4WD, Fiat X1/9, FSM Niki (Polish Fiat 126 clone) because they have all become virtually unattainable due to availability, condition or price.

I am also planning to buy a house, but I will sell my spleen before I willingly part with my supercharged AW11!

So many of us has celicas as our first cars :|
Very touching story, I hope to god the person who bought it loves it more than their firstborn. It's hard watching someone else drive away with your car.

PidiHpE, a few hidden around up here!

And a few AW11s to lol


Midnit3 Sad to hear but glad you finally got rid of it mate many a night I stared at it on gumtree thinking hmm do I need another lol

Hopefully she stays in the Nt and gets well looked after.

Congrats & well written. Had to pop into the garage to check my old companion/MR2 was still there after reading.

Sure you'll be back in another eventually. I used to always enjoy sitting back for a minute after mowing the lawn on a new house & eyeing the MR2 in the garage.