Yeah, I'd always wanted an AW but after slowly upgrading over the years it had been getting put further and further back, then I was able to afford a couple of cars and this one just popped up. So I grabbed it, the more work I do on it, the more I'm enjoying it as a stock car. I can't wait to get it running and experience it... I've never even driven it!

They're a car that never cease to put a smile on your smile driving it.
I've been in quite a few fast modded up cars, they blow you away but at the end of the day there's always something you crave with them, they turn into the typical money pit and you are never truly happy.
Small, light cars are always fun to drive, but the aw11 takes it to another level with it's midship layout and incredible handling.
I've never driven an SW20 but I imagine they are much the same but with more of a GT feel to them.
Even with shagged suspension and being an automatic, my stock GZE made me feel glad I was driving it every single time, and even though my daily is an awesome turbo AWD sleeper, I always feel like I wanna drive the adub more. Sadly I only got in 3,000kms before engine and transmission issues started, but hoping to get it back on the road early/mid next year and enjoy it once again.
The supercharger feeling alone on stock boost is fun enough; they propel the car deceptively well on little throttle so very low in the RPM range, it can take getting used to though since you keep your foot planted as the revs rise and very little happens. A few simple mods and the midrange on these really comes alive.
Where it really becomes fun is when you realise your corner entry speed, if you shift the weight properly you can dance the car around corners with not too much steering and using the throttle for balance.

So how does one do a VIN check? And what does it tell you?
 

http://members.iinet.com.au/~stepho/newcodes.htm
 
And
 
Toyodiy.com
 
The top one is more comprehensive and but its a manual comparison check, the later will automatically tell you the details and options.

The biggest trouble with the AW11 is that they sold 160,000 of the bloody things! yet in Australia, we sold less than 1000. This then has two problems..:
Minimal sold, means minimal people knowing about them.. or wanting them.. and searching for them used as a result.
yet in countries where many were sold (US, UK), there's still more than enough to go round. Good ones are pulling decent money in those countries, but how much is limited when you can still get ****ters for $100.
 
An AW11 will always be worth money though, especially compared to similar era Japanese cars (celica/prelude/etc); as the drivetrain layout is special, and like an mx5, its a true drivers car - a genuine fun sports-car.
Like a hilux (basic ute), or Patrol (basic 4WD); this sort of car always has a purpose. Cars like a VR Executive or SV21 Camry sedan are just cars.
 
On the topic of AW11 collectability, some things that will always stand out:
- special editions. Super edition 1 and 2, black edition, white lanner, etc.
- 1984 build cars. MK1A G-Limited's in white/black and red/black.
- standard desirable colours like red, two-tone white/grey, or special colours like the triple-grey or Sherwood tone cars.
- loaded 'G-Limited, Supercharger' cars - even a fully loaded automatic targa has its place..!
- absolutely original 'survivor' cars. All stock, original paint, engine, gbox, books/history, etc.
- and for the the Australian market - original aussie delivered cars.
 
Luckily though, i don't think AW11's will ever get any real value.
It's not something you want anyway, as unless you're wanting to sell, it has absolutely no benefit. it is nothing but bad things. Image, theft, higher cost of parts, afraid to use/damage it, etc.
WE know about these cars. I love them to death, and am happy not sharing them! :)
 
few interesting things to point out for this thread:
- 'Limited' is just G-Limited. Its the top spec model of the AW11, after S, and G.
- Australian spec cars were technically G-Limited's.
- 1989's are the only year we cant still import, but plenty came in when we could.
- 1989 updates came in in late 1988, so if you want an '1989' spec car, you can still get one.
- all 1989's came with the folding, update, colourcoded mirrors, chrome keyhole surrounds, the LED wing, and (if it was targa) the targa's were mirrored.
- The US outsold Australia on AW11's 100 to 1. Thats absolutely epic..!
 
 
<3 AW11's. enjoy them!
 
 

Awesome so that makes my car a 1989 as it has the colour coded folding mirrors, led wing, white/silver paint instead of the white/grey etc. The build date on mine says 9/1988 from memory.
 
Better change my sig from 88 then :)
 
- 1989 updates came in in late 1988, so if you want an '1989' spec car, you can still get one.
- all 1989's came with the folding, update, colourcoded mirrors, chrome keyhole surrounds, the LED wing, and (if it was targa) the targa's were mirrored.

wow guys great read. Seems there was quite a few variations. Mines a 86 jdm sc hard top, cant seem to find any info on it.

Tin top SC's are one of the most desirable combo's outside of the super editions etc. If you check the build plate on the front side of your frunk it should be AW11-WCMQR.
As for which factory grade it is, you can usually figure it out by the trim levels and accessories that come with it, 90% of the time SC's are usually a "G-Limited". RdS has a good write up about this on the mr2oc forums.
If there's anything curious about your car we'd definitely like to hear about it. JDM SC's came in both black and blue interiors but if yours has cruise control or maybe a series 1 console and doors then do tell.

My last coolant pipe arrived today, the system is flushed and ready, engine bay is resprayed, loom rewired to suit the manual and supercharger ABV mods all sorted (I have spare ABV's and superchargers so it can all be returned to stock), just need to run the clutch line and drop the engine back in! Once it's on the road I'll get the photos up, can't wait to see how she drives. Then its time for the new shocks, bushes, wheels and stereo. The best part of all this is that I've rebuilt an NA and SC for less than it'd cost to replace the clutch in my V35.

I have a copy of the 1988 JDM brochure for the AW11 ( not the so-called 1989 model which I own, on which production commenced in late 1988) and it shows five models were available in Japan, the "S", the "G", the "G Supercharger", the "G-Limited" and the "G-Limited Supercharger". Some facts I have been able to translate from the brochure which has as its principal slogan "The Powered Midship":

• There were six models of stereo available for the car, including a top-end CD player. The stereo units were all single DIN (possibly JIN if they were just for the JDM), but each installation hd two single components, including radios, cassette, players and graphic equalisers. My 1989 had an OEM double DIN cassette unit which I have replaced (but kept) with a Toyota six stacker that has a rear view camera and MP3 capability.
• The "S" and "G" models had steel wheels, the "G-Limited" had the original square mags and was available in two-tone paint, and the "G-Limited Supercharger" had the teardrop alloys.
• There was an OEM 28Mhz CB radio offered to fit the dash, plus a ski-rack. The ski-rack looks so ugly in the brochure but must have been practical.
• The brochure has a section called "Mechanism For Midship Power" which describes the supercharged engine as the "LASRE (then a strange symbol which I can't reproduce here)4A twin Cam 16 Valve Super Charger twin cam of 1587cc displacement and with electronic fuel injection". The "S" model was powered by the LASRE 3A-II OHC 4 Cylinder of 1452cc displacement.
• Aerodynamics of all models were Cd=0.34, Clf=0.06 and Clr=0.01 (OK, Cd I understand, the other two??)
• The same section says that the suspension system is called PEGASUS - Precision Engineered Geometrically Advanced Suspension.
• The cruise control stalk comes off the left hand side of the steering cluster, exactly opposite the indicator wand. Mine has this fitted and I can atest to how well it works with the automatic.
• None of the four interior configurations shown in the brochure has leather seats, and the brochure does not have leather as an option.
• The small metal badge on the consoles in all the pictures say "Toyota MR2" with no mention of "Supercharger". My 1989 auto has the same badge and no mention of "supercharger".

I stress that this info was for JDM cars so others for export could be different, but if anyone is into AW11 Trivial Pursuit I hope that this helps.
 
On the other things that people have discussed I agree with trying to keep original cars "original". You can make mods like I have done which help with handling and braking, but don't do anything that cannot be reversed, buy spares when you can even if you don't need them right at that moment, and don't throw anything out.
 
The question of "classic or not" will always come up and I believe that these cars will become classics, if they are not headed that way already. However, it should never be about how much they are worth, because you will always find bandits who try to make as much as they can. What it should be about is preserving the excellent engineering of these cars and making sure that we do still have some originals around in 20 years time.
 
Just my humble opinion.