Anyone familiar the Toyota MR2?
Could a heavy person say 350-400lbs break the suspension?
No.
ETA: that applies to more or less all cars, not just the MR2. Unless the shock absorbers, struts or wishbones were already damaged in some way adding 400lb. should make no difference.
The seat or seat mounting bracket(s), maybe.
Not likely. I’m 180 and my best friend is about 200. We’ve ridden in mine together with no ill effects. … But let’s ask the MR2 people!
Of course, I’m not sure someone that big could really drive one.
The owner’s manual in my 2000 MR2 Spyder lists the occupant plus luggage capacity at 425 pounds. (I’m not sure which would be the harder task, fitting a 400 pound driver and 25 pounds of luggage or a 200 pound driver with 225 pounds of luggage.)
PC
The “weight capacity” doesn’t mean the suspension will collapse, Herbie style, if you exceed it- it just means the suspension travel will be shortened, tire wear increased, etc.
Right…so a 400-pound person couldn’t transport a passenger and/or luggage that exceeded 25lbs total without exceeding the max capacity of the car.
I don’t think it’d ‘break the suspension’, but exceeding the capacity would probably cause the suspension to ‘bottom out’ (reach max travel) and hit the bump stops, which would cause premature wear and be dangerous in emergency maneuvers, such as hard braking and emergency avoidance, such as sudden lane changes.
I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. My point was that if 425 is the maximum recommended capacity, then surely 350-400 pounds will not break the suspension. (The parenthetical comment was an side observation about volume, not weight capacity. Sorry if it was misleading.)
PC
Ah. My mistake.
I think we might be missing something - I’m looking at the question as, “my chunky friend got into my car and the suspension is broken now, what gives?” but I think now that the OP is just asking if it’s a good idea for his chunky friend to buy an MR2.
I’m the chunky friend. I took a single ride in a MR2 (uncomfortable as hell twas) and now I’m accused of breaking the suspension in it. I likened the accusation to a “Last cup of coffee, you drank the whole pot” scenario, ie I may well have damaged the car but only if there were something wrong already. I wanted to know whether this was true or whether my fat arse broke a car.
You guys have to keep in mind that any weight capacity is for a car in new condition that has not suffered from years of metal fatigue and/or rust.
I personally have seen similar, or even larger cars than an MR2 take a beating from being driven by a very overweight person, so it’s certainly not outside the realm of possibility that a large person climbing into a old, worn car could have over-stressed a part that was ready to go. OK, sure, they were British cars and not a well-made car like a Toyota, but at some point even an MR2 has to give.
Una… see my first post (#2).
That said, how many years/miles does the car have on it?
If it’s the current MR2 (the soft top with conventional rhombus-y headlights) I’d say your arse is innocent. If it’s a 1st- or 2nd- generation (the T-top ones with pop-up lights) then maybe you broke it.
Either way, it’s not as if you can be blamed, unless you took the car without permission.
You’re correct, and I’m correct, and we’re talking about different but related things.
You look lovely in that sweater.