Who put it there?

The sump plug on 13 g engine , why is it so close to panhard bar at an angle.....and why was it fitted by a gorilla.?
Service day ...managed to do everything except change oil, laying on your back with inches of wiggle room on a ring spanner because the sockets wouldn't fit in the space....

Go one let me in to the system ...tell me I'm a muppet .!

I feel your pain.
In general for a compact vehicle the majority of items are easy access, however the gearbox fill point got me shouting, almost impossible to put oil back without a EP shower!
That said just changed the pre cat Lambda sensor on my son's MR2, totally unaccessible until I had removed all the exhaust system and part of the rear subframe - snapped every bolt ----two weeks under a very low vehicle - rant over.

So it can be worse!
Can't help with any tips, it must be better on the M13A as I can't recall any problem.

Mike

Easiest way I found to do the gear box was get a length of garden hose and feed it as straight as you can from the engine bay then poor the oil down there (easier with two people)

Gearbox and dif oil filling, I have always used a cheap garden sprayer, B&Q sort of thing. I made a little U shaped filler end from some small bore copper and then jam that in the end of the sprayer pipe. Put slightly more oil in it than the box needs, pump up to pressure and then go for a cup of tea. Return 20 minutes later and job done. To avoid spills I use cat litter trays (again cheap), why waste money?
Chris