RE: PH Heroes: Mazda MX-5

[Red Firecracker]

Strangely Brown said:

GPSS said:

If only they made it a bit more butch looking, or I could get over my vanity issues, id have one tomorrow.

Teeth! You need to add teeth!

Oh god, not the blooming teeth............

[Sciroccology]

Herman Toothrot said:

Sciroccology said:

Can anyone lend me three grand?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/413872.htm 

Nice.

Nice, I wouldn't mind swapping those seats and a bit of cash to the new owner to drop the price down a bit more

If it handles as well as it sounds, those seats (with added harnesses) would be a must-have

[Combover]

posterboy said:

This is one of the most over rated cars ever.

Lame

The only 'Lame' thing about having an MX-5 is having to fork out for the insurance....oh hang on.....

[Red Firecracker]

Combover said:

posterboy said:

This is one of the most over rated cars ever.

Lame

The only 'Lame' thing about having an MX-5 is having to fork out for the insurance....oh hang on.....

Oooh, now that was cutting

can't say I didn't consider the same post!

[LotusAlfaV6bloke]

This thread has made me do my first PHs post!

I had a 1.6 MK1 SE (UK) a few years ago, and I loved it to bits. I had to sell it to buy my first house...





If you are short on budget like me then these are hard to beat if you enjoy "proper cars". I have done front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, 4 wheel drive, 4 cylinders, 6 cylinders, diesel, petrol, turbo, n/a.... and the MX5 is still my favourite of everything I have owned. I remember driving all the way back from Lemans on the space saver wheel after running over a tent peg in the campsite on the way home on sunday!

The amount of blokes who said "hairdressers cars" to me during my ownership whilst driving some saloon with a meaningless silver "go faster badge" on the boot themselves... I always ignored anyone who mocked me and had a frontwheel drive car (and very likely a diesel saloon to boot!).

Liking the support the little mazda is getting! Looking at todays news threads on serious top speeds being hard to get away with in the future, along with the crazy price of fuel, I reckon these look pretty good cars to run in the longterm!

I found the 1.8 had more poke but didn't turn-in as well (at low speed), so I went for the 1.6. I agree with earlier posters, the hardtop is a very clever investment, it really stiffens up the car too. It is such a pain to store during the summer though!

Chris

[Sciroccology]

My only teeny-weeny gripe with them is that, for a low-slung, arse-on-the-tarmac sports car, they do appear to ride a little high.

But I guess a little fettling would get the tyres and wheelarches more closely acquainted.

[Timberwolf]

LotusAlfaV6bloke said:

Looking at todays news threads on serious top speeds being hard to get away with in the future, along with the crazy price of fuel, I reckon these look pretty good cars to run in the longterm!

What I like about them is exactly that - I've driven plenty of cars that were an absolute riot when you were going at it hammer and tongs, but duller than washing the dishes the instant you came off the boil. I've driven very few that could make you consistently grin as soon as you got above parking speed.

The MX-5 is one of those cars that is good fun even when it's going slowly. (Cynics may point out, of course, that all they ever do is go slowly.)

Even out on a soul-destroying commute, you feel like you're the only person having a great time, playing with the gearbox and nipping round corners while everyone around you looks miserable - it's like being the kid mucking about at the back of the class while everyone else is hard at work.

There you have it. The Mazda MX-5 - it's like failing GCSE Religion all over again!

[Volte]

I had one of these. An imported Eunos I bought for £2000 already nicely modded for trackdays in June 2004.

£200 a year for insurance, a set of tyres, a couple of minor issues and an awful lot of fun and I sold it for £1850 three years later! Buy one!

[Miguel]

Chris71 said:

I'd be intrigued to try a really good one some time - none of the MX5s I've driven had especially good steering feedback. They were ok, but nothing more than decent hot hatch territory in terms of feel. Genuinely don't know if its the examples I've tried or if they're a tad overrated.

I've driven MX5's of several different years. The early cars (1990-97) had steering that felt overassisted and lacking in feel, at least, to me. Not awful, mind you, but not as great as I'd like. The 98's fixed that. Mine is a 2001, and I think that its steering feel is fantastic.

Miguel

PS That said, even if I didn't have my 2001, I'd be happy with any MX5 of any year. If you must have more power, the new ones with the 2.0 are great.

Edited by Miguel on Wednesday 16th April 21:10

[.:ian:.]

Timberwolf said:

Even out on a soul-destroying commute, you feel like you're the only person having a great time, playing with the gearbox and nipping round corners while everyone around you looks miserable - it's like being the kid mucking about at the back of the class while everyone else is hard at work.

It took me 20mins to get to work this morning, and 1 1/2 hours to get home as I hooned around the new forest,

They arent fast with the roof up, but with the roof down you can leave a trail of supercars in your wake

[Miguel]

chunkymonkey71 said:

dern said:

chunkymonkey71 said:

Just out of sheer curiosity, what model did you drive? And what do you drive now?

A 1.8 mk1 and I drive an impreza now. I don't drive the impreza for the same reasons I was test driving the mazda. I don't currently have a car I particularly like the driving experience of but needs must and all that. My favourite cars for driving feel that I've had are westfields and my old porsche 944 (which was fantastic and in the same price bracket as mazdas). I would definitely consider a mazda with a lot more power as while I rate driving experience for me power is part of that and something that was missing in the mazda and the rest of it didn't make up for it. It's down to taste though but I just feel the mazda is overrated.

I see. Its a 1.8 mk 1 that I have. I love it. Funny you should mention the 944 though, I had toyed with the idea of a 944 before driving the mazda!

I used to drive a 944 long ago. A man ran a light and ran right into me, totaling the car. I really missed it until I bought my MX5. I didn't miss its maintenance costs, however. Parts for that car are very expensive and the car has that typical German complexity, which translates into high labor costs when servicing. The 944 handled great and was fun to drive, but I find the MX5 to be far more fun.

Shortly after I bought it, I drove a 944S2 that was for sale. After being used to my MX5, it just didn't seem all that involving to drive. What I find interesting about the MX5--and it's what makes it great--is that they went for feel, sound, etc. first and foremost, when designing and engineering the car. The car just plugs right into your emotions.

For example, in order to tune the exhaust for sound, they listened to recordings of exhaust sound of many old, European sports cars. It's that focus and attention to detail directed at how the car will feel that makes the MX5 what it is. People who are only into big numbers (how much power and torque, lateral g, etc.) just don't get it and never will.

Miguel

[mgv8]

All gramer and spelling was down to me
I am dislexic and the PH team did a very good job of turning my scribles into some thing that can be read. So a big thanks to them and if you had seen what I sent them you would be inpresed as well
Thanks

[kjl996]

I always wrote them off as being underpowered, hairdressers cars, then I actually drove one and thought it was fun but underpowered.
During a drunken night out when about 8 of us decided we should start our own one model race series the MX5 was voted as the car. The race series has not happened yet but we all do a lot of track days.
Unfortunately the original concept of standard car with exhaust, shocks and brakes changed has gone out the window........

[URL=http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2144911740102625192ENxfYO][/URL]

GReddy turbo, intercooler, Emanage ECU, Koni's, drilled/slotted discs, 65mm wheel spacers, etc, etc.

And, quite possibly, the ugliest MX5 on the planet!

[Flat_Steve]

I've had two (if you count the MX-5 I bought for my girlfriend for Christmas one year that I borrowed rather a lot!), a house purchase forced me to sell my beloved RX-7, and getting an MX-5 of my own was a no-brainer. Easily the best car I've ever owned (and thanks to Brown, likely to stay that way :-( ). However with a baby on the way I'm having to sell the '5 for something with rear seats - I've absolutely NO idea what to get that'll be anywhere near as much fun...

[MKH9130]

Sciroccology said:

My only teeny-weeny gripe with them is that, for a low-slung, arse-on-the-tarmac sports car, they do appear to ride a little high.

But I guess a little fettling would get the tyres and wheelarches more closely acquainted.

P5 do a set of KYB fully adjustable shocks with FM lowering springs for just over four hundred notes..

Or for the budget concious, Eibach do a full set of -30mm springs for 135!

[sean19]

How do MGF/TF's MR2's compare to these?

I have never driven one but on paper they do appear to be down on power and the performance figures aren't spectacular!

Or am I missing the point?

[Hooli]

Timberwolf said:

There you have it. The Mazda MX-5 - it's like failing GCSE Religion all over again!

Quote of the thread

ETA: didnt the development team run a fleet of MGBs to see what affordable sports cars were really like?

Edited by Hooli on Wednesday 16th April 22:43

[Flat_Steve]

Oh, and P.S...







That is LUSH!!!!!

[the_hood]

I've never driven a Mk1 but i've always wanted to drive a MX5 having read the mag reviews saying what a great drivers car it was. I decided to take the plunge last year and bought a limited edition Euphonic 1.6 (Mk2.5). It's very well spec'd but the main thing is how much fun it is to drive. The steering is superb. It feels like a big go kart, and the twistier the road the better. It's not going to win many traffic light grand prix's (only a 1.6) but that's missing the point. Take it down your favourite country road and outright speed isn't an issue.
Highly recommended!!

[petrolhead888]

well speaking as someone who absolutley loves cheap raw pure drivers cars ive had a westfield V8, a chevette HSR, RS2000, 205 mi16 rally car, mr2 turbo, 200sx s14a, various mini`s etc etc. i work with cars and drove one years ago and always said i`d own one some day as it really was a great car to drive. if you like cars that are sharp have a nice pointy front end, go full lock sideways in absolute control at will and never break down then im sorry all you who say this isnt the real deal have really never driven one! i have now owned 2 both mk1`s as feel they are the best and after 4 years of having one i just fancy a change so sold mine last week. have bought a skyline r32 gtr and whilst i am excited about getting the skyline i still am going to buy our lass an older not as nice mk1 just so i can have a blast every now and then. if you put a decent suspension kit on one like the gaz kit by absolutley shocks, uprate the anti-roll bars, put a half rear cage in it like mine was then some deep dish wheels with good tyres then the speed it goes round corners really suprises you and the people who are in it who wouldnt have had one before want one straight away as they really are amazing setup like that. i work in the motor trade and have driven lots and i really can DRIVE a car properley and im telling all of the doubters please just go and drive one properley then you wont say a bad thing about one ever again trust me!!the end! lol!!