PH Fleet: Mazda Eunos Roadster
Winter approaches - time for hibernation?
The Eunos isn't enjoying autumnal gloom
Sadly evicted from the garage I sub-letted off a mate for a song the Mazda has been shivering in the autumnal rain and getting a bit sulky through lack of use.
Shameful really but there it is, the revenge being a distinct lack of interest in holding much battery charge and a need to break out the jump leads on the rare occasions a Eunos-friendly journey beckons.
Harris concerned by the new arrival
Some significant lifestyle changes, not least the impending arrival of a little'n, have placed additional pressure on the continued existence of the Mazda on the Trent fleet but, thankfully, another local lock-up has been offered and I'm gunning for out of sight, out of mind and other, ah, distractions meaning a stay of execution. As such - horror - I'm even considering taking it off the road for the winter and at least until the dust settles a little bit. Gaffa taping a baby seat to the harness bar probably isn't the done thing (best check on Mumsnet) but I think it's important some early years indoctrination takes place at the first available opportunity when dad needs to pop out for some shopping, via the lanes of course. (I was of course joking about the Gaffa tape and harness bar - zip ties are probably much better.)
A winter lay-up would at least afford opportunity to muse on what to do about the somewhat fierce ride I blame squarely on the 15-inch wheels. The P5 spring/damper set-up is firm but I reckon - and keep saying it - a return to 14s might off-set that a little. Fellow Mazda-owning hack John Simister, who lives locally, is similarly indecisive and keen to pick the brains of teacher Trent (white car in the fleet pic), whose white UK 1.6 running Gaz dampers has the best set-up John reckons to have tried. Between us we'll get there. And sell any bits left over to Garlick. Kerching!
Gaz-equipped brother's car rides well
Fact sheet:
Car: 1993 Eunos Roadster (JDM import model)
Run by: Dan Trent
Bought: January 2011
Purchase price: £1,250
Last month at a glance: Eunos joins a Mazda-dominated family gathering at which someone apparently got married
Previous reports:
Why have one wedding car when four will do?
Look, I was kidding about the downforce, right?
The Eunos returns to Scotland for another road trip
Has Dan killed his Eunos?
Snowed-in Eunos gets a mini facelift
Taxed, insured, MOT'd, re-tyred - it's been an expensive month
Eunos gets a loud exhaust and new suspension
New suspension offered but am I worthy?
Purchase price only half the story...
Open Season heralds rare 'money where mouth is' moment...
The work I planned to do over the winter ended up being done last month. Having decided that I'd now happily pay the money I saved by SORNing and not insuring the car for road use over the winter months to be able to jump in whenever I fancy.
To that ends; the car is now insured, the MOT is tomorrow morning (FINGERS CROSSED!!) and I'll tax tomorrow afternoon.
My concession to the winter is new tyres on the original 16's (tarty wheels can wait for summer) and the Hard Top is going to stay on. I'll regret that the moment there is a lovely crisp morning, I'm sure.
Otherwise - If the roof is up, the storm had better have a name!!
Nick
Nick
Nick
, yeah an 88hp one but I still found it fun enough.I considered a Monza near to me a couple of months ago, but the vendor was being a bit of a chump and IMO it got bid too high on eBay. I was happy to let another have it.
I look forward to finding out about Garlick's.
Take the car off the road with best intentions of tarting it up and doing loads of work to it over winter. What actually happens is, you lock it up the nforget about it, and come spring its in worse condition than you left it in. Subsequent years I just stopped being a big poofter about it.
DSCF2304 by simonholehan, on Flickr
When I had mine I listened to (well, read...) pages of discussion on MX5Nutz about whether the unassisted rack was actually any better. The conclusion I remember hearing - and this is by no means gospel - was that the car was always designed to run PAS and the unassisted rack was a cost-saving measure that I didn't add a huge amount.
Really fancy another MX-5, and I agree with the comments above that a crisp winter's day with the smoke rising from the cottage chimney's is definitely the best time for a top-down blast.
We'll see if I stick to that plan!
Having run a convertible in the winter as my only car, I reckon not much beats a bright winters morning with the top down whilst rugged up with the heater going full blast and heated seats keeping your bottom toasty warm...oh wait....no heated seats in the MX!
With an automatic RWD V8 as my main car, I suspect the MX will be pressed into action if the snow comes.
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