Step son decided first car will be MX5

Step son decided first car will be MX5

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chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
My 18 year old step son is taking driving lessons, and last night, he decided (and after checking insurance quotes) that a 1.6 MX5 (MK2) would be a good first car.

I also helped with this decision, as I think it is a good car to learn to properly drive, rather than the standard Clio's.

Now, I did tell him that if he buys one, I will get a Quaife LSD fitted for the car, as we have one in both the TVR and MG, and the extra traction is quite a revelation - and I think would be a good upgrade for the MX5.

What about suspension? I am assuming that the standard set up would be a little tired on a car over a decade old, so what would be the best mid-range coil and spring set?

I don't want the car to have any more power for now, so are there any other decent handling upgrades to be had?

Cheers smile

fatjon

2,144 posts

212 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
I have used some really quite cheap coilover setups of Ebay and they really work quite well. I'm sure the expensive ones might be better but not 5 times better. I also did a full poly bush conversion which really made it feel more precise. Be aware that Mk1 and Mk2 coilovers are different on the top mounts and not interchangeable without also replacing the top plates (which is not a big deal actually).


vx220

2,689 posts

233 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
Remember how those modifications will affect his insurance...

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
Cheers.

I am assuming insurance will be unaffected as, if possible, the suspension I may want to replace would be close to like for like. All I want is for the car to handle as well as it did fresh from the factory.

MX-5 Lazza

7,952 posts

218 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
In that case just fit some new springs. The shocks should be fine, they don't tend to wear out.
As for the dif - it would be much cheaper to fit a TorSen dif from a 1.8. A Quaife in a 110bhp 1.6 is a bit of overkill. Not so sre it's needed at all for a 1.6 though. All it will realistically do is add to the drifting fun. Traction won't be much of a problem on a 1.6 with open dif.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
MX-5 Lazza said:
In that case just fit some new springs. The shocks should be fine, they don't tend to wear out.
As for the dif - it would be much cheaper to fit a TorSen dif from a 1.8. A Quaife in a 110bhp 1.6 is a bit of overkill. Not so sre it's needed at all for a 1.6 though. All it will realistically do is add to the drifting fun. Traction won't be much of a problem on a 1.6 with open dif.
Thank you smile

I will see how he gets on after fitting new tyres (if needed) and geo checked.

I like the Quaife because, although overkill in most situations, we do live out in the sticks, with 5 miles of twisty B-Roads before reaching an A-Road. Over the winter, the roads can be quite bad. The Quaife would be purely for those situations, when it's needed most (It's why I had one fitted to my wife's MG - but I was so impressed, I had one fitted to my Tamora!)

Have always liked the MX5, and I'm pleased my step son wants one - I put him off an MG as they are a pain to work on, whereas the MX5 isn't, and is a perfect introduction to sports cars, I think.



chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
Are there any good online shopping websites for the MX5? I have found this one:

http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/index.php?gclid=COKS77Gi...

Anything better?

vx220

2,689 posts

233 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
Anything not Mazda or pattern replacement will increase his insurance, and noticeably so

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
vx220 said:
Anything not Mazda or pattern replacement will increase his insurance, and noticeably so
Cheers, can you still buy standard MK 2 shocks/springs, though?

ETA - Just checked, it appears you can....


Edited by chris watton on Wednesday 10th September 15:34

aka_kerrly

12,416 posts

209 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
Definitely check how much extra a LSD, suspension and other mods will add to the insurance.

Remember a insurance company is assessing the risk posed by a new driver in a modified car not a new driver with an enthusiastic dad who wants to help ensure his step son's car is lively and well set up.


skinny

5,269 posts

234 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
have you looked into the cost of the quaife diff? you're looking at £800 just for the internals. and it's a gear-based torque biasing unit, the same as a stock TorSen diff, which you can pick up for under £300 as a complete diff in the housing - honestly, i can't see it being significantly better. i'd certainly start with that before committing to upgrade any further.

stock suspension might be a little tired but the mk2 bilsteins are pretty hardy.


chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
skinny said:
have you looked into the cost of the quaife diff? you're looking at £800 just for the internals. and it's a gear-based torque biasing unit, the same as a stock TorSen diff, which you can pick up for under £300 as a complete diff in the housing - honestly, i can't see it being significantly better. i'd certainly start with that before committing to upgrade any further.

stock suspension might be a little tired but the mk2 bilsteins are pretty hardy.
I know - I have already bought two of them (Quaife ATB LSD's) and had them fitted smile

However, he may go for a 1.8, which has the TorSen diff?, so I'll see how that pans out (insurance only £300 more!)

MX-5 Lazza

7,952 posts

218 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
chris watton said:
However, he may go for a 1.8, which has the TorSen diff?, so I'll see how that pans out (insurance only £300 more!)
Not all of them have it... I can't remember which will... All 1.8 JDM imports I think... other than that...

Soov535

35,829 posts

270 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
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Leave it standard. As soon as you mentioned diffs and springs etc they'll jack the premium up like you won't believe.

skinny

5,269 posts

234 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
chris watton said:
I know - I have already bought two of them (Quaife ATB LSD's) and had them fitted smile

However, he may go for a 1.8, which has the TorSen diff?, so I'll see how that pans out (insurance only £300 more!)
i'm just saying, it's half the cost of the car, for the same thing that you can get as stock. I'd just get whichever model (1.8s?) comes with the billies and torsen. the small bump in insurance will probably be less that you get in trying to insure a modified car for a young person.

chris watton

Original Poster:

22,477 posts

259 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
OK, cheers,

So the general consensus is leave the car alone, otherwise the insurance would be a killer, no matter what the upgrades may be?

aka_kerrly

12,416 posts

209 months

Wednesday 10th September 2014
quotequote all
chris watton said:
OK, cheers,

So the general consensus is leave the car alone, otherwise the insurance would be a killer, no matter what the upgrades may be?
Depends on your definition of killer, definitely worth contacting the insurance before purchasing any modifications.


MX-5 Lazza

7,952 posts

218 months

Thursday 11th September 2014
quotequote all
aka_kerrly said:
Depends on your definition of killer, definitely worth contacting the insurance before purchasing any modifications.
For you probably not. For your 18yo step son, possibly. As above, check with your insurance company first.

JDMDrifter

4,039 posts

164 months

Thursday 11th September 2014
quotequote all
MX-5 Lazza said:
chris watton said:
However, he may go for a 1.8, which has the TorSen diff?, so I'll see how that pans out (insurance only £300 more!)
Not all of them have it... I can't remember which will... All 1.8 JDM imports I think... other than that...
The 1.8s UK car has the Torsen diff, well mine has anyway!

Soov535

35,829 posts

270 months

Thursday 11th September 2014
quotequote all
chris watton said:
OK, cheers,

So the general consensus is leave the car alone, otherwise the insurance would be a killer, no matter what the upgrades may be?
No one buys a LSDiff with the intention of driving like Miss Daisy. Nor do they replace the standard suspension with a more racy set.

Leave it well alone. Mazda spent BILLIONS on it.