RE: Fiat 124 Spider vs Mazda MX-5
Discussion
I have a 1990 Eunos and a 1976 MG Midget.
The Eunos has had two new sills and a couple of rear wheel arches. After 270k Km, and a life lived entirely outside and driving around on winter salted roads, I don't begrudge those running repairs.
The MG has had a replacement body shell at somepoint in it's past (before I bought it 8 yrs ago). It lives inside, does 1000 miles a year and it already has had some welding done underneath. That's on the replacement chassis!
I can only surmise, anyone who moans about the rust issues on MX5s, really doesn't seem to understand old cars.
The Eunos has had two new sills and a couple of rear wheel arches. After 270k Km, and a life lived entirely outside and driving around on winter salted roads, I don't begrudge those running repairs.
The MG has had a replacement body shell at somepoint in it's past (before I bought it 8 yrs ago). It lives inside, does 1000 miles a year and it already has had some welding done underneath. That's on the replacement chassis!
I can only surmise, anyone who moans about the rust issues on MX5s, really doesn't seem to understand old cars.
Pity a previous tester left his laptop on the dashboard. If that is not the case then what a stupid & ugly place to site it, Mercedes are just as daft.
Clearly the intention is for the driver to be entertained with pictures & lots of buttons to press (or screen to touch) all only JUST out of his line-of-sight. Hurrah at last no need to watch the road ahead, watch the screen.
Of course to be serious like this is all to appeal to the teen 'n twenties generation that like cannot move an inch like without a mobile glued to their ear like.
Clearly the intention is for the driver to be entertained with pictures & lots of buttons to press (or screen to touch) all only JUST out of his line-of-sight. Hurrah at last no need to watch the road ahead, watch the screen.
Of course to be serious like this is all to appeal to the teen 'n twenties generation that like cannot move an inch like without a mobile glued to their ear like.
Itsallicanafford said:
Buy the most basic and lightest MX-5 you can get, preferably with a diff, definetly without any' infotainment' rubbish. Extensively underseal from new, then enjoy for the next 20 years....
Good point, they won't go far without a diff. I would argue that at least one differential is essential for any road-going vehicle, and whilst I have seen a few off-road and drift cars with a spool-drive for sale, I wouldn't recommend them for most drivers. Also, it's preferable that you buy one with spark plugs, wheels and seats too. These items are essential too.
suffolk009 said:
I have a 1990 Eunos and a 1976 MG Midget.
The Eunos has had two new sills and a couple of rear wheel arches. After 270k Km, and a life lived entirely outside and driving around on winter salted roads, I don't begrudge those running repairs.
The MG has had a replacement body shell at somepoint in it's past (before I bought it 8 yrs ago). It lives inside, does 1000 miles a year and it already has had some welding done underneath. That's on the replacement chassis!
I can only surmise, anyone who moans about the rust issues on MX5s, really doesn't seem to understand old cars.
I think the problem is that Mazda continued to produce rot boxes well into this century.The Eunos has had two new sills and a couple of rear wheel arches. After 270k Km, and a life lived entirely outside and driving around on winter salted roads, I don't begrudge those running repairs.
The MG has had a replacement body shell at somepoint in it's past (before I bought it 8 yrs ago). It lives inside, does 1000 miles a year and it already has had some welding done underneath. That's on the replacement chassis!
I can only surmise, anyone who moans about the rust issues on MX5s, really doesn't seem to understand old cars.
By 1989, Fiat and Alfa had discovered that galvanising was a decent way to stop a car rotting - but Mazda still have issues with Mk3 MX5s.
As for your MG - whoever re-shelled it should have prepped the body properly. There are lots of cost effective treatments you can apply (including some hot dip stuff) to a new shell before applying paint.
I would never buy either as a track car, so I see this comparison as entirely irrelevant. Both look good, but the Fiat is so much more desirable.. I think it's classless - you could see Hollywood A-listers or car park attendants driving it, and neither would look out of place. The Mazda image doesn't bother me - it has a nice history of its own - but there's no romance there, it's "just" an affordable sports car. As a cruiser/tourer and car to fit in anywhere, there is no comparison for me, Fiat everyday of the week. The fact it's a bit crap of track almost makes it more appealing!
There is one reason to pick the 124...my wife and I are currently touring Italy in a Hertz 124. Even in Naples, other drivers have been unusually accommodating. An MX5 would not provide such forgiveness.
I think the 124 looks great from the rear three-quarter angle. The front is a bit awkward and the bonnet curves aren't properly blended into the rest of the metal. They look good out the windscreen though.
The engine note is not distinctive from other traffic to me.
The suspension is great for the choppy roads in the south.
Overall, seems to be a great car for a holiday.
I think the 124 looks great from the rear three-quarter angle. The front is a bit awkward and the bonnet curves aren't properly blended into the rest of the metal. They look good out the windscreen though.
The engine note is not distinctive from other traffic to me.
The suspension is great for the choppy roads in the south.
Overall, seems to be a great car for a holiday.
They've clearly done something quite clever here, in so far as it reads as if people either think the 124 looks great and the MX-5 looks crap, or they think the MX-5 looks great and the 124 looks crap. Nicely covered the market there!
Personally, it's the first MX-5 I like the look of and I'd absolutely love one.
For me, the 124 looks awful.
Personally, it's the first MX-5 I like the look of and I'd absolutely love one.
For me, the 124 looks awful.
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