RE: Mazda Eunos Roadster - too cheap not to?

[Mellow Matt]

I reiterate what everyone else says really!

I bought my '94 1.8 Eunos S Special (Torsen diff, strut brace, Bilsteins, fancy elektrikery in the cabin) with some lightweight alloys for £1730 last year and it's been great fun!

I've taken it on a couple of car limits days where it was able to embarrass some more "capable" cars along with my mate's mx5, and so far all it's needed was a clutch slave cylinder and a set of new springs after one broke (both fairly common faults).

I'd go so far as to say it's more fun than my Locoblade was, as I'm able to use it a LOT more, without worry about breaking it, and also am able to be on the limit much more easily and safely.

[Risotto]

Killer2005 said:

Just put this in the mx5 forum but

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5...

Reasons why I shouldn't? So far, insurance may be "interesting" and unsure if it would be great for running to work in.

The chap who did all the work to it did so over several years and kept buying the car back whenever it came up for sale! It's been well maintained while in his care. Not sure what, if anything, the current owner has done to it.

I thing there was a diary on nutz of all the more recent work.

[qwick]

Loving my 1992 S spec import, £750 well spent, I've replaced the hood and that's it.

It's really very good value for money and I'd thoroughly recommended it. Give them a spanking and they provide more smiles per mile than any other car or the same money.

[princeperch]

I really do not think there are many better feelings than nailing an MX5 in 2nd gear on a nice day with the roof off.

Mine is at my parents having a well earnt rest, and has been for 18 months. I live in zone 2 now so dont need it - but I'm never going to sell it. That's now much I like it.

eta: how brilliant is the gearshift on the MX5. It's like a rifle bolt. Maybe one day if I ever have kids I'll give them my MX5 for their first car. That would be pretty cool.

[Itsallicanafford]

The mx-5 ....proof that speed doesn't matter...bear with me on this one...
My take on it is this, modern cars are so fast these days and their speed is so easily accessible. My last car was a 335d coupe, it was fast but in no way involving, you just pushed the pedal and it went...a 320d will top 130mph, its all got abit out of hand...my mk1 mx-5 does the exact opposite, it's really involving in a way that is not entirely related to the speed you are travelling..I love my one to bits and it's cheap to keep on the road...it also cost the same price as a new set of tyres on the bm...

[HereBeMonsters]

princeperch said:

how brilliant is the gearshift on the MX5. It's like a rifle bolt.

That is the one thing I still wish I had in the Elise, is a decent gearchange. Well, that and a leakproof roof, obviously.

[matt21]

I have been looking for months, but can't find a solid cheap one...beginning to think they no longer exist!

[siko]

I think I must be the only one who had a 'bad' experience with mine still loved it to bits though - 94 1.8 S Special. Driving to work down an icy lane is still about the most fun I've had in a car bar none, let alone on sunny days with the roof down...awesome!

Over a year's ownership I thought I had found the perfect budget pocket rocket...until the radiator blew up on the motorway...cue months of expense and trouble shooting at various garages, one ripping off by a chap fitting second hand parts and oh interspersed with constant overheating problems. I have spent days of my life searching on the internet trying to cure the damn overheating issue (and no it wasn't the head gasket ) Total cost £1000, many grey hairs and several trips on public transport. Now sold and something more reliable but infinitely more boring and less characterful has replaced it.

Advertised on PH and sold to a mechanic (the only person who enquired!) who asked if there were any cosmetic problems (nope!) as he wasn't bothered about mechanical issues as he planned to supercharge it and turn it into a track day warrior. Cue lengthy confession of mechanical ineptitude and amazingly he turned up to view it, paid almost full whack and left with a gigantic smile on his face. Top bloke and I hope he is enjoying it as much as I did (mostly!)

[trackerjack]

I have spent years moaning about how slow blah blah these cars are and a friend had several when they were new in the 90,s and I thought that they were far too safe and saloon like compared with the Dolomite Sprint that I had then (and still do).
Last year I bought a Quantum 2+2 Turbo that is like a lunatic on acceleration.
Then a couple of weeks ago I saw a black hardtopped MX5 on Fleabay and bid £870 (not thinking it would go for so little money)with the thought of selling the top and then the car in the spring...........................however the little thing is crying to me to slap a supercharger on it and have some fun,can I resist?
I bought the missus an automatic MX5 last year and she loves it.
You have guessed it we are gathering toys.
Trouble is the sprint is looking like it wont have a use.

[Diabolik]

Would love a black one with a black hardtop, black wheels and a nice exhaust......

• checks classifieds*

Do mk1's generally get the popular vote?

[laup99]

Itsallicanafford said:

The mx-5 ....proof that speed doesn't matter...bear with me on this one...
My take on it is this, modern cars are so fast these days and their speed is so easily accessible. My last car was a 335d coupe, it was fast but in no way involving, you just pushed the pedal and it went...a 320d will top 130mph, its all got abit out of hand...my mk1 mx-5 does the exact opposite, it's really involving in a way that is not entirely related to the speed you are travelling..I love my one to bits and it's cheap to keep on the road...it also cost the same price as a new set of tyres on the bm...

I agree.... Just look at James Hunt. He could have had any car he wanted. But he used to drive around in a Austin A40 Van and used to fit them when with Crossply tyres on purpose. He reason, just to keep up with modern traffic speeds he used to have to drive on the limit the whole time and he would never be going over the speed limit. He used to argue if he had a 'Super Car' then to get the saem excitment and involvment he would not get it as he would not be able to drive it the way he wanted....only on a track.

RIP James Hunt = Legend

[mikegreene1958]

Bought a 1997 R reg Harvard ( inc hardtop) for my son in 2009, with genuine 32k miles for £3500. Fantastic little car, running costs are minimal and fun factor is sky high. Mk 1 is a true classic sports-car (?) / roadster.

[GravelBen]

Another happy owner here! Hard to beat for grin/$ ratio

Currently driving a ~280bhp turbo Mk1 (which is really quite fast yes) but to be honest I had just as much fun with the almost standard one before it, especially on the gravel! It was like a Mk2 Escort convertible...

http://vimeo.com/8306432


As others have said the underbody braces are a worthwhile investment, and a decent rollbar tightens the chassis up noticeably too.

Edited by GravelBen on Tuesday 1st February 10:07

[TristPerrin]

Bought mine in May last year.

I think I much be the worst car buyer in the world...

Went on the hottest, sunniest day ever... test drove it and fell in love... and ended up buying the first one I viewed... for 2.2k...

It only had 72k miles at the time though with fsh and had to be a uk car for inurance reasons.

The sills are rotten and being replaced next week and it's becoming a total money pit for little extras like wheels, coilovers and such... oh and the roof is full of holes!

But I can't get enough of driving it!

[TdM-GTV]

Killer2005 said:

TdM-GTV said:

*Heads off to the classifieds...

I've been looking for some time, there's some quite nice ones about. I can't bring myself to selling my Alfa though at the moment

Sell the Alfa... Nooooooo never! The 5 can be my second car. It's got no roof therefore it's better at carrying trees than the Alfa. Perfect excuse - practicality!

[Dift]

Another nightmare start here too.

Bought a low mileage uk mk2 1.8is in Novemeber.
Looked lovely, got it for a bargain price, very happy.

End of Novemeber after a very enjoyable day at cadwell park I unearthed a previous bodge job on the oil control rings.
Lots of will I won't I later, I decided to save it and spunk a wod of cash on a new low mileage engine (at freelance Mazda (excellent service!)).
I will need to keep the car for a while to recoup my losses, but I'm enjoying it... Minimal mods were planned... It now has:

A new engine
Coilovers
A good geo
Pro race 1.2s ordered on Monday
And a TR Lane cage on route.

Little money pit!!

Thankfully it has no major rust problems, and should be reliable for a good few years with minimal expenditure.

Car was £2500,

SPAX coilover fitted £400 (eBay)
Engine (full service) £1300
Wheels and Tyres £202.14 (eBay)
TR Lane bar...?

I've spent more than half of the purchase price in 2 months

[marc2]

roverspeed said:

MX5's have double wishbone front suspension. So don't waste your money on a strut brace, it doesn't have any struts!

Good call, Was thinking the same myself

[dapprman]

marc2 said:

roverspeed said:

MX5's have double wishbone front suspension. So don't waste your money on a strut brace, it doesn't have any struts!

Good call, Was thinking the same myself

Though you can get a front sub frame brace and this does make a difference, however you'll also need to add a rear one as well else you introduce some under steer,

[john R]

Nice one Dan.

Looks great matey.

(Chesney)

[marc2]

dapprman said:

marc2 said:

roverspeed said:

MX5's have double wishbone front suspension. So don't waste your money on a strut brace, it doesn't have any struts!

Good call, Was thinking the same myself

Though you can get a front sub frame brace and this does make a difference, however you'll also need to add a rear one as well else you introduce some under steer,

Agreed, lower brace should help.
I remember when the mx5 first camt to this country a mate bought one & we went for a 'chase me' thrash around the B roads of the North York Moors where I live (all within legal limits oshifer) I was driving a mildly modified 90bhp ish Triumph Spitfire (no I'm not, I'm married with kids) & my mate was in his new Mx5 which I assumed would be a poor immitation of the thoroughbread I was piloting... Things did not go to plan the mx5 looked so so planted on the road even from the great distance behind from where I was (forced to be) viewing it from. After a while my mate took pity & pretended he had always liked Brit sports cars & asked to swap cars...short term sadly. I simply could not believe how precise it was through turns, every apex was clipped exactly how you wanted & I wasnt struggling to keep hold of the wheel as scuttle shake waged war with me as per the Spitfire, the engine was also turbine smooth after the long stroke 1500 in my old dog (by now I had lost all interest in the Spit) which was all out of puff at 5000rpm & seriously considering throwing a rod if I asked much more of it. I could have driven that mx5 for ever but my mate pulled over after a shockingly short time white faced from lifting mid corner in the old Triumph & experiencing the old girl lifting up on its transverse leaf spring & threatening to tuck a back wheel under, then when he tried to stop he had failed to allow for the un-servo'd brakes & nearly overshot a junction... He had that mx5 about 5 years & every time I rode in I marveled at its un-bursting reliability & entertainment value which at the time was like nothing else I had ever driven, come to think of it I think that still holds true today...... hmmmm-cheap now aint they ;-)