Another MX-5 thread...
Discussion
But this one is slightly different though, as I used to own a mk1 MX-5 (for 6 years/100,000 miles) but come MOT time, it needed more work doing to it than was viable, so the search was on for a new car, the main criteria was that it was to be another MX-5.
My first choice was to get a slightly newer mk2 and see how that went, but I wasn't able to find one at a sensible price within the 10 days I had to buy one. So I started looking at other options, getting another mk1 or finance etc and the one that jumped out at me was to lease a new MX-5 mk3.5 for a ridiculously low price, no matter how I played it, a new car seemed the sensible option!
The downside was that it had to be the 1.8 SE (poverty spec) with 4x4esque suspension. However on the test drive it felt just like a mk1 to
drive, unlike the pre-facelift mk3 I'd driven a few years ago, so I ordered one.
It took a bit longer to arrive than the agent had predicted, leaving me having to drive the pool Freelander from work for a few days and
OV11EBO eventually arrived on the last day of "11" being the latest registration.
New MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
After years owning an older car jumping into a new one was great, it does feel more refined, bumps don't rattle my spine, remote central
locking (without having to touch an immobiliser chip to start the engine) but most of all confidence in the car. I used to get a bit
worried about every little noise or smell being the next big bill and hardly ever drove me car more than a few hours from home, I've already done a few road trips in the new one and am planning a trip to the outer hebridies next summer!
I've now put 2000 miles on it and it still makes me smile every time I drive it, I think the performance is a little bit down on my old one, possibly because of the higher gearing, 4000rpm is 90mph whereas it was only 80mph in the mk1 and fuel economy has been roughly the same (30mpg) but I think I drive the new one a lot harder and I expect economy to improve when the engine has loosened up a bit.
The handling on the mk3.5 is very similar to my mk1 before I put coilovers on it, there is a little bit of body roll, but it stays planted yet responsive, I'd love to have a go in the sport version with stiffer dampers and bracing etc to see how that compares. If there was one thing I don't like about the car is the ride height, it looks about 1" too high, if I'd bought the car I'd have lowering springs fitted, but that's one of the downsides of leasing a car, you can't change it. the other problem I envisage is when it comes to giving it back at the end of the lease...
I'll finish off with a better picture of the car after it had been washed:
MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
My first choice was to get a slightly newer mk2 and see how that went, but I wasn't able to find one at a sensible price within the 10 days I had to buy one. So I started looking at other options, getting another mk1 or finance etc and the one that jumped out at me was to lease a new MX-5 mk3.5 for a ridiculously low price, no matter how I played it, a new car seemed the sensible option!
The downside was that it had to be the 1.8 SE (poverty spec) with 4x4esque suspension. However on the test drive it felt just like a mk1 to
drive, unlike the pre-facelift mk3 I'd driven a few years ago, so I ordered one.
It took a bit longer to arrive than the agent had predicted, leaving me having to drive the pool Freelander from work for a few days and
OV11EBO eventually arrived on the last day of "11" being the latest registration.
New MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
After years owning an older car jumping into a new one was great, it does feel more refined, bumps don't rattle my spine, remote central
locking (without having to touch an immobiliser chip to start the engine) but most of all confidence in the car. I used to get a bit
worried about every little noise or smell being the next big bill and hardly ever drove me car more than a few hours from home, I've already done a few road trips in the new one and am planning a trip to the outer hebridies next summer!
I've now put 2000 miles on it and it still makes me smile every time I drive it, I think the performance is a little bit down on my old one, possibly because of the higher gearing, 4000rpm is 90mph whereas it was only 80mph in the mk1 and fuel economy has been roughly the same (30mpg) but I think I drive the new one a lot harder and I expect economy to improve when the engine has loosened up a bit.
The handling on the mk3.5 is very similar to my mk1 before I put coilovers on it, there is a little bit of body roll, but it stays planted yet responsive, I'd love to have a go in the sport version with stiffer dampers and bracing etc to see how that compares. If there was one thing I don't like about the car is the ride height, it looks about 1" too high, if I'd bought the car I'd have lowering springs fitted, but that's one of the downsides of leasing a car, you can't change it. the other problem I envisage is when it comes to giving it back at the end of the lease...
I'll finish off with a better picture of the car after it had been washed:
MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Edited by Craikeybaby on Tuesday 28th August 14:31
Edited by Craikeybaby on Tuesday 30th April 13:16
I understand what you mean about the security of having a new car. I have a Mk2.5 MX5 and I sometimes find myself looking at Nissan Micras and thinking "oh how refined that looks!"
Getting into a basic hatchback feels like an S class to me now.
How does the mk3.5 compare to your mk1 in terms of noise with the roof up?
Getting into a basic hatchback feels like an S class to me now.
How does the mk3.5 compare to your mk1 in terms of noise with the roof up?
It's always quiet with the roof up because the engine is off 
There's a bit more wind noise on the soft top than the folding hard top version I tested, probably due to the gaps at the side of the roof.
It's quite hard to compare to my mk1 as it had a loud exhaust fitted.
The interior of the mk3.5 is considerably better than the mk1, but not a patch on my girlfriend's Fiat 500, it feels like Fiat used much better materials. I do like how the dials are all in the same location as the mk1, it helps with the family resemblance coming through.
There's a bit more wind noise on the soft top than the folding hard top version I tested, probably due to the gaps at the side of the roof.
It's quite hard to compare to my mk1 as it had a loud exhaust fitted.
The interior of the mk3.5 is considerably better than the mk1, but not a patch on my girlfriend's Fiat 500, it feels like Fiat used much better materials. I do like how the dials are all in the same location as the mk1, it helps with the family resemblance coming through.
I really like the look of that, and have just followed on to look at what deals these lease firms are banging them out at. Specifically Nationwide Vehicle Contracts, fantastic price!
Could you tell me how your leasing works? Did you purchase the car through the main dealer, or do you create your order online and the vehicle gets delivered?
Could you tell me how your leasing works? Did you purchase the car through the main dealer, or do you create your order online and the vehicle gets delivered?
I'd seen the deals before I went to the Mazda dealer, I went more to show my girlfriend the car and to see if they could get near it on price, using my MX5OC discount, I'd hardly been in the showroom 5 minutes and they insisted I took their demonstrator out for a drive, I wasn't going to say no! It turns out that despite the discount and offering me £1000 for my MOT failure mk1 they couldn't get anywhere near the deal I'd seen online. So I ordered the car online and it turned up at my office about 10 days laters (with a bank holiday in the middle).
The Mazda dealer seemed more interested in selling me their old demonstrator than leasing me a new car...
The Mazda dealer seemed more interested in selling me their old demonstrator than leasing me a new car...
I dropped Mrs CB off at Asda the other day and was told "I'll be back in 10 mins", so I had 2 options to pass the time in an almost empty underground car park with an MX-5 and as my drifting skills aren't great I went for the taking pictures option.
By the time Mrs CB got back (with too much shopping for an MX-5 boot) I'd taken and processed these two on my iPhone and returned to the parking space I'd left her at as if nothing had happened.
Black & White MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
MX-5 Profile by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
By the time Mrs CB got back (with too much shopping for an MX-5 boot) I'd taken and processed these two on my iPhone and returned to the parking space I'd left her at as if nothing had happened.
Black & White MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
MX-5 Profile by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Well, the 5 clocked over 6k miles at the weekend, on a run to Southwold to get fish and chips, the weekend before I took it up to Cheshire then onto see a friend in Liverpool and for these longer journeys it is significantly better than my old mk1, much more refined and I can still chuck it around on the twisties.
A few more pictures:
Freshly detailed MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
MX-5 at the Harbour by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
A few more pictures:
Freshly detailed MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
MX-5 at the Harbour by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
The MX-5 has had a lot of use over the past few weeks, and has now clocked up 10,000 miles. It's going for its first service tomorrow, a bit early mileage wise (over a year since PDI/11 months since delivery) but I've got a trip to Scotland and the Western Isles planned, so would rather it was serviced before that (not that I've hard any trouble other than a puncture).
I'm back from my Scottish roadtrip, the MX-5 was a great place to be for 1,500 miles, it was great fun on the twisty roads and it even managed to carry all of our stuff for a 10 day trip (including my camera gear and lots shoes for the girlfriend).
Plenty of room! by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
I've now clocked over 12,000 miles, which is the yearly amount on the lease, (which started on the 31st August) so I'm OK mileage wise. The only slight problem with the car was that the alarm played up a couple of times, after locking the car and leaving it the alarm would start beeping, more like a warning sound than a siren as if it was being stolen, all the doors etc were shut, so I will have to look into this some more.
MX-5 at Glencoe by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Plenty of room! by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
I've now clocked over 12,000 miles, which is the yearly amount on the lease, (which started on the 31st August) so I'm OK mileage wise. The only slight problem with the car was that the alarm played up a couple of times, after locking the car and leaving it the alarm would start beeping, more like a warning sound than a siren as if it was being stolen, all the doors etc were shut, so I will have to look into this some more.
MX-5 at Glencoe by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
So much for "confidence in the car" as I wrote on my first post, I was going to take the MX-5 to work today as I have a few things to bring home this evening that I would have struggled to carry, but it wouldn't start! Even when my old MX-5 was more rust than chassis it started first time every time!
I'm having a few other niggles with it now too, the battery on the key fob had run out - I thought that would be a service item. Luckily I was with the missus at the time as unlocking with the old fashioned way with the key set the alarm off and I had to use her key to shut it up (or would starting the car with my key have stopped the alarm?). It has also picked up a few rattles, so when I take it for its service next month I'll get Mazda to look at it, although after the hassle I had getting them to replace a part that was obviously defective, I won't be holding my breath on them finding the fault before the car goes back to the lease company.
I'm having a few other niggles with it now too, the battery on the key fob had run out - I thought that would be a service item. Luckily I was with the missus at the time as unlocking with the old fashioned way with the key set the alarm off and I had to use her key to shut it up (or would starting the car with my key have stopped the alarm?). It has also picked up a few rattles, so when I take it for its service next month I'll get Mazda to look at it, although after the hassle I had getting them to replace a part that was obviously defective, I won't be holding my breath on them finding the fault before the car goes back to the lease company.
Edited by Craikeybaby on Tuesday 30th April 13:19
The MX-5 hasn't been getting much use recently, other than a hoon at the weekends, so I decided to take it to work this morning - a 1 mile journey, but with the sun out and the roof down it was a great start to the day.
I've also got a few road trips planned for the summer - Scotland, Exmoor and North Wales.
I've also got a few road trips planned for the summer - Scotland, Exmoor and North Wales.
Edited by Craikeybaby on Tuesday 30th April 13:28
I decided to get the MX-5 serviced ahead of schedule, it would have been due a service based about 6 weeks before it goes back to the lease company, so rather than risk not getting it done and getting charged full price for it I took it to the local Mazda dealer. So now all I have to worry about is the tyres, hopefully 4mm all round is enough to keep legal for the next 4 months.
After I brought some rust to their attention Mazda have agreed to replace one of the alloys and all of the wheel nuts, not great on a car less than 2 years old!
After I brought some rust to their attention Mazda have agreed to replace one of the alloys and all of the wheel nuts, not great on a car less than 2 years old!
I detailed the car at the weekend and gave all the wheels a good clean/wax, it looks like there is still some corrosion showing on the back wheels, so another trip to Mazda.
After cleaning it on Saturday, I drove it a lot Sunday/Monday, I'm still getting used to just having a car for fun, I ended up doing 100 miles, just going to the supermarket/gym, hence all the bug splats:
MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
After cleaning it on Saturday, I drove it a lot Sunday/Monday, I'm still getting used to just having a car for fun, I ended up doing 100 miles, just going to the supermarket/gym, hence all the bug splats:
MX-5 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
Last week I was up in Scotland in the MX-5 and it really highlighted how great the car is. Comfortable for the drive up there and great hooning around the highlands.
So it is made me a bit sad today when I started the process to get my number plate off it before it goes back to the lease company at the end of August. Whatever I get next has got a lot to live up to, especially with a £5k budget!
So it is made me a bit sad today when I started the process to get my number plate off it before it goes back to the lease company at the end of August. Whatever I get next has got a lot to live up to, especially with a £5k budget!
The MX-5 is getting collected on Friday 
It is back on its original number plate and currently parked up at work as I have a test car for the weekend. The MX-5's replacement is the MR2 in the background:
MX-5 Number Plate Changed by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
It is back on its original number plate and currently parked up at work as I have a test car for the weekend. The MX-5's replacement is the MR2 in the background:
MX-5 Number Plate Changed by Lewis Craik, on Flickr
My reason is quite similar, I could have bought the MX-5 off the lease company, I was tempted as it has been a great car, but now I have moved it is just a weekend toy and I can't really justify having that much money tied up in a toy. It also means I could go for something a bit more hardcore!
I looked at S2000s, but £5k would get a rough one, whereas £4k got me a nice MR2. I also wanted a change and the S2000 is too much like an MX-5.
I looked at S2000s, but £5k would get a rough one, whereas £4k got me a nice MR2. I also wanted a change and the S2000 is too much like an MX-5.
Edited by Craikeybaby on Sunday 25th August 08:09
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