LOH's MX5 diaries....
Discussion
OK, before you read any further I must confess to two things;
I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE IT WAS CHEAP
& YES I AM A HAIRDRESSER
Now that those two things are out in the open I feel we can get along with discussing the how's and why's of what I've decided to buy, if at any point you wonder about my rash purchase, just head back to those comments above and all should be explained
So, an MX5 eh? This was 100% NOT what I was looking to buy, quite a bit like my MINI GP2 it just sort of happened Like a lot of PH'rs I love the chase of finding a new car, the research, pouring over adverts, stalking forums for leads on good cars etc. It's lead to finding and owning some fantastic cars over the years such as my old Porsche 911s and I fully thought my next car would be something along those lines if I'm honest.
I'd been making enquiries about a few Aston Martins, as with old 911s going through the roof price wise, I figured a Vantage would be a lovely place to be for reasonable money but at the back of my mind, I had niggling doubts that the MINI GP was going to stay much longer. I'd considered keeping it but reliability worries as the car was entering the end of its warranty period made me think twice. As it wasn't getting used enough (opening the oil filler cap to see massive amounts of mayo explained a lot), should I look at getting something a little safer as a daily?
You can't love cars and fail to notice the new MX5 is coming, I couldn't anyways and although a little meh about the looks of the thing (I must be one of the few who prefer the mk3 in this department) I called into the local dealer to enquire about getting one. My logic being a nice compact daily driver to get to work in while being able to chuck the roof down and go for a blast whenever I felt like it.
September. Basically if I pre ordered one (this was before they'd opened the books) that's when it'd arrive, why buy a convertible at the end of summer
Registering my disappointment the manager did offer an existing car waxing on about the amazing deals they could do, the local dealers are old family friends by the way and they know the way open mine or my fathers chequebook is to utter the immortal word "deal". We do love a good deal 
In amongst dealer contributions, manufacturer contributions, interest free credit etc we looked at a price to just buy one with cash. Mazda had 6 coming in on the next boat that were unsold and they wanted them shifted. How bad? I think the figures speak volumes....
Mazda MX5 2.0 sport nav tech (basically top of the range) £23.300 on the road, only option metallic paint +£500
Dealer offer £16,268
That's on the road, half tank of fuel, first years tax, number plate and the whole shebang. Did I mention I'm weak for a deal?
I can explain (& no doubt will) why I persuaded myself (& the wife!) that this was with buying but it basically goes back to this^^. By any stretch of the imagination that is a ridiculously f
king cheap brand new sports car. Yes it has it's faults, no it's certainly not perfect out of the box (though I'll update at a later date on how it's actually closer than you think after I've lived with it for a couple of weeks) and yes it has a certain "stigma" attached to it considering my profession but seriously, £16k!
The dealers recommended staying away from black as apparently it's ridiculously soft and will chip at a mere glance of a stone, the other colours were red, white and a couple of metallic options. I really liked the metallic grey but I figured as I was buying it because it was cheap, a £500 option on paint was a bit silly. This left "true red" and white and seeing as a hairdresser in an MX5 was a cliche, I didn't dare go for the full house of adding white paint to the spec sheet!
So red it was then, Mazda should probably rename "true red" to "fking red" as you pictures cannot describe how bright it is! If you've ever seen a Challenge Stradale in that F1 red they do that's pretty much it. This will probably be the only time my MX5 will be compared with Maranello's finest. As I first saw it when it arrived into the compound;
The manager told me to save all of the import docs as MX5 buffs love all that stuff apparently.
So there we go, I think I've waffled on enough about how I came to own it. I'm actually driving it day to day now the MINi has gone (the first couple of weeks I had it it just sat in the garage) and I couldn't be happier if I'm honest, it's a great little car that harks back to my old MR2 Spyder from years ago that I loved so much. Updates will follow....
I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE IT WAS CHEAP
& YES I AM A HAIRDRESSER
Now that those two things are out in the open I feel we can get along with discussing the how's and why's of what I've decided to buy, if at any point you wonder about my rash purchase, just head back to those comments above and all should be explained
So, an MX5 eh? This was 100% NOT what I was looking to buy, quite a bit like my MINI GP2 it just sort of happened
Like a lot of PH'rs I love the chase of finding a new car, the research, pouring over adverts, stalking forums for leads on good cars etc. It's lead to finding and owning some fantastic cars over the years such as my old Porsche 911s and I fully thought my next car would be something along those lines if I'm honest.I'd been making enquiries about a few Aston Martins, as with old 911s going through the roof price wise, I figured a Vantage would be a lovely place to be for reasonable money but at the back of my mind, I had niggling doubts that the MINI GP was going to stay much longer. I'd considered keeping it but reliability worries as the car was entering the end of its warranty period made me think twice. As it wasn't getting used enough (opening the oil filler cap to see massive amounts of mayo explained a lot), should I look at getting something a little safer as a daily?
You can't love cars and fail to notice the new MX5 is coming, I couldn't anyways and although a little meh about the looks of the thing (I must be one of the few who prefer the mk3 in this department) I called into the local dealer to enquire about getting one. My logic being a nice compact daily driver to get to work in while being able to chuck the roof down and go for a blast whenever I felt like it.
September. Basically if I pre ordered one (this was before they'd opened the books) that's when it'd arrive, why buy a convertible at the end of summer
Registering my disappointment the manager did offer an existing car waxing on about the amazing deals they could do, the local dealers are old family friends by the way and they know the way open mine or my fathers chequebook is to utter the immortal word "deal". We do love a good deal In amongst dealer contributions, manufacturer contributions, interest free credit etc we looked at a price to just buy one with cash. Mazda had 6 coming in on the next boat that were unsold and they wanted them shifted. How bad? I think the figures speak volumes....
Mazda MX5 2.0 sport nav tech (basically top of the range) £23.300 on the road, only option metallic paint +£500
Dealer offer £16,268
That's on the road, half tank of fuel, first years tax, number plate and the whole shebang. Did I mention I'm weak for a deal?
I can explain (& no doubt will) why I persuaded myself (& the wife!) that this was with buying but it basically goes back to this^^. By any stretch of the imagination that is a ridiculously f
king cheap brand new sports car. Yes it has it's faults, no it's certainly not perfect out of the box (though I'll update at a later date on how it's actually closer than you think after I've lived with it for a couple of weeks) and yes it has a certain "stigma" attached to it considering my profession but seriously, £16k!The dealers recommended staying away from black as apparently it's ridiculously soft and will chip at a mere glance of a stone, the other colours were red, white and a couple of metallic options. I really liked the metallic grey but I figured as I was buying it because it was cheap, a £500 option on paint was a bit silly. This left "true red" and white and seeing as a hairdresser in an MX5 was a cliche, I didn't dare go for the full house of adding white paint to the spec sheet!
So red it was then, Mazda should probably rename "true red" to "f
king red" as you pictures cannot describe how bright it is! If you've ever seen a Challenge Stradale in that F1 red they do that's pretty much it. This will probably be the only time my MX5 will be compared with Maranello's finest. As I first saw it when it arrived into the compound;
The manager told me to save all of the import docs as MX5 buffs love all that stuff apparently.
So there we go, I think I've waffled on enough about how I came to own it. I'm actually driving it day to day now the MINi has gone (the first couple of weeks I had it it just sat in the garage) and I couldn't be happier if I'm honest, it's a great little car that harks back to my old MR2 Spyder from years ago that I loved so much. Updates will follow....
Edited by LaurasOtherHalf on Sunday 19th April 10:36
Awesome stuff.
From various posts on here I've come to the conclusion we have very similar views on what makes a good drivers car - and having had a mk1 Eunos import I'm fully expecting you to fall in love - at least I hope you do as I've been tossing up trying out the mk3 against the mk4 once it's out...
Off topic, but I'm getting married next year, and been put in charge of honeymoon planning - your thread has given me lots of ideas, do you kind if a bit closer to the time I drop you a pm for some more info?
From various posts on here I've come to the conclusion we have very similar views on what makes a good drivers car - and having had a mk1 Eunos import I'm fully expecting you to fall in love - at least I hope you do as I've been tossing up trying out the mk3 against the mk4 once it's out...
Off topic, but I'm getting married next year, and been put in charge of honeymoon planning - your thread has given me lots of ideas, do you kind if a bit closer to the time I drop you a pm for some more info?
just ping me an email whenever you needWhat on earth is "ping me an email" or am I in some way behind the times. Anyway, great to see another post from yourself, loved the mini one, sure this will be epic as well. Two realy great cars there, what a perfect combination, I would be very happy with those two. LOH enjoy, looking forward to any road trips you may have, happy motoring.
Mine is some seven years older, but I too have recently acquired one. My partner and I had two family shopping trolleys--a Focus and a Golf. I'd wanted a pared back, driver's car for a long time and like the MX5s. We drove one, I fell in love. We don't plan to have a family for some time, so took a punt and went for it while we could. I am besotted (so is she--I have to ask for the keys). I use the Golf to get to work and the MX5 as much as I can at weekends and in holidays (I teach). It's great. I wish you all the best with yours; I couldn't care less about their reputation. If you know anything about cars, you know their REAL reputation. Also, well done on a fantastic deal.
P.s. ours is Galaxy Grey and looks lovely, although the 3.5/3.75 has a prettier nose.
!
P.s. ours is Galaxy Grey and looks lovely, although the 3.5/3.75 has a prettier nose.
!
So, I bought it around the end of March and although we were in The Canaries for the first week or so I have actually been driving the car every day since I got home. Schmeeky may be able to attest, we've had a beautiful spring so far up here I've honestly drove to work and back with the roof down 9 out of 10 times since I've been driving it. Great
I've also found myself doing something I've not done for years and that's just driving. Today I had to do some running around and picking up stock for the girls at work and if I'm honest I tried to use pretty much every back road and bypass to get from one side of town to the other. Why? Well, just because it was fun I guess. Lovely sunshine, good music and a nice little roadster to punt about.
I haven't done that in a long, long time.
So first impressions, don't look at each one in order-they're just things I've noticed in the last few weeks....
The Good
Gearshift
Steering feel
Engine noise above 4k
Brakes (progressive, not grabby and perfect feel)
Pedal position for heel and toe
Open top!
Simple oversteer
Small and easy to place/park
Atomic seat heating
Lovely thin rimmed steering wheel
ESP off is OFF!
Easy Bluetooth stereo connection
TheBad
"Floaty" suspension
Funny looks with the folding hard top
4X4 ride height
Slippy leather (even on steering wheel)
Crap seats
No DAB
Lots of beeps from the stereo/nav unit
Poor fuel economy (within reason-it's a 2.0ltr with a small tank)
Of the above, only that floaty suspension causes concern but let me explain a bit about it. Read any review of the NC MX5 and you'll see the same comment but let me contradict myself. The car does have a good bit of chassis roll, it does bounce over bumps and yes it does squirm under power-basically everything that would lead you to say it has a "floaty" feel to the set up. But the funny thing is, the more I've driven it, the more I feel it suits the car
One thing I absolutely love about the car is you can hammer the thing and you're only doing 80mph (where conditions allow), and at those speeds that bit of roll and compliance actually has started to pay off. You can let the car "breathe" over bumps, potholes and imperfections on a good B road without it causing huge amounts of kickback and scuttle shake.
Yes it couldbe tied down better but I honestly feel it's set up for the vast majority of buyers, those who'll plowr the thing through potholes and demand not to feel a thing-it really does work on the whole being a great bit of fun down a country lane.
That's not to say that's how I want it. But it's nice to think that it could actually be most things to most men (or wife, or hairdressers) and that's how you buy it. If I'm honest, after driving it 50 miles I figured I needed to change this and that and seeming as there was an Easter discount at MX5 Parts.com I've bought a load of bits to change it but if I hadn't, after driving it a further 100 miles I wouldn't have bothered. I'm not saying it's right, but it's better than I thought now I'm actually used to it and it maybe would have been prudent to have done at least a couple of track days to test it all out fully.
But then I've already bought the bits so I might as well fit them
I've also found myself doing something I've not done for years and that's just driving. Today I had to do some running around and picking up stock for the girls at work and if I'm honest I tried to use pretty much every back road and bypass to get from one side of town to the other. Why? Well, just because it was fun I guess. Lovely sunshine, good music and a nice little roadster to punt about.
I haven't done that in a long, long time.
So first impressions, don't look at each one in order-they're just things I've noticed in the last few weeks....
The Good
Gearshift
Steering feel
Engine noise above 4k
Brakes (progressive, not grabby and perfect feel)
Pedal position for heel and toe
Open top!
Simple oversteer
Small and easy to place/park
Atomic seat heating
Lovely thin rimmed steering wheel
ESP off is OFF!
Easy Bluetooth stereo connection
TheBad
"Floaty" suspension
Funny looks with the folding hard top
4X4 ride height
Slippy leather (even on steering wheel)
Crap seats
No DAB
Lots of beeps from the stereo/nav unit
Poor fuel economy (within reason-it's a 2.0ltr with a small tank)
Of the above, only that floaty suspension causes concern but let me explain a bit about it. Read any review of the NC MX5 and you'll see the same comment but let me contradict myself. The car does have a good bit of chassis roll, it does bounce over bumps and yes it does squirm under power-basically everything that would lead you to say it has a "floaty" feel to the set up. But the funny thing is, the more I've driven it, the more I feel it suits the car
One thing I absolutely love about the car is you can hammer the thing and you're only doing 80mph (where conditions allow), and at those speeds that bit of roll and compliance actually has started to pay off. You can let the car "breathe" over bumps, potholes and imperfections on a good B road without it causing huge amounts of kickback and scuttle shake.
Yes it couldbe tied down better but I honestly feel it's set up for the vast majority of buyers, those who'll plowr the thing through potholes and demand not to feel a thing-it really does work on the whole being a great bit of fun down a country lane.
That's not to say that's how I want it. But it's nice to think that it could actually be most things to most men (or wife, or hairdressers) and that's how you buy it. If I'm honest, after driving it 50 miles I figured I needed to change this and that and seeming as there was an Easter discount at MX5 Parts.com I've bought a load of bits to change it but if I hadn't, after driving it a further 100 miles I wouldn't have bothered. I'm not saying it's right, but it's better than I thought now I'm actually used to it and it maybe would have been prudent to have done at least a couple of track days to test it all out fully.
But then I've already bought the bits so I might as well fit them
Great deal you got there! Only owned my 2010 mx5 sport 2 months but I have had mesiter r coilovers fitted at Roddisons motorsport with a full geometry setup and corner weighting whcih has really tightened the car up. I still felt the car rolled slightly to much for my liking however and recently fitted upgrated anti roll bars front and rear with polybushes. This has given the car so much more stability and the steering has more weight and feel mid corner, one of the best modifications I have made on any car.
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