Does the MX-5 feel underpowered?

[The Turbonator]

If any of you have been keeping track of my recent posts, you'll be well aware that I've been toying with the idea of replacing the family wagon with a hot hatch or getting a second car for myself. There's no real reason to get rid of the Grand Picasso, it's been a great family car and still has plenty of life in it, so have decided that getting a car for myself is the way to go.

In true PH fashion, I've started to lean towards getting an MX-5 but the lack of power concerns me.

Now I've never had anything which could be considered fast but I've always wanted a fast and powerful car. So most cars I've been thinking of getting have been around 200bhp+.

I've been in a few quick cars and I love the pushed back into your seat feeling and I was wanting something with a sub 7 second 0-60 time.

So I've looked at TVR Chimaeras, Honda S2000s, Mitsubishi GTOs, Jaguar XK8s, Mazda RX8s and pretty much anything else you can think of with a V8 or turbo for under £10,000.

However, you read so much about the MX5 being so fun and from a sensibility point of few, it would be a very sensible choice. They're cheap to buy, it doesn't have a fuel guzzling engine, so it gets reasonable MPG and is fairly inexpensive on insurance and tax. Plus, if anything did go wrong, it's only a small capacity Mazda engine, so would be cheap enough to repair.

I've been looking at all the variants from the MK1 to the MK3 but am leaning towards the MK3 for the extra comfort and reliability. Although I want a fun, sporty car, it's still going to be used as a daily driver for work.

Would I regret not getting a more powerful car though and regret not getting something with a sub 7 second 0-60 time, like I initially thought I wanted?

[The Turbonator]

Thanks for all the comments everyone.

It is starting to sound like the handling makes up for the smaller engine.

[The Turbonator]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, I think you've pretty much convinced me to give it a go.

[The Turbonator]

Is the MX5 easy to oversteer, should you want it to then? I've only ever had FF cars and I would like to learn about controlling oversteer.

[The Turbonator]

caraddict said:

My old lady...

Edited by caraddict on Monday 16th February 22:38

That's nice.

[The Turbonator]

Didn't realise this thread would still be going but thanks for all the replies everyone. Just finished reading all the ones I missed before.

Got nothing to compare it too really, I've ever only driven hatchbacks and the Grand Picasso I have at the moment is the most powerful car I've driven. I just want something fun to have as a daily and for blasts into the country on nice days, whilst the wife inherits the Citroën when she passes her test.

I was considering things like GTOs, Supra's, Impreza's etc before but then I started considering how cheap the MX5s would be to run. Not to mention that with my budget the other cars were a little leggy, whilst I could get a relatively new MX5 with low mileage.

I suppose I just don't want to be disappointed with it and regret not getting something with a lot more power like the Impreza.

[The Turbonator]

Rich196 said:

What do you want out of it. A quick car in a straight line or something that flows round the bends?

I came from a BMW 135i with 420bhp and 530ftlb. Road car this was great more than enough power to blow away all but the faster "super cars". However I like track days. The BMW wasn't getting used much, so I sold it and built a MX5 2.0 sport track car. A whole 188 bhp. Importantly a slippy diff the bmw didnt have. Well I can assure I have more fun in this things than the BMW, and they are raw and light enough to teach you really how to pedal a car round a track, but comforatable to use everyday in standard from. Yes I do miss the mental speed, but boy do I have alot more fun driving the nuts of the MX5.

I suppose I'm just after some that's fun, after a lifetime of driving mundane hatchbacks I want something that's going to make me want to drive it just for the sake for it. Something that if I wake up on a Sunday morning and the weather looks nice, I'd want to go out and drive it into the country for a hoon.