MX5 - Whats all the fuss about
Discussion
I took one of these for a test drive from a Mazda dealer yesterday..
After taking a copy of my license, the sales rep gave me the keys and said "I'll see you in about half hour, make sure you go for a good drive."
The car i took out was a Mk2.5 1.8i Arctic edition.. And off i went down some country roads which i know..
My main issue with the car is the real lack of torque.. and even though the red line starts at 7k, nothing really seems to happen above 4k.. so trying to overtake anything above 40mph seemed to be a bit of a risk..
The handling seemed to be reasonably good but i did not get to chuck it about too much, although it did feel quite wallowy at the back end.. but i guess i wasn't used to the quick steering..
Perhaps i should buy one and run it for 6 months to find out its hidden secrets..
Anyway, I can't work out why these are always recommended.. so, why is it ?
After taking a copy of my license, the sales rep gave me the keys and said "I'll see you in about half hour, make sure you go for a good drive."
The car i took out was a Mk2.5 1.8i Arctic edition.. And off i went down some country roads which i know..
My main issue with the car is the real lack of torque.. and even though the red line starts at 7k, nothing really seems to happen above 4k.. so trying to overtake anything above 40mph seemed to be a bit of a risk..
The handling seemed to be reasonably good but i did not get to chuck it about too much, although it did feel quite wallowy at the back end.. but i guess i wasn't used to the quick steering..
Perhaps i should buy one and run it for 6 months to find out its hidden secrets..
Anyway, I can't work out why these are always recommended.. so, why is it ?
Well compared to a modified Focus RS most standard cars will probably feel slow!! In fact most cars will be slow especially a 1.8.
I only have a 1997 mk1 MX5 and its slow in a straight line compared to my last few cars however the more I push it in the corners the more speed I seem to be finding. Its just a little b road terrier which with the roof down I find very entertaining, its also dirt cheap to run for what is a standard cheap little car.
Certainly the more you drive the older ones the quicker and quicker you realise they can go round corners.
I only have a 1997 mk1 MX5 and its slow in a straight line compared to my last few cars however the more I push it in the corners the more speed I seem to be finding. Its just a little b road terrier which with the roof down I find very entertaining, its also dirt cheap to run for what is a standard cheap little car.
Certainly the more you drive the older ones the quicker and quicker you realise they can go round corners.
winshent said:
Caulkhead said:
Please hand in your PH membership on the way out. 
I think that are just the natural progression from the old MG midget and B, the car that BL failed to make - a handy sports car for fun. Having driven a Boxster and had a ride in a sedately driven Mk1 MX5 I'm saving for a Boxster - but my time spent with an MX5 was too limited.
I.e. I suspect it's a car you learn to love - not one you are blown away with from the start, and it's easy to love because it's simple, reliable, fun and economical to run. I reckon you should try to borrow one for 24 hours.
It's not about power in an MX5.
It's all about the handling and the weighting of the car. You can place it ANYWHERE in a corner and it'll react*
However, the MK1's are where you need to really go to understand the true MX5 way.
Trust me. I know.
*ETA they also cost buttons and cost buttons to run
It's all about the handling and the weighting of the car. You can place it ANYWHERE in a corner and it'll react*
However, the MK1's are where you need to really go to understand the true MX5 way.
Trust me. I know.
*ETA they also cost buttons and cost buttons to run
I had a 1.8 Arizona (mk2.5) on a test drive and wasn't blown away by the car either, but I think with the MX5 it's more a combination of factors that make people recommend it. It's a small roadster were you can easily get the roof off, has some practicality, costs peanuts to buy and run, is reliable and a decent steer too.
The engine was the biggest let down for me too, but the gearchange felt good, and I think as an everyday topless motor, it's a better proposition than most other cars at that price point.
The engine was the biggest let down for me too, but the gearchange felt good, and I think as an everyday topless motor, it's a better proposition than most other cars at that price point.
AndyCowman said:
Well compared to a modified Focus RS most standard cars will probably feel slow!! In fact most cars will be slow especially a 1.8.
Yeah, I'm not expecting it to be anything near like the performance of my focus.. what gets me is that it seemed like i'd have to take a risk to get past the car in front, and hence you can't enjoy a road if your stuck behind something else..I did two overtakes in the car, on some wide open A roads with good visibility, and I knew that if i saw a car in the distance then i'd probably have to back off and pull back in..
I'm looking to replace my MK3 mondeo tdci as i don't need it anymore.. and i thought an MX5 could be it..
Globs said:
I think that are just the natural progression from the old MG midget and B, the car that BL failed to make - a handy sports car for fun. Having driven a Boxster and had a ride in a sedately driven Mk1 MX5 I'm saving for a Boxster - but my time spent with an MX5 was too limited.
I.e. I suspect it's a car you learn to love - not one you are blown away with from the start, and it's easy to love because it's simple, reliable, fun and economical to run. I reckon you should try to borrow one for 24 hours.
I also nearly bought a Boxster S.. I regret not buying it now.. and i'm still tempted to get one on finace.. just the whole IMS things still bugs me
Baffled Spoon said:
I had a 1.8 Arizona (mk2.5) on a test drive and wasn't blown away by the car either, but I think with the MX5 it's more a combination of factors that make people recommend it. It's a small roadster were you can easily get the roof off, has some practicality, costs peanuts to buy and run, is reliable and a decent steer too.
The engine was the biggest let down for me too, but the gearchange felt good, and I think as an everyday topless motor, it's a better proposition than most other cars at that price point.
Costing peanuts is the main attraction for me.. I guess if there is any way to get a bit more power out of it for not much more money then i'll def consider one..The engine was the biggest let down for me too, but the gearchange felt good, and I think as an everyday topless motor, it's a better proposition than most other cars at that price point.
winshent said:
I also nearly bought a Boxster S.. I regret not buying it now.. and i'm still tempted to get one on finance.. just the whole IMS things still bugs me
::
Costing peanuts is the main attraction for me.. I guess if there is any way to get a bit more power out of it for not much more money then i'll def consider one..
The cost of running a Boxster is way out there compared to an MX5 - tax, insurance, tyres, parts all massively more expensive, but it's such a great package. When I get one I'll buy a £15k one in good shape (next year there will be a lot at that price then!) and have a 5k budget for an engine rebuild to a proper standard at Hartech, to eliminate all the known issues and to stop them recurring. Then I'll have 20k in one that I can use without worry ::
Costing peanuts is the main attraction for me.. I guess if there is any way to get a bit more power out of it for not much more money then i'll def consider one..
MX5 is where the real cheap fun is though - sometimes not spending too much is part of the fun, I run an old 325i E30 convertible and that's pretty cheap!
The lack of overtaking grunt doesn't bother me. If the road conditions don't permit an overtake, I'm more than happy to back off a bit and let a gap build. Then grin like an idiot while I enjoy the bends, corners and roundabouts while I close the gap again.
It's easy to go fast in a straight line. Doing it around a corner however, is where it gets interesting.
It's easy to go fast in a straight line. Doing it around a corner however, is where it gets interesting.
I got out of a small diesel and into a Boxster and found it tricky to re-adjust to the fact that the much faster Porsche felt slower at first. Then I realised that it was capable of going round corners with a telepathic ease, communicated every useful bit of information from the road back to me, and that I couldn't rely on a thump of torque to pull me past things I had to work the gearbox and wring the flat 6 out (which was a joy).
The harder I drove the Box the more I wanted to stay with it forever, and I suspect the same would be true of the MX5. In both cars I would know that there were ways I could go faster for less but going fast isn't always the point of a good car.
The harder I drove the Box the more I wanted to stay with it forever, and I suspect the same would be true of the MX5. In both cars I would know that there were ways I could go faster for less but going fast isn't always the point of a good car.
davepoth said:
Failing that, rev it. It's not a diesel, it's not a turbo, it needs to to wrung out to the upper limits of the tacho to access the power.
Believe me i tried that and for me it didnt really seem to go anywhere.. rate of acceleration dropped noticeably after around 4k..What do people move on to after they've done the MX5 thing? Elise, Boxster, s2000, Z4?
Globs said:
The cost of running a Boxster is way out there compared to an MX5 - tax, insurance, tyres, parts all massively more expensive, but it's such a great package. When I get one I'll buy a £15k one in good shape (next year there will be a lot at that price then!) and have a 5k budget for an engine rebuild to a proper standard at Hartech, to eliminate all the known issues and to stop them recurring. Then I'll have 20k in one that I can use without worry
MX5 is where the real cheap fun is though - sometimes not spending too much is part of the fun, I run an old 325i E30 convertible and that's pretty cheap!
I can appreciate the Boxster is financially in a different league, but its such a complete car IMO, that it warrants the extra.. MX5 is where the real cheap fun is though - sometimes not spending too much is part of the fun, I run an old 325i E30 convertible and that's pretty cheap!
Pints said:
The lack of overtaking grunt doesn't bother me. If the road conditions don't permit an overtake, I'm more than happy to back off a bit and let a gap build. Then grin like an idiot while I enjoy the bends, corners and roundabouts while I close the gap again.
It's easy to go fast in a straight line. Doing it around a corner however, is where it gets interesting.
Do they ever have enough power to get tail happy, or can you only do that in the wet? Are they fun on track?It's easy to go fast in a straight line. Doing it around a corner however, is where it gets interesting.
They are good, however you really need to rev the arse off it to get the power. Mine seemed to really be in its element after 5.5k.
However, theyre not completely perfect like everyone says. I've grown to dislike mine when im not on a nice top down sunny hoon. Theyre noisy, leaky, dont get brilliant economy, short geared, talking around 3k for 60mph. Also, uncomfortable for anything over an hour, but that could be because im 6'5"...
However, theyre not completely perfect like everyone says. I've grown to dislike mine when im not on a nice top down sunny hoon. Theyre noisy, leaky, dont get brilliant economy, short geared, talking around 3k for 60mph. Also, uncomfortable for anything over an hour, but that could be because im 6'5"...
Had a mx5 mk2 for 18 months and apart from it's limited power I loved it! as a lot have said on here it's not about power but the joy of wringing it's neck and finding out how brilliant the car handles on such skinny tyres.Sold it and got a very nice boxster s 03year and discovered that the 5 was not in any way shape or form in the same league as the porker. Kept boxster for over 2 years and sold it and have not missed this brilliant at everything motor! and yet, I miss the little mx5 for it's simpleness and(yes quite slow)but hard as nails little engine. Will probably get another and maybe turbo it;)
Not all MX5's feel good. They absolutely need to have their suspension in good condition, decent tyres and a good sporting alignment done.
An MX5 on cheap tyres with baggy shocks and factory spec alignment is not going to feel good so maybe try a couple of models. They are never going to feel quick in a straight line though.
An MX5 on cheap tyres with baggy shocks and factory spec alignment is not going to feel good so maybe try a couple of models. They are never going to feel quick in a straight line though.
Gassing Station | Mazda MX5/Roadster/Miata | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff