What are MX5's like to drive? Be honest.
Discussion
Evening all,
I am currently thinking about getting something cheap, fun and easy to work on. One of the cars I'm thinking about aside from kit cars is an MX5.
Quite honestly, what are the basic and unmodified ones like to drive?
Following on from my 'Exciting Cars £1k - £5k" thread, I'm looking for something fun to drive on a Sunday morning. Literally I'm wanting something that will sit in the garage for 6 days of the week and then my driven around for no reason other than enjoying the motor car on the 7th.
By 'fun' I mean something that's enjoyable at legal speeds. Cars with very high levels of grip are great for going fast, but in my experience they can be a bit boring in the sense that finding their limits at sane, legal speeds is almost impossible. Fun doesn't mean fast and the furious drifting, just a sense that you want to keep driving it forever.
I ask the question as the opinions surrounding MX5's seem varied. Chris Harris seems to dislike them, but then why did it get voted so highly in Evo's top 100 cars?
Best regards,
Matt
Edited to add: If I remember correct Vicky Butler Henderson reviewed a basic 1.6 MK1 on 5th Gear and had a lot of praise for it.. I saw her race at Thruxton years ago and god she could drive!
I am currently thinking about getting something cheap, fun and easy to work on. One of the cars I'm thinking about aside from kit cars is an MX5.
Quite honestly, what are the basic and unmodified ones like to drive?
Following on from my 'Exciting Cars £1k - £5k" thread, I'm looking for something fun to drive on a Sunday morning. Literally I'm wanting something that will sit in the garage for 6 days of the week and then my driven around for no reason other than enjoying the motor car on the 7th.
By 'fun' I mean something that's enjoyable at legal speeds. Cars with very high levels of grip are great for going fast, but in my experience they can be a bit boring in the sense that finding their limits at sane, legal speeds is almost impossible. Fun doesn't mean fast and the furious drifting, just a sense that you want to keep driving it forever.
I ask the question as the opinions surrounding MX5's seem varied. Chris Harris seems to dislike them, but then why did it get voted so highly in Evo's top 100 cars?
Best regards,
Matt
Edited to add: If I remember correct Vicky Butler Henderson reviewed a basic 1.6 MK1 on 5th Gear and had a lot of praise for it.. I saw her race at Thruxton years ago and god she could drive!
Edited by BeirutTaxi on Friday 23 November 21:50
The one I briefly had was good fun to drive - nice engine note, communicative steering, not too much grip, not especially fast, but quick enough.
The let downs for me were a flimsy interior, and they like a drink.
I'm currently weighing up making a cheeky bid on one I know is available, and the owner is skint!
The let downs for me were a flimsy interior, and they like a drink.
I'm currently weighing up making a cheeky bid on one I know is available, and the owner is skint!
i know they're supposed to be all about the handling etc, but in my experience they just werent quite quick enough. overtaking needed good forward planning and a fair sized gap. even an extra 30 bhp would have helped.
otherwise, for the 2 months i had mine, i never drove it without a smile on my face. really was a fantastic drive. i would look forward to driving it every day, and be gutted when i got to work and had to stop driving it. that good
otherwise, for the 2 months i had mine, i never drove it without a smile on my face. really was a fantastic drive. i would look forward to driving it every day, and be gutted when i got to work and had to stop driving it. that good
^^ The feedback comments are interesting, as that's one of the things I am craving for more than power at the moment!
I find it hard to push on in cars which don't have any steering feel, I find it lowers my confidence as a slide (over or understeer) is hard to predict before it happens.
Power isn't too much of a concern, I've been in some very fast cars over the years and yet I'm not a believer that power = fun.
I find it hard to push on in cars which don't have any steering feel, I find it lowers my confidence as a slide (over or understeer) is hard to predict before it happens.
Power isn't too much of a concern, I've been in some very fast cars over the years and yet I'm not a believer that power = fun.
I drove a MK1 MX-5 and eventually bought an MGF VVC which is the better all round car IMO. 2 years on and I still think the same.
MX-5's are sweet cars to drive but I was left a bit disappointed, which is all too easy to happen when they're as ridiculously hyped up as they are. They are good but no better or worse than most other wee roadsters.
MX-5's are sweet cars to drive but I was left a bit disappointed, which is all too easy to happen when they're as ridiculously hyped up as they are. They are good but no better or worse than most other wee roadsters.
Eunos said:
I drove a MK1 MX-5 and eventually bought an MGF VVC which is the better all round car IMO. 2 years on and I still think the same.
MX-5's are sweet cars to drive but I was left a bit disappointed, which is all too easy to happen when they're ridiculously hyped up. They are good but no better or worse than most other wee roadsters.
Same here, much quicker, better MPG and without the rust.MX-5's are sweet cars to drive but I was left a bit disappointed, which is all too easy to happen when they're ridiculously hyped up. They are good but no better or worse than most other wee roadsters.
I really wanted an MX5 after all the hype on here. The MGF was so much better.
Though when the MG lets go its scary i have to say, MX5 is probably a lot easier to find the limit and balance it.
jbi said:
just a fun little car to drive really...
You never feel like you have to hammer it to enjoy the ride... especially with the top down on a nice sunny day.
It wouldn't be my first choice for a track car... but value for money and smiles per mile it's hard to beat.
Out of interest, what would you choose over it for track use? In the same price bracket.You never feel like you have to hammer it to enjoy the ride... especially with the top down on a nice sunny day.
It wouldn't be my first choice for a track car... but value for money and smiles per mile it's hard to beat.
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
Basic.
PITA on a wet drizzle night up the M1 for 200 miles when you just want to get home.....
On a seperate note, I drove the opposite of an MX5 a while ago; A BMW 7 Series.PITA on a wet drizzle night up the M1 for 200 miles when you just want to get home.....
For the trip you mentioned above, it was brilliant in every single respect.
I'm thinking a garage with an MX5 and a 7 Series inside would be quite a good one!
juan king said:
jbi said:
just a fun little car to drive really...
You never feel like you have to hammer it to enjoy the ride... especially with the top down on a nice sunny day.
It wouldn't be my first choice for a track car... but value for money and smiles per mile it's hard to beat.
Out of interest, what would you choose over it for track use? In the same price bracket.You never feel like you have to hammer it to enjoy the ride... especially with the top down on a nice sunny day.
It wouldn't be my first choice for a track car... but value for money and smiles per mile it's hard to beat.
Of course the beamer does not share the same weekend driver qualities as the MX5 though
My daily is a Impreza WRX however I still enjoy getting into the MX5 at the weekends, puts a smile on my face whenever I drive it. Mine is a mk2 1.8iS, personally I feel the interior of the mk2 is a nicer place to be and feels more modern, just watch out for rusty sills when buying though!
Mine (sadly) has a similar fate of 6 days sat, 1 day run for fun. Once out, I don't want to park it up, it's just so much fun! If you check my garage though, there's details of the maintenance, which admittedly has been a bit OCD at times. My car was bought modified, so sadly I've never experienced a standard one.
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