Right, that's it, I am buying one...

[Flying Toilet]

Hi all,

Money has been saved, I have about £1,500 for a decent MK1 MX-5.

Can you guys give me a list of things to look for?
Also, how will I get on being 6ft 3? Do I need to do the seat conversion?\
I may also have to put some decent mileage on it, will it stand up OK?

Sorry for so many questions, I just want to do this right if i am going to do it.

Thanks,
Dan

[Munter]

Mileage = ok if you can stand 30mpg financially but the main mechanicals will do astronomical mileage usually.
6' 3" = depends on your body shape you'll have to try one and see

[Flying Toilet]

Munter said:

Mileage = ok if you can stand 30mpg financially but the main mechanicals will do astronomical mileage usually.
6' 3" = depends on your body shape you'll have to try one and see

Ok thanks for the reply. Fuel cost etc is not a problem I was more worried about running it into the ground...

I am 6'3' and pretty slim (stopped eating to save for car)!

[neil_bolton]

Munter said:

Mileage = ok if you can stand 30mpg financially but the main mechanicals will do astronomical mileage usually.
6' 3" = depends on your body shape you'll have to try one and see

As a fellow 6,3 er, I get on fine.

Wierdly, Sophies MX5 is longer in the seat than mine - I think it's to do with the pedals.

Both are comfy enough, but dont go expecting 100 mile commuting comfort...

[Flying Toilet]

neil_bolton said:

Munter said:

Mileage = ok if you can stand 30mpg financially but the main mechanicals will do astronomical mileage usually.
6' 3" = depends on your body shape you'll have to try one and see

As a fellow 6,3 er, I get on fine.

Wierdly, Sophies MX5 is longer in the seat than mine - I think it's to do with the pedals.

Both are comfy enough, but dont go expecting 100 mile commuting comfort...

Ah brilliant, well it will be 40 miles a day for me, but not everyday...

[Munter]

For other items I started a list here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[HereBeMonsters]

neil_bolton said:

Both are comfy enough, but dont go expecting 100 mile commuting comfort...

Comfier than a 22 year old Peugeot? Please say yes!

[Howard-]

HereBeMonsters said:

neil_bolton said:

Both are comfy enough, but dont go expecting 100 mile commuting comfort...

Comfier than a 22 year old Peugeot? Please say yes!

The 205 in your profile? I doubt it.

I love my MX-5 but it's utterly crap for long motorway trips.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Funny, I actually like mine on the motorway. I'd rather do a motorway trip in my MX5 than in my Focus and that's with the Elise seats!

[Howard-]

Yeah but I've no doubt the mk2/2.5 is more refined?

My Accord is infinitely more comfortable, quiet and refined on the motorway than my mk1 with it's noise, vibration, harshness, rattles and general "vulnerable" feel and I expect a Focus is too, unless Fords are really that crap?

[GravelBen]

I would also choose a Mk1 MX5 over a tin-box hatch of the same age for long trips. Sure they're not the quietest thing around but the driving position is great and they actually ride quite well. I live 100 miles from the nearest motorway though, and even that isn't much of one.

Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 7th April 13:00

[GravelBen]

Howard- said:

My Accord is infinitely more comfortable, quiet and refined on the motorway than my mk1 with it's noise, vibration, harshness, rattles and general "vulnerable" feel and I expect a Focus is too, unless Fords are really that crap?

I bet your Accord is infinitely more comfortable, quiet and refined than a 1980's French hatchback as well.

[Howard-]

I'm sure. My original point was, however, that I doubt the MX5 is

[dylan0451]

i imagine a standard mx5 is lovely on the motorway, like an armchair - nice soft squidgy seat, softish suspension

depends what you define as comfy? works 306 diesel feels downright dangerous in the handling department, but i assume thats what people call comfy

avo coilies and a sparco bucket + 15" is about the point, to me anyway that i wouldn't want to be making anymore sacrifices - interior stripping, engine + diff solid mounting etc.

that said, i only suffered a numb arse halfway through a trip from essex to north wales

[HereBeMonsters]

Howard- said:

HereBeMonsters said:

neil_bolton said:

Both are comfy enough, but dont go expecting 100 mile commuting comfort...

Comfier than a 22 year old Peugeot? Please say yes!

The 205 in your profile? I doubt it.

I love my MX-5 but it's utterly crap for long motorway trips.

Really? Oh good. I am destined to never own a comfortable car again.

My search for a winter motorway hack ended me up with a 205 Rallye. When I replaced the aged suspension on the GTI I went for Bilstein, strut braces and stiff springs.

I'm out with the wife looking for a new sofa this evening (we have an Ikea here now, oh joy), so I'll probably come back with a bike saddle or something.

[MX-5 Lazza]

A standard Mk2.5 Sport is of course more refined than a standard Mk1 but my car has GAZ shocks with 400/300 springs, Elise seats, SC, 2.25" Larini Sports mid-pipe & cat and Racing Beat Dual back-box so is no longer that quiet comfortable little car and I still prefer it on the motorway to my Focus. Many would prefer the Focus - it's quieter, smoother, softer, heavier and feels stronger & safer but it's boring. Driving my MX5 puts a smile on my face, even on a motorway trip

p.s. I had a stock Mk1 1.8 for 7 years before the current beast and I loved driving that on the motorway too so it isn't just the Mk2.5 + SC thing

I guess it all comes down to what you're used to, what your expectations are and how much discomfort you can tolerate/put out of your mind

[Flying Toilet]

Munter said:

For other items I started a list here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Thanks for this Munter, very useful.

I have potentially found a car local to me. It's a M reg in BRG with leather, 26k from new and 2 owners. The guy selling it cannot drive it anymore after a back injury. A friend lives next door and gave me the heads up today on it.

Where do these things rust usually apart from the arches?

[snotrag]

Gotta agree with Lazza there. On the face of it - mines an appaling motorway car. Stiffly sprung VERY noisy, high revving etc.

But actually - its quite a good place to be. The ergonomics are brilliant, the driving position is spot on. Nice great big wingmirrors. The indicator on the right is brill, theres places for both your elbows to rest. And the main thing, as Lazza says - it makes even the most mundane of journeys feel just that little bit more interesting.

[Howard-]

MX-5 Lazza said:

A standard Mk2.5 Sport is of course more refined than a standard Mk1 but my car has GAZ shocks with 400/300 springs, Elise seats, SC, 2.25" Larini Sports mid-pipe & cat and Racing Beat Dual back-box so is no longer that quiet comfortable little car and I still prefer it on the motorway to my Focus. Many would prefer the Focus - it's quieter, smoother, softer, heavier and feels stronger & safer but it's boring. Driving my MX5 puts a smile on my face, even on a motorway trip

<snip>

I guess it all comes down to what you're used to, what your expectations are and how much discomfort you can tolerate/put out of your mind

This is it really. All down to personal preference. I can only reiterate mine

I love driving, I love all aspects of driving. I'm equally happy cruising down a motorway in comfort with some decent music playing on a decent stereo as I am tooling along a windy b-road in the right sort of car. But IMHO, my MX5 is poor on the motorway because it's noisy, rattly, harsh, not particularly efficient and a little bit cramped inside (and as a result of it's dimensions makes me feel a wee bit vulnerable when you're on a motorway with lorries and big 4x4s on a cold, dark wet night). This stuff starts to matter more than yes, the utterly superb driving position and feel of the controls, when you're sat on a straight road for two hours. Overtaking is fun with the 'charger though

At the moment I can't afford a car that is good at both, so I have one suited to one job, and another suited to the other

Edited by Howard- on Wednesday 7th April 13:40

Edited by Howard- on Wednesday 7th April 13:41