Getting tentatively excited.....

[molineux1980]

Hi all,

I'm a long time Mini fan, but it's now time to part with my beloved '93 Mini Mayfair. 9 years of pleasure, and a little pain, but it's time for a change. And a mk 1 MX-5 it is! I'm looking for a 1.8, and have around 1800 to spend, mostly funded by the Mini sale. (It's worth 2750-3000ish). However. i'm not 'allowed' to spunk all this on an MX-5, as i'm getting married and the remainder is earmarked for that. Bah. I should really sell the Mini first, but i'm going to look at a 2 owner, '95 1.8 S, in british racing green with 60k on the clock this weekend, and has only done 100 mile in a year. I know to look for rusty sills, arches and hood tears, but all this is apparently good. I think it will need a cambelt change as the owner has no recollection on 4 years ownership of it been changed. But the hood is in good nick and it looks excellent in the photo's. So fingers crossed.............It's up for £1899, but hoping to knock him down for service items, and he is willing to listen to offers due to having little use in 4 years. So i'm a bit worried about sticky calipers!

Will it be as fun as the Mini. I hope so! It'll certainly be quicker - 49bhp vs 130bhp.

[jamhow79]

I had a mini for years - driving that will be good experience for the mx; not a great deal of power to get you going so keeping your momentum is the key to getting anywhere quickly !!!

Build quality may be a little better !!! ohhh.... and it will work ion the rain without having to resort to using a rubber glove on the dizzy !!!

[Digby]

Don't be put off by the 1.6 lumps (apart from the useless 90 bhp ones), there isn't much in it I'm told.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Even the "useless 90bhp" ones aren't really that useless. Reports from dynos usually show that they actually make over 100bhp and with a more usable torque curve so they don't really feel as slow as you'd expect

[molineux1980]

The car wasn't the best and very over priced. I cheekily asked me a guy in the next street to me for a nose at his Eunos, and he took me for a blast and even let me drive it. 92 1.6, and it was quicker than I was expecting! Had a big grin on my face when I got back. Also drove another Eunos, up for £1500, but paint was very shabby, but mechanically sound. Will keep looking, but at least I know an early 1.6 goes pretty well. I am used to a 49bhp Mini :-)

[JFReturns]

Yeah there is plenty of choice so keep looking.

Thing with the '5 is it always *feels* fast, which is what matters (even if it is not). Be sure of that overtake though, it can catch you out!

[Noisy]

I had a lot of mini's in the past, still have a slightly burnt flame sitting in my garage, they are both great little drivers cars, soon as you get the wedding bills out the way you can start saving for the turbo

[Petrol Only]

OP you have PM

[molineux1980]

Hi P.O,PM returned. Bought a 91 1.6, its by no means perfect, but drives and looks great.

Edited by molineux1980 on Monday 28th June 19:46

Edited by molineux1980 on Tuesday 29th June 12:08