RE: Mazda MX-5 1.5 (ND): PH Fleet
Discussion
bennno said:
By chance we just got one for wife, dealers doing a £199 deposit, £199 month pcp with interest free and a big discount only on entry level 1.5 model.
Driving it yesterday after coming out of my supercharged v8 f type I expected it to feel slow and boring, but its a bit of a relevation - feels light / agile, glides over bad roads, nippy. reminds me of an elise mk2 I used to own which felt similar - car just feels right.
Looks wise its just the 4wd wheel arch gaps / ride height that needs sorting...
That's the trouble with MX-5's, well new ones at least - they are always 'bought for the wife' or if working class 'the missus'. Yea sure. Driving it yesterday after coming out of my supercharged v8 f type I expected it to feel slow and boring, but its a bit of a relevation - feels light / agile, glides over bad roads, nippy. reminds me of an elise mk2 I used to own which felt similar - car just feels right.
Looks wise its just the 4wd wheel arch gaps / ride height that needs sorting...
Ditto the Mercedes SLK.
What's up chaps? Uncomfortable with your masculinity & scared to own such things yourself ? Having to hide behind a woman's skirt is a bit cissy itself.
WJNB said:
bennno said:
By chance we just got one for wife, dealers doing a £199 deposit, £199 month pcp with interest free and a big discount only on entry level 1.5 model.
Driving it yesterday after coming out of my supercharged v8 f type I expected it to feel slow and boring, but its a bit of a relevation - feels light / agile, glides over bad roads, nippy. reminds me of an elise mk2 I used to own which felt similar - car just feels right.
Looks wise its just the 4wd wheel arch gaps / ride height that needs sorting...
That's the trouble with MX-5's, well new ones at least - they are always 'bought for the wife' or if working class 'the missus'. Yea sure. Driving it yesterday after coming out of my supercharged v8 f type I expected it to feel slow and boring, but its a bit of a relevation - feels light / agile, glides over bad roads, nippy. reminds me of an elise mk2 I used to own which felt similar - car just feels right.
Looks wise its just the 4wd wheel arch gaps / ride height that needs sorting...
Ditto the Mercedes SLK.
What's up chaps? Uncomfortable with your masculinity & scared to own such things yourself ? Having to hide behind a woman's skirt is a bit cissy itself.
The MX5 was bought for my wife, however based on it being a fun drive I will be using it regularly.
I get what you are saying, however, and profess I wouldnt buy a cayman or boxster as both a bit girly.
Bennno
Edited by bennno on Saturday 6th April 20:58
Luke. said:
Your loss. And for someone on PH a surprising reply. You should know better.. 
Not really, personally would buy a similar value used 911 to either - but boring world if we all felt the same.Think both are made deliberately less good than could be to maintain stutgart heirachy.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Look we are living in a politically correct world but lets all be honest, some cars are percieved generally to be a bit more masculine than others - e.g. pink fiat 500c versus a fastback mustang. In the same vein a boxster is arguably way more girly from an image and driving experience perspective than a used hard top 911, R8 or V8 vantage.Point I already made way back in this thread was the 1.5 MX5 is a great drive, and a bit of a bargain, more should approach it with open eyes - its my view that the four pot porsche's at three times the price can bettered.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
That both are 2/3 of a 911 is the root of the problem, both are deliberately held back from the best possible to respect model heirachy. ECOTY not irrelevant, if the Coxster was a good as a 911 (GT4 included) then it would surely be towards the top of the cars tested.anonymous said:
[redacted]
Whilst you are coming across as a dug in Coxster / Cayman is as good as a 911 individual, which it clearly isnt, or Porsche wouldnt sell any of the more expensive car to driving enthusiasts..... its deliberately just a bit less good than it could be. Its not a borrowed opinion, have driven both back to back and bought the slightly older 911 on both occassions as its more special to drive.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I suppose it would be a cost thing? Also, there is something to be enjoyed here about having less power, I think, because with the 2.0 and more power I judge the MX-5 as more of a sports car - where I'm not sure it's *quite* good enough. With less power and less focus those problems that are there with being a bit squidgy aren't as much of an issue, because it's just pleasant to bimble around in. V8RX7 said:
I recently fancied a change and bought a Suzuki Swift Sport - very similar spec the the MX5 really - IIRC 1030kg and 123bhp
Close ratio box, it seems quicker than a Mk1 1.8 MX5 - great fun around the local lanes
Me too. I bought a new 2016 Swift Sport (1040kg), and then bought the latest 2018 turbo Swift Sport (975kg). We used to have an 'NC' 2010 Mazda MX-5. For a 2.0 litre it felt surprisingly slow, and for as good as the MX-5 was - its handling is nowhere near as good as the Swift Sport in my opinion. At least as far as stock suspension goes. The Swift Sport will properly spank it around any roundabout. Mind you, the Swift Sport can spank far more expensive metal around the average roundabout. You cannot beat the agility and turn-in of a lightweight car when it comes to the laws of physics.Close ratio box, it seems quicker than a Mk1 1.8 MX5 - great fun around the local lanes
So - mate - we are already driving the future of motoring! LOL.
WJNB said:
They did - once.
I went from a Mk 1 MX-5 is as new condition after 30k miles to a brand new 2006 Honda S2000 - BIG mistake.
Honda seemed bulky, had to be thrashed to make it go & with very few comforts for the £26k it cost me. Too raw for me.
The current MX-5 has no appeal in whichever form, to my eyes its an ugly little runt.
I know, I still own one. The mk I MX-5 was just a bit too slow for me, though otherwise excellent.I went from a Mk 1 MX-5 is as new condition after 30k miles to a brand new 2006 Honda S2000 - BIG mistake.
Honda seemed bulky, had to be thrashed to make it go & with very few comforts for the £26k it cost me. Too raw for me.
The current MX-5 has no appeal in whichever form, to my eyes its an ugly little runt.
A new S2000, similar to the MX-5, but with a sweeeet Honda engine would be lovely
Threads like this make me laugh. Supposed car people, start ok, then show themselves to be one dimensional.
It’s ok to have a ‘thing’ for Caysters and the so called exotic drivetrain, which mostly turns hard cash into paper invoices as various items fail, but the same people cannot understand a 1.5 MX5?
The Elan. The Elise, what made them was the chassis, enough power without actually defining the experience. Caterhams, I have driven a few and owned one which went from quick to pretty rapid. The best Caterham is a 1.6 K, revs properly, light and you can just get on with driving. An R500 is managing an accident, same as anything else lightweight with lots of power.
I’m very tempted to buy a 1.5 now I’m not tied into a company vehicle. The only alternative is a 987 Boxster S for me, obviously the Porsche will be far more needy but will have the edge on performance.
Mazda have to be congratulated, they’ve stuck with, and nailed it for years.
It’s ok to have a ‘thing’ for Caysters and the so called exotic drivetrain, which mostly turns hard cash into paper invoices as various items fail, but the same people cannot understand a 1.5 MX5?
The Elan. The Elise, what made them was the chassis, enough power without actually defining the experience. Caterhams, I have driven a few and owned one which went from quick to pretty rapid. The best Caterham is a 1.6 K, revs properly, light and you can just get on with driving. An R500 is managing an accident, same as anything else lightweight with lots of power.
I’m very tempted to buy a 1.5 now I’m not tied into a company vehicle. The only alternative is a 987 Boxster S for me, obviously the Porsche will be far more needy but will have the edge on performance.
Mazda have to be congratulated, they’ve stuck with, and nailed it for years.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 15th April 20:17
Rawwr said:
sr.guiri said:
I once owned a Fiat 124 Sport Spider - an original. Fantastic car. A mate took a photo of me in it once with the roof down - what an idiot I looked - he bloody published it on Facebook too
I sold it not long after that. Don't understand the UK fascination with convertibles, especially considering the s
t weather. Why look a dick when you don't have to If being perceived as a dick by people like you is the price of having fun in an MX5, it's the bargain of the century.
LG9k said:
WJNB said:
They did - once.
I went from a Mk 1 MX-5 is as new condition after 30k miles to a brand new 2006 Honda S2000 - BIG mistake.
Honda seemed bulky, had to be thrashed to make it go & with very few comforts for the £26k it cost me. Too raw for me.
The current MX-5 has no appeal in whichever form, to my eyes its an ugly little runt.
I know, I still own one. The mk I MX-5 was just a bit too slow for me, though otherwise excellent.I went from a Mk 1 MX-5 is as new condition after 30k miles to a brand new 2006 Honda S2000 - BIG mistake.
Honda seemed bulky, had to be thrashed to make it go & with very few comforts for the £26k it cost me. Too raw for me.
The current MX-5 has no appeal in whichever form, to my eyes its an ugly little runt.
A new S2000, similar to the MX-5, but with a sweeeet Honda engine would be lovely
They were;
1. Advance the ignition timing to 14 degrees.
2. Replace the stock air filter with a free-flow one.
3. Replace the exhaust back box with a lighter weight & straight-through one.
4. Fit higher grade spark plugs (can't remember the specification or make) at the same time fit better quality HT leads.
I did all four, the best was being able to obtain a Borla back box. Plus replacing the already weighty gear know with a VERY heavy solid steel ball, sold as a Eunos accessory for some odd reason.
The transformation was amazing & when trying a later 1.8 model I was convinced I had left the handbrake on. In fact the MX-5 felt livelier & faster than the Honda S2000 that followed.
As for a modern day Honda S2000 there is something about its look in the new BMW Z4, the ONLY current sports car that is of the remotest interest to me. And that's from somebody who has always considered owning a BMW nothing to be proud of.
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