RE: Mazda MX-5: PH Heroes
Discussion
Happy Birthday Mx5 
Mine is a 1991 eunos. Bought as a stop gap while my 340 bhp mk1 escort is in the bodyshop being de-rusted.
Have done a few track days in the eunos with its std lsd,original suspension and ditchfinder tyres. Even though I was passed in a straight line by everything, braking and corners were great fun,if quite soggy. But in std trim,it makes a better track car than most other vehicles,it is well balanced and agile,not an understeering pig like most fwd stuff.
On the road- well what more do you want from a sporty convertible? Good looks based on the 60's elan,a decent ride,next to no leaks from the hood,amazing reliability, etc. I'd like better mpg and a decent exhaust note,but thats IMHO.
Here's to the mazda/alfa mx5
Mine is a 1991 eunos. Bought as a stop gap while my 340 bhp mk1 escort is in the bodyshop being de-rusted.
Have done a few track days in the eunos with its std lsd,original suspension and ditchfinder tyres. Even though I was passed in a straight line by everything, braking and corners were great fun,if quite soggy. But in std trim,it makes a better track car than most other vehicles,it is well balanced and agile,not an understeering pig like most fwd stuff.
On the road- well what more do you want from a sporty convertible? Good looks based on the 60's elan,a decent ride,next to no leaks from the hood,amazing reliability, etc. I'd like better mpg and a decent exhaust note,but thats IMHO.
Here's to the mazda/alfa mx5
A classic sportscar for shed money? - well done if you can better this. I paid £950 for a rust free Eunos off the bay. It's not fast but fast enough. It's not a sharp looker but pretty enough. It is about as complicated as your two times table and brings the limits of handling to within reasonable speeds. Parts are plentiful - either for replacement or improvement - and the forums ensure that everyone knows what is going on with them. I'll still maintain my aw11 mr2 was a better car but this one does just fine. It is truly more than the sum of it's parts.
Oh, and in 3yrs I've had it, it hasn't broken down. Not once. Never...
Oh, and in 3yrs I've had it, it hasn't broken down. Not once. Never...
Agent Orange said:
My view is if you want a car like this do it properly and get a Caterham, Elise or VX220.
Well I'm had a few Westfields and they are great fun - if you're going for a blast on a sunny day - but rubbish for everything else.Elise / VX220 - I've tried both and find them dull. They may be fast point to point but they aren't convertibles - just targas. Nor can you get the back out with ease.
If you want a chuckable convertible there is no other choice - I've owned Mk1 MX5s (admittedly supercharged) for over 15 years - hundreds of "better" cars have come and gone over that time.
One of the best cars I've ever owned, went from a 3 yr old Citroen Saxo VTR deathtrap to a low mileage high spec 1991 Eunos Roadster V - with change for some epic college holidays.
It was my first RWD car at 19 allowing me to oversteer Harris style on damp country roads without going fast enough to get into trouble - previous attempts had resulted in my Dad's E39 trying to mount a few curbs and roundabouts. Add in the raspy exhaust (possibly aftermarket), headrest speakers, ragtop roof and it was a great experience for relatively little outlay.
Still spot it regularly near my parent's house and have often considered buying it back just to hang onto it.
It was my first RWD car at 19 allowing me to oversteer Harris style on damp country roads without going fast enough to get into trouble - previous attempts had resulted in my Dad's E39 trying to mount a few curbs and roundabouts. Add in the raspy exhaust (possibly aftermarket), headrest speakers, ragtop roof and it was a great experience for relatively little outlay.
Still spot it regularly near my parent's house and have often considered buying it back just to hang onto it.
I've owned four, loved every single one of them, will definitely own one again. All bar one cost me under £1k, and all were absolutely faultless. My little bro has one now, as do a couple of mates. Great cars, look how much fun these guys are having!
http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1...
http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1...
WolvesWill said:
I love mine
Mk3 with lots of mods, about 180bhp now, will have Meister R suspension from Monday and also some new wheels with AD08Rs on sometime in March. Not the fastest thing on the road but its a lot of fun even at legal/sensible speeds. Much prefer this to my previous cars (Fiesta ST, FN2 Civic Type R).
Nice. They look so much better with the bolt on hardtop than those God awful folding ones. Looks way better in red compared with the sea of silver ones out there.Mk3 with lots of mods, about 180bhp now, will have Meister R suspension from Monday and also some new wheels with AD08Rs on sometime in March. Not the fastest thing on the road but its a lot of fun even at legal/sensible speeds. Much prefer this to my previous cars (Fiesta ST, FN2 Civic Type R).
WolvesWill said:
I love mine
Mk3 with lots of mods, about 180bhp now, will have Meister R suspension from Monday and also some new wheels with AD08Rs on sometime in March. Not the fastest thing on the road but its a lot of fun even at legal/sensible speeds. Much prefer this to my previous cars (Fiesta ST, FN2 Civic Type R).
That looks the Nuts! I have AD08's on my Mk1, they are very good...Mk3 with lots of mods, about 180bhp now, will have Meister R suspension from Monday and also some new wheels with AD08Rs on sometime in March. Not the fastest thing on the road but its a lot of fun even at legal/sensible speeds. Much prefer this to my previous cars (Fiesta ST, FN2 Civic Type R).
Been futzing around in mine for the past 7 years. This year I'll be upgrading to the ultimate expression of a well-sorted 2-seat sports car (Porsche Cayman GTS), though I'll miss the goofy roadster.
Here's a shocker. I got the MX-5 after an enormous Ford Expedition totaled my Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR. Yep. Evo to an MX-5, and wasn't completely disappointed. Though I do miss the Evo's character.
Here's a shocker. I got the MX-5 after an enormous Ford Expedition totaled my Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII MR. Yep. Evo to an MX-5, and wasn't completely disappointed. Though I do miss the Evo's character.
BeirutTaxi said:
Some finanical figures for my NB (MK2), Aside from the rust it's been relatively cheap to run:
Purchase Cost: £2000
Corrosion prevention/correction: £600 (so far)
Brake discs: £17 each for the fronts, £10 for the rear)
OEM spec brake pads: £30 for all four
Air Filter: £4
Tyres: £50 each
Fuel Filter: £30 including fitting
Door handle and wing mirror respray: £60
Fuel: Approx 27mpg average.. and that's with some heavy acceleration
Cambelt change: £230 (including new waterpump)
Gear linkage refurbishment: £40
New (second hand) engine undertray: £20
New rear silencer: £175
Suspension Geo Setup: £30 (Done at Micheldever Tyres)
New brake calliper: £60
I thought you paid around £2500 for it?Purchase Cost: £2000
Corrosion prevention/correction: £600 (so far)
Brake discs: £17 each for the fronts, £10 for the rear)
OEM spec brake pads: £30 for all four
Air Filter: £4
Tyres: £50 each
Fuel Filter: £30 including fitting
Door handle and wing mirror respray: £60
Fuel: Approx 27mpg average.. and that's with some heavy acceleration
Cambelt change: £230 (including new waterpump)
Gear linkage refurbishment: £40
New (second hand) engine undertray: £20
New rear silencer: £175
Suspension Geo Setup: £30 (Done at Micheldever Tyres)
New brake calliper: £60
Cheap running costs though
JDMDrifter said:
Often pondered the height issues, im 6"4 and have to have the seat all the way back in most cars due to long legs. Is an MX5 ever going to house me ?
I'm 6ft4 and I can drive my Mk 2.5 1.8 Sport perfectly fine. I wouldn't say no to a bit more legroom, but it's no worse than a 70's Alfa Spider I borrowed once.Mine has Meister coilovers, stainless pipes, bigger wheels, etc as well as the factory hard top.
It's by no means fast, but I love the fact that on a country road you don't need to touch the brakes! It just goes round the corners like a slightly bigger Scalextric car.
The most annoying aspect of ownership for me is that everyone with a "Hot Hatch" or other Eurobox seems to be duty-bound to try and blast past me on the first straight they see. Which to me misses the point.
I've driven many "Fast" cars (Although I've also had fast bikes, and no car is fast compared to a big Ducati) and like many others have said, it's fun for the first few days and then what? Booting it at full reheat up motorway slip roads gets old pretty quick.
The whole point about the MX5 is that you can have on-the-limit but safe fun at speeds that won't land you in court or in prison.
Call me a hairdresser all you like. I'm a fan.
Edited by Merkypast on Friday 21st February 16:00
Edited by Merkypast on Friday 21st February 16:05
It is worth noting that the chassis and body engineering of the Mk1 was largely done by IAD (International Automotive Design) in Worthing. It may have been styled (designed) in California but the way it drives came from Blighty.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Automot...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Automot...
BeirutTaxi said:
E65Ross said:
I thought you paid around £2500 for it?
Cheap running costs though
It was definitely less than that, although I paid slightly more for the condition and a new MOT. I wish I had researched more about the Mk2 rust issues before I bought it, though. Cheap running costs though
On my second. Had a poverty spec Mk2 1.6 and now got a top spec Mk3 2.0 Sport. My mk2 was more fun to throw around but the mk3 is a better car altogether and isnt tiring to use as a daily. For people say they didn't like the way they drove or the back end was unpredictable.. The alignment was probably out and/or it had s
t tyres and/or mismatched tyres.
t tyres and/or mismatched tyres.WolvesWill said:
I love mine
Mk3 with lots of mods, about 180bhp now, will have Meister R suspension from Monday and also some new wheels with AD08Rs on sometime in March. Not the fastest thing on the road but its a lot of fun even at legal/sensible speeds. Much prefer this to my previous cars (Fiesta ST, FN2 Civic Type R).
How much would you want for those wheels when you change? Are the just the standard sport wheels painted?Mk3 with lots of mods, about 180bhp now, will have Meister R suspension from Monday and also some new wheels with AD08Rs on sometime in March. Not the fastest thing on the road but its a lot of fun even at legal/sensible speeds. Much prefer this to my previous cars (Fiesta ST, FN2 Civic Type R).
I must admit I thought of them as girls cars for quite some time until I saw a MK1 1.8 Eunos V in British Racing green with tan leather, some Dishy alloys and a fruity exhaust. Took it for a test drive and fell in love. 2 years later I still have it and now it looks like this.
The joy for me comes from the fact you can drive at pretty much Maximum Attack pretty much all of the time without getting into serious bother. There are much faster cars out there sure but when you have the throttle nailed to the carpet down a twisty road, back end wriggling away and the exhaust singing in your eardrums it's ruddy brilliant. Also cheap as chips. It's half the price to insure of the Clio I had beforehand.
The joy for me comes from the fact you can drive at pretty much Maximum Attack pretty much all of the time without getting into serious bother. There are much faster cars out there sure but when you have the throttle nailed to the carpet down a twisty road, back end wriggling away and the exhaust singing in your eardrums it's ruddy brilliant. Also cheap as chips. It's half the price to insure of the Clio I had beforehand.
threespires said:
By whom?
By the nearly 1 million people who have bought one
Of course some of those 1 million didn't like the way it looked. So they "improved it"...By the nearly 1 million people who have bought one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tribute-Automotive-MX250...
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