Going from a 350z to a mk3.5 MX5
Discussion
When I was looking for 2-seaters back at the start of the year I ideally wanted something light and fun. That partially went out of the window when I bought the 350z - it's fun but not in any way light. I do ~150 miles a week on mixed A and B roads and a couple of junctions up the M11 to work. I love the noise the Zed makes amongst other things but I just feel like I'd have a more enjoyable drive in something a bit more nimble.
Now I'm wondering should I trade it in for something like a newish (less than 3 years old) MX5 or similar?
What does PH think? Will I miss the power going from ~300 to ~160? Or will the chuckability of the mx5 provide more accessible fun? Also wondering if something like the BBR supercharger kit for the mx5 would add a bit more spice to the mix, or would it just be plain silly?!
I'll test drive one at the weekend and see what I think, any thoughts beforehand would be great though
Now I'm wondering should I trade it in for something like a newish (less than 3 years old) MX5 or similar?
What does PH think? Will I miss the power going from ~300 to ~160? Or will the chuckability of the mx5 provide more accessible fun? Also wondering if something like the BBR supercharger kit for the mx5 would add a bit more spice to the mix, or would it just be plain silly?!
I'll test drive one at the weekend and see what I think, any thoughts beforehand would be great though
Insurance is a joke on S2000's as I used to pay out the arse for mine.
I've owned a couple of Mk1 mx5's (one turbo too) and now I own a Mk2 sport.
The thing is with MX5's you can have a ton of fun at legal speed's (something you can do in a more powerful car) and when you want it to be a normal car it will happily do 40mpg on a motorway run at 75. (thats based on my Mk2)
I'd say a Mk3 with a good suspension set up will be a blast and you'll enjoy it much more than the Z, specially if the Z is a tin top.
I've owned a couple of Mk1 mx5's (one turbo too) and now I own a Mk2 sport.
The thing is with MX5's you can have a ton of fun at legal speed's (something you can do in a more powerful car) and when you want it to be a normal car it will happily do 40mpg on a motorway run at 75. (thats based on my Mk2)
I'd say a Mk3 with a good suspension set up will be a blast and you'll enjoy it much more than the Z, specially if the Z is a tin top.
It's a long time since I've driven a 350Z, but based on the 370Z, I'd say...
The MX5 feels significantly more nimble; the Mazda's controls are lighter and generally a bit more slick; practicality is about the same I guess; economy might be closer than you expect - I've driven plenty of mk3.5s but never filled one up, however the earlier '5s can be surprisingly thirsty and that trait may have remained.
Also, bear in mind a relatively recent mk3.5 MX5 will probably be coming down in price quicker than a 350Z.
Personally I'd say go and test drive a few if you fancy a change, but I wouldn't do it purely on the grounds that the MX5 is newer.
The MX5 feels significantly more nimble; the Mazda's controls are lighter and generally a bit more slick; practicality is about the same I guess; economy might be closer than you expect - I've driven plenty of mk3.5s but never filled one up, however the earlier '5s can be surprisingly thirsty and that trait may have remained.
Also, bear in mind a relatively recent mk3.5 MX5 will probably be coming down in price quicker than a 350Z.
Personally I'd say go and test drive a few if you fancy a change, but I wouldn't do it purely on the grounds that the MX5 is newer.
Sounds good - pretty much what I was expecting
Not too bothered about getting a very new example, but I don't think I want anything older than a mk3, and from what I've read the mk3.5 is a fair bit better all round than the mk3? It'll be my only car so I want something fairly comfortable/reliable to use as a daily driver.
Not too bothered about getting a very new example, but I don't think I want anything older than a mk3, and from what I've read the mk3.5 is a fair bit better all round than the mk3? It'll be my only car so I want something fairly comfortable/reliable to use as a daily driver.
I haven't driven the 350Z so can't comment on the power point. But, if you do go for an MX5, I think you should consider the folding hard-top version if you're using all year around plus lots of motorway miles. With the roof up, I think it should be a fair bit quieter than the rag-top.
I've got the soft-top version and that's my only regret. I think the folding hard-top would be more flexible for every day use.
I've got the soft-top version and that's my only regret. I think the folding hard-top would be more flexible for every day use.
Get an S2000, much more capable than an MX5 and such an enjoyable car to drive. The first model (AP1) is a 'rawer' car and many prefer it's higher rev limiter and its slightly more 'on edge' chassis. I certainly liked it.
I drove a lot but decided on a 350z which I love and find a lot more exploitable in the real world than the S2000. I find the weight makes it feel hugely settled on the roads which adds to the driving experience- you just need to balance the weight right in the corners!
I drove a lot but decided on a 350z which I love and find a lot more exploitable in the real world than the S2000. I find the weight makes it feel hugely settled on the roads which adds to the driving experience- you just need to balance the weight right in the corners!
Si_man306 said:
I drove a lot but decided on a 350z
Me too 
But I think part of me wanting a lighter car is that the Zed feels so heavy. The steering is a bit of a joke when trying to pull into tight parking spaces etc, as I do at work every day
Maybe I should just MTFU. Maybe I should supercharge the Zed - that would certainly make it feel less sluggish in a straight line!
We went the other way, MK2.5 MX-5 to early 350Z - the wife wanted something quicker
The Z does feel a lot heavier and less chuckable, but on the other hand it's a lot quicker and makes a nice noise. Ride quality apart, I'd say it's more comfortable too. Don't know what the MK3 is like.
What's your budget? Would it stretch to a VX220 or Elise? You'd still lose the noise, but not the performance.
The Z does feel a lot heavier and less chuckable, but on the other hand it's a lot quicker and makes a nice noise. Ride quality apart, I'd say it's more comfortable too. Don't know what the MK3 is like.
What's your budget? Would it stretch to a VX220 or Elise? You'd still lose the noise, but not the performance.
I know this is a while ago but I'm very interested to know if any Boxster owners can add anything to this..I've owned 2 MK2 MX5's and an S2000 most recently. right now am strongly considering a 350Z, but the "chuckabiity" issue is stuck in my head after reading this..a boxster S was high on my list but not so sure about real life reliability and living with one. about the only reaosn I sold the S2000 was that I couldn't get the poxy roof to stop leaking and didn't fancy spending £700+ on a £6k car.
any boxster owners fancy chippping in to this?
yes, the mx5s are SO much fun around A roads and the steering rack / turning circle is superb.
cheers,
toffy
any boxster owners fancy chippping in to this?
yes, the mx5s are SO much fun around A roads and the steering rack / turning circle is superb.
cheers,
toffy
I've been full circle - Mk1 MX-5 to Boxster S and back to a Mk3 MX-5. Here's a little write up I put together when someone asked me my thoughts over on Nutz a little while ago...
Interesting question on the comparison between the cars - the two MX5's certainly have a shared character, but with the mk3 feeling like a more modern (you might say, grown-up) version of the original, so here goes:
My first MX5 was a 1991 UK Mk1, which was much loved (and worked on!) I had it for 2 years and did a lot of work on it in that time (clutch, suspension rebuild, replaced and repainted rear quarters etc, etc!) and had it looking and driving brilliantly - it was such a great car to drive and felt amazingly lively and communicative. I did a lot to improve from the baseline, but I scrimped on the suspension, and fitted Rokkor coilovers from ebay - which felt better than 130K originals, but having gone for meisters on the mk3, I wish I'd dug a bit deeper!
Unfortunately, I had got itchy feet and had the urge to swap to something else - so after a bit of looking around, I bought a 2000 Boxster S and sold the Mazda to a mate. The Boxster was an interesting contrast to the mazda - obviously a lot quicker (although it was still a fair bit behind my Vectra VXR in pure shove!), and it was more "special" - but actually to drive it felt a little numb after the MX5 (although obviously, kart like compared to the vectra!). I guess that the feeling was due to being set up for high-speed stability, but it certainly didn't have the alertness that I had become used to. The other big downside of the Porsche was the costs of keeping it fettled - during my 11 months, despite doing most work myself, the parts alone soon add up! I had a full set of tyres, a big service, a pair of suspension arms, discs and pads, a radiator and other sundry items...
I did manage to get out on track (something that I had kept intending to do in the MX5), which was good fun - and showed the high limits of grip that the car has. In fact, I think these high limits are part of the reason I missed the MX5 - despite less power, you can really feel the chassis working, even at sensible road speeds whereas the Boxster was so planted and composed unless you were going at speeds that would get you in trouble! I do think that if I wanted to track it more regularly, the Boxster would take a lot of costly upkeep - just in tyres and brakes alone (I think I took about 2-3mm out of my tyres on a day at Bedford)!
So having done the Porsche thing, and getting fed up of keeping spending, I have come full circle - I traded the Boxster in (and got a pitance for it - but I was being impatient and wanted to swap without hassle!), and bought myself a 2006 MX5 mk3 2.0 Option Pack with only 38k on the clock. It is interesting to contrast this to both the Boxster and the Mk1, as it's got a useful bit more performance than the mk1, but also has some of the refinement of the boxster (and at last, I have a glass rear window!). With all of that though, you can still tell that it is an MX5 - it feels much more intimate and chuckable, despite the extra kit and safety gear. The only things I saw early on was that the DSC seems a bit keen to cut in quite early - although a change from Primewell to Michelins sorted that a lot! I've done a fair bit to the mk3 now including a few trackdays, and it really does suit me well - with the change of suspension, it really has made it come alive, and have a great balance of reasonable refinement on road, and with a quick tweak of the dampers, great fun on the track - and much lower running costs too! The only non-modification costs have been servicing, and despite 3 trackdays last year, it's hardly touched the tyres.
Overall I'm glad I tried the Boxster (although it was a costly experiment in the end!), but very happy to be back in an MX5. My mate who bought the mk1 revealed that he'd sold it the other day - so I went looking where it's currently for sale, and considered buying it back as well as the mk3, but unfortunately they're dreaming on the price they want!
Interesting question on the comparison between the cars - the two MX5's certainly have a shared character, but with the mk3 feeling like a more modern (you might say, grown-up) version of the original, so here goes:
My first MX5 was a 1991 UK Mk1, which was much loved (and worked on!) I had it for 2 years and did a lot of work on it in that time (clutch, suspension rebuild, replaced and repainted rear quarters etc, etc!) and had it looking and driving brilliantly - it was such a great car to drive and felt amazingly lively and communicative. I did a lot to improve from the baseline, but I scrimped on the suspension, and fitted Rokkor coilovers from ebay - which felt better than 130K originals, but having gone for meisters on the mk3, I wish I'd dug a bit deeper!
Unfortunately, I had got itchy feet and had the urge to swap to something else - so after a bit of looking around, I bought a 2000 Boxster S and sold the Mazda to a mate. The Boxster was an interesting contrast to the mazda - obviously a lot quicker (although it was still a fair bit behind my Vectra VXR in pure shove!), and it was more "special" - but actually to drive it felt a little numb after the MX5 (although obviously, kart like compared to the vectra!). I guess that the feeling was due to being set up for high-speed stability, but it certainly didn't have the alertness that I had become used to. The other big downside of the Porsche was the costs of keeping it fettled - during my 11 months, despite doing most work myself, the parts alone soon add up! I had a full set of tyres, a big service, a pair of suspension arms, discs and pads, a radiator and other sundry items...
I did manage to get out on track (something that I had kept intending to do in the MX5), which was good fun - and showed the high limits of grip that the car has. In fact, I think these high limits are part of the reason I missed the MX5 - despite less power, you can really feel the chassis working, even at sensible road speeds whereas the Boxster was so planted and composed unless you were going at speeds that would get you in trouble! I do think that if I wanted to track it more regularly, the Boxster would take a lot of costly upkeep - just in tyres and brakes alone (I think I took about 2-3mm out of my tyres on a day at Bedford)!
So having done the Porsche thing, and getting fed up of keeping spending, I have come full circle - I traded the Boxster in (and got a pitance for it - but I was being impatient and wanted to swap without hassle!), and bought myself a 2006 MX5 mk3 2.0 Option Pack with only 38k on the clock. It is interesting to contrast this to both the Boxster and the Mk1, as it's got a useful bit more performance than the mk1, but also has some of the refinement of the boxster (and at last, I have a glass rear window!). With all of that though, you can still tell that it is an MX5 - it feels much more intimate and chuckable, despite the extra kit and safety gear. The only things I saw early on was that the DSC seems a bit keen to cut in quite early - although a change from Primewell to Michelins sorted that a lot! I've done a fair bit to the mk3 now including a few trackdays, and it really does suit me well - with the change of suspension, it really has made it come alive, and have a great balance of reasonable refinement on road, and with a quick tweak of the dampers, great fun on the track - and much lower running costs too! The only non-modification costs have been servicing, and despite 3 trackdays last year, it's hardly touched the tyres.
Overall I'm glad I tried the Boxster (although it was a costly experiment in the end!), but very happy to be back in an MX5. My mate who bought the mk1 revealed that he'd sold it the other day - so I went looking where it's currently for sale, and considered buying it back as well as the mk3, but unfortunately they're dreaming on the price they want!
I have no experience of the 3.5 but I have owned a mk2.5 and two 305z's.
A lot depends on what sort of roads you have available to you. For 90% of driving maybe more I didn't miss the chuckability of the mx5. Sure the limits are lower and therefore you reach them at lower speed but you're still going to be going some if you're 'chucking' it around. Day to day I found the torque and noise of the 350z much more grin inducing.
The only thing i did miss was roof down motoring, you can't beat that on a nice day.
A lot depends on what sort of roads you have available to you. For 90% of driving maybe more I didn't miss the chuckability of the mx5. Sure the limits are lower and therefore you reach them at lower speed but you're still going to be going some if you're 'chucking' it around. Day to day I found the torque and noise of the 350z much more grin inducing.
The only thing i did miss was roof down motoring, you can't beat that on a nice day.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff