(jokes aside)are MX5s good for track days
Discussion
I had a 10 minute stint around Hullavington on a track day in my mates MX5 he bought from E-Bay just for the event, and subsequently sold for a profit the week after, it was on 'Raceland' adjustable coilovers which I think are meant to be cheap and nasty.
Loved every minute of it, driving position was great, you sit in the car not on it, the gearstick and wheel were in the perfect position, it just felt great. Sure it wasn't the fastest car down the straights but for pure fun and the chance to chuck something around that was that controllable was just a joy.
If you can afford a toy just for track days you can't go far wrong with an MX5 (sill corrosion and other bits obviously taken into account).
Loved every minute of it, driving position was great, you sit in the car not on it, the gearstick and wheel were in the perfect position, it just felt great. Sure it wasn't the fastest car down the straights but for pure fun and the chance to chuck something around that was that controllable was just a joy.
If you can afford a toy just for track days you can't go far wrong with an MX5 (sill corrosion and other bits obviously taken into account).
So I think what I am saying is if you can find a solid one for the right money (or a slightly holey one you can afford to repair) then go for it.
(My mate whose MX5 I borrowed has a 911 (996 Carera 2 I think) as a daily driver but he says when he drives his track prepped MX5 it still feels special).
(My mate whose MX5 I borrowed has a 911 (996 Carera 2 I think) as a daily driver but he says when he drives his track prepped MX5 it still feels special).
Like everyone else said, not the fastest thing in a straight line but great fun, and plenty of potential for upgrades if thats your thing.
If you stick to standard power levels and road tyres you don't even need to upgrade the brakes, I had an '89 1.6 with standard brakes (smaller than the 1.8) and OEM pads (AFAIK, I never had to replace them but the previous owner had it serviced by a Mazda dealer), with decent fluid it had plenty of fade-free stopping power and great pedal feel.
If you stick to standard power levels and road tyres you don't even need to upgrade the brakes, I had an '89 1.6 with standard brakes (smaller than the 1.8) and OEM pads (AFAIK, I never had to replace them but the previous owner had it serviced by a Mazda dealer), with decent fluid it had plenty of fade-free stopping power and great pedal feel.
Paid £1600 for ours with a TR lane roll bar. It's a 96 eunos and has an LSD. Best things we did was pay for decent alloys and tyres - made a huge difference. We've since lowered it on eibachs by 30mm and put on some aggressive geometry, can't wait to get it back out there. When we just want a laugh we put the original mismatched ditchfinders back on and have a laugh. Don't upgrade the brakes other than braided hoses, yellow stuff pads and decent fluid (we use RBF600 motel) and we brake later and harder than almost everything bar caterhams on most trackdays.
Only big negative is lack of grunt leaves us having to hang right on all straights with indicators on letting everyone past. We're hoping saving £3000 for a full Garett turbo install might solve this problem significantly. The test drive suggests we will be very happy indeed.
If I had a fresh start with another mx5, I'd save for a ready turbo'd one. Ours has had a very hard but cherished life on track and apart from one coolant hose bursting, has been 100% reliable after 7 trackdays of being given death. For a car with 170,000km on the clock I think that's not bad.
Take the plunge, they're a hoot - if you hate it, summer is coming and someone will buy it. There are a few race prepped cars available at the mo for around £4k. They have all the choice bits on to look out for.
Only big negative is lack of grunt leaves us having to hang right on all straights with indicators on letting everyone past. We're hoping saving £3000 for a full Garett turbo install might solve this problem significantly. The test drive suggests we will be very happy indeed.
If I had a fresh start with another mx5, I'd save for a ready turbo'd one. Ours has had a very hard but cherished life on track and apart from one coolant hose bursting, has been 100% reliable after 7 trackdays of being given death. For a car with 170,000km on the clock I think that's not bad.
Take the plunge, they're a hoot - if you hate it, summer is coming and someone will buy it. There are a few race prepped cars available at the mo for around £4k. They have all the choice bits on to look out for.
Edited by HughS47 on Monday 9th March 05:03
As said my mate owns a mk1 1.6 for a drift car mainly but took it out at rockingham for its first outing as my mev exocet kit car wasn't ready, they are huge fun on track and will drive rings around other cars specially in the wet.
Loads of performace mods out there either new or 2nd hand also the engine was original desgined with a turbo alongside it so it can go around on the limiter all day without issues, adding a turbo too it which can be done for £500 on the stock ecu will get you up to 180bhp which only proper track spec kit cars like my exocet which is also mx5 based will beat it.
Loads of performace mods out there either new or 2nd hand also the engine was original desgined with a turbo alongside it so it can go around on the limiter all day without issues, adding a turbo too it which can be done for £500 on the stock ecu will get you up to 180bhp which only proper track spec kit cars like my exocet which is also mx5 based will beat it.
The Japanese-import Mk1 I had is one of the most fun cars I've ever pedalled round a circuit. It came with Bilsteins but was otherwise standard, brakes included. Just wind it up and four-wheel drift everywhere without using the brakes much! Capable of surprising cornering speeds, but forgiving to handle, very easy to catch any tail-out action. Mine had 120bhp when I tracked it; the new owner turbo'd it and I didn't think it was anymore fun on track with nearly 200bhp. The entertainment value of screwing every bit of power out of the little 1.6 had gone; the extra torque overwhelmed the viscous LSD as well, spinning the unloaded rear wheel annoyingly on corner exit.
I was the new owner of SpeedTwelve's MX-5
I concur, they are great fun screwing all the power out of them, they handle great & are easy to control sideways.
A picture to encourage you :-)
That was Knockhill which is very short, if you go on a track that has long straights you might get frustrated, and want to Turbo/SuperCharge it :-)
This was my Non-Turbo'ed MX-5, it was F....aulty, but still a hoot to chuck round the track
We both (SpeedTwelve & Myself) now have TVRs, but I'm sure we'd both still own an MX5 as a track weapon in a heartbeat.
Do it, you won't regret it (and with your budget, if it all goes wrong it's not a financial disaster)
Mark S
I concur, they are great fun screwing all the power out of them, they handle great & are easy to control sideways.
A picture to encourage you :-)
That was Knockhill which is very short, if you go on a track that has long straights you might get frustrated, and want to Turbo/SuperCharge it :-)
This was my Non-Turbo'ed MX-5, it was F....aulty, but still a hoot to chuck round the track
We both (SpeedTwelve & Myself) now have TVRs, but I'm sure we'd both still own an MX5 as a track weapon in a heartbeat.
Do it, you won't regret it (and with your budget, if it all goes wrong it's not a financial disaster)
Mark S
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff