Alfa, MX-5 or...
Discussion
Hi all!
New member here, seeking some advice regarding my choise of car..
I'm currently driving a 2013 Alfa Giulietta 1.4 170bhp Sportiva. It's a very nice car! Comfortable, good looking, part leather seats, big red Brembo brakes, dual zone A/C, heated seats etc. All in all, it's very good, and stands out from the usual stuff you see on the roads here in Denmark. I like it, and i'm happy with it
But...
I'm not as happy as i hoped i would be. Coming from a Peugeot 106 Rallye that i had for almost eight years, the Alfa just doesn't feel as special as i would like. As i said, it surely is more characterful than an equivalent Golf, Astra, A3, but it can't shake that it is a familysized 5-door hatchback from 2013. I feel a bit disconnected driving it. It's quick enough, it's very capable, the gear shifts are lovely - but the electric steering is just a controller, and with all the comfortable insulation, there's little sense of occasion happening, even when driving enthusiastically. I think it's just a bit too grown up.
Since i got the Alfa, i have moved a lot closer to work, so my commute is only around 8 miles each way, and my girlfriend has a practical Kia Rio of her own, that will be replaced by an even more practial station wagon in a couple of years, so the requirements for my car have changed as practicality is no longer necessary.
I'm looking for something that's engaging to drive! Something that provides a sense of occasion (as much as possible) even when just poodling around - something FUN! It does still have to be reliable enough to be used often, and if something goes wrong, it shouldn't break the bank..
Budget is a little difficult, due to the danish taxes, but i'm guessing it's equivalent to around £6-7.000
I've been looking around, and i keep coming back to the NA MX-5 - big surprise! My primary concern with this, is that it would be used year round, also on salty roads. I would go for one as rust free as possible, and do all kinds of protective measures against rust to keep it down.
Is this a viable option, or am i just slowly digging a grave for the Mazda? Should i just keep the Alfa and accept that that's some of the best i can get in a modern-ish car for my budget? Are there any alternatives that i should take a closer look at?
Thanks!
-Alex
New member here, seeking some advice regarding my choise of car..
I'm currently driving a 2013 Alfa Giulietta 1.4 170bhp Sportiva. It's a very nice car! Comfortable, good looking, part leather seats, big red Brembo brakes, dual zone A/C, heated seats etc. All in all, it's very good, and stands out from the usual stuff you see on the roads here in Denmark. I like it, and i'm happy with it
But...
I'm not as happy as i hoped i would be. Coming from a Peugeot 106 Rallye that i had for almost eight years, the Alfa just doesn't feel as special as i would like. As i said, it surely is more characterful than an equivalent Golf, Astra, A3, but it can't shake that it is a familysized 5-door hatchback from 2013. I feel a bit disconnected driving it. It's quick enough, it's very capable, the gear shifts are lovely - but the electric steering is just a controller, and with all the comfortable insulation, there's little sense of occasion happening, even when driving enthusiastically. I think it's just a bit too grown up.
Since i got the Alfa, i have moved a lot closer to work, so my commute is only around 8 miles each way, and my girlfriend has a practical Kia Rio of her own, that will be replaced by an even more practial station wagon in a couple of years, so the requirements for my car have changed as practicality is no longer necessary.
I'm looking for something that's engaging to drive! Something that provides a sense of occasion (as much as possible) even when just poodling around - something FUN! It does still have to be reliable enough to be used often, and if something goes wrong, it shouldn't break the bank..
Budget is a little difficult, due to the danish taxes, but i'm guessing it's equivalent to around £6-7.000
I've been looking around, and i keep coming back to the NA MX-5 - big surprise! My primary concern with this, is that it would be used year round, also on salty roads. I would go for one as rust free as possible, and do all kinds of protective measures against rust to keep it down.
Is this a viable option, or am i just slowly digging a grave for the Mazda? Should i just keep the Alfa and accept that that's some of the best i can get in a modern-ish car for my budget? Are there any alternatives that i should take a closer look at?
Thanks!
-Alex
sounds a bit like me, im looking for something not too old, smaller and more fun/chuckable, on my list are;
swift sport
fiesta st
civic type r
Mr2 mk3
mx5 mk3 (hopefully bit less rust problems)
twingo 133,
swift sport
fiesta st
civic type r
Mr2 mk3
mx5 mk3 (hopefully bit less rust problems)
twingo 133,
Edited by browna on Tuesday 9th April 12:14
Edited by browna on Tuesday 9th April 12:16
Edited by browna on Tuesday 9th April 12:17
That is a nice list! Although my issue with cars like the Fiesta ST is, however good they are to drive spirited, i can't imagine it would be much different from any other Fiesta when just driving around normally? It's a nice Fiesta, sure - but it's still a Fiesta. Does it make sense, or am i wrong? I'm impossible to satisfy, i know 
Generally, i don't mind it being older and more analogue! I would love to drive a proper classic, but i don't think that's realistic.
Generally, i don't mind it being older and more analogue! I would love to drive a proper classic, but i don't think that's realistic.
ninjag said:
Honda S2000?
Would probably be near the top of my list - but they are very rare here in DK, and out of budget when one does comes up for sale. Edited by Lockguard on Tuesday 9th April 13:02
Lockguard said:
Would probably be near the top of my list - but they are very rare here in DK, and out of budget when one does comes up for sale.
Stage 1 (Flying): https://www.easyjet.com/enStage 2: (Buying): https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Stage 3 (Planning): https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Edinburgh/Denmar... / https://www.accuweather.com/en/europe-weather
Stage 4 (Enjoyment): Fill tank and go!
ninjag said:
Stage 1 (Flying): https://www.easyjet.com/en
Stage 2: (Buying): https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Stage 3 (Planning): https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Edinburgh/Denmar... / https://www.accuweather.com/en/europe-weather
Stage 4 (Enjoyment): Fill tank and go!
If only...Stage 2: (Buying): https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Stage 3 (Planning): https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Edinburgh/Denmar... / https://www.accuweather.com/en/europe-weather
Stage 4 (Enjoyment): Fill tank and go!
Stage 1
Steering wheel is on the wrong side, could get one from Germany instead - not an issue
Stage 2
Nice and cheap - not an issue
Stage 3
The sun sometimes shine in Denmark - not an issue
Stage 4
Go out for a driv... -oh i need to pay around £10.000 in import taxes before i can do that
My budget is actually around £15k, but due to taxes etc. that translates to the £6-7k mentioned.. Some cars however have very high taxes, the S2000 being one. Prices for a registered S2000 here is closer to £20-25.000
Edited by Lockguard on Tuesday 9th April 13:47
Lockguard said:
Go out for a driv... -oh i need to pay around £10.000 in import taxes before i can do that
In that case: https://www.rightmove.co.uk/
ninjag said:
Hahaha, that is of course an option! Another car i have been looking at is the Porsche 924, but i fear parts availability could become an issue?
Lockguard said:
That is a nice list! Although my issue with cars like the Fiesta ST is, however good they are to drive spirited, i can't imagine it would be much different from any other Fiesta when just driving around normally? It's a nice Fiesta, sure - but it's still a Fiesta. Does it make sense, or am i wrong? I'm impossible to satisfy, i know
I think you're exactly right. It's a long time ago, but I had an ex-demo 306 GTI-6. Bit quicker, handled a bit better, stopped a bit better etc. than a normal 306 - but it was still a 306 at the end of the day.You could try another Alfa - Spider version of the Brera? I like mine - much better looking than an MX5 (although I like the new ones) - but the fact that it's FWD is annoying sometimes.
Daily-ing an NA MX5 through winter and snow is perfectly do-able 
Even on a 100 mile round-trip commute!
All MX5s have rust - it's just a matter of how much lol
Buy one with a pretty solid shell, get it Dinitrol'd (underside, cavities), clean the salt off it as much and as often as you can, give it a thorough clean when they finally stop salting the roads for summer, and then put money aside for ongoing rust repairs every couple of years
The NA is better than the NB in some respects, as the chassis rails on the NB seem much more prone to rust, so no reason not to go for an NA. Personally I prefer the manual steering rack or the de-powered PAS rack because of better 'feel' through the wheel, which I think is essential when conditions are slippy.
Add winter tyres, buy an aftermarket heated seat cover that plugs into the cigarette lighter, buy some gloves with those rubber 'bobbles' so you have grip, buy a good scarf and a windproof coat to stop the cold getting down your back and up your sleeves, and then get out there and enjoy it!
You'll have to wait for the roof rubbers to warm up before you can put the roof down, but it doesn't take long because they warm up quick and the heaters are excellent.
Even on a 100 mile round-trip commute!
All MX5s have rust - it's just a matter of how much
lolBuy one with a pretty solid shell, get it Dinitrol'd (underside, cavities), clean the salt off it as much and as often as you can, give it a thorough clean when they finally stop salting the roads for summer, and then put money aside for ongoing rust repairs every couple of years
The NA is better than the NB in some respects, as the chassis rails on the NB seem much more prone to rust, so no reason not to go for an NA. Personally I prefer the manual steering rack or the de-powered PAS rack because of better 'feel' through the wheel, which I think is essential when conditions are slippy.
Add winter tyres, buy an aftermarket heated seat cover that plugs into the cigarette lighter, buy some gloves with those rubber 'bobbles' so you have grip, buy a good scarf and a windproof coat to stop the cold getting down your back and up your sleeves, and then get out there and enjoy it!
You'll have to wait for the roof rubbers to warm up before you can put the roof down, but it doesn't take long because they warm up quick and the heaters are excellent.
Edited by RSTurboPaul on Wednesday 10th April 12:53
davek_964 said:
I think you're exactly right. It's a long time ago, but I had an ex-demo 306 GTI-6. Bit quicker, handled a bit better, stopped a bit better etc. than a normal 306 - but it was still a 306 at the end of the day.
You could try another Alfa - Spider version of the Brera? I like mine - much better looking than an MX5 (although I like the new ones) - but the fact that it's FWD is annoying sometimes.
That's why i was so happy that my 106 was the Rallye rather than a GTi! It was down 15-20 bhp, but in my eyes it was more of an experience, because it had the decals, blue carpets and gauges amongst other things. Still a 106, but it stood out more than many hot versions do even today.You could try another Alfa - Spider version of the Brera? I like mine - much better looking than an MX5 (although I like the new ones) - but the fact that it's FWD is annoying sometimes.
I really like Alfas, but i struggle to find one that would check my boxes and i would be happy to have as a daily. Plenty to choose from if i could get one as a weekend car.
I like the looks of the Brera a lot! But it would be "the same" as the Giulietta - too grown up and not lively enough.
RSTurboPaul said:
Daily-ing an NA MX5 through winter and snow is perfectly do-able
Even on a 100 mile round-trip commute!
All MX5s have rust - it's just a matter of how much lol
Buy one with a pretty solid shell, get it Dinitrol'd (underside, cavities), clean the salt off it as much and as often as you can, give it a thorough clean when they finally stop salting the roads for summer, and then put money aside for ongoing rust repairs every couple of years
The NA is better than the NB in some respects, as the chassis rails on the NB seem much more prone to rust, so no reason not to go for an NA. Personally I prefer the manual steering rack or the de-powered PAS rack because of better 'feel' through the wheel, which I think is essential when conditions are slippy.
Add winter tyres, buy an aftermarket heated seat cover that plugs into the cigarette lighter, buy some gloves with those rubber 'bobbles' so you have grip, buy a good scarf and a windproof coat to stop the cold getting down your back and up your sleeves, and then get out there and enjoy it!
You'll have to wait for the roof rubbers to warm up before you can put the roof down, but it doesn't take long because they warm up quick and the heaters are excellent.
I think this might have been the answer i was hoping and looking for! Even on a 100 mile round-trip commute!
All MX5s have rust - it's just a matter of how much
lolBuy one with a pretty solid shell, get it Dinitrol'd (underside, cavities), clean the salt off it as much and as often as you can, give it a thorough clean when they finally stop salting the roads for summer, and then put money aside for ongoing rust repairs every couple of years
The NA is better than the NB in some respects, as the chassis rails on the NB seem much more prone to rust, so no reason not to go for an NA. Personally I prefer the manual steering rack or the de-powered PAS rack because of better 'feel' through the wheel, which I think is essential when conditions are slippy.
Add winter tyres, buy an aftermarket heated seat cover that plugs into the cigarette lighter, buy some gloves with those rubber 'bobbles' so you have grip, buy a good scarf and a windproof coat to stop the cold getting down your back and up your sleeves, and then get out there and enjoy it!
You'll have to wait for the roof rubbers to warm up before you can put the roof down, but it doesn't take long because they warm up quick and the heaters are excellent.
My thought was that if i keep on top of the rust, it should be doable, but i was afraid that it would fall apart faster than i could fix it due to poor quality steel etc. It does of course require attention more often than on other cars.
I would probably also get a hardtop for winter - and also because i like how it looks with it on
Thanks for your input!
Lockguard said:
I think this might have been the answer i was hoping and looking for!
My thought was that if i keep on top of the rust, it should be doable, but i was afraid that it would fall apart faster than i could fix it due to poor quality steel etc. It does of course require attention more often than on other cars.
I would probably also get a hardtop for winter - and also because i like how it looks with it on
Thanks for your input!
Booooo to the hardtop My thought was that if i keep on top of the rust, it should be doable, but i was afraid that it would fall apart faster than i could fix it due to poor quality steel etc. It does of course require attention more often than on other cars.
I would probably also get a hardtop for winter - and also because i like how it looks with it on
Thanks for your input!
It's a much better experience (IMO) with the roof off, especially on those gloriously sunny days - you can be toasty warm but listening to the snow crunching under the tyres!
You can get GRP/carbon front wings (which aren't structural anyway) to remove the need to repaint them, although (personally speaking) I think the extra strength from metal wings could be useful if you put it into the scenery... lol
IIRC you can also get GRP/carbon rear wings, although they would require bonding to the shell (which would require good rustproofing anyway).
If you are looking at an MX5, you can put a boroscope down the seatbelt tower area to see into the sills and check for rust.
Make sure the drainholes in the sills are open (they can be drilled out if not and the bare metal zinc-coated and then painted) and it should mean any moisture drains out quickly, reducing risk of rusting from the inside out.
RSTurboPaul said:
Booooo to the hardtop
It's a much better experience (IMO) with the roof off, especially on those gloriously sunny days - you can be toasty warm but listening to the snow crunching under the tyres!
You can get GRP/carbon front wings (which aren't structural anyway) to remove the need to repaint them, although (personally speaking) I think the extra strength from metal wings could be useful if you put it into the scenery... lol
IIRC you can also get GRP/carbon rear wings, although they would require bonding to the shell (which would require good rustproofing anyway).
If you are looking at an MX5, you can put a boroscope down the seatbelt tower area to see into the sills and check for rust.
Make sure the drainholes in the sills are open (they can be drilled out if not and the bare metal zinc-coated and then painted) and it should mean any moisture drains out quickly, reducing risk of rusting from the inside out.
Hahah, not really surprised getting flak for the hardtop It's a much better experience (IMO) with the roof off, especially on those gloriously sunny days - you can be toasty warm but listening to the snow crunching under the tyres!
You can get GRP/carbon front wings (which aren't structural anyway) to remove the need to repaint them, although (personally speaking) I think the extra strength from metal wings could be useful if you put it into the scenery... lol
IIRC you can also get GRP/carbon rear wings, although they would require bonding to the shell (which would require good rustproofing anyway).
If you are looking at an MX5, you can put a boroscope down the seatbelt tower area to see into the sills and check for rust.
Make sure the drainholes in the sills are open (they can be drilled out if not and the bare metal zinc-coated and then painted) and it should mean any moisture drains out quickly, reducing risk of rusting from the inside out.
GRP wings could be a solution if rust becomes too much of an issue on the metal ones, but probably not something i would do just for the sake of it.
I have seen the boroscope trick before! I need to get me one of those before i go to look at cars!
RSTurboPaul said:
I've never looked - sometimes the 'blissfully ignorant' approach is less stressful... lol
Oh, absolutely lol
As mentioned, another option could be the Porsche 924 125bhp. Seems to be a solid car, provided it has been cared for, and rust is much less of an issue due to it being galvanized.
Normal maintenance should be ok to tackle, but bigger non-DIY jobs can lead to bigger bills compared to the Mazda. I would love if someone could elaborate a bit on this, also regarding parts availability
I looks to me like the Mazda definitely has the better after market, regarding mods and all that.
The Porsche is more of a "proper" classic due to age alone, and it is after all a Porsche - at least most of it is
Thoughts on both cars are still much welcome!
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