Can I reallly...
Discussion
... live with a 5?
I'm still tempted - cheap, reliable, fun, bum powered, cheap, soft top, cheap... I need a car that I will buy this summer while I'm on placement earning a wage, then it will have to last for 2 years while I'm at Uni, earning half a wage. I'm scared of buying one and being stuck with it - I can't afford to make the wrong choice!
Will it feel too slow? My current car IS slow, a 90hp escort, But I can still enjoy driving it. Whatever I buy does need to be a significant upgrade though.
Am I mad for thinking it will be fine taking me a mate and 2 DH bikes to Scotland? I've worked out that technically it can be done, but realistically?
The issues like noise, and lack of power bug me, but its really hard to gauge. What do you compare it to? My current car is noisy and slow.... So a 5 has to be better than that right?
Talk me out of buying one... BRG V -spec, tan leather, powder-coat yellow mini-lites, chrome bullet mirrors.. yellow roll bar, its all there worked out in my mind... a 60's race car homage.
I'm still tempted - cheap, reliable, fun, bum powered, cheap, soft top, cheap... I need a car that I will buy this summer while I'm on placement earning a wage, then it will have to last for 2 years while I'm at Uni, earning half a wage. I'm scared of buying one and being stuck with it - I can't afford to make the wrong choice!
Will it feel too slow? My current car IS slow, a 90hp escort, But I can still enjoy driving it. Whatever I buy does need to be a significant upgrade though.
Am I mad for thinking it will be fine taking me a mate and 2 DH bikes to Scotland? I've worked out that technically it can be done, but realistically?
The issues like noise, and lack of power bug me, but its really hard to gauge. What do you compare it to? My current car is noisy and slow.... So a 5 has to be better than that right?
Talk me out of buying one... BRG V -spec, tan leather, powder-coat yellow mini-lites, chrome bullet mirrors.. yellow roll bar, its all there worked out in my mind... a 60's race car homage.
Try one, and then you'll buy one!
Lets face it, what is the worst that can happen? You buy it, decide you don't like it, sell it for what you paid for it or maybe a shade more, then buy another two a penny Eurobox. Hardly the end of the world.
Of course you can live with a '5 though. I move every six months due to work and its surprising what you can fit into a '5, I normally have to make a couple of trips but it certainly isn't a hardship. Of course not only are they cheap to buy, they're cheap to run too.
Basically, you can't go wrong, buy one.
Lets face it, what is the worst that can happen? You buy it, decide you don't like it, sell it for what you paid for it or maybe a shade more, then buy another two a penny Eurobox. Hardly the end of the world.
Of course you can live with a '5 though. I move every six months due to work and its surprising what you can fit into a '5, I normally have to make a couple of trips but it certainly isn't a hardship. Of course not only are they cheap to buy, they're cheap to run too.
Basically, you can't go wrong, buy one.
i understand your conundrum as i spent quite a while convincing myself that it can be practical enough to live with a 5 at uni and i think it is.
admittedly it will take a lot of clever packing and engineering to go on holiday with my girlfriend to anywhere for more than a week but that is a rare occasion and i think i could work it out.
with regards to the power and speed of it. one way of considering it would be power to weight. i rough quick calculation says that your escort has roughly 80bhp per tonne, while a 115bhp 5 has 120bhp per tonne. thats a 50% increase!!
i have never driven an escort but i would be willing to bet a fair whack of money that it doesnt feel as nice to drive as a basic 5 either. mx-5s are brilliant fun.
the best way to work it out would be to go and get a good test-drive in one. you wont need any more convincing than that.
admittedly it will take a lot of clever packing and engineering to go on holiday with my girlfriend to anywhere for more than a week but that is a rare occasion and i think i could work it out.
with regards to the power and speed of it. one way of considering it would be power to weight. i rough quick calculation says that your escort has roughly 80bhp per tonne, while a 115bhp 5 has 120bhp per tonne. thats a 50% increase!!
i have never driven an escort but i would be willing to bet a fair whack of money that it doesnt feel as nice to drive as a basic 5 either. mx-5s are brilliant fun.
the best way to work it out would be to go and get a good test-drive in one. you wont need any more convincing than that.
Edited by speedychrissie on Wednesday 2nd May 14:55
Honest I really do want one - its almost like theres something subconcious in my head saying
" Open top sports car? 21 years old? £3000 for a good un? Don't kid yourself Simon, if it sounds too good to be true..."
I need to drive one, but herein lies another problem. A - I know nobody with one.
B - I'm not insured to drive other peoples cars as im TPFT.
Is there anyone that will hire one out to me?
I really need the opportunity to go sit in one and have a good poke around.
As for the Escort comparisons, I'm not suggesting for one second it won't be more fun and faster. Just will it be fast enough?
" Open top sports car? 21 years old? £3000 for a good un? Don't kid yourself Simon, if it sounds too good to be true..."
I need to drive one, but herein lies another problem. A - I know nobody with one.
B - I'm not insured to drive other peoples cars as im TPFT.
Is there anyone that will hire one out to me?
I really need the opportunity to go sit in one and have a good poke around.
As for the Escort comparisons, I'm not suggesting for one second it won't be more fun and faster. Just will it be fast enough?
snotrag said:
I need to drive one, but herein lies another problem. A - I know nobody with one.
B - I'm not insured to drive other peoples cars as im TPFT.
B - I'm not insured to drive other peoples cars as im TPFT.
Make a trip to your nearest MX-5 specialist, they're likely to have what you're looking for and test driving shouldn't be a problem as you're seriously interested in buying.
Alternatively, find a couple at local dealers that you would be interested in pending test drives.
Edited by Wigeon Incognito on Wednesday 2nd May 15:08
go to a dealership with one and have a poke around in one of theirs. if you like the feel of it, then ask for a test drive. that is the only way you will get a real feel for one.
when im driving my 5 i know that there are cars on the road that are a lot faster than it, but i think you would be hard pushed to find many that would actually be able to drive faster on the majority of roads if you are pushing hard. they are just so usable.
when im driving my 5 i know that there are cars on the road that are a lot faster than it, but i think you would be hard pushed to find many that would actually be able to drive faster on the majority of roads if you are pushing hard. they are just so usable.
I guess I need to scratch this itch.
Never done the whole dealer/test drive thing, My last/first car was bought private, and I brought my Dad to drive it for me.
On previous searches I could only find a place in Doncaster that had a lot of MX5's, anyone know any others within reasonable distance of Leeds?
Never done the whole dealer/test drive thing, My last/first car was bought private, and I brought my Dad to drive it for me.
On previous searches I could only find a place in Doncaster that had a lot of MX5's, anyone know any others within reasonable distance of Leeds?
autotrader says there are loads of trade mx-5s within 30miles of the centre of leeds.
for instance this place is supposedly 29 miles from leeds and has 20 mx-5s
http://dealerservices.autotrader.co.u
for instance this place is supposedly 29 miles from leeds and has 20 mx-5s
http://dealerservices.autotrader.co.u
Edited by speedychrissie on Wednesday 2nd May 15:27
For the bikes I'd bung a towbar on it (no actual ball) then use a custom rack - easy peasy.
Its more about where do I put all the guff that comes with it!
I happen to think they look great with a big leather suitcase strapped to the back!
I also have another crazy idea, being the DIY/engineery/garagey tyoe that I am. I think it would be great to make an extended hard top, to make it into a coupe/liftback.
It would fit onto the a pillar mounts, and you would remove the boot lid and it would attach there aswell. I'll do some CAD drawings one days. Reckon it would be mint, could have a targa panel, and would give you a whopping boot to go on holiday with.
I must be mad.
Edit - Thanks Speedy
Its more about where do I put all the guff that comes with it!
I happen to think they look great with a big leather suitcase strapped to the back!
I also have another crazy idea, being the DIY/engineery/garagey tyoe that I am. I think it would be great to make an extended hard top, to make it into a coupe/liftback.
It would fit onto the a pillar mounts, and you would remove the boot lid and it would attach there aswell. I'll do some CAD drawings one days. Reckon it would be mint, could have a targa panel, and would give you a whopping boot to go on holiday with.
I must be mad.
Edit - Thanks Speedy
Edited by snotrag on Wednesday 2nd May 15:31
Hmm... the search begins...
Just been down to a *specialist*, website says they have 60 cars in stock, all tidy etc etc.
Get there, ooh, maybe 20 cars for sale. Got a chance to have a good look around and get a general feel for the model, but I wouldnt touch a car from there. Every single one was absolutely filth dirty. Really, awfully filthy.
If a trader can't be arse to WASH a car that their selling, what else have they neglected to do?
I wonder how many more cars they'd sell just by paying a 6th former £4.50 an hour and giving him a bucket, sponge, and vacuum.
Suffice to say - I've Still not driven one.
Its a start though.
Just been down to a *specialist*, website says they have 60 cars in stock, all tidy etc etc.
Get there, ooh, maybe 20 cars for sale. Got a chance to have a good look around and get a general feel for the model, but I wouldnt touch a car from there. Every single one was absolutely filth dirty. Really, awfully filthy.
If a trader can't be arse to WASH a car that their selling, what else have they neglected to do?
I wonder how many more cars they'd sell just by paying a 6th former £4.50 an hour and giving him a bucket, sponge, and vacuum.
Suffice to say - I've Still not driven one.
Its a start though.
Have you even been a passenger in one? If not, find out when your local MX5)C meets and pop along to the venue. The owners are real enthusiast and will happily show all around their cars. If you ask nicely, although you won't be able to drive you might get taken out for a spin. Probably best to find the club then contact them first so they know you are serious.
This way, you'll get to see some older cars and most of them pretty damn mint. It will give you a proper idea of what can be done easthetically.
Also, with regards to the power thing, firstly they go plenty quick enough and if you've never driven RWD before they can still be a handful if you're not careful. BUT....they can easily and cheaply be boosted. A year or two standard driving and saving of the pennies, then bolt on another 40 - 50% power. Then tha really, really are fun.
And of course, at a club meeting you will almost certainly find some modified ones to look at. If I remember correctly some of the guys in Yorkshire are very spirited drivers, and on a Rally around Harrogate were leaving me standing across the moors and dales (or whatever those fabulous tracts of land are called) in their standard 5s cos they knew the roads and pushed to the limit.
Have a look at the website www.mx5oc.co.uk/ and go look at some loved MX5s.
BTW if you just buy one anyway, you'll never regret it. JFDI
This way, you'll get to see some older cars and most of them pretty damn mint. It will give you a proper idea of what can be done easthetically.
Also, with regards to the power thing, firstly they go plenty quick enough and if you've never driven RWD before they can still be a handful if you're not careful. BUT....they can easily and cheaply be boosted. A year or two standard driving and saving of the pennies, then bolt on another 40 - 50% power. Then tha really, really are fun.
And of course, at a club meeting you will almost certainly find some modified ones to look at. If I remember correctly some of the guys in Yorkshire are very spirited drivers, and on a Rally around Harrogate were leaving me standing across the moors and dales (or whatever those fabulous tracts of land are called) in their standard 5s cos they knew the roads and pushed to the limit.
Have a look at the website www.mx5oc.co.uk/ and go look at some loved MX5s.
BTW if you just buy one anyway, you'll never regret it. JFDI
There are loads of MX-5 owners in your area but don't bother with the OC. Post a message on the MX-5 Nutz website saying you are looking to buy an MX-5 but want a few test-drives and you'll be inundated with offers of everything from base 1.6 auto's to fire-breathing +250bhp FM Turbos (and they are much friendlier than the stuffy, clique that is the OC) 
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