which weekend fun car...Elise S1 or MX5
Discussion
Evo said:
The Elise is one of the most chuckale cars about and it won't bite unless you drive it like a ham fisted numpty. I appreciate Kambites drives an S1 Elise so no offence meant btw, I've driven quite a few on trackdays and always found them to be so, as you say delicately balanced if not a little underpowered in the base S1 Elise.
I've got an S2 which is a little more forgiving and I've never had a problem with it (or indeed with the S1s I've driven). However, the proportion of Elise drivers who do manage to spin them in the first year of ownership is quite ridiculous and the OP's profile implies that he has little or no experience of RWD cars. There are friendlier introductions to the world of sports cars. The Elise is quite a well balanced car if you know what you're doing, but it does have a very high CoG and a very low polar moment of inertia so you've got to be fairly quick to catch it if the back end goes when you're not expecting it. I can quite see how an inexperienced driver could have trouble with one.
Edited by kambites on Monday 16th May 10:23
ehonda said:
Depends what you want the car to do I think. If you purely want it for tearing around and being a hooligan in I'd go for the elise (I've had one and loved it). If you want something that you can do the same in but with a bit less commitment and a bit more comfort, I'd go for the MX-5. I think it's a much easier ownership proposition (hope so, I've just bought one).
All very true. The MX5 can be used every day and will never piss you off; jump in, drive, enjoy. The Elise will be more of a pain to use, there will be times when you can't be arsed to use it because it's hard to get into, the roof will leak, and the reliability isn't up to MX5 standards - but, as a weekend toy it's hard to beat.Or, MX5 with supercharger conversion...
Elise, elise, elise, elise, elise. All the way. MX 5 is a good car to drive, but as a weekend toy, you really want the performance and grin factor of the elise. You'll very quickly learn to put the roof on in a minute or under.
And if you're not using it that much, then the wear and tear doesn't count (bar any track days). The elise K series engine also has a different head gasket set to the normal K series and is therefore a lot more reliable - keep an eye out on the plumbing though.
And if you're not using it that much, then the wear and tear doesn't count (bar any track days). The elise K series engine also has a different head gasket set to the normal K series and is therefore a lot more reliable - keep an eye out on the plumbing though.
Personally, I always wanted a Mazda Elise! A car with the quality and attention to detail of the MX-5 and the dynamic ability of the Elise would have been perfect.
Taking the two cars in turn, I'd say that the MX-5 is a fantastic introduction to RWD and is great fun at legal-ish speeds. It's very involving but also very predictable in terms of handling. At lower speeds I have to say the MX5 can be just as much fun as an Elise, maybe more; although the Elise comes into its own on track.
They're also incredibly reliable and it's clear that a lot of thought (and money) went into the design. There are obvious points like the excellent gear change and simple-to-use hood; but also little details like the battery in the boot and aluminium bonnet to aid weight distribution.
The fact that they cost peanuts to buy and run is also a bonus - indeed the fact that they're worth so little adds to the enjoyment because you don't find yourself worrying about the cost of repairs if you get too enthusiastic.
As for the Elise, it's a brilliant car to drive but is let down by the details. Aside from the rubbish gear change, pretty much every other aspect of the driving experience is great and you're guaranteed some memorable drives. It's less compromised than the softer MX-5 and driving one feels like more of a special event. In terms of the design however, it was developed on a shoestring and it shows - they couldn't even get established technology like wind-up windows to work reliably.
A lot depends on how much you use the car and what sort of person you are. If it's only going to be for weekend use and you're the sort of person who doesn't mind fixing things the designers should have got right in the first place, then I'd go for the Elise, particularly if you're considering trackdays, etc.
If, on the other hand, you want a cheap car that won't give you any trouble but still puts a smile on your face I'd go for the MX-5.
Taking the two cars in turn, I'd say that the MX-5 is a fantastic introduction to RWD and is great fun at legal-ish speeds. It's very involving but also very predictable in terms of handling. At lower speeds I have to say the MX5 can be just as much fun as an Elise, maybe more; although the Elise comes into its own on track.
They're also incredibly reliable and it's clear that a lot of thought (and money) went into the design. There are obvious points like the excellent gear change and simple-to-use hood; but also little details like the battery in the boot and aluminium bonnet to aid weight distribution.
The fact that they cost peanuts to buy and run is also a bonus - indeed the fact that they're worth so little adds to the enjoyment because you don't find yourself worrying about the cost of repairs if you get too enthusiastic.
As for the Elise, it's a brilliant car to drive but is let down by the details. Aside from the rubbish gear change, pretty much every other aspect of the driving experience is great and you're guaranteed some memorable drives. It's less compromised than the softer MX-5 and driving one feels like more of a special event. In terms of the design however, it was developed on a shoestring and it shows - they couldn't even get established technology like wind-up windows to work reliably.
A lot depends on how much you use the car and what sort of person you are. If it's only going to be for weekend use and you're the sort of person who doesn't mind fixing things the designers should have got right in the first place, then I'd go for the Elise, particularly if you're considering trackdays, etc.
If, on the other hand, you want a cheap car that won't give you any trouble but still puts a smile on your face I'd go for the MX-5.
Edited by Risotto on Monday 16th May 11:32
Risotto said:
Personally, I always wanted a Mazda Elise! A car with the quality and attention to detail of the MX-5 and the dynamic ability of the Elise would have been perfect.
That's pretty much what the mk3 Toyota MR2 tried to do and it has to be said, it did a pretty good job of it for the money. kambites said:
Risotto said:
Personally, I always wanted a Mazda Elise! A car with the quality and attention to detail of the MX-5 and the dynamic ability of the Elise would have been perfect.
That's pretty much what the mk3 Toyota MR2 tried to do and it has to be said, it did a pretty good job of it for the money. 
I'd go for a cheaper MX5 if you're just looking for something a for a bit of fun. You can get a good one for next to nothing and they cost next to nothing to look after. The Elise on the other hand might be a little bit 'purer', if you want to get into the b
ks spouted by petrolheads, but the increased cost and susceptibility to major engine trouble (naff K series head gasket
) would offset that perceived advantage quite heavily.
ks spouted by petrolheads, but the increased cost and susceptibility to major engine trouble (naff K series head gasket) would offset that perceived advantage quite heavily. Risotto said:
Personally, I always wanted a Mazda Elise! A car with the quality and attention to detail of the MX-5 and the dynamic ability of the Elise would have been perfect.
Hey, that's what I have - the Smart Roadster. Best of both worlds, combines the agressive, macho image of the MX5 with the rock-solid build of the Elise.Oh, hang on...
moribund said:
Hey, that's what I have - the Smart Roadster. Best of both worlds, combines the agressive, macho image of the MX5 with the rock-solid build of the Elise.
Oh, hang on...
Thats the only thing you've got to watch out for, both cars have a pretty bad image in a way. The Mazda is seen as a girls car, the Elise is the reserve of bearded men who only drink in CAMRA approved pubs and have never known the touch of a woman. Think of the Real Ale tOh, hang on...
ts from Viz, but rename them the Real Car tts and you're about there. You seem to be looking in different markets. 8k to play with will get you all manner of fun weekend cars from a Porsche back to the Elise. What about a VX220? Or a TVR?
VX220 http://pistonheads.com/sales/2800243.htm
TVR http://pistonheads.com/sales/2824084.htm
Porsche http://pistonheads.com/sales/2332038.htm
The MX-5 isn't in the same league. I just brought one this weekend looking for a fun, cheap, reliable car that I can use everyday to commute and enjoy going for a fun drive and for that it seems perfect.
Weekend toy only then I would expand the horizons and go hunting in the classfieds and try some. For everyday with a soft top and lots of cash left in the bank then MX5. Ignore people who go on about hair dressers in a more serious than the cheeky joke way, they either haven't driven one or have some serious issues regarding their masculinity!!
VX220 http://pistonheads.com/sales/2800243.htm
TVR http://pistonheads.com/sales/2824084.htm
Porsche http://pistonheads.com/sales/2332038.htm
The MX-5 isn't in the same league. I just brought one this weekend looking for a fun, cheap, reliable car that I can use everyday to commute and enjoy going for a fun drive and for that it seems perfect.
Weekend toy only then I would expand the horizons and go hunting in the classfieds and try some. For everyday with a soft top and lots of cash left in the bank then MX5. Ignore people who go on about hair dressers in a more serious than the cheeky joke way, they either haven't driven one or have some serious issues regarding their masculinity!!
What do you want to do on these weekends?
If it's an hour long blast in the sunshine, then definitely go for the Elise. That or up the budget fractionally and get a Caterham for an even more intense hit of adrenaline.
If you want to go touring then a Caterfield, or to a lesser extent an Elise, may prove restrictive when it comes to boot space and weather gear. Then I'd go for a TVR. Or an MX5 if you want a cheaper option.
I'm a strong believer in the idea that a 'weekend' car should be something you wouldn't have the opportunity to use during the week, but having had a couple of stripped out track-orientated cars I'd suggest you need to decide how extreme you want your thrills! Every petrolhead should have a Lotus Seven type car at some stage though.
If it's an hour long blast in the sunshine, then definitely go for the Elise. That or up the budget fractionally and get a Caterham for an even more intense hit of adrenaline.
If you want to go touring then a Caterfield, or to a lesser extent an Elise, may prove restrictive when it comes to boot space and weather gear. Then I'd go for a TVR. Or an MX5 if you want a cheaper option.
I'm a strong believer in the idea that a 'weekend' car should be something you wouldn't have the opportunity to use during the week, but having had a couple of stripped out track-orientated cars I'd suggest you need to decide how extreme you want your thrills! Every petrolhead should have a Lotus Seven type car at some stage though.
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