RE: MX-5 30th Anniversary vs. Porsche Boxster (981)

[pmr01]

Sharon-coizu said:

cerb4.5lee said:

A heavy German car or light Japanese car is the choice here. They are so similar in many ways yet so different.

Both cars always get great reviews so I don't think that there is a bad choice here. I've not driven either and I would love a go in both.

I never liked the looks with the Boxster and I like the way this generation of MX-5 looks. Usually the engine takes centre stage for me but in this case I think I'd go for the MX-5.

Spot on. Both great cars but very different ways of going about a 2 seater sports car. I like both but would always go lighter and cheaper given the choice. I know even the base Porsche is quicker and, being mid engined, probably handles better beyond the limit of grip but the MX5 is much more fun at 9 tenths and (semi) legal speeds.

There used to be a perfect middle ground. Soft top, light, mid-engined, cheap and reliable. The criminally underrated MK3 MR2 - the only car I have ever regretted selling.

Totally....on the MR2!!!!!

Considering the reception that the new Supra has had, i hope they do similar with a new MR2.

[Gandahar]

FlatchatPhil said:

For me, it's got to be the 981, yes the MX-5 is light and nibble but never a match against Porsche. After driving a number of MX-5s, agreed super fun car but I am always left wanting more than than the strained 4 cylinder, it's always going to be lacking, no matter how you dress it up. That said, Mazda have done well with the MX-5 to hit the niche for those with limited budget that want a great handling car. But if you're talking sports cars, the engine and exhaust notes truly make the car, so why settle for anything less?

Groan

Super fun car.... go Miata....

Strained 4 cylinder? Please tell more.

lacking in what ?

how are we dressing it up? MX5 been a good choice for a long time, still continues to be so. It's not perfect 2019 but it is still better than 99% fun wise than the rest of the market.

How is the Toyota GT86 going ????

"the engine and exhaust notes truly make the car"

As Porsche go 4cyl turbo .....

Edited by Gandahar on Sunday 3rd November 13:54

[Gandahar]

simonbamg said:

Porsche please all day long it’s the only logical best more fun choice

Prove it.

Or shut it.

[nickfrog]

For all its qualities, and I am a big fan, I can't see how the Porsche could be more fun. I had really liked my Boxsters but there was always an annoying sense of sterility about them, perhaps because they always seem to be over tyred or perhaps because of their conservative set up, or both.

[WJNB]

Gandahar said:

simonbamg said:

Porsche please all day long it’s the only logical best more fun choice

Prove it.
Or shut it.

Well said if expressed somewhat ungrammatically.
There is no 'logic' in the feeble generalisation.
'Best' is unqualified e.g. best what? Best at what?
'Fun' everybody's interpretation of fun is different.

My gut feeling is that undermining the feeble observation is the fact that the imagined perception that the brand Porsche is superior because of the badge.

[Prestonese]

WJNB said:

Well said if expressed somewhat ungrammatically.
There is no 'logic' in the feeble generalisation.
'Best' is unqualified e.g. best what? Best at what?
'Fun' everybody's interpretation of fun is different.

My gut feeling is that undermining the feeble observation is the fact that the imagined perception that the brand Porsche is superior because of the badge.

I hear you on this.

Also, I'll just leave this here for the usual suspects.....

https://sniffpetrol.com/2019/10/24/ask-a-total-pri...

[CABC]

WJNB said:

Gandahar said:

simonbamg said:

Porsche please all day long it’s the only logical best more fun choice

Prove it.
Or shut it.

Well said if expressed somewhat ungrammatically.
There is no 'logic' in the feeble generalisation.
'Best' is unqualified e.g. best what? Best at what?
'Fun' everybody's interpretation of fun is different.

My gut feeling is that undermining the feeble observation is the fact that the imagined perception that the brand Porsche is superior because of the badge.

Porsche are a victim of their success. It’s not just the suvs, even the cars are now hobbled by the demands of their clientele.

Not that the mx5 is bought for the right reasons either. Let’s be honest, most new ones are purchased by girls, fashionistas and convertible lovers. Few are bought new for their driving abilities, just like Porsche.

[CABC]

Gandahar said:

How is the Toyota GT86 going ????

Edited by Gandahar on Sunday 3rd November 13:54

Badly.

Driving dynamics alone do not sell cars.

[anonymous-user]

CABC said:

Not that the mx5 is bought for the right reasons either. Let’s be honest, most new ones are purchased by girls, fashionistas and convertible lovers. Few are bought new for their driving abilities, just like Porsche.

...said the self-appointed PH driving god.

Some of us like highly competent sportscars. Why is that a problem to you?

[CABC]

rockin said:

...said the PH driving god with no cars listed on his profile.

Some of us like highly competent sportscars. Why is that a problem to you?

It’s not a problem to me if that’s why somebody chooses a car. Pls re-read my post and explain how you reached that conclusion..

Ive owned and driven all cars spoken about on this thread. My Elise is the keeper. Most fun on track was my s/c 5. Will be replaced by a Caterham next year, likely superlight 300.
I’m also one those weird people who drives a gt86 and think it’s a great car, flaws accepted. So there’s a bit more about me.

But you are right, I am a very good driver.
But far, far from the best.

[Niffty951]

CABC said:

Gandahar said:

How is the Toyota GT86 going ????

Edited by Gandahar on Sunday 3rd November 13:54

Badly.

Driving dynamics alone do not sell cars.

As a potential buyer in their advertised target market who didn't buy one and never would I suggest it may be that the cylinder orientation is the least flat aspect of that engine! God it's dull. It feels weaker than a 100hp Panda.

[Sharon-coizu]

Niffty951 said:

As a potential buyer in their advertised target market who didn't buy one and never would I suggest it may be that the cylinder orientation is the least flat aspect of that engine! God it's dull. It feels weaker than a 100hp Panda.

Just out of interest, did you drive a very low miler? I've found so many Japanese engines that are too tight out of the box and don't loosen up for some 2000 miles. This was especially true of my first MX5 ND and was used to damn the car by so many reviewers.

[CABC]

Niffty951 said:

As a potential buyer in their advertised target market who didn't buy one and never would I suggest it may be that the cylinder orientation is the least flat aspect of that engine! God it's dull. It feels weaker than a 100hp Panda.

Oh, it’s a huge weakness.
A little bit of fettling makes it better but you cannot transform it.
Better once you’re “on it” between 4-7k revs, but as a daily it sucks. Had mine for 6 years, so for me it works. Not my only car fortunately.
A 6 cyl from Porsche has been reason enough to own one of those for decades. Even then I wonder what younger drivers would make of the power curve of a 964? You could easily stall in 1st or reverse, but once you reached 3k+ it all kicked off. Beautiful.

[VladD]

Everybody knows that real men have a MX5 and a Boxster.

[anonymous-user]

VladD said:

Everybody knows that real men have a MX5 and a Boxster.

Excellent!

[Honeywell]

I really tried to make myself like a 981 but I couldn’t justify spending twice as much as the £14k I spent on a GT86 with a remap and sports exhaust (and manifold change to get the burble).

The Porsche was good but simple had too much grip and only really needed 2nd and 3rd gear on the rural B roads where I get my driving kicks. My BMW535d with active suspension will go up the same bit of road far faster than my GT86 but it has so much thrust and grip that it’s like flying an Airbus. The point of a sports car is to be flying a Pitts Special.

Modern cars don’t make you work at all hard and offer astounding performance compared to when I started driving in the early 1990’s. A Sierra Saphire Cosworth with 220bhp was considered a starship back then and could bite you very hard and was a brutal thing. Now it’s power to weight only gets you into the mild hot hatch territory.

When the kids leave home I might well go for an MX5D. A little aftermarket tune - I think - is more worthwhile than its ever been because of the emissions nonsense they impose on newly made cars.

[RBH58]

I was looking at getting a Cayman before buying my MX5 RF, and one of the major reasons that I didn’t pull the pin and go Porsche was the ridiculous moonshot gearing. I would have bought a car that I can’t even legally redline in any gear other than 1st on a public road. And the Cayman at legal speeds on my usual Sunday morning backroads was like “yeah...so what?” The MX5 however, was 1/3 of the price (here in Aus) and is a riot driving at 40kph to the shops! Which car was I going to have the most fun with 98% of the time? The Mazda. No regrets whatsoever.

[simonbamg]

Gandahar said:

Prove it.

Or shut it.

Why so aggressive, it’s my opinion and the correct one,

[tallstevef]

Interesting article and comments (generally!!) so far. Both of these would be on my next car list, but I don't fit in the MX, and the 981 would have to be pdk to give my left foot somewhere to be (other than on the clutch). If not these two, what other RWD sports cars, with similar prices would or should be on the list?

I don't fit in the GT86, or the F type, and suspect the same of an Elise and maybe Evora...

[Ultrafunkula]

I've not driven either, but I have driven my ex's MX5 Mk 3.5 on many occasions and my Cayman 987.2. Pretty different experiences, the MX5 was more like a go kart but the Cayman is hard to ignore with the centrally mounted boxer being the best configuration for a road car IMO. I have a Remus exhaust on the 3.4 flat six and it sounds like a supercar. I would have to stick with the Porsche I think.