RE: PH Heroes: Mazda MX-5

[Hooli]

otolith said:

Vo0Ds said:

The civic is winning on practicality (and manlyness)

I just can't get my head round that perception. Front wheel drive family shopping car more manly than rear wheel drive sports car? The Type-R wins some manliness by omission (i.e. Honda's market research found that most women hated it), but the rest of the range are wombs with wheels. And two litre models apart, they're all well down on performance.

i dont get it either, how can the dullest type of car you can get? (FWD hatch) possibly be less girly than a RWD sportscar?

jamoor said:

OllieBirmingham said:

chrome rollhoop thingies which I want to replace with a proper roll bar

Personally I would remove those chrome roll hoop thingys, imaging what will happen if you have an accident and the car rolls...

sounds like thats his plan to me.

Edited by Hooli on Friday 18th April 20:33

[jamoor]

Hooli said:

otolith said:

Vo0Ds said:

The civic is winning on practicality (and manlyness)

I just can't get my head round that perception. Front wheel drive family shopping car more manly than rear wheel drive sports car? The Type-R wins some manliness by omission (i.e. Honda's market research found that most women hated it), but the rest of the range are wombs with wheels. And two litre models apart, they're all well down on performance.

i dont get it either, how can the dullest type of car you can get? (FWD hatch) possibly be less girly than a RWD sportscar?

jamoor said:

OllieBirmingham said:

chrome rollhoop thingies which I want to replace with a proper roll bar

Personally I would remove those chrome roll hoop thingys, imaging what will happen if you have an accident and the car rolls...

sounds like thats his plan to me.

Edited by Hooli on Friday 18th April 20:33

I guess I meant sharpish, rather than waiting for a roll bar to come up for sale.

[Herman Toothrot]

BenjC said:

Snoggledog said:

The only drawback is a distinct lack of oomph.

Solution = http://www.flyinmiata.com/turbos/index.php

My 1.6 Eunos made 232hp and 206 ftlbs.

It was mental, and I only sold it as I was doing a 60 mile round commute into London everday. No fun what-so-ever. I have fond memories of that fast car...sighs.....

Doing it again though? Not for me ....If and when I get my next 5/Roadster it will be a stock S-Spec. As Bob Hall (one of the co creators of the MX5) has often written...."If you cant go fast with 90hp, 900hp isn't gonna help"....

Bens old car cemented the 5 as the car to own after the MR2 Turbo,... and here i am 2 years later with a 250bhp 5.

[OllieBirmingham]

jamoor said:

OllieBirmingham said:

chrome rollhoop thingies which I want to replace with a proper roll bar

Personally I would remove those chrome roll hoop thingys, imaging what will happen if you have an accident and the car rolls...

sounds like thats his plan to me.

Edited by Hooli on Friday 18th April 20:33

You're right, that is the plan but surely the crappy chrome roll hoop thingies (or "style bars" as they call them) would offer better protection than er, nothing.

[Munter]

totallymessedup said:

OllieBirmingham said:

jamoor said:

OllieBirmingham said:

chrome rollhoop thingies which I want to replace with a proper roll bar

Personally I would remove those chrome roll hoop thingys, imaging what will happen if you have an accident and the car rolls...

sounds like thats his plan to me.

Edited by Hooli on Friday 18th April 20:33

You're right, that is the plan but surely the crappy chrome roll hoop thingies (or "style bars" as they call them) would offer better protection than er, nothing.

I think the concern is because they are not structural they might fold towards your head in the event of an accident. If you are lucky they might offer some protection, if you are unlucky they might fold up and bash you around the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGHzyNJ3-kI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0FrSdkHOh4

Edited by Munter on Saturday 19th April 10:50

[jazzybee]

Sciroccology said:

Herman Toothrot said:

Sciroccology said:

Can anyone lend me three grand?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/413872.htm 

Nice.

Nice, I wouldn't mind swapping those seats and a bit of cash to the new owner to drop the price down a bit more

If it handles as well as it sounds, those seats (with added harnesses) would be a must-have

I was holding back on my response....


IT HANDLES FANTASTICALLY!! And I am the new proud owner. just got it home

[Hooli]

OllieBirmingham said:

jamoor said:

OllieBirmingham said:

chrome rollhoop thingies which I want to replace with a proper roll bar

Personally I would remove those chrome roll hoop thingys, imaging what will happen if you have an accident and the car rolls...

sounds like thats his plan to me.

Edited by Hooli on Friday 18th April 20:33

You're right, that is the plan but surely the crappy chrome roll hoop thingies (or "style bars" as they call them) would offer better protection than er, nothing.

that was my thought too tbh. i guess if your sliding backwards upside down they'll tt you in the head but id suspect they'd at least slow down the crushing of your skull in a most crashes.

[Negative Creep]

I will own an MX-5 one day. Just a shame they never made a slightly bigger more, ahem, masculine version

[Steve Gunnis]

Here's mine for sale:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/474358.htm

Edited by Steve Gunnis on Thursday 24th April 13:23

[Porscha!]

lord summerisle said:

Porscha! said:

I go to work round the twisties - did in the Porsche, do now though you can hoon round the twisties at the same speeds as the A roads as the MX5 I've noticed seems to rev a stupid amount (about 4250 at 70mph) and seems to have an awful lot of road noise on A roads / Motorways oh well you can't have everything going round corners is what counts

again, you seem to have the different diff ratio - mine runs at 3500rpm at 70, and just under 4000 at 80....

at least, revving mine to the red line - i get 60ish in 2nd 80 in 3rd, and (i guess) pushing 100mph in 4th - not got there tho, only ever tried it at Oulton Park, and i only got as far as about 90mph down the Start/Finish before needing to brake for Old Hall

Interesting is yours a UK car or a JDM import?

Mines a Jap Car!

[golemgrey]

Well, not sure what my actual speed is, but indicated it's actually closer to about 110 at 4krpm. All I know is coming from an over geared non turbo 7, it's REALLY short geared. That I do know. I also need to get it's speedo checked and reset.

Still, personally it's a minor greivance. And not too hard to fix, compared to making a civic desirable and as much fun. Don't look back, grab the 5, and if you want practicality you can get a multitude of carry racks for it to help.

[Miguel]

Mine's a US spec 2001 with standard suspension and the 15" wheels that come with it. It has the 5 speed and 4.3 rear end. It also has the 1.8, as do all US MX5's from 1994-2005. At an indicated 80 mph, it does a bit over 4000 RPM in 5th--around 4200 or so. I don't mind the short gearing at all; it's part of the fun. It needs it, with such a small engine that only makes power when you rev it. I also don't mind the noise, even on longer trips. I know it's not a Lexus.

Miguel

[jamoor]

Munter said:

totallymessedup said:

OllieBirmingham said:

jamoor said:

OllieBirmingham said:

chrome rollhoop thingies which I want to replace with a proper roll bar

Personally I would remove those chrome roll hoop thingys, imaging what will happen if you have an accident and the car rolls...

sounds like thats his plan to me.

Edited by Hooli on Friday 18th April 20:33

You're right, that is the plan but surely the crappy chrome roll hoop thingies (or "style bars" as they call them) would offer better protection than er, nothing.

I think the concern is because they are not structural they might fold towards your head in the event of an accident. If you are lucky they might offer some protection, if you are unlucky they might fold up and bash you around the head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGHzyNJ3-kI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0FrSdkHOh4

Edited by Munter on Saturday 19th April 10:50

Crikey!

I am glad I have a proper mazdaspeed roll bar.

[Rob13]

Its funny how people say that theyre cheap to run, because they never say what theyre comparing them to. As a sports car, then I guess they are pretty reasonable, however with 25mpg & £300 tax (as of next year) and a set of £300 tyres annually, then I guess theyre not as cheap as some might think


As far as handling goes...Sublime but watch out in the wet!

[Kinky]

£300 tax next year? Is that right?

[Wigeon Incognito]

Rob13 said:

Its funny how people say that theyre cheap to run, because they never say what theyre comparing them to. As a sports car, then I guess they are pretty reasonable, however with 25mpg & £300 tax (as of next year) and a set of £300 tyres annually, then I guess theyre not as cheap as some might think


As far as handling goes...Sublime but watch out in the wet!

The tax is true of newer models, but Mk1s won't be affected by it and most seem to get more like 30mpg than 25, in fact there's a thread running in the PH MX-5 forum about this very topic at the moment (I get 27, but it sits at high revs a lot on the motorway).

Re the wet handling, if there's a problem in the wet it can only be down to bad rubber or bad setup.

I'd say that mine is pretty benign and I've taken it beyond its limits of adhesion plenty of times wet and dry.

[Kinky]

That's what I thought.

So I'll stick to my £180 tax a year and 30 mpg with my heavy right foot.

K

[Red Firecracker]

Wigeon Incognito said:

Rob13 said:

Its funny how people say that theyre cheap to run, because they never say what theyre comparing them to. As a sports car, then I guess they are pretty reasonable, however with 25mpg & £300 tax (as of next year) and a set of £300 tyres annually, then I guess theyre not as cheap as some might think


As far as handling goes...Sublime but watch out in the wet!

Re the wet handling, if there's a problem in the wet it can only be down to bad rubber or bad setup.

I'll add poor driving to your list of wet weather problems, but yes, I agree.

[otolith]

Rob13 said:

As far as handling goes...Sublime but watch outmost fun in the wet!

EFA. Wet roads tip the grip:grunt ratio funwards.

[Red Firecracker]

Kinky said:

That's what I thought.

So I'll stick to my £180 tax a year and 30 mpg with my heavy right foot.

K

For now, Kinky!

Can't be long before they start to prey on us pre-2001 vehicle owners.