Buying your daughter a Mk1 MX-5 as a first car?
Discussion
Dilemma: only space for two cars in the garage. Daughter starting to drive. Would be perhaps useful to have a second car. Current car is Golf with DSG. I think she should learn how to drive a manual. And if we have a second car it should be something I would want to drive. I’d that wasn’t a consideration then I’d get a cheap but sturdy Japanese car (Suzuki Swift perhaps). Left field thought: how about a Mk1 MX-5? I’ve not checked whether insurance would be possible. She would learn about RWD and it could still be fun for me to go for a drive.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Aside from insurance costs has your daughter given you any indication that she wants a 30year old car and even gives a toss about which wheels are driven?
Since it is highly likely she will learn to drive in something barely a couple of years with feather weight epas, hugely over servo'd brakes , dbw with a ten tonne flywheel which is nearly impossible to stall she may want those same characteristics.....
Since it is highly likely she will learn to drive in something barely a couple of years with feather weight epas, hugely over servo'd brakes , dbw with a ten tonne flywheel which is nearly impossible to stall she may want those same characteristics.....
My step daughter had a pug 106 at 17 for a 18months followed by a streetka for 18months and then graduated to her one year old MX5 anniversary once she had some experience and no claims built up. 3 days after I bought it for her she got hit up the arse by a copper.
Insurance was a killer to the MX as her first car, but that was 15 years ago so things may be different but I doubt it.
Insurance was a killer to the MX as her first car, but that was 15 years ago so things may be different but I doubt it.
A young learner isn't going to care about the driven wheels - they are hardly likely to be trying to drift round a roundabout are they? What they are going to care about is good visibility, cabin space, light(ish) clutch with good bite, easy power steering and smooth gearbox. After that it's likely to be phone connectivity and sound system.
I've owned a MK2 and wouldn't think it was ideal - also worth considering how different it is likely to be from the car they are being instructed in. Also, depending on circumstances and peer group they are likely to want 4/5 seats for friends/colleagues etc.
There's a reason why cars like the MX-5 are generally second cars.
I've owned a MK2 and wouldn't think it was ideal - also worth considering how different it is likely to be from the car they are being instructed in. Also, depending on circumstances and peer group they are likely to want 4/5 seats for friends/colleagues etc.
There's a reason why cars like the MX-5 are generally second cars.
SAS Tom said:
Does she actually want an Mx5? I’ve got one and I think it’s crap for normal day to day driving. There’s hardly any space for you or your stuff. It’s pretty unrefined and they rust for fun.
I have a nice 93 Eunos. As a cheap to run weekend car they are hard to beat. I would imagine using one as a daily would quickly become tiresome, especially during winter. I'm a member on a couple of MX5 owners groups on Facebook, ors quite a common theme for new young drivers to join and ask where they can get cheap insurance for an MX-5, usually its the same story, there isn't any available.
For whatever reason insurers don't like insuring young and inexperienced drivers on MX5's.
Its probably related to the number of posts I see from young drivers asking about how they can weld their diff as they all think they are drift heroes.
For whatever reason insurers don't like insuring young and inexperienced drivers on MX5's.
Its probably related to the number of posts I see from young drivers asking about how they can weld their diff as they all think they are drift heroes.
Dicky Knee said:
For my daughter's first car I would want airbags, ABS and Bluetooth for their phone and music.
This all day long. The chances of it getting crashed is quite high, you want your daughter to be as safe as possible. It pains me to say it but you'd be much better off looking at something (trendy) like a Fiat 500 for a young female learner driver.Perfect car for any young driver to learn in. No distractions with Bluetooth or sat nav, a manual gearbox and a lovely light car to drive. If my kids ever get to the age where they can learn in a manual light sports car that would be my first choice.
Cool as f
k to compared to a stty Micra etc that I learnt in.
Cool as f
k to compared to a stty Micra etc that I learnt in.I'm no health and safety nonce but for an inexperienced driver I wouldn't want anything with no driver aids and such poor passive safety as a Mk1 MX5. They're pretty easy to spin in wet and greasy conditions, and also pretty easy to lock up the wheels on if you're braking hard. Not something a new driver is going to cope well with. Great as a 2nd car after 12-18 months battering the life out of a stty old Micra and learning to actually drive though.
They're expensive for young drivers to insure for a good reason.
Also, before the bellends get in with the "in my day we all drove Morris Itals with tyres made from soap" bully for you pompous old fart, but many times more people died on the roads than they do now despite massively increased traffic levels. We also used to use asbestos to build schools, smoke cigarettes to cure a cough, and eat loads of hydrogenated fats.
ETA - SLK a good shout, they are cheap and will have some cred with dopey teenagers, or a Mk3 MX5?
tty old Micra and learning to actually drive though.They're expensive for young drivers to insure for a good reason.
Also, before the bellends get in with the "in my day we all drove Morris Itals with tyres made from soap" bully for you pompous old fart, but many times more people died on the roads than they do now despite massively increased traffic levels. We also used to use asbestos to build schools, smoke cigarettes to cure a cough, and eat loads of hydrogenated fats.
ETA - SLK a good shout, they are cheap and will have some cred with dopey teenagers, or a Mk3 MX5?
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 11th May 23:42
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff