Poll: Puma or MX-5
Total Members Polled: 75
Discussion
Ok so here are my choices. Bear in mind it will be an only car, and a daily driver for 12000 miles a year, mostly a 17 mile motorway drive to work and regular (read fortnightly) weekends away which involves a 200 mile round trip and some seriously good hooning roads when I get there. Running costs are a concern, I really don't want to be shelling out big money on repairs, fuel etc.
At the moment (this changes regularly) I'm leaning towards the Puma, its generally cheaper purchase price means I could get it poly-bushed and put some decent tyres on it. I also have a feeling it would be better for motorway driving?
I've driven an MX-5 and it seemed like it would be fun as a weekend only car, not sure about as a daily driver, I think the intrusive cabin noise could be an issue, the Puma would probably be more refined, if a bit less special a place to be.
Let me know your thoughts, especially anyone who has owned both.
At the moment (this changes regularly) I'm leaning towards the Puma, its generally cheaper purchase price means I could get it poly-bushed and put some decent tyres on it. I also have a feeling it would be better for motorway driving?
I've driven an MX-5 and it seemed like it would be fun as a weekend only car, not sure about as a daily driver, I think the intrusive cabin noise could be an issue, the Puma would probably be more refined, if a bit less special a place to be.
Let me know your thoughts, especially anyone who has owned both.
Having had both, the mx5 is a bit more special to drive, I could never get really comfortable in the puma (I wasnt too powerfully built at the time)
I used my mazda everyday for the 2 year I had it, for a large part on a 50 mile each way commute (winding backroads) and it was fine (apart from a couple of snowy days when it was pretty useless.
I used my mazda everyday for the 2 year I had it, for a large part on a 50 mile each way commute (winding backroads) and it was fine (apart from a couple of snowy days when it was pretty useless.
Do you need a bit of practicality as well? If so the Puma would edge it I think. Just carted approx. 3 tons of soil to the tip in mine over the last 3 days (I only live a mile from the tip) It really is surprising how much you can get in the back!
Oh and it is hilarious fun on b-roads.
Oh and it is hilarious fun on b-roads.
sawman said:
Having had both, the mx5 is a bit more special to drive, I could never get really comfortable in the puma (I wasnt too powerfully built at the time).
So the only people who can get comfortable are powerfully built men in a Puma?Edited by Regiment on Sunday 24th July 11:04
Can't comment on an MX5, but I ran a Puma for 8 Months and although it is small, it was fairly practical. Carried four adults on several occasions and didn't struggle as much as I thought it would.
It would average 37MPG with mixed driving. Was a little cramped in the cabin, but didn't bother me too much.
It would average 37MPG with mixed driving. Was a little cramped in the cabin, but didn't bother me too much.
Regiment said:
sawman said:
Having had both, the mx5 is a bit more special to drive, I could never get really comfortable in the puma (I wasnt too powerfully built at the time).
So the only people who can get comfortable are powerfully built meningitis a Puma?I just had a Puma 1.7 as a trade in there and it was an absolute hoot to drive. I havent driven a Mk 1 MX5 yet but i've a 1.8 Mk2.5 MX5 at the moment. I'd recommend driving both as its probably going to be down to personal preference.
Make sure you get the 1.7 Puma though, not the 1.4 or 1.6.
I remember this vividly from Top Gear with Tiff driving it....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCWGBYc8zlY
Oh, one more thing - i'm 6ft tall and had to make a conscious effort not to bang my head when getting in to the Puma!
Make sure you get the 1.7 Puma though, not the 1.4 or 1.6.
I remember this vividly from Top Gear with Tiff driving it....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCWGBYc8zlY
Oh, one more thing - i'm 6ft tall and had to make a conscious effort not to bang my head when getting in to the Puma!
Edited by daemon on Sunday 24th July 10:49
Edited by daemon on Sunday 24th July 10:51
Hooray! A question I can give an authoritative answer to because I own both!
I haven't vote because there is no wrong answer.
The Puma is an excellent daily, and on the whole reliable. It's practical, pretty nippy, looks good, and handles really well. Get one with the Lux pack for essentials like A/C and heated windscreen. Boot is OK (bigger than a Fiesta) but with a high lip, and rear seats OK for occasional use. Interior is really nothing special, and I find the seats a bit uncomfortable - you sit on rather than in. People say they ride to high but don't dick with the suspension, Ford got it just right. Toyo T1Rs all around are the way to go.
Important things: Check for rust, especially around the rear arches and sills. They are either going, gone, or have been repaired. Check the SH for cambelt AND tensioner changes using the proper Gates kit. Furthermore, check it was done by somebody who knew what they were doing. Ours had been done with the proper kit and we were happy, then it went 10k miles later - turned out it had been incorrectly fitted by a Fast Fit place... Heater Control Valve regularly breaks, at best leaving you with no control of heating, at worst dumping your coolant. Various little electrical niggles (central locking, etc.). A fantastic car (good on long journeys too, I did Kent to Lincolnshire and back in a day with no problems), but built down to a price so not as solid as you might hope.
MX-5 - well documented on here of course, a great steer, reliable, reasonably nippy, etc. etc. Good spec if you go for an import (more expensive to insure but worth it if you want the trick bits - a/c, etc.) Be careful what you get though - S-Specs like mine are quite sought after but I find the Bilstein suspension much too hard for UK roads - the UK suspension on my dad's Mk.2 was much better without being wallowy. They can be hard work on motorways due to a lack of overtaking torque/noise/ride, but short journeys are OK and I keep earplugs in the glovebox. Strange really - my 1.8 has a few more horses and presumably weighs less than a Puma but the Puma feels far more responsive at motorway speeds. MX-5 is very thirsty as well - I get 25mpg as an average.
Reliability is generally very good, but get one that's been looked after. Mine wasn't and I ended up replacing most of the cooling system. Again, 4 wheel alignment, decent tyres, and checked tyre pressures should ensure it drives as it should. Practical as can be expected - decent boot and loads of space on the rear shelf. Parts cheap and easily DIYable, but pretty trustworthy cars.
In my old fart mode I would probably go with a Puma (especially if I had a lot of long journeys to do) but would be wary about things going wrong. If feeling slightly braver, would go for an MX-5 on standard suspension and FSH.
Any questions just ask.
I haven't vote because there is no wrong answer.
The Puma is an excellent daily, and on the whole reliable. It's practical, pretty nippy, looks good, and handles really well. Get one with the Lux pack for essentials like A/C and heated windscreen. Boot is OK (bigger than a Fiesta) but with a high lip, and rear seats OK for occasional use. Interior is really nothing special, and I find the seats a bit uncomfortable - you sit on rather than in. People say they ride to high but don't dick with the suspension, Ford got it just right. Toyo T1Rs all around are the way to go.
Important things: Check for rust, especially around the rear arches and sills. They are either going, gone, or have been repaired. Check the SH for cambelt AND tensioner changes using the proper Gates kit. Furthermore, check it was done by somebody who knew what they were doing. Ours had been done with the proper kit and we were happy, then it went 10k miles later - turned out it had been incorrectly fitted by a Fast Fit place... Heater Control Valve regularly breaks, at best leaving you with no control of heating, at worst dumping your coolant. Various little electrical niggles (central locking, etc.). A fantastic car (good on long journeys too, I did Kent to Lincolnshire and back in a day with no problems), but built down to a price so not as solid as you might hope.
MX-5 - well documented on here of course, a great steer, reliable, reasonably nippy, etc. etc. Good spec if you go for an import (more expensive to insure but worth it if you want the trick bits - a/c, etc.) Be careful what you get though - S-Specs like mine are quite sought after but I find the Bilstein suspension much too hard for UK roads - the UK suspension on my dad's Mk.2 was much better without being wallowy. They can be hard work on motorways due to a lack of overtaking torque/noise/ride, but short journeys are OK and I keep earplugs in the glovebox. Strange really - my 1.8 has a few more horses and presumably weighs less than a Puma but the Puma feels far more responsive at motorway speeds. MX-5 is very thirsty as well - I get 25mpg as an average.
Reliability is generally very good, but get one that's been looked after. Mine wasn't and I ended up replacing most of the cooling system. Again, 4 wheel alignment, decent tyres, and checked tyre pressures should ensure it drives as it should. Practical as can be expected - decent boot and loads of space on the rear shelf. Parts cheap and easily DIYable, but pretty trustworthy cars.
In my old fart mode I would probably go with a Puma (especially if I had a lot of long journeys to do) but would be wary about things going wrong. If feeling slightly braver, would go for an MX-5 on standard suspension and FSH.
Any questions just ask.
I wouldn't have thought the noise is so bad you couldn't, for instance, hear the stereo when driving along a motorway in an MX5. If you want whisper quite, then forget the Puma, get a Bentley. 
Besides, when it's summer, who cares about wind noise - even on a motorway, you'll have the roof down; you might even do 80 with the roof down, although I end up sticking to around 60 and just chilling out and enjoying the sun.
Besides, when it's summer, who cares about wind noise - even on a motorway, you'll have the roof down; you might even do 80 with the roof down, although I end up sticking to around 60 and just chilling out and enjoying the sun.
RemainAllHoof said:
I wouldn't have thought the noise is so bad you couldn't, for instance, hear the stereo when driving along a motorway in an MX5. If you want whisper quite, then forget the Puma, get a Bentley.
Besides, when it's summer, who cares about wind noise - even on a motorway, you'll have the roof down; you might even do 80 with the roof down, although I end up sticking to around 60 and just chilling out and enjoying the sun.
Au contraire, stereo useless above 60 on the motorway.Besides, when it's summer, who cares about wind noise - even on a motorway, you'll have the roof down; you might even do 80 with the roof down, although I end up sticking to around 60 and just chilling out and enjoying the sun.
I'm not that bothered by wind noise, but you can't mess around when it comes to your ears - 20 mins on the motorway makes my ears ring - that's permanent damage. So earplugs a must IMHO.
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