1994 mk1 import mx5 or 53 plate uk mk2.5?

[torqueofthedevil]

Seen great examples of both. Not sure which to go for.

Like the appeal of the lighter better handling mk1 but is the mk2.5 still good in this respect?

Will either have an LSD? Both are 1.6's.

Will the newer car be more reliable? Will the old one feel old and be rattling nd clunking etc?

Will be used for short commutes an a European trip.

[HorneyMX5]

MKI. The later 1.6's are poop.

Nick

[J4CKO]

Remember as well that after a certain point the mk1 Mx5's were also detuned to 90 bhp, the 115 1.6 is a screamer of an engine that can be battered senseless.

I looked at all the options and bought a 933 S2 Cab, kind of an MX5 that got at some pies and steroids, bizzarely it was cheaper to insure as well.

[torqueofthedevil]

I will test both, the mk1 I have my eye on is a 93 or 94 mx5 import. Will that definately have the better engine?

Will the mk1 be a significantly more impractical / uncomfortable / noisy / harder proposition than the 2.5? It will be used by our lass 90% of time for just commuting about in

[bicycleshorts]

J4CKO said:

Remember as well that after a certain point the mk1 Mx5's were also detuned to 90 bhp, the 115 1.6 is a screamer of an engine that can be battered senseless.

The 1.8 replaced the 1.6 in Japan. The UK got a detuned 1.6 as well as the 1.8.

Hard to say if the import will have a diff, got any pics?

[torqueofthedevil]

bicycleshorts said:

The 1.8 replaced the 1.6 in Japan. The UK got a detuned 1.6 as well as the 1.8.

Hard to say if the import will have a diff, got any pics?

No spec but it is a "V-Spec Eunos" - green with tan leather etc.

[A2Z]

Check if the import has teh Bilstein suspension as I'm told it's a very hard ride.

Buy on condition, usual rust caveats apply, the import "may" be in better condition if it's been looked after and imported recently.

[Risotto]

torqueofthedevil said:

I will test both, the mk1 I have my eye on is a 93 or 94 mx5 import. Will that definately have the better engine?

There are no JDM 1.6 cars with the lower power output offered on some UK cars. If it's an import it will be the higher output 1.6.

torqueofthedevil said:

Will the mk1 be a significantly more impractical / uncomfortable / noisy / harder proposition than the 2.5? It will be used by our lass 90% of time for just commuting about in

They won't be massively different, they're fundamentally similar cars under the skin.

[A2Z]

This may help.

http://www.dandycars.com/Frequently_Asked_Question...

[vrsmxtb]

The Mk2.5 will be marginally more refined as an everyday car but I wouldn't hesitate using my Mk1 everyday, unless I was doing mega motorway miles. I would simply buy either going on best condition / spec / history for the price.

[torqueofthedevil]

A2Z said:

This may help.

http://www.dandycars.com/Frequently_Asked_Question...

Great it has the LSD.think that could be the one

[Chris71]

Not an expert, but from what I remember when I had one...

Most imports have a limited slip diff. The numerous specials almost all do, although I think the 1.6s are usually viscous diffs, which can wear out over time, rather than mechanical torque-sensing units (as fitted to many of the 1.8s). Certainly in mk1 JDM form the 1.6 doesn't lose much power to the 1.8 and is often said to be a revvier, more responsive engine. As has been said above, it was only certain years of the UK market cars that got the de-tuned 1.6.

The MX5 gets progressively more civilised as you go through the years. The mk1s (going on my old one at least!) can be a bit rattly and a bit noisy on the motorway. Some later cars (mk2.5 Sport?) gained a 6-speed gearbox from what I can recall.

The mk2s and beyond do still attract a price premium over the earlier cars, so with that in mind I'd probably ignore the rattles and get the best 1.8 import you can afford - an RS-Ltd if you can find a nice one - and start misbehaving on some roundabouts.

ETA Rust is a significant concern on these. Get one that's been well treated (pun intended...)

[LeeMad]

If it has to be a 1.6 go for the mk1.
From experience of driving both the import mk1 1.6 and mk2.5 1.8 s, my money would go on a mk2.5. Nicer place to be and more modern. It would have to be black though, anything else in that model looks too hairdresser-y

[hornetrider]

torqueofthedevil said:

Great it has the LSD.think that could be the one

The LSD in the 1.6 is viscous not Torsen, so may well be effectively an open diff by now. Or on its way to becoming one. Can you go for a 1.8?

[Risotto]

torqueofthedevil said:

Great it has the LSD.think that could be the one

Just to muddy the waters, the LSD looks like it was an option rather than standard. If the car you're looking at does have one, it's likely to be a viscous diff. They become less effective over time, so by now it's likely to be working like an open diff.

The later cars had torsen diffs, which don't suffer the same problem. Unfortunately, I don't know when they switched over!

[bicycleshorts]

torqueofthedevil said:

Great it has the LSD.think that could be the one

As others have said viscous on 1.6. Only way to check it still works is to hoon out of a junction or stick one wheel on the grass and pull away quickly. Jacking up and turning the wheel doesn't work (at least not for my old torsen...).

V-spec shouldn't have billies either, but they're bright yellow so fairly easy to spot.

[gowmonster]

note if you do go for the import, check to see if it has been undersealed as the jap winters will not be as as harsh as ours and salt on the winter roads will eat the underside pretty rapidly.

[TRUENOSAM]

Mk1 because it's got pop up head lights

[GC8]

gowmonster said:

note if you do go for the import, check to see if it has been undersealed as the jap winters will not be as as harsh as ours and salt on the winter roads will eat the underside pretty rapidly.

Are you sure? Japanese Winters invlove weeks and weeks of very deep snow - their Winters are far, far more harsh than ours.

[Chris71]

GC8 said:

gowmonster said:

note if you do go for the import, check to see if it has been undersealed as the jap winters will not be as as harsh as ours and salt on the winter roads will eat the underside pretty rapidly.

Are you sure? Japanese Winters invlove weeks and weeks of very deep snow - their Winters are far, far more harsh than ours.

That's a whole can of worms. Certainly when I was buying the consensus that the JDM cars were at least as solid as the UK ones. You could have eaten your dinner off the chassis of mine (a 1995 JDM car) and that was already 12 years old when I had it, with a good few UK winters since its import...

And while we're talking about such things, there's also an opinion among some people that imports attract higher insurance premiums. I found the premium to be the same with most insurers, despite the fact the Japanese cars tend to be a more overtly sporting spec (lowered final drive, stiffer shocks, extra chassis bracing, lightened flywheel, LSD and so on are all relatively common).