Mk2 1.6, any good?

[Boobonman]

Quite tempted by a local MX5, which is an early mk2 wi the 1.6 engine. I've only previously owned mk1s of both the1.6 and 1.8 variety, but am not familiar with this version of the 1.6, which apparently has 110bhp. Any good or worth waiting for a decent 1.8?

[swiftsport07]

Iv got a 98 mk2 1.6 and from what I can tell it is a great little engine and an overall good car the 1600 does feel nice and responsive and isn't adzackly slow. I don't think you'll be disappointed in it.

This is mine

[Lazygraduate]

Likewise, I've got one, it's a 99 (I think) 1.6 with 115k on it. Engine is never gonna be the strong point of this car but with a few holes drilled in the airbox (lol) it sounds good, goes OK and will sit on the motorway at 80 if that's what you want from it. On the other hand, it performed flawlessly all day when I took it and ragged it round Curborough a couple months back!

Edit: with the price of these cars nowadays (mine was near enough £1k), it's definitely worth buying more on condition than on which engine you have! Look for the usual suspects, rust being the main thing!

[killingjoker]

I run a 1.8 mk2 but my wife runs a 1.6 Eunos. We swap cars every so often as i have a 20 mile commute to work (okay really we just love MX5's and it's fun to drive each others every so often).
Both are manual, and i find that although i have to work the Eunos a little harder off the line, once up and running it's still a nippy and quick car. I do notice the extra power of my 1.8 but they're both such fun to drive it's not an issue for me.

[Mr Kitten]

I'd agree with what's said - I've got a Mk2.5 1.6 and drove the 1.8 before buying this one.
It does need a little more work (which can, in some situations, make it more fun!), but once it's going it's perfectly quick enough. Besides... it's the twisty bits that are the most fun!

[renaultgeek]

Engines are interchangeable and cheap enough from a breaker. Newer 1.6's have less power than the original ones but probably make closer to stated than older ones.

[MX-5 Lazza]

renaultgeek said:

Newer 1.6's have less power than the original ones

4bhp less. Not enough to notice the difference. The original early Mk1 1.6 would have been lighter though.