MX5 or Miata - enlighten me

[Mikeyplum]

Edit - Title should say Eunos *facepalm*

Morning chaps,

So the time has come to finally scratch the MX5 itch. However, upon looking and researching, it seems as though the Eunos is the preferred buy.

What is the opionion of PH? I know the Eunos has more to offer (chassis, suspension etc). But what should I go for? (budget around £750)

Cheers
Mike

Edited by Mikeyplum on Thursday 14th March 10:08

ETA - also just found the Wiki too. Very useful and aswered a lot of my questions. Anything not on there that I should be aware of?

Edited by Mikeyplum on Thursday 14th March 10:31

[youngsyr]

At that age, I'd buy on condition, rather than whether it's a Eunos or MX-5 as I understand there are only minor and mostly cosmetic differences.

[MX-5 Lazza]

youngsyr said:

At that age, I'd buy on condition, rather than whether it's a Eunos or MX-5 as I understand there are only minor and mostly cosmetic differences.

Agree 100%.

[GTIAlex]

I thought the Eunos was deemed to be the better to drive and some had a LSD? Enlighten me please.

[Richyvrlimited]

GTIAlex said:

I thought the Eunos was deemed to be the better to drive and some had a LSD? Enlighten me please.

Technically it's a Roadster, Eunos was the marque, not the model.

And it's the exact same car, the Roadster, MX5 and Miata are all the same to drive.

Some have more options that others, but essentially they're all identical.

Some people prefer an LSD, others don't, I'm in the former camp, but it doesn't make it better.

[Mikeyplum]

Richyvrlimited said:

Technically it's a Roadster, Eunos was the marque, not the model.

And it's the exact same car, the Roadster, MX5 and Miata are all the same to drive.

Some have more options that others, but essentially they're all identical.

Some people prefer an LSD, others don't, I'm in the former camp, but it doesn't make it better.

Thanks. Very helpful.

I will be looking at a mates MX5 1.8 on the weekend as well as a Eunos so hopefull will get a feel for it.

Regards to LSD, I think I would prefer one, but cannot defnitely say until I have driven both. However, should I purchase one with no LSD, I could always source and retrofit a Eunos diff at a later stage, I imagine?

[youngsyr]

Mikeyplum said:

Thanks. Very helpful.

I will be looking at a mates MX5 1.8 on the weekend as well as a Eunos so hopefull will get a feel for it.

Regards to LSD, I think I would prefer one, but cannot defnitely say until I have driven both. However, should I purchase one with no LSD, I could always source and retrofit a Eunos diff at a later stage, I imagine?

Parts are pretty much interchangeable, but the time and cost involved makes it uneconomical as you'll never get your money back and a lot of the time the difference is minimal.

If there's something you particularly want (AC, LSD, 6 speed, Bilsteins, etc) then best to find a car with that already fitted and in decent nick.

[sbird]

Richyvrlimited said:

And it's the exact same car, the Roadster, MX5 and Miata are all the same to drive.

Roadster/MX vs Miata - Depends which seat you sit in.....

The choice between Eunos Roadster and MX-5 comes down to one thing. Your and age and driving history. The Eunos can cost more to insure because it's a grey import. Most insurance companies load more for that. If you're a reasonable age with a decent no-claims bonus then it's not an issue.

If you can insure one easily, then the Eunos offers the advantage (usually) of better spec and better condition. Generally, only the better specced cars get imported, and they've been in the UK for a shorter time so less likely to have experienced so many UK winters.

[MX-5 Lazza]

From what I've seen it doesn't matter much if its a UK or JDM car, they are nearly all getting rusty now. Most imports have been over here at least 10 years. That's why the best advice is to buy on condition rather than spec.

My current car has torsen lsd and our track car has viscous lsd but my previous Mk1 had an open dif and to be honest it was just as good on the road. Less tail-happy in tight bends but otherwise no different.

And the spec thing I always find funny. The same people that say an early Mk1 is best because it lighter also seem to say that JDM cars are better because they are higher spec - which adds to the weight! They then advise to remove the AC which is one thing the JDM cars usually have over UK cars, to save weight.

[Itsallicanafford]

....i went for a UK, 1800 base model, no PAS, electric windows, AC, Airbag...actually it hasn't really got anything at all...my reckoning was less to go wrong and lighter, she's 1000kg and the 1800 has abit mire grunt...but the rust, oh Lordy the rust...

Mechanically they really are tough and cheap to mend, but rust is the killer and expensive..

[Mikeyplum]

Thanks all. Very useful.

I have been looking and I think I would like to settle with at least an 1800, Eunos being preferred.

I have, however, come across a 1996 UK 1800 and upon doing a "MyCarCheck" thingy on my iPhone - it's showing as 98bhp . I have looked and cannot find any reference to a 98bhp 1800 engine. Only the de-tuned 1600 in the later models. Anyone have any ideas? As other than that, it is perfect.

Cheers
Mike

[Richyvrlimited]

Either it's a 1.6 with 98bhp, or it's a 1.8, either way the information they have is wrong.

P.S. it's a Roadster, not an EUNOS...

[MX-5 Lazza]

Richyvrlimited said:

Either it's a 1.6 with 98bhp, or it's a 1.8, either way the information they have is wrong.

P.S. it's a Roadster, not an EUNOS...

And the late 1.6 would be 88bhp not 98bhp.

Not an auto is it?

[Mikeyplum]

MX-5 Lazza said:

And the late 1.6 would be 88bhp not 98bhp.

Not an auto is it?

Nope, it's a manual.

It happened with another 1800 too so I think the "MyCarCheck" thingy is talking bks.

[Mikeyplum]

Well, if all goes well, I will be picking up a 1994 UK model 1.8 on Wednesday fingers crossed!

I went for this one as a) it's cheap and b) it has:

• no Air-con
• no PAS
• no leccy windows
• no stereo (yet)
• and no central locking

So a lot less to go wrong

Anyone have any comments on the steering of non PAS to PAS?

[Richyvrlimited]

Yeah the non PAS rack is bobbins - seriously - it was a rush job to appease the US market who wanted a bare bones model.

The car is designed from the outset for PAS, and it's a very good system. It's not really a failure point either, very very reliable.

[Mikeyplum]

Richyvrlimited said:

Yeah the non PAS rack is bobbins - seriously - it was a rush job to appease the US market who wanted a bare bones model.

The car is designed from the outset for PAS, and it's a very good system. It's not really a failure point either, very very reliable.

Wow, that bad eh? Didn't realise...

May be worth hanging on until I can get one with PAS then...

[Richyvrlimited]

Mikeyplum said:

Wow, that bad eh? Didn't realise...

May be worth hanging on until I can get one with PAS then...

Try it, you might like it. I hated it though.

Far too many think ooohhhh this is heavy so it has loads of feel.

Weight does not = feel.

[youngsyr]

I've tried pushing an MX-5 with a flat battery and trying to steer it is a b!tch. I wouldn't want non-PAS just for that reason, but the steering with PAS is fine for feel, much better than on a lot of other modern cars (including my previous and current cars - Evo 8 and E90 M3).

[MX-5 Lazza]

I think those who want a non-PAS car are usually better of de-powering the PAS rack rather than going for a non-PAS rack. As Richy says though, the PAS rack is very good and there is no good argument for going for non-PAS.
Have you ever seen a review of the MX5 by anyone, magazines, tv, etc. who suggested that the MX5 had anything other than great steering?