Mk1 1.8 auto - fast! And a decent drive
Mk1 1.8 auto - fast! And a decent drive
Author
Discussion

torqueofthedevil

Original Poster:

2,088 posts

200 months

Saturday 22nd June 2013
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A friend has recently got a mk1 1.8 auto be wise she can only drive autos. Expected it to be really bad -
Rubbish 'box instead of legendary manual 'box, sluggish and even worse economy.

Well, as far as auto boxes go, this is fine. Responsive and generally in correct gear.
Not uneconomical at all
Fast! Much much faster than my 1.6 manual mk1 (mine is early eunos so 114bhp)

When I bought the 1.6 most people said there wouldn't be much difference between the two but there does seem to be!

Digby

8,338 posts

269 months

Sunday 23rd June 2013
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Much faster? Was this a side by side comparison or simply a drive of the 1.8? Autos tend to offer up a very different feeling in terms of power delivery, so is it possible you just perceived it to be much quicker?

I agree that the autos are nowhere near as bad as some make out (mostly people who have never driven or experienced them, or held them in gear till the redline), but as my Eunos 1.6 manual wasn't a great deal different to my current 1.8 Eunos manual, I find it unlikley a 1.8 auto would be much quicker than a healthy 1.6 import.

I have had a friend follow my old 1.6 in a 1.8 Auto and it was no slouch, but much faster? Not at all.Maybe it's turbocharged? hehe

mondayo

1,834 posts

286 months

Tuesday 25th June 2013
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I've got a 1.8 auto and it's nippy enough. Off the line it's obviously a bit slower but once moving it picks up nicely....the only time I have a slight issue is in certain corners and then it gets caught out because the revs drop below 3,000rpm and then it takes time for it to build up momentum again.

Mine has had the timing mod done too.

I'm sure it's not as involving or as exciting as the manual but it's got enough settings, so that you can control which gear you're in well enough. I've had mine on track at Blyton and it performed fine...perhaps not the quickest but I'd say that was more the driver than the car/gearbox!

Riknos

4,701 posts

227 months

Saturday 29th June 2013
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Question for the Auto owners on here - What's the economy like? I know how poor the MPG:Power ratio is on the MX-5 engine, but how much worse are they with an auto? Considering one for the missus who can't drive manuals!

torqueofthedevil

Original Poster:

2,088 posts

200 months

Sunday 30th June 2013
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Seems fine

Nash_wrx

467 posts

206 months

Tuesday 2nd July 2013
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I own a 1.8 Eunos auto too, took it in part exchange a couple of years back, thought it would be horrible to drive, but is turned out to be surprisingly ok, the overdrive button combined with led wellies allow you to hold the revs high when needed, still not as fun as the manual but makes for a good little cruiser