Go and drive another car..

[Jonny671]

And then come back to your MX5.. How much better is the '5.

I've just had to drive a normal Mazda3.

How, boring.

Compared to the MX5 the pedals are horrible and high, you feel like your sitting on the seat rather than in it, the gearstick is massively long, the steering is light and unresponsive, the acceleration is counted on a calender and its just boring.

Now I work for Mazda, so should be bigging it up really.. But compared to the MX5, its just no where close.

Anyway, back to work.. Looking forwards to the drive home and weekend of driving now

[simple101]

Ive had mine less than a week. I can still tell the difference because i still havent 'settled in' yet.

Still feels like it isnt mine. The BMW wasnt a bad car either....

Edited by simple101 on Friday 9th July 14:21

[maser_spyder]

Ahem. Sort of works for me. Depending on the weather.

But I do still love the '5.

[Jonny671]

maser_spyder said:

Ahem. Sort of works for me. Depending on the weather.

But I do still love the '5.

Cheating

[tuttle]

I have recently driven a softtop streetka, quite a lot actually. Its very modern,cute & quite nippy & more stable at ahem! speed than a 5 but ultimately unsatisfying.

Pedals are all wrong, brakes have no feel. Steering is dull- all the things that johny671 says really.

Its always great to get back in the 5

Edited by tuttle on Friday 9th July 14:57

[hornetrider]

I had a diesel 3 as a courtesy car while my arb was being sorted. Dreadful woolly thing, but nice on the motorway as a cruiser.

[maser_spyder]

Jonny671 said:

maser_spyder said:

Ahem. Sort of works for me. Depending on the weather.

But I do still love the '5.

Cheating

Actually, shhhhhh, don't tell the FM&B forum guys, but I much prefer the '5 to drive 'fast' on track days and the like.

[MX-5 Lazza]

My 99 1.8 Zetec Focus is actually pretty good. The handling & ride are very good (for that value of car) and the turn-in & feedback are surprisingly good too! In fact I don't really feel short-changed when I have to drive that instead of the 5

Having said that, there is no emotional bond with the Focus like there is with my 5. It's starting to play up a bit now so I'm looking at my options...

[Chris71]

Depends on the other car I would suggest.

However, 90% of the time I couldn't agree more. Back when I owned mine I also had an MG ZS180. That was a great car and quite sprightly for a 4-door saloon with a V6 in the nose, but it felt like a tank after the MX5. Once the MG got itself together it was clearly the quicker car, but after driving the '5 there was that split second of hesitation that you never never noticed in isolation.

[ApexJimi]

MX-5 Lazza said:

My 99 1.8 Zetec Focus is actually pretty good. The handling & ride are very good (for that value of car) and the turn-in & feedback are surprisingly good too! In fact I don't really feel short-changed when I have to drive that instead of the 5

Agreed Lazza, the Ms Apex has a 51 plate Focus 1.6, and I echo everything you've said. Still not a patch on my 5' tho.

[piefacemate]

The steering is what gets me, cars twenty years newer still don't feel as perfectly weighed or as direct and connected.

Gearbox ain't bad either.

As much as I love my XJ8, it's everytime that I get into the MX5 that I remember why I love driving so much.

[S Works]

I'm lucky, I have two really fun and 'sensible' cars at the moment. The '5 and an RSM R26 F1 Team. Both are a joy to drive for different reasons.

[lilwashu]

My main car is a 2008 231 Mazda RX8 which I love dearly because of the excellent handling, smooth engine and nice modern bits inside. I have put a Mazdaspeed bodykit on it so I think it looks awesome too.

My 5 is a stock 1998 Mk2 1.8 with about 100 less horsepowers, rusty arches, more dents than your average battlefield, 174K miles on the clock and no modern frills at all apart from electric windows and power steering.

I have a hard time deciding which keys to pick up every morning (the weather is a factor ) but both of them put a massive smile on my face when I drive them. I never expected the MX5 to be such a hoot to drive, despite what everyone says about them being brilliant cars.

[steve172]

I work in a Renault garage and have the opertunity to drive lots of cars.... Scenics, Meganes, Clios and other marques aswell. Whenever I jump back into the MX5 ('92 s-special) I tend to notice its harsh ride and lack of refinement LOL but it does feel more direct and much more fun

[pbirkett]

I sometimes use my lasses Corsa C 1.2, as you can imagine, the '5 feels like a supercar after driving that. Even she grabs the keys off me whenever she can get her hands on them

I'll be driving it every day again soon to claim the mileage for when I'm out and about at work. The '5 even feels fun driving around town

[HereBeMonsters]

pbirkett said:

The '5 even feels fun driving around town

I was just about to say that. It's not as quick as the 205 GTI down a country lane, but almost as run due to no roof and rear drive. But it's far easier to drive around town, doesn't kangaroo about like the 205 does, idles nicely at 800rpm and doesn't stall as easily. It's also calm and comfortable on the motorway (as long as kept at legal speeds). It really is an amazing all round car, the only thing letting it down is luggage capacity (which is among the best in its class in any case) and lack of a roof to strap my kayak and surfboards to. The guys at work don't understand why I'm now commuting in the "sports car" and using the little hatchback for weekends!

[Jonny671]

Jesus.

I sometimes need to remember I'm not driving my MX5

Was driving the work van today.. It doesn't corner all too well

[HereBeMonsters]

Jonny671 said:

Jesus.

I sometimes need to remember I'm not driving my MX5

Was driving the work van today.. It doesn't corner all too well

I've got Autolink's Micra at the moment. Now there's a car that doesn't handle!

[Howard-]

HereBeMonsters said:

Jonny671 said:

Jesus.

I sometimes need to remember I'm not driving my MX5

Was driving the work van today.. It doesn't corner all too well

I've got Autolink's Micra at the moment. Now there's a car that doesn't handle!

Pics? I want to see the infamous beast



I agree with this thread wholeheartedly though. I've yet to drive a car that steers, stops and in many cases goes as well as my MX5. Nothing I've ever driven has the same direct steering feel, well set-up driving position and precise gearbox. Ever.

[Munter]

Howard- said:

I agree with this thread wholeheartedly though. I've yet to drive a car that steers, stops and in many cases goes as well as my MX5. Nothing I've ever driven has the same direct steering feel, well set-up driving position and precise gearbox. Ever.

I always maintain my MK1 MR2 was a bit better to drive. But I'd sooner live with a cheap MX5 than a cheap MR2.