Z4 or MX5 as daily driver?

[Captain Vimes]

I have up to £16k for a daily driver with a retractable hard top. Narrowed down to mk3 sport tech MX5 (or equivalent so equal editio) or s2.0 Z4. I have owned all first 3 marks of MX5s as 2nd car soft tops, but cheapish ones. Now I want to run a sports car as my daily driver, doing about 12k per year, a fair bit n motorway.

So MX5 or Z4? Would appreciate thoughts, particularly of those who have put a few miles on these cars.

Vimes

[Bennet]

I've never driven an MX-5, but my wife has the 1st generation 2.0 z4. It's certainly fast enough but the ride is very hard, the clutch is unintuitive and you can't see out of it very well. The manual gearbox is unwilling. If the roof is up, you have to stop short of traffic lights to be able to see them. The rear view mirror obscures your view of anything slightly upward and to the left. There's no spare wheel. It has a stupidly long bonnet that you have to stick right out in to traffic sometimes before you can see what's coming. There are good points as well, but in my opinion it's not a great daily car.

In contrast, I have a mk1 mr2 which is better to drive and has none of those problems. I've been looking for a decent modern equivalent to a mk1 mr2 for some time now. I'm really hoping that new MX5 coupe type thing turns out to be it.

[rscott]

I've been running an 2010 MX-5 Sport-Tech Roadster Coupe for the last couple of years as my daily driver, doing about 7k a year in it, mainly smaller roads, but occasional dual carriageway driving ( A14/A12).

it's been absolutely fine, just feels a little vulnerable when surrounded by HGVs on the A14 between Ipswich & Felixstowe! Noise isn't that bad, even at non-legal speeds.

When I bought the MX-5, my other option was a Z4, but after a couple of test drives I soon ruled that out. The Z4 was terrible on the badly worn section of the A12 I tested 2 different ones on - so much so that I felt it was almost stuck in the ruts. The Z4 steering was also horrible compared to the MX-5 - completely lifeless. Both my old Saabs had more feel..

[elvismiggell]

We have a 2015 MX5 so Mk4 rather than Mk3. We run it as our only car. We don't do a lot of miles, but every challenge so far has has been passed with ease;

Long weekend in Wales
Long winter weekend in the New Forest
Weekly trips to visit friends 40 minutes away
Occasional commute from J6 - J16 of the M25

Maybe the ride is a little rough on stretches of the M25, but I'll happily trade that for being able to drop the top at a moment's notice and enjoy a small car.

[k-ink]

I looked into the Z4 but the non M models have electric steering which fails, at a cost of £2k. I'd definitely consider an MX5 though.

[Pat H]

I used to have occasional use of a Z4.

Horrible harsh ride with those ghastly run flats. Surprisingly little room in it.

Steering poor.

Nothing like as sophisticated as I was expecting.

If it was a straight choice between the BMW and the Mazda, then I would get the Mazda.

If I was in your predicament, I would be looking at some flavour of Alfa.

[Travs]

First drove my MX5 NC in March 2007 with 25 miles on the clock - albeit a soft top. It's been used as my daily driver ever since and is now approaching 119000. Still good fun - has been used on motorway slogs with one job, schlepping around south-east England on another and now does a daily commute of around 70 miles. It's also been all over France and northern Spain. Can see no reason not to carry on with it as it's now worth peanuts, has cost me very little and, parking dings and scratches aside, still looks good. On cold days getting out can be a challenge but that's me, not the car (early 60s and 6'3").
I've no great experience of two seater BMWs but the ride of the MX5 is fine whereas most of the BMs I've ridden in crash their way over rural roads. (Do I have to hand in my PH badge?)

[Ozzie Osmond]

One is a sportscar.

The other is a 2-door BMW with a folding roof.

[k-ink]

Oooh, that was harsh

[T1berious]

I have an E85 Z4

I've had it for 5 6 years, I haven't owned an MX 5 but did have access to one and drove it a fair bit. I'm guessing from your budget you'll be looking at an E89 anyway.

From my own experience (skewed I guess as it's an M) It's a riot of a car and when the mood takes you has the ability to delight and frighten in equal doses.

Is it a great daily driver? Hell no. Is it a good Motorway muncher? lol! erm no. Is it the last word in refinement, Er no.

Visibility is crap, i think it's better with an E89 as it has a quarter light window.

Does it make me grin like a small child at the fun fair? Yup.

As great as the MX5 is (and I like the new ones styling) I'd be tempted to add a few alternatives that might be better for the daily grind. Agreed at the budget you've mentioned you'll be looking at used.

SLK (or whatever they are calling it now?)
Boxster 2.7

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p...

would be better than a E89 or MX5 IMHO.

Just a thought

[tedman]

Having spent some motorway time in a Z4M, it's not very refined, comfortable or quiet.

I don't think an MX5 would be much better.

I'd get something more GT orientated...

[rockford22]

Given the budget of £16k the OP would be looking at a fairly new E89 so (as lovely as the Z4M is) it's not quite fair to draw comparisons.

I've owned two E89's (both 35i DCT) and they are great at doing what they are designed to do - boulevard cruiser with lots of punch but I'd be really worried that if you take away that straight six you'd be left with a wobbly heavy car with little in terms of dynamism.

The E89 is built nicely, the roof mechanism is well designed, interior is typical BMW, functional and well thought out but not exactly exciting. Handling is not the car's strong point, it can shift down a B road fairly well but if you are after sports car sharpness than I'd suggest the MX5 is a better bet.

As much as I'd like to say go for the Z4, if it has to be the sDrive20i then the MX5 has to be a better bet.