MX5

[Piemaster]

only the mk1 had pop ups. They bought in regulations banning them soon after. I can see the appeal of the Z.

Don't think 'concealed headlights' are actually banned, it's more its just too difficult to get compliance with the rules around them and conform with the pedestrian safety rules. Sizes of lights have reduced dramatically since the mk.1 anyway with the advance in technology.

 

[Tin Pot]

Anybody owned one?

And if so, any advice on what to look for when buying, common faults etc?

I'm selling my motorbike. After 20 years of firing myself through the countryside on sunny weekend mornings I think I've pushed my luck far enough and have lost all interest in riding.

I'd still like a toy for those crisp summer mornings or a bit of a bimble on a summer evening and after looking around I'd like to own a MX5 for a while.

Thought there may be someone here with some ownership experience. Thanks in advance for any help.

Thought about it, bought a Boxster instead and it's a riot, never looked back. Not one for pride, but see MX5s and happy I'm sitting in a Porsche.

Life is for living, the naysayers are life's leeches.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

The old 124 spider is pretty, but 'of it's time'. You'd be very much in the minority in thinking the new 124 is "Lardy" and "ugly" it is an MX5, so if it's "Lardy" then so must the MX5 be. The aesthetics are 'marmite' but having driven the new MX5 and the 124 spider, I'd have the 124, because the bits Fiat have added make it more refined.

Look at the overhangs on the 124 - they are massive because they have had to use the much more compact MX5's wheelbase. It's 5 inches longer overall than the 5. As I said earlier thread it's a car I really wanted to like, but in the flesh it's rather awkward.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I've had one for a year and a half. Its a Mk3 2.0 Sport. I toyed with an earlier one, as I like the look of the mk2, but reading about chassis leg rust etc put me off. I love mine its the best 5.3 K I've ever spent. It took a lot of finding as I had a wide budget and looked at cars up to 12K. This one was the best as its been cherished, and low mileage. I've fitted RX8 yellow dot anti roll bars, which made a huge difference to the handling. I've also had the alloys refurbished in smoked chrome, fitted better tyres, as these cars hate sh1te tyres, got the alignment done. The 2.0 litre engine has loads of low down torque, and works really well with the 6 speed box, which is has very close ratios. Once you get used to it, it handles really, really well, and is the best B road car I've ever owned. Always puts a smile on my face when I drive it.

People may mock them, they've obviously never drove one. I toyed with the idea of a Honda S2000, price, availibilty compared to the 5 put me off. The 2.0 litre is plenty fast enough for B raods, the A roads are just a waste of time round here with traffic, so its the ideal motor. There's lots of choice when it comes to the Mk3, that's personally why I'd buy one, they are safer too. They rust, but not as bad as the earlier cars, I looked at some with loads of surface rust underneath, this was an 06 and an 08. The underbody rust protection is poor on Mazda's. Mine has hardly seen rain so there was no rust at all. I still rust proofed it though, the most horrible job I've ever done. Just take your time, walk away from any sh1tters, I looked at eight, a mixture of MK3's and MK3.5's. just take your time and look for a cherished one, they do exist at all ages. Problem is they are pretty cheap to buy, and run, so a lot are not looked after, I saw loads with tatty body work, scuffs, scratches.

I had a look at an Mk4 RF in the showroom, they look way better with the roof down, I actually prefer the look of the soft top MK4. I can understand why people would prefer the look of the 124 spider, once you get used to it, I think its pretty. The Mk4 MX5 looks like a BMW or something to me, which I personally don't care for, sure it looks more modern, but lacks the charm of the earlier cars to my eyes, which remind me of a Lotus Elan, Triumph Spitfire etc, not a BMW. Everybody to their own though. The MK4 was ok, but certainly not worth 6 x value of my MK3, stuff that...

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You chose wisely. I have had both and the 5 is the more enjoyable car for 95% of the time IME.

 

[screenman]

I am surprised nobody has mentioned the SLK.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

I am surprised nobody has mentioned the SLK.

They are quite a bit bigger than a 5 though, probably not as nimble as the MX5. They look good to me, much better than a Z4, I think people prefer the MX5 as its cheaper to run. I'd imagine parts are cheaper too, It's also very reliable, it's as the OP suggests, the thinking man's convertible. I also considered an S2000, when thinking of something quicker, as compared to a Boxter, this was for similar reasons, having owned an Integra Type R DC2, and an Civic Type R EP3, these cars are bulletproof if you get a good one, and cheap to run. The Boxter could be too, but for the average guy, I find Japanese cars really hard to beat, if like me, a badge means very little to me.

I also considered a Mk3 MR2 Roadster. The lack of luggage space totally put me off though, it has none, with the roof down. I'd imagine they're great fun though for little money, if a good example could be found.

I've also read that the MG TF isn't a bad car either, finding a decent one might be hard, but I'd imagine it would be pretty cheap.

 

[stephec]

The 1.6 Belend, a great goer with lots of grunts when pushing on hard.

That's going to need some good rubber to stop yourself getting into trouble.

 

[sheddy]

So what do we know about MX5 folding hoods ?
Are they manual or electric ? How reliable are the powered ones ?

(Folding metal roofs are hopeless due to the lack of boot space)

Will need to replace our aging BMW Z3 next year and the (manual) hood has been no bother in over 10yrs of ownership

 

[screenman]

I work at a Mazda main agent 3 times a week, never seen a roof that needs fixing yet.

 

[Tin Pot]

You want to be careful polling for problems with an MX5 or any car, you only get responses from people who have had a problem and if luck has it that you hear three people say they've had a similar problem, you can't help but assume it is endemic.

When it isn't.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

So what do we know about MX5 folding hoods ?
Are they manual or electric ? How reliable are the powered ones ?

(Folding metal roofs are hopeless due to the lack of boot space)

Will need to replace our aging BMW Z3 next year and the (manual) hood has been no bother in over 10yrs of ownership

The MK3 soft top is absolutely brilliant, it just needs one hand to operate, and is up and down in a second. It is manual and I see no reason for it to be powered, as you can reach it so easily, and its very light to move. The MK3 powered hard top is also very well engineered, they are very expensive to fix if they go wrong, but apparently this is very, very rare, but still something to think about. If it was parked on a street the powered hard top is a no-brainer, for security, even though the hard top is plastic. I can't comment on the earlier MX5's. I've sat in a soft top MK4 in a showroom, and the soft top looked exatly the same as the MK3 one.

Obviously the mohair soft top needs thoroughly cleaned, and re-water proofed, every now and again. Not because it leaks, just to keep it looking black and clean. But I'm sure your well aware of this with the BMW. It's no big deal as I do it once a year, easier to polish a hard top though.

 

[Oldfentiger]

We have the folding hard top. It doesn't fold into the boot so no reduction of boot space.
When we holidayed with our Mk2 I bought a boot rack so Mrs OFT could take her hairdryer. After changing to the Mk3.5 there was a problem using the boot rack. With luggage on the rack it obstructs the roof folding operation. The rack itself is not a problem so we just have to remove the bag before operating the roof.
I think us Brits are big adopters of the MX5, however on our travels to Italy it's rare to see another one. I wonder why?

 

[Piemaster]

I think us Brits are big adopters of the MX5, however on our travels to Italy it's rare to see another one. I wonder why?

I'd guess a few reasons.
UK buys more convertibles than a lot of europe put together. Think this may be weather related as we tend to get cooler summers than Southern Europe so maybe better convertible weather - everyone else wants aircon. I'd somewhat temper this with the amount of soft tops here that I don't see with the top down, despite costing more in the first place and opening with all the effort of pushing a button
There is some poseur factor. There is a fine line between looking good and looking like a knob though. I of course am
They have Alfas.

Actually just had a colleague return from Dubai. He was chatting to a doctor there who was saying vitamin D deficiency is becoming a problem as everyone goes straight from aircon transport to aircon buildings without actually getting out into any sun.

 

[Tin Pot]

There is some poseur factor. There is a fine line between looking good and looking like a knob though. I of course am

There are still people who think that driving a sports car means you are playing around, or having a mid life crisis - you can't help those people, they're stuck in the eighties, just move on.

 

[MarkF]

I am surprised nobody has mentioned the SLK.

Wow, they are available cheap now I like them and was tempted when I saw a sub £4k 06 with decent history and not mega mileage!

But, if you want an MX5 for fun motoring, it's just not the same thing, it will be much more refined like a Z4, but nowhere near as much fun.