Real life roadtests, part two.

[Cavcraft]

Proof that Bumtree can sometimes come up with the goods, this was advertised for £500 and was about 1/2 mile from my house. Had a chat, he admitted it wasn't the greatest and by the time I'd been down, looked at it and had a drive, it was a hell of a lot less than the asking price. It's MOT'd until October or November or something and incredibly rusty. It's also covered a couple of miles in its lifetime.

 

 

 

 

So what's it like?

 

Rusty. Very rusty.

 

 

It also smelt of burning oil on the test drive, has a slow puncture and the rear screen now has a tear in it. The front bumper hasn't got much valance left to cling to, when you change gear the hopeless radio cassette goes out of tune because my big hands bash the stereo and there's no roll bar etc. It's also absolutely ace fun, I can't remember the last time I enjoyed driving a car so much.

It does feel faster than it is in some respects, 60mph feels like about 80 for example, but if you boot it (and it's impossible not to) it's an absolute scream and goes very nicely indeed. It sups fuel at a fair rate, but who cares? It just keeps wanting to pull and corners superbly, I think a fairly meaty exhaust would help it's noise further. I look a right tit in it, as I spend most of the time with the hood down regardless of weather and I'm six foot three+ and about 18 stone, though getting in and out is actually quite easy and the car is comfortable.

It goes great through every gear and the brakes, steering and handling are smack on, some reports seem to favour the 1.6 (this one) over the 1.8, could do with trying the bigger engine one to compare one day.

If I had to sum this car up I'd give it 10/10, the rust and oil leaks are obviously a downer, but I'm not marking it down for that as it's an old car (1991) with very high miles. I wished I'd got one years ago now, had fancied one a bit but just ignored them, I'm so hooked now I'm actively seeking a later, better bodied one to keep as long as possible. Driving this is like being on a fast motorbike, you just don't want to go slow in it and every journey is an absolute blast. If you haven't tried one, you should, they're just fantastic.

[Bren]

A tribute to the MG. And they rot like one too.

[gm]

excellent - I've just bought a 1.8 and am finding it quite difficult to like it as much as the 1.6 that it is replacing. once I've done a few mods, I'm sure that I will bond with it but the 1.6 is such a good little engine I'm not surprised to see that you are hooked

 

what you need is a trip to scotchland and a bit of fun on the track ?

[barefoot]

Brilliant aren't they?

Local Porsche bloke used to give them as loan cars.

Not amazingly rapid,

but you just want to keep changing gear because the shift is like flicking a switch.

Local Porsche bloke has now become local MX5 bloke!

[brownnova]

Yeah, mine puts a massive smile on my face every time!

 

I'm planning improvement work to mine... Which means I must be keeping it. And that's unusual for me!

[stripped fred]

It sounds like a similar feeling I get when I drive my mr2. Puts a smile on your face and reminds you why you enjoy driving. Well bought!

[Station]

Never driven one but really want one now but can't have one.

[HillmanImp]

Thought you were going to have ditched it from the title.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Mr Kiltox had a mk2 in not unduly rusty condition; I looked at it and found it quite satisfactory as a small project; couldn't get my welder wielding cohort interested though.

[Kiltox]

Heading to another shiter later this month to hopefully live on!

[nisfan]

I had the 1.8S and it was amazing to drive, the limited slip diff made it even better, ive heard reports that the 1.6 is the better engine but havent driven one.

While the mk1s rust for fun the mk2s are even worse but i would love another one.

[nacho man]

I have had two mk1 1.6's and really want another there just soo much fun, I am 6ft 2 but lanky and slim and they are comfy. But I too feel a bit of a tit in them as I feel like my head is sticking out the roof, but I am not.

 

Apart from rust there pretty indestructible, and parts are mega cheap.

 

Would buy again.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Anthony]

Another former Mk1 1.6 owner here, in early Eunos (Jap Import) form.

 

Excellent fun and one of the only cars I wholeheartedly regret selling, especially as it was a really low mileage (<50k miles) and completely rot-free one. Been looking for another, but so many really tatty, neglected and rotten examples out there being mis-described as "tidy" (and priced accordingly) that it's somewhat disheartening

 

Echo the OP's comments - go and try one before they all rust away or the wannabe drifter kiddies ruin them all.

[Guest Hooli]

Dead easy to bolt a supercharger on too....

[Pillock]

Even though each later iteration had something in the bumpf about "Keeping it pure and simple, just like the MX5 ethos" nothing seems quite as pure as the original. Engine, wheels, some bodywork (although sometimes not as much as when it left the factory, thanks to salted roads), seat, wheel. Seems like all you need.

You'd think a 1.6 sportscar would be dire, but you'd be wrong. These are great fun, a mate took me out in his and I bloody loved how well it darted around. I guess the trick is losing as little speed as possible to keep it flowing.

[Cavcraft]

Definitely, but the gears make it easy to regain momentum. I'm going home two or three times the distance in this just for the hell of it. Even the motorway is ok as I just hold it to about 60mph and keep out of the way.

[alfetta]

people forget a typical leyland product would be rotten in 10 years or less. Sure plenty of mazdas are shot at 20+ years old but you can still find good ones- it's usually only the rear quarter that needs repair so not too bad to fix.

 

Mk2 is worse thanks to the front chassis rails hiding hidden rot.

[New POD]

I've driven ours up and down the motorway and above 69.9 mph you need a scarf to stop your neck getting chilly.  I do love dropping it 2 gears when forced to slow to 50 and then when it's clear and there's a Audi up your chuff, giving it all 90 bhp in 3rd. It does have a rev limiter luckily.