Binned my MX5 into a hedge, page 4

[Slartibartfast]

Yeah, bloody typical, the sun is shining brightly here today and it is actually warm! Can I have it back Wolfie old chap?

No fear, she's mine now!

[xtriple]

Sod! 

[Slartibartfast]

Well I've had her a couple of weeks now.

 

Based on last fill up, she does 29.77 MPG, about the same as my Tourneo, which is I suppose about what I expected and is pretty reasonable. So far I've been using the regular unleaded, for this fill up I decided to go for Tesco's premium 99 whatever, just to see if it makes any difference.

 

I love this car. Brilliant to drive. Smooth as anything unless you put your foot down in which case it goes GRRRRR and moves forward very fast

 

The hard top whistles pretty badly at motorway speeds. There's various bits that can be adjusted and sealant can be put in places and whatnot but I'm not sure I can ever see myself wanting to use the hardtop. The softtop is fine, and seals nicely. A bird shat on it today. I need to find some sort of concoction to get bird shit out.

 

All in all I'm very happy with my purchase. SMBO is happy too.

[The Moog]

Sell the hard top. They are just clutter.

[xtriple]

I'm glad you're enjoying her, damn good car that!   I only ever drove it once with the hardtop on, back from when I bought it, can't recall if it made a noise or not, it came off first thing the next morning and disapeared into storage where it stayed. The softop is brilliant: nice and warm and dry when up but down in seconds if it's not actually raining, the heater is EPIC!

 

I wish it was a bit bigger, you wouldn't be writing this thread if it was!

[Slartibartfast]

Just a quick update. There have been no problems with this car whatsoever. It does exactly what a small green zoomy machine is supposed to do. It zooms very effectively from place to place.

There is a very small snagging list:

 

• The driver's side door does not lock on the fob, and sometimes does not unlock on the fob. I just use the door lock after plipping the plipper. It'd be nice to get this sorted at some point though considering how close the car is to perfect.
• The electronic boot popper doesn't work. Again, there's a perfectly serviceable lock, and the in car boot release works fine.
• The lexus rear lights. I don't particularly mind them but I think the stock lights will probably look better. I think that means I need to find a fog light. Are rear fog lights required for MOT?
• The sounds need upgrading. Some dynamat in the doors and better speakers would go a long way to helping this. Also someone on the MX5nutz forum put a low profile sub in the passenger footwell (still leaves plenty of room for feet), I think I'd like to do this.
• The driver's side front panel thingy is crusty (this was mentioned in the original for sale post so I was aware). It's not visible from outside the car but you can see it in the door hinge. I think this is pretty low down on the list of things to sort unless rust is contagious because obviously I don't want to compromise the structural parts of the car.

So there it is. Zoomy zoom zoom. I bloody love it. And have received many many compliments on it. A friend of mine who is a serial Mazda licker was very complimentary about it.

[SRi05]

Lovely little green machine that. An MX5 is something I'd love to tick off the chod list, they look like proper little fun cars

[Fat_Pirate]

You do need a foglight for MOT.  I use the centre brake light on my mk1, though it's a 1991 car so there's no requirement for it to have a working high-level brake light.

[gm]

The standard rear lights should have provision for a fog light, on the left hand cluster you have a clear lens for the reverse light, the corresponding lens on the right hand cluster is red for the fog light. Unless they are different (both clear) as yours is an import, but that is an easy fix with a red led bulb and a quick wire swap.

I much prefer the look of the standard clusters over the Lexus style, especially on a dark coloured car.

 

Sounds wise, I pondered fitting a sub but instead went for a good set of component speakers and have been impressed with the sound. the door speakers in a mk2 are an unusual size (5" x 7" I think) so many folk use adaptor rings to have a bigger choice of cones. A compact amp is worth looking into, and will make a noticeable difference.

[Slartibartfast]

The standard rear lights should have provision for a fog light, on the left hand cluster you have a clear lens for the reverse light, the corresponding lens on the right hand cluster is red for the fog light. Unless they are different (both clear) as yours is an import, but that is an easy fix with a red led bulb and a quick wire swap.

I much prefer the look of the standard clusters over the Lexus style, especially on a dark coloured car.

 

Just read similar on the Blue place, thanks for confirming that's the way to go.

[PiperCub]

Only the Mk1 needs a separate foglamp as the Mk2 onwards have one integral with the light cluster. 

 

Please replace the Lexus lamps - they look awful, they looked as bad even when they were trendy for about six months about 10-odd years ago IMO. 

 

Remove, hit with hammer numerous times, bin, done. 

[xtriple]

The remote fob for the boot will NEVER work as there is no electric actuator for the bootlid just the cables, it was generic alarm remot loc thing, the car is not responsible. The door doesn't lock sometimes because the linkage will not do up tight enough and stay that way again, generic kit. If you take the door card off it's at the rear of the door and operate the locking you will see it. It does lock inside though.

 

What rsut on the drivers side front? There aint any? When the door is open you say, that is just waxoyl 'cos there ain't no rust!

[loserone]

Using one of the reversing lights is fine for an MOT, but some sticklers will point oit it fails to meet construction and use regs as it's a few mm too cloae to the brake light.

[Slartibartfast]

Showed her a bit of love today (not that way), she was looking a bit sorry for herself after all that rain and the shedding trees around my house, and the cats. Work have arranged for a valeting company to come each month so I booked in nice and early. Was going to do the Volvo but the Roaster was definitely in more need. Also spot the one small change that Stanky helped me make after work ...

 

 

[SRi05]

That's a gorgeous car that. Perfect colour combo for interior and paint work as well

[purplebargeken]

A very, very nice car indeed. I would love one at some point and an auto would be fun.

 

I would really love to do a direct comparison with the MGF, would be quite interesting I think. 

 

Great thread and always good to put faces to names, including Phoebe and Chester.

[Jim Bell]

That handbrake angle reminds me of a P.E. teacher at our school. Car looks lovely. What a combo green and tan is. Who would have thought those two would go together so well.

[xtriple]

Looks bloody lovely, I miss that little car... Phoebe doesn't though!

[Slartibartfast]

Bonus engine bay shot. Now the outside is all clean and lovely I feel this needs a clean. It'll have to wait though.

[Slartibartfast]

Zooming up and down the A3 I have been very aware of the protection my head doesn't have. If you're just zipping round your local town then this probably isn't a concern, but most of my driving happens on A roads or motorways, and I live in fear of becoming a crayon.

 

So I did a bit of googling and the TR Lane rollover bars are generally well spoken of. I ordered online and got a local Mazda specialist to fit it today. I think it looks OK.

 

Of course now I've just exchanged the risk of a head injury from a rollover with the risk of bashing my brain out on the thing in the event of a rear end shunt (which is probably statistically more likely anyway) so some proper roll bar padding is required.

[SiC]

Not a bad idea. Even though they're very low to the ground and very unlikely to, I always feared going off the road and having a rollover in my MK1 MX5. One of the big things they sorted on the MK3.

[Video]

[SiC]

Where as with rollbars.

[SiC]

1 minute 10 seconds in...

 

...ended up like this.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/benellett/4324128254/in/photostream

[The Moog]

Dont show me shiny things, then show what happens if things go wrong with no shiny thing! 

[Slartibartfast]

Dont show me shiny things, then show what happens if things go wrong with no shiny thing! 

Get one. Honestly I was very uncomfortable driving mine fast without it. You can even save the £135 I paid to have it fitted by being competent enough to fit it yourself.

[Guest Hooli]

Just don't wear your seatbelt so you're thrown clear if it rolls.

 

 

Somewhere I have a magazine article by Sir Stirling Moss expressing that opinion so it must be a good one.

[HMC]

^ Heard that too, being able to bale out or be thrown out rather than "stuck" in a burning car was felt advantageous, although Wolfgang Von trips would disagree.

[The Moog]

Did it impact insurance much?

 

Got mine on classic with mods declared, but heard mention that a roll bar is often one not liked as shows it is going to be driven erm briskly.

[gm]

Moog - if you do fit a roll bar, go for a tr-lane type, the holes are already drilled so, unless they have changed the design, it should bolt right in.

 

That in car video is awful to watch, the way he sits perfectly still while his thoughts try to catch up with what just happened is spooky. I take it he wasn't badly injured ?

 

Re insurance, if you've already got mods declared, I wouldn't think it would make much of a difference - my lot (lancaster) said they weren't fussed unless it increased horsepower. Only one way to find out I guess.

 

Back on topic : slarti, that is a right nice looking mk2 you have there, the roll bar really suits the car, way better than those silly chrome hoops some folks fit. You should feel a difference in chassis stiffness too.

[The Moog]

Cheers Mr GM. Will add that to search list as was looking at a gcfab one.