I've bought an MX5, pack me off to Pistonheads now

[garethj]

The reasoning was straightforward, my eldest turns 17 later this month and unlike many teenagers who just want to snapchat each other on whatsapp, he wants to learn to drive.  We've booked some lessons for him with an instructor of course but it's useful to tie some L plates onto the bumper and give him as much time on the road as possible.

 

I couldn't add him to the Volvo insurance, probably because he isn't 45 years old with membership of the National Trust and a collection of brown cardigans.  We looked at him getting his own car so he can build up his no claims bonus but I'm not sure how useful this really is - he'll be off to university in 18 months and won't have a car there so I don't think a year's no claims bonus sitting idle for 3 years will be much use.  Not compared to how cheap insurance will be when he's 21 compared to 17 anyway.

 

There's also the difficult issue of running 3 cars in the family, spending all his Saturday job money on tedious things like car road tax, insurance and petrol is a bit dull.  Me spending money on it doesn't thrill me either.

 

So we needed something that he could be insured on and I wouldn't mind driving.  It came down to either a Toyota Celica or an MX5 and the MX5 came up first.

 

 

 

It's quite a sweet thing to drive.  I know there was lots of stuff about Mazda having copied the looks of the Lotus Elan when it was first launched but I've never driven an Elan so can't compare.  I've driven an MG Midget before, a 1275cc version made just before the rubber bumpers came in and this Mazda drives a lot like that.

 

The steering is incredibly direct, the chassis barely leans at all in the corners and the gearstick is like a pen in a pot.  This one's a 5 speed model so gearing is really low on the motorway (just like the MG) but it's really good fun.  Unlike the MG it doesn't let the rain in, you never have to get under it to give the bloody fuel pump a tap with a hammer and its actually quite speedy, the MG just felt fast.  As it's the 1.8 litre I think it will crack 60mph in just under 8 seconds and hit about 130mph.

 

It's fairly low mileage, doesn't seem especially rusty and it cost £950.  I've taken it to work for the last couple of weeks and racked up about 800 miles so far, it's done 38mpg which is more a reflection of the 50mph speed limit everywhere rather than the car's efficiency but it's a nice thing to drive.  You should give one a go.

 

[Kiltox]

Did it come with the chavplate (I hope!?)

 

They’re ace. It will be rustier than you think but still a barg.

[wuvvum]

Were the Mk2s as bad (good?) at rusting as the Mk1s?

[Kiltox]

Were the Mk2s as bad (good?) at rusting as the Mk1s?

Pretty much. Really bad for the front chassis legs going.

[Fat_Pirate]

Well done!  I've had mine 12 years now but it's been derelict for the past 3.  I'm sick to death of seeing it's stupid face everywhere in the classic press though, and the same old tripe about Elans, 50/50 balance, etc.  When we're all old, old men in nursing homes our well-meaing relatives will bring us classic car mags* full of these bloody things, mark my words.

 

*magic holographic 3D mags, depending on how old you are right now.  

[loserone]

Better at hiding the rot - by the time you can see it it's too late.

 

They do feel a little bit more grown up than the MK1, less of a compromise as a daily. Great choice!

[Broadsword]

That is a fantastic looking package for £950. 38 mpg sounds very good for one of those. I thought they were supposedly very thristy for some reason. I like the idea of having one since owning an MGF and trying Mr. Moog’s MX-5 when picking up the MG. Quite scared of the rust but at that price I guess you can’t really loose.

[John F]

Pretty much. Really bad for the front chassis legs going.

 

This, very much so. I don't want to alarm you, but see the link below for what I had to do to the ex-Miss F's MX5...

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/21650-mx5-de-rustifying/

[SmokinWaffle]

That is a fantastic looking package for £950. 38 mpg sounds very good for one of those. I thought they were supposedly very thristy for some reason. I like the idea of having one since owning an MGF and trying Mr. Moog’s MX-5 when picking up the MG. Quite scared of the rust but at that price I guess you can’t really loose.

 

They can do good MPG if you drive them sensibly.

I found the two I had literally impossible to not drive like a complete idiot 99% of the time. Great fun!

[loserone]

I think the 1.8 helps with that, because in the 1.6 it's full throttle everywhere

[The Moog]

 

 

I think the 1.8 helps with that, because in the 1.6 it's full throttle sideways everywhere

Efa

[jon.k]

I’ve had my Eunos for 9 years and it’s just so well made and easy to work on compared to every other car I’ve had. Going to peugeots was a bit of a revelation.

[xtriple]

I still miss mine

[big_al_granvia]

i wouldnt send anyone off to pistonheads, full of merchant bankers

[The Moog]

I think there are a fair few mx5s on here now. Ace cars - just avoid the rotten ones! 

[Tamworthbay]

Great cars, the chassis rail rust on mk2s is killing them off so time to grab a good one.

[barefoot]

I've driven a few, the local Porsche specialist used to use them as courtesy cars.

TBH, I couldn't tell the mk1 from the mk2.

The gear-change in both was the best thing ever though.

[RayMK]

My son had one for a couple of years.  It was good fun for the driver but the passenger side had less legroom.  I'm only 5ft 10 (gradually shrinking) and could not get comfortable.  I could get the recline just right if I wanted to kiss my knees, or have a shade more legroom (still not enough) with the seat as upright as a dining room chair.  I was fine when driving it.  We measured the legroom with the seats identically set up.  Passenger side was nearly 6 inches less than the driver's side.  The car was completely standard i.e. no accident damage or weird seats.  He part exchanged it for a three door Peugeot 208GTi on PCP.....not sure I would have financed it that way - seems to be the modern trend.  The GTi is even more fun than the MX5, though a much greater threat to his licence.

[Cavcraft]

Lovely things. The 1.6 was probably classed as thirstier because they were so much fun to drive, it was almost impossible to go gently. 

[Luxxo Waftybarger]

I had a mk2 1.6. Bought new by mother in law in 2001 who only used it in summer and kept in a heated garage all its life until I got it in 2015 when it had done 40000 miles and it was still rotten. Sold it back to her last year for what I paid her because she preferred it to the brand new Bini soft top which replaced it. I actually prefer driving my wife's 1.2 K12 Micra, sacrilege I know.

 

Sills, arches, chassis legs all rotten.

 

Enjoy it then sweep it off the drive.

[fordperv]

Looks a nice motor, they are fun to drive especially if they have a 1.8 and lsd, I hate the crappy plastic topped rads on them, one once blew on me whilst a bit of spirited driving sideways, absolutely shit myself

[stuboy]

believe theyre good twisty a/b roads car driving, i like the mk1 over mk2, but either way id need a hoist to get out of it.. whats the plate trying to say? haircuts by lou/louise?

[Rocket88]

nice little things.........motorway driving is not their strong suit though........