Mazda MX5

ILW

westwood68 wrote: »

So some people might think it's a girls car...Do you really care what others think? It's like my colleague at work who suggested I got a private plate to hide the age of my 1991 'J' reg Merc..

Why would I want to do that? The very people that might be impressed by a car looking younger than it is are the very last people on earth I care about impressing.

Likewise, the very people who think I'm driving a 'girls' car if I was in an MX-5 are the people whose opinion I care least about.

They can think what they like as long as I'm grinning like a loon through the corners. MX-5 gives huge pleasure at reasonable speeds without being dangerous. Just don't stick huge fat tyres on it.

Sort of sums it up for me. Not sure about the newest ones though, think they are quite a bit heavier with all the safety equipment such as air bags etc.

Idiophreak

Achtung_Baby wrote: »

Car shopping currently and I quite fancy getting a convertible before I have kids and wives to worry about. Mazda MX5s seem very reasonably priced, especially used.

Hate to say it, but my first thought was "yeah, driving a MX5 should put off the wives for quite a while"...the ladies will all assume you're on the same team

That said, I'd actually quite like an MX5 myself...keep threatening to get the wife one, so I can borrow it occasionally

motorguy

westwood68 wrote: »

Of course these guys don't know what the hell they are taking about do they:-

http://www.evo.co.uk/features/features/240343/top_10_greatest_drivers_cars.html

Sandwiched in ninth place between an Evo VI and a Ferrari F50...

Not bad for a hairdressers car!

ILW

motorguy wrote: »

Sandwiched in ninth place between an Evo VI and a Ferrari F50...

Not bad for a hairdressers car!

And something useable for less than a grand, can't really complain.
Think Jeremy Clarksons advice was "just buy one".

motorguy

Idiophreak wrote: »

Hate to say it, but my first thought was "yeah, driving a MX5 should put off the wives for quite a while"...the ladies will all assume you're on the same team

That said, I'd actually quite like an MX5 myself...keep threatening to get the wife one, so I can borrow it occasionally

I had "restored" a 1989 mk1 to its former glory just it time for my wife to buy a new z4, so mine went to the wall through lack of use.

Would have another in the morning though - just trying to think of a good excuse....

.... interestingly my 19yo son wants to split the cost of a mk1 with me as a winter project, so that could be all the excuse i need!!!

JQ.

motorguy wrote: »

Would have another in the morning though - just trying to think of a good excuse....

Already got one for you . . . a trackday car, well that's what mine were for.

You sell it to the wife as a bonding experience between father and son. You get to work on it together and then take it on trackdays together. It enhances his driving capabilities, mechanical skill and means he's less likely to drive like a loon on the road as he'll get his kicks on the track.

Trackdays are safer than driving on the road btw, as that's the first likely issue you'll encounter from Mrs Motorguy.

westwood68

Of course you could also go a little mad if the power really isn't up to scratch:-

http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/bolt-turbo-mazda-p-334.html

There are quite a few turbocharger/supercharger kits available if you look around

motorguy

JQ. wrote: »

Already got one for you . . . a trackday car, well that's what mine were for.

You sell it to the wife as a bonding experience between father and son. You get to work on it together and then take it on trackdays together. It enhances his driving capabilities, mechanical skill and means he's less likely to drive like a loon on the road as he'll get his kicks on the track.

Trackdays are safer than driving on the road btw, as that's the first likely issue you'll encounter from Mrs Motorguy.

Brilliant idea!

Love it!

That could really fly. My wife is into her cars too (her last one was a prodrive modded Impreza turbo) so i could get some buy in there if we could involve her on occassions.

InsideInsurance

JQ. wrote: »

which versions of the MX5 have you driven?

As I say, its a fun car, just not to my taste. A friends dad bought his during his mid life crisis and I've driven it a few times when visiting him (he still lives at home - my friend not his dad, though he does still live at home too). From vague memory it is a 53 plate but wouldnt want to be quoted.

JQ.

Below is the full list of Evo's Greatest Driver's Cars of All Time. I'm pleased to see I've owned several cars on the list and my current car's on there. Some pretty expensive machinery on that list beaten by the girlie MX5.

100. Toyota MR2 Mk1
99. Ford Puma 1.7
98. VW Corrado VR6
97. Ford Sierra Cosworth
96. TVR Cerbera Speed 6
95. Jaguar XKR [2009]
94. BMW M5 E60
93. Ferrari 355 Berlinetta F1
92. Aston Martin Vanquish S
91. Bugatti EB110
90. Ford Escort Cosworth
89. VW Golf GTI Mk1 and Mk2
88. Jaguar XJ220
87. Vauxhall VX220
86. Nissan 350Z
85. Audi Quattro
84. Lancia Delta Integrale
83. Aston Martin V8 Vantage N400
82. BMW M5 E34
81. Bugatti Veyron
80. Ford Escort RS2000 [Mk1 and Mk2 Escort]
79. Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
78. Lancia Fulvia HF
77. Wiesmann GT MF5
76. Mini Cooper S R53
75. Peugeot 106 Rallye
74. BMW M5 E39
73. Porsche 959
72. TVR Tuscan Mk2
71. McLaren F1
70. Nissan Skyline R33
69. Koenigsegg CCX
68. TVR Sagaris
67. Mini Cooper S [1963-64]
66. Ferrari 250 GTO
65. Porsche 993 GT2
64. Audi RS4 [2006-08]
63. Peugeot 306 Rallye
62. BMW M3 E92
61. Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup
60. Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 VT
59. Gumpert Apollo
58. Ferrari Enzo
57. Alfa Romeo Alfasud
56. Jaguar E-Type
55. Renault Alpine A610
54. Lamborghini Gallardo
53. Lotus 2-Eleven
52. Porsche Boxster S
51. Subaru Impreza STI [2005-07]
50. Porsche 968 Club Sport
49. Porsche Carrera GT
48. Honda NSX
47. Noble M400
46. Porsche 911 Turbo [993]
45. Mercedes CLK63 Black Series
44. Aston Martin Vantage V12 [2009-]
43. Toyota MR2 Roadster Mk3
42. TVR Griffith
41. Porsche Cayman S
40. Ariel Atom 300
39. Ford Focus RS Mk2 [2009-]
38. Porsche 911 Carrera S [997]
37. Porsche 911 RS [964]
36. Lotus Exige
35. Mitsubishi Evo IX FQ-360
34. Lotus Esprit V8 Sport 350
33. Lamborghini Murci!lago LP670-4 SV
32. Subaru Impreza P1 [2000-01]
31. Lotus Evora
30. Renault Clio Williams
29. Honda NSX Type-R
28. Porsche 911 RS 2.7 [1972-3]
27. BMW M3 CSL
26. BMW M3 [E30]
25. Renault Clio V6
24. Ferrari 288 GTO
23. Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9
22. Honda Integra Type-R [1996-00]
21. Nissan GT-R
20. Ferrari 550 Maranello
19. Lotus Elise [1996-00]
18. Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale
17. Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
16. Audi R8
15. Ferrari 430 Scuderia
14. Ford GT
13. Subaru Impreza RB5 PPP [1999]
12. Ferrari F40
11. Porsche 911 GT3 RS [997]
10. Mitsubishi Evo VI Makkinen
9. Mazda MX-5 1.6
7=. Ferrari F50
7=. Renaultsport Clio Trophy [2005]
6. Lotus Elan [1973]
5. Renaultsport M!gane R26.R
4. Caterham Superlight R300
3. Porsche 911 GT3 [996]
2. Lotus 340R
1. Pagani Zonda F