Mx5

eb91xr6 · 29-11-2006, 06:37 PM

well as some may know i find it hard to drive my car as a daily due to the work thats been done to it so im looking at buying another daily and throw the falcon in the carport for nice days and was thinging of getting an MX5, just as a daily, what are people's thaughs on them, i havent driven one yet but theyseem like a nice car and i cant thrash one on a test drive and what should i look out for and what modle should i get and price

Psycho Chicken · 29-11-2006, 06:38 PM

What to look for? Balding middle aged man who needs to sell it to fund the rest of his midlife crisis?

Kenaz · 29-11-2006, 06:52 PM

You want to buy a MX5 to drive during the week and keep your stockish EB 6 for weekends? For most people it would be the other way around.

eb91xr6 · 29-11-2006, 07:00 PM

im 18 so im on my P's and my cars cop bait, and its not the best thing to drive, button clutch dosnt help. i only ask for an opinion on a MX5 not what i do with the falcon, the falcons fat, hungry, and hard to drive in peek houre trafic

rag top · 29-11-2006, 07:19 PM

mx5 is fun to drive, handles very well, cheap to run and has a wonderful short throw shift. Great for tight parking spots, and with the roof down, not much in the way of blind spots.
Downside is they are underpowered, not much boot space, smell of roadkill with the roof down, and I felt a little cramped driving it.

But drive one to find out if you like it.

alesia · 29-11-2006, 08:31 PM

speak to Silencer , hes got a turbo EA as the weekender and a 2001 mx5 as his daily

ill let him know about this thread

SileNceR · 29-11-2006, 08:55 PM

In order of appearance,

Don't get an NA6A 1.6, too much improved apon and too many grey imports with potential chassis and other damage that's been dodgeyed thru the import process. (under $13ish k)

That and theres a crank problem.

NA8A/B (NA 1.8) is a better option here as has bigger diff, extra under body bracing etc etc. (around $14-17k for a good one?)

Options wise is up to you I decided I'd like aircon on a daily, even if I can put the roof down it's sometimes too windy for that, or far tooo hot! Power steering is nice, it still feels like it doesn't have p/s when driving but it makes parking etc a lot easier.

NB is a step up again as you get proper headlights, better door handles, nicer dash, and a GLASS rear window which makes the biggest difference as the plastic ones on the earlier model yellows etc. - depending on condition and km's between $17-24k

NB8B gets S-VT (variable timing), white dials, ABS, Bigger front brakes, 6 speed, better seats, fog lights, projector beam headlamps etc etc. This is what I ended up getting, test drove an Na6, test drove a 94 and 97 Na8, test drove about two blue, and a black NB8A, and ended up with my grace green NB8B with 113,000kms for $19,500 inc ORC -- these usually go between $21-27k depending on condition (or an SP turbo model around the $36k mark) but if you find someone desparate enough you can find them as cheap as I did. In my case the dealer was advertising it as an NB8A but I noticed the VIN pointed to an NB8B and decided it needed further inspection.

If you get an NA, a clubman is a good option, these are around the '94 model and are about 14-16k depending on condition. have no p/s or a/c but come standard with LSD, and bilstein suspension which is a big plus.

If you get an NB, just be sure to look at lots and if you need a list of things to check for, ask around on aus-cartalk.com forums etc or pm me and i'll go thru some things I found commonly.

jonbays · 29-11-2006, 08:58 PM

Get the 1.8 terrific car to drive endless fun. i just hired one for a weekend from europcar fantastic.

And yes i am balding and middle aged

But not wealthy enough to enjoy my mid life crisis

SileNceR · 29-11-2006, 09:00 PM

Oh, and FWIW, absolute blast of a car to drive, can be twitchy at speed (although this isnt an issue if you pay attention) so if you drive lots of dull long distance 100km stretches then an mx5 might not be the car for you.

Handling is absolutely superb, even on mine which has no doubt knackered shocks (still factory and feels a bit soggy)

Most dealers will let you test drive (yes even on your own, I raced a commodore in geelong while test driving an NB8A lol) and most private owners will let you test drive an NA on your own, but in my case the NB's I drove the owners wanted to come along.

This will let you get a good feel for the car.

The short wheelbase does mean the car steps out a lot faster than a falcon, and comes back a lot quicker also but generally you have to be deliberately invoking it by driving in an unsuitable way for the conditions. Most owners will tell you "be careful in roundabouts if its wet (or even if not)" but I think they might have just got used to the handling and drive too fast all the time ;) If you've ever deliberately driven sideways enough you'll be able to feel and catch any slides that happen.

SileNceR · 29-11-2006, 09:03 PM

Also a pity it's getting into summer now so it's a bit more of a sellers market, I bought in winter so I had a distinct advantage as dealers especially don't want to be stuck with convertibles in the colder months as they just take up space and money and don't sell.

Another thing I forgot, Na's have 14" rims pretty much accross the range, NB8A have 15" and NB8B have 16". Good tyres will make a massive difference to handling (as with any car)

SileNceR · 29-11-2006, 09:05 PM

and as you can tell by the p plates on both my cars I'm not a middle aged balding man... although I am going early grey!

you'll be pleasantly surprised at how little it is to insure an mx5 thru someone like justcars also; mine is around $960 for full comp and i'm 22 with a previous driving suspension! (the ea cost $590 for third party fire and theft last year!)

eb91xr6 · 29-11-2006, 09:40 PM

cheers Silencer, by the time i find one i like it will be winter as im only after a black one or gun gray, but the main points that i love about them is the
fuel eficiency
small
sex apeal witch the falcons dont have especialy the EB
its convertable
chicks love them
cheep rego
cheep insurence,

there the good points so can anyone tell me the bad things about them

SVT8 · 29-11-2006, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eb91xr6

there the good points so can anyone tell me the bad things about them

Yes!!! the badge!

whats wrong with a cortina? lol

id say go for it, they seem pretty good. Only thing is you will like it so much that you wont want to hang around the e-series boys anymore.

eb91xr6 · 30-11-2006, 12:20 AM

well i know alot of the adelaid e-series boys that i will still bring the falcon out to meets and still cheek out the sight every day i couldnt leave the EB love it but just need a daily,

eb91xr6 · 30-11-2006, 12:24 AM

MX5
cheep insurence
good on fuel as we all know the falcons love fuel,
convertable
weigh dick all
its got Sex apeal
cheeper rego

cheeper to run around in everyday over a falcon and the cops wont give me asmuch sh!t

needfordspeed · 30-11-2006, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eb91xr6

MX5
cheep insurence
good on fuel as we all know the falcons love fuel,
convertable
weigh dick all
its got Sex apeal
cheeper rego

cheeper to run around in everyday over a falcon and the cops wont give me asmuch sh!t

They're the Pro's.

Now for the Cons:

*People will question your sexuality when they see you in one :voldar02:

Other than that, I saw a turbo one with nitruous the other day at work which was fairly cool.

That is all.

eb91xr6 · 30-11-2006, 01:53 AM

people can call me gay if they like i dont have to prove that im not to them, i see guys in barinas done up and you ask the same question the the civic drivers or swift drivers there all in the same catogory as small homosexual cars, all i know is the girlys love convertables and i seem to like them for all there good points

**Polyal** · 30-11-2006, 07:38 AM

I cant believe some people are knocking a MX5! Some are poo, but the majority are great, and for a run about make alot of sense. Top down motoring is alot of fun too.

But I too find it odd that you could garage the falcon and use the Mazda as a daily.

eb91xr6 · 30-11-2006, 11:14 AM

my falcon already sit's down the driveway now as its not a daily i have a barina for that but im looking at changing that for a MX5. the falcons alot of fun dont get me wrong but its not an everyday car,

SileNceR · 30-11-2006, 10:25 PM

Only problems i've found - can get cramped for long distance driving, not as much legroom for passenger due to ecu being under foot, again on longer distance driving the comfort level drops due to the jumpiness and the willingness to follow small bumps... also lack of boot space

most of these things relate to the sort of trip you'd take your e-series for anyway!

biggest problem i think is everyone wants to come for a drive, but you've only got 1 passenger seat

eb91xr6 · 01-12-2006, 12:56 AM

well as u said i got the falcon for long trips but yer i think for the first 2 weeks i will be filling it up every day

Mr_4.0 · 01-12-2006, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by needfordspeed

They're the Pro's.

Now for the Cons:

*People will question your sexuality when they see you in one :voldar02:

ahahahahahahaha

SileNceR · 03-12-2006, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eb91xr6

well as u said i got the falcon for long trips but yer i think for the first 2 weeks i will be filling it up every day

you'd be surprised how far 42l can get you

eb91xr6 · 03-12-2006, 09:59 PM

been 1.8 and like 900kg i asume they go a fair way

SileNceR · 04-12-2006, 08:13 AM

depends how you drive, mixture of a little highway driving combined with a whole lot of full throttle I still got 10l/100k

not quite so good when there was no highway driving added in :-/

rvlovell · 12-12-2006, 07:38 PM

I have an mx5 and the missus has a '04 XR8. Point to point my mx5 is much quicker.