Mx5 is great, but there are a few downsides.

Look forcrust on the engine mounting rails. As well az sills, this is what can kill a mk2. Reach in behind the front wheel to get to it.

Ventilation is very poor with the roof up. So you can get quite a bit of condensation which an be annoying.

It is a lot of fun though.

I’d agree with Funkydunc. My last job was a 20 mile commute in an MX5 and I loved it cos there were some brilliant little roads to chuck it around on. Current job is 25 miles through town and boring roads and it’s not the MX5 that makes me hate it, it’s the time in the car and the cost. Next job will be a 5 mile ride (yay) but I’m gonna keep the MX if I possibly can.

If an MX is gonna make the commute more fun then go for it. And remember good tyres (i like RainSport 3) are a godsend in crappy weather.

I did a spell of commuting 2 – 2.5hrs a day in a Z4.

It was fine in summer and decent weather but it was tiring in poor weather. The route was nearly all single carriageway A roads and the headlight glare seemed to be worse as you were much close to the ground than a “normal” car.

How often will she actually drop the top? I think people like the idea of a convertible, but then never actually use the bloody thing.

I bought my Mk3 MX-5 with 15k on the clock 8 years ago. It’s now got 125k. My commute is 75 miles round-trip, I do it 3 or 4 times a week. When I used to check MPG, I was averaging 38.

Can’t beat top-down in the summer, great way to start the day. And when you get those nice crisp winter days, the heater is good enough to keep you warm. Plus you’ve got the bonus of the hardtop for the winter instead. They are interesting in the snow though (disclaimer – never fitted winter tyres).

Try it for a year. If she doesn’t like it, get rid. Everyone should own a convertible at least once in their life.

It’s quite simple, do you want to spend more money than necessary on fuel whilst giving the appearance of a hair dresser late for his next appointment – in the name of a ‘good drive’?

Or do you want to save a few pennies and look less coiffeur, more ‘rat race man’?

If the former then buy the MX5

MX-5’s are (if looked after) appreciating now – at least good Mk1 and rot-free Mk2s. They’re mechanically easy to work on and parts are cheap as chips.

I did 6 months of 70 odd miles a day in my Mk1. A hard-top makes a massive difference in the winter months.

I’ve just sold it. Had it for two years and it didn’t cost me a penny except for fuel, MOT and annual service (at about £50 as I supplied the bits) and then insurance at <£120. The fuel was a bit higher as I’d fitted twin carbs.

If I had need for a 2nd car I’d just buy another.

For 80 miles a day I’d be wanting something with comfortable seats, auto box and a decent radio.

Oh, as for remaps, no idea but our friend has a Mk1 with a TVR V8. If you like shooting flames and lighting up the tyres EVERYWHERE then do that. You will also need to hate fuel.

I did a year of communting 40miles each way across the north pennines from Burnley to north Leeds – bit of motorway, bit of main A roads, and B roads, and crawling through town traffic. Was great in the 5 – especially on sunny days.

Ok stuck in middle town in a traffic queue under a hot summers sun wasnt great, but flip the roof back up and zip down the rear window took seconds.

Kept the ‘5 for 8 years, running alongside our other car, as the wife and i have shared the commute for a number of years now, before it died with 180k on the clock (mk1, ’94 car – base model 1.8i no power steering or air con, wind up windows.)

As you found – the engine does need to be worked, it loves to rev all the way to the red line, flick of the gear lever and your back at 4250rpm bearly needs to dip the clutch. Does get a little bit noisy on the motorway cruise at about 3 to 3500rpm with the roof up, but roof down no probs.

Remember taking ours on a trip to see friends that lived near Le Mans – roof down through france all we could hear was the crickets in the grass as we flew down the autoroutes.

What?! OP took it in good humour. C’mon, it’s well known that the MX5 is one step up the ladder from wide arch Vitara.
I’m just pulling plonkers.

And I resent the photocopier salesmen comment. I’d much prefer to squeeze myself into a car designed around a typical Japanese mans frame. Alas, I am not Richard Hammond sized.

incidently, anyone driven the latest MX5? They’re on the Mazda forecourt next to my office and I cant decide if I like them or not with those headlights yet

As trail rat says, they can look ok from the outside and even when giving them a tap, but under the skin they can be proper rotten.
My MK1 didn’t look too bar bar a bit of surface rust. This was what was below:

[url=https://flic.kr/p/r4Woxd]MX5 Sill Repair[/url] by Dave Aspinall, on Flickr

The other side was worse and seemed really solid from the outside!

“I don’t understand how you can recommend someone spends their hard earned on a car that in your own words is uneconomical, uncomfortable, and literally eats itself”

doesnt sound too dissimilar to a t4 either mind…..

the only thing wrong with the mx5 for STW is that it isnt an boretavia

standard MK2 rust ….

because crumple zone construction.

Not a repair i would take lightly – and a chassis half weld in on a landy didnt bother me – and hasnt broke apart even after rugging through a broken down discos clutch.

“I don’t understand how you can recommend someone spends their hard earned on a car that in your own words is uneconomical, uncomfortable, and literally eats itself”

Simply put, you’re only really spending an extra £10 per week in fuel on an 80 mile per day commute to drive a sports car over something more mundane. A more average 10 mile commute it’s a partly £2.50.

£2.50, that won’t even buy you a pint.

Now, if you don’t see the appeal of an open topped sports car then that’s £2.50 wasted. If you do see the appeal, then you’ll quite happily forgo that £2.50 lager shandy.

The downside is you actually end up spending even more money because someone will suggest a drive to the seaside for no good reason but for the sake of it, despite the fact it’s already gone mid-day and you’e 100 miles from the coast. Where you will then buy fish and chip, play in the arcade and eat an ice cream. Open top’d car ownership is full of unexpected costs!