Both around 2003/04 age.
Which did you prefer and why?

2005 if that counts. MR2 drove way better but less practical. I nevertheless went for the MR2.

Which mr2 was known as the widow maker? Was that the mk2?

Massively tail happy, renowned for stuffing it’s owners into walls backwards.
I think it was stw matt who said it was near impossible to drive in the wet with a hangover.

Thanks, practicality isn’t an issue. We have previously had a mk2 mx5 but just looking at MR2s also. I think the mk2 Mr2 turbo was the dangerous one.

Both brilliant cars.
Both bullet proof.
Mx5 wins on looks, but I fit in the Mr2.
Drive both, only you know what you want.
Honda S2000?

If I got an MR2 it would have to be a mk1, not a bloated 2 or boring-looking 3.

And it would have to be a T-Bar.

Never liked the boxy looks of the Mk1, the Mk2 turbo is GREAT fun to drive and bearly a smidge heavier than the Mk1. no idea of the later MR2s. MX5 in stock form feels a bit dead with sod all steering feedback due to the zero scrub radius, but that can be altered.

My fiancé had an s2000 and really liked it, however were looking for something cheaper to buy and run. We’ve narrowed it down to an MR2 or MX5 and due to friends/family in trade if we stick to Toyota & Mazda we can get discounted service/parts. I got an MX5 (mk2) over the winter very cheaply from a mate in the trade, mechanically sound but the sills and hood were rotten, still had some fun in it and made some profit reselling it on a sunny day (after deductions of insurance, tax, fuel etc.) sorry to see it go but the intention was to buy a mint one now we’ve moved and have a garage and keep it for a few years. I have a celica and really like the vvti and prefer the looks of the mr2, were viewing a few cars on Friday, trying to find a mint MX5 limited edition such as a phoenix but they’re proving very sought after.

Test drove a load of two seater sports cars a while back and borrowed a MK2.5 MX-5 with a LSD for a good while:

MX-5 – MK2.5 Nevada dash / interior looks nice enough, interior is small – my head rubbed on the head liner (!), drove OK. 1.8 engine has power but really doesn’t feel gutsy, not a lot of torque. Drove OK, never really got the MX-5 handling thing (not down to one duff car, test drove a few).

MR2 (MK3) – can’t remember what it drove like, grey plastic interior reminded me of a 1990 Nissan Micra. Didn’t feel at all special, which to me is most of the point of an open top car.

S2000 – nice enough inside, roomier than the others, engine mounted somewhere under the dash, so servicing will be pricey. This felt like it had the engine from a 1990 Nissan Micra. Until something like 7500 revs, when it felt like someome had swapped the engine for a 4 litre V8. Went like absolute stink, but the power delivery was stupid. It really was “nothing… nothing… nothing… nothing… OH JES-rev limiter”, and it felt like you’d spend half your life trying to drive around the V-TEC switchover point. I suspect they’d drive far better if they brought the transition to the hot cam down 1500 revs or so.

I’d probably go looking for a 350Z or a Z4 to be honest if I could afford the fuel – none of the Japenese small engined stuff felt at all torquey. Or if I were after something that really handled, I’d probably start with a Racing Puma…

Please note that my view on two seater open top cars will be coloured by the fact that a) I’ve been in car that rolled three times, and so I think these things really need to have a sense of occasion about them, as I’d never really want to push one hard on the road and b) I’d always go for an engine with 200 horses that pulls from 1000 revs than an engine with 250 but only pulls from five grand…

Thanks for the feedback, of the 2 the MR2 is still winning for me. However the cabin and switchgear is very similar to my Celica, wondering if it’s going to feel different enough in the long term.

MR2 really is a bargain priced Elise with great feedback and mid engine handling.

They are great cars and such a shame they are not made anymore.

MX5’s are the classic british sports car, rear wheel drive and just enough power, brought bang up to date and refined by Mazda.

The MX5 is great fun in all situations as you do not have to be going too fast to appreciate it.

For me though it’s the precision of the MR2 that wins it.

Owned a “Widowmaker” MR2 Turbo (and wrote it off in the obligatory backwards into a tree with hair on fire fashion) and a mk1 MX5, and driven newer versions of both.

Mk2 MR2 Turbo is the most thrilling, just because of how obscenely quick it is. Even fast cars of today barely stack up against it: 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds from a near-enough 20 year old car. Very nice to drive, but terrifying in the wet.

Mk1 MX5 is the most fun all round, because it’s a lot less prone to biting you in the ass when you don’t quite expect it whilst still delivering enough speed to feel quick.

Mk3 MR2 is an excellent B-road car, probably quicker in the corners than the Mk2, but the lack of power after a modified mk2 left me feeling a bit “meh?” about it.

Mk2.5 MX5 OK but not as visceral as the Mk1.

If it were my money and storage space wasn’t an issue, the Mk3 MR2 would be my choice. I’d probably opt for an enthusiast-owned one that had all the suspension/bushing/engine mount/minor power improvements done to it.

I’ve driven all 3 types of MX5 and as above, all great to drive but not particularly quick (unless you go for a BBS turbo conversion one).

Had a go in a Mk3 MR2 and was impressed at how nimble and accurate it was, but again not very quick in a straight line.

I currently own a Mk2 (1996) MR2 Turbo, use it every day and absolutely love it! It’s the early (1990-1993) ones that gave them the ‘widowmaker’ reputation because of snap over-steer. Later ones have revised suspension (and an LSD) which makes them much more progressive when driving on the edge of traction. As much as i love the lighter, back to basics handling of the Mk3, the Mk2 Turbo really isn’t far off and it’s properly a fast car. It’s a 240 bhp, mid-engined car that’ll even take 2 bikes on the roof. What’s not to like?

Thanks for the replies, we have a few cars lined up to look at tomorrow.

Ox how is your RX7?

My dad has a mk3 MR2 which I’ve driven quite a few times. I also nearly bought an MX5 and spent a week driving one in NZ.

If you can live with the luggage space (actually not that bad if you can pack to fit it), I’d take the MR2 any day.

Loved my mk3 Mr2 had one for three years from 2000 to 2003 , fantastic handling , not that quick but quick enough, very plasticky inside which was a dissapointment, but lacks space for anything but a run to the shops, roof leaked into the side bags that are a bugger to empty, and you could hear it sloshing about.
Ate tyres ( bridgestone potenzas) and was scary in the wet if pushed too hard

Sooo cheap now Im tempted by another just for fun

Oh MPG good too if your light footed

7 years ago, we were making this decision.

Went for the MX-5 in the end (as it was our sole car). Of all the cars I have owned, only my first car (mini) and the MX-5 are cars I have missed.

Did more than one trip to the south of France in it (including with bike on back for 2009 Etape). So much fun, and practical too:

my mrs has a mk2 MX5, great car and really fun to drive. I’m 6’5 so it’s not that easy to fit in but i manage. just have to stoop the neck a little when going down hills to see under the cross beam. we test drove the mk3 mr2 but both didn’t like it as much.

I did fit in it a little better

Or if I were after something that really handled, I’d probably start with a Racing Puma…

Oh, yes please!

Ox how is your RX7?

Bloody awful 😆

Not really. It’s the best car I’ll ever own. Sounds like God, if God were an angry wasp fitted with a massive turbo. Handles like nothing I’ve ever driven. Looks to die for. It’s everything I could have ever hoped for with a healthy dose of “Holy cow!” lathered on top. I finally understand James May when he talks about the “fizzing” he gets when driving a special car.
The fuel economy thing turns out to be quite a bonus as well. 12 mpg means I don’t drive it very often, so it still retains the sense of occasion when I do.

An RX7, yesterday:

Just get one of these 😈

Thanks for the opinions, rx7’s are really nice looking. I’m glad you love it 🙂

We tested a few mr2’s and mx5’s today. Think we’ve decided on am MR2 facelift 03 onwards. Just looking for a mint one. A few time wasters today including a ‘tidy black’ mx5 that turned out to be purple (and very rusted) a nice enough MR2 were going for a second look at.

Update: we finally brought an MR2 today, very happy 🙂

enjoy!

Mx5’s are nice, a great drive, but thats pretty much all they are good for as you just can’t get anything in/on them!
Mr2 is a more all round car, the recent ones 2000> are a bit tame compared to the older ones, but then the toyota celica has gone the same way, turned into more of a ‘GT’ car

My dad had an RX7 for a while. That was a special car. I drove it a couple of times, awesome! My dad would punch it onto the motorway on a regular basis, it made a beautiful sound once it got into the swing of it.

Mx5’s are nice, a great drive, but thats pretty much all they are good for as you just can’t get anything in/on them!

He he I managed to get my bike in mine a few times. The MR2 has even less space with no real boot but that’s not what we brought it for. It’s going to have a more pampered life. Looked nice on the drive this morning as it’s the same colour as my celica its sitting next to (yes I know how sad that sounds) Will be garaged at the weekend. I don’t think I will get bored of starting it up and hearing the engine behind me for a while.