I used to have a Mk3, biggest mistake ever !

Not half the car it should have been, and it seams like Mazda have actually admitted that now with the Mk4.

Mk2 still the best IMO, although would like to drive the new one.

Just don’t buy the Mk3, certainly not a classic!

i’ll just leave this here…

@yourguitarhero – what’s it like with the Saris? Would you take two heavy bikes for a couple of hours on the motorway? If I can use it as a bike lugger I can almost justify keeping it, as that’s most of my driving…

Once you get the Saris rack on and get it tightened up nicely it’s solid – doesn’t move an inch even with two big bikes on. The rack arms are a little awkward with full sus bikes but you can make it work:

I got the 3, well because, that’s what someone was selling second hand at the time I wanted one. Extra room is nice enough.

I’ve driven from Edinburgh to Surrey with two bikes on it. Once they’re on, they’re on. Doesn’t really matter how long you drive for.

For reference that picture is from the road up through the Lecht. I’d spent the last 45 minutes chasing a 911 up the twisty roads there – redlining the motor, throwing it through bends – everything. TBH I didn’t notice the bike on the back and it didn’t shift an inch.

Interesting… Might keep mine after all.

@guitar – up that road flat out with bikes on the back, you’re nuts 🙂 mk2 / 3 a bit like arguing about 275 vs 26 no ? 😉

I think @Alex’s car is the one which definitively changed my mind on the MX5. The new model look fabulous too and so much better than some of the other Japanese facelifts which have been launched recently.

I recently bought a 97 plate Mk 1. Very little in the way of extras and it is brilliant. My wife had a Eunos Roadster when we first went out and it was a hoot to drive. A good friend was selling his for £900 with a hardtop having put on new tyres, suspension and springs and replaced the sills. Oh and he put in a new window at the back. As soon as I told the missus about it, she said buy it!

It’s not very powerful but it runs well and the short throw gear lever is a joy to use.

I am now contemplating putting a tow ball on so I can run a rack instead of a boot mounted one. 😀

mk2 / 3 a bit like arguing about 275 vs 26 no ?

Unfortunately not. You sit in a Mk2, where as you sit on a Mk3. They also tried to chase a different market with plusher interior, electric roof. All unnecessary and detracted from the character of a simple car. Then for the UK market they fitted it with the wrong springs.

The Mk3 just isn’t as engaging as it should be

Unfortunately not. You sit in a Mk2, where as you sit on a Mk3. They also tried to chase a different market with plusher interior, electric roof. All unnecessary and detracted from the character of a simple car. Then for the UK market they fitted it with the wrong springs.

The Mk3 just isn’t as engaging as it should be

does it make the roads come alive?

Funky, many thanks for your genuine reply. It does sound a bit like @jam bo’s post though – sorry 8)

I like the idea of an electric roof very much btw. Mrs B has a Micra CC, despite its 1600cc engine it does not make the roads come alive but driving with the top down whether by the sea, countryside, in the city or in the Alps it brings a smile to our faces. That’s the main point of an Mx5 IMO plus the look and feel of the car all with Japanese reliability

Thing is, it’s so easy to put the MX5 (NA/NB) roof up and down there’s really no advantage to an electric one. I can do mine at traffic lights in about 15 seconds.

For all those who are “Mk2/NB curious”, this is what happens to the front chassis rails. It’s rarely caught by MOTs because they rot from the inside out and the rails are hidden from the inspector’s view.

Eek!

alpin – Member

GF has a 2002 NB…. Only 1.6…

Good for doing doughnuts.
Managed to jump it a few weeks back. Are we still talking about the MX5 or the GF here?

Great cars. IMHO things like the MX5, the Lotus Elise and the TVR Chim/Griff really saw a resurgence of the affordable, fun ragtop. The MX5 gearbox is so good Morgan use it in their 3-wheeler.

Had a mk1 1.8, in racing green with soft top and hard top. ruddy brilliant car. Regret selling it! Just didn’t have any room for it.

The front chassis rails on my NB turned out to be made out of rust. They were replaced by a nice man with a welding torch for rather more money than I would have liked, but still not that bad (£400 IIRC).

He used an NA as a donor, so hopefully they won’t rust again.

So certainly not a death sentence, but definitely worth checking for.

Yeah, the manual roof is so easy to put up.
After a few goes you can do it while sitting in the driver’s seat. I can put it up, down and back up again in the time it takes my pal’s Z4 to go up.

Electric roofs just add weight and more things to go wrong

Apparently the biggest problem with the mx5 is rust.

It was with our ’89 mk1 – see photo of rails above.

Apart from that, brilliant car. Superb for doing doughnuts carefully touring through the countryside on sunny days.

I was all for keeping it but apparently the boot wasn’t an acceptable place to transport kids, so we swapped it for a “reliable” golf, which was another (expensive) story.

The rust is an issue – I think mine is starting to get it. Arches are definitely bubbling and the MOT guy said there was the start of it he could see on the chassis.

But, it’s about £400-500 to get them fixed… that’s not a lot of money on a car really and you’ll get some back when you sell – the older cars have stopped deprecating now.

A pal leases a Civic Estate and pays about £400 a month… Gotta put these things in perspective.