I Have tried a couple of these this week…and loved them

Thinking of getting a Mk3 2 ltr with the tin top….which I tried and liked a lot.

Also tried a very cheap one sub 4K 1800 2006 which was a hoot to drive, rust free body…but I had a quick shimmy underneath and it looked like a rust farm, so I walked away.

Let me know your ownership stories Love/Hate

and Que up the Hairdresser jokes…..

I have a 2013 MK3 2.0 folding roof and love it.

I guess I look like a bit of a mid life crisis twonk driving it but im alway grinning too much to care.

its not fast, its fun.

Had a mk1 eunos roadster for 2 years. A hoot to drive, will regret selling it for the rest of my adult life.

Had a mk1 and a mk2.5, liked them both. Liked my mr2 mk3 more.

I’ve owned a MK2.5 1.6 Euphonic and a MK2.5 1.8 Sport. I drove a MK3 over the moors and found it grown up and very Japanese saloon like.

Nothing wrong with that, just noway near the MK2.5.

Why not also consider the MR2 or S2000?

The MR2 just felt quicker than the MX5. Cheap too.

I’ve owned a MK2.5 1.6 Euphonic and a MK2.5 1.8 Sport. I drove a MK3 over the moors and found it grown up and very Japanese saloon like.

I seem to recall they did a mid lifespan undate to the MK3 (MK3.5?) which addressed some of these issues. Not sure about that however.

Even then the 2 was still easily the more fun option. In the end the GF just wanted a newer car with a folding hard top.

Really? I might have a spin in a MK3.5. The MK2.5 is just a rustbucket now round the rear 🙁

Horo..I was very surprised how much I enjoyed driving the MX5 it was not even on the list, but it just fitted me really well. so I am restricting the search to these.

from some googling I found that the 3.5 had lower suspension than the 3 to improve handling, an easy fix if the right 3 comes along.

MK3.5 here with tin roof. Had it two years. Ours is the 1.8. As PieMonster says, it’s not fast but it’s so much fun. I might put a better audio system in ours as the stock one is rubbish. Ours is an 09 with about 45000 on the clock, needed one front spring outside of standard yearly servicing. Love driving it even with the roof on, but best on a nice summers day.

I do like the look of the new ones, but that’s not going to happen!

@Hora I think you’ll probably still come away a little bit dissapointed. It’s still a grown up flabbier MX5. I had driven and been unimpressed by a MK2 but it was very tired so not a fair comparison.

You still end up taking the long windy way to the shops with a stupid smile stuck on your face.

Had a couple of Mk 1’s when I was a kid and loved them. The only bad bits were long journeys with the top up when it got a bit steamy. Also not much cop in snow. Recently fancied going back so went to sit in the new ones and liked them a lot. Something inside me does not want to invest heavily is a depreciating asset. Buying second hand makes lots of sense if you can find what you are after. The Mk 3’s look good but word has it that they are heavy.

MR2 in red. It just looks right. Cheap as chips.

S2000 is set to appreciate, I bet the right MR2’s will start to climb too.

We had a mk1 1.8 and it was a hoot. Then kids happened and we, regrettably, sold it. I tend to echo the above sentiments re older MX5s and cars of that generation. Proper, fun lightweights. The mk3 on look like they’re trying too hard to my eye. The great thing about the mk1 and 2 is that they are legal fun. S2000 I tried was like a rocket but what good are rockets on tight British roads?

Don’t touch any that are rusty underneath. I had a chat idly thinking of getting a cheap one and some welding kit. According to a mechanic friend that’s fine but you often get to the point where there’s solid metal to weld to with them (mk 1 and 2s) also imports may be less scabby but have less underbody rust protection.

OP have a search maybe with google eg “site:singketrackworld.com mx5” its been discussed quite a lot, with some well informed views about the different models. FWIW I have had a revelation from seeing them as hairdressers cars to liking them a lot in part by reading stuff here.

My ex-BIK had an mr2 and I’ve driven a S2000 both good cars but a bit different.

sticking mx 5 in the singletrack search box got me 3 hits, with little info only passing remarks…I was a bit surprised as I like you, only even considered an MX 5 due to comments on here.

no harm in having one place to share thoughts I thought

Agree that the S2000 will increase in value…If you have a look for them they have the classic symptom of a car that is about to increase in Value…The prices are all over the place for similar age and spec.

Just to get some pics on the thread 🙂 here is a couple I have been looking at

2L

1.8 L ( prefer lighter colours )

@righog that’s why I said google, the stw search is less than stellar

Both lovely – spec / age / miles / price ?

I’ve got a Mk2.5 I bought off the classifieds two years ago.

I had to spend about £400 straight away to replace the front engine chassis rails which were all rusted up, but to my astonishment it has now been through two MOTs without any issues.

Right now I’m trying to trace a slow coolant leak which is a bit frustrating (*) and it needs some more attention underneath, but it’s great fun to drive.

I’ve had a go in a Mk4 – they’re really rather nice.

(*) Convinced myself and a friend that the head gasket had failed. Replaced it. Turns out we were wrong 🙁

Jamba

They are both around the £8K mark, and at the top of what I was wanting to spend

The Dark Green one.

2008 Dark Green

The Silver One.

Silver MX5

Had an early MkI Eunos V spec import roadster. Manual, with leather and aircon, and some stickyish Yokohama tyres.

Lovely thing. Fast, usable power,a super handling little thing really. Not driven anyhting like as much fun (I’ve driven higher powered, faster, and far less fun cars)with the exception of a mk IV MG Midget, which was also a total hoot, albeit far far slower.

Speed might be exciting, but actually, often, the slower the car, the more “engaging” the basic driving experience. I could seriously have more fun with a Morris Minor (axle tram anyone?) or even an Allegro, with its hydrofantastic suspension and A series engine, (it’s only a rebodied Austin 1300 when all is said and done, which is largely only a longer mini) that any number of bland, fast Auto-bahnstormers with no ability to explore the edges of their performance envelopes. Going fast is a thrill which wears off quickly in a car, but an engaging and communicative chassis, and a car which will respond to demands, rather than “lead the driver” are far more fun.

I had a 2007 roadster coupe. Absolutely loved it. Only sold it because we took up mountain biking and it looked ridiculous with a Saris Bones on the boot.

Nothing ever went wrong with it and it was cheap to service and insure. Gorgeous leather interior with Bose sound system. I really miss it.

We had a Mk2 1.8iS, great until squashed by a van driver on his phone. Friends got a Mk3 as they didn’t want something so old, but even lowered, it wasn’t the same. So they sold it as it was a bit of a disappointment. Having said that, they’re looking for an Elise which is quite a different car.

Mine,07 reg 1.8 folding hard top. Just fun. Easy to drive, top goes up or down quick enough to do it while sitting at lights in town, boot is great for a small car, and the top goes into a separate compartment so doesn’t affect the boot space. Reliable, all I’ve really done is a battery and tyres on mine as it had a dodgy set of mismatched cheapos on there when I got it. Other drivers are nice to you in exactly the way they aren’t when you’re in an Audi. You get to enjoy the views and weather when out for a drive, and the heater is good enough to do that in winter too. I’m over 6′ and bald, so I do need to keep a hat in the car for cold days, as the windchill does get to the top of my head, but there’s plenty of room.

Cars I test drove before buying the Mazda: Mini Cooper, Cooper S, MR2, Merc SLK, Megane, 107, Crossfire, S2000, Alfa convertible, BMW 1 series and probably others

Bad points of the Mazda, storage space in the cabin isn’t great, decent glovebox but other cubbyholes pretty small. It’s not a great bike carrier, if you’re thinking of putting a towbar rack on one, there isn’t one as they didn’t build towbar mounting hardware on the car. It’s nippy enough for what it is, but it isn’t a fast car compared to hot hatchbacks.

The suspension/handling thing you mentioned. They are sensitive to having good wheel alignment and matched tyres. Most MK3s have the stock springs which sets the car with quite a lot of empty wheel arch showing, Mazda sells an aftermarket but official 30mm shorter set of Eibach springs. The handbook for the wheel alignment specifies a wide range as acceptable, but people have found quite a small sweet spot which makes a big difference, and lots of people found that swapping the springs put the alignment into that sweet spot, but a half hour wheel alignment can do that for a car on the longer springs too. The cars which came lower out of the factory aren’t really related to this, they are Sport spec and special editions which came with fancier Bilstein suspension all round as standard, and I believe had different springs altogether.

Speed might be exciting, but actually, often, the slower the car, the more “engaging” the basic driving experience. I could seriously have more fun with a Morris Minor (axle tram anyone?)

I had a ’54 splitscreen, 1300 A-Series engine, van rear axle, Koni shocks on adaptors, Riley 1500 drums, 5½x13 eight-spoke alloys with 185/55×13 Avon’s.
Tremendous fun, maxed out at 75mph, had to put the van axle in after I snapped the ends off the half-shafts like carrots dropping the clutch a bit sharpish out of a pub carpark!
Just waiting for the lottery win to let me buy a Mk4 MX5, just the prettiest little sports car out there, and the 100Kg weight saving has got to make a big difference to handling and economy.

Have a mark 1 1997 1.8iS since 2008 (78k) but it has not moved for 3 years! Confident it will start first time with a new battery. Lovely car and with a tiny bit of fettling puts out over 140hp and weighs nothing. Recently took out a friends 2014 1.8 and was surprised how similar it felt. However gear box not as sharp, cabin actually felt smaller and much slower.

Cheers MLC…good info the green one I am looking at has Bilsteiens, as it is the Sport version. I will have the old 4×4 for the bikes, but I was hoping to get a towbar for the occasional bike carrying duties. They were not rated for towing in Europe but you could fit towbars in the USA I was hoping to pick up one of those ( or just use a Saris )

rig thanks for those links, it was actually mlc’s car and comments which turned me onto the cars, he got that car for a steller price too

Enjoyed my MK1 a lot, but it ended up rusting etc.

My Smart Roadster is a better drive TBH.

Saris bones works well.

We had a 2005 Mk2.5 sport from new for 5 years. It doesn’t seem to be on the road any more, so I guess it has succumbed to the usual rust issues. Absolutely loved that car.

My FIL has the basic 1.8 Mk3. He gave me a lift the other day – first time I’d been in one for ages and the memories came flooding back. No, it’s not very fast (not like Mrs North’s “angry bee” Cooper S), but it is just ideal for fun on British roads without having to drive like a dickhead.

There are plenty of ways to enhance the MX5, but even the less loved Mk3/Mk3.5 is pretty damn good out if the box. Enjoy!

My Smart Roadster is a better drive TBH.

I tried one it was good fun, but part of my reasoning ( excuse ) is to do some touring, I am a bit to old to Tour in a Smart Roadster.

Jamba MLC stellar price ?? less than 8K ??

Had a Mk3 2.0 Sport for a couple of years.

Very competent handling car, but that’s as far as it went. The Mk3/3.5 will go down in history as the worst MX5

Mazda took away the cars basic sole. It just didn’t feel as connected, you sit on the car not in it, all the controls are more refined, which takes away feel and control.

A colleague at work had a Mk 2.5 and all you had to do was sit in it and it felt more right, let alone driving it.

About 3 months ago i woke up with a hangover, and a red Mk2 mx5 sitting in the purchase history of my ebay account. It’s best thing I have ever bought. 125k on the clock, bought from a guy who was a bit of a car enthusiast with all the usual rust spots welded. I love it so far, and have not had any issues

I recently sold a Mk3 owing to the arrival of a nipper. Great little cars and a good deal of fun to drive. I’d advise a soft top or a retractable hard top if possible – lovely on a nice morning blast to work. Can be thrown around in a sporty fashion with the DSC switched off, but even with it turned on you can have a good deal of fun. Mine needed an anti roll bar bracket and a pair of rear tyres between about 55k and 62k, and it had a bit of a water ingress into the near side footwell owing to a blocked drain behind the passenger’s left shoulder. Easy enough to fix.

Might be worth a look if you are down London way and after one, it looks very Cheap. ( newly listed on EBAY )

London Bargain for someone

Have a 3rd hand 2002 mk2.5 1,6.
Original owner had it lowered by 60mm and had engine braces fitted. Practically sitting on the floor and entering and exiting isn’t always graceful.

Fortunately no rust as it had been garaged over winter and only used occasionally in summer. Also has a hardtop (which we put back on today) that is good for the colder weather and protects the softtop.

With sticky summer tyres it is a laugh to rag around the hills and up/down the passes.
Got some air in it,too, back in summer.

Only gripes are it is dark green, it has an open diff and the 1.6 engine (although we were thinking about putting a turbo on it to bring it to around 180-190bhp…~1k but not sure if it is worth the effort on a 14 yr old car).

We had a mk3.5 sport which was our introduction to the MX5 was a great car and we did a lovely tour of Europe in it, then swapped to the MK4 2.0 Sport Nav the drive of the 3 vs 4 is marked difference as the 4 is lighter and a touch smaller than the 3.

Then they bought out a special edition which I should have waited for rather than jumping into the black one, wonderful hindsight and all that!!! So another swap now had the white Sport Recaro over 6 months and I think it fair to say of the many cars I’ve had over the years it’s up there as my favourite just a great fun car to be in and drive top up or down.

Would echo comments on storage if thats a requirement I’d test what you want to carry before purchase just in case… it has much more space than the Elise did though 🙂

The mk3 and 3.5 offer some fantastic value I found both the mk3 and 4 sufficient performance for the road to have fun, it won’t win a drag race but it will be joy in the corners and twisty bits and all other times.

Great stuff forge, do you not fancy the new RF it looks rather nice.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21PGBj88x-E[/video]

I have a Mk3 1.8 soft-top. Bought 2nd hand at 15k, now at 133k, used all year round, 75 mile round-trip commute 3-4 days a week.

Can’t fault reliability – Never let me down, most expensive part was £400-ish (middle section of exhaust that went a couple of years ago). Apart from that, just regular servicing, drop-links and I reckon rear discs seem to rust and need replacing pretty frequently. It doesnt seem to get through tyres, probably a combination of motorway miles and light weight.

Niggly things? Cabin noise, with trim rattling and buzzing. Seat belts slow to retract. Roof drains blocking up with leaves – can result in wet carpets and drips from rubber channels above door onto seats, relatively easy to clear though. Also had water come in through front bulkhead on passenger side, fixed with dab of sealant around a screw. The alloy wheel paint isn’t the best either, flakey and needing weekly top up due to leaks – could do with powdercoating. Also gets through a fair bit of oil now that the miles are high.

In terms of rust, the paint is really thin, and I’ve got bubbling under the paint in several places around the car. Several stone chips on bonnet showing bare aluminium, but that’s just me being lazy with the touch up pen and not keeping on top of it.

Had a number of Mk1s and, if I had time and space to store one, would buy another asap. Can’t really speak to the later versions other to say that all the owners I ever met seemed to love theirs (though that’s typically not really surprising). As per said previously ^^ usual things regarding space, the odd rattle and so on – the best thing it to test drive across the different models to find what suits. There were some owners who had later cars who swore off the Mk1s, and vice-versa.

All iterations seem to lend themselves to being ‘messed about’ which may or may not be your thing – there were lots of people locally who threw significant amounts of money at their later cars via. BBR etc for superchargers and turbos.

(My car ended up looking a bit different to stock:

Sounded different too – twin Mikuni carbs, lightened fly, head, exhaust etc). Still miss it. But typically they’re all reliable, parts are cheap and certainly the earlier cars lend themselves to being worked on yourself.

I’d recommend checking out the usual owners clubs and forums. If you’re buying used typically you’re more likely to find a car with known history and there are usually discounts etc available as part of the schemes. I know on my cars I saved more on insurance than the cost of the membership as well as on parts.