# Mazda Mx-5



## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

After taking the mick out of MX-5 drivers for years I have decided to buy one. For fun instead of another motorbike, of course, Carolyn will have to drive me around. 

Saw this one, it's ony 20 minutes away, I emailed the guy for a description and he said *"**hi the discription is in the auction"* :huh:


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## KEITHT (Dec 2, 2007)

MarkF said:


> After taking the mick out of MX-5 drivers for years I have decided to buy one. For fun instead of another motorbike, of course, Carolyn will have to drive me around.
> 
> Saw this one, it's ony 20 minutes away, I emailed the guy for a description and he said *"**hi the discription is in the auction"* :huh:


What more do you need to know.....? :lol: I would happily part with Â£2500 based on that indepth_ description_ of a 11 yr old car......*not.*....!!!


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## pauluspaolo (Feb 24, 2003)

Sounds like the seller's a complete prat as the description of the car obviously isn't in the auction & the pictures aren't the sharpest either - however it is only 20 mins away so what have you got to lose? It might be a minter & the mileage is low for an 11 year old car. If it's not a minter & you don't think the mileage is genuine then walk away - there are bucketloads of MX5's out there.


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

pauluspaolo said:


> Sounds like the seller's a complete prat as the description of the car obviously isn't in the auction & the pictures aren't the sharpest either - however it is only 20 mins away so what have you got to lose? It might be a minter & the mileage is low for an 11 year old car. If it's not a minter & you don't think the mileage is genuine then walk away - there are bucketloads of MX5's out there.


Got to agree, it could be one of those very occasional geniune finds that belongs to a drongo who knows zilch about social interaction and conversation......on the other hand it could be a body filler and newspaper stolen recovered dodgy MoT job :lol:

Kidding..............go look at it..........you'll always wonder if you don't.


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## thorpey69 (Feb 8, 2006)

Mark,when you get it,can you book me in for a perm :wink_kiss: ,only joking cracking little car mate


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## bridgeman (Dec 9, 2008)

thorpey69 said:


> Mark,when you get it,can you book me in for a perm :wink_kiss: ,only joking cracking little car mate


feel sure you researched it all but 1600 is a bit girlie-you might get round corners quicker but even the warm hatches will pass you on the straights and traffic lights and roundabouts are murder-everything apart from reliant robins beats it on acceleration-and believe me they all try!!hear the voice of experience


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

thorpey69 said:


> Mark,when you get it,can you book me in for a perm :wink_kiss: ,only joking cracking little car mate


Heard 'em all, told 'em all :lol:



bridgeman said:


> feel sure you researched it all but 1600 is a bit girlie-you might get round corners quicker but even the warm hatches will pass you on the straights and traffic lights and roundabouts are murder-everything apart from reliant robins beats it on acceleration-and believe me they all try!!hear the voice of experience


I am of the JonW school, I have ridden motorbikes for over 30 years so.....very fast cars seem very slow to me  I only want it for fun and there is a lack of affordable fun, cheap to run convertibles to choose from, I think a low mileage Eunos import might do the job. TBH I'd have a Corvette if I could afford it and then Carolyn would not have to drive me everywhere.


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## scottishcammy (Jul 11, 2003)

My brother just bought a mint mk2 golf gti 16v. Brilliant fun, excellent handling.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

I'd go for the Vette

:lol: :lol:


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## sparkyhx (Nov 30, 2008)

mx-5 are ace even in standard trim - get one of the supercharged ones and they are awsome

just shame about the hairdresser image - but real petrolheads will give you respec man

p.s. don't try only with the roof down - mate of mine got a gen 2 one and he sold it a few months later cos it was too low for him even at 5' 9'' - long body, short legs.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

sparkyhx said:


> mx-5 are ace even in standard trim - get one of the supercharged ones and they are awsome


No point, wil still seem sloooowwww after a motorbike.



sparkyhx said:


> p.s. don't try only with the roof down - mate of mine got a gen 2 one and he sold it a few months later cos it was too low for him even at 5' 9'' - long body, short legs.


Will do, although I am the other way round, tall, long legs 34", pert bot and handsome to boot.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

MarkF said:


> sparkyhx said:
> 
> 
> > mx-5 are ace even in standard trim - get one of the supercharged ones and they are awsome
> ...


I had one as a hire car from work and couldn't get into the thing, had to drive to Newcastle airport at four in the morning with the roof down, freezing and some of my luggage inside with me, the hire company said it was all they had left 

Never opened the bonnet so don't know what engine it had, it went ok and I suppose could be a bit of fun an a sunny Sunday.


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## SharkBike (Apr 15, 2005)

MarkF said:


> I am of the JonW school


Did you catch this thread, Mark?



JonW said:


> Blimey everyone loves the MX5 but me LOL :lol:


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Hee hee, Well Mark is right when he says hes like me (or im like him) and for me the mini is just fun etc, im not ever looking for fast in a car really. I like 'nippy' but full on 'fast' is unobtainium for what I want to pay out on one. I think Mark is doing the right thing, look for fun and have a laugh, not a race car 

And yes, Rich is right... I dont get the lure of the MX5, I found it slow for sure, but my biggest issue was I didnt like the handling much and the fabled 'brilliant gear change' wasnt that great imho. Its small and yeah its kinda fun, but I didnt love it and Ive tried brand new top of the range ones as well as old and knackered ones (my ex had the new one from new and few mates had a ok examples and one had a crappy old one), neither held any love for me, Id rather have a golf gti 16v, at least you can leave that at the station when its get pressed into use as a spare mota etc.


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

Always baffles me, this 'I prefer a Golf GTi to an MX-5' bit.

Is it only me that spotted the fact that one has a soft top, the other doesn't? Which is what it's all about. If speed was all, I'd buy an ex Andrew Page car parts delivery van, the fastest land vehicle ever known.

Must be an age thing. A hundred years ago was trying to buy an MG Midget and a dealer in Spofforth asked me if I'd prefer to try a new Mini, badged up as a Sprite Special Edition. I decided at that point never to trust blind car salesmen. h34r:

Anyway, on with the motley. I'd go and have a look and bear these thoughts in mind.

1. It just could be a Eunos (poor photos, but not one of the rear number plate - Square = Eunos, rectangular = UK (or personal import from forces, say)

2. Look for rust at the front of the rear wheel arches and sill, (nearside worst usually), also rear of front arches. Ironically, Eunos(es), with no rust protection seem to fare better than UK registered cars, but usually cost more to insure.

3. In the late 90s Mazda dropped the output of the 1.6 from around 108/114 hp down to 88hp, just as a marketing exercise to differentiate it from the 1.8 and it does make them very slow (the normal 1.6 goes OK despite what the Corsa/Burberry boys on this forum :tongue2: think).

Good luck

Graham


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

BondandBigM said:


> I'd go for the Vette
> 
> :lol: :lol:


Blimey....theres a suprise! :lol:


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

A friend of ours had an MX5 for a couple of years and absolutely loved it, said it was great fun.......then again she was a district nurse :lol:

No honestly...its true! :huh:

I wouldn't swap one for my old Elan Sprint, but at least the spirit is there.....just not 80% proof :lol:


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

I am going to see one today. The height thing is now bothering me so we will see..........

Cammy, have you gone nuts? Grey is right, why would I want a Golf when I want a little convertible? Anyway, I would't be seen dead in a German car.


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Grey is dead right about the rust though.....give it a thorough going over, they did have issues with corrosion.


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Ahhh those were the days.......bloody glad they have gone now! :lol:










Ground up restoration back in the eighties of a seventies car  they don't make 'em like that no more! :lol:


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

grey said:


> Always baffles me, this 'I prefer a Golf GTi to an MX-5' bit.


Er I did say:



JonW said:


> Id rather have a golf gti 16v, at least you can leave that at the station when its get pressed into use as a spare mota etc.


I kniw the golf is a hardtop but it handles as well as any MX5 imho and goes better too.

If Mark isnt a fan of german cars then thats fine, but there are very few other softtop options in that price range... so far no one has mentioned the MGF and Id be glad if we didnt... made of rusty cheese etc.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Boxbrownie said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> > I'd go for the Vette
> ...


 :lol:

I bought my first Vette from a mate of mine who got it for me when he was working in Saudi at the time and surprisingly they were better looked after than most I saw in the States when I was looking for one, only minor problem was that it was a garish pinky purple sort of colour, apparently the Arabs went for that sort of thing :blink: but he then used the money when he came home to restore a hard top Elan which he had from almost new, a 65ish I think. I drove it a few times and it was a f#cking death trap compared to a modern car  talk about backward through a hedge, I nearly binned it one Sunday afternoon on a roundabout at a fairly moderate speed.

I'm with the general concenous of opinion that whether you want one or not that a well sorted MKII Golf GTI is a mile better than an MX5 old or new :lol: or at the very least get the original article even if it does have the potential to kill you and will bankrupt you trying to keep it going :lol:

An Elan from last weekends show, very tidy little car it was as well, no idea who the three stooges were :lol:


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

Boxbrownie said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> > I'd go for the Vette
> ...


Mark, no contest as far as I can see


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

BondandBigM said:


> Mark, no contest as far as I can see


Exactly. And those Minilite look-alikes are great too. BTW is that another 'Vette you got for spares in the background of the top photy? :lol:

JonW

*Er I did say:*

QUOTE (JonW @ Apr 30 2009, 12:20 AM)

Id rather have a golf gti 16v, at least you can leave that at the station when its get pressed into use as a spare mota etc.

I suspect that in the arctic wastes of Oz, going around in a car with no roof may be considered strange; in the balmy breezes of Bradford, it's the norm.

Glad you didn't mention the MGF  , but there are MR2s and a growing number of soft top variants of many family cars now, Meganes 206, 207, 307, Astras, all coming down to accessible prices.

But back to my original point, though, it's about whether you like open cars or not. I doubt whether most people have ever been in one.

I was lucky enough h34r: to buy an MG TA out of my first term's grant at (God I hate the word 'Uni', but it was a teacher training college anyway :lol: ) college, followed by an MG TC (Â£55) an MG YT Tourer, Morris 1000 convertible, Turner 950, Fairthorpe EM, an MG Midget, an MBG for 22 years and recently three MX-5s - they do go rusty, even compared to the MGB. But it's all about never having the roof up, and not about shaking your fillings out in a hatchback. BTW the current MX-5 rides the rough surfaces of the North York Moors better than any of my work cars.

Best regards

Graham


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

grey said:


> Glad you didn't mention the MGF  , but there are MR2s and a growing number of soft top variants of many family cars now, Meganes 206, 207, 307, Astras, all coming down to accessible prices.


Yes, but they are all hideous, the rear ends are always "odd" to accommodate the roof.

Got another one to look at this weekend.


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

JonW said:


> If Mark isnt a fan of german cars then thats fine, but there are very few other softtop options in that price range... so far no one has mentioned the MGF and Id be glad if we didnt... made of rusty cheese etc.


MGTF, great as a second car but I wouldn't want to rely on it is an only car. At least a man can get away with driving it.

This one did 2,500 miles in about 2 years. Since then she had a Peugeot 206cc and she is looking at a 207cc now.


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

Robert said:


> [MGTF, great as a second car but I wouldn't want to rely on it is an only car. *At least a man can get away with driving it.*
> 
> This one did 2,500 miles in about 2 years. Since then she had a Peugeot 206cc and she is looking at a 207cc now.


You could always drive a 206 top down wearing your tartan skirt  kilt and leave no doubt about your orientation (_and_ frighten the horses). h34r:

Agree with what Mark say about ugly rear ends, but I think the 207cc is great - 110hp diesel and room for the dogs in the back.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

grey said:


> BondandBigM said:
> 
> 
> > Mark, no contest as far as I can see
> ...


Grey Ive always been a fan of open cars and owned many both in the UK and here, I totally understand the lure of an opening roof, or no roof! There are a number of pics on here of the Spit, TRs, Lotus, TVR and Caterhams Ive owned, but most of the time i also had a Mk2 golf as a run about in the garage, they just 'work'  Amusing you should mention Bradford.... i specifically looked for hotel with a secure carpark when I was working up there back in 2002. The receptionist banged on about how secure it was and how safe my car would be. It was a brand new Elsie S2 135 Sport. When I got there I could drive the car under the barrier when it was down... wtf! LOL So yeah I have 'been in one' or two softops and they werent GJ, they got used rain or shine  :lol: Anyway, sorry I dont rate the MX5, it just didnt do it for me. I think I prefer my softtops to be either more sporty or more plush and the MX5 falls in between perhaps. I found it too unfocused compared to the lotus, too small to be plush like a TVR, etc.

Id have loved a Fairthope EM or a honda S800 when i was a student, but it never worked out that way  Years later thru a quirk of fate, I actually test drove one of the PrePro MGFs before they came out. Rover let me have it for a weekend. i loved it. it really flattered the driver and it went well. But that was 1994/5 it ws upspecd and of course things moved on. The TF varients were woefully old and only really sold on discounts, and boy did they fall apart quick.  Same year I also had a weekend with a PrePro/test Tigra and that was brilliant too. But when it came out theyd detuned the engine and de spec'd the brakes and it was half the car I drove. Often those early cars test are superb fun as theyre made with love and some great components.

Anyway, Mark, drive one and see what you think. Its a simple enough car to drive and own as its pretty old school (part of the design etc). Dont let my views put anyone off


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

JonW said:


> [ Amusing you should mention Bradford.... i specifically looked for hotel with a secure carpark when I was working up there back in 2002. The receptionist banged on about how secure it was and how safe my car would be. It was a brand new Elsie S2 135 Sport. When I got there I could drive the car under the barrier when it was down... wtf!


Loverly story :lol: :lol: .

My 6'7" cousin had an early Elise, which I used to travel in to Goodwood Festival/Revival. Eventually came to really respect it, though he could frighten me in it driving through the Peak District in the dark.

Him - "Don't know what you're scared for, there aren't any headlights"

Me - "Sheep don't have f*****g headlights, for f****'s sake slow down."

His son bought him a track day at Donington. They wouldn't let him into their cars because of his height, so let him use his own car. It was a Saturday during the World Cup and Donington was deserted. He did 54 laps, some with an instructor before he got bored and went home.

Amazingly the car never had to have new tyres during the five years he owned it, which says loads about good chassis design.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Honda s2000


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

pg tips said:


> Honda s2000


After 15 years of diesels, I'd be scared to go the extra 4000 revs they need.  .

'nother good thing about MX-5s is they are geared so you can pootle about in 5th (or 6th I suppose) most of the time if you feel like it (and we pensioners do  )


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

grey said:


> (and we pensioners do  )


 yes it does seem to be the 60+ brigade that are driving MX5's these days! Seems weird to me, got rid of the kids at last, paid off the mortgage, done the cruises, what else shall I spend my money on? I know I'll buy a roadster!


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

pg tips said:


> grey said:
> 
> 
> > (and we pensioners do  )
> ...


I think it relates back to younger drivers never having been in open cars. I have long 'car-to-car' car conversations with our car-mad marketing manager (female, 30yrs). She has a BMW320 coupe but would like an Audi S3 or S5 (in white of course) but, except for a top spec Porsche 911 cabrio, she would feel self-conscious in an open car.

The 'open air' bit just doesn't come into the equation. It's all about style.

Having said that I do see a lot of female junior exec types in Boxsters and Audis with the hood down, but only creeping round York ring road or Harrogate at 30mph - but with the side windows up of course.

They're just not as tough as we were back then. Why, snow were so deep I had to do me courting standing on bricks..... and so on, and on and on..


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## scottishcammy (Jul 11, 2003)

MarkF said:


> I am going to see one today. The height thing is now bothering me so we will see..........
> 
> Cammy, have you gone nuts? Grey is right, why would I want a Golf when I want a little convertible? Anyway, I would't be seen dead in a German car.


Nope, never bothered reading any of the thread prior to posting


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## scottishcammy (Jul 11, 2003)

I love my brother's Elise. The handling is like nothing I've ever experienced, and it is a convertible 

Mark, would you prefer this manly looking vehicle:










Or this "Kenneth Williams" mobile?


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Car park at works full of Elises...or is that Elisii? All usually owned by 30 something exec wannabes......everything from bog standard to rip roaring versions......but they always have the top down.....a few totally mad hard tops as well.....

Damn them! :lol:


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

An Elise?







You look like a "couple" in that car. Why is that house not grey pebble dashed?



scottishcammy said:


> I love my brother's Elise. The handling is like nothing I've ever experienced, and it is a convertible
> 
> Mark, would you prefer this manly looking vehicle:


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## scottishcammy (Jul 11, 2003)

You'll have to ask whoever owns that house 

When my brother was getting fitted out for his wedding, he caused the hire shop a nightmare trying to get something that fitted him, he's 6' 4'', weighs 19 stones, hands like shovels and is a 50" chest, extra long. His personality is best described as 'a man's man'. He'll just love the thought of us being a couple! :lol:

(I'm the dark haired guy with the film star looks by the way  )


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## sparkyhx (Nov 30, 2008)

vette and MX5 - how different can you get - I lay money on the mx5 being faster cross country than a vette - vette = posing - MX5 = driving.

comparison with the Elise is interesting - the Elise is tiny and I really wouldn't want to spend several hours in one. When I do runouts in my 200sx I can be on the road for 6-8 hrs - an elise is not the place to be for that kind of time - the MX5 no problem.

If you are considering the elise then look at the Vauxhall VX220 - arguably (though many will disagree) better than the Elise and cheaper - just doesn't have the badge.

If you want to go all out drivers car with zero 'comfort' then look at the Caterham/westfield end.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

The Elise is actually ok for extended time and even touring. Ive driven all over France in one and used it for my everyday car for about a year, which included 3.5 hour each way trips to the office when needed. Sure the MX5 has more boot space but inside its much the same. The Elise is must better for everyday use than people give it credit for. Its actually much more usable than a Caterham but the 7 is much more focused as a drivers car. You can accidenatlly spin an Elise, but I doubt youd accidentally spin a 7, youd know way more that it was coming etc.

The VX220 is a great Elise version for not much cash and well worth looking at. Built by the same people in a line running next to the Elise line at Lotus. Nice Turbo engines and probably the only Vauxhall Id actually buy.

S2000 is an interesting thought. Looks great and bullet proof Honda mechanicals but I looked at a few older ones recently and they dont age well it seems. They just feel old inside and a bit tired. The huge transmission tunnel seems strange and the instruments a bit cheap being electronic (which either makes you think classy ala Audi Quattro or cheap like the Astra SRi and Maestro! LOL), I think its a cool car but the bills might not be fun if there was a problem. Hondas tend to run forever which means even abused ones still go ok, but when they die they do it expensively.


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## sparkyhx (Nov 30, 2008)

JonW said:


> S2000 is an interesting thought. Looks great and bullet proof Honda mechanicals but I looked at a few older ones recently and they dont age well it seems. They just feel old inside and a bit tired. The huge transmission tunnel seems strange and the instruments a bit cheap being electronic (which either makes you think classy ala Audi Quattro or cheap like the Astra SRi and Maestro! LOL), I think its a cool car but the bills might not be fun if there was a problem. Hondas tend to run forever which means even abused ones still go ok, but when they die they do it expensively.


I'm not a fan of the S2000 - you have to work it really hard to get the best out of it - its hugely rewarding when you do, but keep it in the lower rev range and its a dog.

Living your life at 6000+rpm is tiring and for that it doesn't get my vote.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

I agree with you, its like the early 16v engines that felt gutless at low revs, they wernt that bad but knowing what was above the line meant they sucked low down, the s2000 defo needs a heavy right foot to be enjoyable...

Actually Mark I found some boxsters for just over 5k... the recession seems to be helping those who dont mind high mileage older and lower spec models as more cars on the market means they have to sell on price... SLKs too... both cars are better than the MX5 imho, and the SLK with that roof is a winner imho.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

JonW said:


> Actually Mark I found some boxsters for just over 5k... the recession seems to be helping those who dont mind high mileage older and lower spec models as more cars on the market means they have to sell on price... SLKs too... both cars are better than the MX5 imho, and the SLK with that roof is a winner imho.


Jon, you were right, mint SLK's for Â£4.5K, amazing  Boxsters cheap too but a lot to be wary of, the Merc's have few troublesome faults.

Anyway, I bought one, a 2002 Golf Gti  I felt too big for an MX-5 and bought a one owner, FSH, 80k, 1.8 turbo, 5 door for a shade under Â£3k and TBH I am not that impressed, I wanted a "fun" car and it is a bit dreary to look at and sit in, but at least it can carry the kids  I am moving in August so it may well appear in the sales section.


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## Parabola (Aug 1, 2007)

Back to the S2000, I have a mate who I went to uni with who bought a brand new S2000 and ragged the hell out of it, taking it to track days etc. After 8000 miles he'd done Â£6,000 pounds worth of damage to the engine... Impressive!


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

MarkF said:


> Anyway, I bought one, a 2002 Golf Gti


Why bother asking 

You ask about a convertible and buy a hatch

The last time you asked about a luxury saloon and buy a 4x4


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

Robert said:


> MarkF said:
> 
> 
> > Anyway, I bought one, a 2002 Golf Gti
> ...


I agree Robert. That's the trouble with hairdressers/big girls blouses, can't make their minds up. He claims to have/had a roofing business, but I think 'roofing' is just a butch euphemism for 'hairdressing' (or is 'riah')'.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

TMI When I think and act then everything is ok it's when I ask for advice when it all goes wrong. Too much information







Should have just bought an MX-5, I've decided I don't like the Golf and it's definitely no fun.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

MarkF said:


> TBH I am not that impressed,...it is a bit dreary


What did you expect? It is a VW FFS! :taz:


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Mark, you crack me up...

Dont ever change mate 

Where are you moving to?


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I agree jase, the forum wouldn't be the same without him. I think I'll add something to my ever expanding signature


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

MarkF said:


> TMI When I think and act then everything is ok it's when I ask for advice when it all goes wrong. Too much information
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You should have bought a Corvette

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

I am at risk of taking Sharkie's title of old thread searcher but here goes.

Grey, this was your fault, cast your mind back to 2007 :lol:



grey said:


> *Mark F* - MX5 - now there's a car for Carolyn. Only those who have never driven one call them hairdresser cars.
> 
> G'won, she'd love one!





MarkF said:


> MX-5 :lol: However much I appreciate their abilities as a "drivers" car and their homage to the Lotus Elite of the 60's, there is more chance of me wearing an earring, a Cammy moustache, a pink polo shirt and man bag than being seen in one of them.


Mark , please don't change - just let Carolyn choose her own cars.



MarkF said:


> You were right, the Hyundai is crap.


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## grey (Apr 29, 2006)

Robert said:


> I am at risk of taking Sharkie's title of old thread searcher but here goes.
> 
> Grey, this was your fault, cast your mind back to 2007 :lol:
> 
> ...


Did I ever say I was beyond a bit of bigotry to try to get a laugh at someone else's expense? For God's sake, I'm a rep (an OAP rep), I make things up for a living. 

But MX-5s are fab We (Mrs grey and I) shall have one as long as we can get into, and more importantly, out of one..........

.

.

.

.

.

Well that's the kiss of death to anyone on this thread ever buying one, innit?


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## London luke (May 12, 2009)

still the best value drivers car going. I have one for sale and am hating what it is now worth !! great time to buy. but make sure you have a full Geometry set up done as this really affects the way it drives.

Buy a Eunos and make sure the AC works .


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

jasonm said:


> Where are you moving to?


Jase, I am not telling, but will post a pic when we've moved in, it is very funny though.......

The Golf is going, it lasted even less time than the Hyundai


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

You're not going to Cuba are you!!!??  :lol:


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

LOL Mark! The Mk4 Golf is too lardy to be fun.. the Mk5 is another matter tho...

What you getting instead?


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

JonW said:


> LOL Mark! The Mk4 Golf is too lardy to be fun.. the Mk5 is another matter tho...
> 
> What you getting instead?


Not a car pal, I just wanted fun thing and I'm now thinking about another bike, something light, agile and with a decent tank range and seat.

I don't think I can really afford the kind of fun car that I want


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## Dorje (Jun 8, 2009)

Shame that MX-5's have such a stigma associated with hairdressers. Although I've yet to have someone say that to me!

They really are great little cars to drive and have fun in. Here's a snap someone took of mine back in Easter.










Couple of minor changes were made in effort to make it look less 'boaty'


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Update. Well, I've had an MX-5 for few months now, although with being away I've only done a few hundred miles in it, my verdict?

Great fun  In fact, so much fun I haven't been using my scooter and keep putting off buying a new motorbike. I found it very noisy so I bought a hard top for it, still noisy  that can go. It's pretty comfy even with 34" legs and I drove from Leeds to Great Malvern and back with no aches or pains. Maybe it's my age but I may not buy a bike again, with the top down it's wonderful, no slowing for corners, no roll, it's like a go-kart, I hate wearing a helmet and am finding I enjoy the Mazda as much as a bike and, of course, when needed, I can put the hood up.

It's like going back in time, no air-con, no leccy windows, no central locking and the only digital display is the clock, this suits me, I don't like easy-tech, touch button anything, if I could I'd have brass rocker and steel toggle switches too. It's made me realise how much useless, pointless, unwanted "extras" I have in my other cars.

The clincher though, is the price. I had my mind set on a Yamaha T-Max scooter and set aside Â£3k for one, they are pretty rare and I got bored of waiting, the Mazda is a one owner, mint car with 69k on the clock and cost less.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Mark, sounds like a sensible review to me. Whilst im not a fan of the car as such and favoured its competition when new I think that these days these do make sense at the price they are. Japanese reliability and build quality and seen in comparison to a bike its a sensible and fun option. Will yo get a bike again.. yep course you will,.. but in the meantime, hell this works so enjoy it!


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## Matt B (Nov 10, 2009)

Had 5 MX5's, currently have a track only mk1. in the past had a supercharged (MP62) mk2.5 which was putting out around 230bhp - great fun


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## Alexm (Jul 30, 2009)

still looks like a girls car tho


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## Matt B (Nov 10, 2009)

looking like a girls car and packing 230bhp on the road is great fun though lol!! The looks on peoples faces as you blow them away is priceless


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