near new NC2 $$$ even with new ND around the corner

Penguin · Postby **Penguin** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:31 am

I love these conversations with significant generalities. Who does what in what age group.

My 93 year old dad still enjoys being the passenger in a slightly lowered NC1 - I haven't told him yet that I am about to lower the seats. Given that he has had a broken hip in recent years we had to be inventive in getting in and out. In he can do on his own - out does need help to get up to the balance point.

I got mine in my mid 50's. Nothing unusual you might say. But I have had significant large joint arthritis since my early 30's. the lure of the drive was enough for me to make sure I had the technique and strength to get in and out. Altered a few of the gym exercises that I do and now can do, but with no grace unfortunately. When in this is the most comfortable car I have to drive. It is about how much compromise and effort people are willing to make and what gives them a kick.

AS I am finding out watching a relative in his 60's look at the ND, Mazda has a package that can go from a weekend toy to a daily drive. He has had BMW's and Alfa's. It is the reliability, ease of service in a rural environment, affordability and well sorted platform that interests him.

The biggest grumble I have heard form the baby boomers with the MX5 is the boot size when they use it as a daily!!!

JBT wrote:oilers towing houses have just about sucked the enjoyment out of driving a sports car now.

One of the other two cars in a LC200. JBT I feel your pain. I tow a relatively light camper trailer and I have trouble getting by them. I am the one on the road that looks in my rear vision mirrors and waves you by. My camper is narrow enough that I can see you in the standard rear vision mirrors.

P

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:47 am

My SE was previously owned by a woman who, at 70 years of age, flew over to Perth to look at it and buy it. In her late 70's when she traded it ...

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:20 am

Penguin is spot on. It all depends how much enjoyment you get from the car when you're in it. If you love it then you'll have incentives.

I was dropping Cortina motors with Webers and extractors into Prefects and Anglias at the same time as mates were modifying Lancers. Your Dad and I are probably the same age. I had a bit of a bike accident last year and ended up with fractures to my hand, wrist, knee, foot and a couple of vertebrae. I have an NA, which is a little harder to get into than an NC but it's still not so bad with injuries if you just leave the roof down. A PRHT would have been very handy. Getting back into driving it and racing it was a huge incentive for me. It took 2 months of solid physio to get my hand good enough to change gears again and daily laps of the pool and hikes to get me agile enough to get in and out easily. The reward was getting to race it again after 4 months.

There are planty of people older than me around here with modern and vintage sports cars. Nobody wants to look or feel old and doddery getting out of a sports car. So they're the people you bump into on the beach or at the pool or the gym, rather than at the bar, the pokies or the hospital.

If he used to mod Lancers then I'd say he'll love an NC, espcially if he puts a loud exhaust on it! The power, the free revving spirit and the noise are probably all the things he was trying to get. They come is spades with this car compared to what he had then.

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 11:24 am

If they like to socialise....get them to buy a New ND...then join the local MX5 club

Penguin · Postby **Penguin** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:45 pm

manga_blue wrote:If he used to mod Lancers then I'd say he'll love an NC, espcially if he puts a loud exhaust on it! The power, the free revving spirit and the noise are probably all the things he was trying to get. They come is spades with this car compared to what he had then.

Sounds (excuse the pun) like my car. Headers, different exhaust, better springs & shockers and new sway bars and your are there at not a high price.

P

revs · Postby **revs** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:30 pm

Hi guys,

Thanks again for your replies.

They purchased an early NC2 yesterday and are very excited and happy with their purchase and it's safely tucked away in their garage already. This is the one:
viewtopic.php?f=73&t=68691

The test drove some NC2 autos and a manual and although they loved the manual they made the right choice for them with the auto.

They have already joined the QLD mx5 car club and are going on a club outing the weekend after next..

thanks again.

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 2:34 pm

NC2's look tops in yellow, reckon they'll be happy with it!

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 3:00 pm

revs wrote:They purchased an early NC2 yesterday and are very excited and happy with their purchase and it's safely tucked away in their garage already. This is the one.....They have already joined the QLD mx5 car club and are going on a club outing the weekend after next..

I know that car. Owner has ordered an ND. Guess I'll meet them on 12 July.
Make sure they send an RSVP so I can list them. :wink:

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 3:25 pm

Very nice car ... they'll enjoy it!

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 3:46 pm

I looked at that car and it ticked a lot of boxes- I bet they will be very pleased with the purchase.

" I love these conversations with significant generalities. Who does what in what age group". Why not generalise that's a fact of certain groups- it's why Commercial companies target certain sectors. IYou can always find exceptions i.e. those outside the Bell curve I don't really ascribe to the notion that comfort of a car is not a significant issue especially for older people who often are not as supple and have worn ball joints, spare tyres and micro cracks etc. If you struggle to get in an out of cars i.e. driver or passenger and you are left with back or leg pains then its going to be a significant turn off. Technique is only going to go so far toward a driving position or ingress and egress that does not suit. If you have shoes that make your feet sore you replace them and cars that are not comfortable end up traded or not dríven.

trader · Postby **trader** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:17 pm

Guess I've got to be quicker to beat the locals!
Had that one in my sights for a few days now especially with the price drop - should be a good car...

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 4:34 pm

You've done very well. I couldn't imagine a better car for them.

revs · Postby **revs** » Thu Jul 02, 2015 5:09 pm

Yes, I reckon they have done really well. I'm in Perth so I haven't seen the car in question but it certainly looks the goods in the photos. Mum and dad love the Recaro seats and the BBS rims. They drove it back to the Sunshine Coast last night and commented how easy to drive it is. Nice and quiet around town in auto but dad said that it is still great fun in semi-manual mode with the paddles. I'm sure they will get a lot of enjoyment from it which is the main thing.