mx5cartalk.com

Apologies if this has been covered before, but a forum search didn't turn up anything.

I'm looking at buying an ND MX5 RF, but one thing I need any new car to do is move myself and my mountain bike.

I've seen a few different racks that mount onto the boot, but I'm not keen on them, partly due to possible panel damage, and mostly as they hold the top tube of the frame, which won't work with my full suspension bike.

I have seen the Hard Dog Hidden Hitch on a few US websites, which looks like it might be worth a go, but thought I'd ask if anyone has experience with bike racks or tow bars/hitches? I'm not looking to ever tow anything, just mount a bike rack.
https://www.flyinmiata.com/hard-dog-hitch-for-nd.html

Unfortunately another car isn't an option, a car is a weekend only thing as it is (motorbike is the daily transport) and I simply have nowhere to put a 3rd vehicle (let alone thinking of the expense).

Any ideas appreciated (even if it is "you don't want an MX5", which I really do...)

Don't use it to carry bikes. Ride your bikes to your destination.

Sadly I don't live near enough to my local trails to ride there, and especially not when heading to Mt Buller or Thredbo.

It is difficult to find a fun car, that looks good, and can move a bicycle
(Not really interested in hotted up shopping trolleys, and I'm allergic to SUVs)

wrong combination- ND and a bike rack. Go with the bike rack attached to something more suitable. There are many performance cars that would do the trick.

The bikes mounted on the back will totally obscure all your signals. Your mirrors will be full of bikes. I suspect the bikes would be wider than the car. Like you said, you might damage the car and the bikes. After your first drive with them on the back I don't think you'd do it again.

The Hard Dog Hidden Hitch linked above would have been used with a low mount (i.e. grips the wheels) rack, which has lights and a plate mount (I had one years ago on a previous car) so signals aren't a problem, the places that sell the hitch mount also do a plug & play harness.

The set up seems to be used by quite a few in in the USA, but then they seem to have some pretty low standards of what's roadworthy, and I was wondering about the mechanical aspects of how it would mount, and stresses introduced.

There are plenty of performance cars out there, but I wasn't after straight performance (else I'd just grab a Rex, or an S4 Avant, possibly a 2nd hand C63 wagon). I'm searching for a sports car, one where you feel like you're actually driving, and can have fun more easily than a lot of the higher horsepower cars. I find modern hot cars are just too easy, to get to the 'fun' point you are also at the point where a small mistake costs you your life. My old WRX was much like that, it was very fast, but lacking in the driving experience. My 2nd ever car was a Mk1 MR2, way slower than the Rex in all circumstances, but far more enjoyable to drive. Driver involvement is sadly lacking in modern cars .

I guess the search will continue, shame as the RF exceeded every criteria I have except the bike one.

performance cars or sportswear call it what you like. I would not be towing or attaching anything to my NC- its just a super fun car which we regularly drive with top down - the car is a lightweight sportscar- its a bub compared to a Mustang and its not nearly as practical as a hot hatch and those cars offer more options insofar as life style is concerned. The yanks do some pretty silly things and what is legal or ignored there is not necessarily the same in Au. You might even find that adding certain things to an ND would not be covered on Insurance - it would not be hard to check whats accepted here.