The road defines the car

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 12:49 pm

My MX 5 is used entirely for pleasure. It goes out once a week and is used on 'B' roads where traffic is light and I can just enjoy the car for an hour or so.
I have a few regular routes that I rotate for variety, and they all have more corners and more interesting terrain than the main roads.
Even so, there is not really anything in them that really highlights the MX5's abilities, and over time you forget just how good these cars really are.
Yesterday I decided to run the gauntlet of roadwork in the region and take the car for a run up the newly resurfaced Mt Morgan Range near Rockhampton.
It was like discovering the car all over again.
The Range road is steep but only short, dríven in just a few minutes, but all tight 3rd gear corners, and now covered in smooth, even hot-mix bitumen.
It's years since I last drove the road (in it's former rough, uneven, corrugated form) and I had forgotten how beautifully the MX5 makes the transition as the steering wheel is flicked from left to right.
With the revs up in second and third, there is a purposeful growl from the exhaust that I don't normally hear, but no squeal or scrub from the tyres as the car just bites and takes the curves in it's stride.
It's all over far too soon, and I was left with the desire to just go back down and do it again.
dríven sensibly, it's safe as houses with no speed limits exceeded and no road rules broken (although no doubt the killjoys would be outraged at the thought of anyone actually enjoying driving)
The only danger from the incompetents (cars, motorcycles and even bicycles) who can't stay on their side of the road.
Viva MX5.

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:07 pm

So true!
I'm looking after a house being built at Mt Nebo
The trip from the Gap to Mt Nebo and back is what the mx5 is about
Easy to have a lot of fun at the speed limit...any more power wouldn't make it quicker
Top down, Bell birds calling, tight bends...Love it!

If I've had a hard day a quick trip around Mt Cootha on my way home puts a smile on my face

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:26 pm

I agree an mx5 almost gets boring around town as nothing is ever a challenge for it in terms of handling.

deviant · Postby **deviant** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:30 pm

Now use it on track against the clock and multiply the feeling by 100!

TTT · Postby **TTT** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:31 pm

lol.. mine pretty much only comes out to go to nebo/glorious.
then washed and parked.

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 3:20 pm

It was those quick transitions from left-hand-down to right-hand-down that really struck me.
In a 'normal' car - even a good one - you get that "time-lag-and-wallow" as the steering can't cope with the inputs, and of course the resultant tyre scrub and squeal as the suspension gets unsettled.
The MX5 is a revelation in this regard - even with standard suspension.

TTT · Postby **TTT** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 3:30 pm

the frog arm / fender braces I got from Exocet / NitroDann made a big difference to that exact scenario you are talking about.

speed · Postby **speed** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 8:54 pm

I do love that sweet spot beyond 4,000 rpm, especially when in a corner

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Vat · Postby **Vat** » Wed Aug 20, 2014 9:10 pm

Odd wrote:If I've had a hard day a quick trip around Mt Cootha on my way home puts a smile on my face

Same. Great head clearer. Both on the way home, or an accidental very long "put the car in the garage".

taminga16 · Postby **taminga16** » Sat Aug 23, 2014 11:32 am

"It's not the car that matters, but the memories that it provides".

ED_MX5 · Postby **ED_MX5** » Sat Aug 23, 2014 1:24 pm

Yeah, my favourite trips are around the block to test something, and the block ends up being approx. 100km, including some nice twisties just to make sure your new gear knob, or radio, or other unrelated modification works well. I know many people have been there.

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Sat Aug 23, 2014 2:40 pm

Mine usually start after a wash.
'I'll just go for a drive to make sure it's 100% dry'
A few hours later it's dark and I'm in marysville.

khlmx5 · Postby **khlmx5** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 9:23 pm

Just wanna know if you guys enjoy driving ur 5s unmodified or enjoy driving with handling and/or performace modifications?

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 9:32 pm

I have a NA8....factory true(except for the cup holder)

Nevyn72 · Postby **Nevyn72** » Sun Aug 24, 2014 9:41 pm

khlmx5 wrote:Just wanna know if you guys enjoy driving ur 5s unmodified or enjoy driving with handling and/or performace modifications?

Really enjoy driving my only very lightly modded NB SE, it's not that I'm not going to do more over time because it's great as it is, but more because it can be improved..... I just don't want to mod certain aspects because that's what everyone else does but more because the changes will improve the things that are important for the way I use the car....... :wink: