Why did you buy an MX5 ?

Code4 · Postby **Code4** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 10:17 am

For me:
1) I needed a hobby.
2) always wanted a convertible. (It's a bucket list thing)

Having moved to the smoke from the bush I couldn't justify a safe full of rifles with no chance of using them much, so I sold up all but one and started looking.

Had a look at Ford Capris. FWD yech.
The Daihatsu. Not enough parts support.
The VW. Too ugly.
Older Saabs. Too expensive to repair.
The Holden Astra. Prices are good but they aren't owned by enthusiasts so servicing and maintenance was always going to be a big ????

I found prices of MX5's very reasonable except NA's. Higher mileage ones IMO getting a little silly. Parts are everywhere and easy to get, even from OS. They are a Mazda which means reliabilty is more consistant.

Had a ride in an NA, NB SE and an NC. The NC had a mega stiff suspension but would have been my choice if under $10K.
NB8A was a price sweet spot for my goal of cruising and showing off.

The Good: Lot of fun and economical. Lots of choice for going wild or simply enjoying an open top. Rear wheel drive. An inherently well balanced platform. Looks like a roadster.
The Bad: NVH. This was a major disapointment, but has been relieved by returning the suspension to stock, bringing the servicing up to date and fitting good tyres and a torque box roll bar. Its really a third or fourth family car unless you have no friends.

Odd · Postby **Odd** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 10:28 am

I've owned a roadster(mk2asprite) since 1974
I've owned Mazdas since 1982
A mate bought a NC when he retired....and talked me into an upgrade....
Bought a low klm NA8....what a brilliant decision!

billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 12:12 pm

well friends only slam your doors anyway ......and usually don't like being told either :lol:

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 1:35 pm

I had a Mitsubishi 1982 JA Starion which I loved and kept for over 20 years - great GT car that had some poke for its time, the boost build-up was so raw and really got the adrenalin flowing.
Every time I thought about upgrading and compared it to other cars, I could never justify paying the price difference, the JA Starion was a fantastic car and had the best seats I've ever sat in (7-way adjustable; even after driving between Adelaide and Melbourne, approx. 8 hours, I never got a sore back).
Unfortunately car-cancer, aka rust, took a hold and the cost of repairing it wasn't an option given that it was never going to be considered a classic.

My next car had to be fun but very different so that I wouldn't keep comparing it to the Starion and since I'm single and worked in the city, I didn't need a DD or a practical car so a 2-door convertible was the perfect "different" option.

manga_blue · Postby **manga_blue** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 2:08 pm

I was living in inner Melbourne's Fitzroy and working in Box Hill when I took on a second project in Richmond, meaning I had to move between the different jobs and home once or twice a day. I needed something quick, simple, small and very manouverable that could manage all the little back lanes of the inner city, plus it had to be enjoyable enough to help me to destress between meetings.

It only ever did a few months of that sort of work before becoming essentially a track car for nine years. Along the way it has been a work vehicle and a weekend warrior across Victoria, Central and Hunter NSW and the Perth area. Through it I've made friendships and enjoyed events with the Vic, NSW, SA and WA MX5 clubs. It's now in its third life with me as it morphs very successfully into a tourer on the steep twisty roads in and around the wildernesses bounded by Moruya and Bairnsdale on the coast and the Snowy region. I could never ever have foreseen at the start how many good uses I could put this car to.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 3:02 pm

It had just been released - had to have one.

legume · Postby **legume** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 6:25 pm

I always loved them when they came out when I was a teen. Then they kept popping up in mags and later internet over the years.... rotary powered, v8s, turbos, locost parts donors plus all the general great reviews.

Two years ago I started renovating a house and there was a guy across the way that had drift MX5 (Wazman on here). Over a year of chatting to him and checking his car out I started to regain an interest. One year I had enough of how annoying our third car (really second car as one is a work ute) a VW golf was for reliability and ease of working on. I decided it had to go. One day I mentioned to my mrs that the MX5 was my favourite car when I was young. Turns out it was her favourite too. So here I am with my 40th birthday present.

StillIC · Postby **StillIC** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 6:50 pm

My ST162 Celica was getting beaten at more and more hillclimbs and I wanted something that was more competitive and could be used successfully in supersprints, which the Celica was crap at. A friend was selling his MX5 with quite a few modifications already made at a reasonable price, and it was within a couple of tenths of me with 400cc less engine. At the time I thought that the NA6 was the most competitive road registered 1.6 around. Plus, what's not to love; good mass distribution, 4 wheel discs, 4 wheel double wishbones with adjustable camber and castor, heaps of parts available, reasonable engine, rear wheel drive. In hindsight I should have bought a grey import Civic Type R. Especially since I have never really fitted in the MX5. But if I had a Civic would I want an MX5? Probably.

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 7:00 pm

Bought my first one three years ago, just before I got off my P's. Thought I'd upgrade to something turbo shortly after but I was hooked so bought Gregory after gaining my full license. I moved from an NB8B to an NA8 because of all the awesome retro stuff being done to the NA's.

So I got into MX5's because of the government not letting me have a fast car on my P's (and rightly so).

Sent from my LG-H815

Postby **beavis** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 7:22 pm

Light +
Cheap +
Rear wheel drive +
Handling +
Reliable

=

Trackcar

pepejesus · Postby **pepejesus** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 7:51 pm

Yep, good value track car with excellent aftermarket support and plenty of people with huge amounts of experience (especially from the US) willing to share that knowledge.

chrons_rotary · Postby **chrons_rotary** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 10:28 pm

I couldn't afford an FD

smy0003 · Postby **smy0003** » Sun Dec 04, 2016 12:10 am

chrons_rotary wrote:I couldn't afford an FD

Hahahaha yes, probably the most accurate answer!

Sent from my LG-H815

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Sun Dec 04, 2016 1:19 am

beavis wrote:Light +
Cheap + Rear wheel drive + Handling + Reliable = Trackcar

Agree 1000%.
Exactly the reasons I chose one...

rhyde · Postby **rhyde** » Sun Dec 04, 2016 2:06 am

oh how i want to contribute here
it stated in 93 for me
my mate was working as a car salesman in a used car dealership and every day he could take car home
one weekend all th eboys went away for a boys weekend in lorne, and my mate nick had a 90 white na
one night he was smashed off his head and had the munchies and asked me if i could go get him some food, he told me to take the 5
so i did
i drove from lorne to geelong that night with the roof down and the song "born to be alive" on absolute repeat and i was in awe of this car and that from that second on. Hot night 4 hr drive up and back roof down with one song on loop and thats all it took for me,
4 hrs later i got back, nick still off his head didnt fully understand how long i was away for lol...
one of the best weekends with the boys of my life
ahh memories

bought a 91 brg 1 year later, kept it for 5years
in 2010, bought an nc
miss the na, and so want a brf na again