MX5 - Most fun for the price

Sirois · Postby **Sirois** » Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:31 pm

Hi everyone,

So often I hear/read that the MX5 is the most fun you can have in a car for the price and wondering how true everyone here believes that to be?

At around $10,000 for a decent NB8B you can buy a few different toys, including many turbo RWD cars (mostly Nissan I guess) as well as AWD turbo cars (Subaru) and other good handling NA cars (Honda, DC5R in particular).

Taking away any concerns about practicality as this would be purely a toy would anyone say that for $10,000 you could have more fun in a different car?

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:50 pm

You’ve come to an MX ( forum to ask this question?

you could have more Fun in a NA6/8

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StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:56 pm

You’ve come to an MX ( forum to ask this question?

you could have more Fun in a NA6/8

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93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Mon Apr 15, 2019 11:44 am

Sirois wrote:At around $10,000 for a decent NB8B ... this would be purely a toy would anyone say that for $10,000 you could have more fun in a different car?

As it's purely a toy, If you don't mind NVH, then agree with STM that an NA6 or NA8 would be the WTG - otherwise a low km NB8B for under $10k: https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/rosetta ... 1215626713

yertimer · Postby **yertimer** » Mon Apr 15, 2019 1:40 pm

Yes I get the question. It depends what you're looking for. I have had a 200sx, many hot hatches - turbo and non-turbo and a couple of WRX's, amongst other hot cars - all were very quick and lots of fun. But for me the only car I have owned that even competes with my NA8 MX5 for fun is an original Morris Mini Cooper S. And the MX5 is fuss free - it's more reliable & durable etc etc (not being British). IMHO, dollar for dollar nothing compares to a MX5 - both to buy and to run, and like the old Cooper S it proves a great handling car doesn't have to be lightning fast to be fun.

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:02 am

yertimer wrote:And like the old Cooper S it proves a great handling car doesn't have to be powerful to be fast

Updated your quote if he wants to track it....

Custardtart · Postby **Custardtart** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:38 am

In my experience the most fun for the price are the Clubman cars, BUT they are so impractical that an MX5 gets you 80% of the fun with none of the sacrifice and an Elise/Exige gets you 90% the fun but at a price that makes the MX5 look ridiculous value for money.

yertimer · Postby **yertimer** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:42 am

rascal wrote:
yertimer wrote:And like the old Cooper S it proves a great handling car doesn't have to be powerful to be fast

Updated your quote if he wants to track it....

Thanks - that's better phrasing and is what I meant.

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Tue Apr 16, 2019 10:33 pm

The Cooper S story is probably just nostalgia- a mate has one and is pretty unimpressed compared to his MX5.The Cooper was under engineered. You will not get a more fun car than an MX5 and an 8B is a better car than its predecessors. Another pal says his early MX5 is more fun than his WRX but the latter car is faster. I reckon custard tart is right. I would never own a Clubman- too old ( me) and just impractical and not safe motoring.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 10:35 am

Sirois wrote:Hi everyone,

So often I hear/read that the MX5 is the most fun you can have in a car for the price and wondering how true everyone here believes that to be?

I've always said that the MX5 is not the best car out there, but it is one of the best value.

Purely because it's pretty fun etc.
BUT as well as the purchase price, they are also very cheap and easy to maintain.

You're essentially getting a Mazda 323 that handles well.

Danny · Postby **Danny** » Wed Apr 17, 2019 2:20 pm

Sirois wrote:Hi everyone,

So often I hear/read that the MX5 is the most fun you can have in a car for the price and wondering how true everyone here believes that to be?

At around $10,000 for a decent NB8B you can buy a few different toys, including many turbo RWD cars (mostly Nissan I guess) as well as AWD turbo cars (Subaru) and other good handling NA cars (Honda, DC5R in particular).

Taking away any concerns about practicality as this would be purely a toy would anyone say that for $10,000 you could have more fun in a different car?

Easy answer, no.
After often chasing a mate's NB in a variety of cars including Porsche (na and turbos), Lotus Esprit S4, S2000 (yes) and others, on very winding roads where power couldn't dominate I was so impressed I had to get one.

An old post but worth looking at https://www.topmiata.com/160927-what-a- ... he-gt3-rs/