old lurker returning to the fold

[MikeHunt]

Good afternoon - all, managed to find my login and have been catching up on the freds, which has helped with the lockdown boredom.

Right now I have a 540i and an MX5 sat on the drive, frustratingly I my bike has done more miles than both cars recently.

[Rich B]

Bonjour! What did you used to have? (To try and put a name to a car).

[speedingfine]

Hello

More 540i and MX5 details please

[MikeHunt]

Last time I was on here I had a golf r in lease deal red. Going back 10/12 years when we were on evo website I had an Impreza and before that a 323 v6 and a Cappuccino.

I live near Bromsgrove and used to work in Stourbridge, seem to recall a few locals were in here?

[MikeHunt]

The mx5 is a 100th anniversary edition, its white with red roof, red seats and red carpets. It’s been fettled by BBRGTI, lowered, anti roll bars, 6 pot brakes, cams, manifold, full exhaust and tuned with raised rev limit running around 221bhp. It sounds insane at just shy of 8000 revs.

The 540i is a g30 m sport, in black. Its a very good car but almost too competent and grown up. We live in a semi rural area and the 4wd does come in useful, but I’m not keen on a dull suv. The bmw is debadged and is subtle enough to take people by surprise.

[speedingfine]

The mx5 is a 100th anniversary edition, its white with red roof, red seats and red carpets. It’s been fettled by BBRGTI, lowered, anti roll bars, 6 pot brakes, cams, manifold, full exhaust and tuned with raised rev limit running around 221bhp. It sounds insane at just shy of 8000 revs.

The 540i is a g30 m sport, in black. Its a very good car but almost too competent and grown up. We live in a semi rural area and the 4wd does come in useful, but I’m not keen on a dull suv. The bmw is debadged and is subtle enough to take people by surprise.

MX5 sounds brilliant. The brakes must be pretty darn good I look forward to video evidence of this screaming engine

Disappointed to see the 540i isn't a V8 any more I suspect I'm 20 odd years out of date there

Yes there's a few West Midlands folk here to including me

[John]

MX5 sounds a hoot, the mx5 ND is growing on me over time too.

[Jobbo]

My immediate thought when you said MX5 and 540i was the mk1 MX5 and E39 540i. Clearly no time has passed in my world in the last 20 years

Welcome back; I recognise your username. How on earth did you find this place?

[Sundayjumper]

I was on exactly the same track as Jobbo !

[MikeHunt]

MX5 sounds a hoot, the mx5 ND is growing on me over time too.

I had a mk3.5 prh, loved that carand was planning to taking it bbrgti. As soon as I saw the mk4, I sold my mk3 and was waiting for the recall editions to drop down to a decent price. Before I pulled the trigger, Mazda (the gits) upgraded the engine and used models are holding their price. Hence I ended up buying new.

[MikeHunt]

My immediate thought when you said MX5 and 540i was the mk1 MX5 and E39 540i. Clearly no time has passed in my world in the last 20 years

Welcome back; I recognise your username. How on earth did you find this place?

A few petrol heads have looked disappointed when they find out that its “only a 3 litre”

I was planning to buy a boater in the summer and google brought me to that epic thread, been lurking ever since (like a weirdo). Realised last week that my old laptop had saved the password.

[DeskJockey]

I was on exactly the same track as Jobbo !

Me three.

[Jobbo]

I can well imagine getting an ND MX5 at some point with the 187bhp engine. Did you buy yours standard and upgrade with the BBR bits?

[MikeHunt]

I can well imagine getting an ND MX5 at some point with the 187bhp engine. Did you buy yours standard and upgrade with the BBR bits?

Its disappointing that Mazda dont sell a more sporty version of the mx5 akin to the Yaris circuit pack, as it definitely lacks at least springs and a back box from the factory.

It was standard for 2 weeks while I ran it in. The conversion cost £7k which prices the car at circa £37,000 amongst some of the bigger boys. Given that my warranty is pretty much shot, and so it would be fair to compare used cars with a similar cost such as Boxster 981, M2, Alfa 4C, (A110 are mid 40s). Ive looked at both and I think that the 4c is very marmite, the 981 is very tempting but gears are tall which means that just like the 540i and the Golf R before it, your having fun but at silly speeds. Same goes for the M2 which is also too similar to my other car.

Its still a hair dressers car but more for a spit and saw dust barber and not perms and blue rinse.

[John]

Do you still have the ND? Still enjoying it? I'm thinking about buying a coupe version around three years old to get the more powerful engine. I know many people don't like the looks of the coupe but I've always liked quirky cars

[MikeHunt]

Do you still have the ND? Still enjoying it? I'm thinking about buying a coupe version around three years old to get the more powerful engine. I know many people don't like the looks of the coupe but I've always liked quirky cars

Hi, yes still have what has become a bit of a garage queen, but hoping to take it to caffeine and machine this weekend, weather permitting.

I owned a mk3.5 prht before the ND and the RF seemed like the natural upgrade, but I found that with roof down buffeting was really annoying between 65 and 80 so make sure you have a good test drive.

Definitely get the 184 engine, the 30th ae edition has decent spec including brembos but you need to price in the cost of a wrap

[John]

Yeah, I’ve heard about the buffeting. I hadn’t realised that the rear screen went down along with the roof, that explains the wind deflector on the RF.

A 30th anniversary edition would look great parked alongside our Panda