OV9

John wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2024 2:56 pm Love the colour

The lowering springs will improve the car no end. The large gap from tyre to arch is reduced so the car looks better plus the comedy body roll is much less.

I'm torn on the lowering springs. Had no trouble with the lumpy lay-by opposite the Ponderosa or speed humps in Chester, and I used to scrape my blue mk1 just going to McDonalds drive thru.

I have also enquired with a local car wrapping place about doing it in the same Atomic Teal as James from Throttle House's car. If I'm going to do it, better to do it while it's new to keep the paintwork protected I think.

Jobbo wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2024 3:05 pm

Beany wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2024 2:09 pm I can see one of this generation of MX-5s being on my list next time I come to change cars - one of the reasons I've been a bit cool on MX-5s is because I tried a 1.8 Mk2 when I had the Puma, and it felt fucking wooden compared to the zingy, hyperactive thing that was the Puma - the engine in particular being really, really disappointing in comparison - it's not that it didn't feel hot like the Puma does (mostly due to power delivery and gearing in it's case) it didn't even feel warm.

I've not driven a mk2 MX5 but I imagine the 1.8 was pretty similar to the 1.8 in my second mk1. It definitely felt less enthusiastic than the earlier 1.6 despite apparently having 10% more power. Got to pick your MX5 engine carefully I think.

The 184bhp version is about 2019 onwards, Bean, and there are plenty of them around in the £15k region, such as: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 6261138965
Got to be careful that you don't find a late-registered 160bhp model though. And I was offered a 2019 184bhp for £14k-ish last year so I'd expect prices to have been a bit lower; buy in winter. And put some rust protection on it.

I'm thinking a few years of >300+bhp and not being able to use most of it in most places will have me going back to something light, pointy and fun, so by then I'd expect they'd be a fair bit cheaper, too

That does look cracking. Congrats. Light cars FTW!

The wrap idea sounds awful! It looks good in the grey!

This is the colour - James from Throttle House's car. I'd stick with the original black wheels and probably black mirror caps on mine. I genuinely think Mazda missed a trick in not doing a colour like this from the factory.



But since I'll probably not be arsed I doubt it will change colour

First mod done. A stubby aerial.

Jobbo wrote: Thu Jul 04, 2024 1:55 pm - The electric windows. Annoyingly they drop (quite a bit) when you put the hood up and down but don't go back up automatically. And they're not one-shot up which feels a bit 1990s.

https://www.mlsdistribution.com/car-par ... -pd-37.php

What tyres do you have ?

Bridgestone S001. The compound feels quite soft and sticky compared to my Audi’s Contis.

Nice purchase. I was in the Emira camp but sounds like it fits the bill perfectly. Didn’t realise they had similar power to weight as an Elise so they’re quicker than I thought too!

Did you spec any extras? When I had a play on the configurator I was surprised at how limited the options were, especially the colours. I'd want to wrap it in Techo Violet or Gulia Green.

The only extra was the paint, and choosing the Homura model to get the Recaros etc. It has plenty of stuff as standard; sat nav, heated seats, blind spot assist etc. In other markets it's available with radar cruise control and I'm sad that doesn't appear in the UK but to be honest I'll probably only drive it when I don't want to use that anyway.

As a consequence of where I bought it I got Stoneacre mats not the official Mazda ones so I've had to splash out £80 for a set of the OEM luxury mats from MX5Parts. Eating into the £2k discount. Add on the £16.75 for the train ticket and I'm only just over £1900 up over buying locally!

Coincidentally the wrap people have quoted £1900. I'm torn; it would be nice if it was a unique colour but I do like cars to be factory standard and I like the grey.

That's a very nice grey, really suits the shape of the car.

The vibrant blue with black details would look pretty sweet, but I get the wish to keep it standard.

I didn't realise Mazda were still doing the traditional aerials! Thought those had gone out a long time ago.

The stock aerial is mad - apparently a Honda S2000 aerial is a direct replacement but the stubby I bought from the US was about £20 and shorter. I believe it is rubbish at picking up radio; but I listen to the radio so little it's not going to be an issue and I can use internet radio through Carplay anyway.

I finally found a benefit of brexit

I thought we have the same emissions regulations?

I have realised that the steering wheel does go in and out, but it was already in as far as it would go. If anyone drives this model MX5 and has the steering wheel anywhere other than fully up and fully in, I'd be surprised

Jobbo likes it fully up, and then fully in.

You read it here first folks.

mik wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 11:56 am Jobbo likes it fully up, and then fully in.

You read it here first folks.

Oh yes. And if that doesn't bring an end to your summer, it's not in or up far enough.