Just drove my MX5 in the rain for the first time...

[T0MMY]

...and this is my face --->

I haven't enjoyed driving so much in years It's got crappy Avons on the back so it steps out at the slightest whiff of throttle and it is of course brilliantly controllable as these always are, plus mine has an LSD I've been loving it in the dry but it needs a bit of provoking (lifting off or trail braking followed by a load of revs) and it's hard to keep it sliding for long without much power. In the wet it's just awesome, well up there with my beloved 200SXs for slidey fun I'd say. Final nail in the coffin for my other car I think...

Anyone want to buy a low mileage, one previous owner, 1999 Impreza WRX for £2200?

[KevTM]

Glad you're enjoying it, man.

I've also been having a shit load of fun in mine (only had it a few weeks). Brilliant cars. Like you say though, in the dry it is difficult to keep the slides going for any length of time but it is very controllable/forgiving.

Just "de-powered" my steering rack, the proper way (i.e. removing the metal seal)... still seems a tad heavy so scared to do any slidey slidey in it yet in case I can't countersteer quick enough

[Fawbish]

Is there a particular model that's recommended by MX-5 owners? Doing a little research - they cant get pretty much universal decent reviews for no reason, despite the inherent rep for the gay.
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"Oh....it looks like Average Joe's is forfeiting the match!" - "Yeah, its a risky strategy but lets see if it pays off for 'em Cotton."

[UnknownStuntm...]

[Bendy]

[stinkwheel]

Mind you, there's a lot to be said for a car NOT stepping out in the wet too.

My Fiancee has a Dihatsu copen and I have yet to make it break traction. You throw it into a roundabout hard and boot it down and it just goes round the corner like it's on rails.

Very silly really. It's a small car but makes just over 100 bhp/ton. Drives like a go-kart.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[garth]

NA FTW
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[T0MMY]

I like the early ones to look at but I think they're all meant to be good to drive (never driven the NC version though).

I'll get some pics up of the Impreza tonight (or actually put a for sale post up in the correct forum ) although I'm not too concerned about selling it quickly as I've just found out I can keep it insured alongside the MX5 for £10 a month Quite handy to have it as a practical car as it feels as quiet and smooth as a Rolls-Royce after driving the MX5 but I don't even need one car let alone 2 so it's a bit stupid to keep it.

Funny...when I got the Impreza I was blown away by how well it handled but after the MX5 it feels a bit lumbering, albeit with massive amounts of grip. It does of course feel like a bloody rocketship speedwise however and it's far quicker down a country road but the MX5 feels more fun to me now.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Thing that would concern me with an older MX5 is rust (that and accident damage from people going from to to to ). Reading round while there are other common issues they seem pretty simple to fix (rear calipers), and if anything major mechanical happens there are enough scrap ones around for the bits.

It is the next car on my shopping list though, but probably an NC. Possibly one of the folding hard top ones even if they are a bit heavier. Not going to be for at least a year though so hoping the prices drop a bit by then.

The NB seems to lose on too many levels. Not cheap enough, no popup headlights, rust like the early ones, no hard to to give some tiny level of security, etc. And also 95% seem to be painted in really vile wishy washy colours.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[garth]

My UK '93 with 123,000 on it has no rust at all! I took up the carpets and the floorpan is like new.

Next on my shopping list is coilovers.
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[Bendy]

My UK '95 with 70,000 on the clock was held together by the paint. You do have to make sure you get a good one.

I was determined not to like the NC as a hardened NA owner, but one test drive and I was arranging the trade in.

[garth]

Can I haz goes Bendy?
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[Bendy]

Yeah man, we should swapz some day. Meet you somewhere halfway

It'll be interesting to drive an NA that isn't about to snap in half. But I'll probably just spend the time flashing people out of junctions.


(There was also the knackered stereo, the knackered back window, ropey shocks and the small matter of the drift day that led to an unidentified fluid all over the engine bay. All good reasons to trade in. )

[garth]

I'm rocking a K&N and a noisey pipe and a hardtop

And a tappet rattle from hot start but shhhh. Goes after 10 secs.
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[Bendy]

Hardtop???

https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/uploads/gallery/1123314262/tn_gallery_36781_16436_1123519508.jpg

[Kickstart]

[Bendy]

I was dissing Garth.

I'd expect nothing less than a hardtop from a heathen such as yourself Keith.

[Kickstart]

[Bendy]

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/3523115/perfecthair.gif

[Kickstart]

Hi

Scalping yourself the next time you even look at a hair brush isn't an advantage.

No way my hair could be claimed to be perfect.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[garth]

Soft top leaks, init.
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[Bendy]

[KevTM]

my NA is fine for rust except the sills where they meet the rear arch, I'm assuming the drain holes are blocked. I've heard that the NB's tend to rust more easily/faster than the NA's, although, if you take age into account they'll both be pretty much the same (i.e. rusty) .

The only good thing about the NC's I can see is a bit more power and the retractable hard-top (even though it adds weight). I want a hard-top for mine and to remove the soft-top but then you can't just throw the hood down for the 20 minutes the sun pops out!.

[T0MMY]

I'm undecided about the hardtop. I intend to use this car all year round but I'm not sure how bad the soft top would actually be in winter...why is it a problem (unless it actually leaks which I don't think mine does)? This is definitely the time of year to get one though, they're much cheaper in summer.

BTW here's a pic of the (slightly dirty) Impreza for whoever asked...

[Drake]

all i can say is yummmy..... https://speedhunters.com/archive/2009/04/03/random-snap-gt-gt-little-red-mx5.aspx
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was: derbi senda, aprilia sx125, nsr250 mc16, cagiva mito, cb600 hornet now: mk1 bandit, KR1S, landrover series 3 light weight 2.5 petrol, 5speed box