Discussion
Took some photos of the new toy last night, so here goes:
To tell the truth I've been very impressed with it, it may only be a 120bhp 1600 but at 950kg its light enough, has a nice tight sweet-shifting box with pretty close ratios, and a healthy aversion to understeer. All the controls are nicely weighted with plenty of feel, brakes are great, everything seems simple, effective and well-engineered. Its a 19 year old, 205,000km car with no roof and it doesn't even have any rattles (until you get onto nasty corrugated gravel). The hood is simple and easy to use, and over about 70km/h in the rain you don't get wet top-down either. Only complaints are that the headlights are pretty crap (easily addressed) and that it looks a bit girly, but hey when its that much fun to drive who really cares?
Why didn't I get one sooner?
To tell the truth I've been very impressed with it, it may only be a 120bhp 1600 but at 950kg its light enough, has a nice tight sweet-shifting box with pretty close ratios, and a healthy aversion to understeer. All the controls are nicely weighted with plenty of feel, brakes are great, everything seems simple, effective and well-engineered. Its a 19 year old, 205,000km car with no roof and it doesn't even have any rattles (until you get onto nasty corrugated gravel). The hood is simple and easy to use, and over about 70km/h in the rain you don't get wet top-down either. Only complaints are that the headlights are pretty crap (easily addressed) and that it looks a bit girly, but hey when its that much fun to drive who really cares?
Why didn't I get one sooner?
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 27th February 20:39
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 27th February 20:41
Can't see any doughnut marks in the gravel in those pics, you must be behaving yourself. Good backdrop for photos I know there is some nice twisty corners you must have taken to get there.
Does sound like a nice tight car. I'm looking forward to seeing/experiencing it firsthand.
Actually how is luggage space? what could you fit in there? I've been saying to my wife that getting an MX5 or MR2 could be a real money saver for trips to Dunedin/Invercargill etc, cause we wont have space to take anything home so we dont spend as much at the shops!
Wagons are great, only downfall is that when u have the space one tends to make use of it.
Does sound like a nice tight car. I'm looking forward to seeing/experiencing it firsthand.
Actually how is luggage space? what could you fit in there? I've been saying to my wife that getting an MX5 or MR2 could be a real money saver for trips to Dunedin/Invercargill etc, cause we wont have space to take anything home so we dont spend as much at the shops!
Wagons are great, only downfall is that when u have the space one tends to make use of it.
Love the pics. Thats twice this week you have been showing off, I am so jealous!! Driving sports car in arguably NZ most awesome mountains is tops. Send me a few trailer loads of that schist up will ya 
I remember years ago when these cars first came out and my flatmate bought one, it made my MR2 look rather silly beside it. They are brilliant and I always wanted one. The newer MX5's that the guys are hotting up for track days are quick and keep a lot of Euro marques very honest.
If I didnt have my windsurfing/biking/Art hobbies etc I rekon I would still have something similar today as the No.1 daily thrasher.
I did leave some nice snakey marks up the road after the photos. The road up there is too rough at the moment to be a lot of fun as it gets knocked round a bit by the bumps, but it gets the back end out easily enough in the hairpins and fun on the smoother gravel. Might take it up Hawksburn Rd (NOT right over to Clyde!) for a play too sometime, thats a nicer road with some good corners.Luggage space is better than I expected actually, I reckon I could get my (85L)pack in the boot ok with a bit of stuff around it, but wouldn't get 2 of them in. Theres a decent bit of space on the shelf behind the seats when the top is up as well.
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 27th February 21:42
I reckon these wheels would look pretty good on the MX5 but should probably wait until I wear out the tyres on it first...
http://www.mx5forum.co.nz/ads_item.php?id=29
http://www.mx5forum.co.nz/ads_item.php?id=29
Hey Ben, your camera can do raw (we have the same camera), it's in the setup options, like where you set up everything else like the sound and stuff. If you turn it on your Memory card fills up really fast (obviously). I think the software CD that came with the Camera has software for turning the Raw files into Tiffs. I've shot some in Raw before but they were too large for conventional stuff. I only use it for special shots.
RobDickinson said:
Traitors! Have registered over there to see whats happening but have to wait for an admin to activate my account apparently.Doesn't seem to be much happening there either. Its almost like people are actually working or something.
Edited by GravelBen on Friday 29th February 00:37
Hahaha,of all the places to drive it you take it to the top of duffers saddle 
xxxk knows what that was like coming down there in an MX5 ...... or did you go the long way out to Garston?
You guys and gals that don't know the road, look it up on google earth, its more suited to a Bowler Wildcat!Class!
xxxk knows what that was like coming down there in an MX5 ...... or did you go the long way out to Garston?
You guys and gals that don't know the road, look it up on google earth, its more suited to a Bowler Wildcat!Class!
Welcome to the world of MX5's! Cheap, fun, reliable, etc.
I like your choice for its next set of wheels but go to 15's, they seem to help the handling/ride.
950kg? Would you like to borrow my air saw?
Just fitting 50mm wheel spacers and some bubble arches to mine, should be wider than it is long! It will still be the roughest looking 5 in NZ though.
I like your choice for its next set of wheels but go to 15's, they seem to help the handling/ride.
950kg? Would you like to borrow my air saw?
Just fitting 50mm wheel spacers and some bubble arches to mine, should be wider than it is long! It will still be the roughest looking 5 in NZ though.
The Nevis is a nice place for photos, though I must admit I was having to take parts of it pretty gently...still getting used to RWD on the loose stuff too, first non-Subie I've owned so its a bit of a change. Not a heap of power but a different driving style required all the same.kjl996- Did you weigh yours before removing bits, and if so how accurate was the factory 940kg weight claim?
GravelBen said:
:
kjl996- Did you weigh yours before removing bits, and if so how accurate was the factory 940kg weight claim?
No unfortunately I didnt weigh it. I was led to believe they are about 1050kg but could be wrong. My claim of losing 300 odd kg out of mine may be slightly incorrect too, a friend has done the same to his as I have and he weighed his but I now have suspicions that he has deducted his own weight (90kg) from an empty car. I keep meaning to take it to the weigh bridge but work keeps coming first. kjl996- Did you weigh yours before removing bits, and if so how accurate was the factory 940kg weight claim?
Have fun.
GravelBen said:
RobDickinson said:
Traitors! Have registered over there to see whats happening but have to wait for an admin to activate my account apparently.Doesn't seem to be much happening there either. Its almost like people are actually working or something.
Edited by GravelBen on Friday 29th February 00:37
They seem to be busily removing any reference to Gorvid's site as soon as we put them up.I don't think any of us are traitors, most are still on PH as well, (except those who got banned, which sort of started the huge increase in CTF membership) Most are a bit annoyed that most PH mods & staff are ignoring peoples legitimate questions or complaints.
kjl996 said:
GravelBen said:
:
kjl996- Did you weigh yours before removing bits, and if so how accurate was the factory 940kg weight claim?
No unfortunately I didnt weigh it. I was led to believe they are about 1050kg but could be wrong. My claim of losing 300 odd kg out of mine may be slightly incorrect too, a friend has done the same to his as I have and he weighed his but I now have suspicions that he has deducted his own weight (90kg) from an empty car. I keep meaning to take it to the weigh bridge but work keeps coming first. kjl996- Did you weigh yours before removing bits, and if so how accurate was the factory 940kg weight claim?
Have fun.
RobDickinson said:
kjl996 said:
GravelBen said:
:
kjl996- Did you weigh yours before removing bits, and if so how accurate was the factory 940kg weight claim?
No unfortunately I didnt weigh it. I was led to believe they are about 1050kg but could be wrong. My claim of losing 300 odd kg out of mine may be slightly incorrect too, a friend has done the same to his as I have and he weighed his but I now have suspicions that he has deducted his own weight (90kg) from an empty car. I keep meaning to take it to the weigh bridge but work keeps coming first. kjl996- Did you weigh yours before removing bits, and if so how accurate was the factory 940kg weight claim?
Have fun.
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