MX5 Mk3 or Mk3.5

[shindha]

I am after a MX5, the car will be my daily drive with the wife driving it occasionally we do have her car for when we need space etc. I would like to keep it stock to start off with and may be do the occasional track day in it as well and later on in its and my life modify it a bit, suspension etc.
My main question is this, is the MK3 2006 – 2009 a much inferior car than the MK3.5 2009 onwards, as I have read that the 2009 face lifted model (smiley grille as opposed to the oval grille) is better handling and a better drivers car, but have not personally driven either yet so seek the opinion of people with experience of may be both the variants.
I usually keep my cars for a long time, so buying right is quite important hence all the questions. I have narrowed my choice down to a 2.0 litre Sport model, looking at the market there are a lot of Sport Techs available and a lot of 1.8’s. I don’t want the Sport Tech because they have gadgets on them that I don’t need or will use cruise control etc. I don’t particularly like air conditioning but will live with it as I believe the Sport has this. The SE does not appeal due to the smaller size of wheels and no front fog lights, although I understand that these can be retrofitted and have seen some SE’s with 17” wheels. The reason I state this is that it is quite difficult to find Sport models so have thought about getting a SE and upgrading it, but the SE’s are fetching quite strong money so buying one and upgrading doesn’t make economical sense.

[roddo]

The later mk3.5 cars have a slightly better engine, they rev higher and the head breathes better.
Long term if you decided to put a manifold and re-map the gain is slightly better....

Suspension/ handling they are the same, a well set-up car will reward the gasket between the seat and steering wheel
(The driver)

Feel free to ring me for advise...... It's free

Paul Roddisons

[g40steve]

Having the alignment & geo done by someone who understands these cars is a must.

Get a ride in a properly setup car & you will see why they are so popular.

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1... Lots of possibilities

[hornetrider]

In addition to the above the lauch blurb stated there were minor changes to the 3.5 front suspension giving a lower roll centre, although I suspect you'd need the skills of Vettel to tell the difference.

[cheddar]

Back then (2009) journo's used terms like "Transformed" and "Finally got its mojo back" when referring to the suspension changes, so much so that I suspect the average punter could easily tell the difference.

John Barker (Evo) wrote about the MK3:

"Launched back in 2005, the third iteration of the MX-5 was not what we were expecting. Reporting from the first drive in Hawaii, our correspondent John Simister said that dynamically the all-new car was dreadful. Really? Perhaps it was a duff batch. Later that year we booked one of the first UK cars for our Car of the Year competition and I can still recall the experience of tackling the first proper corner and the shift in emotions. Entry – keen, yeah! – to apex – oh heck, where’s the steering feel and what’s the back end doing? – to exit – what the hell just happened there?! The front and rear felt as if they had been developed independently, and by people who didn’t like driving. For us the MX-5 had crashed from icon status."

And of the 2009 MK3.5:

"The bottom line is that the MX-5 is back to being brilliant again. It’s great to be able to say that, and to be able to suggest something other than a fast hatch to those looking for a satisfying drivers’ car for less than £20K, new. There are plenty of hatches that are more powerful and quicker in a straight-line, but none is as entertaining or life affirming as this revised little rear-drive roadster. Thank you, Mazda."

Hang out for your 2009 -> Sport op, it'll be worth it.

[rfn]

It's fair to say my 2012 Mk3.5 2.0 RC Sport Tech is a better car than my 2006 Mk3 2.0 Sport was - both being standard that is.

[shindha]

Thanks everybody for the replies, Paul I have been looking at your site and posts on other forums I will take you up on a chat.

[sbird]

What's your budget, and what's your 'must-have' list?

I'm in the process of moving from a Mk3 non-sport to a Mk3.5 sport. The main reason was that I wanted the nicer interior, nicer front-end look, the cruise-control and the engine differences.

If you're unsure, then one easy option is to buy the cheapest early mk3 sport and playing with it. When you've got a better feel for the car, you could trade it up for your 'ideal' car.

[mmcd87]

I recently bought a low mileage mk3 2.0L Sport and one of the first things I've done is get the alignment done.

Worth every penny. I thought the alignment issue may be slightly exaggerated but it's really changed the way the car drives. You'd have thought the traction control light was off an AMG Mercedes before as it was forever cutting the power, even turning into junctions, etc (not sideways...!) but now it's really great fun. These cars are really very sensitive to how they are set up it seems, as everyone already says, but I can see how press reviews vary so much now.

FYI, if you get a standard mk3, I went with these alignment settings and asked the garage to get as close as possible to them.

http://www.mx5ownersclub.co.za/Suspension_Geometry...

Good time to buy though being winter, etc

Edited by mmcd87 on Monday 6th January 13:25

[shindha]

Hi all thanks for all the advice, took the plunge and bought the car below. It has 37,000 miles with full service history and basically a standard car it's in the colour I wanted but the roof is black would really have preferred blue, it's a 2.0 SE without AC and cruise control just what I wanted.
The rear drain holes need cleaning and the front scuttle leaks water two tasks for a nice day and when I have some spare time. I have been driving it in the dry and enjoying the motor, it certainly lives up to it's reputation.
Would like to get some upgrades like handling and correctly set up, lowered and may be some minor engine mods funds permitting, it's due for a service in April, I will drive It around as is till then. Would like to get some one local to Birmingham to service it, or would like to take it to Paul's in Sheffield (thanks for the reply Paul and sorry about not calling, but will do in the near future).

[sbird]

Nice car. The only Mk3 that I've seen with a non-black softtop was a grey one. You might be able to get an aftermarket blue roof.

I don't know of anyone in the Birmingham area that I'd recommend for a Mk3 (I do for a Mk1/Mk2). The other Mk3 drivers that I know generally self-service or pay main dealer rates. My car gets serviced by Paul in Sheffield.

If, for any reason, I couldn't get it to Sheffield then I'd probably go to a local garage near work - which I used for nearly 10 years.

[jas xjr]

Nice car paji . When do I get taken for a spin? :-)

[shindha]

"Nice car paji . When do I get taken for a spin? :-)"

Give me a shout when you next in Brum, or when I come up to Stoke. You keeping well I hope?

[MX-5 Lazza]

Or you could try 5Speed in Hucknall near Nottingham. Good people and MX5 specialists.

[AndyMk2]

You can buy genuine Mazda soft tops in a variety of colours, they just weren't very popular.

[SeeFive]

Very nice indeed - well done on finding a good one in a dark colour.

I have been looking for a stormy blue car for my step-daughter over the last few weeks. I became very worried about the white primer under the very soft blue paint. Pretty much every one I looked at in Mazda Approved or Indies had typical minor car-park door touches, but with the white undercoat under dark blue finish, the cars looked like Amy Winehouse's coffee table - white lines everywhere.

It might be worth looking at a hard protective layer on the paint to keep it looking as good as it is now. I am trying to do the same on the pearl white anniversary one we ended up buying.

Enjoy it - looks great.

[shindha]

SeeFive said:

I became very worried about the white primer under the very soft blue paint. Pretty much every one I looked at in Mazda Approved or Indies had typical minor car-park door touches, but with the white undercoat under dark blue finish, the cars looked like Amy Winehouse's coffee table - white lines everywhe

True about the lines this one does have some on the boot along with the front scuttle shower so a couple of things to sort out.

[SeeFive]

shindha said:

True about the lines this one does have some on the boot along with the front scuttle shower so a couple of things to sort out.

Yours sounds worlds better than any of 20 or so 1.8SEs I looked at on forecourts in Stormy Blue of Copper Red the £9.5 to £10.5k 2010/2011 bracket. Looks fantastic in your picture too, very impressed indeed.

We plumped for the Anniversary in the end because she wanted AC, changed mind to a light colour (but not silver as her current car is silver) and the foglamps and different wheels came with it which she likes. The other thing was that it had to be a 1.8 because of ongoing costs like insurance etc. Leather Miyako was probably out of budget for a good one.

I looked at loads, but stand-outs were, for example another 1.8 2010 Anniversary in white. All wheels kerbed really badly - front left a virtual write-off, 30k miles, damage all round as well as a stoved passenger door and they wanted close to £10k for it. Then I was reccying another car on a Mazda forecourt and saw a stormy blue 2010 SE up for £8.5k - way too cheap for Mazda approved, so looked closer. It had the front left corner scraped deeply from top to bottom of the bumper/wing about a foot long, including fog lamp housing, both sides mangled in about 12 places, front bumper split, boot lid and rear bumper "Amy'd" all over, and low spec. This was not a minor ding car, it looked like it had been banger raced!

You would not believe the crap out there (or maybe you've seen it too) all described as immaculate in the adverts. You've done very well IMO.

Edited by SeeFive on Monday 27th January 20:24