Views on MX5 Automatic

[Nyloc20]

Hi all, might sound like sacrilege given the manual box is a major strength but I'd interested in any comments on the Automatic. I had a 1.6 manual lease car in 2004 for a couple of years and enjoyed that.
Nailing my colours to the mast, I'm a Lotus lover/owner for 45 years, I've had my M100 Elan for 21 years and it's still in regular use. I had an Elise S2 recently for 4 years and loved it but struggled to get out of it( I'm old and arthritic) so I bought a Boxster PDK. Great car for long trips but it's a big heavy lump for short trips and narrow roads. I'm going to sell it and get a well specced newish MX5. I'm not doing long journeys much now and it'll be great for local running. I'm tempted towards an auto as my left leg isn't in best of nick and my last two daily drivers have been automatics. I can still get my manual fix from my Elan and wife's Focus ST but I can manage a manual MX5 if necessary.
Any comments welcome please.

[littleredrooster]

I was looking for one a while back before settling on a manual as the autos were so rare. All the research I did indicated that the only drawback was a slightly worse fuel consumption. Box can be used as a flappy-paddle thing and it is apparently reliable up to six-figure mileages if the oil is changed.

[Nyloc20]

Thanks for the reply, it certainly seems like the auto is very rare. I'll be happy with a manual but I'll keep monitoring the auto market in the meantime until I'm ready to buy.

[wildoliver]

They aren't that bad. I restore MX5s, and always have plenty in stock, I've had a.lovely auto in, but it's just finishing resto and a manual conversion. But I do come across them from time to time.

It's an old fashioned auto, but the car being light and the engine lively makes for a pleasant drive, it's a different drive to a manual for sure, but it's surprisingly not as bad as you would expect.

If the difference between auto and manual is that the manual will cause you pain and stop you enjoying the car I think you would be very happy with the auto.

[Mort7]

There are a few on the Mazda website. Don't discount the RF.

https://www.mazdausedcarlocator.co.uk/used-cars/se...

[Toma500]

I wonder how durable the auto is if for instance you fancy bolting on a bbr turbo or their other engine upgrades ?

[loquacious]

I had a MK 1 1.8 Eunos and a MK 2 1.8 Eunos both autos as I have a problem with my left leg, I loved them both! The mk2 was marginally quicker with a more responsive 'box but I'd have another like a shot/