Discussion
I've just posted some pics of the trip I've been on the last week over here: http://pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f...
What I didn't mention on that thread... the roads were great. The weather was bordering on the spectacular. But the MX5 was the star. What other little car could you pick up for so little money, do nothing to it, pack it with camping gear for the week and drive HARD for 1800 miles, that would be so reliable - starting on damp mornings in a field, not overheating in a 90-minute traffic jam, nothing fell off or broke - so comfortable, so eager, so trustworthy, so disdainful of some of the crappy surfaces and so absolutely, unbelieveably amazing on some of the best roads I've ever driven?
It's a mark of how brilliant it is, that driving home yesterday I was wondering how to improve it and the only things I could think of were "ABS would be nice" and "could do with a little bit more torque for those really long uphills."
I LOVE my MX-5.
What I didn't mention on that thread... the roads were great. The weather was bordering on the spectacular. But the MX5 was the star. What other little car could you pick up for so little money, do nothing to it, pack it with camping gear for the week and drive HARD for 1800 miles, that would be so reliable - starting on damp mornings in a field, not overheating in a 90-minute traffic jam, nothing fell off or broke - so comfortable, so eager, so trustworthy, so disdainful of some of the crappy surfaces and so absolutely, unbelieveably amazing on some of the best roads I've ever driven?
It's a mark of how brilliant it is, that driving home yesterday I was wondering how to improve it and the only things I could think of were "ABS would be nice" and "could do with a little bit more torque for those really long uphills."
I LOVE my MX-5.
Yep. I find it hard to believe how tough they are, given how frangible the British roadsters the car apes used to be.
My MX-5 is eighteen years old next month and is knocking on 134,000 miles - yet of the cars, whenever work comes up, it seems to be on the S60; a third of the age, well under half the mileage. Okay, so the latter car is more complex and it's never going to attract tinworm the way the Mazdas do, but you always get this feeling with the MX-5 that whatever goes wrong it's always going to be simple, as if you're never going to be more than a set of spanners or a spot of welding away from getting it back on the road again.
The real testament to the little roadster?
At that age, at that mileage, if the engine doesn't catch on the very first turn of the starter motor, even first thing in the morning, even if it's sat for a few days, I make a note to check if something's up. It's that dependable.
Watch it be horribly broken in the morning, just for after-post irony...
My MX-5 is eighteen years old next month and is knocking on 134,000 miles - yet of the cars, whenever work comes up, it seems to be on the S60; a third of the age, well under half the mileage. Okay, so the latter car is more complex and it's never going to attract tinworm the way the Mazdas do, but you always get this feeling with the MX-5 that whatever goes wrong it's always going to be simple, as if you're never going to be more than a set of spanners or a spot of welding away from getting it back on the road again.
The real testament to the little roadster?
At that age, at that mileage, if the engine doesn't catch on the very first turn of the starter motor, even first thing in the morning, even if it's sat for a few days, I make a note to check if something's up. It's that dependable.
Watch it be horribly broken in the morning, just for after-post irony...
I use mine for the daily commute. Horribly impractical, much less fuel efficient, but more fun in spades!
Its also going on the crumball rally in Nov. 2000 miles over four days in France, and I fully expect it to still be in one piece for the commute on the return to Blighty.
It is gonna go into the local 5 specialist soon though, for a full overhaul if he is willing.....
Mark?
best wishes
Jon
Its also going on the crumball rally in Nov. 2000 miles over four days in France, and I fully expect it to still be in one piece for the commute on the return to Blighty.
It is gonna go into the local 5 specialist soon though, for a full overhaul if he is willing.....
Mark?
best wishes
Jon
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