Perceptions of the mx-5
Discussion
Before I bought my mx-5 (mk2 1.8 is) I had the impression that they oversteered everywhere, a bit of a mini-hooligan. In fact I rarely have the back end out on mine. I have had goodyear hydragrip rear tyres and now toyo t1-r's and, in the dry particularly, there isn't a lot of power oversteer. With the lsd and good tyres there is more grip than torque. I refuse to clutch kick or whatever as I have mechanical sympathy. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough or maybe I should put some comedy rear tyres on next time. Did anyone else think that the mx-5 was a bit more of hooligan than it is?
The tyres I had on my first and second MX5s were shocking which of course meant going everywhere sideways if I so wished.
Change the front anti-roll bar for a slightly softer one and put a slightly stiffer one on the rear and have some fun.
If you want proper big slides, a clutch kick may be the only real way of getting it to go sideways.
Change the front anti-roll bar for a slightly softer one and put a slightly stiffer one on the rear and have some fun.
If you want proper big slides, a clutch kick may be the only real way of getting it to go sideways.
Maybe you're not going quite fast enough on roundabouts/bends? & a correct set up will make a lot of difference.
A friend of mine recently traded up from her '94 1.6 Mk1 to an '05 1.8 "Trilogy".
She travelled as passenger in my '92 Roadster & pointed out that none of her MX5's would corner as fast.......I couldn't resist throwing in the odd powerslide here & there
A friend of mine recently traded up from her '94 1.6 Mk1 to an '05 1.8 "Trilogy".
She travelled as passenger in my '92 Roadster & pointed out that none of her MX5's would corner as fast.......I couldn't resist throwing in the odd powerslide here & there
At stock power there not really a tyre smoker - the only way mine will properly oversteer is really booting it out of a tight 2nd gear corner.
theres no torque so you wont break traction at less that 5 or 6k revs.
I'm sure that on a track with more chance for proper high speed cornering I couls start to 'hang the bag out' as such.
For road use, what the car is actually good at, is neat, controlled cornering, and carrying speed.
Its most amusing when navigating twisting semi-urban dual carriageways and roundabouts - get the lights right and you can fling through them well within total control, only to look in your mirror to see some plonker in some tdi hatchback nearly wearing their wingmirrors down trying to keep up.
theres no torque so you wont break traction at less that 5 or 6k revs.
I'm sure that on a track with more chance for proper high speed cornering I couls start to 'hang the bag out' as such.
For road use, what the car is actually good at, is neat, controlled cornering, and carrying speed.
Its most amusing when navigating twisting semi-urban dual carriageways and roundabouts - get the lights right and you can fling through them well within total control, only to look in your mirror to see some plonker in some tdi hatchback nearly wearing their wingmirrors down trying to keep up.
Edited by snotrag on Sunday 5th July 21:20
You don't need crappy tyres or massive power to get oversteer in an MX5. All you need is a car that's correctly set up and driving skills. Most of us think we can drive a bit but a really good driver would have no trouble getting an na 1.6 on R888s to drift around Paddock Hill Bend. I'm not that driver. I stick to making sure it DOESN'T go sideways 
MX-5 Lazza said:
You don't need crappy tyres or massive power to get oversteer in an MX5. All you need is a car that's correctly set up and driving skills. Most of us think we can drive a bit but a really good driver would have no trouble getting an na 1.6 on R888s to drift around Paddock Hill Bend. I'm not that driver. I stick to making sure it DOESN'T go sideways
Round Paddock Hill Bend I was too busy s
tting myself looking down off the edge of the cliff to consider doing anything other than keeping it in a straight line 
Interesting topic chaps.
I always wondered how you guys could suggest that the MX-5 could corner so well - now I understand the car's dynamics a bit better and why you like WET roundabouts so much.
With regards to momentum oversteer, doesn't that mean you can't really balance it, once the car starts sliding (if it's going too wide, backing off the throttle won't help if it isn't power oversteer)?
I always wondered how you guys could suggest that the MX-5 could corner so well - now I understand the car's dynamics a bit better and why you like WET roundabouts so much.
With regards to momentum oversteer, doesn't that mean you can't really balance it, once the car starts sliding (if it's going too wide, backing off the throttle won't help if it isn't power oversteer)?
Wilburo said:
Interesting topic chaps.
I always wondered how you guys could suggest that the MX-5 could corner so well - now I understand the car's dynamics a bit better and why you like WET roundabouts so much.
With regards to momentum oversteer, doesn't that mean you can't really balance it, once the car starts sliding (if it's going too wide, backing off the throttle won't help if it isn't power oversteer)?
I would say if the cars been provoked into lift off oversteer then the speed must be quite high and/or the inputs are very extreme.. At best a minor slide, then correction could ensue, at worst you've got a reservation for lunch in the ditch I always wondered how you guys could suggest that the MX-5 could corner so well - now I understand the car's dynamics a bit better and why you like WET roundabouts so much.
With regards to momentum oversteer, doesn't that mean you can't really balance it, once the car starts sliding (if it's going too wide, backing off the throttle won't help if it isn't power oversteer)?
Even with four dodgy remoulds on mine, in the dry it'lll stick to every corner that i throw at it, granted with some tyre squeal, especiall yunder acceleration, however in the wet with these tyres its a lot more lively - and erm fun - when you expect it at least.
Slightly more worrying when it catches you unawares.
First thing i'm changing once its through the MOT next month and i have a new job!
Slightly more worrying when it catches you unawares.
First thing i'm changing once its through the MOT next month and i have a new job!
So, if you were travelling at an everyday speed* around a dry medium* bend and you rolled in more power, what happens to the attitude of the car?
Would the car grip, assuming a tighter line / produce a little understeer followed by oversteer / something else entirely?
I've never spent any great time in a RWD car but understand the principles involved, so am interested in how the 5 specifically responds.
Would the car grip, assuming a tighter line / produce a little understeer followed by oversteer / something else entirely?
I've never spent any great time in a RWD car but understand the principles involved, so am interested in how the 5 specifically responds.
- It's hard to quantify these kind of things, also, horses for courses!
Wilburo said:
So, if you were travelling at an everyday speed* around a dry medium* bend and you rolled in more power, what happens to the attitude of the car?
Would the car grip, assuming a tighter line / produce a little understeer followed by oversteer / something else entirely?
I've never spent any great time in a RWD car but understand the principles involved, so am interested in how the 5 specifically responds.
In my experience it'll just grip and go. Would the car grip, assuming a tighter line / produce a little understeer followed by oversteer / something else entirely?
I've never spent any great time in a RWD car but understand the principles involved, so am interested in how the 5 specifically responds.
- It's hard to quantify these kind of things, also, horses for courses!
I was out over the weekend and I was mashing the loud pedal as early as I dared coming off of roundabouts. All I felt was the diff locking and I wound off a bit of lock, no need for a 'dab of oppo'
It felt lovely, tbh 
You need to be a proper hooligan to get my car to slide in the dry.
An mx5 with decent tyres all round and "standard" geometry will just keep gripping until it reaches it's limits at which point it will gl into slight understeer. You can change this by adjusting the steering and/of throttle ic you want but if you are at the limits already you better bf quick and proficient to catch oversteer and prevent a spin.
You can get the geometry changed to make it understeer even even more or to make it an oversteerinv monster if you want.
Personally I prefer my car to be neutral with very slight initial understeer but easily adjusted into oversteer. Safe and fun. I'd also prefer NOT. To see or hear about people "enjoying" sliding their cars around on public roads. This is ghe sort oftbong which is great fun jnt it goes wrong and then it turns into a dangerous weapon. Iv you want to slide around, book yourself onto a track day of even better, an airfield day.
You can get the geometry changed to make it understeer even even more or to make it an oversteerinv monster if you want.
Personally I prefer my car to be neutral with very slight initial understeer but easily adjusted into oversteer. Safe and fun. I'd also prefer NOT. To see or hear about people "enjoying" sliding their cars around on public roads. This is ghe sort oftbong which is great fun jnt it goes wrong and then it turns into a dangerous weapon. Iv you want to slide around, book yourself onto a track day of even better, an airfield day.
MX-5 Lazza said:
I'd also prefer NOT. To see or hear about people "enjoying" sliding their cars around on public roads. This is ghe sort oftbong which is great fun jnt it goes wrong and then it turns into a dangerous weapon. Iv you want to slide around, book yourself onto a track day of even better, an airfield day.
Hmmmm - just as well I didn't join you over the weekend then.MX-5 Lazza said:
Personally I prefer my car to be neutral with very slight initial understeer but easily adjusted into oversteer. Safe and fun. I'd also prefer NOT. To see or hear about people "enjoying" sliding their cars around on public roads. This is ghe sort oftbong which is great fun jnt it goes wrong and then it turns into a dangerous weapon. Iv you want to slide around, book yourself onto a track day of even better, an airfield day.
Lazza sounds like he may have been drinking during this second paragraph. 
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