The 89bhp MX5.

[I Am Milk]

Right advice and opinions please.

I'm looking at buying my first MX-5 in the very near future, and a reasonably tidy 1.6 has come up for sale at £1000 - but unfortunately it's one of the 89bhp 1.6's.

In your opinions, is it worth holding out for either an earlier 1.6 with the 115bhp, or buying a 1.8?


Regards,

Milk

[Gizmo!]

Yes.

The 115bhp 1.6 or the 130bhp 1.8 are pretty equal, and whilst no standard MX5 is fast, they have enough zip to make things interesting. The 90bhp 1.6s are a bit underpowered IMO.

And it's not like there's a shortage of them.

[I Am Milk]

Cheers Gizmo.

I'm off to look at a 1.6 Eunos tomorrow - so fingers crossed.

[BonzoGuinness]

This may not be entirely relevant in your case, but if insurance costs are an issue be sure to at least get some quotes for similar spec/year 1.8 cars. Between two otherwise identical cars, the 1.8 was churning out quotes about £100 cheaper than the 1.6 for me! Madness

[johnnyboy666]

Definitely look for a pre'94 1.6 or a 1.8, there are plenty about so don't be stuck with the slow one. And I too found that insurance for a 1.8 was £100 less than the 1.6, bizarre!

[OnlyMX5ives]

Whilst I'd go for the 'std' power model.

Dynos seem to suggest that the lower power model makes significantly more than was claimed.

[princeperch]

OnlyMX5ives said:

Whilst I'd go for the 'std' power model.

Dynos seem to suggest that the lower power model makes significantly more than was claimed.

This interests me. I'm trying to save every penny at the mo so can't see me paying out for a dyno anytime soon - but what figures do you recall for the lower power MX's?

[OnlyMX5ives]

105bhp... however as always R Rds are all different, but my sister in law had a low power example and it didn't feel that much slower really.

[willd58]

I don't know any owners of the 1.8 who would ever want to swap down to a 1.6, but plenty want to swap up. Some 1.6 owners even claim that the 1.6 engines take better to turbo's. But I have never had someone impartial suggest that.

In the £1000 area mx5's kind of bottom out imo, there are both 1.8's and 1.6's and I would hold out for the .8

[MX-5 Lazza]

I've said this before but I'll say it again...
If you are going to turbo I'd just go for the best quality car you can get for the money as 1.6 & 1.8 are pretty much the same with a turbo. If you want to go SC then a 1.8 is a better starting point as you have the choice of M45 or MP62 - the MP62 obviously having more potential for power.

Also...
Cheap - powerful - reliable. You can choose only 2.

[OnlyMX5ives]

Sorry lazza I'd have to disagree there.

1.8 gets stronger diff, bigger brakes and chassis stiffening as std, to stick that lot on a 1.6 would cost £700+

Also FM have a dyno on there site with a 1.6 and 1.8 FM2 compared, 1.8 is much stronger.

That said a modified Greddy can be cheap and very powerful and only fits the 1.6.