Automatic, is it any fun?

[goode262]

Hi all,

Thinking of getting a cheap MK1 to get to work and back. It's a very short drive.

My neighbour is selling his H reg MX5 , and it looks in great condition. The only thing is that it is an automatic.

Surely this is sacrilege in a roadster, or are they still good fun?

I know his car has been well looked after, but is it worth waiting for a manual...

Thanks
Craig

[trooperiziz]

Not driven an automatic MX5, however any small engine, low powered automatic is hideous to drive.
My own rule of thumb is to never have an automatic on anything less than 3 litres

[DennisTheMenace]

stick a turbo on it slowness problem fixed ,

[Shaw Tarse]

If it's got around 65k on the clock, has been garaged it'll be fine
If you know the owner.

[zac510]

Are you buying it for your mum?

[Stickers]

There's nothing wrong with an auto - I'd have one myself

[goode262]

Think it's going to have to be a manual 'box.

The mum comment convinced me... hehehe

[Stickers]

goode262 said:

Think it's going to have to be a manual 'box.

The mum comment convinced me... hehehe

The fastest top fuel dragsters are all auto's - I guess you wouldn't want to buy one of those for your mum either

[zac510]

I guess it comes down to what you need in a car. I'm young and fit, I'll stick with the manual

[johnnyboy666]

The MX-5 is gifted with one of the best gearshifts ever, why deprive yourself of that? Also no sports car should have an auto, it's just not very...sports like.

[OllieWinchester]

Easy to convert or not worth the bother?

[h4muf]

I had one,brg v-spec on a "h".

Bought it when i chopped off a couple of fingers on my left hand.

Put it this way,the auto would walk all over my mk2.5 that i share with the g/f.

Little overdrive button on the gear knob,press it in and floor it!!

The auto`s have a little more torque aswell.

[Stickers]

zac510 said:

I guess it comes down to what you need in a car. I'm young and fit, I'll stick with the manual

h4muf said:

I had one,brg v-spec on a "h".
Bought it when i chopped off a couple of fingers on my left hand.
Put it this way,the auto would walk all over my mk2.5 that i share with the g/f.
Little overdrive button on the gear knob,press it in and floor it!!
The auto`s have a little more torque aswell.

Well said that man - there are way too many so-called experts spouting off their own personal opinions on subjects they know nothing about.

Edited by Stickers on Sunday 19th July 20:27

[zac510]

Well that's fair enough to own an automatic if you carry a disability.

But as for sprouting off a personal opinion? It's merely a personal preference. That's perfectly normal I'd have thought and can't form a character criticism. There's just no way you'll get me owning an automatic version of any car!

[Alfa_75_Steve]

It's a commuter hack - therefore I'd go with the auto every time.

I swapped to having an auto as a company car around 12 months ago now and haven't looked back.

Manuals are fine for weekend toys - but why bother with one for the daily grind?

[edwardsje]

Alfa_75_Steve said:

It's a commuter hack - therefore I'd go with the auto every time.

I swapped to having an auto as a company car around 12 months ago now and haven't looked back.

Manuals are fine for weekend toys - but why bother with one for the daily grind?

But there again not an option on your daily drive, eh?

[Alfa_75_Steve]

edwardsje said:

Alfa_75_Steve said:

It's a commuter hack - therefore I'd go with the auto every time.

I swapped to having an auto as a company car around 12 months ago now and haven't looked back.

Manuals are fine for weekend toys - but why bother with one for the daily grind?

But there again not an option on your daily drive, eh?

My last company hack was an auto, too - kind of..... it was an Alfa 156 Selespeed.

I've only had the Toymota for about 6 weeks.

[dg45]

don't let it put you off ,got a 94'eunos auto 3 gears plus 'overdrive'!! still drive it like manual through the bends plus off the mark slightly slower upto 20mph but then it flies seamless shift into second then seventy five at red line push it in drive ,been told import euno's autos had a bit more power to compensate for the auto box ,only prob i'm having is finding a decent stainless manifiold that will fit past the auto box.
miss'is loves it on busy school run (no leg ache with the clutch )

[goode262]

Seems opinions are split, but I'll tell you what's happened.

Neighbour took me for a spin in his '91 auto 1.6. I was underwhelmed, the car didn't seem to pull hard under acceleration, the engine note was dull and asthmatic. Bodywork great, but no history of cambelt and 70k miles. Perhaps it was just the way he was driving it, but it didn't excite.

I went to view a '94 1.8 , and this felt like a different animal. Everything was taught and felt like a little go-kart that just wanted a thrashing. It even seemed like the seats were lower so I was not looking at the top of the roofline. The cambelt, and clutch have just been done, but there is a little bit of rust near the rear sills.

My options seemed clear, if I wanted to look nice with an immaculate specimen the auto was the one. If I wanted to grab a car by the scruff of the neck and drive it the manual was begging for it.

I'm collecting the stick shifter next Monday!

P.S If anyone wants an very tidy H reg auto Eunos 1.6 I know of one.

[MX-5 Lazza]

The auto was never offered in UK so they will all be JDM. The engine was retuned - more torque, especially through the mid-range but less top-end power.
They had lower compression so respond very well to FI