6'3" - 2.5k Mx-5 for Euro trip
Discussion
A friend of mine is looking to take his wife round Europe for a few weeks and was thinking of buying an mx-5 (budget of about £2.5k) to do the trip in.
First issue is that he's 6foot 3 and she's fairly tall as well, will they fit comfortably in one with the roof up? anyone this height regularly drive an mx-5?
Second, can you get a reliable, smooth and clean example for £2.5k that is unlikely to have any serious problems over perhaps 2000 miles?
Have many people done long trips with all their luggage etc and two people just in the mx-5?
Finally, he's started looking at MGFs as well, what makes the mx-5 a better choice?
Cheers for any help
First issue is that he's 6foot 3 and she's fairly tall as well, will they fit comfortably in one with the roof up? anyone this height regularly drive an mx-5?
Second, can you get a reliable, smooth and clean example for £2.5k that is unlikely to have any serious problems over perhaps 2000 miles?
Have many people done long trips with all their luggage etc and two people just in the mx-5?
Finally, he's started looking at MGFs as well, what makes the mx-5 a better choice?
Cheers for any help
Good god. Considering MGFs!
If you spend 2.5k on the right MX5 it'll do another 56,000 miles before anything major needs doing. Then all it'll need is a cambelt. An MGF may or may not be looking at a head gasket depending on who's been driving it, a bit of luck and the position of mars.
I've done long trips down France in the MX5. 2 people, a tent, and stuff for a weeks camping - no food. The Lady cannot be picky with what she takes, and you'll need to strap stuff to the parcel shelf.
6.3 some fit...some don't
If you spend 2.5k on the right MX5 it'll do another 56,000 miles before anything major needs doing. Then all it'll need is a cambelt. An MGF may or may not be looking at a head gasket depending on who's been driving it, a bit of luck and the position of mars.
I've done long trips down France in the MX5. 2 people, a tent, and stuff for a weeks camping - no food. The Lady cannot be picky with what she takes, and you'll need to strap stuff to the parcel shelf.
6.3 some fit...some don't
Hello Mate
I will be driving to the south of france (via some alpine hotspots) later this year in mine and although i cant help you on the height front since i am a 5ft 9 short arse, i can say that so long as everything is in good nick before they set off - An MX5 will not let them down mechanically in any area.
Luggage space is an issue for longer trips, but you can get luggage racks for the back. I wouldn't want to leave anything of value on it if you leave the car unattended like on a ferry or something. Something to bear in mind.
The only other thing i can think of is the gearing is a bit short for long motorway journeys... Its not that they can't sit at 80 or so on the motorway, but it could get a bit tiring over long periods. Maybe mix it up with some cross country action?
Cheers
Steve
I will be driving to the south of france (via some alpine hotspots) later this year in mine and although i cant help you on the height front since i am a 5ft 9 short arse, i can say that so long as everything is in good nick before they set off - An MX5 will not let them down mechanically in any area.
Luggage space is an issue for longer trips, but you can get luggage racks for the back. I wouldn't want to leave anything of value on it if you leave the car unattended like on a ferry or something. Something to bear in mind.
The only other thing i can think of is the gearing is a bit short for long motorway journeys... Its not that they can't sit at 80 or so on the motorway, but it could get a bit tiring over long periods. Maybe mix it up with some cross country action?
Cheers
Steve
You need to point out that they have made one, massive error in their plans.
Headroom with the roof up is not an issue. The Roof should not be up on a trip round europe!
As for luggage - I've done camping trips with my Mrs. we have to be a little more selective with packing but its easily doable - we've still mananged weeks away with a massive tent, fold up chairs, chiller boxes, a double duvet on the back shelf etc.
If you lose the spare wheel, you can cram a bit of stuff down the side of the petrol tank.
I also take a spanner/screwdriver with me and use the dead space on the LHD side of the tank where the fuel neck goes - I use this space for emergency bits that I hopefully wont need, and put the bolted cover back over.
Dont take big bags, pack your stuff mainly directly into the boot. 'bag for life' type bags are good as they squash down tiny. You can get a fair bit of stuff on the back shelf (tie it to your roll bar/brace and make sure the roof clears it), and bits and bobs stuffed down the seats. I also get a bag under the Missus' legs (but shes a shortarse).
Its a bit of effort and faff... but nothing, absolutely nothing, beats driving down to the beach on a Sunny August evening. We've had the option of taking more practical cars but its worth the hassle to take the Roadster. Holidays only serve to make them feel even more fun.
Headroom with the roof up is not an issue. The Roof should not be up on a trip round europe!
As for luggage - I've done camping trips with my Mrs. we have to be a little more selective with packing but its easily doable - we've still mananged weeks away with a massive tent, fold up chairs, chiller boxes, a double duvet on the back shelf etc.
If you lose the spare wheel, you can cram a bit of stuff down the side of the petrol tank.
I also take a spanner/screwdriver with me and use the dead space on the LHD side of the tank where the fuel neck goes - I use this space for emergency bits that I hopefully wont need, and put the bolted cover back over.
Dont take big bags, pack your stuff mainly directly into the boot. 'bag for life' type bags are good as they squash down tiny. You can get a fair bit of stuff on the back shelf (tie it to your roll bar/brace and make sure the roof clears it), and bits and bobs stuffed down the seats. I also get a bag under the Missus' legs (but shes a shortarse).
Its a bit of effort and faff... but nothing, absolutely nothing, beats driving down to the beach on a Sunny August evening. We've had the option of taking more practical cars but its worth the hassle to take the Roadster. Holidays only serve to make them feel even more fun.
Oh an for what its worth - my car, loaded up to the hilts, ringing its neck down B-roads in Devon or over the Passes of the lake district, has never missed a beat.
I wouldnt hesitate for 1 seconds over worries about its reliability on a Euro-trip, more than can be said for any other car I've had.
They do have faults and niggles, but they dont 'break down'.
I wouldnt hesitate for 1 seconds over worries about its reliability on a Euro-trip, more than can be said for any other car I've had.
They do have faults and niggles, but they dont 'break down'.
Cheers for the advice. I thought a luggage rack might be necessary, especially as the lady is likely to want shoes to match each outfit etc.
I think they're looking at going early April so although it ought to be pretty warm and sunny they may still get a bit of rain so the hood might be needed. Guess I'll take him out looking in the next couple of weeks and see if we can shoehorn him into one. On the plus side he may but tall but is also quite slim.
I fully intend to wean him off the idea of an MGF as an alternative but I guess depending how the height issues go we may end up looking at other options anyway (astra convertibles or something).
I think they're looking at going early April so although it ought to be pretty warm and sunny they may still get a bit of rain so the hood might be needed. Guess I'll take him out looking in the next couple of weeks and see if we can shoehorn him into one. On the plus side he may but tall but is also quite slim.
snotrag said:
If you lose the spare wheel, you can cram a bit of stuff down the side of the petrol tank.
Cool, that may well be useful.I fully intend to wean him off the idea of an MGF as an alternative but I guess depending how the height issues go we may end up looking at other options anyway (astra convertibles or something).
My girlfriend (who is admittedly only 5'2) and I (6'0) did a two week camping trip over the summer. Down to northern Spain via Andorra, north up the coast to Monaco, over to Corsica on the ferry then to Italy and North over the Alps home. It's not quite big enough inside for me to be totally comfortable but in my opinion the compromise is totall worthwhile. The car's are admittedly quite noisy on the motorway but it depends what you're used to. My daily drive at the time was a DC2 Integra so I didn't bat an eyelid, if your friend's used to an S-class it might be an issue.
We managed one tent big enough to sleep four with a large porch, two sleeping bags, air matress, cooker and cooking and eating kit, two fold up camping chairs and plenty of clothes for us both. I te required careful packing and some use of the parcel shelf for toiletries, maps etc but there was no great problem.
I should mention we used a bag from http://www.boot-bag.com/will_it_fit_.htm which proved to be fantastic and extremely easy to fit and remove. Totally secure at cruising speeds over 100mph, the only fault was that on the one occasion it rained heavily for an hour or so while we were driving it did let a small amount of dampness through.
One very relevant point for us which I hadn't appreciated before we left was how hot things got. On slower roads particularly the sun was too strong to be comfortable for hours on end with the roof down, but equally the interior (all black and black hood) did a very passable attempt at imitating an oven with the roof up. Very few UK cars have aircon, we would have killed for it on that trip. I'd recommend your friend seeks out an import car with working air con for his trip.
We managed one tent big enough to sleep four with a large porch, two sleeping bags, air matress, cooker and cooking and eating kit, two fold up camping chairs and plenty of clothes for us both. I te required careful packing and some use of the parcel shelf for toiletries, maps etc but there was no great problem.
I should mention we used a bag from http://www.boot-bag.com/will_it_fit_.htm which proved to be fantastic and extremely easy to fit and remove. Totally secure at cruising speeds over 100mph, the only fault was that on the one occasion it rained heavily for an hour or so while we were driving it did let a small amount of dampness through.
One very relevant point for us which I hadn't appreciated before we left was how hot things got. On slower roads particularly the sun was too strong to be comfortable for hours on end with the roof down, but equally the interior (all black and black hood) did a very passable attempt at imitating an oven with the roof up. Very few UK cars have aircon, we would have killed for it on that trip. I'd recommend your friend seeks out an import car with working air con for his trip.
Lots of good advice on previous posts - a few thoughts to build on those. Did 3,000 miles touring round Europe, carrying everything we needed, camping, in an MGF three years ago - lovely but spent far too much time checking the oil and water twice a day and driving with a hawk's eye on the temperature gauge and worrying about the head gasket going - which it then did the next year about a week before going on holiday, so we ended up taking the Discovery, which although great for space rather lacks in the open top department. So we then bought an MX5, and went touring for 3,000 miles round Europe last summer, with all the camping kit, cooker, chairs, clothes etc etc that we had taken in the MGF, courtesy of using every available space possible (there are lots of nooks and crannies in the boot, plus space under the bonnet to bag/box spare bulbs, emergency car bits and other stuff and tie wrap them so that they don't move), remove the spare wheel and carry a can of puncture sealant instead. Then add a decent boot rack that will take a 50kg+ load like this one http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/product_info.php/product... and a hood bag that fits into the space when the hood is down (or up) like this one http://shop.geris-bazaar.com/product.sc?productId=... and you have all the load carrying you need and ease of loading/unloading. It was a superb trip, the car used no oil, water, start and drive, enjoy the scenery with no worries.
I'm 6' 1" and have no difficulty with either driving or as a passenger in a Mk2.5, but when someone is tall, it as much about relative body/leg/arm lengths as it is about pure height, as to whether it is comfortable, manageable or just plain neither. Other things that one can try if needed to alleviate the issue, are: 1) Drive with the hood down whenever possible 9don't laugh - the only time our hood was up when driving over 3,000 miles was the last 50 miles in UK on the way back...) 2) Remove the left foot rest (easy job and you can then stretch the left leg out which helps) 3) If all else fails find a Lotus Elise bucket seat and fit that.....
MG Mark
I'm 6' 1" and have no difficulty with either driving or as a passenger in a Mk2.5, but when someone is tall, it as much about relative body/leg/arm lengths as it is about pure height, as to whether it is comfortable, manageable or just plain neither. Other things that one can try if needed to alleviate the issue, are: 1) Drive with the hood down whenever possible 9don't laugh - the only time our hood was up when driving over 3,000 miles was the last 50 miles in UK on the way back...) 2) Remove the left foot rest (easy job and you can then stretch the left leg out which helps) 3) If all else fails find a Lotus Elise bucket seat and fit that.....
MG Mark
Edited by MG Mark on Tuesday 16th February 22:09
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