MX-5 Mk2 (1.8) - talk to me...

[Pete C]

...reliable presumably? Prone to rust? Economical? What sort of mpg could I expect round town? Any other points I'd not thought of?

[Monkey]

Very Reliable, as long as its been serviced. its a non interference engine, meaning if the cambelt snapped pistons wil lnot meet valves. you'd just put a new belt on and drive away.

no more rust prone that any other car, except on the rear of the sills

ecconomical, expect around 30-33mpg, maybe less if your very lead footed

check the roof is in good condition, latches properly, and is a nice seal round the windows

also check you can fit in, i am 6'2" tall, and i fit, its snug, but i fit and it was comfortable.

other than the general stuff you'd check on any other car there is not too much to worry about

[Pete C]

I'm also 6'2" but I had a Mk1 and no issues fitting in that, similar amount of room presumably?

30-33mpg doesn't sound too bad. Is that worst case? I'd be using it for work which would basically be a lot of round town, stop/start, very short journeys...

[Monkey]

i had a Mk1, drove a Mk2 for a couple of day as well as had a Mk3 for 2 weeks.

i found the Mk2 offer similar MPG in similar circumstances to my Mk1, which was also a 1.8, i didnt do a full couple of tanks in the car as i didnt have it long enough, but from what i understand form other people its no worse than the mk1.

the cabbin seemed slightly bigger, and i found my knees wernt as much round the steering whell as my Mk1, and i found the gear stick to be in a better position.

[frisbee]

Mine does 22mpg around town - 1 mile trip to work and 5 mile trip to the gym a few days a week, the wheel arches and sills are rusting and I replaced the engine a few months ago because the keyway in the crankshaft disintegrated.

Its too small for me at 5'10" ( I have to choose to have the seat back or reclined) and I feel like I'm sat about 2 inches too high.

Brakes are excellent, convertible part works well, not a huge fan of the handling feel but the grip and pace is there.

[Prior]

See if you can test drive a few. Ive driven 3 now and they have all felt different, ranging from great to absolutely dreadful.

Im 5' 10'' and slim build and it was a squeeze TBH. It wasnt really the car for me, it was fun in a mini way.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Mine does 22mpg around town - 1 mile trip to work and 5 mile trip to the gym a few days a week, the wheel arches and sills are rusting and I replaced the engine a few months ago because the keyway in the crankshaft disintegrated.

Its too small for me at 5'10" ( I have to choose to have the seat back or reclined) and I feel like I'm sat about 2 inches too high.

Brakes are excellent, convertible part works well, not a huge fan of the handling feel but the grip and pace is there.

This. I'm 5' 11'' with a Mk2.5 1.8

The handling is quite nice I think but I can't really live with the lack of grunt.

I was expecting to fall in love with it but I haven't really found it that involving to drive.

Mine's only done 38K miles (on an 04 plate) and its got no rust. I just bimple to the station in it (6 miles a day) and I'm getting 24-25 mpg.

I find I end up slouching a bit to see under the top of the windscreen and have to have the seat right back and reclined.

I expect to keep it until summer, do a track day in it then sell it. I'm waiting for the BRZ STi to come out but I don't think I can wait that long before changing the car.

[Pete C]

Strange that you guys who are shorter than me say you don't fit well when I fitted in my Mk1 no issues. I think I have long legs and a short torso though, rather than the other way round, maybe that's why?

I do about 250 miles a month for work so a quick calculation says the difference in mpg will cost me about an extra £20 or so in fuel, which isn't the end of the world.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Strange that you guys who are shorter than me say you don't fit well when I fitted in my Mk1 no issues. I think I have long legs and a short torso though, rather than the other way round, maybe that's why?

I do about 250 miles a month for work so a quick calculation says the difference in mpg will cost me about an extra £20 or so in fuel, which isn't the end of the world.

If you are doing 10-15 miles per journey, you'll get better economy than me and Frisbee because we do most of our miles with the choke on.

I found a Mk1 more roomy than the Mk2. They're very different cars. The build quality is much better IMO, more solid and the whole car feels more modern (which it is ).

I also find the 6 speed a pain for town driving as I endlessly have to stir the box for each roundabout and traffic lights and it never really feels like it is in the right gear.

I also think the engine is positively agricultural compared to the CA in my S13 (which is a lovely silky thing by comparison).

[gonzomagic]

I have a mk2.5 and rust is an issue, but mine must have been by a coast, lol, and is on 126k now.

I do 50miles a day and its been reliable.


Clutch release bearing can be an issue on the 1.6 not sure if its the same on 1.8, but I have a nw clutch to go in soon.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

I have a mk2.5 and rust is an issue, but mine must have been by a coast, lol, and is on 126k now.

I think its more important that they are kept clean (especially underneath) than most cars of the same age. Mine isn't as clean underneath as it is on top.

[Pete C]

Sounds like I'd better go sit in one (which obviously I'd do anyway before buying).

I didn't realise some of them have a 6-speed box, what model/year are we talking?

[Johnny]

if you had no issues with the Mk1 you will have no issues with the Mk2

I drive a Mk1 as a daily ..... and every day I have "fun" driving it .... I dont subscribe to having a fun weekend car and a boring daily ..... I have a fun Daily and a boring Weekend car to take the family out in !

[Pete C]

Johnny, I'm liking your way of thinking. Currently I have my M3 for evenings and weekends and a Micra for work duties. It would be nice to have a "nice" car that I could drive all the time though. I don't have a family so no need to worry about the weekend car really.

The only sticking point is if I still want to do trackdays then I would need a separate car for that, as the car I rely on for work cannot also be my track car

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Sounds like I'd better go sit in one (which obviously I'd do anyway before buying).

I didn't realise some of them have a 6-speed box, what model/year are we talking?

S-VT Sports (and some other variants) have 'em. The S-VT Sport has Torsen diff, 6-speed box, leather interior, strut braces, Bilstein shocks, 16 in wheels and some other stuff.

Better details are probably available on Wikipedia

EDIT: Wikipedia tells me they put the 6-speed into the 1999 10th anniversary model, the S-VT available in Mk2.5 form from 2001 to 2005 and the MazdaSpeed MX-5 available 2004-2005.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Johnny, I'm liking your way of thinking. Currently I have my M3 for evenings and weekends and a Micra for work duties. It would be nice to have a "nice" car that I could drive all the time though. I don't have a family so no need to worry about the weekend car really.

The only sticking point is if I still want to do trackdays then I would need a separate car for that, as the car I rely on for work cannot also be my track car

You could use the daily as a track car too but have something more GT-ish as a "spare" in case you broke the daily on the track.

I'm going to use the MX-5 as a track car as well as a daily because I can use the S13 for a daily at a pinch (or if its still in bits, nick the family Impreza)

[Si]

If it's any consolation, I'm about 5'11" and I'm fine in a Eunos Seating position is dandy for me

Out 1.6 MKII does about 33 to the gallon on a good run, but mid 20's combined - The MK1 1.8 was the same. I'd be surprised if you can maintain low 30's.
The MK2 interior is a much nicer place to be aesthetically, but has lost some of it's 'agricultural charm' - it's still very 90's JDM though.
Rust most definitely is an issue - as said, front of the rear arches, down by the sills - exactly the same as the MK1's.
That, crash damage, and worn bushes seem to be the main issues.

Electrical gremlins and lack of arsed has rendered my other half's MK2 useless for a good while, and I really miss it The handling is very wooly though - suspect it pretty much needs a full rebush, and it's only just rolled over 60k.
Half cage is a must - not just for safety, but for the amount it stiffens the car - made it so much more enjoyable to drive.

If you want to drive enthusiastically don't even think about a 1.6, as the brakes are awful.

Personally, I love the engines - eager to rev, especially the 1.6 (my favourite!) - and they're very tough too. Sound nice with just a filter. Induction noise is grand!

I do prefer the mk1 if I'm honest, as it seems to just have a bit more character, but I'm not sure it's an apples/apples comparison, as there's something fundamentally wrong with the bushing on my other half's car.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

The handling on my 2.5 S-VT is fine. Its very taut and chuckable, its just the midrange grunt I've got used to in the Impreza and the S13 that has spoiled me I think.

@Pete - How much money are you willing to part with ? I got a late, range-topping Mk2.5 low miler for a little over £4,500 (although prices have dropped somewhat since the summer). An early, Mk2 1.6 with 100k+ and poverty spec with no history can be had for £750. All I've had to do to mine is put petrol in it and clean it properly . If you go with a £750 model you'll probably need to spend a couple of grand to get it up to snuff for a track day.

[Madda]

A foamoctomy has been done on my mk2.5 leather drivers seat and I now sit 2 inches or so lower and its more comfortable. It has still retained the heated goodness, and is pretty simple to do.

[Pete C]

@Pete - How much money are you willing to part with ? I got a late, range-topping Mk2.5 low miler for a little over £4,500 (although prices have dropped somewhat since the summer). An early, Mk2 1.6 with 100k+ and poverty spec with no history can be had for £750. All I've had to do to mine is put petrol in it and clean it properly . If you go with a £750 model you'll probably need to spend a couple of grand to get it up to snuff for a track day.

Jonny - as it'd be a replacement for both of my cars I could go up to £4k if that'd get me a late low mileage example. If I got an 04 like yours then it'd be the newest car I'd ever have owned by quite some way, which would be a novelty

I learned with my brief Mk1 experience that cheap MX-5s aren't the way to go. Maybe I was just unlucky, but...