New car time

[Jonny Wilkinson]

It sounds like your heart is set on the MX-5. I have a horrible feeling you'll be disappointed in it though.

A lot of people on here have had older-mk MX-5s and its shown itself to be a really marmite car. Some love it, some hate it.

I'm one of the haters TBH having had a top-spec, low mileage Mk2.5 for 12 months before I finally gave up on it and binned it off. It was perfectly reliable just dreadfully dull and frustrating in equal measure.

If you've had an MX-5 and you love them, its a fairly safe bet you'll like the mk4 but if you haven't, do you really want to be landed with a car you don't enjoy for 4 years ?

I think the MX-5 needs more than a test drive before buying into a 4-yr commitment.

Have you thought of getting a Mk3 for 12 months and seeing if you like it then going PCP on a new one when the "heat" around the new model has gone off ?

A 2.0 5-yr old car with less than 20K on the clock (so should be ok for reliability) is less than 10K so a smallish loan, it won't depreciate massively over 12 months and would give you an idea if its the right sort of car for you. Shouldn't be hard to knock on or even part-ex in 2017. Just a thought.

[Evilchap]

Must be some nice VAG deals out there, I imagine with all the bad press the dealers probably fall over themselves to sell something to anyone at the moment?

[Evilchap]

It sounds like your heart is set on the MX-5. I have a horrible feeling you'll be disappointed in it though.

A lot of people on here have had older-mk MX-5s and its shown itself to be a really marmite car. Some love it, some hate it.

I'm one of the haters TBH having had a top-spec, low mileage Mk2.5 for 12 months before I finally gave up on it and binned it off. It was perfectly reliable just dreadfully dull and frustrating in equal measure.

This is a good point... but also I think Jonny you got the wrong MX5.

The Mk1 was great, fun, and had character. As they then mostly got bought by really old people, they got softer, more comfortable and less interesting to drive. A Mk1 is totally different in feel to sit in and to drive than a Mk2.5 - despite being very similar mechanically.

I have driven all of them, and really love the mk1, but the mk2 and mk2.5 leave me feeling cold and un-involved.

If you come to the weekender JW I'd love to give you a drive of the MX5 I'll be in, and get your thoughts, see if I can win you back into the positive way of thinking about MX5s

I think the MkIV is more like the Mk1, and less like the later ones in how it's been designed and marketed, but I am yet to have a drive in one, so cant be sure. If it was a numb as the mk2.5 I'd find it hard to part with lots of money for it too.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Must be some nice VAG deals out there, I imagine with all the bad press the dealers probably fall over themselves to sell something to anyone at the moment?

Yup. Mine was a 65-plate pre-reg Polo 110R bought at the beginning of December with exactly the spec I wanted. I paid 14.4 in the end, delivered and with a tank of petrol and a set of mats. Could have got it cheaper if I'd wanted to finance it.

[Evilchap]

Yup. Mine was a 65-plate pre-reg Polo 110R bought at the beginning of December with exactly the spec I wanted. I paid 14.4 in the end, delivered and with a tank of petrol and a set of mats. Could have got it cheaper if I'd wanted to finance it.

My dad got a Tiguan and they gave him an extra £1k off for taking out finance, that he just cleared off after the first payment. It's a good technique for saving some pennies

[Jonny Wilkinson]

This is a good point... but also I think Jonny you got the wrong MX5.

The Mk1 was great, fun, and had character. As they then mostly got bought by really old people, they got softer, more comfortable and less interesting to drive. A Mk1 is totally different in feel to sit in and to drive than a Mk2.5 - despite being very similar mechanically.

I have driven all of them, and really love the mk1, but the mk2 and mk2.5 leave me feeling cold and un-involved.

If you come to the weekender JW I'd love to give you a drive of the MX5 I'll be in, and get your thoughts, see if I can win you back into the positive way of thinking about MX5s

I think the MkIV is more like the Mk1, and less like the later ones in how it's been designed and marketed, but I am yet to have a drive in one, so cant be sure. If it was a numb as the mk2.5 I'd find it hard to part with lots of money for it too.

My mate's had a Mk1 for over 5 years and I've driven it a few times. I think its quite like the Spitfire I used to have - more primitive than the 2.5 and feels like it wants to be driven like a Spitfire i.e. elbow on the rolled down window and definitely not for sustained 80 mph work.

[sideways14a]

Always thought the 2 and 2.5 were... Americanized versions of a classic (ie bastardised) - a bit to fat and flabby - not massivly but not the same as the mk1.

This new one is just over 1000k, thats like... anaemic.
But a good test drive will need to be done, might think its shite.

My e46 330 diesel coupe is crap, its not fun even though they are lauded as being great drivers cars... its not.

[Evilchap]

Always thought the 2 and 2.5 were... Americanized versions of a classic (ie bastardised) - a bit to fat and flabby - not massivly but not the same as the mk1.

This new one is just over 1000k, thats like... anaemic.
But a good test drive will need to be done, might think its shite.

My e46 330 diesel coupe is crap, its not fun even though they are lauded as being great drivers cars... its not.

BMWs are solid feeling, and capable, but because of that I haven't found a 'fun' one yet.

I have driven an E46 M3, 123d, E60 530d and a few others - I like them all, but none have excited me, as they make everything effortless, and remove the sensation of speed to a degree.

I'd be really interested to see your thoughts on the MX5 ND after a good drive. My test of the GT86 was great, until I hit a dual carriageway, when it just felt slow and annoying, which made me sad.

[zeppelin101]

When I drove an '86 a while ago I was offered an extended test drive for pretty much a whole day. I didn't take it up in the end because I couldn't get the maths to work on a deal but no harm in asking for more time with the car.

[Scottie]

I think the MX-5 needs more than a test drive before buying into a 4-yr commitment.

Have you thought of getting a Mk3 for 12 months and seeing if you like it then going PCP on a new one when the "heat" around the new model has gone off ?

A 2.0 5-yr old car with less than 20K on the clock (so should be ok for reliability) is less than 10K so a smallish loan, it won't depreciate massively over 12 months and would give you an idea if its the right sort of car for you. Shouldn't be hard to knock on or even part-ex in 2017. Just a thought.

That's a good idea.

[sideways14a]

So i went for a very quick visit to the dealer again on Friday, didnt have time for a test drive but just wanted to see if i could fit in the mx5. Which was fine, loads of room and vastly improved over the old ones.
So i am going to try and see if i can make the numbers work well for the 2ltr sport.

Now colours, i am thinking black with a tan interior, the interior needs lightened up so the tan leather would be a good idea otherwise its like sitting in a small black box.
The red ones nice as well, so its prob between the two.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

The only good thing you can say about a red interior is that it is better than a tan interior....although it describes it as sand so it might be more beige/cream than tan (I haven't seen it).

Solely because of my feelings about that, I'm going to suggest either Soul Red or Arctic White with either the black leather OR go for the Recaro.

[Evilchap]

I like red interiors, I think Clarkson once described them as like sitting in a mans washbag though - so I guess it's up to you.

They dont feel dark though, which is nice

[Si]

I like red interiors as well - all I can say is that if you are going to ever sell it, ever, don't get a tan/beige interior out of choice...

White exterior with red interior looks awesome though, ditto black and red.

[sideways14a]

There aint a red interior, i meant the red car.
In fact there aint a lot of colour choices for the whole thing..

Black with tan or black on black... hmm or red with tan or red n black...


ohh christ its like buying curtains with a wummin.

[Si]

Pfft, it's only a grand and a bit more for the Recaro interior

[Scottie]

black with tan.

black is a good colour, and tan works well with it, and lightens up the interior.

or dark red looks good, and works with tan or black interior.

glad we've cleared that up

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Sorry I confused things with the reference to the red interior. I was just saying "Don't get a tan interior because I think they look bad no matter what colour the exterior.

Black only really looks good with a red or grey interior but you don't have the red option so its black and grey.

With red exterior, I suggest you go black leather interior or the recaro version.

Tan interiors are also generally known as a re-sale turn-off making it harder to move on if that is a consideration.

With the white, you really need a black or grey interior or, again, the recaro version.

I never think that black suits a small sports car. Black only really works on a big bruiser like a 300C or a Camaro or similar.

[Jonny Wilkinson]

I like red interiors, I think Clarkson once described them as like sitting in a mans washbag though - so I guess it's up to you.

They dont feel dark though, which is nice

I think that was a particular red interior though that had a large diamond stitch on the red leather. It DID look like a poofs washbag

[R3K1355]

on the online conflabulator you can't get the Recaro interior with black exterior, it's red or whitish silver??