Hello again,
Not on much anymore since having to sell my pride and joy but like to pop back now and then to relive the good old days and check out all your lovely rexs lol.
Now for the \'baby rx7\' part.
I am having huge withdrawal symptoms for my RX7 but I am not in the right financial place to handle the running costs and rebuilds that come with the RX7.
Is there any car that might help me keep going till I can get my greasy little hands on another FD?
I\'m thinking that the MX3 1.8i V6 might do the trick? It isn\'t gonna be a rocket like the rex but maybe sporty and fun handling without the huge costs? Anyone here driven, or better, owned one?
I did check out the MX3 forums but allot of ricers out there with stupid kits on there cars and pointless spoilers etc lol
Any other suggestions or thoughts?
Thanks guys
well, I can say that the Mk1 MX5 / eunos roadster has the same fun factor as the rex (but with out the power) all the controles are in the same place, same weight & the reaction of things like the brakes, steering & gear shift are exactly the same! but if your looking at going this rought, you could get a turbo conversion one or even a supercharged one, which will give you a big grin as the only weigh 900kg!
Aparantly the MX3 is a very remote drive so I am told, but not driven one myself!
Jono
The Mx-6 is a nice drive as well :)
i would say mx5 is your best bet, really cheap, very reliable, take alot of abuse and the same great suspension setup
Fears with the MX5;
1. Hairdresser Car
2. UK models expensive for what they are.
3. Import - ridiculous insurance costs
4. Lots off abused ones
Fears for MX3;
1. Ricer Image
2. Most are rust buckets
3. Not as familiar with them as I am with MX5
4. Not much guides to DIY on MX3
What to pick lol
well what is your budget, what can you afford to pay out every month?
yes people may say the mx5 is a bit hairdressery.....but take them down some country lanes and leave them for dust
Well the insurance isn\'t really an issue just get annoyed that for a few hundred more could insure my old FD lol
Strange but true unfortunately
And the car its self as its only a toy I don\'t want to spend more the £1000ish. Finding a MX5 for less then that is a bit tricky.
If you move quickly there are still plenty of sub £1k MX5\'s floating around, i appreciate they are pretty old but i\'ve seen a few that are still reasonably tidy enough. The bonus with the MX5 is that come the summmer (if we have one) it\'ll still retain all it\'s value and possibly a lttle more :chat
If you want something with the fun od an F-body, then an MX3 won\'t come close, you need a \'5.
If you\'re that image obsessed that you can\'t get over the \'hairdresser\' image then they\'re not the car for you - drive one and see what you think.
Amazing cars - such sweet handling, beautiful feedback, wonderful turn in, bombproof mechanicals, and dirt cheap. As said, if you\'re quick, you can get one for sub 1k easy at the mo (although the change in weather is going to start inflating prices).
My other half\'s had 2, and we\'re deffo going to have another. If I could choose to only have 1 car, it\'d be a \'5 :)
Quote from: SleepyDude;682716Fears with the MX5;
1. Hairdresser Car
2. UK models expensive for what they are.
3. Import - ridiculous insurance costs
4. Lots off abused ones
Fears for MX3;
1. Ricer Image
2. Most are rust buckets
3. Not as familiar with them as I am with MX5
4. Not much guides to DIY on MX3
What to pick lol
mate, you owned an fd, does any of this really matter?
+1 for a Mk1 MX-5
+2 for supercharging it :)
My other "more sensible" :rollin car is a Supercharged Mk1 MX-5.
More fun/bang per buck than pretty much anything else on the road. It is raw and exciting like an FD... obviously not at the same level of power... but with the roof down it does feel like a lot more HP than it has :)
If you can live with two seats, then try one, and you will find that you will buy one :)
DrDan.
2 of the best things about an MX5:
1. The fact you never have to slow for corners (just as well as they\'re not the quickest in a straight line)
2. Driving at night down country lanes with a clear sky and the roof down. Brilliant.
EDIT: OK, make that 3
3. Owning an R33GTR around Combe in an almost bone stock MK1 RS LTD (OK, so it had 888\'s, but other than that...)
Quote from: SleepyDude;682716Fears with the MX5;
1. Hairdresser Car
2. UK models expensive for what they are.
3. Import - ridiculous insurance costs
4. Lots off abused ones
...
I\'ve yet to actually meet a hairdresser that owns an MX5, and whilst there are lots of abused ones, they are quite resilient and cheap to fix too.
Best \'british\' sports car ever :)
I\'ve always said there are two sorts of people in the world: Those who don\'t like MX5\'s, and those who have driven them. :)
Just a thought, but what about an MR2? (mk2 obviously :)).
Quote from: SiH;682750I\'ve always said there are two sorts of people in the world: Those who don\'t like MX5\'s, and those who have driven them. :)
Good quote Si.
Its the best selling roadster of all time for a reason. You can abuse them like theres no tomorrow and they just take it. Blow the engine up and you can buy a replacement for the cost of a couple of tanks of fuel!
Buy a 1.8 import which will have a torsen diff and bigger brakes. early uk are starting to get a bit rotten now, I would pay a bit more for insurance and have an import. Very cheap to modify, spend money on bushes, suspension, wheels, tyres and allignment and you will grin from ear to ear.
I like MX5\'s so much mine has a 13B turbo in it :)
I have decided on an good MK1 MX5 and gonna SC or turbo it, not sure which yet lol
MX3 - Total crap to drive and FWD???? Didn\'t realize that till today.
MX5 - Fun as hell and very quick on B roads lol, I would rather have the hairdresser comments followed by shock as I take off down the road and leave them in a cloud of dust lmao
Had a quick search and found a good 94 UK 1.8 model with no rust or serious marks etc, and 12months MOT
Save about £300 a year insuring a 1.8 UK model over a 1.6 import!. Anyone know which models have power steering and which don\'t? Ill ask obviously but wasn\'t sure.
Thanks
They\'re practically all PS except for the very early models. IIRC if it\'s a UK 1.8 it will deffo have PAS.
Your main enemy is rust - rust rust rust!
Check and double check the sills at the rear - the hood drains into this area, and hte drain tubes and holes get blocked, turning the sills into swimming pools, and rotting them from the inside out.
here you go mate found this one for £900, bit of a clean up and would be a nice runner.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1991-MAZDA-MX5-BLUE_W0QQitemZ260576329414QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item3cab8f3ec6
How much do you recon the respray would be?
Not sure if to get a very tidy example for £1xxx or a good example with some minor issues for £700-800 and use the extra cash to get the niggles fixed?
Thoughts
use the guy on here to get a full respray done, he charges £500 the threade is under cheap resprays
heres the link http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62433&highlight=cheap+respray
Quote from: JasonC;682762Just a thought, but what about an MR2? (mk2 obviously :)).
Hmmm, got one of them and TBH I\'d struggle to recommend it as even approximate to an FD in fun, style, handling, power, anything really :(. Look kinda Ok-ish if you squint and like old Ferraris, and it drives alright in a bouncy vague sort of way, but....nowhere near an RX-7. Or an MX-5 either :Nono! I imagine Jono might confirm this opinion for me ;)
Had 4 mk2 MR2\'s and wont be going back :)
n/a was fine, but lacked power (obviously) and while being a good drive nowhere in the league of the FD, and while on the outside they\'re not too dated (rev3+), the insides are very much so imo, turbo\'s big ends are just chocolate, 2 of my 3 ate their big end bearings :(
Hmm, i\'ve always found the interior to be ok - certainly no more dated than the rx7 interior! Mind you, i\'ve only really been in a late rev 5.
Mr2 n/a would be a good cheap car, for under a grand it\'s a gud car to thrash for fun n cheap to run I\'d prefer that over the mx5
Quote from: GhostWKD;682833Had 4 mk2 MR2\'s and wont be going back :)
n/a was fine, but lacked power (obviously) and while being a good drive nowhere in the league of the FD, and while on the outside they\'re not too dated (rev3+), the insides are very much so imo, turbo\'s big ends are just chocolate, 2 of my 3 ate their big end bearings :(
Agree with lack of power :mad:, don\'t agree on interior :3Confused, I think it\'s fine tbh and a good stereo as stock too, certainly better than the FD. But then, mines a Uk one with full leather, maybe the placcy/cloth seat interiors are a bit pony?
Quote from: JasonC;682846Hmm, i\'ve always found the interior to be ok - certainly no more dated than the rx7 interior! Mind you, i\'ve only really been in a late rev 5.
Yeah, as above :Giggle
Quote from: JamietypeR;682848Mr2 n/a would be a good cheap car, for under a grand it\'s a gud car to thrash for fun n cheap to run I\'d prefer that over the mx5
Don\'t get that at all :confused:, certainly less fun than an MX-5 and not that cheap. Or at least, parts are not cheap if you have to buy Toyota (which you do for a lot of older bits) in which case they cost like they were gold-plated :mad: For less than a grand the car\'s liable to be a timebomb with interstellar mileage, and if it\'s Rev 1 or 2 it\'ll be worn out in every respec\'. Plus if it\'s a T-Bar it
will leak
I don\'t kno u can find a few good 1s around his only after it for a short period of time till he gets a Rex again, I don\'t kno much about mx5 so I can\'t say but mr2s are fun my friends have a few rev 1s and rev3s and there reliable n fun to boot
Mr2 are good cars but just feels like its a slow car trying to be fast. Too like a RX7 or Subra\'s stiff mean look but with little power to back it up.
When i drove the MX5 it felt fun light and quick in the corners. Its more a drivers car, something fun to put a smile on your face more like a road go-cart then a serious machine, which I like.
The handling and perfect 50/50 weight is what i loved about the RX7 :D