Car shortlist - MR2 / MX5 (mk1 or mk2?)

Never driven one tbf so couldn't comment, they are pretty similar though. I guess the 86 is more lively though, with a proper clutch LSD and a live axle.
I don't know, my experience of the MX5 is that the engine is abysmal, so underpowered it actually makes it a miserable experience to drive. I don't know how this is possible having driven cars with less power and longer gearing that were more exciting in the engine department, it is though. Might be different if it had something to give up top, but it's just flat.
The hype would have you believe though that the handling makes up for this, it's amazing and the best fun ever to drive. Sorry but I just never found the joy, too soft for my taste. It turns and grips up well though, too well for the meagre output.

MR2 turbo is fast, properly, with the kind of chassis that wants to kill you if you don't bring your A game. This to me is much more exciting and fun.
Perhaps that's just me, but the more dangerous it feels, the more fun there is in it.
 
hurfdurf said:
Really helps what? I had a hardtop on my first MX5 and didn't understand why anyone would ever want one, it weighed a lot as well and the car felt it.
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Mine really isn't heavy.

It protects the soft-top during the cold wet months, reduces cabin noise on long journeys and it's harder to knife. :p
 
Clarkey said:
Never driven one tbf so couldn't comment, they are pretty similar though. I guess the 86 is more lively though, with a proper clutch LSD and a live axle.
I don't know, my experience of the MX5 is that the engine is abysmal, so underpowered it actually makes it a miserable experience to drive. I don't know how this is possible having driven cars with less power and longer gearing that were more exciting in the engine department, it is though. Might be different if it had something to give up top, but it's just flat.
The hype would have you believe though that the handling makes up for this, it's amazing and the best fun ever to drive. Sorry but I just never found the joy, too soft for my taste. It turns and grips up well though, too well for the meagre output.

MR2 turbo is fast, properly, with the kind of chassis that wants to kill you if you don't bring your A game. This to me is much more exciting and fun.
Perhaps that's just me, but the more dangerous it feels, the more fun there is in it.
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With the 5 it really depends which engine you drive, the 1.6 revs quicker than the 1.8, but some 1.6 units shipped with sub 100bhp, which is just pants.

Pick of the units was the Mk2.5 vvt 1.8, 7.2k rpm rev limit iirc, and with 146bhp and 6 speed box was ok, they need to be thrashed to get the most.

Granted its not like driving a turbo supra, but then that's not the point of the car.
 
I'm far from an mx5 fan either, but to be fair the mk3 mr2 doesn't bring a vastly more exciting engine as standard. What it will do though is grip like you won't believe in the dry.

2zz. Or 1zz Turbo mk3s are actually just about perfect for a roadster but neither are easy to find nor particularly suitable for a new driver.

The mk2 tubby has the same issue r.e not really new driver friendly though they are surprisingly good on insurance. They're almost all really rusting now too, that's one of the main reasons I don't have one at the moment -great cars
 
Clarkey said:
MR2 turbo is fast, properly, with the kind of chassis that wants to kill you if you don't bring your A game. This to me is much more exciting and fun.
Perhaps that's just me, but the more dangerous it feels, the more fun there is in it.
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Is it really that bad? On average tyres (well the best you can buy in standard sizes) the NA mk2 rev 4 I've driven fairly often isn't really a handful as it's really hard to brake traction above 1st gear.
 
Yeah they have good power, will break traction no problem. Oversteer in them is quite frantic compared with what you get in a front engined car. I'm not going to say this is a mid engine issue though, I went in kaiowas(sp?)/vix AW11 at Donington and it seemed exquisitely well balanced and joyous on the limit, so maybe it's all in the setup?
 
I just found the mx5 to be more predictable and balanced, and enjoyable even at legal speeds and you can have so much fun with it. Boot space isn't too bad, and looks a lot better than the MR2 - except for the earlier MR2s (SW20) which did look cool, but they were T-Bars rather than soft tops. The mark 3 is tragic.

Give an mx5 the c.240bhp mine had and it becomes even more fun! :D
 
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If we're talking MR2 turbo vs MX5 then I'd have to think about it however if we're talking Mk3 MR2 then the MX5 wins by a mile.
 
Clarkey said:
Yeah they have good power, will break traction no problem. Oversteer in them is quite frantic compared with what you get in a front engined car. I'm not going to say this is a mid engine issue though, I went in kaiowas(sp?)/vix AW11 at Donington and it seemed exquisitely well balanced and joyous on the limit, so maybe it's all in the setup?
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With the mk2 turbo you've got the combination of the mid engined layout generally giving you less time to feel it starting to move and catch it plus the power delivery characteristics of a turbo making it very easy for someone who is inexperienced to get into trouble. I'm sure our car wouldnt seem so nicely balanced in the hands of someone who wasn't as familiar with it either. I had a go in a mk3 with a 3sgte fitted the other week, went like stink but the power delivery was completely alien to me and I spun it :p

Can't really comment too much on mx5s. I had a mk3 briefly as a courtesy car which was enjoyable enough but I didn't really spank it too hard plus ISTR that the later cars are on stilts as standard to pass pedestrian impact tests and really need the factory lowering kit to become the car they are supposed to be. I'd like a proper go in one of the earlier cars but the chance has never come up.
 
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I've driven both too and always preferred the mr2. The mx5 seems to constantly be lauded for handling but the mr2 has much more outright grip and balance when you really want to go for it. Yes the mazda is tidy but in the dry the toyota is significantly better to drive quickly. The engine is a bit nicer too but not massively so.

The Mazda only outshines it in the wet for drivability imo and that's only really because you can get the back out.

Prefer the Toyota interior, both have the same overall amount of storage space (don't fall for the "its got no boot" nonsense), both are easy to work on, both have simple roofs and both will be reliable given the right car. The Toyota is far less likely to rust away too.

I just prefer the Toyota, always have always will

Edit - obviously I'm talking mk3 mr2 here, mk2 tubby isn't even comparable
 
Ive had a MK1 Mx5 and a MK3 MR2, I like the hairdresser experience so never bothered with the MK2 MR2.

Personally the MK3 Tubby is a nicer car inside, but it felt a bit sterile, I didn't really bond with the car, like I did with the MX5, the MX5 seemed much more fun to drive and it felt a bit raw'er, that said It was slow as buggery in real terms but you never really felt it.

The MX5 imo is a easier car to live with day to day, the storage space is much more usefull, the bins in the MR2 are a PITA for stuff like shopping and the space under the front 'bonnet' is a joke tbh!

So MK1 MX5 all day long, but it will annoy the hell out of you on the motorway as its slow and rattly and lorry drivers cant see you so every day is a thrilling escape from death day!
 
Wow, more replies than I expected.

Firstly - cheers for the wealth of data, based off the advice given I'm starting to sway toward the MX5 (Also as from what I've read it's more suited to a new driver).

Of the MX5s so far, (I recall reading that after 2003 models are more reliable)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201304066133979/sort/default/make/MAZDA/model/MX-5/postcode/po167pa/radius/1500/keywords/mk2.5/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/price-to/5000/advert-type/featured-listing/dealer/417075/usedcars?logcode=flp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201304246433073/sort/default/make/MAZDA/model/MX-5/postcode/po167pa/radius/1500/keywords/mk2.5/price-to/5000/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/advert-type/hl-nthcar/dealer/61909/usedcars?logcode=hlp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201306187356556/sort/default/usedcars/price-to/5000/maximum-mileage/up_to_80000_miles/model/mx-5/make/mazda/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/page/1/postcode/po167pa/keywords/mk2.5/radius/1500?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201306107209435/sort/default/usedcars/engine-size-cars/2l_to_2-5l/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/model/mx-5/make/mazda/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/1500/page/1/postcode/po167pa?logcode=p

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201306187348965/sort/default/usedcars/maximum-mileage/up_to_60000_miles/engine-size-cars/1-7l_to_1-9l/maximum-age/over_10_years_old/model/mx-5/make/mazda/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/radius/1500/postcode/po167pa/page/1/image-id/217281031?logcode=p
 
kaiowas said:
I'd like a proper go in one of the earlier cars but the chance has never come up.
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Is that a hint Phil? ;)

Edit - When I decided to blow my original budget out of the water I decided it had to be a Mk1 MX5 but for me that came down to aesthetics (I love the look of the mk1, not so keen on the mk2) and just the general feel of it. I hate it as a daily driver though. With the roof up it is noisy and rattly at pretty much any speed and I certainly don't subscribe to the "Top down, always" mentality.

The right scenario though (open roads, not rush hour traffic) with the roof off and it is cracking fun as demonstrated last night when I took a 30 mile detour on my way home through the country lanes and villages. Sun setting, roof off, winding country lanes... fantastic.
 
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