Softop for summer

The IPB

The IPB

The IPB

Soldato
Joined
15 Jul 2005
Posts
3,428
Location
Drinking tea somewhere
Hey people, I want to pickup a softop before the summer. Got around £3500 to spend so nothing too fancy, been looking at MX5's. Just wondered if you have any suggestions other then that ?

Not too bothered about engine size as long as it's a nice car and a softop.
 
Yeah I been looking at CRX, but I dont like the newer shape. The older shaped ones are much nicer, but hard to come by decent ones for that price.

MX5 it is!
 
For your money I think you'll get a much better MGF than MX5 (later year, more power). I suppose it depends on whether you like the looks and the drive, and can partially ignore the '5 fanboys on here :p
 
tom_nieto said:
For your money I think you'll get a much better MGF than MX5 (later year, more power). I suppose it depends on whether you like the looks and the drive, and can partially ignore the '5 fanboys on here :p
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As much as I like the 5, I agree, the MK1 MX5 looks rancid to be honest. Pop-up lights are sooooo dated.
 
Whilst the MX5 is the better car, the MGF is far better value for money and it's actually a damn good car, much better than I'd been led to believe.
 
Neither the MX or the MG are super duper machines, both aren't that quick or posh inside! But when you compare £3500 of MX-5 to £3500 MGF it does add up. The MX-5's you can get up to about a 97/98 model and the MGs seem to start there and go up to about a 2000 model!

Then generally the later car has the less mileage on, less owners etc. The MGs also have more power in vvc form.

The thing to do is to go and try both and see what you like!
 
As already stated, you can just about get a mk2 for £3500. Infact mine will be going for around that in the next few months as I need to change to a saloon in the near future (oops).

A few thoughts on the differences between the MX5 versions.
- The mk1 is slightly lighter, has a more 80's interior, but is apparently slightly more fun in a raw sort of way
- The mk2 adds a slight weight increase, better torsional rigidity, glass rear screen that doesn't need unzipping and a better interior, hence why I went with the mk2.
- You'll be looking at either a later 1.6 or a 1.8. The 1.6 is fairly hopeless unless you just want to enjoy the top down feel. The 1.8 actually feels like a rear sports car, and with a decent cone filter makes a lovely sound when required, but doesn't give you a headache when you want to take it easy.
- AC and PAS are potential options. Personally I never saw the point in AC in a soft top, but that's just me. If you've got used to cars with PAS, don't buy one without. I tried an early mk1 1.6 with no PAS, and clearly have turned into a girly in the meantime, as I really found it much too much like hard work.
- If you go with a mk2 1.8, be aware that the steering wheel in the 1.8i is a nasty nasty plastic thing with an airbag. Mine had gone a bit soft when I bought it. The "S" has a fairly nice leather one. The problem with the plastic airbag version is that you really need to replace it with a similarly airbagged version. Brand new wheels are a LOT of money. Personally I was lucky enough to find someone selling a lovely Raid airbag/leather unit that makes even the "S" version wheel feel boring.
- The "S" also adds ABS, sports suspension and an LSD (along with 30kg), though typically they go for more money.

Hope that helps. There's a number of other owners on here if you require more advice.
 
eidolon said:
Whilst the MX5 is the better car, the MGF is far better value for money and it's actually a damn good car, much better than I'd been led to believe.
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I hate to say I told you so.......

The MG owners were right and all the F haters who were basing there opinions on internet waffle knew nothing ;)

Are you tempted with the supercharger kit yet?

edit:

my F is a R plate VVC and has full leather, 150 ish bhp, power steering and windows air con and ABS.

It's book value is about £2.5 - £3 K I think. They are great cars BUT you do need to keep an eye on the water levels, you do need to get the hydrogas suspension set op by a decent specialist because you can be certain that the rover garage it was bought from didn't do it properly when it was new.

They have a smaller boot then the 5 but probably a bit more room inside the cabin. I lived with mine as an only car for about 3 years including driving round scotland for 2 weeks for my honeymoon in it.
 
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Going to look at an MGF later today, for the money im looking at newer cars, with lower mileage. Nice VVC grey model with leather interior.
 
Problem is the budget you got is enough for a good standard MK1, but not enough money for a Mk2 iS, personally i wouldn't buy anything other than the Mk2 iS since the addition of the Torsen really improves the car that and the stock interior on the non iS sucks.

With the above in mind as the others have said, unless you can live with the looks and the horrid dash etc of the Mk1 then you might be best saving some more money or getting an MGF.
 
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