MX-5 OC Forum

 Passed my test in 1973 in my first car, a 1968 Vauxhall Viva HB.

Vauxhall Viva HC saloon "L" reg

Vauxhall Viva HC Estate  "R" reg

Vauhall VX1800 Estate "T" reg

Volvo 245DL "X" reg.  Kept this car for about 10 years.

*Passed bike test in 1979 on a Honda CB100N  Then bought a Honda CX500 which I kept for 5 years before giving up.  Regreted ever since.*

Volvo 480ES

Vauxhall Cavalier TD "K" reg

Jeep Cherokee 2.5TD Ltd "S" reg.  (joined IAM and passed Advanced test in this car in 2001)

Jeep Cherokee 2.5TD Ltd "03" reg (current car had 4 years)

Ford Fiesta 1.25 "W" reg (my wifes car, had since new)

MX5 1.8i "S" reg (our new "toy").

Hmm, let's think:

1971 Mini 850 (in 1981)
1977 Vauxhall Chevette
1980 Datsun Cherry
1983 Vauxhall Astra

1983 Alfa Romeo GTV
1985 Citroen CX
1986 Lancia Delta HF Turbo
1987 Rover 820
1989 Citroen AX GT
1992 Rover 214 Cabriolet (company car)
1995 Honda Civic coupe (company car)
1995 Citroen Xantia
1990 Jaguar XJ6 4.0
1991 Jaguar XJ-S V12
1995 Jaguar XJ6 3.2 Sport
2001 Jaguar S-Type 3.0
2000 Jaguar XJ8 4.0
1993 Bentley Brooklands
2007 Vauxhall Astra Estate (company car, still got)
2006 MX-5 1.8 (still got)

and a few bikes:

1977 Suzuki AP50
1979 MZ 250 Supa 5
1992 Suzuki 650 Savage
1993 Suzuki 1400 Intruder
1996? Harley 1200 Sportster
2002 Harley Super Glide
2004 Triumph Rocket Three
2004 Harley V-Rod (still got)

Some lovely cars in the 60s there and you owned two of my favourites - Lotus Elite and Elan - was thinking of swapping my MX5 for a Lotus Elan +2 now we have a young child - would you recommend it?

RacingGreenSmith:

Some lovely cars in the 60s there and you owned two of my favourites - Lotus Elite and Elan - was thinking of swapping my MX5 for a Lotus Elan +2 now we have a young child - would you recommend it?

I guess that was aimed at me

The +2 was a lovely car, I had it when my son was about 12. Biggest problem with the Lotus models of that period is reliability. I see a number of people are starting to complain about failing engines and poor bodywork on Mk2 MX5s. This seems to have affected the earlier cars of that period, the Mk1 if well maintained is damn nearly bullet proof. No idea what a +2 would cost you today, and most have probably been sorted with new chassis, drive shafts and some sort of gel coat repais. With a certain amount of regret, I would have to advise against one, unless you are very good with the spanners and are not reliant on it except for a weekend toy---

I'm only 22 but have already racked up quite a history - some of it I am not proud of!

1990 Mini Mayfair - 998cc SOLD
1982 Mini City E -998cc SOLD
1963 Austin Mini - for hillclimbing - not finished yet! 1275cc ON GOING
2007 Citroen C1 Cool - just bought as a very very cheap to run reliable new car for the missus to use for commuting ON GOING
1983 Austin Metro 998cc - great fun, lovely engine but gearbox bearing failure at just 23,000 miles! British leyland quality. SCRAPPED
1989 Austin Metro 1275cc - was my daily driver but then engine got nabbed for my hillclimb mini SCRAPPED
1992 Mercedes 190E 2.0Auto - lovely reliable, easy to work on car - SOLD
1989 Mercedes E 300D - 3 Litre Straight Six Manual - quietest smoothest diesel I've ever been in and 45mpg - couldn't afford to run 2 cars while at uni. SOLD
1991 Eunos Roadster V-Special 1.6 - now my daily driver - quite a change from a big diesel merc! ONGOING

+ a lot of minis scrapped for parts - about 3.

As for the elan +2 - I'm a big fan of the car's looks and I have seen some out there with the galvanised spider chassis and zetec engines! Hopefully that would cure most of the problems. Good ones seem to start at around 10K.

Hi Geoff

Yes the previous message was aimed at you - sorry for being vague... Thanks for the advice, good to hear from someone who has owned a Lotus Elan. Was just looking for something that looks and drives like my MK1 MX5 but can fit our son in too - most modern cars are dull in comparison, I guess the nearest modern (and reliable) equivalent would be a Mk1 Jag Xk8, which similarily to the MX5 go fo reasonable money because they are an aquired taste - most people would rather have a merc or a BMW...

Maybe reliability on the Elan +2 is an issue - over here these days you can pick up an Elan for £10k+ but there is a company called Spyder Engineering ironing out all the old niggles, they even make new ones on a new chasis with brand new Zetec engines - best of both worlds but out of my pocket...

Cheers

Mark

1. 1980 W Yamaha FS1E DX. 16th birthday present from parents
2. 1981 X Suzuki TS125ER. Needed more speed and to learn to wheelie
3. 1983 Vauxhall Astra 1200S. Great car and went much faster when I fitted a cassette player and two huge Cibie driving lights
4. 1987 Vauxhall Nova 1.2 Club. Grey and yellow seats () but a button sized leather steering wheel improved things.
5. 1991 Ford Escort 1.3L. Kept this for 7 years and 80000 miles for some reason though can't think why
6. 1993 Yamaha XJ600S. Return to biking after a change in domestic circumstances meant I could do what I wanted
7. 1999 VW Polo 1.4CL. The Escort finally gave up and this had mod cons like electric windows and central locking which hooked me
8. 2000 Yamaha FZS600. Bought cheaply new but preregistered and treated to an ART end can, belly pan and hugger. Fab bike
9. 2003 Suzuki SV1000S. Another brand new purchase on launch at list price shortly before the discounting started. Doh
10. 2001 Mazda MX5 1.6. Realised what I had been missing.
11. 2003 Triumph Speed Triple. The riding position on the SV hurt and I was going too fast so time for an upright unfaired bike
12. 2007 Yamaha FZ1S. Too windy so I need a fairing and japanese reliability. Bought new and can't think of anything to replace it
13. 2004 Audi 2.0 FSI Sport. Nice but little things started going wrong after 40k and Audi dealers/parts ain't cheap
14. 2007 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport. The current ride, never missed a beat and just had first MOT without even an advisory

There it is, my 26 years on the roads summarised. Some bike pics for those that like that kind of thing.

Incidently, talk about small world Geoff, if you were still living in your house in Alnwick in 1975 you could have looked out of the back bedroom window and seen my parents house where I lived as a young'un.    

Vauxhall Nova 1.2L 3dr

Vauxhall Astra 1.3 Merit 5dr Estate

Toyota Corolla 1.3GL 5dr Estate

Ford Escort 1.6 XR3i Cabriolet

Mini Moke 1.0

Mini Moke 1.3

Mazda MX-5 1.8 Merlot

Smart Roadster 0.8

VW T2 1.6 Devon Moonraker

Nissan 100NX 1.6

Eunos Roadster 1.6

Rover 216 Cabriolet (Currently for sale!)

Eunos Roadster 1.8 R-Limited

All the pictures are here : http://foolhandy.com/car_wall/

 I've had a few....

Since I passed my test in 1986 I've had the following.....

Mini Clubman
Toyota Corolla
Ford Fiesta 1300S
Ford Escort XR3i
Vauxhall Cavalier SRi
Vauxhall Cavalier SRi 130
Ford Fiesta XR2
BMW 320i
Toyota Corolla GT
VW Golf GTi 16V (MK2)
Peugeot 306 GTi-6
VW Golf GT TDi (MK4)
VW Golf GT TDi (MK4)
Peugeot 307 D-Turbo
VW Golf GT TDi (MK4)
VW Golf GT TDi (MK5)
Audi A4 S-Line TDi
VW Golf GTD (MK6)

18 cars in 24 years

Hoping to add an MX5 2.0 Sport Tech within the next few weeks

1. 1977 Mk1 Escort Mexico in daytona yellow (restored this for when I passed my test in 1996, insurance was a killer at 17! Still have it 'cos you can't sell your first car)

2. 1986 Mk3 Capri 2.8i in blue and silver

3. 1982 Triumph Spitfire 1500, in pageant blue (my first taste of open top motoring and another one I still own and drive...)

4. hidious Montego 2.0tdi (had to, I needed to commute to uni)

5. Cavalier 1.9 tdi (isuzu engine, was even more economical and better built than the monty, was having an even longer commute to a different uni by now)

6. 1995 Mitsubishi FTO Silver (wahey, finished uni, time for some fun! Brilliant car)

7. 1996 Mitsubishi GTO MR edition 3.0 twin turbo AWD (inevitable upgrade form the 'F'' even more brilliant car which I still have)

8. 2001 Renault Clio Grande (runaround 'cos the petrol was killing me on the GTO if I used it for the commute!)

9. 1999 MX-5 1.8iS in twilight blue mica (replacement for the Clio 'cos the boringness of the Clio was killing me on the commute, no chance of that any more tho'!)

notice I have conveniently left the Reliant Robin I learned to drive in off?

Rob.

 Really have to get my old brain cells working my car history out and sure to have missed some along the way.

1977: Ford Anglia 1968 Reg Car:Passed my test in this car, with no syncromesh!!! It was stolen and recovered but she was never the same.

1978: Ford Escort MK1 1969 REG:My old man put a 1600 engine into this car and it went like stink..My favourite car of the seventies.

1979: Ford Capri 1-6S.Nice girl pulling car, but lacked power....

1980 Opel Manta 2.0s Sport Berlinetta Hatchback...Superb handling car....

1984 Ford Estate Car!!!!Kids had arrived...

1990 MG Montego 2.0 Ltr....Super Fast when not falling to bits.

1992 MG Montego Estate.....Super handy for the three kids!!!!

Then went thro a couple of sierras and escorts....sad times  no money.....

2000 Fiat Punto..what was i thinking of, it was new, but is still had problems..the kids now use this car  still works!!!

2003 My first Mazda..a Mazda 323 ZXI V6..What a beast and still my daily runabout..awesome puling power and style..

2008 Another Mazda 323 1.8 Sport.just to give my ZXI some rest..

2009 After over thiry years of driving, treated myself to my Eunos Roadster 1993 Mariner Blue..Smiles all round.

Steve..

My car history!

1st car 96'N Ford Fiesta 1.1 Classic Quartz, blue. Quite possibly the most stupidly name specced car ever! I mean classic quartz? come on! Did some silly boy racer things to this big exhaust, lowered 15'' wheels, I even bought a replica xr2i fiberglass bodykit to put on but it was total rubbish!

2nd car 97'R Nissan Primera 1.6 Si, white. Quite a good car handled nice and since i was a fan of the BTCC was pretty cool to have a white primera back when they were winning races!

3rd car 00'W Ford Fiesta 1.6 Zetec-S blue, In my mind this was a focus RS. Some old boy crashed into the side of it weeks after i bought it though luckily not a write off. Was my pride and joy and i ruined it by fitting the stiffest SPAX suspension known to man!

4th car 90'G BMW 520i, white. Not sure why i bought this, though it was a ideal motor for me an all my mates to pile into and cruise off somewhere.

5th car 02' 51 plate Vauxhall Astra coupe 1.8 SE2 special edition blue, Still own this car as its my daily drive love the blue suede and black leather interior! Had it for 3 years and never had any real grief from it. Totally standard as it is a nice spec and don't want to ruin it!

6th car Eunos Roadster 1990 G 1.6 Currently off the road waiting for me to put the longnose in, then the real fun can start!

Not sure who would have sat through this thread long enough to see these but here is my list (not bad for a 21 year old!)

1st car,

2007 Pug 107 (My first car and only car I have ever brought brand new!)

2nd car,

Owned for 2years my real best car my Mazda RX7 FD

3rd car,

Jaguar X-Type 3.0 V6

4th car,

Worst car I ever owned! Renault Laguna 1.8

5th,

And my current car that I just brought .... my little 5' (Better pics to come, need to do new ones now paintworks been repaired )

That is a very impressive list for one so young. Tell us more about the cars, please.

Martin153

Martin153:

That is a very impressive list for one so young. Tell us more about the cars, please.

Martin153

Thank you, what would you like to know?