Great for both ends of life. I’m turning 70 next year (Hello to anyone who didn’t immediately skip to the next comment), and I have owned many, many vintage cars and sunk tons of cash in them that would have been better spent elsewhere, while watching them soend more time on blocks than on the road. I also sold my motorcycle, to preserve what’s left of my bartender’s legs, and was missing the fun of cornering on two wheels. Something had to be done, so I went newer than usual to acquire a ‘90 with 37K miles in nearly showroom state. I spent $6K US, which seemed high in 2017, but already isn’t, as these cars are getting used up and rusted out over here, and Hagerty just put them on the future collectable list. True, they aren’t rare, but neither are there 5 on every block. Out for a weekend jaunt in the country roads just north of NYC, I might run into one every 4 or 5 trips, and it’s always a hoot to acknowledge the driver. But you don’ t spend half a Sunday answering questions when you just wanted to get a quart of milk at the corner convenience. And the car is everything they say it is. I often find myself grinning on a twisty road, only to discover I’m only doing 40 mph. They aren’t fast, but that is absolutely irrelevant. They aren’t ‘Vettes, but who needs one? One caveat: the top HAS to be down. Otherwise the rattles and choppy ride intrude. If you get yourself an old collector car, you worry about keeping it on the road. You get a shock with handling, braking, carburetors, noise, etc. because you have forgotten how much worse they were at those things. But the NA is new enough and well engineered enough to feel at home in today’s faster traffic. Oldtimers like me are tired of wrenching. We want to drive, and we want reliability. And we love a slick manual trans, because we have automatics in our daily drivers. It’s the perfect fun car to pull the cover off on a cool summer morning. And, yes, older women find them cute...
I'm 64 and will get one next year.I used to have an MGB,Triumph Spitfires ,TR6 and GT6 when I was a young guy, but apart from the exorbitant cost and scarcity of one of those now there's the maintenance and relative lack of power and braking,not to mention parts availability.Nothing better than the top down on a fine day.My mechanic said that the old sports cars seem so antiquated when he test drives them now.
You won't be sorry, although they aren't fast in stock form. The handling makes up for that, though. And, apart from the possibility of snapping the nose off the crankshaft on '90s and early '91s, they don't break, and if they do, they don't cost much to fix.
You get a bit more hp with the 1800, but I've never driven one, and am not unhappy with my '90. It has a "short nose" crank, on which the woodruff key holding the pulley in place is, oddly, longer than the nose of the shaft. The key channel enlarges and the nose can break off. There is something of a debate on whether to worry about it, and I decided not to. It's not an interference engine so it won't be totally trashed. That said, you can learn on the forums when Mazda redesigned and lengthened the nose of the 1600 cc crankshaft, midway through 1991. There were also updates to stiffen the body as time went on. One other caveat: these cars are not perfect for people well over 6' tall. The header is too low. Be sure to try one on first to see how you fit! The commentator is right on with his assessment, though. If yoy need horsepower, go elsewhere, or spend on performance upgrades. But, you can have a wonderful time in an MX-5 at 40 mph on a curvy road. That's the beauty of these cars!
@@barrykochverts4149 Very useful info. thanks.Yes I sat in an early one and I seemed to be staring through the top of the windshield which sort of cut the view in two.With the top up it might be hard to see overhead traffic lights I was thinking.I'm about 5'11".That's the only downside that I can see really.
@@rabmalt158, it's not a bad idea, but I am on a strict no new car purchasing rule at the moment, so I will have to wait until such time as that is over...
@@lloydvehicleconsulting I can respect that man I had started buying turbo parts as soon as I got the car. If you ever do think about it man put your own kit together for a fraction of the price. Enjoy your new car buddy.
I like how you were having trouble talking about the car beyond "It's a nice place to be, and a fun car to drive". It's nearly impossible to explain what it's like to drive a Miata. A person has to do it, to understand it. The Mark1 isn't fast, but it feels fast. It's not the best handling car, but it feels like a go-cart on rails. It's not luxurious, but it's definitely comfortable. What Mazda did, was make a perfect driver's car. Every part of the car is designed to give you feedback about what the car is doing. And it's that communication that makes the drive so enjoyable. To your point about how "common" it is. I'm not sure I agree with you. Yes, there's a million that have been made. But I live in sunny central Florida, and I actually don't see that many out and about. Maybe one or two any time I'm driving around. Not like Mustangs or Challengers. Those things are everywhere. I've owned 4 Miatas now, three NA and a ND. And there just isn't anything like driving around on a cool evening with the top down, being able to see all the stars above.
A radio, a good heater and A/C are all the options you need to make an NA livable as a daily, even 30 years on. $65 for a tire...can't beat that. You can't drive one more than 5 feet without smiling.
I think that it's safe to classify the MX-5 as a "sports car," as sports cars aren't defined by engine output. The original Lotus Elan made around the same power from it's 1.6 liter twin-cam four as the first generation MX-5, and I have yet to find a person who questions the sports car status of the Lotus.
115hp in 1962 was crazy quick. Plus it was light - much lighter still than this MX5. Of course it's a sports car, but nevermind this the Miata is brilliant but it's hardly a sports car in stock form, not because of its power, but only because it is too high and too soft. Nothing that can't be changed, of course
1) The Lotus was 25 years older 2) The Lotus was 300Kg lighter 3) The Lotus handled better The MX-5 is not a sports car, in stock form it's a very overrated roadster. It gained popularity because it was a simple cheap FR car that could modified *into* a sports car relatively easily.
@@nigo1787 Exactly my thoughts. A new Renault Twingo has the engine placement of a Porsche 911 yet no one would even think about calling it a sports car just because it has the same power of a 911 from the 60s. It's always depending on how well a car did for its time.
I bought mine July 2, 1989. It is almost bone stock, except for Panasport wheels, different size tires, etc.. Mine looks almost brand new after 30 years. After 5 years in my barn I got it out, changed the fluids, put on new tires with 4 wheel alignment and she’s back on the road!!
The great thing about every generation of MX5 has been they offered great handling and a genuinely fun and exciting driving experience without being on a quick trip to a driving ban for not much money. At normal speeds on a public road I would much rather drive one of these than a supercar, seriously. I find most real high performance cars only come alive at speeds which are just not appropriate for public roads. These things are an absolute joy at legal speeds.
Best time to drive the MX5 is at night during the summer when it's still warm enough to have the roof down. So cool with the lamps up and hearing the grasshoppers and the like in the fields.
Perfect care-free motoring. Everything is cheap (insurance, tax, fuel, servicing, mods...). You can thrash them until your heart is content without fear of speeding tickets or reliability issues. They're the antidote to everything that is wrong with modern performance cars (too fast, too serious, too remote, too expensive). I've had 2 and will keep my current one forever. I enjoy driving it at least as much as my FK8 Type R (albeit for totally different reasons). They're an utter tonic and I'm immensely grateful that they exist.
I bought my mum an '99 MX-5 NB for her birthday, am now getting my driving license and will get one too... they are so much fun, really cheap and reliable. They don't use much fuel and are really affordable to run. Perfect car for beginners. There are not many cars in this price segment that offer so much fun for so little money.
I had a Triumph Spitfire when I was 19, and I loved it. It leaked, it didn't handle very well, and it rotted away. But I loved it. Then followed decades of 'sensible' company cars and family cars until the kids grew up. At last I could re-live the light, 2-seat open car I loved back when I was blasting along the Cheshire lanes with ELP on the Spit's 8-track. So I've had an MX5 in my life since 2004 when I bought a new Mk2. Three years later I traded it for a new Mk3, the one with the foldy electric hard top. This year I traded that (which has NEVER had a fault in all its 14 years) for a new Mk4 (ND2) in Soul Red Crystal Metallic just because I fancied a change though I still loved that Mk3. I'm 72, and I love the handling of the MX5s, and new one with 181bhp is pretty quick,too (well, quick enough for today's roads). And I don't like cars that break, still less cars that cost a fortune to run and a king;s ransom if they go wrong or even when they need servicing or new tyres (eg a supercar or even a jaaag). Cars are not my main interest (flying is) so I don't want my flying budget dented by my car costs, but I DO want a car that's as near to as good handling as my (shared) aeroplane. And the wife has a Focus, so I can afford to be a tad impractical with my wheels! Oh, and the ND2 in Soul Red is drop-dead gorgeous. I just can't stop going to the window looking out at it! (All my MX5s have lived outside and never leaked - the garage is for my motorbikes!).
Steven Alford not a handler?? Throw some coilovers on mate it will transform the car and as for power, in stock form your right but for very little money you can change that too.. cheers 😀😎😈
After 50 years of motorcycling I bought my Mk2 , a definate 4 wheeled motorbke. and agree with JayEmm comments to the letter. They are good for grandads as well !
I love my '92. I have had it for 29 years and 230000 miles. The Boxster Spyder gets most of the use now but the Miata still gets out once a week for a blast through the canyon. James I am glad you finally got to try one out. I liked your 718 Spyder review with Roger Bailey also
I've not driven a MK1, but I've tried the MK2 and various MK3s. I wouldn't consider them a purist's sports car. They look ok, the low slung seats and that typical, snug cabin fit the bill. They're just a bit too refined and a bit too watered down? Mazda took the Elan and played it a little too safe. I had a Caterham 7, which is the very essence of a two seat sports car and in driving terms, it was everything the Mazda wasn't. When I bought a replacement 2 seater convertible, it was a Renault Wind, not an MX5. I do think the old Bugeye Sprite is a proper sports car.
@@another3997 well thats your opinion but i need a sports car to daily and have fun on the weekends in the mountains. Not a track toy. I daily my mk2 its my one and only car so a top heater and a radio is nice no a/c tho removed that asap
Just sold my absolutely mint 1995 R-Ltd model. Gutted as it is definitely the most fun, reliable and best car I'll probably ever own. 3 years and 40k very hard miles and never put a foot wrong in my ownership. Drifted, banged off the limiter constantly, absolutely abused and was always more than happy to continue topping up the oil every few thousand. Would love another one day. You cannot buy a more fun car for the money.
I've had my Mk1 (NA) for 7 years now. San Diego is a perfect place for this car - Not hot, humid, and doesn't rain much. Got the car at 125K miles for about 3,000 USD. I am now up to 210,000 miles. A differential bearing was bad when I bought the car, so I changed that with a junkyard diff (after about 30,000 miles). Added a roll bar. Did the timing belt twice, and had to change the catalytic Converter after it failed emissions a couple years ago. Very easy to work on. Also, there are tons of youtube videos for all your fix it needs. In my twenties, I had a TR6. This is way more fun, and it just does not break.
Love the MX5. Swapped mine for an MR2 - original. Never been able to decide if that was a good decision or not. Still they were both as reliable as clockwork. We drove the MR2 from Manchester to Athens - never missed a beat.
I love this car. I bought my UK 1995 1.8iS back home to France 2 years ago. I've since done 15,000 miles and apart from ordinary maintenance and the hassle and cost of getting it registered and road legal for France it has cost me nothing. Purchased for £890 + registration €250, french "contrôle technique" (MOT) €65, fitting LHD headlights (second hand €30), 4 new tyres (€150) and a few bits and bobs. I guess she's cost me about £1400 in all. She's my daily driver come, sun, rain or snow and never fails to put a smile on my face. For fuel I can use 75% E85 25% 95 unleaded for a fill up which means a full tank (300+ miles) only costs me about £35. Personally I'm leaving her pretty much stock because I think the Mazda people did a damn good job from the start though a previous owner has put in a K&N air filter. When I eventually need to change the exhaust system I might put something a bit sportier though the current one sounds pretty OK. My advice JM : buy one before the prices go up! I bought another one back in February 2018 for a French mate who'd fallen in love with mine. We managed to find another clean one for £1000. But they are getting really difficult to spot in that price range now so I guess prices had bottomed out when I bought mine. Another avantage is that when you do need to fix them even duffers like me can do most stuff if armed with RUclips tutorial, a Haynes manual and some basic tools. I'd never touched a car before and on this one I've done oil change, gearbox and diff oil, accessory belts and some bodywork. All easy. Yep BUY ONE and love it. 😁 Oh yeah. It IS a sportscar of the "old school" whatever anyone says - just as were the Triumph Spitfire or the MGB.
I had a 1990 1.8 black paint, black interior, detachable hard top, no power steering, no electric windows, loved it, great fun to drive, I think it should be compulsory to learn to drive in one.
In 2013 I bought a then-new MX-5 NC-FL 1.8 Centerline. I could have had a prisitine NA for that money, but unfortunately I wouldn't quite fit in it (I'm a bit over 6'4). The NC 1.8 is said to be the least desirable of all Miatas, I know. However, the car was real fun to drive. 1121 kg with full tank, 131 HP (German version, the facelift had 5 more HP than the early NC 1.8) and 16'' wheels. The steering was fantastic, the gear shifter the best I've experienced in any car and It behaved every bit like you would expect from an MX-5. However, I did daily runs on the German Autobahn with it, it gets very loud there, and realized that I needed backseats more often than I thought I would. Since I only had parking space for one car, I sold it a year after. Still miss it. - Is the MX-5 a sports car? Apart from the 184 HP ND 2.0, I'd say, in terms of speed the Miata isn't. However, any Miata (NA, NB, NC, ND) feels every bit like a sports car. And they were born for backroad runs on every day of the week.
you're an absolute chad. By chance I found your Jag XJ8 video when wanting to buy one, and then bought one. I am now looking for a MK1 MX5...and we meet again.
@@maciekthepole Oops you're right! Must be a common thing that NA generation owners get from strangers when it comes to talking about forced induction!
I have a Eunos Roadster as well. I'm 20. There's many other cars I looked at buying, a 3 MPS was probably top, but as said in the video the price makes mx5s really accessible. It's genuinely a fun little car and it's not as slow as people say it is once you get it on tiny single lane backroads
Until recently my wife had a mk2.5 mx5 sport with the 140bhp 1.8 engine, most of the time when I drove it it didn't feel very sporty to me mainly because it has a floaty feel rather than sharp handling (and I felt like Noddy as I'm 6'5" and had to drive with the roof down even in the rain). But then I once drove it over some mountain roads in South Wales (Neath to Hirwaun over the Bwlch and Rhigos passes) and although it still felt a bit floaty and had to thrash it uphill it was very enjoyable especially on the downhill corners, more for the feel of guiding the cars little mass, feeling and pushing the balanced neutral handling and using the road width nicely and feeling the grip changes on the various bits of the road surface, white lines and bumps.
Absolutely love my Roadster. It has been my daily for ten years, (meant to keep it one summer) and has very few problems. Fabulous car. And contrary to popular belief, not that slow. Faster than most stock hatches, and waaay better handling.
Owned a MK1 mx5 1.8 for a couple months now. Have had a few things go wrong with it. (Door springs, headlights, speakers and the list goes on.) but I’ve been able to fix it all on myself so far. Easy to work on and plenty of pull. They’re cheap and such a fun little country lane driver. So glad with it.
Just stumbled on this video after purchasing a mk1 mx5 running and driving with mot not a lot of rot with 86.000 miles £100 not a mistype and seeing this video makes me want to experience it asap 👌 good video
Great video. I love these and you can forget the hair dresser image. Anyone who knows anything about cars will know that these are proper sports cars. Love it love it love it.
My Son (21) & I (60) traveled to Kent last week and bought a red Mk1 for us to share (him fiesta in winter MX5 in summer and vice versa for me) and drove it back to Glasgow without incident and on the way caught up with two other red ones a slammed Mk2 and a Mk1 with a huge exhaust that we heard for about a mile as he drove out of the Services. I now get the attraction of a rear wheel drive two seater rag top sports car. Brilliant little cars that I need to be careful at junctions with, as some grass grows higher than my line of vision here in the countryside of Central Scotland.
I'm restoring a 1990. It has a 92 engine that I tore down and rebuilt with new piston rings about 5 years ago. It has been a daily driver and I really enjoy driving it. It has two tops (hard and soft) just had it painted Mazda red it has ac, power windows, cruise control. I purchased a new soft top, interior carpet, new seat recovers just waiting for a bit of time to put into it. I bought a stand alone ecu arduino based. So I can put in a turbo. Can't wait... Just a fun little car I get thumbs up in all the time.
I have one, an s-limited import, black with red interior. In great shape for a 27 year old and used as a weekend car only. As you said, the numbers of good cars are dwindling but the better examples are beginning to appreciate. The rest are one step away from the scrap yard or being turned into drift slags by the scene boys. I'm going to hang onto mine and enjoy it as it is.
Had one when I was 30, will get another one soon (as NA model prices are on a massive up). And since I am not much of a supercar fan the MX-5 in pretty much all of it's variants is and will forever be on my top ten best cars ever list. Right next to the Classic Mini Cooper, the Elise, the old XJ Jags, the AX/BX/CX gen Citroens, the Volvo 940/960 Estate (my current daily driver), the E39 M5, the Alfa 156 SW, the Alfa GT/GTV Bertone and the Lancia Delta Mk1 (as long as they have a turbo on them).
Nice, great to see you 'Get it'. I have a Mk1 i am currently installing the Rocketeer conversion. It is half as expensive as you say if you do it yourself. You would be more than welcome to test her and see if you think the V6 is worth it.
my 89 Eunos is the best car I ever owned. Fun, dependable, slow as hell so you can enjoy 9/10th driving all day everyday and no one batts an eyelid. driven and owned a lot of things since but nothing gives me as many smiles per mile as the Eunos.
Great review of an icon. The white H reg MX5 1.6 I had a year ago was a fun, happy car to drive. It had 98k and totally standard. For B roads it was fantastic. Also so cheap I wasn't precious over it, drove, and left roof-down almost all the time. Bought with a few niggles that were cheaply fixed and sold for a small profit when family commitments curtailed 2 seater ownership.... .. so I got a motorcycle in protest.
11:22 James, 13 grand may be a lot on a mx5 but putting a 240hp + 220lb/ft torque V6 (which actually weighs less than the original iron block 4 cylinder) w/ carbon fibre plenums, I don't see anything wrong with that, especially in a body weighing 1000kg. The V6 doesn't go beyond the front axle as much as the stock engine does. You're putting a sweeter sounding 6 cylinder with power + torque across a wider range RELIABLY over any 4 cylinder+forced induction kit combo. Its also even cheaper if you do the whole conversion yourself. Combine that with Ohlins DFV coilovers and brake upgrades (+ optionally roll cage for track), you can keep up with many performance cars. Not all MX-5s have to be on a super low budget for modifications! Hope Rocketeer get in touch with you to test drive their AJ30 MX-5s.
@@Beansswtf Did you even read my comment? There's a cheaper DIY package by Rocketeer. And anyway, to each their own. You clearly don't know what its like to drive a V6 MX-5 with the same power to weight ratio as the E92 M3. And you haven't seen the quality finish that Rocketeer provide either. And also, learn how to spell too.
@@Beansswtf Yeah the V10 M5 is a much wiser buy than this isn't? Lets get throttle actuator VANOS issues, gudgeon pin wear, rod bearing issues (premature wear that need replacing every 50,000miles) thus detonating a €26,300 engine (with another €1670 for installing a replacement). SMG reliability issues (+its lurching when the car is driven in low speeds). You sound like a teenager who doesn't see the fine print of things.
I have a silver Eunos myself with 83k km, doesn’t get used much if I’m honest but I refuse to get rid of it because when I do actually use it it always puts a smile on my face and gets loads of attention,
A great review. I bought my NA a couple of years ago for pocket change (£800), it's still in pristine condition, and has cost me little to run. Another benefit in getting one of these which isn't so obvious is that sinking so little cash into them, and the car having so little value, then there's no temptation to sell. Chopping and changing cars is usually very expensive so I'll happily keep my NA even after I get another car in the future. I owned three Elans in the late 60's/early 70's, and will always be a Lotus man, but overall the MX5 is so much easier to live with.
NA is the designation for the 1st generation MX-5. Within that were the Mk-1 (1st edition of the NA, 1990 to 1993) then the Mk-2, (updated version, 1994 to 1997). Then came the NB in 1999. Although the same basic drivetrain, the NB lost the pop-up headlights and the body panels became significantly more rounded. I have one of each, a “project” 1993 NA, (inherited from my father who passed away) and a 1999 NB that we have owned for almost 15 years now. My lovely wife and I have driven the NB across the U.S. several times now and still love it.
Just stumbled on this old post of mine. Three years on and the MX5 is still pristine, and has been zero trouble over all this time. It's probably worth around £4k now, still too cheap to bother selling.
I had a Eunos Roadster V Special, before upgrading to a Boxster then 911.. I miss the Eunos a lot, it was a cracking little car that was cheap to run and endless fun, super reliable too.
I live in Northern Minnesota and run around in my 2014 Miata with the top down until the temp gets below 25 F. It gets too chilly then. The speed limit in South Dakota is 80 mph I went from Sioux falls to Rapid City in 4 hours. When you hit the Missouri breaks it's like a giant roller coaster. It goes from 70 to 90 in two seconds. 70 to 110 in 4. I got a ticket for 91 in Minn and 82 in South Dakota. There are risks but the most fun you can have in a car without a woman.
I'm currently in the process of saving my pennies for a MK1 MX5. I want it to be bog standard with no mods whatsoever, it will be a real hoot on the country lanes near my house!!
DrewPeacock69 TrippyDrew69 Enjoy, I’ve had mine for a couple of years. Had one in the UK about 16 years ago and now one in Australia. Good on you for keeping it stock, I still have the original tape deck. Perfect for cruising around Queensland too ... if a bit hot in mid summer, I tend to drive at night then. :)
Great video. I’m 63 therefore not a youngster 😀 and have a 1997 Classic Black MX5 as a summer fun car for rides out into the Peak District nearby. Great fun car which reminds me of the MG Midgets I had in my youth.👍🏼
Well - I’ve owned my G-reg 1989 Mk1 since 1999 (now 20 years) - a Eunos import - and everything still bog-standard and working as it should. Now with 160,000 km on the clock. Only ever spent out for a cam belt, brake linings, tyres, petrol (gas) and oil, and now just about to buy its third battery. Used summer and winter (obviously much more in summer with hood down), it is a complete joy to drive and still admired by passers-by, despite its peeling silver paintwork! I shall drive it until it dies! Then I’ll just buy another Mk1 that’s been better looked after and carry on as normal. That’s how wonderful the Mk1 has been for me. Great fun, and it's cost me nothing!
I have an NC mk5. You should review one. You can get a 1.8 one for £3000. I have the 2.0 sport. It's great 30+ mpg. Very comfortable seats. Full leather tan interior. Oversteers real easy. Decently quick at 158bhp.
I've had two of these, great little cars! Only sold mine as I'm too tall for it and it was breaking my back! Whack a nice MX5 Parts exhaust on it, along with some nice Rotas and coilovers and that's all you need - perfection imo!
I actually also own a Eunos V-Special. I love it, its a fantastic car (I have had it for 5 years, and used to by my daily during 2 of those). To answer your question, I don´t think its a propper sports car. Its not stiff enough and does not respond to your imputs good enough to be a sports car (in stock config). But I love it! It is just a very nice car to drive that makes me happy. Its fast enough and just makes you feel special everytime! To me that is all that I need...
7:58 - I think it depends on which one you go for - Mk1s aren't *that* common, especially if you go for a Eunos. There's a reason why they're common, - they're cracking cars. I wouldn't say Mk1s are "everywhere" - well not in my area anyway. Apologies if I've taken the "everywhere" comment too literally. I do agree with you on the Rocketeer kit - far too much money! Good video buddy
They are starting to dissapear from the roads in my area, used to see them every where but now I honestly only see them at the rallys or meets these days. I can't remember the last time I saw one just driving about. I own a mk3 now but have had two of this model in the video. The first one was written off after a truck pulled out in front of me at a T-Junction, the whole front end was smashed up. I was so sad as I paid only £1000 in 2012 and it was super clean with no rust. I then replaced it with the mk3 but missed it so much in 2016 I managed to buy another mk1 and run the two together. Unfortunately the mk1 had a lot of rust and started making an annoying noise from the transmission. Living in the country side and having to travel down a mucky track every day, it gets pretty crappy with mud and crap over winter. This coupled with the rust and transmission issues I decided to sell it and buy a toyota yaris for daily driving keeping the mk3 for weekends. I love the mk3 but miss the V-Spec so much it had so much character that the newer cars just dont have!
the Miata (as it's more commonly known on my side of the world) is a great little run around car! many of my friends have had several - mostly of the NA (MK1 as you call it...) and i've even had one... but it's been cut up and being reborn as something else but still, originally i felt they were lacking on power, but after having one as a daily beater, i stopped complaining and was content with it's throttle abilities
I have a 94 Miata, It is cheap but it is loads of fun in the summer with the top down. It's super reliable and parts are cheap so it is actually worth it to throw money at it during those times when the repairs do tend to pile up. It's still cheaper than a new car. Enjoy.
lets admit what's in front of our eyes the mx5 is one of the great sports cars, and has good claim to be best ever, even just by virtue of how attainable it has been for the masses, let alone the handling, gearbox, looks, simplicity, charm, performance potential etc all for 2.5k with hard top and a few rust advisories.
Mists is always the answer. Or in this JDM case a Eunos. Best bang for buck car ever made, the mk1 and mk2 are as close to old school roadsters as you can get in a ‘modern’ car. They are utterly reliable but get one that’s either very cheap but needs the rust fixing or a bit pricier with rust already done. Get good coil overs on it, good lightweight wheels, grippy tyres, a 4 wheel alignment and the handling is sublime. Oh and you can get upwards of 350bhp from the engine with forced induction, or drop in a jag V6.
@John Mitchell Not with a Rocketeer AJ30 conversion. With a conservative tune, they are rated around 240hp and 220lb/ft torque. They're still testing to see if they can make more power by increasing the rev limit to 8000rpm. In a 1000kg body, thats enough to have fun.
@John Mitchell Not true at all. Search on RUclips SPS Motorsport's video called 'SPS Motorsport goes to england Teil 5 (Rocketeer MXV6)' and you'll hear the Rocketeer guy say that the aluminium block V6 weighs 5kg less than the iron block 4 cylinder at 2:45 mark. And also, if you care so much about fuel economy, why do you have a sportscar? Surely with a K20a, most of its power is on the VTEC zone above 5000rpm so there wouldn't be much difference in MPG in the end.
Probably the prettiest of all MX-5s ... the ND comes close, but you gotta love that puppy-dog face with the big pop-up "eyes". I'm not sure I'd trade my ND for an NA, but if I had the garage-space and money, I'd seriously think about getting an NA as well.
Alot of people will dislike me for saying this but I prefer the mk2 to the mk1 I prefer the lines and also you get a 6 speed in the sport/SVT models and heated seats and the all important cup holder for your coffee Plus in my opinion the mk2 dash is nicer and also the vvt engine hats off to James for an honest review and not saying gimmicky rubbish like it cool because of the pop up headlights
The origin of the MX5 is when the Mazda CEO was watching an episode of the UKTV action/comedy series "The Avengers". Onscreen was Emma Peel [Diana Rigg] driving a Lotus Elan. The Mazda man was so impressed that he set in motion plans to copy the Elan right down to the tone of the exhaust rumble. A strong case of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery.
I miss my Mk1 and regularly consider getting another one. At 6 foot 4 I managed to fit into it comfortably with some minor modifications and it was always a car that made me smile. Smiles per miles for the Mk1 is hard to beat.
@@davidartina5022 Luckily I didn't need to resort to this :) I removed the sun visors, fitted a slightly smaller steering wheel (Momo Indy), removed the door handles and replaced them with leather straps, always had the drivers seat three notches back from fully extended so that I could have a slightly increased rake (still safe with no risk of submarining or looking like a kn*b) and made sure that the strut brace I selected for behind the drivers seat did not impede either seat rake or how far the seat went back. Finally I made sure when I replaced the roof that my new roof did not have a headliner so I didn't loose a critical half an inch of head space.
I bought my MK1 three years ago. A car I knew from brand new I then found for sale some seventeen years later after only covering a total of 33k miles. Even though it was a totally original rust free car and for £1200 I still felt that it wasn’t special enough and still struggle with the idea of keeping it. However cheap to run and relatively bulletproof I’d be stupid to get rid.
Good honest review James, love my Na has done over 360k Kms and still runs great, glad you didn't go down the hairdresser route as this is got to be one of the lamest jokes in the car world and in fact most are owned by blokes... cheers mate love ya work....buy one and throw a turbo on you will have one of the best B road cars you can get ...peace
@@cavemanjay You mean the NC, really? I'm 6'4 and literally did not fit. I felt like one of those kitten in a jar videos on here. Weird how that goes isn't it.
Thanks for excellent video, showing nice British roads, as seen from the original mx5. I've got a gold one with soft top. Just pure reliable affordable fun. Can beat almost any other car around windy roads with sharp corners, due to the laws of physics! Other cars either slide or fall off the corner. Mostly though it is immensely enjoyable in quiet carefully chosen country areas. One gets the full benefit of top down, with sights, sounds and smells of the natural environment. I like to cruise along tree lined avenues and away from main road lanes. Speed is not needed, but on the other hand I've scared myself badly at higher speeds, due to the instant crisp handling. Perfect fun machine for summer. Regeo is kept on hold during winter!
I've always wanted an MX5, ended up sticking with the Civic Type R's over the years because of the extra seats. But for as long as I've had my licence I've really wanted an MX5! Can't go wrong with one!
MK1s will eventually be worth their weight in gold as the numbers go down and the nostalgia goes up as the young people who drove them grow up and make their fortunes.
Own 2 91 models which I picked out for my 16th Birthday brand new in April of 1991..I picked a Mariner blue model and I picked out the BRG "British Racing Green" model for my pop,which in 91 it was a Special Edition and it's #1209 and it has MOMO bits..Both have hardtops and the BRG over tan has 57,000 miles a Millen Supercharger but my mariner blue car is now a 550hp LS swap/T56 6 speed with a ford 8.8 IRS rear with 4.10 gears..It was done by Flying Miata..Both cars are like new and have height/damper adjustable coilovers,15x9 front-15x10 HRE rims rear with 225/50s in rear and 205/50s up front..Both cars have been widened a bit in the rear ,not with stupid flairs but my bodyshop did it by hand by adding metal and hammering the contours..Im not going to type everything because they have had just about every upgrade and I will never sell either of them.Ive been offered $50,000 U.S.but no way...Its not about spending the money..Its about memories,along with speed in the LS2 swap..Hell Ive had more blowjobs driving my V8 MX-5 than in my Ferrari 430...Thats100% the truth...Its also faster than my 6 speed Ferrari...Ill never own a car without 3 peddles and a TRUE MANUAL TRANSMISSION!!! SCREW DCT...
Remind me of driving Classic MG's 30 years ago when I worked on them, they never had any power but an MGA or early 1275 Midget were an awesome amount of fun on the back roads, no need for outright speed just good fun handling. If I could get away with only 2 seats I'd have an MX5 / Eunos.
My two big takeaways from once owning this car: The rear would easily stepout even at moderate speeds, which was amusing for driving slow through the city, but gave me no confidence hucking it into a corner at speed out in the countryside. And not being able to recline the seats back became very uncomfortable during long road trips. The convertible aspect was a fun experience, so not disappointed with the purchase, I just wouldn't get a similar style car ever again, needing my one and only car to do more than just sideways shenanigans.
Loved both of my Mk1 MX5's, both 1.8 import Eunos Roadsters. Not fast but in my opinion get all the essentials right, the only thing I'd have liked was for the drivers seat to be a bit lower. Mine also had the tan leather and nardi wood wheel/gearknob and it made it feel much more special. The regular black interior makes it all look a bit dull.
I've owned a Mk1 MX5 and also a S2 Lotus Elise. Overall, IMO, the MX5 was a much better car. As a track tool, the Elise would be better but everyday driving and enjoyment, I'd take the MX5 everytime.
I had the mk1 1.8. It wasn't very fast, the scuttle shake was pretty bad, it was a rust magnet and there was a nasty blind spot when the hood was up. Yet in spite of all that it was a car that I still turned around and looked at every time I got out. It delivers the dopamine on even the dullest of drives. It's the sort of car if you found an empty roundabout you might be tempted to go round a few times. Yes it lacks grunt, but grunt is what costs. It gives you everything else in spades, including peace of mind. It even has it's own race series, so it is DEFINITELY a sports car.
I’d be interested to know what people think the bigger car version of this is. Cheap, reliable, proper driving characteristics (feedback etc). E46 is about the best I can come up with but even that doesn’t feel right.
Great for both ends of life. I’m turning 70 next year (Hello to anyone who didn’t immediately skip to the next comment), and I have owned many, many vintage cars and sunk tons of cash in them that would have been better spent elsewhere, while watching them soend more time on blocks than on the road. I also sold my motorcycle, to preserve what’s left of my bartender’s legs, and was missing the fun of cornering on two wheels.
Something had to be done, so I went newer than usual to acquire a ‘90 with 37K miles in nearly showroom state. I spent $6K US, which seemed high in 2017, but already isn’t, as these cars are getting used up and rusted out over here, and Hagerty just put them on the future collectable list. True, they aren’t rare, but neither are there 5 on every block. Out for a weekend jaunt in the country roads just north of NYC, I might run into one every 4 or 5 trips, and it’s always a hoot to acknowledge the driver. But you don’ t spend half a Sunday answering questions when you just wanted to get a quart of milk at the corner convenience. And the car is everything they say it is. I often find myself grinning on a twisty road, only to discover I’m only doing 40 mph. They aren’t fast, but that is absolutely irrelevant. They aren’t ‘Vettes, but who needs one?
One caveat: the top HAS to be down. Otherwise the rattles and choppy ride intrude.
If you get yourself an old collector car, you worry about keeping it on the road. You get a shock with handling, braking, carburetors, noise, etc. because you have forgotten how much worse they were at those things. But the NA is new enough and well engineered enough to feel at home in today’s faster traffic. Oldtimers like me are tired of wrenching. We want to drive, and we want reliability. And we love a slick manual trans, because we have automatics in our daily drivers. It’s the perfect fun car to pull the cover off on a cool summer morning.
And, yes, older women find them cute...
I'm 64 and will get one next year.I used to have an MGB,Triumph Spitfires ,TR6 and GT6 when I was a young guy, but apart from the exorbitant cost and scarcity of one of those now there's the maintenance and relative lack of power and braking,not to mention parts availability.Nothing better than the top down on a fine day.My mechanic said that the old sports cars seem so antiquated when he test drives them now.
You won't be sorry, although they aren't fast in stock form. The handling makes up for that, though. And, apart from the possibility of snapping the nose off the crankshaft on '90s and early '91s, they don't break, and if they do, they don't cost much to fix.
@@barrykochverts4149 Thanks for the info. on the crankshaft.Maybe better to get the 1800 then?
You get a bit more hp with the 1800, but I've never driven one, and am not unhappy with my '90. It has a "short nose" crank, on which the woodruff key holding the pulley in place is, oddly, longer than the nose of the shaft. The key channel enlarges and the nose can break off. There is something of a debate on whether to worry about it, and I decided not to. It's not an interference engine so it won't be totally trashed. That said, you can learn on the forums when Mazda redesigned and lengthened the nose of the 1600 cc crankshaft, midway through 1991. There were also updates to stiffen the body as time went on. One other caveat: these cars are not perfect for people well over 6' tall. The header is too low. Be sure to try one on first to see how you fit! The commentator is right on with his assessment, though. If yoy need horsepower, go elsewhere, or spend on performance upgrades. But, you can have a wonderful time in an MX-5 at 40 mph on a curvy road. That's the beauty of these cars!
@@barrykochverts4149 Very useful info. thanks.Yes I sat in an early one and I seemed to be staring through the top of the windshield which sort of cut the view in two.With the top up it might be hard to see overhead traffic lights I was thinking.I'm about 5'11".That's the only downside that I can see really.
Can't believe you didn't mention the popups. Instant cool points.
^^^^What he said 😂
I'll do it now. Popups are bitchin.
@@JayEmmOnCars Thaaaaaaaaaaat's more like it 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
F40. NSX. Popups. Cool as a cucumber cars.
I mean, we all know that. We don't need every guy on the internet saying the same stuff in every mx5 review.
That's a very tasty Eunos. Ironically, I really love the beige leather interior contrasted with the British Racing Green paintwork...
I've got one just like it, but an mx5 and I love it.
The brown color is very soothing on my eyes. Very comfortable and relaxing to look at, and probably very relaxing color to drive in.
I have a eunos same colour, same inferior but with a cheap turbo kit! You should look into it.
@@rabmalt158, it's not a bad idea, but I am on a strict no new car purchasing rule at the moment, so I will have to wait until such time as that is over...
@@lloydvehicleconsulting I can respect that man I had started buying turbo parts as soon as I got the car. If you ever do think about it man put your own kit together for a fraction of the price. Enjoy your new car buddy.
I like how you were having trouble talking about the car beyond "It's a nice place to be, and a fun car to drive". It's nearly impossible to explain what it's like to drive a Miata. A person has to do it, to understand it. The Mark1 isn't fast, but it feels fast. It's not the best handling car, but it feels like a go-cart on rails. It's not luxurious, but it's definitely comfortable. What Mazda did, was make a perfect driver's car. Every part of the car is designed to give you feedback about what the car is doing. And it's that communication that makes the drive so enjoyable.
To your point about how "common" it is. I'm not sure I agree with you. Yes, there's a million that have been made. But I live in sunny central Florida, and I actually don't see that many out and about. Maybe one or two any time I'm driving around. Not like Mustangs or Challengers. Those things are everywhere. I've owned 4 Miatas now, three NA and a ND. And there just isn't anything like driving around on a cool evening with the top down, being able to see all the stars above.
A radio, a good heater and A/C are all the options you need to make an NA livable as a daily, even 30 years on. $65 for a tire...can't beat that. You can't drive one more than 5 feet without smiling.
I think that it's safe to classify the MX-5 as a "sports car," as sports cars aren't defined by engine output. The original Lotus Elan made around the same power from it's 1.6 liter twin-cam four as the first generation MX-5, and I have yet to find a person who questions the sports car status of the Lotus.
115hp in 1962 was crazy quick. Plus it was light - much lighter still than this MX5. Of course it's a sports car, but nevermind this
the Miata is brilliant but it's hardly a sports car in stock form, not because of its power, but only because it is too high and too soft. Nothing that can't be changed, of course
1) The Lotus was 25 years older
2) The Lotus was 300Kg lighter
3) The Lotus handled better
The MX-5 is not a sports car, in stock form it's a very overrated roadster. It gained popularity because it was a simple cheap FR car that could modified *into* a sports car relatively easily.
@@nigo1787 Exactly my thoughts. A new Renault Twingo has the engine placement of a Porsche 911 yet no one would even think about calling it a sports car just because it has the same power of a 911 from the 60s. It's always depending on how well a car did for its time.
@@nigo1787even stock it's a Sports car, even better than the contemporary Elan S2...
I bought mine July 2, 1989. It is almost bone stock, except for Panasport wheels, different size tires, etc.. Mine looks almost brand new after 30 years. After 5 years in my barn I got it out, changed the fluids, put on new tires with 4 wheel alignment and she’s back on the road!!
The great thing about every generation of MX5 has been they offered great handling and a genuinely fun and exciting driving experience without being on a quick trip to a driving ban for not much money. At normal speeds on a public road I would much rather drive one of these than a supercar, seriously. I find most real high performance cars only come alive at speeds which are just not appropriate for public roads. These things are an absolute joy at legal speeds.
Best time to drive the MX5 is at night during the summer when it's still warm enough to have the roof down.
So cool with the lamps up and hearing the grasshoppers and the like in the fields.
Perfect care-free motoring. Everything is cheap (insurance, tax, fuel, servicing, mods...). You can thrash them until your heart is content without fear of speeding tickets or reliability issues. They're the antidote to everything that is wrong with modern performance cars (too fast, too serious, too remote, too expensive). I've had 2 and will keep my current one forever. I enjoy driving it at least as much as my FK8 Type R (albeit for totally different reasons). They're an utter tonic and I'm immensely grateful that they exist.
I bought my mum an '99 MX-5 NB for her birthday, am now getting my driving license and will get one too... they are so much fun, really cheap and reliable. They don't use much fuel and are really affordable to run. Perfect car for beginners. There are not many cars in this price segment that offer so much fun for so little money.
I had a Triumph Spitfire when I was 19, and I loved it. It leaked, it didn't handle very well, and it rotted away. But I loved it. Then followed decades of 'sensible' company cars and family cars until the kids grew up. At last I could re-live the light, 2-seat open car I loved back when I was blasting along the Cheshire lanes with ELP on the Spit's 8-track.
So I've had an MX5 in my life since 2004 when I bought a new Mk2. Three years later I traded it for a new Mk3, the one with the foldy electric hard top. This year I traded that (which has NEVER had a fault in all its 14 years) for a new Mk4 (ND2) in Soul Red Crystal Metallic just because I fancied a change though I still loved that Mk3.
I'm 72, and I love the handling of the MX5s, and new one with 181bhp is pretty quick,too (well, quick enough for today's roads). And I don't like cars that break, still less cars that cost a fortune to run and a king;s ransom if they go wrong or even when they need servicing or new tyres (eg a supercar or even a jaaag). Cars are not my main interest (flying is) so I don't want my flying budget dented by my car costs, but I DO want a car that's as near to as good handling as my (shared) aeroplane. And the wife has a Focus, so I can afford to be a tad impractical with my wheels!
Oh, and the ND2 in Soul Red is drop-dead gorgeous. I just can't stop going to the window looking out at it! (All my MX5s have lived outside and never leaked - the garage is for my motorbikes!).
I watch JayEmm videos at 1.25x Then, they are normal :D
hahah woooow
OMG it works!
It's crazy how well that works
The TARDIS - 2x
I bought mine in February, they’re so enjoyable to drive! Not fast, not a handler but it still leaves a smile on my face every time.
Steven Alford not a handler?? Throw some coilovers on mate it will transform the car and as for power, in stock form your right but for very little money you can change that too.. cheers 😀😎😈
Not a handler? I'd check your tyres and suspension.
After 50 years of motorcycling I bought my Mk2 , a definate 4 wheeled motorbke. and agree with JayEmm comments to the letter. They are good for grandads as well !
I love my '92. I have had it for 29 years and 230000 miles. The Boxster Spyder gets most of the use now but the Miata still gets out once a week for a blast through the canyon. James I am glad you finally got to try one out. I liked your 718 Spyder review with Roger Bailey also
The miata is the purist sportscar lightweight great handling and its a convertable soo true sportscar
I agree. I just purchased an Austin Healey Sprite and I think this car started it all. So fun to drive
I've not driven a MK1, but I've tried the MK2 and various MK3s. I wouldn't consider them a purist's sports car. They look ok, the low slung seats and that typical, snug cabin fit the bill. They're just a bit too refined and a bit too watered down? Mazda took the Elan and played it a little too safe. I had a Caterham 7, which is the very essence of a two seat sports car and in driving terms, it was everything the Mazda wasn't. When I bought a replacement 2 seater convertible, it was a Renault Wind, not an MX5. I do think the old Bugeye Sprite is a proper sports car.
@@another3997 well thats your opinion but i need a sports car to daily and have fun on the weekends in the mountains. Not a track toy. I daily my mk2 its my one and only car so a top heater and a radio is nice no a/c tho removed that asap
@@another3997 Correction: *Mazda took the Elan and made it reliable for everyone to own.
@@another3997 I can't imagine going from a caterham to a renault wind
you're right, ideal young guys entry. Of course, racing fraternity love them too for same reasons.
Just sold my absolutely mint 1995 R-Ltd model. Gutted as it is definitely the most fun, reliable and best car I'll probably ever own. 3 years and 40k very hard miles and never put a foot wrong in my ownership. Drifted, banged off the limiter constantly, absolutely abused and was always more than happy to continue topping up the oil every few thousand.
Would love another one day. You cannot buy a more fun car for the money.
I've had my Mk1 (NA) for 7 years now. San Diego is a perfect place for this car - Not hot, humid, and doesn't rain much. Got the car at 125K miles for about 3,000 USD. I am now up to 210,000 miles. A differential bearing was bad when I bought the car, so I changed that with a junkyard diff (after about 30,000 miles). Added a roll bar. Did the timing belt twice, and had to change the catalytic Converter after it failed emissions a couple years ago. Very easy to work on. Also, there are tons of youtube videos for all your fix it needs. In my twenties, I had a TR6. This is way more fun, and it just does not break.
Love the MX5. Swapped mine for an MR2 - original. Never been able to decide if that was a good decision or not. Still they were both as reliable as clockwork. We drove the MR2 from Manchester to Athens - never missed a beat.
I love this car. I bought my UK 1995 1.8iS back home to France 2 years ago. I've since done 15,000 miles and apart from ordinary maintenance and the hassle and cost of getting it registered and road legal for France it has cost me nothing.
Purchased for £890 + registration €250, french "contrôle technique" (MOT) €65, fitting LHD headlights (second hand €30), 4 new tyres (€150) and a few bits and bobs.
I guess she's cost me about £1400 in all. She's my daily driver come, sun, rain or snow and never fails to put a smile on my face.
For fuel I can use 75% E85 25% 95 unleaded for a fill up which means a full tank (300+ miles) only costs me about £35.
Personally I'm leaving her pretty much stock because I think the Mazda people did a damn good job from the start though a previous owner has put in a K&N air filter. When I eventually need to change the exhaust system I might put something a bit sportier though the current one sounds pretty OK.
My advice JM : buy one before the prices go up!
I bought another one back in February 2018 for a French mate who'd fallen in love with mine. We managed to find another clean one for £1000. But they are getting really difficult to spot in that price range now so I guess prices had bottomed out when I bought mine. Another avantage is that when you do need to fix them even duffers like me can do most stuff if armed with RUclips tutorial, a Haynes manual and some basic tools. I'd never touched a car before and on this one I've done oil change, gearbox and diff oil, accessory belts and some bodywork. All easy.
Yep BUY ONE and love it.
😁
Oh yeah. It IS a sportscar of the "old school" whatever anyone says - just as were the Triumph Spitfire or the MGB.
14 minutes of a Miata ini 4K? Aight guv, you got my sub.
Love the first minute or so of this video. Such sweet little engines in these cars, this one sounds great. Currently on my 4th mk1 😊
I had a 1990 1.8 black paint, black interior, detachable hard top, no power steering, no electric windows, loved it, great fun to drive, I think it should be compulsory to learn to drive in one.
In 2013 I bought a then-new MX-5 NC-FL 1.8 Centerline. I could have had a prisitine NA for that money, but unfortunately I wouldn't quite fit in it (I'm a bit over 6'4). The NC 1.8 is said to be the least desirable of all Miatas, I know. However, the car was real fun to drive. 1121 kg with full tank, 131 HP (German version, the facelift had 5 more HP than the early NC 1.8) and 16'' wheels. The steering was fantastic, the gear shifter the best I've experienced in any car and It behaved every bit like you would expect from an MX-5. However, I did daily runs on the German Autobahn with it, it gets very loud there, and realized that I needed backseats more often than I thought I would. Since I only had parking space for one car, I sold it a year after. Still miss it. - Is the MX-5 a sports car? Apart from the 184 HP ND 2.0, I'd say, in terms of speed the Miata isn't. However, any Miata (NA, NB, NC, ND) feels every bit like a sports car. And they were born for backroad runs on every day of the week.
you're an absolute chad. By chance I found your Jag XJ8 video when wanting to buy one, and then bought one. I am now looking for a MK1 MX5...and we meet again.
Big thumbs up!
My next Mx5 will be a NA with a supercharger, bout 190bhp.
Can't wait....
Its no longer NA if you put a supercharger on the engine...
@@smilepermile888 NA as in a mk1.
NA are the ones with pop up lights, NB were the 2nd gen, NC, ND etc
@@maciekthepole Oops you're right! Must be a common thing that NA generation owners get from strangers when it comes to talking about forced induction!
No worries! Us Mx5 fans are a weird lot.....
@。ギャレット I wiil do.
Can't choose the cars you love!!
I have a Eunos Roadster as well. I'm 20. There's many other cars I looked at buying, a 3 MPS was probably top, but as said in the video the price makes mx5s really accessible. It's genuinely a fun little car and it's not as slow as people say it is once you get it on tiny single lane backroads
21 one here and also own a Eunos..a 93 to an exact. Love it!
whats the insurance like for one of these? im thinking of getting one as my second car
@@solerpower1 ive just bought one as a project car.. got quoted 5and a half grand... and im 24.. first time driver though
I'm 21..with myself on it, it's £760 a year..but you probably won't be that lucky, had my license like a few months.
@@ZephyrMoon666 wow where on do u live. Im Paying over 2 grand on a 1.2 corsa...
Until recently my wife had a mk2.5 mx5 sport with the 140bhp 1.8 engine, most of the time when I drove it it didn't feel very sporty to me mainly because it has a floaty feel rather than sharp handling (and I felt like Noddy as I'm 6'5" and had to drive with the roof down even in the rain). But then I once drove it over some mountain roads in South Wales (Neath to Hirwaun over the Bwlch and Rhigos passes) and although it still felt a bit floaty and had to thrash it uphill it was very enjoyable especially on the downhill corners, more for the feel of guiding the cars little mass, feeling and pushing the balanced neutral handling and using the road width nicely and feeling the grip changes on the various bits of the road surface, white lines and bumps.
Absolutely love my Roadster. It has been my daily for ten years, (meant to keep it one summer) and has very few problems. Fabulous car. And contrary to popular belief, not that slow. Faster than most stock hatches, and waaay better handling.
Yup. Keep the revs up and it's lively.
Owned a MK1 mx5 1.8 for a couple months now. Have had a few things go wrong with it. (Door springs, headlights, speakers and the list goes on.) but I’ve been able to fix it all on myself so far. Easy to work on and plenty of pull. They’re cheap and such a fun little country lane driver. So glad with it.
Just stumbled on this video after purchasing a mk1 mx5 running and driving with mot not a lot of rot with 86.000 miles £100 not a mistype and seeing this video makes me want to experience it asap 👌 good video
Great video. I love these and you can forget the hair dresser image. Anyone who knows anything about cars will know that these are proper sports cars. Love it love it love it.
My Son (21) & I (60) traveled to Kent last week and bought a red Mk1 for us to share (him fiesta in winter MX5 in summer and vice versa for me) and drove it back to Glasgow without incident and on the way caught up with two other red ones a slammed Mk2 and a Mk1 with a huge exhaust that we heard for about a mile as he drove out of the Services. I now get the attraction of a rear wheel drive two seater rag top sports car. Brilliant little cars that I need to be careful at junctions with, as some grass grows higher than my line of vision here in the countryside of Central Scotland.
I'm restoring a 1990. It has a 92 engine that I tore down and rebuilt with new piston rings about 5 years ago. It has been a daily driver and I really enjoy driving it. It has two tops (hard and soft) just had it painted Mazda red it has ac, power windows, cruise control. I purchased a new soft top, interior carpet, new seat recovers just waiting for a bit of time to put into it. I bought a stand alone ecu arduino based. So I can put in a turbo. Can't wait... Just a fun little car I get thumbs up in all the time.
I have one, an s-limited import, black with red interior. In great shape for a 27 year old and used as a weekend car only. As you said, the numbers of good cars are dwindling but the better examples are beginning to appreciate. The rest are one step away from the scrap yard or being turned into drift slags by the scene boys. I'm going to hang onto mine and enjoy it as it is.
Had one when I was 30, will get another one soon (as NA model prices are on a massive up). And since I am not much of a supercar fan the MX-5 in pretty much all of it's variants is and will forever be on my top ten best cars ever list. Right next to the Classic Mini Cooper, the Elise, the old XJ Jags, the AX/BX/CX gen Citroens, the Volvo 940/960 Estate (my current daily driver), the E39 M5, the Alfa 156 SW, the Alfa GT/GTV Bertone and the Lancia Delta Mk1 (as long as they have a turbo on them).
Nice, great to see you 'Get it'. I have a Mk1 i am currently installing the Rocketeer conversion. It is half as expensive as you say if you do it yourself. You would be more than welcome to test her and see if you think the V6 is worth it.
I'm really intrigued by these AJ30 conversions. Would be really good to see some videos of your car 👍
my 89 Eunos is the best car I ever owned. Fun, dependable, slow as hell so you can enjoy 9/10th driving all day everyday and no one batts an eyelid. driven and owned a lot of things since but nothing gives me as many smiles per mile as the Eunos.
Great review of an icon.
The white H reg MX5 1.6 I had a year ago was a fun, happy car to drive. It had 98k and totally standard. For B roads it was fantastic. Also so cheap I wasn't precious over it, drove, and left roof-down almost all the time.
Bought with a few niggles that were cheaply fixed and sold for a small profit when family commitments curtailed 2 seater ownership....
.. so I got a motorcycle in protest.
Well there’s a lot of good reasons the MX5 is the most popular sports car, in the world ,,,,, ever.
11:22 James, 13 grand may be a lot on a mx5 but putting a 240hp + 220lb/ft torque V6 (which actually weighs less than the original iron block 4 cylinder) w/ carbon fibre plenums, I don't see anything wrong with that, especially in a body weighing 1000kg. The V6 doesn't go beyond the front axle as much as the stock engine does. You're putting a sweeter sounding 6 cylinder with power + torque across a wider range RELIABLY over any 4 cylinder+forced induction kit combo. Its also even cheaper if you do the whole conversion yourself. Combine that with Ohlins DFV coilovers and brake upgrades (+ optionally roll cage for track), you can keep up with many performance cars. Not all MX-5s have to be on a super low budget for modifications! Hope Rocketeer get in touch with you to test drive their AJ30 MX-5s.
I would love to drive one but I suspect they are quite happy with the exposure from CarThrottle
I could buy a v10 M5 for 10 grand.. 13k on just a swap alone is rediculous.
@@Beansswtf Did you even read my comment? There's a cheaper DIY package by Rocketeer. And anyway, to each their own. You clearly don't know what its like to drive a V6 MX-5 with the same power to weight ratio as the E92 M3. And you haven't seen the quality finish that Rocketeer provide either. And also, learn how to spell too.
@@Beansswtf Yeah the V10 M5 is a much wiser buy than this isn't? Lets get throttle actuator VANOS issues, gudgeon pin wear, rod bearing issues (premature wear that need replacing every 50,000miles) thus detonating a €26,300 engine (with another €1670 for installing a replacement). SMG reliability issues (+its lurching when the car is driven in low speeds). You sound like a teenager who doesn't see the fine print of things.
@Jimmy Joji lol... I'm definitely not a midlife crisis poster boy for overpriced conversation kits with lazy old ford v6's hahahah
Just picked up my first Miata a month ago. Fantastic car and I have no regrets. I also daily drive it.
I have a silver Eunos myself with 83k km, doesn’t get used much if I’m honest but I refuse to get rid of it because when I do actually use it it always puts a smile on my face and gets loads of attention,
A great review. I bought my NA a couple of years ago for pocket change (£800), it's still in pristine condition, and has cost me little to run.
Another benefit in getting one of these which isn't so obvious is that sinking so little cash into them, and the car having so little value, then there's no temptation to sell. Chopping and changing cars is usually very expensive so I'll happily keep my NA even after I get another car in the future.
I owned three Elans in the late 60's/early 70's, and will always be a Lotus man, but overall the MX5 is so much easier to live with.
NA is a what? Nissan Almera?
NA is the designation for the 1st generation MX-5. Within that were the Mk-1 (1st edition of the NA, 1990 to 1993) then the Mk-2, (updated version, 1994 to 1997). Then came the NB in 1999. Although the same basic drivetrain, the NB lost the pop-up headlights and the body panels became significantly more rounded.
I have one of each, a “project” 1993 NA, (inherited from my father who passed away) and a 1999 NB that we have owned for almost 15 years now. My lovely wife and I have driven the NB across the U.S. several times now and still love it.
Just stumbled on this old post of mine. Three years on and the MX5 is still pristine, and has been zero trouble over all this time. It's probably worth around £4k now, still too cheap to bother selling.
I had a Eunos Roadster V Special, before upgrading to a Boxster then 911.. I miss the Eunos a lot, it was a cracking little car that was cheap to run and endless fun, super reliable too.
I live in Northern Minnesota and run around in my 2014 Miata with the top down until the temp gets below 25 F. It gets too chilly then. The speed limit in South Dakota is 80 mph I went from Sioux falls to Rapid City in 4 hours. When you hit the Missouri breaks it's like a giant roller coaster. It goes from 70 to 90 in two seconds. 70 to 110 in 4. I got a ticket for 91 in Minn and 82 in South Dakota. There are risks but the most fun you can have in a car without a woman.
Been driving mine as a daily driver for 29 years now, and yes, it has been wonderfully reliable. US spec NA 1.6 5 speed.
I'm currently in the process of saving my pennies for a MK1 MX5. I want it to be bog standard with no mods whatsoever, it will be a real hoot on the country lanes near my house!!
DrewPeacock69 TrippyDrew69 Enjoy, I’ve had mine for a couple of years. Had one in the UK about 16 years ago and now one in Australia. Good on you for keeping it stock, I still have the original tape deck. Perfect for cruising around Queensland too ... if a bit hot in mid summer, I tend to drive at night then. :)
Great video. I’m 63 therefore not a youngster 😀 and have a 1997 Classic Black MX5 as a summer fun car for rides out into the Peak District nearby. Great fun car which reminds me of the MG Midgets I had in my youth.👍🏼
That sounds terrific, happy driving to you sir.
What a lovely looking thing the MK 1 is. Everything you can possibly want from a little sports car and Pop Up headlights too!!
Well - I’ve owned my G-reg 1989 Mk1 since 1999 (now 20 years) - a Eunos import - and everything still bog-standard and working as it should. Now with 160,000 km on the clock. Only ever spent out for a cam belt, brake linings, tyres, petrol (gas) and oil, and now just about to buy its third battery. Used summer and winter (obviously much more in summer with hood down), it is a complete joy to drive and still admired by passers-by, despite its peeling silver paintwork! I shall drive it until it dies! Then I’ll just buy another Mk1 that’s been better looked after and carry on as normal. That’s how wonderful the Mk1 has been for me. Great fun, and it's cost me nothing!
I have an NC mk5. You should review one. You can get a 1.8 one for £3000. I have the 2.0 sport. It's great 30+ mpg. Very comfortable seats. Full leather tan interior. Oversteers real easy. Decently quick at 158bhp.
I've had two of these, great little cars! Only sold mine as I'm too tall for it and it was breaking my back!
Whack a nice MX5 Parts exhaust on it, along with some nice Rotas and coilovers and that's all you need - perfection imo!
I actually also own a Eunos V-Special. I love it, its a fantastic car (I have had it for 5 years, and used to by my daily during 2 of those).
To answer your question, I don´t think its a propper sports car. Its not stiff enough and does not respond to your imputs good enough to be a sports car (in stock config).
But I love it! It is just a very nice car to drive that makes me happy. Its fast enough and just makes you feel special everytime! To me that is all that I need...
On my second one, and just finished turbo’ing it. Reliability is gone but Christ it’s fun now. I’m 21 and doing my masters degree alongside👊🏻
I love my little NB, it looks similar to the one at 10:52. They are common but you get to do the mx5 wave and most owners are very friendly.
Had one loved every minute of it. Unfortunately had terminal rust. Will have another one.
7:58 - I think it depends on which one you go for - Mk1s aren't *that* common, especially if you go for a Eunos. There's a reason why they're common, - they're cracking cars. I wouldn't say Mk1s are "everywhere" - well not in my area anyway. Apologies if I've taken the "everywhere" comment too literally.
I do agree with you on the Rocketeer kit - far too much money!
Good video buddy
They are starting to dissapear from the roads in my area, used to see them every where but now I honestly only see them at the rallys or meets these days. I can't remember the last time I saw one just driving about.
I own a mk3 now but have had two of this model in the video. The first one was written off after a truck pulled out in front of me at a T-Junction, the whole front end was smashed up. I was so sad as I paid only £1000 in 2012 and it was super clean with no rust. I then replaced it with the mk3 but missed it so much in 2016 I managed to buy another mk1 and run the two together. Unfortunately the mk1 had a lot of rust and started making an annoying noise from the transmission. Living in the country side and having to travel down a mucky track every day, it gets pretty crappy with mud and crap over winter. This coupled with the rust and transmission issues I decided to sell it and buy a toyota yaris for daily driving keeping the mk3 for weekends. I love the mk3 but miss the V-Spec so much it had so much character that the newer cars just dont have!
the Miata (as it's more commonly known on my side of the world) is a great little run around car! many of my friends have had several - mostly of the NA (MK1 as you call it...) and i've even had one... but it's been cut up and being reborn as something else but still, originally i felt they were lacking on power, but after having one as a daily beater, i stopped complaining and was content with it's throttle abilities
I have a 94 Miata, It is cheap but it is loads of fun in the summer with the top down. It's super reliable and parts are cheap so it is actually worth it to throw money at it during those times when the repairs do tend to pile up. It's still cheaper than a new car. Enjoy.
I own a mk1 and had it for 7 years just love it.
I've settled on this as my dream car. Hope to have one in 2 years or less
lets admit what's in front of our eyes the mx5 is one of the great sports cars, and has good claim to be best ever, even just by virtue of how attainable it has been for the masses, let alone the handling, gearbox, looks, simplicity, charm, performance potential etc all for 2.5k with hard top and a few rust advisories.
Supercharged Mk1 Eunos/MX5 = Bliss! 😍 I love mine!
Mists is always the answer. Or in this JDM case a Eunos. Best bang for buck car ever made, the mk1 and mk2 are as close to old school roadsters as you can get in a ‘modern’ car. They are utterly reliable but get one that’s either very cheap but needs the rust fixing or a bit pricier with rust already done. Get good coil overs on it, good lightweight wheels, grippy tyres, a 4 wheel alignment and the handling is sublime.
Oh and you can get upwards of 350bhp from the engine with forced induction, or drop in a jag V6.
@John Mitchell F-type is more like 280
@John Mitchell Not with a Rocketeer AJ30 conversion. With a conservative tune, they are rated around 240hp and 220lb/ft torque. They're still testing to see if they can make more power by increasing the rev limit to 8000rpm. In a 1000kg body, thats enough to have fun.
@John Mitchell Not true at all. Search on RUclips SPS Motorsport's video called 'SPS Motorsport goes to england Teil 5 (Rocketeer MXV6)' and you'll hear the Rocketeer guy say that the aluminium block V6 weighs 5kg less than the iron block 4 cylinder at 2:45 mark. And also, if you care so much about fuel economy, why do you have a sportscar? Surely with a K20a, most of its power is on the VTEC zone above 5000rpm so there wouldn't be much difference in MPG in the end.
Probably the prettiest of all MX-5s ... the ND comes close, but you gotta love that puppy-dog face with the big pop-up "eyes". I'm not sure I'd trade my ND for an NA, but if I had the garage-space and money, I'd seriously think about getting an NA as well.
Alot of people will dislike me for saying this but I prefer the mk2 to the mk1 I prefer the lines and also you get a 6 speed in the sport/SVT models and heated seats and the all important cup holder for your coffee
Plus in my opinion the mk2 dash is nicer and also the vvt engine hats off to James for an honest review and not saying gimmicky rubbish like it cool because of the pop up headlights
Subscribed, anyone who appreciates these deserves it. New to your channel I like your style. To 50k ...
Thanks! And welcome
The origin of the MX5 is when the Mazda CEO was watching an episode of the UKTV action/comedy series "The Avengers". Onscreen was Emma Peel [Diana Rigg] driving a Lotus Elan. The Mazda man was so impressed that he set in motion plans to copy the Elan right down to the tone of the exhaust rumble. A strong case of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery.
Always fancied a Mk1 good ones now hard to come by and without doubt a future classic another great video well done.
I miss my Mk1 and regularly consider getting another one. At 6 foot 4 I managed to fit into it comfortably with some minor modifications and it was always a car that made me smile. Smiles per miles for the Mk1 is hard to beat.
What were the minor modifications?
Look up foamectomy Simple way for someone over 6ft to fit.
@@davidartina5022 Luckily I didn't need to resort to this :)
I removed the sun visors, fitted a slightly smaller steering wheel (Momo Indy), removed the door handles and replaced them with leather straps, always had the drivers seat three notches back from fully extended so that I could have a slightly increased rake (still safe with no risk of submarining or looking like a kn*b) and made sure that the strut brace I selected for behind the drivers seat did not impede either seat rake or how far the seat went back.
Finally I made sure when I replaced the roof that my new roof did not have a headliner so I didn't loose a critical half an inch of head space.
I bought my MK1 three years ago. A car I knew from brand new I then found for sale some seventeen years later after only covering a total of 33k miles. Even though it was a totally original rust free car and for £1200 I still felt that it wasn’t special enough and still struggle with the idea of keeping it. However cheap to run and relatively bulletproof I’d be stupid to get rid.
Good honest review James, love my Na has done over 360k Kms and still runs great, glad you didn't go down the hairdresser route as this is got to be one of the lamest jokes in the car world and in fact most are owned by blokes... cheers mate love ya work....buy one and throw a turbo on you will have one of the best B road cars you can get ...peace
Mike Ulent hahahahahaha good one
I really miss my Mk2, sadly being 6ft 3" tall my back certainly doesn't. Brilliant cars though by any description.
@@cavemanjay As i said height and a back condition.
I'm 6 feet flat. Will I be fine on a MK1 or 2?
Thanks, I'll keep that in mind!
@@cavemanjay You mean the NC, really? I'm 6'4 and literally did not fit. I felt like one of those kitten in a jar videos on here. Weird how that goes isn't it.
@@cavemanjay wow, that must be it. My experience was slightly different, interesting.
Thanks for excellent video, showing nice British roads, as seen from the original mx5. I've got a gold one with soft top. Just pure reliable affordable fun. Can beat almost any other car around windy roads with sharp corners, due to the laws of physics! Other cars either slide or fall off the corner. Mostly though it is immensely enjoyable in quiet carefully chosen country areas. One gets the full benefit of top down, with sights, sounds and smells of the natural environment. I like to cruise along tree lined avenues and away from main road lanes. Speed is not needed, but on the other hand I've scared myself badly at higher speeds, due to the instant crisp handling. Perfect fun machine for summer. Regeo is kept on hold during winter!
A 2nd gen Honda Fit was go for me. Small, light, and nimble is nice, but it's gotta be able to haul people and stuff around as well.
I owned a R-reg Mk1. Best steering feel of any car I've ever driven!
I've always wanted an MX5, ended up sticking with the Civic Type R's over the years because of the extra seats. But for as long as I've had my licence I've really wanted an MX5! Can't go wrong with one!
got an na miata 2 weeks ago, been the best 2 weeks of the year!
MK1s will eventually be worth their weight in gold as the numbers go down and the nostalgia goes up as the young people who drove them grow up and make their fortunes.
I have to say, I really like the British green and the wooden shifter and steering wheel. Hoping to find me a little Miata next spring.
Own 2 91 models which I picked out for my 16th Birthday brand new in April of 1991..I picked a Mariner blue model and I picked out the BRG "British Racing Green" model for my pop,which in 91 it was a Special Edition and it's #1209 and it has MOMO bits..Both have hardtops and the BRG over tan has 57,000 miles a Millen Supercharger but my mariner blue car is now a 550hp LS swap/T56 6 speed with a ford 8.8 IRS rear with 4.10 gears..It was done by Flying Miata..Both cars are like new and have height/damper adjustable coilovers,15x9 front-15x10 HRE rims rear with 225/50s in rear and 205/50s up front..Both cars have been widened a bit in the rear ,not with stupid flairs but my bodyshop did it by hand by adding metal and hammering the contours..Im not going to type everything because they have had just about every upgrade and I will never sell either of them.Ive been offered $50,000 U.S.but no way...Its not about spending the money..Its about memories,along with speed in the LS2 swap..Hell Ive had more blowjobs driving my V8 MX-5 than in my Ferrari 430...Thats100% the truth...Its also faster than my 6 speed Ferrari...Ill never own a car without 3 peddles and a TRUE MANUAL TRANSMISSION!!! SCREW DCT...
Remind me of driving Classic MG's 30 years ago when I worked on them, they never had any power but an MGA or early 1275 Midget were an awesome amount of fun on the back roads, no need for outright speed just good fun handling. If I could get away with only 2 seats I'd have an MX5 / Eunos.
My two big takeaways from once owning this car: The rear would easily stepout even at moderate speeds, which was amusing for driving slow through the city, but gave me no confidence hucking it into a corner at speed out in the countryside. And not being able to recline the seats back became very uncomfortable during long road trips. The convertible aspect was a fun experience, so not disappointed with the purchase, I just wouldn't get a similar style car ever again, needing my one and only car to do more than just sideways shenanigans.
Bad tires?
I had a V spec in black. In about 5 years it cost me a headlight unit. £10 new. Super cool.
Loved both of my Mk1 MX5's, both 1.8 import Eunos Roadsters. Not fast but in my opinion get all the essentials right, the only thing I'd have liked was for the drivers seat to be a bit lower. Mine also had the tan leather and nardi wood wheel/gearknob and it made it feel much more special. The regular black interior makes it all look a bit dull.
Aftermarket seat and seat rails mate!
@@smilepermile888 You're absolutely right, just never got round to it :D
Big fan of the Mk1 MX5. Fantastic fun to track as well, even if you are the slowest car on the straights,
I've owned a Mk1 MX5 and also a S2 Lotus Elise.
Overall, IMO, the MX5 was a much better car.
As a track tool, the Elise would be better but everyday driving and enjoyment, I'd take the MX5 everytime.
MGTF 160 go quite well for no money owned 3 and never had any over heating issues I think most of them have been sorted now
I have a 1997 Harvard , 10 years now , great car, love it , reliable, cheap to run, fun to drive 👍🙂
Definitely a sports car.
Definitely a Roadster. 😁
My '94, which I drove 120K miles, from 40K-160K, from 1998-2009, NEVER RATTLED! She was always tight as a drum, even with the top up.
I think that's a really nice spec MX5 Green is my favourite colour tho, great video as always 😉
Ive had 37!!! Restored a few...april its tax time...woohoo. i love em as they give the same driving experience as rx7 fd but at legal speeds
I own one (1.8 96 5 speed) and it hasn’t been overly reliable. When something breaks its expensive to repair with annual service bills of $2k.
I had the mk1 1.8. It wasn't very fast, the scuttle shake was pretty bad, it was a rust magnet and there was a nasty blind spot when the hood was up. Yet in spite of all that it was a car that I still turned around and looked at every time I got out. It delivers the dopamine on even the dullest of drives. It's the sort of car if you found an empty roundabout you might be tempted to go round a few times. Yes it lacks grunt, but grunt is what costs. It gives you everything else in spades, including peace of mind. It even has it's own race series, so it is DEFINITELY a sports car.
Those speakers in the headrest are super easy to replace with bigger, better ones. Takes five minutes and is the best upgrade for sub-£30.
Great cars. Bought my Eunos V Special as a daily a few months ago they are great fun
I’d be interested to know what people think the bigger car version of this is. Cheap, reliable, proper driving characteristics (feedback etc). E46 is about the best I can come up with but even that doesn’t feel right.