Mazda MX-5 (1990 - 2005) 1.8i S 2d (94) (1994/M) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

To the car connoisseur, it says that you really know your cars. To the average man on the street it might be seen as a hairdressers car.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

They usually have one of the above opinions.

Would you buy this car again and why?

I plan to keep this car indefinitely, so no.

What are you likely to buy next?

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£0

When did you buy the car?

March 2001

Did you get a good deal and why?

The car was a Japanese import, with a flat battery and four flat tyres, but otherwise in perfect condition. So I felt it was a good deal.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

It is the only small. cheap, rear wheel drive sports car that you can enjoy regularly. It also happens to be one of the greatest cars of all times in terms of driving dynamics.

What was the dealer like?

Glad to sell another car from his yard full of thousands of other imports.

What's it like to drive?

It is no ferrari, with considerably less than 130bhp at this stage it is not particularly fast in a straight line, but that is not the appeal of this car. What makes this car special is that it has near perfect weight distribution, its rear wheel drive and its light. In short it handles as a sports car should. When driven on bumpy rouds there is some scuttle shake, but unless you are looking hard you wouldn't notice. With the standard alloys the whole set up is a bit soft, but slightly larger wheels gives a genuine sports car feel. The driving position also adds to the sprots car feel. With just inches between driver and road, 30 mph feels fast.

What's it like to park?

The low seating position makes parking slightly tricky, but the car is very small so its not a problem. A lack of power steering might bother some.

Have you had any problems with the car?

Despite being nearly fifteen years old everything still works. Obviously the usual wear and tear items such as tyres, brakes and battery have been changed, but nothing else. The electric windows havn't even slowed down yet. The interior has also worn well with no tears in seats or floot mats.

What's most practical about your car?

The optional hard top is very useful. For most of the year its too cold to put the roof down, so its nice to be able to park the car without worrying about vandalism to the soft roof.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

By its very nature this car is pretty free of gadgets. But the pop up headlight are clever.