[Mark]

11 years ago today I picked up my first MX5

I had inherited a small sum of money and decided to buy myself an old classic car as a weekend toy. My intention was to buy an MGB or Midget, Triumph Spitfire or my personal favourite a Triumph Vitesse but no matter what, it had to be a convertible (I had never owned a convertible in my life but open top motoring appealled).

One day I was driving along when I saw this beautiful red MX5 parked on a Rover dealer's forecourt so just had to stop and have a look. The dealer also sold TVRs and it transpired the MX5 was a trade in against a TVR.

I went for a quick test drive and I was hooked. A deal was done and on 26 February 2000 I became the proud owner of a 10 year old G reg Mark 1 1.6.

The rest as they say is history. I foolishly sold the Mark 1 in 2002 to buy a Mark 2 but there has always been an MX5 in my garage ever since and always will be

I love MX5s, so much so that for the last 3 years I have been known as Mark 2MX5s

 

[clix]

Oct 2006
Knew what I was after really but it didn't stop me browsing the Mazda website for used car prices.
The Mk3 had not long been launched, so if I wanted the 2 litre sport, it was either wait until a brand spanking new one came in off the lorry in March the following year or take a demo model.
Strangely enough the demo model was the exact same one that I'd spent some time researching.
With a mere 1,200 miles on it, the price drop was agreeable: down from £19,950 to £16k.
Big thanks to Adrian at Sunwin, Derby for showing me how it should be driven...awesome!
Picked it up a week later and it sure was one of those weeks that felt like millennia.
My first convertible and coming in from a Vectra, need I go on?

During my first week of ownership, I goes on t'interweb looking for local clubs. Found the NEM and the OC, having my first group run in early Jan '07.

 

[stevo]

Bought my first Mx5 just under a month ago.
My first ride was when the MK1 was intoduced in `89. I said `one day, I`ll have one of these` and here I am....smitten all over again!

 

[Jot]

two years and a few weeks
didn't even bother checking out MGs or anything else tho did mentally consider the former for a short period of time
did start out by wanting to buy one about 4-5 years old but got swayed and 4 months old and ex-demo with very little mileage and i was hooked

 

[BlueMaurice]

3 years (I think

) I considered the MG but went for the 5 as even the older cars had good reports. I also wanted a convertible two seater sports car - as my cars had always been portable offices and stables (carrying straw not the horse!) - I figured a two seater would dissuade me from carrying half my life in the car and be a lot of fun too. It worked to a point - I can still get a bale of straw in the car plus enough feed for a month!!

 

[Guest]

I bought my first 5 in 2003. It was my birthday and we had been looking around for a soft top for a while......leaning toward the MGF (hangs head in shame). We drove past a Mazda dealership and saw a Black 2.5 sat outside. Stopped and had a test drive! I loved it but I didn't (at that time) want a black car! Salesman said we have some pre-registered ones on offer at the back at a great price and the red one is £500 cheaper as its non-metallic paint....how could I resist!
When we sold our Impreza, my hubby wanted a another fun car so we bought our white Mk1 with black stripes.
We got sent to the States for 3 years so the MX-5's had to be sold, a sad time, but I bought an immaculate 93LE Miata out there, been garaged in the desert all its life! Again she had to be sold on our return to Blighty.
Back here, I have bought our 4th MX-5, nice to be driving on twisties again after the long straight roads in Nevada!
I'm hoping to have a 5 in my life for many years to come!

 

[safaristu]

This is my first and its been about 3 years after a mini coopers works that is no more (long story) but this has been by far the best car just so much fun and the worcestershire 5's makes it even more so!

 

[David]

I was bought my MX5 by my wife as a 50th birthday prezzie in 2009. We did consider the likes of a Boxster or Honda S2000, but in the real world, we'd have had to settle for an older/higher mileage model to suit the budget. The MX5 is purely for summer use and that will help keep it that bit special. Therefore although I've only owned the LE for a year and a half, it's here to stay for the foreseeable future. :hug:

 

[DPC]

I bought mine in 2008 for my 50th, fell in love with soft top cars from the age of eleven, which was a Triumph herald, and then it was not until 1991 I started buying the classic car magazine and dreaming.

 

[MX5_Enthusiast]

The MKI was bought for Jane for our 25th Anniversary 4 years ago now, and we were hooked. Two years later came the MKII after selling the caravan and then the tow car. Almost 3 weeks ago we picked up the project track car www.buccaneer5motorsport.co.uk which between Jane and I we own a quarter of. Now it seems that everything we do revolves around the cars and the terrific friends we have made through the OC and other clubs. We will never be without an MX5 now, in fact once the new kitchen is fitted in the next few months I will probably be saving for a third, which we dont need but will have:skip:

 

[DPC]

11 years ago today I picked up my first MX5

I had inherited a small sum of money and decided to buy myself an old classic car as a weekend toy. My intention was to buy an MGB or Midget, Triumph Spitfire or my personal favourite a Triumph Vitesse but no matter what, it had to be a convertible (I had never owned a convertible in my life but open top motoring appealled).

One day I was driving along when I saw this beautiful red MX5 parked on a Rover dealer's forecourt so just had to stop and have a look. The dealer also sold TVRs and it transpired the MX5 was a trade in against a TVR.

I went for a quick test drive and I was hooked. A deal was done and on 26 February 2000 I became the proud owner of a 10 year old G reg Mark 1 1.6.

The rest as they say is history. I foolishly sold the Mark 1 in 2002 to buy a Mark 2 but there has always been an MX5 in my garage ever since and always will be

I love MX5s, so much so that for the last 3 years I have been known as Mark 2MX5s

My brother and his mate built a Sparten kit car which was based on a Morgan, and a Triumph Vitesse donor car was used with a 1600 straight six with overdrive in third & fourth. I was 14yrs at the time.

 

[UniversalExport]

Four years of ownership for me, I acquried it from my brother (his 3rd) who was moving to the States at the time. I swapped it for my Omega Planet Ocean....loved the watch...but love the MX alot more. I didn't even test drive it, I knew it was meant to be!:thumbsup:

 

[Hovis]

Where has the time gone? I bought Lucy back in 2004 - had to swap my old BMW 525 as it was getting on a bit, and didn't want another, nor did I want to go back to Landies, so I thought it was about time to go totally impractical and get something rag top. Did a fair bit of t'interwebnet searching, saw Lucy, made as low an offer as I dared and won! Bought unseen, un test driven. First time I had driven a five was when I picked her up in Poole, took the lovely scenic route back to Chesham via the New Forest, and spent the next two weeks picking the flies out of my teeth. Grin didn't subside for months.
Got onto the old OC web site, met up with a few local OC members, was one of the founding members of the Hemel Massive, long time member of the Moonies, Planet and a couple of other forums.
When I got her, she was a bog standard 1.8 S Special, that had not really been well treated, not abused, just not loved and respected - surfer dude! Many mods and miles later, we've been on numerous camping trips, meets, drives, hols.
No plans to swap / sell!

 

[AyB]

I've had various cars in the past, hot hatches, estates, 4x4's and the like. Always had a car each. A few years ago I decided that we could manage with just 1 car and a motorbike for me. Seemed a good idea at the time. After a winter of snow and ice and cold the good idea quickly turned sour! A second car was again on the cards.
Never had a sports car before so after a lot of searching decided to "Back Btitain" and bought a MGF.
I did enjoy the open top motoring but after 18 months and a few "issues" it had to go.
I am pleased I had the MGF as we are now into top down life. The natural progression was a MX5.
Had it a month now and loving it. As has been said many times before, why didn't we do it sooner?
What was bought as a second car is fast becoming the main car. :thumbsup:

 

[Worgie]

About two weeks now. We have a Honda Jazz as the family car and I had a much loved bike - a Kawasaki Z750 for me to commute on. However my two kids are getting older now and need more ferrying around so only having one car was getting less and less practical. I wasn't prepared to lose my bike and buy a boring car so I looked at sports cars to keep the fun, whilst being more practical.

With a limited budget, I could only spend about what the bike was worth so I started looking at MG F's. My best man (who has been in the motor trade all his life) has a Mark1 and he told me to forget the MG and buy a MX5. At first I thought I wouldn't be able to afford it but then I found a 2003 Sport 1.8i in Stormy Blue. I loved it on the test drive and bought it on gut feel that night. So far I am really enjoying owning and driving it, although I think maybe I was a bit hasty and should of done a bit more research, but as I say I just had a good feel about it.

A couple of days ago I drove past a forecourt near me and pulled over as I saw a 2003 model in Stormy Blue. It was not the Sport edition but it had 20K less on the clock and the bodywork was probably slightly better than mine. However it was double the price I paid for mine!! So I think and hope I have got a good deal.

Just need to sell my bike now!!

 

[Mark]

Worgie - sounds like your MX5 was a bargain . I cannot imagine a 2003 non Sport being advertised for more than about £6k which means yours would have cost you c£3000 which is a very good price indeed for a Mark 2.5 Sport

 

[Worgie]

Hi Mark. - You are not a million miles away with your numbers there

 

[Mark]

Hi Mark. - You are not a million miles away with your numbers there

As I said, sounds like a very good price :thumbsup:

 

[Bananaman]

Had our 2000 Mk2 California for 2 months after missing having a convertible, decided to go for a fun colour for a fun car.
It's a UK car so the arches need some work, but that can be done after the summer . Other upgrades Vik is considering are leather seat covers, different alloys and possibly a full body wrap.

Our game plan for the next 6-12 months is to sell our 4 motorbikes, go from 2 family cars to 1 then for me to buy a Mk3 or 3.5.
The Mk2 will then be Vikky's main car for her commutes from Malvern to Tewkesbury, we'll fall back to the diesel family car when needed.

In case you start to question my taste and ban me from the forum I created these others for a giggle, last one doesn't look too bad though, be nice as a track car design. :frantic:

 

[Mark]

The yellow of the California is a bright, sunny colour and, in my opinion, it would be a shame to wrap it but when you buy a Mark 3 / 3.5 then I say go for it - not sure about any of your proposed designs though