MAZDA MX-5 1.6i 2dr (1990)

Mazda MX5 - Reliable car for leisure driving, not much space inside

It's a great machine for weekend drives round the country, good fun for that. I got my Mazda MX-5 on recommendation from a friend who had one for a few years in the 90s. I'm not a massive petrolhead and I've got an eye on the costs, so I didn't bother with one of the bigger engine ones. The 1.6 packs plenty of punch as far as I'm concerned, must be the power to weight ratio, but it belts round corners and does well enough for itself in a straight line. I'm really no expert about cars and that's not why I bought it, I just wanted something for good fun times that wasn't going to need repairing every five minutes (I've heard that about a lot of sports cars). I got it second hand at 50k miles back in 2001, and I've only added about 20k to it since then, and it's not had much need doing to it. The previous owner had it in good nick and it's not had much go wrong, just a little problem with one of the motors in the electric window. There was another minor issue with the ignition mech that was picked up whilst it was in the garage for tyres (dunno how they worked picked up on it but they did) and that was easy enough. Other than those it's been fine, really sweet little motor to own.

It doesn't feel like a complicated car either, which I really go for. I can't be bothered with all these onboard computers and things in more modern beefy cars, I just wanna get in, put my foot down and zip off into the sunset, and the Mazda MX-5 is great for that. It also doesn't have loads of fancy things controlling the way the car feels inside so you get plenty of feel of what's underneath you. That might be a little bit uncomfy for some - passengers maybe! - but it's a pleasure to drive. Really though the suspension is good for a small car.

One problem in the Mazda MX5 is the noise. Roof open or closed, it's a noisy beast. Lots of wind noise. Generally there are some practicalities that it's lacking, like back seats! Visibility out the back isn't so great either, two big old blind spots with the roof up. It's not a silly car though, and it can handle itself in most conditions - although, being light, it can become a bit unpredictable in the wet, watch out for that. The fuel consumption again is quite a nice surprise, doesn't guzzle the stuff, and the boot is an alright size, enough for a couple of weekend suitcases. Not a hugely practical car, but practical enough, and makes up for it with fun and reliability.