If/when I can sell my E-type Jaguar for a decent price I will look to upgrade my NC MX-5 to a later one. My current car is a 2008 2 litre PRHT car with ~68k miles, 5speed gearbox and I love it.
What I’d like to change to is one of the last NC cars because that is the model I prefer though I have never tried an ND, me and SWMBO like the PRHT. However, all the ones I have seen for sale have a 6 speed gearbox. I consider a 6 speed box as completely unnecessary and a PITA. OK, I can short shift but why do I need 6 gears? to save 0.5 sec off 0 - 60? Not needed.
So my question is: Is there a 5 speed model available? Advice appreciated folks.
I have a 1.8 5 speed NC3.75 which is the latest. I think the 2.0 is 6 speed only. I have come from a motorbike which was 6 speed and a previous model which was 5 speed. The only benefit of the 6 was that it was a little more convenient round town. For highway 5 speed was perfect and I would have been more than happy to stick with that. The NC 1.8 5speed is a gem and I’m completely happy with it. If you like changing gear a lot then go for the 2.0 but you’ll probably be more than happy with the 1.8 ( it’s not that much slower)
If 6 speeds are a PITA then an MX5 might not be a good choice of car. Half the appeal of my ND is playing tunes on the gearbox, punctuated by some deft heel and toe action.
Being a bit sad I have looked at old Mazda brochures and the schedule you have posted corresponds to them up to 2009.
From approximately 2010/11 the final drive on the 1.8 5 speed was changed to 3.909 and remained the same till the end of the NC. It appears that this was the same time the 2.0 with a five speed gearbox was deleted.
So as it turns out everybody is sort of correct!!
Thank you Guys, Malc in particular. That’s just the kind of advice I was hoping for. If and when I can sell the Jag, I will probably look at the 1.8’s. I enjoy the manual gear stirring and would even welcome a 5 speed box in the Jag but it’s too expensive. Having run that motor for about 8 years and 10k+ miles, we have had our fun in it. Just come back from an 1,800 mile trip through the Spanish Pyrenees and up through France, so now, I’m prepared to let it go and keep an MX-5.
I totally understand the appeal of the 5 speed box over the 6 speed.
The ratio’s and speed index is all interesting, but for me it boils down to the movement of the gearshift. The 5 speed box feels much better than the 6. Some of the latter mk3 2.0 litre specials come with a 5 speed, the Kendo or Mikayo although these have a limited colour choice.
Most bits have already been covered, including the fact that no NC3 facelift models came with the 5-spd and the 2.0 combination.
From when I was looking for my NC in 2022, the latest 2.0 5-spd was on a 61-plate, probably late 2011 or perhaps just into 2012. A Kendo would be a fine option, but it depends what age/mileage/budget you were focusing on - e.g. www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202505242775432
If it helps you narrow the search, the 2.0 5-spd cars have a CO2 rating of 177g/km. As said, this puts them in a slightly lower tax bracket.
If you’d like a later, newer car and the 5-spd requirement is a non-negotiable (I also favoured it in the NC). Go and have a try in a late 1.8 NC3 and see how it performs and if it would fit the bill. The Sport Venture would be the nicest spec, and nearly overlapping with the earliest NDs here in age terms. This particular example was registered at the end of March '15, with NDs first appearing in the July I believe. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202506033108285
Thanks for that Wardy. Yes, I found the first on and am sorely tempted to go look as it is not too far from me, But the second one is further than I’d like to go.
With a RFT saving for the 5 speeder, that’s even better.
