I’ve been wondering this too so come on 2 and 2.5 owners enlighten us!
Cheers
Ben
I’ll try my best. In 1998 the mk2 was launched. We all know what tht’s like,
but in 2001 Mazda gave the MX-5 a mild facelift called by us a mk2.5
This had new shaped headlights, the front bumper is slightly changed, the air intake / grill
is a different shape, gained 2 new air intakes or front fog lights, new rear light lenses, new shaped
seats, drinks holders, new sound system and the 1.8 gained about 6hp more.
Not a great deal really. Mazda never officially called it a mk2.5 to them it’s a mk2 facelift model.
If anyone can add any more please do.
Ian[;)]
Mk1 1st choice for me as I am now on my second. Just hard to beat or re-create that look. How do you better that?
I will buy a Mk3 early 09 but I will defo keep the Mk1 as long as humanly and scientifically possible!
I was going to buy a more sensible care for the daily drive but I suppose the Mk3 will have to do and trips to Ikea are banned [;)]
PS :On my hunt for the right Mk3 I have seen a lot of late Mk2.5’s that look very tidy indeed… they are growing on me but the price of an 05 Mk2.5 compared to a 56 or even some 07 plate Mk3 with similar mileage in a lot of cases is so little that its hard to justify buying the older car.
Anyone else went the other way and ended up with a Mk2 instead of Mk3?
I’m leaning the opposite way at the moment, due to two reasons. The first is that I prefer the looks of the mk2. I’m not going to get into it in any more detail, because I don’t want to start the traditional fights, I’ll just leave it as that. The second is that I’m looking to get one much more cheaply, which applies less in your case, by the sound of it. Just before Christmas, there were a couple of promising looking green 2000 mk2s available near me for around £3,000 which seemed fantastic! Sadly, I prevaricated a bit too much and they appear to have gone, and the cheapest couple on Auto Trader at the moment are about £500 more, and black. So, I’m keeping my eye on the site for the next one that appears!
I’m aware that at this price, the cars aren’t going to be in perfect condition and will probably have done quite a few miles, but I don’t think that’s really a problem, I’m looking for an introduction to the car and this seems a sensible place to start! You’re in the position of wanting an upgrade, so I think you probably know much more accurately what you want, and are going for it!
Dont be too worried about the mileage etc - there are still some great deals.
Just before I bought my MK1 I looked at a Racing Bronze Mk2 (2000 s reg) with only 50k on the clock with full service history, 1yr MOT 6 mths Tax and the car was in fantastic condition. Only £3k asking price so may have got it a bit less. (probably would have)
I am actually sorry now that I didnt buy it… not instead of the Mk1 but if it were available now I would probably snap it up.
I still really like the Mk1’s classic lines and, given the space at home, would happily run one as light track day car but the Mk3’s more agressive look and stance is my preferred choice. Never been a fan of the 2/2.5, i appreciate its sweeping lines but it never really floated my boat.
[:)]
Well, I’ve just agreed to buy that one! I’ll be picking it up on Saturday. Really looking forward to it!
To Weirdfish, I think that’s one of the nice things about the MX-5. The three different generations, whilst clearly being the same basic car, are different enough that there’s one for everyone, and different people like different things about them. Granted, it leads to regular half-joking arguments on here as to which is the “best” but that’s far better than them all being homogenous and dull!
Well said.[:)]
Totally resisting the temptation to shout:-
“Oh joy another MK1,v Mk2, v MK2.5,v MK3. thread”
(having kicked off ww III when I last moaned about a
recurring thread) - I genuinely don’t know what to say, however here
is my two cents worth.
I’ve never actually driven a Mk 1, a MK2, or a Mk 3 (only a Mk 2.5) so from a pure
driving experience I genuinely (and I guess a number of others can’t
if they were truly honest) say which is the best to drive.
IMHO Looks wise - the Mk1 pop up headlights nail it for me
at the front,
interior looks wise MK2/2.5, a bit retro but smart and neat looking, way better than the plastic slab that is the MK3 dash, IMHO
rear end not a lot between all four variants, again IMHO.
I’m guessing (and as given what I say above it would be a guess)
from an overall refined driving experience the Mk 3 is the best,and with it’s installed safety features, probably the best one to be in when you over-cook it.
Perfect combination:-
Mk1 front (love those pop-ups!), Mk2/2.5 rear (those hips!), and Mk3 technology - ideal!
Having owned all versions of the MX5, I would go for a slightly different approach. Got to be Mk1 body, with suitable suspension upgrades and lightweight wheels. Add to this a Mk2.5 interior with Mazdaspeed seats and Mk3 engine under the bonnet. Colour wise, it would have to be Mica yellow.
If you could get me a Mk1 body and interior (VSpec) and exhaust note but with Mk3 safety features, performance and cabin room/sitting position, I would choose that.
I have a mk1, but originally I went out to buy a mk2 and was incredibly close to purchasing a Racing Bronze but hubby said it looked like sick and that kinda put me off the colour (fickle I know). To this day I still half wish I had gone with my instincts and got the mk2, having said that I do absolutely love my black mk1, it’s just not as practical/sensible for a car which I use every single day.
In my book the car became less of a true MX5 when it lost the pop up headlamps. My 1991 LE is only used occasionally so it does not need to be as practical or as comfy as the later versions.
I guess it is the same as when cars progress through the various generations / marks, they develop middle age spread becoming larger, heavier and generally don’t have the appeal or the rawness of the first version.
The early version of the VW Golf GTi is a good example. It may not be as good in several ways as the latest version but it is still really desirable.
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />Mk1. is my favourite (cheap) however if i could afford a new Mk3 with my mk1 exhaust noise, perfect.
For cheap thrills i don’t think there’s anything better on the road than a mk1 1.8is. I recently bought one in laguna blue (my first car) and although it needs a little work i know its money well spent. A great thing about the mk1 is it’s going to have serious classic appeal, far more than the other models.
Mk2/2.5: too girly.
Mk3: too fat, too expensive.
Not sure I’d totally agree. The Mk3 is certainly a litter fatter, but there has only been a very small weight gain and this has more than been offset by the increased power and torque of the 2.0 litre motor. As to cost, if you compare the costs of the Mk1 in the early nineties with a Mk3 then I would suggest that the Mk3 is actually cheaper in real terms. The Mk1’s held their prices extremely well for many years which is one of the reasons I couldn’t afford one for a long time. In comparison, the price of used Mk3s are vastly cheaper than Mk1s were for broadly equivalent specs, years, mileage.
I agree with you 100 %, i remember looking for a mk 1 in 1998 / 1999 and tidy H & J reg UK spec MX-5 s were still making between £ 8 - 10,000.
I now work in the motor trade and the mk 3 does not hold it’s value anywhere near that.
Trade price on an 05 1.8 mk 3 is £ 5,500 on a 05 mk 2.5 it’s £ 5,200, the 2.5 seems to be holding it’s price better.
I think it’s a case of too many cars not enough punters. It’s a buyers market.
Ian[;)]
There is a simple solution to all of this friends…
Sell the wife/husband - dog/cat -maybe a vital organ like a lung or a kidney…
And buy 1 of each[;)]