Ok so having owned my NC 1.8 SE since July, I finally took it out in ‘sub-optimal’ conditions - cold and dark.
One thing that became clear pretty quickly is that if you have the roof up and it’s dark out, it is a pretty mediocre experience and I wished I was in my family hatchback.
Why? All the downsides quickly become apparent, the effort of driving a manual, the older halogen light technology, the lack of driver convenience features etc. basically 1990s standards of refinement, with none of the ‘thrill’ of having the roof down.
However, my conclusion is not that the MX5 is somehow flawed, but that you have to be ‘obstinate’ in using it - if it’s not raining, just have that roof down and enjoy it even if it’s cold and dark and you have to wrap up. Or…just use your other car on those days if you have one.
Anyway, just thought I’d share. Polite discussion welcome!
I don’t find it an effort to drive mine in the dark and rain with the roof up, I find it quite exhilarating to refine the little used skills that all the new fangled stuff in our new cars, help you forget.
Driving to work at 5.00am on a winters morning with the roads covered in snow was always a challenge. The looks I got from the 4x4 crowd always made me smile.
I also did it with roof down and beanie hat on👍.
“the effort of driving a manual, the older halogen light technology”
Automatics are seductive beasts, pandering as they do to the lazy side of human nature.
Halogen lighting is modern technology to me. What I despise are those LED (?) headlights that scorch your retina. There is absolutely no need for such harsh brightness.
I’m 6’2" and on the few occasions I drive with the roof up (I.e. heavy rain) my main problem is when I’m sitting first in the queue at some traffic lights, is actually seeing the lights. I find I have to crouch down in the seat and look up. With the roof down they’re easily visible over the top of the screen.
The point is that if you remove the thrill of the roof down, eg on a cold and dark night (and wet too I guess), the more ‘basic’ nature of the MX5 becomes more prominent…
the more ‘basic’ nature of the MX5 becomes more prominent…
All the more reason to have one?
God knows how you’d feel driving mine.
You’d maybe feel abused and dial Childline.
You’ve maybe picked the wrong kind of car. It does happen.
Haha no I’ve picked the right car I just need to have the roof down all the time now (except when raining) to keep the thrill factor up, that was my mistake.
Each to their own, but I find driving my 2008 MX5 NC 2litre Sport roadster very pleasant with the roof up, though obviously more pleasant roof down.
Provided it is not raining and counsel haven’t salted the roads I drive through the winter mostly hood down, night or day.
it depends what you mean by thrill, for me the enjoyment is not just driving roof down, but enjoying the superb handling and pretty reasonable performance that my car has.
Suppose it depends how much of a petrol head you are, as I said each to their own.
Some of the most spectacular drives I’ve enjoyed were top-down on a cold clear night in Dark Sky territory around Northumberland. The brightness of the Milky Way and stars was almost a hazard distracting me!
London rarely offers this level of delight, although a couple of 3am winter drives to Gatwick came close when there was less lighting on the M25.
Biking comes close for night sky, but the attention paid to the road surface is much higher for a “soft vehicle” with only two wheels, and so less of the eyes on the stars.
I prefer driving with the roof down in my nd rf, as even with the seat lowered when its up and i go over a bumpy road i hit the head plasticy stuffs (6’2").
Yep. That’s what the heater is for. I have a monthly woodturning club meeting and the hood-down drive home at 10:00pm is the icing on the cake.
Having said that hood-up when it’s raining is fine too. Even in my spartan old NB it’s a quantum leap from the rattly, drips-down-yer-neck hood-up experience you got in the Spitfires and TR2s of my youth. At least it’s waterproof!
