I became the proud owner of a mk 4 last year and have been looking at the fitted luggage has any one got any advice or recommendations please
My advice is to not bother. Just get some nice bags that will squish when needed. You can get a lot more in an MX5 once you become an expert at packing!
I have a set of fitted luggage for a Boxster and it was more trouble than usefulness.
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Hi Katey
Look at MX5 shop, we purchased 2 holdalls for I think £70. More than enough room for a long weekend break or short week away - and they normally throw in a few pens and stickers for a new purchaser.
Kevin
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Agree with Sautah. I think the idea of fitted luggage is nicer than the reality!
With the Mk1 and now my Mk3.5 I use a variety of soft bags depending on the trip and duration. I tend to find a pair of 50L holdalls works well in the centre of the boot, then you have room for a smaller backpack/day bag and other bits around the edges.
For the Mk4 this short video might be enlightening: Mazda Mx-5 How much can you really fit in the boot? - YouTube
I use the MX Roadster Bags from MX5 Parts.
Enough in there for a week away, plus you can always put shoes etc either side of the bags.
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A bit misleading as the bags are clearly not ‘full’ of items, more full of air.
We have these Roadsterbag Luggage, 30th Anniversary Ltd, MX5 Mk4 (mx5parts.co.uk) and find them very good, you can pack them solidly and know that they will still fit without crushing the contents. There is still reasonable space down each side for other lose items. We store our flask and snap boxes there. You can also lay a coat over the top as well.
I know they are expensive but the quality is very good.
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I use suit holders to pack my stuff using several coat hangers. Socks and unmentionables loose in the bottom. Shoes smash through the bottom eventually so they go in a separate bag.
I started this when using the space behind the seats in the Eunos. Still works in the (bigger) NC boot.
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If you’re referring to the video link, it was meant in a light hearted way…
OK, alternatively you can completely fill every single packed bag, if you prefer! I’d suggest that’s not very indicative of real world packing though. One of the clear advantages of soft luggage is that if you end up packing less items, the air that remains in the bag can be compressed out. That is not true of hard sided or otherwise inflexible luggage items.
I spend a lot of time travelling and see no point buying extra items of luggage that have ‘MX-5’ written on the side of them, at significant expense. But that decision will, of course, differ from owner to owner. To each their own.
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We bought these for our MX5 mk3.5
updated for Mk4 =
Whilst good idea at the time for the money, I would look at something cheaper.
We use a couple of packaway holdalls, probably about 30 litres each, laptop bag, camera bag. We try to minimise the number of items we have to carry into our accommodation and basically use soft bags to use space better. Before a 10 night holiday in 2018 I bought (second hand, used once) the carbon fibre boot rack and matching suitcase, thinking we would need it. We didn’t, and I subsequently sold it.
This year we are doing 12 nights but I think we’ll be OK. It’s much easier in the summer when one doesn’t need so much outerwear, and especially if one can avoid the need to take walking boots!
If we do need more space, I’d probably buy another boot bag. We lost ours in a house fire, but it worked very well. The contents stayed dry in 7 hours of torrential rain on a trip to Scotland, which is more than could be said for the boot contents. Water wicked along the webbing that goes around the boot lid, and dripped rain onto the boot contents. After that I always put a sheet of polythene and an old towel on top of the boot contents to keep them dry. But the boot bag was good, and it held a lot.
I did ponder the fitted cases, but I wasn’t convinced we’d get as much in.
The ND will take two carry-ons, one on top of the other, if you do like hard luggage. But measure carefully - I have a pair that are just that bit too big to fit into the well.
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We too can get a couple of hard carry ones (M&S) in with assorted things around them, however for anything a bit ‘posher’ (trousers, jacket, frock etc) we put them in a hanger in a suit carrier and move the seats forward, use a good strong cable tie around the arch, hook the hanger on to it and then push the seats back - had a photo but just can’t find it sorry.
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Over more decades than I care to remember I have learned to not take more personal effects than an aircraft cabin luggage bag full of stuff anywhere no matter how long I am away for. The fuel tank is for use when I go to trackdays or am competing in my Mk2.5, there is one camping chair in there a second fits as well as 2nd umbrella, a small bag of tools can save hours of waiting for the RAC in the event or an unforeseen event. 1 litre of oil a funnel and a kitchen roll sees me prepared for most eventualities. The folded torneau cover was for when it stopped raining and I could drop the roof.
Not stylish like fitted luggage but cheap and cheerful and it works. I also have a boot rack in case I get a flat, if you have no space saver not sure you will in a Mk4 then the boot rack will not be usefull as you will have foam to use or will need to use rescue options.
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I’ve done loads of road trips 2 up and never struggled to pack enough for two people. Don’t forget if you don’t mind not putting the roof down there’s the space the roof would fit in too. Not ideal but has certainly worked for me especially as you can empty it out when you reach your destination. And some places are too hot to put the roof down anyways.
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I have the non-30th AE version for my ND. I find them useful because you can focus on packing the bags optimally in the house and know that they’ll fit straight into the car with no problems. Sure, it’s a lazy person’s solution in some respects but being able to walk up to your car and quickly put three bags in and a few items around them then set off is great.
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If you fancy something tailored to make the most of space available, but also customisable if you want it to be, have a look at Bagworld (based in Redditch).
Whatever you choose to do, happy road trips!
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Thank you for all the good advice, savvy packing seems to be the first thing I do agree we take to much after that we’re going to have a good look round at what could work for us on the bag front.
I would just like to say what a fabulous decision to purchase our MX5 or Mrs Dagenham as she is now called ,not only did we get a fabulous vehicle but the other MX5 owners are amazing not many fellow owners of car wave at each other and are so friendly. Only problem my husband wants to drive thank you all again.
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We have the fitted luggage above (bought second hand from a member of the forum) used for weekend away so far and there is definitely room around the bags as above. We have just booked a SCT trip to Lake Garda so it will be interesting. I think we might need to bag on the boot too…! I am guessing this will need a loose wired third brake light as the badge covers the other one up.
Boot Bag do offer a brake light option if you wish.
Quite reasonably priced, plus a bit of wiring prep to be able to use it as and when required.
Thanks for the link, that will do I think…
I wondered if anyone has tried these from Moss ? They appear to be half the price of the rigid ones, and squashy to be able to fit even more stuff around them ?
I like the fact that there are two equally sized bags …
Resurrecting and old thread, but thought it better than creating a duplicate.