My beloved red NB fell at its latest MOT (spare or repair anyone?), but I’d replaced it within a week with a 2009 NC2. Lots of things to get used to but one particular question - part of the older mark experience was the friendly MX5 waive; always done (to NAs and NBs) and almost always recipricated. But what’s the ‘etiquette’ (if that’s not too strong) for the more ‘grown up’ version - do NCs waive?! (I’m not even bothering to ask about NDs!)
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ND waver here - so never assume! 
I did always like a headlight pop up in my NA, as a ‘nod’ of recognition. I’ll wave regardless of what model it is. And any wave back is a bonus…
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Some do but most don’t. I find the ones that are the same colour tend to wave. To be honest I’m in the grumpy old man club and tend not to wave.
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Had an NC or two wave or flash lights at me in Madge over the weekend, so definitely still a thing.
I hope the day I stop waving is the day I stop driving and, if it pleases the chap with the big white beard and Jesus boots, the day I stop breathing.
Edited PS what year, engine size and gearbox NB are you thinking of selling, looking for 1.8 vvt with six speed, plus orginal prop shaft, drive shafts on LSD.
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I’m an ND waver.
I’m also a bit of a flasher (headlights obvs).
I try to wave at every MX5 I see and its nice if I get a response but I don’t loose any sleep if they don’t.
Waving is optional but I expect most club members do wave.
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Relatively new to the MX5 but was a waver in my MG days, and my Morgan days, and as a long time motorcyclist I always wave to other to other motorcyclists.
My first experience of an MX5 wave was from another ND, but since then I have had earlier cars acknowledge me, even one NA that ‘winked’. However even on the motorcycle it seems to be a dying practice these days.
Like Maccy, I wave and if they dont, so be it.
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Yes, I have always waved, both when I had the NC, and now with the ND. Most of the time it is acknowledged, but when it isn’t, c’est la vie. Maybe they got out of bed on the wrong side?
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Sad to hear about your NB as an owner myself but great that you are offering it for spares and replaced with an NC
As for the wave…I wish …been in this locale for 10 years and never got a response
Parked two spaces away from lady with an NC in Tesco last Friday and said
“Love your car…it’s an NC isn’t it” and pointed to my NB
She looked at me like I’d arrived from another planet !
So suspect those that wave are either a Club Member or have been regardless of which model they have
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ND waver here, I have even got waves from other non MX5 soft tops, keep up the tradition.
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So sad…
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Yeah there is always one. 
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I wave at all MX5s, sometimes they look at me oddly 'cos I’ve forgotten I’m in the company van 
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I’m a waver to all mx-5s and do reasonably well (across all generations) for returns. It doesn’t bother me too much if I don’t, but nice feeling when I do.
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I find a lot of NC drivers wave. As for ND drivers i don’t get a wave round my way,
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NC Owner here
Always wave at every MX5… even parked ones…
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I always used to assume that most MX-5 owners would be enthusiasts, and know about the different models over the thirty-odd years of production.
However, I have a had two NCs to date, and tend to find that I generally get most waves from other NC owners/drivers. When I wave at other versions of 5, I can sometimes get some very odd looks in return, almost like they don’t realise that it’s just the owner of a different model of 5 that is waving at them.
The other thing of course, is that not all MX-5 owners/drivers are actually in the club, and probably don’t quite understand the etiquette.
Personally, I don’t really mind if I get a wave in return or not, but it always amuses my wife when an NA driver flashes his/her headlights, as it tickles her pink when the light pods pop up !
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I’m a waver in my NC and find I get most waves from others with their roof down (as mine almost always is). On 5’s that I recognise as wavers I’ll give an OTT (literally) over the windscreen wave and occasionally get same in return 
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Is that me as a waver or the fact I’ve not got a response so far in my current locale 
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Just this.
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