Any thoughts - especially NC owners?
Does Jack have a point, or is this just the same old same old??
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My thoughts are who cares? At the end of the day it’s just his opinions and whether it’s an online reviewer or the Top Gear team it is just an opinion.
It goes for anything in life whether it’s an MX5 or a pair of curtains in your house if you like it what does it matter if others don’t? Horses for courses as the saying goes.
We all drive differently and personally I drive 100+ miles a day for work so I’m really not interested in racing around or getting from 0 to 60 one second faster.
Just enjoy your car whatever make or model it is.
Ok rant over I’m off for a lie down now 
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I see more NC’s on the road here (Northern Ireland) than I see of the other three generations combined. There are no bad MX5’s.
Who is Number 27 and why should I care what he thinks? There are a lot of Youtubers. He’s one of the smaller channels.
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I agree. Lots of Mk3’s in NI.
I’ve had 2 NC’s , one a 2007 and the other a 2010 which I still love to drive- but I’ve never driven any of the other 3 MK’s.
As others have said, I don’t really care if some folk make disparaging remarks ……I enjoy the car, and really that’s all that matters, but just interested in the opinion of those who may have had the chance to drive one or all of the other models and how they feel the driving experience compares….thats all.
It’s what you prefer that really matters, he’s made a video and wants you to watch it, and who says it’s the least loved model of MX-5?
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If you like it, drive it and buy it👍🏻
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In my opinion the Lamborghini Aventador S is underpowered because it takes 2.9 secs to reach 60mph and not 2.5 secs.
I have had 2 NC’s 1.8 and a 2 Litre ZSport. The torsen rear diff on the Z really made a difference on track and reminded my of my old Manta. I’ve had a NB Icon and I am now on my third NA.
Honestly as @Westo implied it’s whatever is your preference. All the circumstances and reasons for ownership are so individually. Personally I think the shape and style of the NC is brilliant and love the driving feel.
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Thank-you for this.
Whilst I have no desire to change my NC, it’s interesting to hear what people think, especially those who have had the experience of driving some or all of the MKs.
Nice NA, taken in Peniche, on the Silver Coast enroute from Lisbon to Porto.
In my opinion this comparision is not very realistic as he compares a superchraged NA to a V6 NB and a BBR 200 NC…Should al be oem!
His conclusion is exactly why so many NC’s on the road (my opinion), a bit more refinement and a roomier cabin…(coming of course with a heavier weight )making it a more “liveable” and comfier option for some.
Just as myself i choose the NC as a daily (and also have great amounts of fun with it) and for the week-ends/fun driving i have the NA. They serve their own purposes brilliantly !
As said before; there are no bad or wrong MX-5’s.
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The NC?
The NA had 8 years of sales (9 if you include the US). The NB had 7.5 years of sales, The NC had nearly 10 years of sales. The ND has had over 9 years of sales, and will probably stagger on to 12 years, with a replacement being decidedly uncertain.
The NA mostly had the field to itself, except in the latter years. It filled a huge unmet need’ basically all those owners of 10 year old MGs wanting a new car. The NC also didn’t have much opposition; there was briefly the Solstice twins in the US. BMW had taken their Z-roadster into a new sector. MG-Rover, in its latter years, were a bit of a joke. The ND also has had little competition, though that’s blurred by the RF which is also competing against small coupes (the existence of the RF also shows the truth; the small roadster market has been dying for a long time. ND sales will never, in terms of total production, get anywhere the NC let alone the NA or NB.
Which leaves the conclusion, hard to say as a only-NA owner for 27 years, that the favourite MX5 is the NB. It had the highest sales in Europe, which was slow to warm to the NA, and is second in global sales. But Mazda had to fight hard for those sales in the face of serious competition, from BMW, Fat, Toyota and, yes, MG.
(ND sales volumes are to 2022. I have assumed a 40-60 split for NB-NC and NC-ND transition sales.)
Also, the NC was never designed to appeal to NA/NB owners. Mazda was quite open in that they wanted to attract buyers who would not buy a NA or NB. And to an extent, they were presumptive in the intentions of NA/NB owners.
And its often said, the main competitor for the ND MX5 is the MX5, or rather, 3 generations of very different cars with different appeals, from the pure analogue NA through to the digital ND, and corpulant NC.
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I have got to agree with Mr 27…But the Mk 3 fitted in and catered for a different ownership into the two seater mazda brand, like it or not.
M-m
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I do watch his stuff he seems quite genuine.
He’s only repeating what’s already known really, I’d take anything these you tubers say with a big pinch of salt.
He seemed to be grinning from ear to ear with the S/C Mk1.
I’ve had 2 NCs and love the current one to bits. Ordered an ND when announced but had a few hours with the dealer’s demo and, good though it was, it is just plain too small (I’m not big it hasn’t even got a glovebox) hence got back my returnable deposit and bought the second NC. Very happy with my decision. Both 2.0 litres.
The current NC 3.5 is a major advance on the previous NC3 in terms of handling.
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Tempting to rubbish his opinions but really it depends what the owner wants.
Of course they are sports cars by any normal definition, no question. Not racing cars, that’s a different case.
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I actually elected for the NC, mines a 2012 Venture Edition PRHT 2.0 basically the fully tricked out last of the NC3.5s and it is frankly the very best toy I have ever owned, and in shear driving milegasms second only to the 3.6 Boxster. That is a massive compliment, and I’m sure many a MX5 driver would love a bit more grunt off the line but it does NOT justify the extra cost of a Boxster.
The NC 3.5, for me is the best of the MX-5s but it is a seriously close race here. If you’re looking to buy, see if you can try one out first, you need quite long legs because of the deep clutch, but I’ve learned how to go “on point” as it were.
Honestly, there are no “bad” MX-5, They are a masterful design and drive like rollerskates on the country lanes. if buying an NA or NB, check the antiroll bars, and bushes, as swapping out these is not prohibitively expensive and will give you a good return on your cash for handling.
Go to a club meet and chat with some owners, we may be biased but we don’t cover stuff up.
(I say this as someone who has never made it to a meet, as all the one in my region are held on Sundays, and I can’t miss Mass. But chatting here people have been great!)
Spin the die, make a choice, but don’t rule any out as unworthy, there not.
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I do sometimes miss my old Boxster for several of it’s unique characteristics. However, I have chosen to stay with an NA for the foreseeable future.
For the OP I think just try the NC and see.
On a side note and I never realised that Porsche did a 3.6 engine for the Boxster?
I went for an nc personally, I haven’t got a storied history with mx5s but have driven an na my mum used to have (found it fun but a very different experience to being in a more modern car) and have owned this 3.75 for about a year. I just felt that it will be the easiest to live with of the more affordable mx5s and has the most equipment and modern conveniences. Despite them all having their rust issues, I thought short of an nd, the nc would be the most likely to find one in a solid condition with the least amount of wear.
Owned an NB got an NC now, purely on looks for me.