Thinking of selling my 182 and buying an Mx5

[ontheway]

I was going to start a poll but i don't think you can on this forum? :S When i bought my clio i was torn between a 182 and a 2.0 mx5 NC (mk3), i test drove them both beforehand and i figured i may give the clio a go as theyre so much cheaper. However i want to use the car for a large amount of track work and before spending stupid amounts of money i'd like to start from the right basis... i'm assuming the overwhelming majority of opinions on this site will be keep the clio but i'm open to reasonable opinions especially if there's anybody who have owned/driven both. thanks guys.

 

[suckmykiss]

I've owned several 182s including a trophy and a couple of mk 2 mx5s one being an anniversary and the other being a imported RS.. Both cars loads of fun. And I would go for a mk 2 if I was you rather than the bigger heavier 3. The clios are far quicker and the engines a bit thrashy in the mx5. But you get more of a sense of wearing the car and being part of it with the mx5. And it's rwd and very easy to drift/oversteer. Never feels like you'll lose it. An mx5 with a 182 f4r would be the perfect setup. And look for and import with an LSD..

 

[KenH]

I have a Clio 172 Cup and my son has the MX5 Mk3 2.0 sport. We share track days alternating between the two. I find the 172 a bit fragile compared to the MX5. If I had to pick one car it would be the MX5 but as my son already had one there was not much point getting another and we wanted the option of either FWD or RWD. They are totally different cars to drive but turn in similar lap times. What the MX5 lacks in power it makes up through the corners. As I am still a novice I am more confident in the 172. However the MX5 is loads more fun and communicative. My son who is a decent track day driver prefers the MX5. The 172 is standard except for Eibach Pro springs and camber adjusters front and rear. The MX5 has standard springs and front and rear arbs from a RX8 which have made a huge difference. We are runing 595 RSRs on both cars. My 172 is just a track day toy whereas my son uses his MX5 as his main car.

If you are going to use it as a daily driver when reliabilty is a consideration I would go for the MX5 every time.

 

[KenH]

I've owned several 182s including a trophy and a couple of mk 2 mx5s one being an anniversary and the other being a imported RS.. Both cars loads of fun. And I would go for a mk 2 if I was you rather than the bigger heavier 3. The clios are far quicker and the engines a bit thrashy in the mx5. But you get more of a sense of wearing the car and being part of it with the mx5. And it's rwd and very easy to drift/oversteer. Never feels like you'll lose it. An mx5 with a 182 f4r would be the perfect setup. And look for and import with an LSD..

When I first drove the MK3 MX5 I thought it was a bit heavy and had a hard ride even in standard trim and preferred my son in law's Mk 2. On the track though I really like the Mk3. I seem to recall that a lot of people think the Mk3 Cliosport is a bit underpowered compared to the Mk 2 but it is a quicker car on track. I think the same can be said of the Mazda.

 

[ontheway]

I don't like mk2's i spent a long time considering a mk2.5 but after test driving one i'm just too tall to get into a comfortable driving position, i imagine as with many mk1/2 owners you'd be surprised how little extra weight the mk3 put on baring in mind how much more spacious and structurally stiff it is. i'd probably be looking at a 2.0 sport NC anyway which come with an LSD. and Ken thanks for your input you're the person with the sort of experience i was hoping for! i have driven them both but not hard enough to make the judgement, i did however much prefer thedriving experience of the 5...