DaveyR

I don't think you're being OCD either. The car looks so spot on in every other way that a small little detail like that stands out, I agree it would look even better if the wheel stuck out slightly less.

2.0 Sport models are now creeping under the £6000 mark, I say go for it!

Great stuff Similar to the impression that I have from the setup. The only difference is that I still have my winter tyres on the car which soften the steering response slightly and mean the car takes a split second longer to settle once turned into the corner as the tyres move/give slightly. As you say though the steering response is electric, and the traction amazing. You almost don't expect a small little roadster like this to be able to generate that much grip, but as you say I often find I come out of a corner thinking i'd been round it quite quickly, but realising the car clearly had grip to spare (Nothing a little extra power couldn't overwhelm....... now who can lend me £5000 for the BBR supercharger conversion.... ) I've definitely found that softening the suspension improves the ride on the really broken roads. Which in some ways is a shame, as it feels incredible on the firmer settings, and if it weren't for the shocking state of our roads then i'd run it firmer all of the time. Part of the fun is in the playing around with the settings though! Anyways, glad to hear you are happy and nice to hear the thoughts of someone with the same setup!

Looks fantastic Liner

Do let us know how you're finding the BC Racing coilovers, which were fitted this weekend I believe

Well, I don't doubt that the lettering system does have some correlation to tyre noise, fuel consumption, wet grip. However, if all you are going to save by switching from a nice grippy tyre with higher rolling resistance to one with considerably longer wet braking distances in order to save a couple of tanks of fuel per year, then no thanks! I'd rather have a tyre that is as competent as possible in the wet as there will be numerous situations every year where for one reason or another i'll probably need to emergency brake.

I tend to agree with you there. I'll take the extra grip thanks!

Oh my goodness, that doesn't even bare thinking about! Instant castration by friction alone if it were a man!

What a beauty

Thanks Joe, very kind of you. I'll have a think and let you know when i've decided what route to take!

They changed from 4 to 5 stud between the mk1/2 and mk3 so wheels aren't interchangeable between them. Thanks for mentioning though

That is all!

I need to make a decision on what to do re. summer tyres. I have winter's all round at the moment and 2 summer tyres (Pirelli P Zero Nero) in the garage from when the winter's were put on. Obviously the most economical option is to buy 2 new matching Pirelli's to go on the rear and put the used ones on the front. I'd rather buy a new set of wheels so I didn't have to faff about getting tyres taken on and off every half a year or so, but that would obviously be a much more expensive option!

Indeed! Only remaining noise is the light tapping from the rear right over bumps that Joe noticed on the test drive, but that is a lot quieter and only over rough ground, so not exactly critical. Will probably wait until it's due a service and have it looked into then My mechanic liked the coilovers by the way! He phoned me up when it was up on the ramps and said (imagine high pitched "oooh look at youuuu" type of voice) "I see we've got ourselves some nice shiny coilovers have we" He said he wouldn't have known had it not been up in the air as when he drove it the ride was so good and not too firm like coilovers often are. So thumbs up from my mechanic too!

The MX5 had developed an irritating and fairly audible click/tap from the right front when applying the brakes, particularly noticeable when moving along at lower speeds, slowing down at junctions, roundabouts, in traffic etc. I took it into my friendly mechanic and it turns out the new front pads he fitted recently at my request (Pagid items) were able to move just enough on the caliper slider that they were obviously moving around on application of the brakes. Nothing dangerous and would have been fine to carry on, but to be honest the noise would have driven me mad. New Mazda genuine front pads and fitting kit (clips/springs to hold the pads in place) were fitted and now the car is noise free again. So just a word of caution to any other MX5 mk3 owners really, although the Mazda items are considerably more expensive, which is why I thought i'd try aftermarket options, they are potentially worth the extra money.

That photo is just plain awesome. Could you imagine having been there watching at that moment!

Was the design a collaborative effort by the whole of Japan is what I want to know?

I was thinking more along the lines of an actual polish rather than filler i.e. those designed for use with rotarys. Using a really light grade polish would be reasonably safe to learn i'd have thought? Not like heavier cutting compounds where you could do serious damage.

Ok, will give it some more miles.

Thanks Tony And thanks for the advice Liner, I do remember reading good things about black hole a while back when I first bought a decent mitt/wax etc and started washing my cars properly! Might have to give it a try. I do have a clean your car rotary at home that was a present to my brother and I (he loves a shiny car too) a few years ago, so I could also pull my finger out and actually give it a proper polish, although I think i'd start with a very gentle polish compound and see how I get on!

Sad Face Has to be one of the most beautiful car designs of all time for me. Painful to watch, gutting and it's not even mine!

Joe/Tony: After a 400 mile round trip this weekend i've now put 700 odd miles on the coilovers, is it worth arranging a time to bring it in for a fine tune now or should I wait until i've put another week or two's regular driving on them?

Did a 400 mile round trip to Bradford this weekend to see my Brother, his wife and my little nephew. Set the dampers nice and soft (4 Front 2 Rear I think) and was quite impressed with the way it soaked up the journey there and back. As far as small, relatively impractical convertibles go it was as comfortable and smooth as you could hope for (realistically, it's never going to rival a 5 series or a Merc S class!!). My brother and I also took the opportunity whilst our wives were otherwise occupied with napping and/or cute nephew to give the car a decent wash and a quick coat of wax (very kind of my brother to give up a couple of hours of his weekend to give me a hand ). Up close the paintwork could do with a good polish as there is a fair amount of hazing and light scratches, but it cleaned up quite nicely really. So obviously I snapped a few pictures on the phone to throw up here! Bro finishing off the windows on the inside! And the rest once finished:

Hi Funky, the car had the spoiler fitted when I bought it. I believe it was fitted when the original and only other previous owner bought the car new, so pretty sure it was a standard Mazda option. Having a look I think it is probably this spoiler: http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/rear-spoiler-mazda-p-1063.html Looks identical to mine, and is a genuine Mazda item. Looks good I think, although I really like some of the ducktail spoiler designs that were created for the mk1 and mkk2 mx5's and wouldn't mind something similiar for this one! Enjoy your BCR's once they are fitted and do have a play around with the settings.

It's a first for me Rich, i've never really had the chance to make any changes to my previous cars so it's nice to be able to play with this one a little. Hoping to keep making little additions here and there to make it more "mine" over time, even if most of them will have been done by the sizeable MX5 community already anyway!