Mazda's MX5: The worlds best selling sports car

Advantages: fun, stylish, easy to drive, convertible
Disadvantages: fuel consumption around town, road noise on the motorway

...This review will concentrate on the 1.6 litre cars available in the UK from 1989 to 1993 I Bought my MX5 in the winter of 2006. I picked up an early 1991 model with the 1.6 litre engine and 67,000 miles on the clock. The car was faultless without an ounce of rust on the body and had a full service history with Mazda and had been cared for by the Lotus garage that had taken the car in as a part exchange. The car did require the big service at 60,000 miles (includes the cam belt change) which was carried out by MKG3000 Mazda of Twickenham for the reasonable cost of £390. Around town the car deals with bumps very well with only large pot holes sending a shimmy through the chassis. Road noise around town is also very acceptable and its light direct steering makes it easy to park. Around town you'll achieve around 24-26mpg...

ukfan 10.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.6i

mazda mx-5 monza

Advantages: fun drivabilty
Disadvantages: space

...Having been given this car as a gift I was somewhat apprehensive fearing it's lack of practicality - I need not have worried, sure the boot is tiny and the rear window has no heater but once in the driving seat such worries are forgotten. The handaling and ride suit its sporting image and are superb as is the short gearchange. The roof is off in seconds and a powerful heater extend the topless driving year. Luggae can be stored in the ample glovebox with soft bags on the rear shelf or behind the seats dependant on the size of the passengers. Although no family car or mpv the mx-5 is the best drive I have ever experienced - try it next spring....

winprizes2000 30.11.2000 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.6i

MX5 1.8 Sport

Advantages: Dead easy to drop the top (and put it up again)
Disadvantages: Fuel economy coulld be better

...For the Summer I purchased a second hand MX5 1.8 Sports. It was 4 years old and had the matching hard top as well as the permanently fitted cloth soft top. I had done my home work and this was the one that every review was recommending. It is one of the limited edition Sports and as such comes with leather heated seats. First things first, off came the hard top and into storage until winter. The hard top was very simple to remove and the soft top just flips up and down. However neither my wife or I can pull the soft top up when sitting in the seats. One of us has to get out. Both the hard top and soft top have a heated rear window which is essential and in a two seater cabin. The fold up rear wind deflector is not that good so long hair still gets blown forward. Top Gear did an effective demonstration of the difference...

ForlornHope 23.07.2007 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.8i

  Go speedracer Go

Advantages: fuel friendly
Disadvantages: Tight engine area, little rear seat leg room

...I have now owned my 1992 Mazda MX-3 GS for close to 5 years. Yes that means that I bought it used. With this in mind I did not expect much more out of it but to be a to and from work car since it had over 140,000 Km on it already. For an 8 year old car that is about average, but still getting up there for wear and tear purposes. After driving it about 4000 Km I realized that I was having problems, when it started overheating. My headgasket had blown. I took it to the mechanics to have it diagnosed to ensure that nothing else had gone wrong, and also to have them repair it. After the repairs, the vehicle was up and running again. Soon this to and from work car had turned into a major mode of transportation for me. I had a change in job locations that required me to drive a little over 1000 Km, and a month later had to move again...

fun2night4us 06.10.2004 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-3

Ooooo its a Mazda

Advantages: The pose factor - one of, if not the, cheapest 2 seater, convertible sportscar. They go like hot snot, look lovely and isn't too bad on the fuel consumption
Disadvantages: The tiny boot. Especially once a CD changer has been fitted you'll be hard puches to carry much shopping/luggage and a passenger. Also due to the rear wheel drive it has a bit of a twitchy bottom and so isn't suited for snowy or very wet conditions

...I love my little MX5. I know that everyone thinks that they are a car for hairdressers and what's wrong with that? I love hairdressers and they deserve to have some fun after a long day on their feet talking about holidays. Anyway, I've had my little chap for just over a year and getting into it still puts a smile on my face - the sunnier the day the bigger my smile as the roof comes down and the shades go on. Although its only 140bhp and 1.8, it is very pokey and can out brake almost anything on the road. Its definately a feel good car which is more about style than substance as it is fairly impractical. One thing that is practical however is the three year rodaside assistance that you get gratis when you buy a new Mazda. Being a weak and pathetic girly I have used it a couple of times to have tyres changed...

Kasteera 04.10.2001 · Read review
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Review of Mazda MX-5 1.8i

Mazda RX8: the driver's advocate

Advantages: Affordable, impeccable handling, styling, standard features, power, fun factor, driveability, usability (a true everyday sports car)
Disadvantages: gas mileage, lack of low end torque, Mazda service

...opposed to a piston engines 40 or so) there is very little to break down. The engine has purred on to 30,000 miles without a hitch and since Mazda extended the warranty to 8 years on the Renesis engine there is little to worry about. The rest of the car has a 5 year/60,000 mile warranty and aside from needing a few ECU upgrades I have had no unscheduled visits to Mazda. Mazda's service is far from the best, in fact the people at Mazda take twice as long as they say to fix your car and will almost never work with you to help you. They do whatever they feel is right once you give them your credit card. I recommend taking your RX8 to specialists when it needs work done. Overall this car is sheer driving bliss. The funky suicide doors that open out allow easy access to very functional backseats; although closing these doors can be somewhat...

eweibmanm 25.12.2008 · Read review
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Review of Mazda RX-8

Mazda RX-8 - An experience

Advantages: Spacious, speedy, stylish
Disadvantages: Fuel consumption - ouch!

...I love cars! I love something with a little 'poke' and something that's got fun factor. Looks are quite important too.......and the Mazda RX-8 ticks all of these boxes. I became the owner of a second-hand 2 year old 192bhp 4 door version a month ago and I like it. It sticks to the road like brown stuff to a blanket......you can do a good 80-90 mph round a sharp bend without losing control of your sphincter and feels very safe and controlled. Steering is quite stiff but very responsive and, again, gives you that feeling of control. It looks good too.....very sleek in profile and a bit of a beast from the front view. The interior is 'ok' but could be better. There's a lot of plastic but it's not too crringeworthy. The 6 CD multi-changer is a nice bonus and the Bose sound system is crisp and clear and does not distort...

rotty64 14.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Mazda RX-8

Amazing Mazda

Advantages:
Disadvantages:

...Mazda dealerships must be one of the most laid back I have come across. If you want the hard sell they will do it for you but it clearly is not something they want to do. Naturally, of course they will butter you up and try to make you feel good and you can always rely on a cup of coffee. I was told that Mazda only allot so many cars each year to each outlet but dealers do have to achieve their targets. Why so laid back then? I have come to the conclusion that they feell the cars sell themselves and visitors will return after they have look at the competition and seen the difference. Not cheap of course but if you are anxious for a bit of quality at an affordable price this could be where to go. I think most car buyers would do well to consider Mazda for sensible style, quality of build, reliability and residual value....

REG 08.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Mazda

Westleigh Mazda

Advantages: Friendly, informative, helpful.
Disadvantages: None spring to mind

...I've been a fan of Mazdas ever since I had my first second hand, B-Reg Mazda 323 in 1997. Although I wrote that one off after 6 months, I bought an almost identical one straight away which ran smoothly for a year before I sold it to a friend who still runs it with hardly any maintainance required. Since then, I've had a Ford and a Peugeot, and when I was looking to buy another car, I found another Mazda 323, and had to buy it - it was such a relief to be driving one of these fantastic cars after the troublesome Peugeot. Anyway, the point of this rambling discourse is that I wanted to look after my shiny new (well, second-hand) 323F, so I've been to Westleigh Mazda, in Leigh-on-Sea Essex, on two occasions, and both times they were incredibly helpful and informative, and I never felt pressured into paying for any services they offered...

Athena 11.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of Mazda

Mazda RX8 - Running and owning

Advantages: Handling, brakes and performance
Disadvantages: High fuel costs and massive dpreciation

...After spending £25,000 on purchasing the 231ps model, from new with factory fitted extras I was let down time after time. 16000 miles-catalytic convertor packed in(warranty claim) 1st mot-newbrake discs required all round due to corrosion. Paint rubbing off interior sills due to bodyflex(warranty claim) Window winder mechanism replaced(warranty claim) 23,000 miles and 3 months out of warranty auto leveliing headlights packed in (£800 for sensor mechanism-Mazda paid 70% of bill as good will) 25,000 miles and oil cooler pipes started leaking oil-£1300 to repair (later refunded by Mazda when they issued a recall) lucky I found out about the recall as I sold the car after the repair. On the plus side the car was great...

freshtracks 13.05.2008 (14.05.2008) · Read review
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Review of Mazda RX-8