So which do you prefer the looks of? I've seen and sat in the MX5 and it's super cool. Stylish enough to cut glass at 50 paces and according to the reviews, stunning to drive too now the picture of the Fiat are out and I think I find myself liking it even more!

 It slightly retro looks could well be more timeless than the current looking Mazda and if a photo of it is without anything to give any it's size a comparison to, somehow looks as though it is actually a bigger car. Possibly because it has the F type think going on? I do think the Fiat is more colour specific than the Mazda, which seem to look great in any hue, but overall the Fiat is simply gorgeous:) Can't wait for the Abarth version

 

Here is an article with a photo comparison of the two

Edited 23 November, 201510 yr by Lady Elanore

You need alter butter for Lurpak and Margarine for butter.   :yes:

Ah Lurpack

 

Didn't take long to go off topic did it

Can you add 'neither' to Butter and Margarine in the Poll please Amanda...I hate the stuff!!!  

As a mk1 mx5 owner can I be awkward and have the front of the fiat, the back of the mx5 and the instrument cowl of the fiat with reliable!e Mazda mechanical as please. ;-)

As a mk1 mx5 owner can I be awkward and have the front of the fiat, the back of the mx5 and the instrument cowl of the fiat with reliable!e Mazda mechanical as please. ;-)

Just for you ^^

Just for you ^^

 

Ta!

BTW I haven't changed the Butter option as there is now a conflict of interest due to above posters having contradictory requests :(

'Last Tango in Paris'.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better with Butter.

I'd go for the spider ,especially if it has a turbocharged engine,but not in that Gloomy colour....

Edited 23 November, 201510 yr by bilun777

I'd need to see them in the metal to decide really. Not keen on the Fiat's rear lights but like the more old school front.

 

What put me off the Mazda when I first saw it was the similarity to the F Type, albeit on a smaller scale. I like the F Type though.

 

But I'll stick to my TT roadster methinks.

Interestingly enough both cars are being built in the same factory, so hopefully some of Mazda's reliableness will rub off on the 124?

Having owned several Fiats (and a Lancia) I don't think their reliability is that bad. Certainly they got better through the 90s and imho by the noughties I think they were pretty good. My last Fiat was an 08 plate and was totally reliable Admittedly they weren't great in the 80s, my Abarth 130TC used to snap it's clutch cable every 10K miles and that end I carried a spare, had a lesson at the local Fiat shop and could refit my own cable in under 15 minutes (as long as I could find a tall kerb . Also the cable that connected to the starter solenoid kept falling off, no idea why, even the garage gave up with that one, but I learnt that if you laid your chin on the carburettors and groped about underneath them, you could reattach the wire. Who said women can't fix cars People seem to forget the very first Golfs were a bit of a rust bucket

I think with Fiat it is the dealers that would put me off as much as the reputation for build quality.

 

They're all owned by Arnold Clark up here; who is not a byword for customer satisfaction.

Edited 23 November, 201510 yr by Aspman

Agree about the dealers. Fiat ones were terrible in my experience, I used independents as a result.

The Arnold Clark I bought my Fiat from was fine before and after purchase.

It would be virtually impossible to get terrible employees in every Dealership they own, but they (He Sir Arnold) manages pretty well to 

in enough of them.

Some great Employees and Sales Staff in there, but then they have to do as they are told and trained or not to.

 

Its nice if you go in, get good service, look and buy, collect and have no issue, and get good Servicing and go back for return business.

Sadly that is more of a lottery than with most other Motor Groups, and Sir Arnolds Group (Empire) is the biggest of them all.

I bought a Fiat Sedici from A Clark Honda in Stockport several years ago and my brief dealing with them was very positive (got the car for the SIV-Cost- plus two bottles of decent Malt Whisky

Edited 25 November, 201510 yr by Lady Elanore

Prefer front of the Mazda and the rear of the Spider and Mazda interior TBH

I voted for the Fiat - surprised myself as I've never been a fan of the MX-5, but I do like the Fiat, particularly the front end.

Never going through the Alfa/Fiat dealer network experience again so it would have to be the MX5 for me.

 

And a normally aspirated engine and the finally balanced throttle response has always suited the light RWD MX5 chassis best.

 

Not convinced a small turbo petrol will have the right feel. (And yes I already own a 1.2 and 1.6 turbo petrol.)

 

Lee

The Alfa Mito 1.4 TB Multiair 170ps with a TCT Box is rather good IMO,

and even the 135ps one is good.

 

 

And a normally aspirated engine and the finally balanced throttle response has always suited the light RWD MX5 chassis best.

 

Not convinced a small turbo petrol will have the right feel.

 

 

 

Hmmm, good point.

The Alfa Mito 1.4 TB Multiair 170ps with a TCT Box is rather good IMO,

and even the 135ps one is good.

 

Yep they are good but the MX5 has always been about balance and feel. Pinpoint accurate steering, front engined RWD 50/50 balance, light weight, superb handling and perfect response from the normally aspirated engine and manual gearbox.

It's what's always made the MX5 a joy to take out on a B Road drive at the weekend, the feel of how they drive.

 

I've driven high powered Jap import turbo MX5's on track and while they were quick the feel had gone.

 

As good as modern turbo engines are you don't get that throttle adjustability mid corner when the RWD chassis is having some fun and you certainly wouldnt get the same tactile feel from a dual clutch box.

 

And that's from some one who owns three cars all turbo charged and all automatic. 

 

Mazda's winning formula is front engined, RWD, normally aspirated, manual box, superb handling and feel. Go away from that formula totally changes what has kept the model alive for so long.

The same reason why the GT86/BRZ are so much fun to drive without being insanely fast.

 

Lee

Edited 25 November, 201510 yr by logiclee