Pagoda v. Mazda MX5

[batman]

Early summer here in Australia. A good friend has just finished restoring his bought new 1989 MX5 and "challenged" me through the famous windy roads of the Yarra Valley here in Melbourne for a 60 mile run.

The Pagoda held it's own against the Mazda (21 years younger but with only a 1.6lt engine) off the mark, straight speed and general cornering.

However, even though I pushed her hard; under braking and on tight turns I could not keep up with the Mazda, maybe the effect of an extra 340kg of weight. (Next time I will remove the spare tire and wife!)

Nevertheless, each time we stopped onlookers would gravitate to the Pagoda not the Mazda!

Resting at lunch in the sun.

[RobSirg]

I still call that a win Mark . (you clearly have the better car)
Reckon my Alfa would give the MX5 a run - given the engine, suspension have had some improvements. Took the Alfa for a drive through Gembook last week - my 18y.o daughter, who had her license for 1 month, did most of the driving, and when she wasn't driving she snapped some photo's for me.
Sure is fun to drive but only gets the attention of the Alfisti when I am in her.......whereas the Pagoda, well.......who doesn't love a Pagoda?

Rob

[scoot]

A Miata / MX5 is a lot of bang for the buck in an extremely reliable platform.  No doubt about it in my mind, if you want an inexpensive fun car to drive and if you aren't too tall, an MX5 is a bargain.   But it will never be a collectible car.  Totally apples and oranges when comparing to a Pagoda.  Try the test again putting your wife and the spare tire and a bunch of luggage in the MX5 and see how it goes.  I suspect it will still handle it better but it might be amusing.

[mdsalemi]

But it will never be a collectible car. 

Surely it will be collectible. Yes, there have been nearly a million units made, and over a very long period--but its popularity remains. It won't ever be rare, and prices are not going to fetch MB auction amounts, but that kind of fun, in that kind of package, at that price, with all those thousands out there, it will be collectible if not already. Think Mustang.

One peculiar thing is that there are many Miata clubs all around the world, and some states in the USA have plenty of them. It's a fractured membership! No one overall club to tie it all together...at least it doesn't look like it.

[Garry]

I believe the early original Mazda MX5’s are already collectable and are commanding a premium price here in Australia which is probably why they are being restored now.

[batman]

My friends MX5 is from the first year of production (1989) and has 240,000km on the clock (never garaged).

He has spent A$31,000 having it stripped down, dents & some rust removed, resprayed, new soft top and engine rebuild. He did not replace interior.

[hands_aus]

I thought the Pagoda had a high revving engine but look at Robs second pic which shows the Taco and speedo combination at nearly 6000 rpm at 42 Mph,
or am I misreading the gauges?

[RobSirg]

I knew someone would bring that up.

My daughter, who was sitting behind me sideways, (as there is no room to sit any other way) was encouraging me to rev the engine..................it's a sweet engine that demands to driven that way.

That said - it's not you that is misreading - the gauge is misreading, as the Tacho reads about 1000 revs high.

Haven't bothered to fix it as I'm so used to seeing it that way......and it might just save me from over-revving one day 

[Gary Crutchley]

Great photo and the Yarra Valley would have to be one of the world's best kept secrets.  I'm often in the Yarra Valley in my 230SL with a mate in his Frog Eye Sprite.  The tiny Sprite does a remarkable job with only 948cc!   At our destination we often comment on the luxury of the Merc and the spartan interior of the Frog Eye.

[hands_aus]

Hey Rob,
Thanks
It is always good fun getting out in an open top car.
Weather dependent, I try to drive my 250sl every weekend.
My theory is that the people of Brisbane deserve to see the beauty of the car so I give them every opportunity I can.

[RobSirg]

That's a great theory Bob.

The world needs more people like us ......just every day people, doing our bit for the community by beautifying the environment