Newbie needs persuading

ozimax · Postby **ozimax** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 7:55 pm

At last, picked up the MX5 and drove it all of 2 kms home. Back to working in the garden to keep the better half happy.

The car looks good, and drives well. The after market rims and low profile tyres will eventually go but for now they're fine. An oil/filter change tomorrow plus a quick repair of the dodgy windscreen wipers will hopefully enable a trip up the coast on Thursday.

Happy days and thanks again to all who have contributed to this thread. I will post some pics as and when.

Ozi.

Fluges · Postby **Fluges** » Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:39 pm

Years ago, my wife and I did a 6,000 km round trip in an NA with hard top and cruise control. We made it, but it certainly doesn't eat the miles like our diesel Territory. We were loaded to the gunwhales - when we stopped for petrol, we couldn't buy a packet of chips 'cos we couldn't fit it in the car, I kid you not! Anyway, the NA is not the greatest cruiser. The automatic NC, with its softer suspension and quietness, sits on 2,000 rpm at 120 kph in 6th gear and this makes it the best MX5 for long distance cruising.

ozimax · Postby **ozimax** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 7:41 am

cookie wrote:Keep it stock if planning long distance.

Am definitely planning on doing so. I'm already looking for some original-ish wheels to replace the low profile setup on the car. I have nice ute for longer distance stuff atm, so we'll just have some fun with the NA and see where it takes us.

Living in Coffs Hbr means there are limitless windy roads to enjoy when the weather warms up. (OK, it is warm already for our southern friends, but you know what I mean.)

I have been trawling through this and other sites looking for maintenance data eg oils/filters etc as the vehicle needs a good service.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 9:02 am

Why wait till the weather warms up?

Vat · Postby **Vat** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:33 am

JBT wrote:Why wait till the weather warms up?

Totally this. Cold mornings with a beanie and the heater on are brilliant. I'm loving commuting at the moment.

ozimax · Postby **ozimax** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:22 pm

JBT wrote:Why wait till the weather warms up?

Why not? It will be warm in 2 weeks when I return from the next 10 day business trip and I have a few weeks off.

Planning on a short 8 hr trip on Thursday before I leave for interstate to shake the cobwebs out of the car. Wipers are fixed this morning. About to change oil & filter. I might even do the plugs and leads.

ozimax · Postby **ozimax** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 2:23 pm

Vat wrote:
JBT wrote:Why wait till the weather warms up?

Totally this. Cold mornings with a beanie and the heater on are brilliant. I'm loving commuting at the moment.

Cold mornings in Brisbane? Not likely.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 3:33 pm

Who said Brisbane? We just did a 700km club run on the weekend to Tenterfield overnight and return. It was below 5 degrees on Sunday morning and even colder when we did the recce trip a month ago - all top down.
BTW, it can get very cold in the western suburbs here in winter...and I don't even have a cardigan to keep me warm.

ozimax · Postby **ozimax** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 9:26 pm

JBT wrote:Who said Brisbane? We just did a 700km club run on the weekend to Tenterfield overnight and return. It was below 5 degrees on Sunday morning and even colder when we did the recce trip a month ago - all top down.
BTW, it can get very cold in the western suburbs here in winter...and I don't even have a cardigan to keep me warm.

You're dead right there. NSW northern Tablelands is one of the chilliest parts in Oz. You're brave to do it with the top down!

We did a short drive after work this afternoon up the windy road to Sealy Lookout in Coffs. The mag wheels need to go ASAP. The Coffs Harbour Council should hang it's head in shame for building such a dreadful (and relatively new) corrugated bitumen road. Felt every bump, but then again the road is so poor that even a brand new Lexus would struggle to get a decent ride.

Happy with the car thus far.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 9:32 pm

Yes, that's a bit of a goat track. Been up there a couple of times.
Take it out to Bellingen, Ebor, Nymboida and back down Orara Way. :wink:

ozimax · Postby **ozimax** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 10:52 pm

JBT wrote:Yes, that's a bit of a goat track. Been up there a couple of times.
Take it out to Bellingen, Ebor, Nymboida and back down Orara Way.

Will do for sure JB.

Vat · Postby **Vat** » Tue Aug 12, 2014 11:57 pm

ozimax wrote:
Vat wrote:
JBT wrote:Why wait till the weather warms up?

Totally this. Cold mornings with a beanie and the heater on are brilliant. I'm loving commuting at the moment.

Cold mornings in Brisbane? Not likely.

Well, true, but I did do Nebo a few weeks ago when Brisbane temps were around 1-2 degs, so it would have 0 or less up there.

Brisbane's about 20k or so inland so it gets a bit cooler than many realise - it's a little closer to a wet/dry season format here than Sydney and Melbourne which are a bit more 'four seasonish', so the dry period through July-August sees low humidity, and correspondingly lower temps through then.

/have spent some years in all three east coast capitals

ozimax · Postby **ozimax** » Wed Aug 13, 2014 8:12 am

Vat wrote:Brisbane's about 20k or so inland so it gets a bit cooler than many realise - it's a little closer to a wet/dry season format here than Sydney and Melbourne which are a bit more 'four seasonish', so the dry period through July-August sees low humidity, and correspondingly lower temps through then.

/have spent some years in all three east coast capitals

Back in the 90s we lived at Redcliffe for about 4 years. Being so close to the water there was about 1 week of winter each year. My family comes from Bathurst, where on a normal winter's day you sleep in the fridge to keep warm... :lol:

CoachOz · Postby **CoachOz** » Sun Aug 31, 2014 10:41 am

Congratulations on your MX-5. You might want to check out the MX-5 Club of NSW and the Mid North Coast Chapter. A few of our members ride bikes and most of us have ridden bikes in the past. Our next run is Port to Port via Dorrigo on the last weekend in September. http://nsw.mx5.com.au/events/port-to-port-via-dorrigo-weekend-away

You can PM me if you want more info
Peter

ozimax · Postby **ozimax** » Thu Sep 04, 2014 4:22 pm

CoachOz wrote:Congratulations on your MX-5. You might want to check out the MX-5 Club of NSW and the Mid North Coast Chapter. A few of our members ride bikes and most of us have ridden bikes in the past. Our next run is Port to Port via Dorrigo on the last weekend in September. http://nsw.mx5.com.au/events/port-to-port-via-dorrigo-weekend-away

You can PM me if you want more info
Peter

Thanks Peter. I'll check out the link. I'm just home from a hernia op this morning, sitting in my lounge room. I don't think there'll be too much MX5 driving for the next week or so. Should be right by end of Sept.