When i bought my clio i was torn between a 182 and a 2.0 mx5 NC (mk3), I test drove them both beforehand and i figured i may give the clio a go as theyre so much cheaper. However i want to use the car for a large amount of track work and before spending stupid amounts of money i'd like to start from the right basis... i'm aware this is not Ford related but i still own 2 so i figured this was the best place to get a fairly unbiased view having posted on their respective forums. I'm open to reasonable opinions especially if there's anybody who have owned/driven both. thanks guys.

 

Know a few people with 182s and they all reckon they're the best car in the world. One of them prefers it to his 580hp Scooby. The 182 is 10 times more track focused to begin with than the mx5 and would be a far better base

 

See i was completely underwhelmed, given i havent had mine on track yet it isn't that quick in a straight line and it's a shit place to be in. i think it's time to get my Escort sold and find an mx5 tbh...

 

mx5 gets my vote , my mate had a 182 and sold it within 5 months as he was expecting a lot more from it than perhaps he should. An as it happens I also have a mate who owned a 1996 mx5 a few years ago and still claims its the most fun car hes owned. Im not knocking the 182 at all, but im sure a well set up mx5 would be more rewarding to drive on track

 

its got to be the clio its so much more manly than a mx5 hair dressers car or are you having a mid life crisis .?

 

id hardly call a clio a manly car. That's the typical response about mx5s yet the people who know, love them for the drive. There are ways of giving an mx5 a bit more of a racer look.

 

a well set up mx5 is a very good track car, seen some bloody quick ones, have owned a well set up 172 ph1 took alot of money at it to get it right fo me.

 

The only thing I'd have an MX5 for is to go skidding around in!

182 every day.

 

Why spend a shit load of money.

Clio is PERFECTLY capable with only an oil cooler and set of decent brake pads.

To me (as a previous owner) it would be the clio...

I've had 3 172's and a 182.

 

Because right now i have nothing to spend my money on but cars, I'm sure it is perfectly capable but to buy an Mx5 i'm only going to have to put another £1500 in to get one that i'd want to own. the issue i've got is i dont want a niggling feeling in the back of my mind that i shouldve bought the 5 instead and sell the clio in a years time after spending £2k in bits to both lose a massive amount and not have got the use out of it. I want to keep what ever car i am about to start building up for a good few years so i get my time out of the money i spend on it if that makes sense?

 

Rather get the Eunos than an MX5. The Imports are so much better. I loved my old M reg plate one. Sounded awesome and good power to go with it.

 

Driven both on a number of occasions and the MX5 is cracking fun but the Clio put's it into the shade, no messing.

 

clio sports are the vain off my life and still are after 30 yrs off driving id never buy a french car again

 

I never said it was manly i said it was more manly than an mx5 the clio is still a peace of crap but better than a hair dressers car.

 

Why've you got to spend all your money.. SAVE!

No need to spend on the Clio.. Decent set of pads and away you go