Potential LC500 Owner after a little advice

[Dingle Dell]

On 9/27/2024 at 6:12 PM, Paul29bit said:

If what you want is the drama and theatre of performance without the silly high speeds, and you enjoy driving and especially a bit of rallying, then I can recommend something like a BBR MX5.  I can guarantee it will make you smile within 10 seconds of passing 4000rpm followed shortly by the concentration removing the grin.  They are a lot of fun.  I recently managed to melt the BBR hub caps and they fell out of the wheels after she cooled down.  Turbo vents a little too close to the front drivers side wheel and the additional focused braking did the rest.

I should add I don't intend to drive the LC like that and really for me it will become my daily driver for to and from the office and going to clients.

 

Funny you should say this... I have been looking at the used cars BBR has for sale, all of which already have various mods on. However, I think I will probably buy a standard low mileage one in good condition, and then assuming I get on with it for the first month or two (i.e. does the seating position set my sciatica off!), I will take it to BBR to get some serious work done.

The big decision; whether to stay normally aspirated or go the route of turbo-charging or super-charging. I think Supercharging sounds ideal for what i'm looking at.

Good luck with the LC!

[Dingle Dell]

On 10/2/2024 at 3:22 PM, Arth_Vader said:

I’ve got a 67 plate and it makes plenty of noise specially in manual and sport plus, at quite reasonable and legal speeds. A dab of throttle at 1500rpm and it comes to life nicely.

A vantage is pretty tame until you get to 4000rpm unless you pull fuse 22, which opens the exhaust flaps and then it’s brilliant all the time.  If you can somehow get both an LCs exhaust pipes to stay open all the time (there are a few options for this) then it’s similarly game on.

Shame if you’ve sold without exploring the options.  Hope not.

Our old Vantage had fuse 22 pulled about 30 seconds after we got it home, and as you say, it does make a good difference. However, it was only after owning the car for a few years that I took the plunge and spent the money to get 200 cell cats fitted by AHM. My big regret was not getting this done from day 1, as it sounded amazing after this. Not too anti-social, but in the car sounded incredible when pressing on.

I feel fairly happy that I have made the right decision as I haven't found myself going out to the garage and forlornly staring at the empty space there! I'm sure i'll own another V8 or V12 one day, but think it will be after I semi-retire and can move away from the over-congested South-East, which is something I can't wait to do.

[Malc1]

Sounds a good plan 

Well done 

Malc 

[Paul29bit]

15 hours ago, Dingle Dell said:

 

Funny you should say this... I have been looking at the used cars BBR has for sale, all of which already have various mods on. However, I think I will probably buy a standard low mileage one in good condition, and then assuming I get on with it for the first month or two (i.e. does the seating position set my sciatica off!), I will take it to BBR to get some serious work done.

The big decision; whether to stay normally aspirated or go the route of turbo-charging or super-charging. I think Supercharging sounds ideal for what i'm looking at.

Good luck with the LC!

If want to use the BBR MX5 for normal driving sometimes without the need to drink fuel all the time then I suggest the Turbo is the way to go.  The supercharged BBR is a glorious thing but it is always thirsty even when you are just driving normally.  Also the turbo conversion packs a real punch when you want to act stupid.

[DavidCM]

20 hours ago, Dingle Dell said:

 mileage one in good condition, and then assuming I get on with it for the first month or two (i.e. does the seating position set my sciatica off!)

Prior to my current car,we had an MX5....very late s.3 with the folding hardtop.It was one of the special editions, although I think there are more special editions than standard models.If you are over 5'10",you need to carefully consider whether you will fit in it comfortably.The s.4 version,seemed even more cramped in the cabin.

They're great,fun cars,mine replaced a Porsche Cayman and it was about 85% of the fun for 50% of the cost to buy and run.

[Dingle Dell]

On 10/7/2024 at 5:26 PM, DavidCM said:

Prior to my current car,we had an MX5....very late s.3 with the folding hardtop.It was one of the special editions, although I think there are more special editions than standard models.If you are over 5'10",you need to carefully consider whether you will fit in it comfortably.The s.4 version,seemed even more cramped in the cabin.

They're great,fun cars,mine replaced a Porsche Cayman and it was about 85% of the fun for 50% of the cost to buy and run.

Yes, so many special editions it's funny. I'm only just over 5'10'' and have sat in both NC and ND versions and didn't have any issues; it might help that i'm quite slim. 

I think I'll probably end up with a 25th Anniversary edition, and get some mods done to engine and suspension.

 

I notice my LC has had 5K knocked off the asking price already, so maybe the markets not as strong as that dealer were expecting...

[Agnes_Surrey]

On 9/26/2024 at 7:24 PM, Dingle Dell said:

 

 

Ultimately, I think I would prefer a car that when it feels like I am doing 75MPH, I am actually doing 55MPH, rather than a car where when I feel like I am doing 75MPH I am actually well into 3 figures.

What will I replace it with? I was looking at the Vantages again, but most of my reasons for selling the LC will apply to that as well, though it has to be said, the Vantage is a rawer experience, especially if I went for the V12.

I may have one last throw of the dice to find some enjoyment from driving on the road and go for something completely different; something cheap, lightweight and fun. I may even buy a car, that previously I would have never even considered like an MX5. I'm old enough that the hairdresser comments I would get will go straight over my bald head.

Sorry for all the rambling; that’s how my brain works these days lol.

Abarth 124 Spider definitely will feel and sound like doing 75mph, when in fact, it's only 50mph. That was my impression when driving back from dealer, when I picked my first one. You probably got something else by now, but it's just a comment. Of course, it's very primitive car comparing to LC500, but it's also its advantage. And it's Italian version of MX5, Made in Japan. 

I had two of them and enjoyed the first one a lot. Second one had wrong timing and ended up as commuting car, rather alpine fun car.