Triumph TR6 vs. Mazda MX5 Miata

[NewGuy2005 53]

These are a couple of cars that I have always admired. I have driven a Miata, but have never driven a TR6.

I was wondering how the driving experience compares. To me, the Miata is pretty close to perfect for an affordable car. However, I expect the Triumph to have some qualities that the Mazda does not have.

Has anyone driven both?

[monkycndo 0]

Mazda, known Japanese quality.

Triumph, known English......... well?

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[shropshire 0]

monkycndo

Mazda, known Japanese quality.

Triumph, known English......... well?

Class

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[NewGuy2005 53]

monkycndo

Mazda, known Japanese quality.

Triumph, known English......... well?

...classic car appeal? resale value? inline six cylinder exhaust note?

You are right about the Japanese quality, though.

[BIGUN 1,407]

Girly-cars.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[mr2mk1g 10]

It depends what you want. Whilst they're both open top 2-seaters, frankly there's where any similarity will end... in fact I don't really think they're particularly comparable.

The TR is a classic car and will need ongoing maintenance etc and depending on what the climate is around you may well entail an ongoing battle against rust. The Mazda will be soulless by comparison but in all likelihood will be good to go any day of the week (assuming you're not buying a complete shed). Early ones are getting on a bit but later marks are frankly just like any other new car in terms of ownership worries.

What are you looking for, a daily driver? Something fun for the weekend with a bit of history that you can tinker with? Or something fun for the weekend that you can just go out for a blast knowing it will start every time? What's your budget?

Of the two… TR takes the heart and would be more of an event to drive. It would probably not be a great car to try and commute in all year round. I don't think I could cope with an MX5 on the road - it's just _not_ a sports car, it's an open top tourer at best. There's just no chassis rigidity. Whilst the same can probably said of the TR, it's at least got pedigree and class. Neither are particularly fast.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

The Miata has always reminded me of that LEGO car they inevitably used to have in the waiting room at any doctor's office I visited as a child. You know the one? It had no top and came with a LEGO bald guy driver. Just like the Miata

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[NewGuy2005 53]

There you go. Even though the Miata has been critically acclaimed as one of the great cars of the world, it does not score a lot of he-man points.

[shropshire 0]

MX-5 = Hair Dressers car (O.K but will never be a classic)

TR-6 = Classic and will probably make you smile (if you get a good one)

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[airdvr 210]

monkycndo

Mazda, known Japanese quality.

Triumph, known English......... well?

Both have drop top options so you can feel the wind blowing through your vagina.

Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

[mattjw916 2]

the TR6 is tiny with ancient brakes, suspension, etc... get one if you like to be stranded on the side of the road frequently

NSCR-2376, SCR-15080

[ryoder 1,590]

This is an apples and oranges choice:
a) 40yo antique.
b) Current sporty car.

You need to decide if you want a car to *work* on, or a car to *drive*.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Quote

MX-5 = Hair Dressers car (O.K but will never be a classic)

It's more than just a Hair Dresser's car, it's actually a very popular entry level race car. You won't be setting any lap records in an MX-5 (unless of course you are shooting for the MX-5 record), but it is a somewhat more affordable platform to race with.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[mr2mk1g 10]

Yup - Plenty of race series' with them in the UK. Slammed, stripped and caged they're not bad entry level racer, in fact it's where the early ones come into their own as they're so cheep and light by comparison to later models. You wouldn't want to butcher a straight TR like that though.

On the road though - they oughta come with a hair dryer fitted in the glove box.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Quote

On the road though - they oughta come with a hair dryer fitted in the glove box.

I have no experience with the Triumph, except that the older ones always seemed to be parked because they were always broken and needed some sort of special project to get them back on the road, until of course they were parked again needing yet another special project, so on and so on. Hopefully the modern Triumphs are more reliable. Plus I am NOT arguing the hair dressers status of the MX-5 on the public roads. I was only pointing out that the MX-5 is a popular entry level race car.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[DrewEckhardt 0]

NewGuy2005

These are a couple of cars that I have always admired. I have driven a Miata, but have never driven a TR6.

I was wondering how the driving experience compares.

MX5s through 2005 can be raced door-to-door affordably against other MX5s in the Spec Miata class with some probability of winning dependent on your skill.

TR6s cannot.

[Darius11 12]

airdvr

***Mazda, known Japanese quality.

Triumph, known English......... well?

Both have drop top options so you can feel the wind blowing through your vagina.

I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain

[ryoder 1,590]

CanuckInUSA

Hopefully the modern Triumphs are more reliable.

The only "modern" Triumph I know about is a motorcycle.

The most recent car shown here was a 1984: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Motor_Company

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[Amazon 7]

mattjw916

the TR6 is tiny with ancient brakes, suspension, etc... get one if you like to be stranded on the side of the road frequently

Only for the typical needledick in shining pickup truck who is clueless and has no idea what a F%$!% Uni-syn is and knows how to use it properly with a wee bit of Locktite.

[DiverMike 5]

Didn't they stop production of the TR6 in 1976? Unless you want to spend lots of money keeping a 50 year old car barely running, stay away from it.

The Miata is a great car. I drive my 10 year old daily, but take my Porsche to the track. The maintenance costs for an old Miata are reasonable, and the car runs well after you take the Gay-Pride stickers off of it from the previous owner. (Not that there is anything wrong with that).

For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board.

[Squeak 17]

shropshire

***Mazda, known Japanese quality.

Triumph, known English......... well?

Class "Special" electrics

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[biplane_dude 0]

Triumph electrical systems are made by Lucas. There's a reason the British drink warm beer.

Their slogan is NOT... Reliability by Lucas

TR6 = purist car aficionado
Miata = Cute convertible car driver.

It's kinda like buying a Suzuki Boulevard when you really want a Norton

Life's the Pitts then you jump one.

[Amazon 7]

biplane_dude

Triumph electrical systems are made by Lucas. There's a reason the British drink warm beer.

Their slogan is NOT... Reliability by Lucas

TR6 = purist car aficionado
Miata = Cute convertible car driver.

It's kinda like buying a Suzuki Boulevard when you really want a Norton

A good replacement after market wiring harness is the place to start on any TR or MG.....................

The Italians are also culprits of using crappy copper that seemed to corrode far too easily( ok it was in Florida where it was always humid and I did live at Jax Beach). I found out that the Fiat 124 Spyder was vastly improved with a new wiring harness. That was the worst pile of electrical bullshit I ever bought. Driving down the road at night with lights flickering at every bump was annoying. When I cut open some of the old wires... half of the copper was green powder. With just the new wiring.. most of the problems went away. Then that little dual overhead cam really showed its stuff.

[Stumpy 284]

mr2mk1g

Yup - Plenty of race series' with them in the UK. Slammed, stripped and caged they're not bad entry level racer, in fact it's where the early ones come into their own as they're so cheep and light by comparison to later models. You wouldn't want to butcher a straight TR like that though.

On the road though - they oughta come with a hair dryer fitted in the glove box.

This coming from a guy with MR2 Mk1 in his username?!

Never try to eat more than you can lift