Northland trip

[my2cta]

Just returned from a week-long trip to Bay of Islands and the Kauri Coast
in our Millennium Edition. Never been before and we loved it. You Northern
Chapter guys and gals are lucky having this area so close at hand. We had
to drive 1000 kms to get there and decided to take it easier by doing the
trip there and back in 2 days each time.

Observations of an MX5 nature:
1. Where were they all (the MX5's that is?). I think we saw 6 in the whole
week, and only 3 had tops down. None of the drivers waved back - can't have
been Club members. On the other hand we saw 2 E-Types (one was a roadster),
MGA, MG TD, Sunbeam Alpine, MGB, couple of MGF's, 3 Z3's and an XK8. Oh
yes, a Ferrari 550 Maranello too. Drool.
2. Fuel consumption and octane things. We used Mobil, BP and Caltex 96
octane petrol for our 4 tank loads over 2,269 kms and there was no
noticeable difference in power and little difference in fuel consumption
between them. Fuel consumption over the week, with 157.54 litres used al
together, was 14.4 kms/L or 6.94 l/100 kms, whichever you prefer. In good
old mpg that comes to about 41 mpg. The only other car I've ever had that
could beat 40 mpg consistently was a Morris Minor! I'll see how far a
tankful of 96 goes on my normal usage short to medium length trips: up
until this trip I've always used 91, and have averaged around 12.5 kms/L
over 9,000 kms. Can't say I noticed any power difference between 96 and 91,
and with the variable timing in the 2000 model it never pinks on 91.
However, my son drives a Toyota Corolla Levin with a higher (11:1)
compression ratio and he actually gets noticeably more power using BP 98 as
opposed to 96 as well as better fuel consumption. The fuel consumption
difference is big enough to more than make up the difference in cost
between 96 and 98. Very useful as the local BP in Upper Hutt sells 98.
3. Police and speed traps. Friends with an MX5 had recently been done $300+
going through Hunterville (a short 50 kph stretch in the middle of SH1 near
Bulls). Either way into Hunterville you get very little warning - the 50
sign is part way round a bend. You have to break hard from 100 kph (and
harder still from MX5 speeds) to get down to 50'ish by the time you round
the bend into the Hunterville main street. And there were two police cars
last Friday, merrily gathering very large amounts of revenue for the
Government. As 50 or more over the limit is automatic loss of licence
territory this is a major danger spot if you aren't concentrating on the
signs at the side of the road. I guess there are other favourite haunts of
the boys in blue round the country in similar situations. Anyway, we got
into the habit of e xercising the brakes on all approaches to towns on the
trip, just in case, then caught up the traffic again the other side of
town.

Tim Dutton
MY2CTA

[Geoff Watkins]

Hi Tim
What a Trip
On Easter Friday I did 578Km using 38 Litres Highwaydriving Only in my 98
1.8 NZ New running 91 Octane Caltex Equates 43mpg (are the maths correct) I
have not dropped under 40MPG Perhaps I have not driven the Car SPORTY Enough.
To Nelson and back 44 to Mt Cook and back meeting the Dunedin Guys 40 ie
from Christchurch
No Pinking at all since new.
Just noticed it should be running Unleaded Regular 95 RON
Is that the same as NZ 91??
Kind Regards
Geoff

MX5 98
PS
Perhaps those Guys from the far North who went to Wanaka this weekend may
have some numbers

[Geoff Watkins]

Hi Tim
What a Trip
On Easter Friday I did 578Km using 38 Litres Highwaydriving Only in my 98
1.8 NZ New running 91 Octane Caltex Equates 43mpg (are the maths correct) I
have not dropped under 40MPG Perhaps I have not driven the Car SPORTY Enough.
To Nelson and back 44 to Mt Cook and back meeting the Dunedin Guys 40 ie
from Christchurch
No Pinking at all since new.
Just noticed it should be running Unleaded Regular 95 RON
Is that the same as NZ 91??
Kind Regards
Geoff

MX5 98
PS
Perhaps those Guys from the far North who went to Wanaka this weekend may
have some numbers

[Mark Roberts]

can't have been Club members. On the other hand we saw 2 E-Types (one
was a roadster), MGA, MG TD, Sunbeam Alpine, MGB, couple of MGF's, 3
Z3's and an XK8. Oh yes, a Ferrari 550 Maranello too. Drool.

Today, Ford GT40, Southern Motorway. Replica? Dunno. Broken down
on the hard shoulder! Hahahaha!

[Mark Roberts]

can't have been Club members. On the other hand we saw 2 E-Types (one
was a roadster), MGA, MG TD, Sunbeam Alpine, MGB, couple of MGF's, 3
Z3's and an XK8. Oh yes, a Ferrari 550 Maranello too. Drool.

Today, Ford GT40, Southern Motorway. Replica? Dunno. Broken down
on the hard shoulder! Hahahaha!

[Rowan Hick]

I wouldn't laugh at anothers misfortune.. you may be broken down on the side
of the road one day. I'm sure there's a good little persons story that has a
moral along those lines...

Anyway more than likely one of these http://www.gt40.co.nz .Beautiful
machines. Absolute weapons too

Rowan

[Rowan Hick]

I wouldn't laugh at anothers misfortune.. you may be broken down on the side
of the road one day. I'm sure there's a good little persons story that has a
moral along those lines...

Anyway more than likely one of these http://www.gt40.co.nz .Beautiful
machines. Absolute weapons too

Rowan