A different top-down experience

Simon Lord · Post by **Simon Lord** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:30 am

We are currently in the throes of moving house (groan) from our country home
at Albany back to a smaller section on the Hibiscus Coast. The new owner
originally told me he wanted to buy our ride-on lawnmower, but has just
changed his mind as he wants a bigger one with a digger attachment (a
serious boy's toy). Consequently, I have a ride-on lawnmower for sale and I
hope the list will forgive me if I mention it here - it would be silly to
discover later that I had exactly what one of you is looking for, and I'm
certainly not going to give up my MX5 garage space at the new house to a
lawnmower.

Anyway, if anyone is interested, here is an exciting alternative for
top-down driving. Not only can you experience the same feeling of the wind
in your hair and the sun on your face that you get in your favourite car,
but you can also enjoy the satisfaction of doing something useful at the
same time - mowing the lawn. What spouse could criticise you for that? No
passengers, and too much engine noise to permit conversation with anyone, so
enjoy the seclusion of off-road motoring.

The lawnmower is a Husqvarna YTH1542 with 165 hours on the clock - as good
as new, the lawnmower specialists who service it tell me. I have been using
it to mow 2 acres on a regular basis, which it is ideal for, although that
acreage is divided into a number of smaller lawns. For those interested in
performance, it will do 5.5mph (ok, I lied about the wind in your hair!).

The bright orange neatly mixes the red of the popular 'go-faster' MX5's with
the much sought-after rare yellow to create a stunning visual impact on a
bright green beautifully-manicured lawn or paddock. I believe all sorts of
add-ons are available - spoilers, wire wheels, forced induction kits - but
personally I only have the optional mulching blades.

If anyone is interested, I'm negotiable around the $3500 mark. If anyone is
upset by my using the list to try and sell a lawnmower, please accept my
apologies - I have tried to give you a bit of amusement at the same time.

Cheers
Simon Lord

97 SR Ltd

Voodoo · Post by **Voodoo** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:14 pm

Are there any extra's like windblocker, body kit, alloy wheels etc included?
Are there any aftermarket performance tweaks available, turbos etc?

On Fri, 24 Sep 2004 11:30:13 +1200, Franchise New Zealand wrote:

We are currently in the throes of moving house (groan) from our country home
at Albany back to a smaller section on the Hibiscus Coast. The new owner
originally told me he wanted to buy our ride-on lawnmower, but has just
changed his mind as he wants a bigger one with a digger attachment (a
serious boy's toy). Consequently, I have a ride-on lawnmower for sale and I
hope the list will forgive me if I mention it here - it would be silly to
discover later that I had exactly what one of you is looking for, and I'm
certainly not going to give up my MX5 garage space at the new house to a
lawnmower.

Anyway, if anyone is interested, here is an exciting alternative for
top-down driving. Not only can you experience the same feeling of the wind
in your hair and the sun on your face that you get in your favourite car,
but you can also enjoy the satisfaction of doing something useful at the
same time - mowing the lawn. What spouse could criticise you for that? No
passengers, and too much engine noise to permit conversation with anyone, so
enjoy the seclusion of off-road motoring.

The lawnmower is a Husqvarna YTH1542 with 165 hours on the clock - as good
as new, the lawnmower specialists who service it tell me. I have been using
it to mow 2 acres on a regular basis, which it is ideal for, although that
acreage is divided into a number of smaller lawns. For those interested in
performance, it will do 5.5mph (ok, I lied about the wind in your hair!).

The bright orange neatly mixes the red of the popular 'go-faster' MX5's with
the much sought-after rare yellow to create a stunning visual impact on a
bright green beautifully-manicured lawn or paddock. I believe all sorts of
add-ons are available - spoilers, wire wheels, forced induction kits - but
personally I only have the optional mulching blades.

If anyone is interested, I'm negotiable around the $3500 mark. If anyone is
upset by my using the list to try and sell a lawnmower, please accept my
apologies - I have tried to give you a bit of amusement at the same time.

Cheers
Simon Lord

97 SR Ltd

Colin Francis · Post by **Colin Francis** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 1:15 pm

On Fri, 24 Sep 2004 11:30:13 +1200, you wrote:

[...]

add-ons are available - spoilers, wire wheels, forced induction kits - but
personally I only have the optional mulching blades.

If anyone is interested, I'm negotiable around the $3500 mark. If anyone is
upset by my using the list to try and sell a lawnmower, please accept my
apologies - I have tried to give you a bit of amusement at the same time.

Cheers
Simon Lord

Praise the Lord ..

Colin Francis

poison · Post by **poison** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 1:52 pm

Thank God it's not green or you wouldn't even be able to
give it away...

Gazza

[...]

Simon Lord · Post by **Simon Lord** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:11 pm

Ah no, green is reserved for my MX - not common or garden BRG but the
special edition sparkle green. I gather there is one other like it in NZ -
if anyone knows of it, please let me know.

Simon

joanie · Post by **joanie** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:10 pm

Ah no, green is reserved for my MX - not common or garden BRG but the
special edition sparkle green. I gather there is one other like it in NZ -
if anyone knows of it, please let me know.

I saw one in Porirua the other day..very nice it was too!
Joan H

cfever · Post by **cfever** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:31 pm

Yes, Simon,

I've got a mica green '95 VR LTD. Done 67K. Owned her for about 3 or 4
months now. I had a '72 MGB GT brfore that, and still can't believe the
difference 23 years of progressive technology can make to to a cars
performance!

Andy Smith
Tauranga

Janet & Jeff Curtin · Post by **Janet & Jeff Curtin** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 4:42 pm

What in heck is sparkle green ?? I thought you had a vr ltd, the grey
green mica!! any chance of a look at the mighty green beast then.

Cheers

Janet&Jeff

From: "Franchise New Zealand" <simon@franchise.co.nz>
Reply-To: MX5List<mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
To: "MX5List" <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
Subject: Re: A different top-down experience
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2004 14:11:22 +1200

Ah no, green is reserved for my MX - not common or garden BRG but the
special edition sparkle green. I gather there is one other like it in NZ -
if anyone knows of it, please let me know.

Simon

Simon Lord · Post by **Simon Lord** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 5:12 pm

Thanks, Joan, yes it does look good.

J&J, the sparkle green is a mid-green metallic finish which was only put on a
few of the special edition NA's towards the end of the run. The closest
reference I can think of is the metallic green that appeared on the Mark 2
Cortina at one stage, but that may not be much help to you! I'll send you a
pic.

Mine is not a VR but an SR Ltd, which was one of the last of the pop-ups in
1997. Only 700 were made, and only 316 in green - the rest were white. As it
says on the Club website: "Based on the M package, Limited slip diff, Polished
wheels, black leather seats with light grey nubuck inserts. Momo airbagged
steering wheel. 700 produced."

I think one of the British special editions - the Berkeley - was also
available in this colour.

Will send you a photo direct.

Simon

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