Getting bored of cars/ my mx5?

Spend the money on a few tanks of fuel and either head north to Scotland or jump on a Eurotunnel to France and head south to the Alps. Either way you'll find the proper way to have fun in an MX5

Best thing is to get out there and practice especially with motorways. Do it with the roof down on the MX5 and visibility for merging is great. Just start out either late at night or early in the morning when traffic is light and work your way up to busier times. Remember, nobody actually wants to crash into you and everyone will try their best to avoid that happening.

Get into cycling. I love both bicycles and old cars. When I'm down on the cars I go for some nice bike rides. The feel good factor, fresh air, total simplicity of the bicyle is refreshing. Exercise is ALWAYS good :-) I'll often be thinking about problems on the current car build while out riding.

Then back to the cars when I have the want back.

The ultimate thing for me will be to get into building elctric assist cycle cars. but not upright shopping blobs, sporty ones instead.

The OP could pay a driving instructor for a couple of lessons to conquer the motorway fears?

Not sure if he is still going but look up a guy called John Lyons and book yourself on one of his driving courses.

He used to be the gatekeeper for HPC and whilst he was a little 'difficult' sometimes I re discovered my love of driving from his performance driving course.

Sure there are others in the back of the mags.

As for the motorway stuff, just go out with somebody you trust and get them to sit in the car with you whilst you venture onto the motorway. Easy for me to say but once you do it once you will be fine.

If you are worried about the merging bit then make sure you have your mirrors adjusted properly, as you come down the slip road look over your shoulder to get a good view of what is in the inside lane and, more importantly what is in the middle and outside lane. In that way you will know if the car occupying the inside lane will move over when he sees you indicate and start to move out, If there is nowhere for them to go then they wont move!

Indicate early, be prepared to vary your speed. Use the whole of the slip road, stay calm!

But, as others have said - just get out and drive. Cotswolds, Wales, Cornwall, Scotland, Europe - there are even parts of Essex that offer some really great roads. Spend a little time with a map and look around your local area for the old A roads. But most of all have fun.

And, if you are feeling a bit down, don't worry about it. Everyone feels like that at some point in their life. Make a change. See a friend, go to the local dog shelter and take a dog for a walk. Find your local OAP home and go and read to the people that live there. Or jump in your car, grab it by the balls and ENJOY the freedom that 4 wheels (or 2) gives you.

P.

Why don't you take a few driving lessons focussing on motorway driving to gain some confidence? Nothing to be ashamed of.

I think you're just going through one of those phases! I've just come out of of a "phase" in the last couple of years. After my divorce, I sold my old Jag and stuck my 205 into storage. I was skint, fed up and just needed transport, so ended up with an old Mitsubishi Colt followed up with a Toyota Avensis. They did their jobs and kept me mobile, but as my life got back on track and I progressed in my new job, I suddenly had the inclination and finances for something more interesting. I got my 205 back on the road, enjoyed it again and sold it on just recently. I've now got my Clio 182 and Jag XJR. Alright, neither are true retro cars, but they're mine and they suit me perfectly. The Clio is a hard blasting hot hatch, but practical and good on fuel. The Jag is an old school bruiser, refined and classy but still capable of burning off modern TDI's when I feel like it.

I suppose what I'm saying is just find the equilibrium in life. The days when I wanted to chuck every spare penny and all my time into hacking about with some old wreck are gone. I enjoy my cars and the ownership aspects, but I love my football, photography, traveling with my partner and eating out too!

Your hobbies and interests will change and evolve over time. Embrace it and try as much stuff as you feel you want to. Take a bit of this and a bit of that and you'll be more rounded as a person. People who obsess over one hobby or activity are usually one dimensional and boring to be around.

Finally as others have said, do some extra driving tuition and build your confidence with the car. You've got a great drivers car there, so make the most of it and learn to enjoy it! Won't be long until we're all stuck in little self driving electric pods!

Aha thanks all i might just be a phase then lets hope it passes

Come Black Mountains way for a spin, nearly any car is a good hoot up there and I imagine an MX-5 would be one of those cars that'd be a good laugh.

Probably a phase, though. I had this with my pug a few times and with the Fiesta, knowingly at the back of my head it'll fade or something would happen and change my perspective.