I find the MX5 uninspiring. An early Elise might be a challenge on the engine front, but would make for a more interesting experience, and is a nice looking car. I didn't like it on release, but it has aged very well (IMO).
The K Series mods now available allegedly improve reliability.

DaveW
'05 Red Roadster S1
'16 Yellow (Not the only) Narrow AR GDI Plus 4