Sold Mk1 MX5: Fresh pics. £700 or swopz

[Fabergé Greggs]

Let's suppose that a good pal of mine is having a baby and needs a more practical car than his MX5. Imagine that he doesn't know much about cars. In fact hypothetically I may have convinced him to get said MK1 MX5 some time ago.

Anyway, say he was to offer you said car for an as yet undisclosed sum, but perhaps towards towards the bargainous end of the scale, you'd jump at it, wouldn't you? Because even though you kind of hate them you also want to know what all the fuss is about.

Then suppose, that after clean MOT's for years it throws up this mad list of advisories at the last one.. Do you run a mile or is it just a grumpy MOT tester? How cheap does it need to be to make this list seem okay? It's otherwise very smart. Hypothetically.

Ready?

Okay..

Here goes...


29 August 2018
Advisory notice item(s)
vehicle has covers fitted unable to see certain testable items
front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)
rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)
Handbrake Has Travel
Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)
Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)
Oil leak ()
Exhaust System is Corroded
Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)
Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)
Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)
Nearside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)
Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)
Nearside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)
Brake Pipe Are Corroded
Front Suspension Are Corroded
Offside Front Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)
Nearside Front Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)
Offside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)
Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)
Rear Suspension Are Corroded
Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Brake hose slightly deteriorated Rear Both Side (3.6.B.4d)
Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

[SiC]

If cheap, buy and rag it until the next MOT and assess then. I was only thinking the other day on how much enjoyment I got driving to work in my MK1 MX5 on a icy cold crisp morning, with the roof down and a thick coat on. Even at sub zero temperatures, the heaters are very effective and comfortable despite crusing at 70mph along a dual carriageway.

 

Looking at K293EJD MOT history, it seems that the salt weather might have taken its toll a bit though! I owned it in 2007-2008...

[Fabergé Greggs]

If cheap, buy and rag it until the next MOT and assess then. I was only thinking the other day on how much enjoyment I got driving to work in my MK1 MX5 on a icy cold crisp morning, with the roof down and a thick coat on. Even at sub zero temperatures, the heaters are very effective and comfortable despite crusing at 70mph along a dual carriageway.

 

Looking at K293EJD MOT history, it seems that the salt weather might have taken its toll a bit though! I owned it in 2007-2008...

Yes! I used to do this in my X1/9. Roof off in all seasons. Even in the pouring rain you'd stay dry if you kept your speed up.

[Ghosty]

'handbrake has travel' it's supposed to, isn't it?

[scaryoldcortina]

 

Here goes...

 

 

29 August 2018

Advisory notice item(s)

vehicle has covers fitted unable to see certain testable items

front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Handbrake Has Travel

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Oil leak ()

Exhaust System is Corroded

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Brake Pipe Are Corroded

Front Suspension Are Corroded

Offside Front Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Rear Suspension Are Corroded

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Brake hose slightly deteriorated Rear Both Side (3.6.B.4d)

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

 

Fuck me! New tester fresh from the ABC awards training* course I'd guess, or a main dealer's test station that's never seen the underside of a 20 year old mazda before!

[JJ0063]

If you don't want it, how much?

[unclecalzone]

As said that’s got to be a new tester or they want something out of it?

I never get the one about ball joint covers - they are either doing their job or they are not to me at least

[barefoot]

Mk1 & Mk2 MX-5's are both great fun to drive. The gear change is something else. The lever is about three inches long and the engine is only 16/1800 cc so the cogs & dogs aren't massive and just love to be swapped about. The change actually feels like a switch & you find yourself changing gear just for the sake of it. They're quite low geared, not massively powerful and probably not much fun on a long motorway commute, but I've never driven one on a motorway...

[OwdChina]

Are the autoboxes in MX5's any good? 

yes they are...............bulletproof

[eddyramrod]

If you don't want it, how much?

What he said.

[Fabergé Greggs]

If you don't want it, how much?

That's the bit I don't know yet...

[Zelandeth]

Having faced pretty much the same question with a Cappuccino - get it and run it till it dissolves is my advice, provided it's cheap enough.

 

...then wind up forever wondering about finding a good one.

 

The fact I've owned a Cappuccino is the single only mark against the MX-5 for me, as it just makes it feel huge and heavy in comparison.

[Cavcraft]

One of the few cars where all the hype was correct. If it's cheap, buy it, you cannot go wrong. 

[UltraWomble]

Rust you say?

I was recently recommended this stuff for the rusty front cross member on the Almera

Works a treat...

[95 quid Peugeot]

Buy, Buy, Buy.

I got a damp scabby mk2 for 150 quid with 10 months mot 4x crusty arches.

£4 stickerbomb vinyl offcut. And used set of track tyres best 9 months fun before I sold it for parts

 

Mind you i did look a bit of a cnut as i'm 59

[purplebargeken]

Oh just bloody buy it, stop wussing around man

 

You have a Daf, you can deal with anything a Mazda throws at you!!!!

[purplebargeken]

Besides, I've never driven an MX5.

[dollywobbler]

I can say they're huge fun for autotesting, even in auto form. But, they really can rot very horribly. Sills most common spot, front cross member also likes to go crispy.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

They're great, but rot to the point where they're just dangerous. I saw one in Copart once that had been hit up the arse and had just folded in the middle. Without a roof you're relying on properly strong sills, not the undersealed tidemark most have.

 

Decent examples are still cheap enough, no excuse for driving a rotten patched up one.

[JJ0063]

Are the autoboxes in MX5's any good?

 

They are. I had a 1.8 V-Limited in auto, loved it. Green with tan leather & the Nardi wooden steering wheel. Want another!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

What TRB said. They're plentiful, and the decent ones are still cheap. Unless you like pain, there's no need* to buy a complete shitter.

Despite what a few enthusiasts suggest, values continue to be at an all time low. We kept our old '92 import for four years as we liked it that much, which is unheard of. Having said all of that, I prefer our current MR2 over most aspects of the old MX5. The MX5 felt a bit like the warm-up act.

[Chris2cv]

My Dad has a '96 Mk1 1.8. He has had it about 10 years, and while it doesn't do a lot of miles, it is great fun, I took it down the M2 recently, didn't cane it, but just had great fun, without even breaking the law (much). They are still cheap, there is loads that you can do with them, even kit cars if the body is really rotten, just do it!   Dad's one has only seen a little bit of welding to the end of the sills, lives near the coast and is 21 years old. Didn't look that rusty when it had its MOT!

[Wack]

Are the autoboxes in MX5's any good? 

 

 

Next door neighbour has a J reg auto, it's never given them any trouble but sounds as dull as fuck .

[Wack]

If I was absolutely loaded I'd love to have this done to my Mk3

 

 

 

[purplebargeken]

Have you bought it yet Jack?

[DaveDorson]

Buy it, get it on a ramp, get a wire brush to all the suspect looking bits, get a good thick coating of sealant to stop it getting worse, use it.

 

If it's too bad, use it till it's got a mega short MOT then get rid of it, or if you have the means, fix it.

 

MX5's are one of the sweetest drivers cars I've ever had the pleasure of mucking around in.

 

I'd have another in a heartbeat.  Only my Porsche 924 came even close in terms of being a well balanced easy to throw around sports car.

[Cavcraft]

That's exactly it, you don't need to (break the) speed (limit) to have fun in them.

[xtriple]

They are. I had a 1.8 V-Limited in auto, loved it. Green with tan leather & the Nardi wooden steering wheel. Want another!

 

That's what  I currently have, though it's badged as a 'V special'. It has the auto, leather and Nardi wooden wheel and is 'Grace green' which is a bit lighter/nicer than metallic BRG. It is a cracking little car and I love it. Totally useless for a cripple with two big dogs and I really should sell it but having just shelled out for a cambelt, engine and gearbox service (plus diff oil) and with all the other new bits it has (suspension, brakes, plugs leads, exhaust - all standard) I know that I will never find another one so good, so it stays even though it gets little use.

[PhillipM]

Unless it's peanuts there's no point buying a rusty shitter, they're still cheap for a half decent one, and the rear sills rot from the inside out due to the roof drain holes so when you see bubbles on the outside the metal is usually fucked inside. Not great on a car that has scuttle shake to start with.

 If it is peanuts then get the sills sorted, it'll only take you half a day per side to grind it all out and weld it back up, they're pretty easy to work on and there's only two main bits there to weld up. A day to sort it out isn't the end of the world on a shitter.

WRT to the brakes - rear calipers especially are known for the handbrake mechanism seizing up, so the disk warning along with the handbrake one would lead my to believe you're going to need a pair of rear calipers on it - you can get the parts out to repair but usually they're that far gone you end up snapping/stripping the stuck worm adjuster trying to get it out by then.

Oil leak is usually cam cover or rear crank seal, but if it's just a weep, leave it, they all weep again in short order even if you replace the gaskets/seals, it's the spirit of Lotus shining through.

[PiperCub]

Wow, that list screams:

 

1) I've just qualified for my testers ticket.

2) I've been busted by VI/VOSA (whatever they call themselves these days) for sloppy work and have to prove myself. 

3) I'm young and used to testing cars less than six years old at my main dealer job.

 

Delete as appropriate. 

 

BTW - worth buying if very cheap but compare prices with better examples locally to not pay too much.