Talk to me about MX-5's

aproctor

aproctor

aproctor

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Joined
26 Apr 2008
Posts
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Location
Lincolnshire
As some of you may have read i am in the market for my first car in the next few months (fingers crossed) now i would like something sporty that won't kill me on the insurance but as i am 21 i am findign it a bit more reasonable than i expected (still not cheap).

Now i have liked MX-5's for a while and while they seem super cheap what are they like to live with (reliability etc) and what is the insurance like, only a group 11/12 but i remember someone saying on here that a group 20 ended up more expensive than a group 14...

first part of my postcode is PE6 if anyone is interested....

thanks

Andy
 
We all have to learn somewhere, and in all fairness who is to say i wouldn't get sloppy and move to a rwd in the future and thinking i know it all drive into a tree.
 
Why would we want to do your insurance quotes for you?

Firestar_3x is the guy you need to speak to about MX5's.
 
aproctor said:
We all have to learn somewhere, and in all fairness who is to say i wouldn't get sloppy and move to a rwd in the future and thinking i know it all drive into a tree.
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Im not slating your decision or suggesting you dont know how to drive, I think this is a great car, im just saying be careful if you do end up with one:)

Also its best to test out quotes to get an idea of the price.
 
I think if you want to get something sporty and fun get an mgf for £3000. Yes it may break, but you will prang it or scratch it and at that price will not be too heartbroken. Add £600 to the price you see to allow for a head gasket change and cambelt/water pump and it will be good for 45k at least after that is done. Other than that, they are cheap to insure and fun to drive.
 
LOL, saw an MGF on the motorway today, it was cruising down the hard shoulder with HG failure.

The MX5 is the better car and you can get an older one for a lot less than £3k.
 
I've actually just agreed a price for a mk1 1.6 UK MX-5. They are great, simple, reliable little cars. Quite a few members of the forums have had a lot of fun with them, and I'm sure you could too.

I think you may find insurance a little difficult, especially on a Eunos (import) model. The imports do tend to be better spec'd, but it depends what you are after. The one I'm going to collect on saturday only has power steering and electric windows; I'm not personally fussed about anything else!

If you are going for a UK 1.6 mk1, make sure you check you're getting the 115bhp model, and not the later strangled version (~95bhp I think, and slightly more weight). I'm 21 with 2 years NCB, I'm trying to get my quotes down, atm all I've got down to is about 700 quid TPFT, but I'm sure I can do better. As a new driver, you may struggle.

Check mx5oc forums, plenty of detail there if you use the search you'll be able to find out most things you'd want to know!
 
playworker said:
LOL, saw an MGF on the motorway today, it was cruising down the hard shoulder with HG failure.

The MX5 is the better car and you can get an older one for a lot less than £3k.
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the only problem is that it will be 3 years older than an mgf and although the engine and transmission will be fine, it will probably be due an exhaust, discs and the suspension will have to be watched.

Either way, they are both fun cars and I would drive either happily, but I can work on a K series engine so that makes me biased.
 
aproctor said:
As some of you may have read i am in the market for my first car in the next few months (fingers crossed) now i would like something sporty that won't kill me on the insurance but as i am 21 i am findign it a bit more reasonable than i expected (still not cheap).thanks

Andy
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Bullet proof is the first words that come to mind, mine never put a foot wrong in 30k and thats with lots more power than it left the factory with and the car was driven hard.

Depending how much money you have to spend i would be looking at a later mk1 1.6 or 1.8iS or Mk2 1.8iS or 10AE, the 10AE being one of the best choices at the moment.

Had mine across europe a few times and not only did it prove great fun it was actually very good for long distance, motorways prove to be tiring after a few hours however due to the huge blindspot with the roof up.

When looking for an MX-5 check for rust, Sills / Rear wheelarches / lift the carpet around the hood, whilst some of the panels are alloy the base metal isn't.

Hood condition on a cheap car can be a factor, check for cracks above the window and the hood shrinking, new hood's are around 250 - 450 fitted

Good quality tyres are very important on the 5, if you have cheap rears you will find yourself facing the wrong way in the wet far too oftern.

Phil W said:
Firestar_3x is the guy you need to speak to about MX5's.
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Cheers Phil :)
 
For years everyone has been saying that Mk1 MX5 prices are bottoming out but they seem to have got even cheaper this year unless you are after really low mileage ones. I've seen 1.8 Mk1 around 100k go for £1400-£1800. Last year you were in scruffy Eunos turf at best. £3000 is going to buy a very nice Mk1 or a Mk2 I would have thought. £1400-£1800 will buy something decent but possibly a few minor cosmetic issues. Regarding reliability as long as its been serviced regularly you should have few problems. Generally they just seem to work which is very good news! Don't bother with the MGF unless you are some sort of MG enthusiast. Just not worth the hassle in my view.
 
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