MX5 or other 2 seater roadster

^ That also looks a bit steep to me, prices have taken a tumble over the last 12 months or so.

I'd look at mx5nutz first, a tidy standard mk2 1.8 with average mileage went for £2k the other day. I ended up getting mine 300 miles away from a PH advert, but also scoured ebay, local ads,that classics website and gumtree.
 
There was a few cheap 1.8 available a few weeks ago, now I have some money they've all disappeared. 2k should be getting towards early Mk2 money really. Only spend 2k on a very clean low milage Mk1 IMO.

The only hurdle I've set myself is I don't want a bloody silver one and ideally not a green one, and it has to be a UK car as insurance companies are extorting ********.


I'm looking into the MX5. I assume you want a car to acompany the van? I reckon a 1.8 MX5 would make up the handling side of the driveway and will be just as quick, if only just feel as quick. It's whether you like top down motoring and can afford everyone calling you a gayer and talking behind your back about your limp wrists. Otherwise, there's not much alternative in the budget unless you get a T-top MR2 Turbo but I'm finding a lot of MR2s are a right state, especially the interiors.
 
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MX5 everytime! If you go on MX5nutz and look in the forsale section theres a lot of nice FI mk1 1.6s if you don't mind having a slightly older car, or if it has to be newer, buy the mk2 and depending on how got you are bargain hunting you can do a BASIC turbo set up for around 600 quid!

DO IT!
 
MX5 is the way to go. I've had two MR2's and 2 mx5's and the '5 is slightly better. THe mk1 mr2 is a better drive, but isn't a rag top so for a spare car, it really is a nobrainer.

Spend £2k on something like that iS or £2200 on a special edition if you can. You should get one with leather and service history for that money. The Gleneagles, Dakar or my favourite the Merlot are the ones to have, avoid the 1.6's from 1994 onwards, they are 88bhp and utterly pointless. PAS is not the whole issue that people make out, it is perfectly acceptable to drive and, even around a track, is not a problem.

There are millions of MX5's about, principally because they are great cars and very reliable so choose well. Avoid ANYTHING with rot, there are plenty more fish in the sea.
 
bobuk said:
sons got his for sale,
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1259765.htm
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Nice looking but about £2000 overpriced, you might squeeze £3500.

Bare in mind come winter you can take off another £500 until spring.


I bought a nice Mk1 for £1100 with tax and 12 month MOT and have spent £1700 doing the shocks, hood, bodywork tidying and some other bits - rad, clutch slave and servicing inc brakes.

These things didn't need doing but for £2800 it's nice and know what on it and it's all stock stuff or equivilent (no mods innit)

I will probably spend another grand getting it to where i want i.e. undersealed and would like an exhaust etc.
 
Unless that includes some kind of respray aproctor, that sounds like a lot of money for that work on an MX5.

I would actually advise against leather if there is a choice, they're poor quality leather and crack easily. The cloth equivalents are more comfortable and have slightly more give, plus none of those annoying temperature fluctuations. Definately try to get an iS or special edition, you'll get extra bits for a marginal difference in purchase price.
 
Dorje said:
Unless that includes some kind of respray aproctor, that sounds like a lot of money for that work on an MX5.
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£1700

New wing (mazda) + spray - £200
Koni sport kit + Poly Bump + FM mounts + alignment - £750
Mohair hood w/ glass - £450
Rad - £100 inc fitting
Discs and Pads all round - £150
Full service inc clutch slave - £100

I think thats pretty good.
 
1750 actually :p Could have saved 300ish on wing and hood alone, but maybe that's because I'm northern :D

Didn't realise you need all discs and pads doing, thought it might have just been a brake fluid service. Also forgot mk1's often need upgraded bump stops and top mounts. Soon adds up!

Don't think I would have bought the car at £1100 then if new suspension, brakes, hood, rad and wing needed doing. I know it's on the lower end of the scale, but you should look for something with as much recent history as possible. For example mine had new rear wheel bearings, service inc clutch slave, 4 new tyres,exhaust and didn't need anything replacing plus was cheap for a mk2. That's not meant to sound like I'm preaching or anything, it was just that I know you spent a long time looking for an MX5 and your wanted threads seemed quite particular.
 
Dorje said:
1750 actually :p Could have saved 300ish on wing and hood alone, but maybe that's because I'm northern :D...snip... I know you spent a long time looking for an MX5 and your wanted threads seemed quite particular.
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A mohair with glasss even from jack smith trimmers would cost £350 and a second hand wing + spray would have cost £150 + the hassle of collecting the wing.

And the car was in good nick, UK and rust free these are things that didnt need doing but wanted to (shocks) and were cheap and better off doing e.g. rad was fine but when the plastic bit at the top starts to go clear it becomes a bit brittle if knocked i.e. low speed collision, drop a spanner etc and while i could call the AA £100 fitted seemed a good deal.

If i did no more to it apart from mot and a quick service i could sell it next summer for £2k so not expensive motoring but i hope to keep it for a good while so it's all relative.

But i know what your saying. :)

p.s.

£1750 includes servicing which most don't.
 
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Jack's trimmers are in Swansea which is a hell of a run for most people :p Plus, the ones from Mazmania are better imho. Leather is fine for running around, none of the seats are stunningly comfortable but I have had no problem with any of the three sets of leather I have sat in, one of which I owned. Just use some leather treatment regularly tbh.

All cars like this cost a reasonable amount to get back to a really good example, unless you spend top dollar. They are worth it as they retain a lot of their value, plus you can work upwards - start with a basic car, uprate tyres, uprate suspension, then move on to basic FI and before you know it you have a mental car with exceptional handling.
 
The main issue of the leather seats is that you move around more under heavy cornering etc.

Jack Smiths will sell you a hood iirc for £210 if you get someone else to fit it.
 
Dorje said:
Just found this:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1294024.htm

It's the car used in the Evo grand car challenge and did very well. Famous MX5 and cheap, looks in decent condition with quite a few little extra's thrown in. Can't imagine this one hanging about for sale for long.
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I spotted this the moment it went up. I was all ready to call, but then I found out all companies want £400 extra to insure a 1.6 import :mad:

Oh well, I'll have to wait out for the right 1.8 UK car (or my 25th birthday in 6 months which seems to help things).
 
Good thing about gettign a MK1, is how cheap the bits are for em now.And how simple they are to work on, Ive been picking up bits and bobs of the forums for not a lot.

Ive got some MK1 Eunos seats to go in mine now, they have some speakers built in, I got a complete interior for £90, as you can imagine I was rather chuffed with that. I'd reccomend getting one with PAS, they are a pain to park without it, im in the process of retrofitting PAS to my 1.8.
 
Dup said:
I spotted this the moment it went up. I was all ready to call, but then I found out all companies want £400 extra to insure a 1.6 import :mad:

Oh well, I'll have to wait out for the right 1.8 UK car (or my 25th birthday in 6 months which seems to help things).
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How long have you got left on your current insurance?

There's a few insurance companies that recognise that there is no difference between an import and UK model.
 
Dorje said:
How long have you got left on your current insurance?

There's a few insurance companies that recognise that there is no difference between an import and UK model.
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I've cancelled it to get the £1000 remaining back and will use that to purchase the new car so I'm free to insure with anyone. I'm still running quotes and will be trying some specialist brokers next. I'm just in a sucky position of most specialist brokers refusing to insure my postcode, at least that was the case with my CTR.
 
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