Just Curious- MX5 Running Costs

monkey_boy

monkey_boy

monkey_boy

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How much does a mk1 MX5 cost to run. Servicing, fuel, tyres, repairs etc?

They don't look as though there's much to go wrong. Is that true?
 
They cost pennys to run, nowt to go wrong really, everything is cheap, if the cambelt snaps its not the end of the world.

Cambelt change £150
Oil Change £50
Tyres £60 - 80 each
About 28 - 32mpg
 
Firestar_3x said:
They cost pennys to run, nowt to go wrong really, everything is cheap, if the cambelt snaps its not the end of the world.

Cambelt change £150
Oil Change £50
Tyres £60 - 80 each
About 28 - 32mpg
Click to expand...

Cheers. What models are the ones to look out for and which are to be avoided?

edit- also, can you get classic insurance for them yet?
 
Costs me absolute buttons to run, I use it as a cheap everyday to work car - Good B road to and from work :)

As above, all the consumables are cheap, works out to be a bargain if you do the minor servicing yourself. Mine is sitting at 120k+ miles and I've never had a problem with reliability. Main thing to look out for with a car that age is rust, plenty of poor examples around. I picked mine up last Christmas around £1000 - love it.
 
Well I took my wides car into my office yesterday so got the chance to live with it for the day and properly evaluate the changes made by Centre Gravity (more about that another time), and the computer was saying 33.5mpg as an average which didn't change even with me giving it a good blat on the way home. Servicing is once a year or every 12k and comes in around £200 I believe and other than that it's normal Tyres and consumables.
 
I've got a 95 mk1 1.8. I've used mine on track and in my 4 years and 50k miles of ownership all that has gone wrong is:

1 x snapped spring.
1 x sticking brake caliper.

The cambelt is also years overdue and the only servicing I seem to get round to doing is changing the oil but it still seems faultlessly reliable. They cost nothing to run as long as you find one that isn't rusting. Check the rear arches and sill areas because the water drains from there and the holes get clogged and rust starts from the inside.

Consumables are also very cheap. Have a browse of www.mx5parts.co.uk for an idea of prices.

I paid £28 a corner for T1-Rs last time it needed tyres, then a few quid a corner fitting at a local garage.
 
What's insurance like on MX5s? Genuinely tempted to swap if I can get it decently priced. A quick Bell quote comes out at 2k :o
 
I pay £165 FC for mine, which is 1.8 uk car, its on limited mileage tho.Im 33 but all my cosmetic and suspention mods are declared.

With sites like Nutz and the OC, they really are peanuts to run, parts are cheap, yes they rust, but they arent too expensive to put right.

UK cars are easier to insure under classic policies in our experience.
 
Only time it let me down was my coolant hose burst. Got recovery home and the next day I had a new hose on it (sub £20) and refilled with coolant.

If you find insurance is fine then an import should have less rust and be better specced. I have a special edition import and mine has lots for a mk1. For example I have air con, electric windows, electric mirrors, headrest speakers (plus thumpers), LSD, bilstein shocks (which are good if you set them up correctly, which not many people realise), electric aerial, nardi torino steering wheel.
 
I might give footman james a ring tommorrow and see if they can sort me something out. Hrrm.
 
saitrix said:
Only time it let me down was my coolant hose burst. Got recovery home and the next day I had a new hose on it (sub £20) and refilled with coolant.

If you find insurance is fine then an import should have less rust and be better specced. I have a special edition import and mine has lots for a mk1. For example I have air con, electric windows, electric mirrors, headrest speakers (plus thumpers), LSD, bilstein shocks (which are good if you set them up correctly, which not many people realise), electric aerial, nardi torino steering wheel.
Click to expand...

MK1 billies are widely regarded as being a bit crashy, i tried em for a month and had to get rid, i got a decent 4 wheel alignment from A line and it it didnt really help.

Ive been impressed with mine, all ive needed in 12 months is a new rad and waterpump, other than that the car hasnt cost me any more wonga, I've even broke even on all the mods, its currently sporting a tan leather interior, i sold my old interior for more than what i paid for the leathers!

I love this car!!!! Its just such a breath of fresh air to have something so simple and soo much fun.
 
wohoo said:
Im with them, absolutely a joy to deal with.
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They were ace with me and the mini initially. Their renewal quote after my accident was not the best though, got fully comp elsewhere for cheaper... but I will see if they want to insure me on an MX5 at 18... I'm thinking unlikely.
 
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