Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: MX5 Purchase
ReMan

posted on 7/2/14 at 09:57 PM Reply With Quote
MX5 Purchase

My daughters boyfriend wants them to have an MX5 (they are only young !) And needs to look at 2 tomorrow! With me, to help
So moving on…..theyve got £1200-1600 to spend following an insurance payout for his last car that was totalled by a rear ender

Not to put a kibosh on the whole sorry affair, what do I need to know, because an hour ago knew nothing was nothing.
LCB seems to say:-

Condition rather than age
Sills and rear arches rust
Mileage less of an issue if cam belt done and well serviced

Anything else major?

[Edited on 8/2/14 by ReMan]





www.plusnine.co.uk
∙،°. ˘Ô≈ôﺣ

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
gremlin1234

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:07 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Anything else major?
uk or 'grey' import, (but imports are ok too)

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
ReMan

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:11 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote:
Anything else major?
uk or 'grey' import, (but imports are ok too)

Can you elaborate please mate?





www.plusnine.co.uk
∙،°. ˘Ô≈ôﺣ

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
daniel mason

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:12 PM Reply With Quote
theres been some crackers on uphillracers recently!
the more i think about it,these seem a no brainer to me. every time ive seen one out on track,i think although im quicker,they seem happier than me
you can thrash the arse out of them.slide everywhere, then drive home with no dramas. along with the hot clios it would defo be my budget choice






View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
Jed

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:15 PM Reply With Quote
If you're looking at the Mk2 then watch out for corrosion of the front chassis rails. Just google "MX5 chassis rail corrosion".
View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
gremlin1234

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:16 PM Reply With Quote
this is an import (and properly described so)
http://locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=188642

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
ReMan

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:23 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
this is an import (and properly described so)
http://locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=188642

I've mentioned this one
Apart from being a bit of a trek it looks good, but he's not happy on picking up a cat C, concerned about his insurance being worse than ever

What is it about one that proves its an import, if not so well described?





www.plusnine.co.uk
∙،°. ˘Ô≈ôﺣ

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
cliftyhanger

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:27 PM Reply With Quote
Having bought one for a track day, and got a bit attached, I would say all they say is true.
Watch the hood, but obvious. Not so obvious ours blew a spark plug out a week after the track day. I borrows a helicoil to sort, but could have been nasty. So I would check the plugs all turn OK.
Ours is an early one,89. Idle speed is now too high, but I hope some garage time will sort that.
Engine seems unburstable, on the trackday it did double the laps of any other car, 3 drivers for part of the day, down to 2 in the afternoon. No issues at all. And the cost? £620

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
gremlin1234

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:34 PM Reply With Quote
odometer in km, and age related plates

but often described as eunos, (the name it was in japan)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunos_Roadster

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
ReMan

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:37 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
odometer in km, and age related plates

but often described as eunos, (the name it was in japan)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eunos_Roadster


Cool, what I'd expected
Thanks





www.plusnine.co.uk
∙،°. ˘Ô≈ôﺣ

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
skov

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:49 PM Reply With Quote
Check insurance costs before getting an import. My Eunos cost me almost double what I could have insured a uk model for...
View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
ste

posted on 7/2/14 at 10:53 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
this is an import (and properly described so)
http://locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=188642

I've mentioned this one
Apart from being a bit of a trek it looks good, but he's not happy on picking up a cat C, concerned about his insurance being worse than ever

What is it about one that proves its an import, if not so well described?


Hi,

That's my car there. If you are worried about cat c increasing insurance then don't. I have had many cat c and d cars and none have affected insurance cost even when declared (some don't even ask)

I did my research before I bought this car and the main issues are rust, leaking clutch cylinders and leaking roofs.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about buying a repaired car either, lots of cars are written off due to the cost and availability of panels. Insurance repairers will only use new, original parts which aren't available.

I also deliberatly went for an import as they come higher specced than UK models and have the better 1.6 engine with more power.

Make sure when you go look you take a torch and be prepared to get underneath and look at the chassis and especially the front legs. Any major rust there is an MOT failure and will end up making it a breaker.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
theconrodkid

posted on 8/2/14 at 07:21 AM Reply With Quote
Mine,well both of them are imports,the only difrence i can see is the shape of the rear number plate panel,insurance etc is all the same.
the only thing to look for is rust,the one ste is selling looks a cracker and worth the trek.
they really are fun for next to nothing





who cares who wins
pass the pork pies

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
philw

posted on 8/2/14 at 08:06 AM Reply With Quote
Sills at the front and rear, wish bones, there is more but I need to go out, in a mad rush, so in a nutshell RUST





Must try harder

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
ste

posted on 8/2/14 at 09:59 AM Reply With Quote
A few better pics of mine

Description
Description


Description
Description


Description
Description


Description
Description

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
ceebmoj

posted on 8/2/14 at 10:19 AM Reply With Quote
Two other quick ways to spot an import are

1. Rear number plate on imports is the two row type
2. Fog light will have been fit ed when impoted so tipicaly aftermarket switch and the light is in a non standard location.

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
ste

posted on 8/2/14 at 10:29 AM Reply With Quote
My fog light is a red bulb inside one of the reverse lights so it doesn't need a silly lamp hanging under the bumper.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
ceebmoj

posted on 8/2/14 at 12:36 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by ste
My fog light is a red bulb inside one of the reverse lights so it doesn't need a silly lamp hanging under the bumper.


The loom was fited for the fog light on my car so it was just a mater of adding the factory switch and bulb like you say I'm suprised that more people don't do it that way.

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Russell

posted on 8/2/14 at 01:57 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by ceebmoj
quote:
Originally posted by ste
My fog light is a red bulb inside one of the reverse lights so it doesn't need a silly lamp hanging under the bumper.


The loom was fited for the fog light on my car so it was just a mater of adding the factory switch and bulb like you say I'm suprised that more people don't do it that way.


Strictly you shouldn't do that. There is supposed to be 100mm separation between the edges of the brake lights and fog light(s). Not checked at MOT though.





I'm a bilingual illiterate. I can't read in two languages.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
ReMan

posted on 8/2/14 at 02:04 PM Reply With Quote
Well
Been an looked at the "favourite"
It didn't dissapoint
Rust spot on both front wings
Rust patch on both far wings
Outer sills repaired at rear both sides
Advisoroys on last 2 mots for:
All underneath reuty
springs rusty
suspension rusty
sbframe corroded but not yet weakened (presume front chassis)

Interior was nice and clean, engine sounded good, but I advised walking away briskly
So we'll see where we go from here after aborting the mission to look at 2 skankier ones at a swanky garage that did not return his call………….





www.plusnine.co.uk
∙،°. ˘Ô≈ôﺣ

View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
macc man

posted on 8/2/14 at 05:22 PM Reply With Quote
A bit of rust is to be expected on most pre-2000 MX5 cars. Mine is no exception. I have a Eunos 1.8 import. No extra for Insurance if you shop around. Ours is with the Co-Op. Brakes are a weak point and will need to be maintained the calipers tend to stick but are an easy fix. Engines are bomb proof and love revs. Best to go for as late a model as you can afford and try to get a hard top thrown in, you will need it for winter use. All in all the best fun you can get for very little money.
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Dave Bailey

posted on 8/2/14 at 06:32 PM Reply With Quote
I have a mate who has one for sale on the south coast near Portsmouth. He bought it a number of years back for 5700 and has spent half again on it over the years... Been garaged... Mot guys say the cleanest they have seen... Had some marks on it so he had the whole thing painted... 62000 on the clock... He wants 2k... I don't know the year but I think it is a mk2...

New roof (don't think it needed one)
New wheels and tyres.

Dave B

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.