Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)
  • Mazda MX5 midlife crisis advice please
  • fervouredimage
    Free Member

    The wife and I fancy an MX5 for a bit driving fun (we’ve had woefully dull sensible cars all our married lives). It will be purely for leisure driving, we’re never going to be doing long commutes with it. So, we’ve seen a very nice looking 1991 MX5 eunos (japanese import) with 78000 on the clock. It’s had the previously rusty sills cut out and replaced and repainted and visually looks pretty good. Starts and seems to run pretty well.

    My car knowledge is limited at best so I intend to have another look at it tomorrow, so could anyone offer any general advice on them. I hear they are a very reliable little sports car and with 78000 on the clock i should get plenty of time out of it?

    nealglover
    Free Member

    For the Mk1’s Japanese imports are a good idea as they come with better spec.

    Make sure the foglight has been done as they don’t come with one and will fail an MOT without. (More than likely been done though)

    I loved mine, great fun car to drive, like a rollerskate with a stereo.

    windydave13
    Free Member

    Buy it 😆

    Check timing belt has been done, any damage to the roof along with any signs of damp from the roof drains blocking. Bar that they’re awesome fun.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    fin25
    Free Member

    Get it, you will not regret it.
    I’ve had a 93 Eunos for 3 years, can’t fault it.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Mine is around that mileage, had it for 8 years.

    Great fun, mines been no trouble bar rust. Boot is small, but a rack allows you to strap a bag/case on (my car and rack for sale soon).

    I’m only selling as its rusting and costing a not and I don’t need it.

    Did I say great fun? Great community too, had heaps of help.

    oldnpastit
    Full Member

    I bought one about a week ago, with pretty much the same reasoning. Just do it!

    Boring stuff:

    Watch for rust.

    Also on the early Mk1’s there’s a dreaded problem to do with the crankshaft pulley snapping off, which is apparently a Bad Thing.

    FWIW, I was at an MX5 specialist garage who said he’d sell me a Mk1, sorted out and ready to go, in the colour of my choice, rust free, for about £1800.

    Woody
    Free Member

    My car knowledge is limited at best so I intend to have another look at it tomorrow

    Just remember it’s a 24 year old car. Take someone who knows about these things or if you don’t have one of those, an AA report could potentially save you a small fortune and will give you peace of mind.

    ourmaninthenorth
    Full Member

    Owned a Mk2.5 from new from 2005-2010.

    Only car I’ve ever regretted selling. Amazing and tardis-like!

    hora
    Free Member

    I was going to say would you consider a mk2.5?

    godzilla
    Free Member

    Get a later one without rust and all the other issues corrosion brings.

    oldnpastit
    Full Member

    I was going to say would you consider a mk2.5?

    Mk2 and 2.5 have a problem with the front chassis rails which rust much faster than the Mk1’s. So watch out for those. Stick your hand in behind the front wheel and poke around. Steel doesn’t bend. It’s not disastrous but it’s not ideal either.

    pirahna
    Free Member

    Just sold my sports car, the thought of going through summer without a soft top is depressing. Get the MX5, you won’t regret it.

    Sam
    Full Member

    Had a Mk1 for a while and it was fantastic – would love to have kept it but as a 4th vehicle in our household I really couldn’t justify the expense. Can’t add much to the above except do take a look around the various MX5 forums, they are a very friendly and helpful bunch on the whole.

    bombjack
    Free Member

    Had a MK2 1.8s, for about 4 years before children, loved every minute of it.
    Could even fit my road bike in the passenger seat with the hard top on, and associated gubbins in the boot.
    Will have another when the kids are big enough to appreciate it!

    fervouredimage
    Free Member

    Fantastic, sounds like the car to go for then. The one i’ve looked at has 11 months MOT with no advisories. It was imported into the UK in 2002 So has spent half its life in Japan. Its very clean and the current owner has certainly spent a lot of time getting it back to its aesthetic best.

    I’ll make a point to take a look underneath for rust – the sills were cut out and done as they were previously badly rusted.

    flyingmonkeycorps
    Full Member

    Buy it. If the sills have been done that’s the main thing that can go wrong. I *think* the problem with the crank pulley snapping was only with a specific engine, I think on the 1.6 – short nose crank? Might be worth looking into.

    I have a 2.5, the sills are starting to go and I’m dreading what’s happening to the chassis rails… with the mk1 you don’t have that issue.

    munrobiker
    Free Member

    oldnpastit bought ours. I have been regretting it. And getting cross at people driving them over the past few days with the roof up- I now no longer have the option to lower my roof so why is the ability to be drop it being wasted on you? 😉

    Amazing fun for little money and little power, cheap, easy to look after, comfortable, great community around them which is very helpful and it makes driving places feel like an occasion. When we have the funds for a third car we’ll buy another, possibly a Mk1 if it’s only doing a couple of thousand miles a year. Possibly even a 1.6- power isn’t the point with them.

    I think the main issues of timing belt and rust have been highlighted above.

    flyingmonkeycorps
    Full Member

    Oh – and make sure you clean out your drain holes regularly. That will help prevent rust a bit.

    nealglover
    Free Member

    FWIW, I was at an MX5 specialist garage who said he’d sell me a Mk1, sorted out and ready to go, in the colour of my choice, rust free, for about £1800.

    Where was that.

    I want another one now.

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    Get an MR2 instead?

    MX-5’s used to be stupid cheap but they’re back in vogue again now – but the MR2 isn’t – for the same sort of money as a 20+ year old MX5 you can get a 10 year old MR2 or newer, just as fun to drive, a bit more edgy and aggressive than the MX-5, just as 2 seater, just as convertible – but don’t rust nearly as much and if you pay a bit more for a 6 speed / post 2003 car they’re very reliable.

    leegee
    Full Member

    I bought one a few years ago and I never hated a car more. I bought a good one that had the rot sorted but it was just dull. I recommend you try before you buy.

Viewing 21 posts - 1 through 21 (of 21 total)

The topic ‘Mazda MX5 midlife crisis advice please’ is closed to new replies.