crazy prices for rusty cars am i wrong?

[lockey1995]

So the last few months I've been looking at replacing my 97 UK mk1 with a Eunos. Mine is a little too far gone now and I really do prefer the Eunos over all. I can't seem to find one at all at the moment it's either been a complete waste of time of going because the car was rotten or they're all autos currently aha.

So my budget is 1800 at a stretch. Anyway the reason i writ the title is because my friend on the Nutz page on Facebook last night and posted some pictures of the sills from a car that someone was selling for 1750! and he had abuse thrown at him left right and center with people saying it's not that bad and if the rest of the car was clean it would be worth it a long with other insults.

Anyway the car in question was a 1994 1.8 and was pretty much standard apart from an exhaust and wheels.


My main question is it now going to be mission impossible to find a car with no sill,arch rot for my budget now the market has shifted? I don't mind surface rust or maybe one sill i could get done later in the year but definitely not rotten.



Here's the photos that got sent through by the way

[finishing touch]

That is surface rust. Trouble is it's on the inside surface and it's worked its way through.


On a more serious note it isn't strictly the sill. It's the the rear quarter panel that is spot welded to the sill and finishes by the corner of the door.
(note the vertical seam) A good car is one where these areas are original, even if they now need repair work.
I doubt you you will find a car that has had these areas professionally done within your budget.

As I see it you have two choices when it comes to purchase a 20 + year old car. Pay the price or learn how do it yourself. (No offence intended)
Paying some one else can be as expensive as buying a car thats been restored. There's savings to be made only if you do the work yourself.


This is what they look like with the bottom of the rear quarter removed. Spots cut with a "special tool."


Paul G



Cleaned & painted

[lockey1995]

Cheers, yeah i think you're right maybe getting one with one sill or something that needs doing might be in my budget i guess? In terms of finding a solid clean car as you said is probably out of reach with minters fetching 3-4 grand easily now. But if it's one sill that needed to be done or an arch I could probably drive it in the summer and get it done in the autumn/winter because i doubt it's going to totally rot out in a few months.

[finishing touch]

I strongly recommend that rust is remedied at an early stage as the longer it is left the more difficult, and therefore more expensive the repair.

[aka_kerrly]

finishing touch said:

I strongly recommend that rust is remedied at an early stage as the longer it is left the more difficult, and therefore more expensive the repair.

Absolutely, rust won't fix itself.

As a point of reference "The MX5 restorer "offer repairs from £360
https://www.themx5restorer.co.uk/services/welding-...

I do agree with you though that in general there are a lot of rusty MX5s that are far too close to £2k when I'd think £1k is fairer when there is the potential for some serious surgery if the rot has been able to get right into the sills. Study the MOT history for any clues like rust one year, excessive underseal another and evidence of fresh paint on the sills.

Here are some prime examples for an idea of how a 10p sized bit of rust can be just the beginning
https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=652547

[lockey1995]

aka_kerrly said:

Absolutely, rust won't fix itself.

As a point of reference "The MX5 restorer "offer repairs from £360
https://www.themx5restorer.co.uk/services/welding-...

I do agree with you though that in general there are a lot of rusty MX5s that are far too close to £2k when I'd think £1k is fairer when there is the potential for some serious surgery if the rot has been able to get right into the sills. Study the MOT history for any clues like rust one year, excessive underseal another and evidence of fresh paint on the sills.

Here are some prime examples for an idea of how a 10p sized bit of rust can be just the beginning
https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=652547

Yes i have been checking up Mot history on the cars now, was about to on this until the photos did get sent over, i think someone said before it doesn't come up sills does it? Is it seat belt anchorage point corroded?

[Zed.]

lockey1995 said:

I can't seem to find one at all at the moment it's either been a complete waste of time of going because the car was rotten or they're all autos

whats wrong with an auto? easily converted to manual for minimal £££'s & if the body is solid I'd buy an auto over a rotten manual :-)

Rich.