Any MX5 Gurus on here?

[dc2100k]

Quick query really... I’ve been offered a very cheap Mk.2 MX5 from an estate sale. It’s a 1999 1.8 S as per the V5 which I took to mean a 1.8iS model which should feature the sought-after Torsen LSD diff. The car is rough but running and with a newly extended MOT. However I’ve got some photos of the car through and I’m finding it hard to identify whether it’s likely to have the LSD. Anybody on here good at identifying old MX5 spec levels?

For information it’s got ABS, electric windows, chromed sill covers which point to 1.8iS but its not got the Nardi wheel, just the four spoke Mazda wheel. The seats appear to be Mk2.5 leather seats and it’s got aftermarket alloys which don’t help identifying it as a 1.8iS. Anyone got any ideas?

[Xcore]

Get it up in the air and check for rust.

[Wacky Racer]

Xcore said:

Get it up in the air and check for rust.

This.

[T5SOR]

Yes, rust is pretty much the only thing, but even that can be rectified. Not a lot can go wrong mechanically.

I am trying to get another Mk1.

[dc2100k]

The car is frilly to say the least. I’m too far away to go and have a look at it on the off chance, and the price is low enough that I can drive it home and then move it on without financial loss when it turns out to be completely rotten!

But obviously it’s much more desirable to a breaker with a Torsen diff, hence my original question.

[maz8062]

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[aka_kerrly]

Wacky Racer said:

Xcore said:

Get it up in the air and check for rust.

This.

Its OK he has a 6 month mot extension, get it cheap then never jack it up to see the extent of the rot and flog it as soon as cars have to go through Mots again

[Planet Claire]

Yes, your 1.8iS should have a TorSen diff.
https://mighty5s.com/thread/252/mk2-limited-slip-d...

[dc2100k]

aka_kerrly said:

Its OK he has a 6 month mot extension, get it cheap then never jack it up to see the extent of the rot and flog it as soon as cars have to go through Mots again

That’s exactly the spirit! The car appears to have at least two rusty arches but someone put new sills on it a few years ago and one of the chassis legs was done so it might not be terminal!

[MG CHRIS]

Do a rolling burnout soon see if has a lsd.

[dc2100k]

Planet Claire said:

Yes, your 1.8iS should have a TorSen diff.
https://mighty5s.com/thread/252/mk2-limited-slip-d...

Thanks for this. It’s clear that the NB 1.8iS has LSD but what’s unclear is if this car (1.8 S as per V5) is a 1.8iS or a separate model below this but above the base 1.8.

[Planet Claire]

I think it was only the 1.8iS that had ABS as standard, which you say yours has, and the sill guards. I think the iS also had 'tweeter' speakers - I think these are the ones in the door, next to the wing mirror (not the main ones lower down).

I'm in lockdown away from home so don't have access to my spec sheets .

[dc2100k]

Perfect. This has ABS, sill guards, tweeters and electric mirrors so should be an iS. It’s just the steering wheel which doesn’t seem right. It appears to be leather but the Mazda four spoke type - was this an option for any model years?

[Planet Claire]

Oh yeah, electric mirros and ariel... forgot about those.
Is it possible that the car has been in a shunt and the airbag has gone off, hence the 4-spoke one as a replacement? It did appear on some basic models but I'm sure the iS was a three-spoke (mines a limited edition based on an iS but has its own colour coded Nardi wheel so I don't know off hand about the standard version).

[dc2100k]

Thanks for the advice Planet Claire. To be honest I don’t really know anything about the car except it’s cheap and running. Think I’ll take a punt on it and see where it takes me!