Buying mk2 with repaired sills
Discussion
Hi guys
I am looking at a possible purchase of a mk2 18is. We already have one MX5 in the house (a mint mk2 Icon), however this one will be a bit cheaper for me to use during lockdown to go on a few joyrides and generally potter around in - but also not need to spend ££££s on.
I've found a car that looks great and is on its 4th owner, clearly an enthusiast, SORN and garaged each winter. around £2.5k
It has had a double sill repair. Originally it was poorly done and the new owner spent £800 getting them redone in 2015 at CBS Autos.
Owner says no other rust known and nothing has come up in any service or MOT since the sill repair (MOT history shows corrosion advisories twice before the repair but not since).
Would the fact that it has had this repair put anyone off, or conversely be more welcome than a car with no rust history at all?
It seems good value and well-loved. I just don't know if there is any value in waiting for the 'perfect' car with no history of corrosion at all.
Any advice would be appreciated, and of course any other checks to make when viewing would be appreciated!
Cheers!
I am looking at a possible purchase of a mk2 18is. We already have one MX5 in the house (a mint mk2 Icon), however this one will be a bit cheaper for me to use during lockdown to go on a few joyrides and generally potter around in - but also not need to spend ££££s on.
I've found a car that looks great and is on its 4th owner, clearly an enthusiast, SORN and garaged each winter. around £2.5k
It has had a double sill repair. Originally it was poorly done and the new owner spent £800 getting them redone in 2015 at CBS Autos.
Owner says no other rust known and nothing has come up in any service or MOT since the sill repair (MOT history shows corrosion advisories twice before the repair but not since).
Would the fact that it has had this repair put anyone off, or conversely be more welcome than a car with no rust history at all?
It seems good value and well-loved. I just don't know if there is any value in waiting for the 'perfect' car with no history of corrosion at all.
Any advice would be appreciated, and of course any other checks to make when viewing would be appreciated!
Cheers!
The problem is that finding a MK2 with original solid unrepaired sills is going to be very had indeed. A good quality repair most certainly shouldn't put you off. Don't forget to check the front chassis rails too.
A good MK2 is brilliant to drive - arguably a lot better than a MK1.The problem is that 95% of them are rusty as hell. Good ones are being sought out and decent money paid ( I deal in MX5s so this is my world...)
A good MK2 is brilliant to drive - arguably a lot better than a MK1.The problem is that 95% of them are rusty as hell. Good ones are being sought out and decent money paid ( I deal in MX5s so this is my world...)
Just had my Arctic Mk 2 sills done by our local lad. I provided him with primer, paint and lacquer and he did a brilliant job not just on the welding but also the paint, it now looks factory fresh. I'm probably imagining it but the car feels 'tighter' than it did before the welding. We followed that job up with Waxoyling so we're hoping for a good few years more out of the car, which Mrs B and I both love. Altogether (sills and Waxoyling) it cost us under £600 which I think is good value for the amount of work. I wouldn't be put off by a car with repaired sills.
P.s. for this bit...
RicD said:
...
It seems good value and well-loved. I just don't know if there is any value in waiting for the 'perfect' car with no history of corrosion at all.
...
Cheers!
You'll be waiting for eternity! Having owned 4 mk1s and a MK3, they all rust. I've come to grudgingly accept it now.It seems good value and well-loved. I just don't know if there is any value in waiting for the 'perfect' car with no history of corrosion at all.
...
Cheers!
Ditto what others have said - those sills look very well finished although of course it’s impossible to know how thorough the job inside was without pics of the repair in progress. In my experience, dodgy repair work on the inside is usually followed by less than perfect paint and finish on the outside, so you can probably have some comfort in that the external finish is so clean. Also, dodgy internal work would have likely resulted in visible bumps and inconsistencies by now, given the work was done 5 years ago. So I think I’d be fairly confident it’s a decent job.
Up front the chassis rails look pretty good too. Cleaner than most although still worth a good “fingering” to see if u can feel anything that feels bumpy, crunchy or inconsistent.
If you’ve already got a mint one in the garage, then I’d say it’s worth a punt on this as a more usable one that’s still very tidy and presentable. Just don’t drive it on salty roads as no matter how good it is, a 20 year old Mazda won’t stay rust-free for long with salty water splashing up all over it...
B.
Up front the chassis rails look pretty good too. Cleaner than most although still worth a good “fingering” to see if u can feel anything that feels bumpy, crunchy or inconsistent.
If you’ve already got a mint one in the garage, then I’d say it’s worth a punt on this as a more usable one that’s still very tidy and presentable. Just don’t drive it on salty roads as no matter how good it is, a 20 year old Mazda won’t stay rust-free for long with salty water splashing up all over it...
B.
bmv6197 said:
Ditto what others have said - those sills look very well finished although of course it’s impossible to know how thorough the job inside was without pics of the repair in progress. In my experience, dodgy repair work on the inside is usually followed by less than perfect paint and finish on the outside, so you can probably have some comfort in that the external finish is so clean. Also, dodgy internal work would have likely resulted in visible bumps and inconsistencies by now, given the work was done 5 years ago. So I think I’d be fairly confident it’s a decent job.
Up front the chassis rails look pretty good too. Cleaner than most although still worth a good “fingering” to see if u can feel anything that feels bumpy, crunchy or inconsistent.
If you’ve already got a mint one in the garage, then I’d say it’s worth a punt on this as a more usable one that’s still very tidy and presentable. Just don’t drive it on salty roads as no matter how good it is, a 20 year old Mazda won’t stay rust-free for long with salty water splashing up all over it...
B.
Best way of checking internals is to use an endoscope on your smart phone. You can poke it into various holes along the chassis rails and see if the repairs have been done properly. I agree that a tidy exterior finish to repairs can indicate care has been taken but it isn't a guarantee.Up front the chassis rails look pretty good too. Cleaner than most although still worth a good “fingering” to see if u can feel anything that feels bumpy, crunchy or inconsistent.
If you’ve already got a mint one in the garage, then I’d say it’s worth a punt on this as a more usable one that’s still very tidy and presentable. Just don’t drive it on salty roads as no matter how good it is, a 20 year old Mazda won’t stay rust-free for long with salty water splashing up all over it...
B.
If you do buy it, either take it back to CBS or down to Gareth (The MX5 Restorer) in Brighton to get the chassis rails and the inner sills and other cavities protected. It looks pretty much spotless at the moment but if you plan to use it in wet or even cold weather, the rust will strike back! It would be well worth doing and would protect the investment.
Slightly off topic but just wanted to say what wonderful little things these Mk 2s are. Plenty of performance for the UK, great handling, and the reliability on both of the ones we've owned has been exemplary, just the usual things like seizing brake calipers and squeaky alternator belt which is easily fixed at home in under a minute. Fabulous cars that always bring a smile to your face.
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