Discussion
Peter JC said:
I’m about to buy an MX5 and wondered what the common pitfalls are. Any help from the piston heads forum would be extremely valuable ??? Cheers PeterJC
What age and Mark of MX-5 are you buying? Been around since 1989, and still being made today in it's Mk4 (ND) variant....Peter JC said:
Hi everyone,
So I’m new to piston heads !
I’m about to buy an MX5 and wondered what the common pitfalls are. Any help from the piston heads forum would be extremely valuable ??? Cheers PeterJC
Pro: every generation has been excellent fun to drive. So I’m new to piston heads !
I’m about to buy an MX5 and wondered what the common pitfalls are. Any help from the piston heads forum would be extremely valuable ??? Cheers PeterJC
Con: every generation has been slow compared to the contemporary alternatives.
A very important pro is that they're plentiful and attract a decent number of enthusiasts, so there is a lot of information and parts if you are inclined to try fixing/upgrading stuff yourself.
A potential con is the interior size: unless you are quite compactly-proportioned I'd suggest trying to get into one as well, roof up. If you are an above-averagely sized man then you will struggle to get in, let alone drive it comfortably. There's always someone who says "I'm 6 foot 6 and I drive an MX-5!" but when you delve into it they've removed the padding from the seat, modified the rails, swapped the steering wheel for a smaller one, drive in socks and grease themselves up to get through the door, and they still barely fit despite being stick-thin.
Yeah just rust really. Earlier ones don't like sitting with ignition on/engine off - they tend to cook their coil packs. Not the end of the world but the car is undrivable if that happens. Parts are relatively expensive so be wary about buying one with stuff such as interior trim obviously broken - it may cost more than you think to replace.
The rust tends to be common on front inner wheel arches Infront and above sills, rear wheel arches inner and outer (where they meet), sills, floor just inboard of sills and if it goes beyond that the chassis rails. Edges of doorskins sometimes. None of it is super-expensive to fix but again parts prices are high and anything involving paint will get expensive fairly quickly. Usually when you cut into a car (any) to deal with rust you find more work than was apparent before cutting.
As to size, I'm about the comfortable limit. I'm 5'10" with a 34" inside leg to give an idea of proportions. Any taller in the back and my head will be into the slipstream with roof down and in the passenger seat (I've had NBs) I need the seat all the way back for my legs.
Good cars though.
The rust tends to be common on front inner wheel arches Infront and above sills, rear wheel arches inner and outer (where they meet), sills, floor just inboard of sills and if it goes beyond that the chassis rails. Edges of doorskins sometimes. None of it is super-expensive to fix but again parts prices are high and anything involving paint will get expensive fairly quickly. Usually when you cut into a car (any) to deal with rust you find more work than was apparent before cutting.
As to size, I'm about the comfortable limit. I'm 5'10" with a 34" inside leg to give an idea of proportions. Any taller in the back and my head will be into the slipstream with roof down and in the passenger seat (I've had NBs) I need the seat all the way back for my legs.
Good cars though.
Again, rust! I've only had an NB so can't comment on others, but the chassis rails rust out and costs a couple of grand to get sorted. They aren't particularly fast, or practical, or good on fuel, but they really are brilliant to drive. Real old school fun, if I had the money to buy another one that had been sorted I wouldn't hesitate.
jamieduff1981 said:
As to size, I'm about the comfortable limit. I'm 5'10" with a 34" inside leg to give an idea of proportions. Any taller in the back and my head will be into the slipstream with roof down and in the passenger seat (I've had NBs) I need the seat all the way back for my legs.
If you don't fit into an NA/NB, then the NC has a bit more room inside, I think most people would fit into one of those.If you need to worry about ULEZ you can't get a Mk1 (aka NA), you need at least a later, 1.8 Mk2.5. (NB). The Mk3 (NC) put on a little weight and flared the wheel arches, the current Mk 4 (ND) lost the weight again and added more power. all fun, even the more portly retractable hardtop RF versions.
Just jumping in here as I am also looking for one mainly for track days with some roof down fun
At 6'1 I am on the limit I think, most of my height is in the torso as well which I am not sure is the greatest combo
Looking at £1500-£2000 and have ULEZ considerations so thinking NB/NC
NB is older but less to go wrong barring rust
NC looks like just creeping into budget but heard horror stories about the engine, is it that bad?
At 6'1 I am on the limit I think, most of my height is in the torso as well which I am not sure is the greatest combo
Looking at £1500-£2000 and have ULEZ considerations so thinking NB/NC
NB is older but less to go wrong barring rust
NC looks like just creeping into budget but heard horror stories about the engine, is it that bad?
LandieMark said:
We've had our 2.0 NC since 2010, put 30k or so on it and all it's had is basic servicing. Engine is fine. It gets driven hard whenever I drive it too.
I've had to deal with the rust issue. Had the subframes removed a couple of years ago and everything was refurbished and undsrsealed.
Yeah I think it's just at 2k I'll be scraping the barrel for NC and if they also rust then maybe an NB that is sorted might be betterI've had to deal with the rust issue. Had the subframes removed a couple of years ago and everything was refurbished and undsrsealed.
Saying that it'll largely come down to what I fit in
I'm 6ft1 and have an NB as a project / weekend / toy car.
My eye line is at the same level as the top of the windscreen, and it's not overly comfy with the roof up, but to be fair I only use it on days I can drive it with the roof down!
Great fun though.
Again, rust, rust, rust. For the NB it's sills, rear wheel arches and chassis rails.
Mine had the first two sorted in the last 12 months, but will need the chassis rails sorting in the next year or so.
Thankfully it never gets driven (or left out) in wet weather, and will be garaged over winter so fingers crossed I'll get a few good summers out of it.
My eye line is at the same level as the top of the windscreen, and it's not overly comfy with the roof up, but to be fair I only use it on days I can drive it with the roof down!
Great fun though.
Again, rust, rust, rust. For the NB it's sills, rear wheel arches and chassis rails.
Mine had the first two sorted in the last 12 months, but will need the chassis rails sorting in the next year or so.
Thankfully it never gets driven (or left out) in wet weather, and will be garaged over winter so fingers crossed I'll get a few good summers out of it.
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