where are the used mx-5s advertised?

[bompey]

Hi,

Does the MX-5 owners club website advertise cars for sale and if so where?
I sold my mk2 because it wouldn't take a child's seat in the front due to the airbags. I'm now looking for a mk1 in as good a condition as possible for a 10 yr old car but don't know where to look apart from autotrader and the PH classifieds.
Any other suggestions - I'm in sevenoaks in kent

Regards

[Kinky]

Only 137 for sale in the Pistonheads classifieds: www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?s=57

K

Edited by Kinky on Monday 21st May 13:23

[speedychrissie]

or here:

www.mx5ocforum.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=20&sid=dcc397747244f7595d590e92bd010bef

[bompey]

Thanks. Believe it or not when looking for a mk1 that's a UK 5 rather than an imported eunos it gets limited.

[redgriff500]

Yeah.. cos you'd want the one that has less options and is more likely to be rotten underneath from at least 9 salty winters...

I never understand this strange attitude toward imports.

Edited by redgriff500 on Saturday 26th May 14:26

[Pierscoe1]

following on from this... does anyone have any really good links for imported mx5's??

(not here or the OC)

specifically, I'm after a mk2.5 import.. but nowhere seems to have any...

[Andy G Bmth]

does it have to be an import?

what budget did you have in mind?

[Munter]

Do a search for dandy cars they'll probably have one or get you one. Might not be the cheapest supplier though.

[hornetrider]

None of the importers are cheap. They still try to still some Mk1 ltd editions for 6k plus! Dandycars cars are apparently immaculately prepared, but you pay for it big time.

Much better to let someone else take the hit and pick up a cherished one 2nd hand, imo

[Pierscoe1]

doesn't have to be an import.. but it MUST be a mk2.5 with the LSD, 6-speed box, AND aircon.

loads of UK mk2.5 Sports around.. but finding one with aircon... rarer than rocking horse poo!

plus, imports are usually to clean and rust/crap/crud/gunk free underneath/in the engine-bay compared to uk cars.. and also, the RS (japanese version of the Sport) has very funky dials that start with the needles at 6 o'clock.. not really a reason, but I like them anyhow

I've looked on dandycars... some very nice cars on there actually... I may get in contact with them.. they're not cheap though:

Parkers Guide, UK 2000 reg 1.8 Sport, 60k
£7,700

DandyCars, Japanese Type-RS, 51k / 67k
£8,200 / £7,400

now if hte only had a black or white RS with <45k on it...


edited to ad: Hornetrider.. if you see any chrished ones in this country, to the above spec.. please post 'em up here!!

Edited by Pierscoe1 on Wednesday 30th May 21:28

[MX-5 Lazza]

Pierscoe1 said:

doesn't have to be an import.. but it MUST be a mk2.5 with the LSD, 6-speed box, AND aircon.

loads of UK mk2.5 Sports around.. but finding one with aircon... rarer than rocking horse poo!

I found mine (UK Mk2.5 Sport with LSD, 6-speed box AND aircon, less than 3 years old with 10412 miles, 17" OZ SuperTurissmo wheels and custom light grey heated leather seats) in Autotrader online.
It was owned by a woman in Southend so I had to trek across there to look at it on a Saturday and then get a lift with a (very good) mate on Sunday to buy it. A bit of a pain in the arse but it had exactly the spec I wanted so it was well worth the trip.
There was one other one I fancied (similar spec but tan interior) but that was in Edinborough and that was a little too far to go

[DennisTheMenace]

redgriff500 said:

Yeah.. cos you'd want the one that has less options and is more likely to be rotten underneath from at least 9 salty winters...

I never understand this strange attitude toward imports.

Edited by redgriff500 on Saturday 26th May 14:26

Mines clean as a whistle underneath (95 uk spec 1.8)
also not all of us want the electric windows aircon cl power steering etc weighing down our roadster

Edited by DennisTheMenace on Wednesday 30th May 23:04

[Andy G Bmth]

Pierscoe1 said:

doesn't have to be an import.. but it MUST be a mk2.5 with the LSD, 6-speed box, AND aircon.

loads of UK mk2.5 Sports around.. but finding one with aircon... rarer than rocking horse poo!

plus, imports are usually to clean and rust/crap/crud/gunk free underneath/in the engine-bay compared to uk cars.. and also, the RS (japanese version of the Sport) has very funky dials that start with the needles at 6 o'clock.. not really a reason, but I like them anyhow

I've looked on dandycars... some very nice cars on there actually... I may get in contact with them.. they're not cheap though:

Parkers Guide, UK 2000 reg 1.8 Sport, 60k
£7,700

DandyCars, Japanese Type-RS, 51k / 67k
£8,200 / £7,400

now if hte only had a black or white RS with <45k on it...


edited to ad: Hornetrider.. if you see any chrished ones in this country, to the above spec.. please post 'em up here!!

Edited by Pierscoe1 on Wednesday 30th May 21:28

Mine's a 2001 mk 2.5 i.8iS SVT-Sport with 60k, has everything apart from aircon, including heated seats, Mazda History, Cambelt change etc. I would let it go for around 7k as i need a quick sale.

email me at [e-mail] for more details

Andy

[hornetrider]

I went for an import as I wanted aircon - was a must for me. Its invaluable for those warm-ish rainy days!

Before I bought my Mk1 I was looking for a Mk2 RS-Limited as it had the spec I wanted (and sounds like what you want as well), but they go so quickly, you really have to check Autotrader every day.

Thing is, the more research I did, the more I found out that the general consensus is that the Mk1 is the better drivers car - more raw than the Mk2 (though the 2.5 is better than 2).

So instead I changed my mind, found a gorgeous Mk1 limited edition, bought that and saved myself about 4 grand.

Oh, a footnote on 6 speed. Don't know if I'm teaching my granny to suck eggs here, but I was initally after a 6 speeder to give more relaxed cruising on m'ways etc... but after doing my research found that the final drive in the 6 speed car is actually shorter than the 5 speed!!

[MX-5 Lazza]

hornetrider said:

Oh, a footnote on 6 speed. Don't know if I'm teaching my granny to suck eggs here, but I was initally after a 6 speeder to give more relaxed cruising on m'ways etc... but after doing my research found that the final drive in the 6 speed car is actually shorter than the 5 speed!!

I think you should revisit your homework. The final drive on a 6-speed is longer than the 5-speed.
A 5-speed will allow a top speed (rev-limiter in 5th) of 137mph whereas a 6-speed (rev-limiter in 6th) will go a touch over 160mph, not that any stock MX-5 can reach those speeds.

What might be confusing you is that the 5th gear ratio on a 6-speed is shorter than the 5th gear ratio on the 5-speed but 6th is well above that. Motorway driving with a 6-speed is much more relaxed than a 5-speed (though it's no more economical).

[redgriff500]

The difference is the DIFF.

The 6 speed has a higher (numerically lower) ratio diff.

IIRC the 1.8 5 speed 4.1 : 1
6 Speed 3.6 : 1

So you need to take that into account when looking at the gear ratios.

[anonymous-user]

Only the 2.5 Sport has the 3.6 diff, the other 6 speeders have a 3.9. There are also 4.1 or 4.3 ratio diffs available on various other models at different times.

A while back, whilst trying to choose the best diff ratio for my Frankenstein's Miata, I built a spreadsheet working out the overall ratio for all combinations of the 5 and 6 speed boxes and the different diffs. What I found was that the overall ratio of 1st to 5th with the 4.3 diff in my '91 1.6 was near enough exactly the same as 1st to 5th in the 6 speeder with the 3.6 diff, giving 6th for more relaxed cruising.

[hornetrider]

It was certainly a while back, but I dug round - here's the thread on the OC that I got my info from

http://www.mx5ocforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=40304

On Page 2:

5-speed with 4.1 diff (stock 1994-1997 setup) and a 7200rpm redline
1st gear: 37.8mph
2nd gear: 62.78mph
3rd gear: 89.12mph
4th gear: 118.53mph
5th gear: 145.61mph (3250rpm @ 65.73mph)

5-speed with a 3.909 diff @ 7200rpm:
1st gear: 39.64mph
2nd gear: 65.85mph
3rd gear: 93.48mph
4th gear: 124.33mph
5th gear: 152.73mph (3064.16rpm @ 65mph in 5th)

5-speed with a 3.636 diff @ 7200rpm:
1st gear: 42.62mph
2nd gear: 70.79mph
3rd gear: 100.5mph
4th gear: 133.66mph
5th gear: 164.20mph (2850.17rpm @ 65mph in 5th)

6-speed with a 3.909 diff (stock 1999+ setup) and a 7200rpm redline
1st gear: 33.07mph
2nd gear: 54.79mph
3rd gear: 75.58mph
4th gear: 98.91mph
5th gear: 124.33mph
6th gear: 147.48mph (3200rpm @ 65.55mph)

6-speed with 3.636 diff and a 7200rpm redline
1st gear: 35.55mph
2nd gear: 58.91mph
3rd gear: 81.25mph
4th gear: 106.33mph
5th gear: 133.66mph
6th gear: 158.55mph (2950rpm @ 64.96mph)


So yes, you're right, the 6 speed is just taller, but not significantly so. I was expecting a mega leggy ultra relaxed top gear for uber motorway cruising, when in fact the benefit is virtually nil, or only slightly better with the "taller" diff.

But then I went and bought the ltd ed which has the 4.3:1 final drive, making it even shorter, doh!!

Edited by hornetrider on Thursday 31st May 13:23

[redgriff500]

Yes I fancied a tall 6th but I don't think std cars would pull it as they haven't got much torque.

I think a 3.6 would suit my 5 speed SC well and a high 6th would be lovely.

Apparently this can be pinched from other boxes but I can't be bothered.

[Munter]

I think you can steal parts from the RX7 'box to create a high 5th but I dont know anybody who has...