Discussion
I am looking to buy an MX5 for the summer and maybe to keep for a while, so I thought I would ask a few questions on here…
I am looking for a car with the pop up headlights, what was the last year they did these?
What are the desirable things to have on the car, specification wise?
What do I look for before parting with the cash?
Condition is more important than year, where is the best place to look to buy one? Are there any user gropes with for sale sections?
Any advice greatly received! I am keen to buy a good one!
I am looking for a car with the pop up headlights, what was the last year they did these?
What are the desirable things to have on the car, specification wise?
What do I look for before parting with the cash?
Condition is more important than year, where is the best place to look to buy one? Are there any user gropes with for sale sections?
Any advice greatly received! I am keen to buy a good one!
buzzer said:
I am looking for a car with the pop up headlights, what was the last year they did these?
1998
What are the desirable things to have on the car, specification wise?
That's a bit of a hornets nest on here. There are loads of differently specs when it comes to imports with plenty of fancy extras on (air con, leather, LSD etc) and most people have different opinions about which is best.
For UK Mk1s, the 1.8iS is the top spec although there were a few later special editions that often had leather but often lost out on things like electric windows and an airbag.
Really, it's a case of finding an edition that has all the kit you want and only you know what you're looking for.
What do I look for before parting with the cash?
Usual used car checks plus MX-5 specific: rust on the sills in front of the rear wheelarch, condition of the hood, and whether the cambelt has been changed when it should (60000 miles).
Condition is more important than year, where is the best place to look to buy one?
There are plenty of specialists (Sam Goodwin, Supercarclassics, Dandy Cars) that will sell you a good car at a premium but I'd keep your eye on the private sales. (Shameless plug: I may be selling mine soon if it's of any interest and she's a beauty.)
Are there any user gropes with for sale sections?
For groping I'd visit the P&P, although I think the OC Forum has a classifieds section if that's more what you're after.
Any advice greatly received! I am keen to buy a good one!
1998
What are the desirable things to have on the car, specification wise?
That's a bit of a hornets nest on here. There are loads of differently specs when it comes to imports with plenty of fancy extras on (air con, leather, LSD etc) and most people have different opinions about which is best.
For UK Mk1s, the 1.8iS is the top spec although there were a few later special editions that often had leather but often lost out on things like electric windows and an airbag.
Really, it's a case of finding an edition that has all the kit you want and only you know what you're looking for.
What do I look for before parting with the cash?
Usual used car checks plus MX-5 specific: rust on the sills in front of the rear wheelarch, condition of the hood, and whether the cambelt has been changed when it should (60000 miles).
Condition is more important than year, where is the best place to look to buy one?
There are plenty of specialists (Sam Goodwin, Supercarclassics, Dandy Cars) that will sell you a good car at a premium but I'd keep your eye on the private sales. (Shameless plug: I may be selling mine soon if it's of any interest and she's a beauty.)
Are there any user gropes with for sale sections?
For groping I'd visit the P&P, although I think the OC Forum has a classifieds section if that's more what you're after.
Any advice greatly received! I am keen to buy a good one!
Edited by Wigeon Incognito on Wednesday 9th January 14:12
As above, which one you go for is a matter of personal choice really. I've always had Eunos Roadsters (the one sold to the Japanese market). The were all built on the same production lines and, aside from minor spec/trim differences, all markets around the world got the same car whether it was badged MX-5, Roadster, Miata, etc.
You've got a choice of two engine sizes, 1.6 & 1.8. They look very similar so check the V5 or VIN plate. 1.6 cars will begin NA6C, 1.8 cars begin with NA8C. Some UK 1.6 cars had as little as 90bhp but other (identical) cars from a different production year had a fair bit more. I never did understand how to spot the differences! The Japanese cars were never fitted with the lower powered variant of the 1.6.
I haven't owned one for a while now but from memory the Japanese 1.8 models from 1995 onwards came with a Torsen LSD etc which UK cars never had.
There are other features like air con (which, while hardly essential, is handy for clearing the screen in winter).
Japanese shaken tests (like our MOTs) mean that general roadworthiness standards are often better than cars from the UK. Additionally, the bodywork is generally in better condition as the Japanese don't salt their roads. The average annual mileage seems lower in Japan too. While evidence of servicing rarely accompanies the cars on their journey over here, it doesn't mean they haven't been serviced. If the car's done over 100,000kms, check that there is a silver sticker at the front of the cam cover with a kilometre figure on it - this tells you when the cambelt was changed.
Other common areas where problems can occur include:
Electric windows (prone to slowing or sticking)
Noisy tappets - for a few minutes after start up this is fine, if it continues, investigate further.
Dampness in the boot (often because the plastic rail that the base of the hood sits in has perished)
Hood damage - the area above the windows can develop cracks if the hood is old.
Air con - check that the revs rise when it's switched on and that the resulting air is nice and cold. Earlier cars were filled with R12 and cannot be easily regassed. Later cars had R134a which is still in use today.
Bodywork - check for rust around the wheel arches. Check panel gaps and look for signs of respray work.
Usually the above are neither difficult nor expensive to rectify.
There were plenty of Japanese special editions to chose from - some, like the v-special had leather & wood if you like that sort of thing, others like the RS-Ltd had bucket seats and Bilstein suspension. The S-Special is a decent package that offers better suspension and a reasonable level of equipment.
I'm not trying to put you off UK cars, I just think that because of the excellent reliability of the MX-5, the main advantage of UK cars (service history) isn't as vital as it would be if we were talking about some handbuilt Italian V12.
Personally I'd get a post 1995 1.8 Eunos Roadster but whichever model you go for, you'll get a reliable, simple to maintain, fun, cheap, great handling car!
You've got a choice of two engine sizes, 1.6 & 1.8. They look very similar so check the V5 or VIN plate. 1.6 cars will begin NA6C, 1.8 cars begin with NA8C. Some UK 1.6 cars had as little as 90bhp but other (identical) cars from a different production year had a fair bit more. I never did understand how to spot the differences! The Japanese cars were never fitted with the lower powered variant of the 1.6.
I haven't owned one for a while now but from memory the Japanese 1.8 models from 1995 onwards came with a Torsen LSD etc which UK cars never had.
There are other features like air con (which, while hardly essential, is handy for clearing the screen in winter).
Japanese shaken tests (like our MOTs) mean that general roadworthiness standards are often better than cars from the UK. Additionally, the bodywork is generally in better condition as the Japanese don't salt their roads. The average annual mileage seems lower in Japan too. While evidence of servicing rarely accompanies the cars on their journey over here, it doesn't mean they haven't been serviced. If the car's done over 100,000kms, check that there is a silver sticker at the front of the cam cover with a kilometre figure on it - this tells you when the cambelt was changed.
Other common areas where problems can occur include:
Electric windows (prone to slowing or sticking)
Noisy tappets - for a few minutes after start up this is fine, if it continues, investigate further.
Dampness in the boot (often because the plastic rail that the base of the hood sits in has perished)
Hood damage - the area above the windows can develop cracks if the hood is old.
Air con - check that the revs rise when it's switched on and that the resulting air is nice and cold. Earlier cars were filled with R12 and cannot be easily regassed. Later cars had R134a which is still in use today.
Bodywork - check for rust around the wheel arches. Check panel gaps and look for signs of respray work.
Usually the above are neither difficult nor expensive to rectify.
There were plenty of Japanese special editions to chose from - some, like the v-special had leather & wood if you like that sort of thing, others like the RS-Ltd had bucket seats and Bilstein suspension. The S-Special is a decent package that offers better suspension and a reasonable level of equipment.
I'm not trying to put you off UK cars, I just think that because of the excellent reliability of the MX-5, the main advantage of UK cars (service history) isn't as vital as it would be if we were talking about some handbuilt Italian V12.
Personally I'd get a post 1995 1.8 Eunos Roadster but whichever model you go for, you'll get a reliable, simple to maintain, fun, cheap, great handling car!
Edited by Risotto on Wednesday 9th January 14:03
Edited by Risotto on Wednesday 9th January 14:37
Risotto said:
You've got a choice of two engine sizes, 1.6 & 1.8. They look very similar so check the VIN plate. 1.6 cars will begin NA6C, 1.8 cars begin with NA8C. Some UK 1.6 cars had as little as 90bhp but other (identical) cars from a different production year had a fair bit more. I never did understand how to spot the differences! The Japanese cars were never fitted with the lower powered variant of the 1.6.
It's simple really...The 114bhp 1.6 engine was used from 1989 to 1993. This was the same in all markets.
In 1993 the 130bhp 1.8 was introduced in all markets.
In 1994 an 88bhp 1.6 was introduced to some european markets for cheaper insurance reasons.
There was no time when the 115bhp and 88bhp 1.6 engines were sold next to each other.
Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Wednesday 9th January 15:07
Ditto (I have a 1.8 import with aircon 
)
Classifieds on www.mx5oc.co.uk , www.mx5nutz.co.uk , and here.
Imports have much better kit (better audio, LSDs, air con, electric stuff) which might seem pointless on a fun roadster is really useful even if it's a second car. Air con is great for demisting.
As already said, look out for rusty sills, and try to get one that has had regular oil changes. High mileage nothing to be scared of. My '94 had 50k miles when I bought it, and due to the low miles the oil changes had been neglected. The startup top end rattle goes away, but sometimes comes back and sounds rubbish. You can flush/change the oil but if its gunged up then short of replacing the hydraulic lifters there's not much to be done. Doesn't affect performance or reliability, just a bit annoying! Need to flush mine a couple more times.
)Classifieds on www.mx5oc.co.uk , www.mx5nutz.co.uk , and here.
Imports have much better kit (better audio, LSDs, air con, electric stuff) which might seem pointless on a fun roadster is really useful even if it's a second car. Air con is great for demisting.
As already said, look out for rusty sills, and try to get one that has had regular oil changes. High mileage nothing to be scared of. My '94 had 50k miles when I bought it, and due to the low miles the oil changes had been neglected. The startup top end rattle goes away, but sometimes comes back and sounds rubbish. You can flush/change the oil but if its gunged up then short of replacing the hydraulic lifters there's not much to be done. Doesn't affect performance or reliability, just a bit annoying! Need to flush mine a couple more times.
NiceCupOfTea said:
My '94 had 50k miles when I bought it, and due to the low miles the oil changes had been neglected. The startup top end rattle goes away, but sometimes comes back and sounds rubbish. You can flush/change the oil but if its gunged up then short of replacing the hydraulic lifters there's not much to be done. Doesn't affect performance or reliability, just a bit annoying! Need to flush mine a couple more times.
Mine was the same - a '93 with 40k miles - and the hydraulic lifters get noisy from time to time too (usually after a long motorway run or a track session). It hasn't got any worse in 3 years and another 60k miles, so it doesn't bother me too much 
Wynn's do a "Hydraulic Valve Lifter Treatment" that you add to the oil which is supposed to work well. However, the argument against is that if you dislodge a bit of gunk from the lifters, it could block an oil gallery somewhere important. Some people have had success changing to a different oil (I seem to remember Mobil 1 being listed quite often as a good one for ameliorating the tapping.
Alternatively, if you can be bothered and don't want to replace the lifters (if you do replace them, there are some Kia parts that are identical and much cheaper), you can soak them in petrol, then take them apart, clean and re-assemble. There was a thread on a Mazda MX6 forum with pictures showing the whole process. I never got around to trying it before pulling the engine and I can't find the page now I'm afraid.
Alternatively, if you can be bothered and don't want to replace the lifters (if you do replace them, there are some Kia parts that are identical and much cheaper), you can soak them in petrol, then take them apart, clean and re-assemble. There was a thread on a Mazda MX6 forum with pictures showing the whole process. I never got around to trying it before pulling the engine and I can't find the page now I'm afraid.
MX-5 Lazza said:
Risotto said:
The 114bhp 1.6 engine was used from 1989 to 1993. This was the same in all markets.
In 1993 the 130bhp 1.8 was introduced in all markets.
In 1994 an 88bhp 1.6 was introduced to some european markets for cheaper insurance reasons.
There was no time when the 115bhp and 88bhp 1.6 engines were sold next to each other.
So what is BHP of 1999 1.6i please ?In 1993 the 130bhp 1.8 was introduced in all markets.
In 1994 an 88bhp 1.6 was introduced to some european markets for cheaper insurance reasons.
There was no time when the 115bhp and 88bhp 1.6 engines were sold next to each other.
Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Wednesday 9th January 15:07
Update
Well I chose carefully the one to go and look at… the description fitted all my criteria and it looked immaculate in the pictures.. However, on close inspection it had had a new NS front wing, a new NS back wing (or at least something had been done as the seam sealer on the NS side was very different to the other…
and the panel gaps on the NS side were all over the place… not a good car.
While I was there I did take the opportunity to drive it… Problem for me is that although I am only 6 foot tall, I am very long in the body which means that my head touched the hood! Also, I found that the top of the windscreen obscured my view somewhat which made me have to slouch down, making driving uncomfortable.
Anyone else had these problems? Can the seats be lowered any? Other than that it drove very well!
Well I chose carefully the one to go and look at… the description fitted all my criteria and it looked immaculate in the pictures.. However, on close inspection it had had a new NS front wing, a new NS back wing (or at least something had been done as the seam sealer on the NS side was very different to the other…
and the panel gaps on the NS side were all over the place… not a good car.While I was there I did take the opportunity to drive it… Problem for me is that although I am only 6 foot tall, I am very long in the body which means that my head touched the hood! Also, I found that the top of the windscreen obscured my view somewhat which made me have to slouch down, making driving uncomfortable.
Anyone else had these problems? Can the seats be lowered any? Other than that it drove very well!
buzzer said:
Anyone else had these problems? Can the seats be lowered any? Other than that it drove very well!
Yes there have been various ways to lower the seats. One option I believe is use Elise seats. Another being remove the runners and bolt the thing to the floor in your position. And finally pulling some of the foam out of the seat.My personal favourate would be change the seats for something thinner.
Munter said:
Yes there have been various ways to lower the seats. One option I believe is use Elise seats.
http://www.planetmx5.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2019
Wigeon Incognito said:
buzzer said:
Condition is more important than year, where is the best place to look to buy one?
There are plenty of specialists (Sam Goodwin, Supercarclassics, Dandy Cars) that will sell you a good car at a premium but I'd keep your eye on the private sales. (Shameless plug: I may be selling mine soon if it's of any interest and she's a beauty.)
There are plenty of specialists (Sam Goodwin, Supercarclassics, Dandy Cars) that will sell you a good car at a premium but I'd keep your eye on the private sales. (Shameless plug: I may be selling mine soon if it's of any interest and she's a beauty.)
If not, I'll hold onto her until April. If anybody wants details PM me/contact me via my advert.
(This has come about due to the extortionate amount insurance costs on my new purchase which I'd like to drive, but if I have to insure two cars the new arrival will have to go on a classic policy possibly until the MX-5's insurance is up for renewal in April to even the costs out.)
Edited by Wigeon Incognito on Monday 21st January 23:49
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