Looking to buy an MX5 - High mileage ok??
Discussion
Hi,
I've just rather reluctantly sold my Porsche 944 as I needed something cheaper to run.. I'm currently considering an MX5 since everyone seems to rave on about them and don't appear to be too costly to run.
The wife will only considering purchasing a Mk3 (i think its a Mk3 anyway( unfortunately and my budget is quite stretched as I can't really add any money from the proceeds of the sale of the 944, looking at about an absolute maximum of £3,000. So what are the chances of finding a Mk3 MX5 in that budget that won't subsequently cripple me with repair costs.
I've seen one for sale for £2,990 which has 140k miles on the clock but only 2 owners from new and a complete Mazda service history including all the original invoices. From the pictures at least it seems to be in good condition including the interior. Its a 1999 S plate 1.8iS and comes with a hardtop, LSD and leather seats.
So what do you think? is it likely to cost me an arm a leg subsequently in repair bills or should I be relatively safe and its worth going to take a look at? If I do go to take a look anything in particular I need to look out for? Its a UK car.
Thanks
Hamza
I've just rather reluctantly sold my Porsche 944 as I needed something cheaper to run.. I'm currently considering an MX5 since everyone seems to rave on about them and don't appear to be too costly to run.
The wife will only considering purchasing a Mk3 (i think its a Mk3 anyway( unfortunately and my budget is quite stretched as I can't really add any money from the proceeds of the sale of the 944, looking at about an absolute maximum of £3,000. So what are the chances of finding a Mk3 MX5 in that budget that won't subsequently cripple me with repair costs.
I've seen one for sale for £2,990 which has 140k miles on the clock but only 2 owners from new and a complete Mazda service history including all the original invoices. From the pictures at least it seems to be in good condition including the interior. Its a 1999 S plate 1.8iS and comes with a hardtop, LSD and leather seats.
So what do you think? is it likely to cost me an arm a leg subsequently in repair bills or should I be relatively safe and its worth going to take a look at? If I do go to take a look anything in particular I need to look out for? Its a UK car.
Thanks
Hamza
The one you've seen will be a mk2 if it's a 1999 car. Basically, The Mk1 was the one with pop up headlights, the Mk2 had fixed headlights and the Mk3 is the current shape. There was also a Mk2.5 which was a mildly updated Mk2.
They're good solid cars with few common faults. The mileage is high but as long as it's been maintained properly, there's no reason it shouldn't continue to be a reliable car.
I can't advise as to whether £3k is a good price or not for an early mk2, I've not kept up-to-date with values.
They're good solid cars with few common faults. The mileage is high but as long as it's been maintained properly, there's no reason it shouldn't continue to be a reliable car.
I can't advise as to whether £3k is a good price or not for an early mk2, I've not kept up-to-date with values.
Edited by Risotto on Monday 26th January 15:51
As stated you are looking at a Mk2.
That is a high price for a high mileage Mk2.
Eg I am selling a Mk2.5 which is the facelift model, 2 yrs newer and with 50,000 less miles for only £600 more.
I'd value that car at £2000 max.
Whilst high mileage isn't a problem (as they are reliable and parts are cheap) it ought to be reflected in the price !
That is a high price for a high mileage Mk2.
Eg I am selling a Mk2.5 which is the facelift model, 2 yrs newer and with 50,000 less miles for only £600 more.
I'd value that car at £2000 max.
Whilst high mileage isn't a problem (as they are reliable and parts are cheap) it ought to be reflected in the price !
Hi,
aah yep, its a Mk2. Just looked at some pictures.
Thanks for the input and the price valuation on them. I've found another couple of cars that are at the same price but with around 95k miles but minus the hard top and LSD (though one does have air con).
I'd love to find a Mk2 closer to the £2,000 mark though, at the moment the cheapest Mk2 cars I can find are all about £3,000. If anyone knows of any please let me know
aah yep, its a Mk2. Just looked at some pictures.
Thanks for the input and the price valuation on them. I've found another couple of cars that are at the same price but with around 95k miles but minus the hard top and LSD (though one does have air con).
I'd love to find a Mk2 closer to the £2,000 mark though, at the moment the cheapest Mk2 cars I can find are all about £3,000. If anyone knows of any please let me know
I'd advise an enthusiastic drive in a couple before chucking in the 944. The limited slip diff adds a huge amount of enjoyment in greasy conditions, but I think the 944 is actually better balanced and the boot space is vastly superior. Can't remember exact running costs off the top of my head (used to own a 924S, which as you're proabbly aware has 8v 944 running gear, along with a mk1 MX5) but I found fuel economy to be about the same and consumable parts marginally cheaper for the Mazda (suspect a reconditioned gearbox or something is much cheaper, but day-to-day stuff isn't a huge difference) Insurance depends on whether you can now get the MX5 on a classic policy I guess?
But depending on your circumstances I do think the '5 would be a better daily driver. The main reason is it's one of the few genuinely good sports cars you can park anywhere - nobody will steal your badges or key the paintwork. On top of that you can it take to any garage for servicing, drive in a thunderstorm without getting soaked and pick one up for peanuts.
Other thoughts: The soft top on my mk1 was very noisy at speed - drowned out the stereo - and the lowered final drive made it quite buzzy on the motorway. The MX5 felt more sprightly at low speeds, but the Porsche felt more long-legged above about 60mph. The Mazda does felt like a lighter, more agile car, but the Porsche ultimately felt better balanced (both are good IMHO). As regards mileage, both seem to be pretty robust, but because they're slightly newer and lower mileage I'd feel an awful lot less nervous adding 20,000 miles to the odo on a Mazda when it came to resale.
But depending on your circumstances I do think the '5 would be a better daily driver. The main reason is it's one of the few genuinely good sports cars you can park anywhere - nobody will steal your badges or key the paintwork. On top of that you can it take to any garage for servicing, drive in a thunderstorm without getting soaked and pick one up for peanuts.
Other thoughts: The soft top on my mk1 was very noisy at speed - drowned out the stereo - and the lowered final drive made it quite buzzy on the motorway. The MX5 felt more sprightly at low speeds, but the Porsche felt more long-legged above about 60mph. The Mazda does felt like a lighter, more agile car, but the Porsche ultimately felt better balanced (both are good IMHO). As regards mileage, both seem to be pretty robust, but because they're slightly newer and lower mileage I'd feel an awful lot less nervous adding 20,000 miles to the odo on a Mazda when it came to resale.
OnlyMX5ives said:
An MX5 is WAY cheaper to run than a 944.
Fuel may be comparable but all parts are much cheaper.
For new parts / consumables check out MX5 Parts.
Not in my experience. Cheaper yes, and possibly significantly if you need a new cylinder head or something, but it wasn't an order of magnitude for ordinary oil filters, plugs etc. New dampers on my 924S, for example, cost me less than a colleague changing those on his Toyota Corrola at the same time - not a direct comparison to the '5 I know, but it disproves the idea that anything with a Porsche badge means instant bankruptcy.Fuel may be comparable but all parts are much cheaper.
For new parts / consumables check out MX5 Parts.
To be fair that is the 8v 944/924S engine, I can't comment on ownership of the 16 valves and turbos.
hamzamian said:
Hi,
aah yep, its a Mk2. Just looked at some pictures.
Thanks for the input and the price valuation on them. I've found another couple of cars that are at the same price but with around 95k miles but minus the hard top and LSD (though one does have air con).
I'd love to find a Mk2 closer to the £2,000 mark though, at the moment the cheapest Mk2 cars I can find are all about £3,000. If anyone knows of any please let me know
Mk1's are in your price range of £2k so why not focus your attention on that model. A Mk2 for £2k will either have something wrong with it or you'll have to be very lucky.aah yep, its a Mk2. Just looked at some pictures.
Thanks for the input and the price valuation on them. I've found another couple of cars that are at the same price but with around 95k miles but minus the hard top and LSD (though one does have air con).
I'd love to find a Mk2 closer to the £2,000 mark though, at the moment the cheapest Mk2 cars I can find are all about £3,000. If anyone knows of any please let me know
Regardless of what is said by anyone, an Mx5 will be significantly cheaper to run than a 944. Compare prices to change a cambelt vs the timing chain on the 944 - Oil filters for £5 and NGK plugs for £10 make a 5 cheap as chips to run.
To the OP, buy a decent mk1, a 1994-95 1.8 import with an LSD are viewed by some as the best mk1's to go for.
I can believe that the 944 costs similar money to run for normal wear and tear items as they are pretty much all just VAG parts....
The problem comes when something fails or needs to be replaced. A cambelt change on the 944 is easily is excess of £1000 for example and replacing the two rear discs and handbrake shoes cost me £500....
I'm hoping the MX5 is a little more palattable for costs such as those.
I'm looking at Mk2 cars simply as the Mrs doesn't like the shape of the Mk1... I know this restricts my choice a lot and effectively means I have to spend the entire £3k budget with nothing left over at all on the car really. Though I have seen a couple for sale around the £2,500 mark but they've always been sold by the time I got to them!
The problem comes when something fails or needs to be replaced. A cambelt change on the 944 is easily is excess of £1000 for example and replacing the two rear discs and handbrake shoes cost me £500....
I'm hoping the MX5 is a little more palattable for costs such as those.
I'm looking at Mk2 cars simply as the Mrs doesn't like the shape of the Mk1... I know this restricts my choice a lot and effectively means I have to spend the entire £3k budget with nothing left over at all on the car really. Though I have seen a couple for sale around the £2,500 mark but they've always been sold by the time I got to them!
hamzamian said:
I can believe that the 944 costs similar money to run for normal wear and tear items as they are pretty much all just VAG parts....
I'm pretty sure that's the case for the 924 (non-S) but not for the 944. While the parts prices aren't in the classic 911 league, cheap they ain't.hamzamian said:
The problem comes when something fails or needs to be replaced. A cambelt change on the 944 is easily is excess of £1000 for example and replacing the two rear discs and handbrake shoes cost me £500....
I'm hoping the MX5 is a little more palattable for costs such as those.
It is. I've just had the cambelt done on my (turbod) MX5 and that, with some additional work and a coolant change was less than 200 quid IIRC. Disks are quite cheap etc pp..I'm hoping the MX5 is a little more palattable for costs such as those.
hamzamian said:
I'm looking at Mk2 cars simply as the Mrs doesn't like the shape of the Mk1... I know this restricts my choice a lot and effectively means I have to spend the entire £3k budget with nothing left over at all on the car really. Though I have seen a couple for sale around the £2,500 mark but they've always been sold by the time I got to them!
Hmm. I guess she doesn't like the lights, because apart from those the shapes are very similar...hamzamian said:
I can believe that the 944 costs similar money to run for normal wear and tear items as they are pretty much all just VAG parts....
The problem comes when something fails or needs to be replaced. A cambelt change on the 944 is easily is excess of £1000 for example and replacing the two rear discs and handbrake shoes cost me £500....
I'm hoping the MX5 is a little more palattable for costs such as those.
I'm looking at Mk2 cars simply as the Mrs doesn't like the shape of the Mk1... I know this restricts my choice a lot and effectively means I have to spend the entire £3k budget with nothing left over at all on the car really. Though I have seen a couple for sale around the £2,500 mark but they've always been sold by the time I got to them!
if you haggle and get lucky, you can pick up a decent mk2 for just over £2k i reckon. the 1.8 with LSD migth go for a little bit more, but always buy on condition rather than miles - if they've been looked after they pretty much go on forever - mechanically at least. watch for rust in front of the rear wheels in the sills, that's probably the worst thing on these cars. my mk1 ('91) is almost at 160k miles now, and the engine is still good and strong, despite being turbo'd for life. personally i'd keep looking for the 1.8 - the mk2 is a bit heavier than the mk1 so needs a few more torques (imo). plus, the 1.6 always came with rubbish looking 14" wheels from what i've seen... (not that 14's are bad - i like them! just not those smooth 5 spokes, look like TSW's)The problem comes when something fails or needs to be replaced. A cambelt change on the 944 is easily is excess of £1000 for example and replacing the two rear discs and handbrake shoes cost me £500....
I'm hoping the MX5 is a little more palattable for costs such as those.
I'm looking at Mk2 cars simply as the Mrs doesn't like the shape of the Mk1... I know this restricts my choice a lot and effectively means I have to spend the entire £3k budget with nothing left over at all on the car really. Though I have seen a couple for sale around the £2,500 mark but they've always been sold by the time I got to them!
as a comparison, if you do the work yourself, a simple cambelt change will cost less than £50 and take an hour or two. (most people do various oil seals, water pump, tensioners etc at the same time which will cost just over £100 and take half a day). rear brakes can be had for £120, axiss ultimate pads or genuine mazda, both of which are very good, and genuine mazda discs. fitting time a relaxed 2 hours if you clean everything up and re-grease, bleed brakes etc.
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