MX5 check list
Discussion
Just to add a bit of meat to those bones...
Sills - if they are rotten walk away. They can be repaired but why bother when there are so many others out there.
HLA clatter - a bit of a rattle at start-up isn't unusual and nothing to worry about as long as it goes away after a while. If it continues for too long there might be a problem developing.
Bodywork/hood condition - as with sills, if the rear arches are rust walk away.
Service history - I wouldn't worry about this too much on an older car as long as it has been serviced regularly. Mine has no service history since 2005 as I've done all the servicing myself whenever it's needed it. I'd change the title to "Regular servicing".
Buy on condition rather than miles - or age.
Cam Belt - not a big issue if it breaks but even so if it hasn't had it done you can knock £500 off the price.
Tyres & tyre wear - uneven tyre wear might just mean it needs a good geometry check but it might also be a sign of crash damage. Mismatching tyres across axles aren't a massive problem but they are an indicator that the owner might be more concerned with price than quality of servicing.
Hood & other leaks - make sure there aren't any cracks in the seams. Check the carpet in front of and behind the seats - if they are wet either the hood is leaking or the drain-tubes are blocked. Also check in the boot for water.
Radiator - if the car doesn't have a front grille, once it's fully warmed up, check the front of the rad all over for cold-spots. Blocked radiators are pretty common and can cause big problems if the car overheats. A new rad is only about £90 but you can still use it to knock £200 or so off the price
Sills - if they are rotten walk away. They can be repaired but why bother when there are so many others out there.
HLA clatter - a bit of a rattle at start-up isn't unusual and nothing to worry about as long as it goes away after a while. If it continues for too long there might be a problem developing.
Bodywork/hood condition - as with sills, if the rear arches are rust walk away.
Service history - I wouldn't worry about this too much on an older car as long as it has been serviced regularly. Mine has no service history since 2005 as I've done all the servicing myself whenever it's needed it. I'd change the title to "Regular servicing".
Buy on condition rather than miles - or age.
Cam Belt - not a big issue if it breaks but even so if it hasn't had it done you can knock £500 off the price.
Tyres & tyre wear - uneven tyre wear might just mean it needs a good geometry check but it might also be a sign of crash damage. Mismatching tyres across axles aren't a massive problem but they are an indicator that the owner might be more concerned with price than quality of servicing.
Hood & other leaks - make sure there aren't any cracks in the seams. Check the carpet in front of and behind the seats - if they are wet either the hood is leaking or the drain-tubes are blocked. Also check in the boot for water.
Radiator - if the car doesn't have a front grille, once it's fully warmed up, check the front of the rad all over for cold-spots. Blocked radiators are pretty common and can cause big problems if the car overheats. A new rad is only about £90 but you can still use it to knock £200 or so off the price
Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Thursday 26th February 15:49
Cheers the person is quite desperate as its costing them money to store in a garage & from what has been said I could have it for a grand so I dont mind a couple of small bits but rust is a big no way. What about undersill as I beleive this was an option in japan & have been told to walk away if it isnt.
They all have a slightly "hammerite-y" look to the paint on the lower half of the car, not aware of any being undersealed from the factory...
Also, check around the battery (boot, driver's side) under the carpet for rust, if the battery isn't venting it could be a problem.
Agree on the service history - I took a gamble with mine which had very little history and hadn't been serviced regularly (nearly 4 years between oil changes according to the patchy history
(although only 10k miles done in that time)) - I got a solid good spec car cheap, but it took a couple of services and HLA change to get it running well. It's not lost much money in depreciation over 2 years, but it has had a few quid spent on servicing.
In retrospect I might have hung on and found one with evidence of regular servicing.
The hood is a good bargaining point if it's tatty, but they're not that pricey. Bodywork is a pain and expensive to rectify if rusty or bad paint. Check the lights pop up OK as well!
Also, check around the battery (boot, driver's side) under the carpet for rust, if the battery isn't venting it could be a problem.
Agree on the service history - I took a gamble with mine which had very little history and hadn't been serviced regularly (nearly 4 years between oil changes according to the patchy history
(although only 10k miles done in that time)) - I got a solid good spec car cheap, but it took a couple of services and HLA change to get it running well. It's not lost much money in depreciation over 2 years, but it has had a few quid spent on servicing.In retrospect I might have hung on and found one with evidence of regular servicing.
The hood is a good bargaining point if it's tatty, but they're not that pricey. Bodywork is a pain and expensive to rectify if rusty or bad paint. Check the lights pop up OK as well!
Edited by NiceCupOfTea on Thursday 26th February 17:33
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