Replacing the '5

[Taffer]

Unfortunately had a smash earlier this week - won't go into too many details but a driver a couple of cars ahead taking a 'slow down' signal by Police as 'drop the anchors' lead to me hitting a car in front, which had stopped 1mm short of the panic braker/stopper. I know I should have been further back, and I was slowing down anyway, but lesson learned, nobody hurt, etc. etc.

The '5 is off to a garage on Tuesday but there is damage to the bonnet, front bumper, nearside wing and radiator, so I'm guessing it will be a write-off ('96 Mk.1 Gleneagles).

Anyways, on the lookout for a new '5 for about £1-1.5k, and saw this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1296772.htm

Listed as a Cat C repair, but for the price and spec and if it looks and drives OK, surely worth a punt?

[Gizmo!]

Might it be worth getting a few photos of the damage to yours and taking them over to a local bodyshop? Never know, if you get your own back from the insurance company and fix it, it might come out cheaper than buying a 'new' one. And you know it's yours and its history etc...?

[Taffer]

It's away to the bodyshop today to see if it's repairable. The other MX5 I was looking at has been sold, but I'm off to sea for the next 6 weeks so I don't really need to get a replacement this instant. The car wasn't in A1 condition (sills and paint a bit iffy), but I'll still be sad to see it go if that's the case. My plan was to run it for a while, and then save up and buy a Mk.1 Eunos in good condition - looks like I'll be going for a Eunos sooner than expected!

Hopefully when I come back mid-December there'll be a few bargains - I'll have internet on the ship, so I can do my car hunting off watch!