£300 MX5 'track slag'
Discussion
Apologies in advance for using the term 'track slag', but I can't think of a better way to sum up my latest acquisition.
Once again I've bought a car off a fellow PHer - this time sebhaque
- he knew I'd been angling to have it off him for a while, then gave me an offer I couldn't refuse: £300!
And here it is; a 1995 UK-model MX5 1.8i in a fetching metallic blue. Apparently the white Enkeis came standard on a limited run. It's in good mechanical condition - pulls nicely, doesn't use oil, slick gearbox and good brakes.
But it's the usual MX5 story here. While the sills were welded at the last MOT, the rear arches are starting to go. Shouldn't cause too much trouble when the next MOT comes round in June, but I may have them tidied up for the sake of cosmetics.
Beyond that, the only issues I've encountered are that the electric windows don't work (considered fitting wind-up windows now), and the roof, which is from a mk2, isn't watertight.
I'm keeping my daily 5-Series, so the purpose of this car will be purely for weekend drives and track days. I've already taken it to Donington Park where it proved itself capable, overtaking just about everything!
Youtube - £300 MX5 at a rather soggy Donington Park - 13/12/15
Potentially have one more track day lined up this month, then I'll be taking it off the road for a couple of months to keep it away from the salt, before heading Anglesey at the end of Feb. Probably also needs a service and, in true MX5 fashion yet again, pair of rear tyres.
Modification-wise, it needs a new steering wheel soon and will eventually get some coilovers and a roll bar. Other than those, I want to keep it as standard as possible. I'd rather spend the money on more track days!
Once again I've bought a car off a fellow PHer - this time sebhaque
- he knew I'd been angling to have it off him for a while, then gave me an offer I couldn't refuse: £300!And here it is; a 1995 UK-model MX5 1.8i in a fetching metallic blue. Apparently the white Enkeis came standard on a limited run. It's in good mechanical condition - pulls nicely, doesn't use oil, slick gearbox and good brakes.
But it's the usual MX5 story here. While the sills were welded at the last MOT, the rear arches are starting to go. Shouldn't cause too much trouble when the next MOT comes round in June, but I may have them tidied up for the sake of cosmetics.
Beyond that, the only issues I've encountered are that the electric windows don't work (considered fitting wind-up windows now), and the roof, which is from a mk2, isn't watertight.
I'm keeping my daily 5-Series, so the purpose of this car will be purely for weekend drives and track days. I've already taken it to Donington Park where it proved itself capable, overtaking just about everything!
Youtube - £300 MX5 at a rather soggy Donington Park - 13/12/15
Potentially have one more track day lined up this month, then I'll be taking it off the road for a couple of months to keep it away from the salt, before heading Anglesey at the end of Feb. Probably also needs a service and, in true MX5 fashion yet again, pair of rear tyres.
Modification-wise, it needs a new steering wheel soon and will eventually get some coilovers and a roll bar. Other than those, I want to keep it as standard as possible. I'd rather spend the money on more track days!
Dalto123 said:
I really hope though that this turns out like the MR2 did and somehow survives the abuse that me you and Matt threw at it 
I hope so too 
It's a shame I was too busy to give it a proper thrashing before the winter, normal service will be resumed in spring though, I'm sure.Good value for £300! Looks like good fun on track too. Is it an open diff? I had a BBR turbo converted import about 10 years ago, it was tricky in the wet with the open diff and unpredictable boost! A white van man asked me if i had any Loreal when sitting at traffic lights with the roof down... not cool
Cheers guys - after a good clean it does scrub up ok!
And I'm fully prepared to receive all the hairdresser jokes. I mercilessly did this to a then-MX5 owning friend (hi Phil!) and he's currently enjoying every moment of retaliation
Sidewindow said:
Good value for £300! Looks like good fun on track too. Is it an open diff? I had a BBR turbo converted import about 10 years ago, it was tricky in the wet with the open diff and unpredictable boost! A white van man asked me if i had any Loreal when sitting at traffic lights with the roof down... not cool
It is an open diff, although that didn't cause too much trouble in the wet at Donington. Occasionally a wheel would light up but nothing simply reapplying the gas didn't cure. A guess being normally aspirated the power delivery is more gradual (and there's plain less of it) so it wouldn't be as much of an issue as with your BBR turbo.And I'm fully prepared to receive all the hairdresser jokes. I mercilessly did this to a then-MX5 owning friend (hi Phil!) and he's currently enjoying every moment of retaliation
That's a sensational car at £300! I saw a similar one with crusty sills and arches go beyond £1k on Fleabay. Those arches are easy enough to fix as well, and non structural.
I thought my 1999 Mk2 was a bit of a bargain, other than having a very nice hood and solid arches it doesn't appear to be a great deal better, and it was nowhere close to £300!
I thought my 1999 Mk2 was a bit of a bargain, other than having a very nice hood and solid arches it doesn't appear to be a great deal better, and it was nowhere close to £300!
There's been little to report recently. After a track day at Bruntingthorpe at the end of December, I took the MX5 off the road and treated it to a 'Dry January' (and most of Feb) in the garage, to keep it away from the salty winter roads.
During this time I decided that some roll over protection was necessary. Sourced another bargain here - a new TR Lane GDP with harness bar for £220 delivered! Even managed to fit it myself, with a little help from friends.
Last week saw it back on the road again, in time for a track day at Anglesey Circuit in North Wales. With a hotel booked the night before we decided to take the scenic route up and make a day of it. Living in Bristol I'm pretty familiar with South West Wales, and we took my favourite route across the old Severn Bridge, through through Chepstow, Usk, then across to the B4560 mountain road to our lunch stop at Erwood. The afternoon saw us rely on the satnav, and the A470 didn't disappoint.
The track day itself, organised by Circuit Days, was very busy at first, with some very aggressive drivers. Having done a few track days myself, that didn't bother me, but I was coaching a TD novice who was quite put off by having her mirrors filled with headlight-flashing Integras.
After lunch I came back from a session to notice some canvas coming through the tyre. Not wanting to drive home on it, let alone do more laps on track, we headed back to Bangor to get a tyre put on it.
By the time we got back to track it was nearly 4pm, with only an hour of track time left to go, but most people had left (perhaps fed up with how busy it was) and we almost had the track to ourselves. A nice 'golden hour' of lapping, where I managed to do consistent 1:31 laps. Probably could've gone a bit quicker but the tyres were really struggling.
Youtube - Anglesey Costal 27/02/16 (James) - MX5 mk1
The car's now off the road again, but I may have it back out again for a track day at Castle Combe in April. In the meantime I'll be ordering some proper track rubber. Has anyone tried NS-2Rs on an MX5 here?
During this time I decided that some roll over protection was necessary. Sourced another bargain here - a new TR Lane GDP with harness bar for £220 delivered! Even managed to fit it myself, with a little help from friends.
Last week saw it back on the road again, in time for a track day at Anglesey Circuit in North Wales. With a hotel booked the night before we decided to take the scenic route up and make a day of it. Living in Bristol I'm pretty familiar with South West Wales, and we took my favourite route across the old Severn Bridge, through through Chepstow, Usk, then across to the B4560 mountain road to our lunch stop at Erwood. The afternoon saw us rely on the satnav, and the A470 didn't disappoint.
The track day itself, organised by Circuit Days, was very busy at first, with some very aggressive drivers. Having done a few track days myself, that didn't bother me, but I was coaching a TD novice who was quite put off by having her mirrors filled with headlight-flashing Integras.
After lunch I came back from a session to notice some canvas coming through the tyre. Not wanting to drive home on it, let alone do more laps on track, we headed back to Bangor to get a tyre put on it.
By the time we got back to track it was nearly 4pm, with only an hour of track time left to go, but most people had left (perhaps fed up with how busy it was) and we almost had the track to ourselves. A nice 'golden hour' of lapping, where I managed to do consistent 1:31 laps. Probably could've gone a bit quicker but the tyres were really struggling.
Youtube - Anglesey Costal 27/02/16 (James) - MX5 mk1
The car's now off the road again, but I may have it back out again for a track day at Castle Combe in April. In the meantime I'll be ordering some proper track rubber. Has anyone tried NS-2Rs on an MX5 here?
james_gt3rs said:
Done a day with Circuit days... probably would avoid in future - too many cars, no blue flags, too many red flags.
Same here - went Donington Park with them a few years ago. Marshaling was 'Lax' at best (despite overtaking on bends/braking areas etc), and a lot of red flags due to impatient/outright dreadful drivers going off track. Put a downer on the day despite the fantastic track.
Edit - Looks like two K11 Micra's about to go on track, one red, one blue.
Dalto123 said:
james_gt3rs said:
Done a day with Circuit days... probably would avoid in future - too many cars, no blue flags, too many red flags.
Same here - went Donington Park with them a few years ago. Marshaling was 'Lax' at best (despite overtaking on bends/braking areas etc), and a lot of red flags due to impatient/outright dreadful drivers going off track. Put a downer on the day despite the fantastic track.
Spumfry said:
Is that a blue Micra in the queue to get on track?
Dalto123 said:
Edit - Looks like two K11 Micra's about to go on track, one red, one blue.
I think there were three in all - one race-prepped and two bog standard. Looked like a few mates had bought them to mess around in and they seemed to be having fun (some of the most extreme 'tripoding' I've seen!). Actually, they were being driven so hard one managed to pull the tyre from its rim!Hiya James,
not seen you since the erm,,,,,M25
my NA really goes well on the Toyo T1R's, enough grip to hang on in the corners but the meager power can overcome grip if provoked. Knowing your driving style a bit of rear slippage is a must and at only £40 per corner they are almost disposable. I can probably get 3 trackdays and week to week running around from a set and im not sympathetic on or of the track.
Loving the cornering photo's, have you got off road springs on there mate?
Booked Bedford on the 26th March, if your about?
D
not seen you since the erm,,,,,M25
my NA really goes well on the Toyo T1R's, enough grip to hang on in the corners but the meager power can overcome grip if provoked. Knowing your driving style a bit of rear slippage is a must
and at only £40 per corner they are almost disposable. I can probably get 3 trackdays and week to week running around from a set and im not sympathetic on or of the track.Loving the cornering photo's, have you got off road springs on there mate?
Booked Bedford on the 26th March, if your about?
D
HaylingJag said:
Hiya James,
not seen you since the erm,,,,,M25
my NA really goes well on the Toyo T1R's, enough grip to hang on in the corners but the meager power can overcome grip if provoked. Knowing your driving style a bit of rear slippage is a must and at only £40 per corner they are almost disposable. I can probably get 3 trackdays and week to week running around from a set and im not sympathetic on or of the track.
Loving the cornering photo's, have you got off road springs on there mate?
Booked Bedford on the 26th March, if your about?
D
Hi Darren,not seen you since the erm,,,,,M25
my NA really goes well on the Toyo T1R's, enough grip to hang on in the corners but the meager power can overcome grip if provoked. Knowing your driving style a bit of rear slippage is a must
and at only £40 per corner they are almost disposable. I can probably get 3 trackdays and week to week running around from a set and im not sympathetic on or of the track.Loving the cornering photo's, have you got off road springs on there mate?
Booked Bedford on the 26th March, if your about?
D
Funny seeing you on the M25 the other day! Hope you enjoyed the classic car show
Had bad experiences with Toyo's falling apart on track in MR2s so don't want to use them again. I think proper track tyres are the way to go, not just for grip but to avoid issues of boiling the rubber and soft sidewalls.
It sits pretty high on its suspension I know. Coilovers are in the works, but I need to regulate my spending on the car!
It's definitely staying SORN'd this month, but I'd be up for something in May if you fancied - still got Thruxton, Pembrey, Lydden and Croft on my hit list if any of those appeal?
hi mate,
London Classics was good, Was there with my son & daughter as a "Dads Day Out", they werent that interested and it showed, so was done after about 3 hrs.
Funny on the 25, i said to the kids, " is this t
t gonna go past or not".......and there you were. Cant believe you gone over to the dark side though
May is out for me im afraid, we do have a 4 day trip to Oulton and Angelsea planned for June. 14th -18th, about a dozen of us going up for trackdays and Welsh Hoonage. interested????
d
London Classics was good, Was there with my son & daughter as a "Dads Day Out", they werent that interested and it showed, so was done after about 3 hrs.
Funny on the 25, i said to the kids, " is this t
t gonna go past or not".......and there you were. Cant believe you gone over to the dark side thoughMay is out for me im afraid, we do have a 4 day trip to Oulton and Angelsea planned for June. 14th -18th, about a dozen of us going up for trackdays and Welsh Hoonage. interested????
d
HaylingJag said:
hi mate,
London Classics was good, Was there with my son & daughter as a "Dads Day Out", they werent that interested and it showed, so was done after about 3 hrs.
Funny on the 25, i said to the kids, " is this tt gonna go past or not".......and there you were. Cant believe you gone over to the dark side though
May is out for me im afraid, we do have a 4 day trip to Oulton and Angelsea planned for June. 14th -18th, about a dozen of us going up for trackdays and Welsh Hoonage. interested????
d
Going to the dark side and being called a tLondon Classics was good, Was there with my son & daughter as a "Dads Day Out", they werent that interested and it showed, so was done after about 3 hrs.
Funny on the 25, i said to the kids, " is this t
t gonna go past or not".......and there you were. Cant believe you gone over to the dark side thoughMay is out for me im afraid, we do have a 4 day trip to Oulton and Angelsea planned for June. 14th -18th, about a dozen of us going up for trackdays and Welsh Hoonage. interested????
d
t on the motorway...there's definitely no correlation there Probably not Anglesey as I've just been there, but possibly Oulton as I haven't been for a few years and it's a great circuit. Can you PM me the details and I'll have a look?
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