Which MX-5 as a sensible runaround?
Discussion
My mum is looking for an MX-5. I've owned three MX-5s and driven virtually all of them at one time or another, but it's fair to say that my priorities are a bit different to my 73-year old mother's. I've not spent much time with the Mk3/3.5 either, which is now well within her £7k, so I can't really advise her on how that compares to the Mk1s and Mk2s that I know.
So... what would you get if you had a maximum of £7k (preferably less) to spend on a 'sensible' MX-5? It doesn't have to be fast, it doesn't have to handle, it just has to be easy to live with.
In particular, what are the Mk3s like to live with? Are they as rust prone as the early cars?
So... what would you get if you had a maximum of £7k (preferably less) to spend on a 'sensible' MX-5? It doesn't have to be fast, it doesn't have to handle, it just has to be easy to live with.
In particular, what are the Mk3s like to live with? Are they as rust prone as the early cars?
I’d get a low end mk3 because sadly they all rust, IMHO there is no point spending big money on something that might have a four figure repair bill looming. I think the mk3 has better roof drain points and the sills aren’t quite as bad as a mk2 but they still rust. A garaged car with high miles and a sympathetic owner is better than a low mileage car kept outside all winter.
Evoluzione said:
I wouldn't recommend a £7k MX5 to my aging mother, they're enthusiasts cars.
Well, I've owned three over a period of 15 years and I've never had an issue with them aside from rust, so they don't strike me as cars that need constant attention from a diehard enthusiast. Let's face it, they're mass produced Japanese convertibles, not vintage Alfas. More to the point, she wants an MX-5 as a replacement for her Triumph Spitfire, so why shouldn't she have one?
WonkeyDonkey said:
Probably the newest MK3 you can find. It will be a bit safer than the older ones. I don't think the mk1&2's had TC or ESP.
Shame an early MK4 hasn't dropped to that price range yet as to me they are a significant jump over the MK3.
Funnily enough, I've been looking after a Mk4 this week and absolutely fell in love with it. So much better than my Mk2.5 in every way, but I suppose if she could stretch to one it'd be at the cheaper end of the spectrum, so probably better off with an earlier car that's been pampered. Shame an early MK4 hasn't dropped to that price range yet as to me they are a significant jump over the MK3.
Sounds like a tidy Mk3 might be a good call. She's a reasonably competent driver, but traction control might be useful - she did manage to half-spin her Discovery on wet grass once.
I think it's MX5Restorer on the south coast that does decent work on de-rusting and protecting them - IIRC mk1s are the main model getting sorted but it could be worth seeing if he or another company could do undersealing and getting some rust remover / inhibitor into the sills / arches.
dapper said:
Evoluzione said:
I wouldn't recommend a £7k MX5 to my aging mother, they're enthusiasts cars.
What's to say she isn't an enthusiast In fairness, she has zero interest in how fast it goes or whether it has a limited slip diff; she just wants something that looks nice and tops up her tan. But in terms of driving around in convertibles, I suspect she was doing that long before Evoluzione was born.
I have a 2019 ND and I regularly give a not particularly flexible 71 year old a lift; he does fine getting in and out, albeit quite undignified 
If the budget will stretch I'd look at an early 1.5 ND over a late NC, they're bags of fun and have amazing fuel efficiency as a bonus.
ETA - The early NDs have gone up a lot since I looked 18 months ago. I got a WBAC for my 20k mile 2019 car and they'll give me £2k less than I paid for it in September 2019!
They seem to lose a LOT of value as soon as they have cat status, that might be worth considering if you go over the car with a fine toothed comb
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106284...
If the budget will stretch I'd look at an early 1.5 ND over a late NC, they're bags of fun and have amazing fuel efficiency as a bonus.
ETA - The early NDs have gone up a lot since I looked 18 months ago. I got a WBAC for my 20k mile 2019 car and they'll give me £2k less than I paid for it in September 2019!
They seem to lose a LOT of value as soon as they have cat status, that might be worth considering if you go over the car with a fine toothed comb
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106284...
Have to disagree massively with the ‘enthusiast cars’ comment, plenty of more mature people drive them whether enthusiasts or not.
Personally, I would look for a nice 1.8 SE folding hardtop with the optional heated leather - they’re mk3.5 on so benefit from the improvements compared to earlier cars and are on 16 inch wheels , normal suspension etc.
Personally, I would look for a nice 1.8 SE folding hardtop with the optional heated leather - they’re mk3.5 on so benefit from the improvements compared to earlier cars and are on 16 inch wheels , normal suspension etc.
Nickp82 said:
Have to disagree massively with the ‘enthusiast cars’ comment, plenty of more mature people drive them whether enthusiasts or not.
Personally, I would look for a nice 1.8 SE folding hardtop with the optional heated leather - they’re mk3.5 on so benefit from the improvements compared to earlier cars and are on 16 inch wheels , normal suspension etc.
Sounds good. Any idea what the folding metal roof is like for reliability and boot space? Personally, I would look for a nice 1.8 SE folding hardtop with the optional heated leather - they’re mk3.5 on so benefit from the improvements compared to earlier cars and are on 16 inch wheels , normal suspension etc.
I think my mum would use it as a fair weather car with the roof down in either case, so I wasn't sure if the roof mechanism would be another thing to go wrong.
Chris71 said:
Sounds good. Any idea what the folding metal roof is like for reliability and boot space?
I think my mum would use it as a fair weather car with the roof down in either case, so I wasn't sure if the roof mechanism would be another thing to go wrong.
Roof is fairly bulletproof - better reliability than Merc & BMW usually, and occupies no space in the boot as it folds down vertically behind the seats. Weight penalty of about 60kg over the soft-top, however. The missus loves it for the convenience.I think my mum would use it as a fair weather car with the roof down in either case, so I wasn't sure if the roof mechanism would be another thing to go wrong.
littleredrooster said:
Chris71 said:
Sounds good. Any idea what the folding metal roof is like for reliability and boot space?
I think my mum would use it as a fair weather car with the roof down in either case, so I wasn't sure if the roof mechanism would be another thing to go wrong.
Roof is fairly bulletproof - better reliability than Merc & BMW usually, and occupies no space in the boot as it folds down vertically behind the seats. Weight penalty of about 60kg over the soft-top, however. The missus loves it for the convenience.I think my mum would use it as a fair weather car with the roof down in either case, so I wasn't sure if the roof mechanism would be another thing to go wrong.
Chris71 said:
Evoluzione said:
Good luck is all I say 
I'm intrigued as to what you think is so fragile or poorly designed about the MX-5 that it needs a committed expert owner? 
That said, the oldest car in their household dates from 1932, so I think they can probably cope.
More specifically here: http://www.duratecnc.co.uk/?p=146
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