Discussion
We are late 40's & i got my wife the nicest NC 25th Anniversary a year ago. It had 3.5k miles & 9 services in the book. So it as new both topside and underside with it looking like it had just driven off the production line. Just put 5k on in the last year.
It would have been into ND1 money.
I diont really like the ND looks as much as a late NC in the right colour is stunning. The 25A especially in Soul Red with black roof & the black windscreen surround. The little lips on the front spoiler, chunkier rear diffuser & slightly bigger tail pipes. And the size space has been mentioned about ND being smaller.
I was originally looking at NC as the BBR tuning potential was huge ( Supercharger or Turbo). Recently ND stuff has started appearing but still NC seems to have more & higher power options. Not sure if the ND is more complex or less strong to make tuning tougher?
As it is not done any tuning its an enjoyable package as is without chasing speed. And I got a mint car. Had I got a more used 25th Anniversary and left £4k in the bank I may have been more tempted.
If I was going ND it would have to be ND2 and an RF for me in a nice colour.
It would have been into ND1 money.
I diont really like the ND looks as much as a late NC in the right colour is stunning. The 25A especially in Soul Red with black roof & the black windscreen surround. The little lips on the front spoiler, chunkier rear diffuser & slightly bigger tail pipes. And the size space has been mentioned about ND being smaller.
I was originally looking at NC as the BBR tuning potential was huge ( Supercharger or Turbo). Recently ND stuff has started appearing but still NC seems to have more & higher power options. Not sure if the ND is more complex or less strong to make tuning tougher?
As it is not done any tuning its an enjoyable package as is without chasing speed. And I got a mint car. Had I got a more used 25th Anniversary and left £4k in the bank I may have been more tempted.
If I was going ND it would have to be ND2 and an RF for me in a nice colour.
This is what I mean about a 9 year old car looking like new underneath.
Older cars will suffer from rust but some high or low miles cars have been cared for very differently (Garaged, Not driven in winter, Not driven in rain). Some have been 2nd or 3rd cars.
If you start from something like this it will buy you a lot of years before worry about rust.
wilksy61 said:
So this is my 2011 NC, which is about to go to BBR in April for a 225 kit, suspension and exhaust, also no real issues underneath.
I have also had a ND in the past which is smaller than the NC and at just under 6 foot the NC is a much nicer fit, and I think it looks better as well.
Nice Colour (although my previous point about window frame colour is highlighted at least with roof up). As I said all about getting a good colour.I have also had a ND in the past which is smaller than the NC and at just under 6 foot the NC is a much nicer fit, and I think it looks better as well.
Also same as my thinking get an NC & use the money saved to build something special. Throttle bodied BBR225 screaming to 8k with sorted suspension. All for price of ND.
Not a Diesel said:
This is what I mean about colour. The wheel arches and bonnet on the NC design really show off the soul red.
Also I believe the ND amazingly lacks proper rust proofing underneath so even they may have issues in the forthcoming years!
The NC3.5 to my eyes is a much better looking car than the original 2006 NC......Mazda did well with the mid-life refresh. I understand they also fixed the sometimes spiky handling too. I think its fair to say the original NC was the first MX5 generation that was less than friendly on the limit.....
greenarrow said:
That is a pretty thing. Underneath looks amazing too. I read somewhere that the NC isn't as bad on rust as the NB (equal rustiest car I have owned in 30 years along with a MK1 Ford Ka!) But I guess as even the newer ones are getting on for 10 years old now, they may be getting corrosion.
Also I believe the ND amazingly lacks proper rust proofing underneath so even they may have issues in the forthcoming years!
The NC3.5 to my eyes is a much better looking car than the original 2006 NC......Mazda did well with the mid-life refresh. I understand they also fixed the sometimes spiky handling too. I think its fair to say the original NC was the first MX5 generation that was less than friendly on the limit.....
Thanks. Yes 25th Anniversary colour was amazing. To be fair the car was advertised before I got it as 8.5 years old. 8 services. 3.5k miles. Never Driven in the rain. Which was believable. They kept in there showroom with new cars. Then I drove it home a 100 miles in the rain. Picking up its first stone chip on the bonet.Also I believe the ND amazingly lacks proper rust proofing underneath so even they may have issues in the forthcoming years!
The NC3.5 to my eyes is a much better looking car than the original 2006 NC......Mazda did well with the mid-life refresh. I understand they also fixed the sometimes spiky handling too. I think its fair to say the original NC was the first MX5 generation that was less than friendly on the limit.....
greenarrow said:
That is a pretty thing. Underneath looks amazing too. I read somewhere that the NC isn't as bad on rust as the NB (equal rustiest car I have owned in 30 years along with a MK1 Ford Ka!) But I guess as even the newer ones are getting on for 10 years old now, they may be getting corrosion.
Also I believe the ND amazingly lacks proper rust proofing underneath so even they may have issues in the forthcoming years!
There is a post on the miata.net forum which shows the rustproofing on the ND, the cars are dipped in a kind of galvanizing apparently, there was a video showing the process.Also I believe the ND amazingly lacks proper rust proofing underneath so even they may have issues in the forthcoming years!
greenarrow said:
That is a pretty thing. Underneath looks amazing too. I read somewhere that the NC isn't as bad on rust as the NB (equal rustiest car I have owned in 30 years along with a MK1 Ford Ka!) But I guess as even the newer ones are getting on for 10 years old now, they may be getting corrosion.
Also I believe the ND amazingly lacks proper rust proofing underneath so even they may have issues in the forthcoming years!
The NC3.5 to my eyes is a much better looking car than the original 2006 NC......Mazda did well with the mid-life refresh. I understand they also fixed the sometimes spiky handling too. I think its fair to say the original NC was the first MX5 generation that was less than friendly on the limit.....
NC3.5s rust plenty badly. This is a 2010, garaged for most of its life. Also I believe the ND amazingly lacks proper rust proofing underneath so even they may have issues in the forthcoming years!
The NC3.5 to my eyes is a much better looking car than the original 2006 NC......Mazda did well with the mid-life refresh. I understand they also fixed the sometimes spiky handling too. I think its fair to say the original NC was the first MX5 generation that was less than friendly on the limit.....
I will need to get it rust proofed this summer, or get rid and buy something that doesnt rust to bits like a 1970s cars.
I have a ND 1 . In standard spec the 2 litre engine is ok , but uninspiring and reluctant to rev.After a seeing to by Roddison motorsport , remap and new exhaust manifold , I now have c180bhp , more torque over a flatter curve and much better revvability. Add in lowered springs and PS 4s , a nice s./wheel from Royal and Dinitrol and I have a far, far nicer car at 50k miles than the one I bought at 5k
Jiebo said:
NC3.5s rust plenty badly. This is a 2010, garaged for most of its life.
I will need to get it rust proofed this summer, or get rid and buy something that doesnt rust to bits like a 1970s cars.
I think you could look under many 13 year old cars and see very similar surface corrosion. 70s crap was going in the bin at 6 years!I will need to get it rust proofed this summer, or get rid and buy something that doesnt rust to bits like a 1970s cars.
MX5s do rust, about the same as any contemporary car of a similar price point new, let's not forget these have historically been really quite cheap cars. The difference is that nobody gives a monkeys about scrapping a 16 year old Fiesta because it's rusty but they want their MX5 to live forever.
Agreed.
Even in the 80's most cars were though to be done by 10 years either as body or engine would not make it that far. My 1985 MG metro had rusty rear aches outwardly visible and a hole in the front sill at 8 years.
It was probably Japanese engines longevity that started to change the engine life putting more focus on the body
Cars can get to 20 years now in normal service but that does not mean they are like new underside unless they have lead an easy life. Weekend car. Stored over the winter etc.
Use of galvanising has clearly helped. But more expensive.
Not sure Govt want longevity of ICE cars anyway.
Even in the 80's most cars were though to be done by 10 years either as body or engine would not make it that far. My 1985 MG metro had rusty rear aches outwardly visible and a hole in the front sill at 8 years.
It was probably Japanese engines longevity that started to change the engine life putting more focus on the body
Cars can get to 20 years now in normal service but that does not mean they are like new underside unless they have lead an easy life. Weekend car. Stored over the winter etc.
Use of galvanising has clearly helped. But more expensive.
Not sure Govt want longevity of ICE cars anyway.
Yes I am sure NCs are rusting now but don't appear half as bad as the NB. For example, I was looking at an advert for a 10 Place Sport Tech 2 litre model yesterday, so its coming up to 13 years. The only rust advisory was for a rear anti-roll bar and that's the first advisory on the MOT history mentioning rust of any kind. My old NB however, by 12 years old had corrosion warnings to the sub frame all the suspension arms and from memory I am sure I remember seeing a receipt for welding of the sills in the service history, when it was only about 10 or 11 years old..........so things are better than they were!!
I've had an early NC and an ND2 2.0 (RF).
We've also had an ND1 1.5 in the family, which I drove many times.
The ND2 2.0 is a great car \ engine, but if your budget is early ND, then don't write off the 1.5. It's a great revvy engine that was closer to the feeling of driving an NA, rather than the NC which always felt like a more "grown up" but aloof feeling car. I have heard the later NC's were improved but have not driven one.
It also depends on use - if it's "daily duties" then maybe a slightly larger more comfortable MX5 is the answer. I'm now running an NA but it's just a weekend toy, terrific fun for weekends but I would not recommend for regular use!
We've also had an ND1 1.5 in the family, which I drove many times.
The ND2 2.0 is a great car \ engine, but if your budget is early ND, then don't write off the 1.5. It's a great revvy engine that was closer to the feeling of driving an NA, rather than the NC which always felt like a more "grown up" but aloof feeling car. I have heard the later NC's were improved but have not driven one.
It also depends on use - if it's "daily duties" then maybe a slightly larger more comfortable MX5 is the answer. I'm now running an NA but it's just a weekend toy, terrific fun for weekends but I would not recommend for regular use!
ian_c_uk said:
It also depends on use - if it's "daily duties" then maybe a slightly larger more comfortable MX5 is the answer. I'm now running an NA but it's just a weekend toy, terrific fun for weekends but I would not recommend for regular use!
I daily my ND2 about 8 or 9 times a month for a 134 mile round trip to London and back for work. Even though I've an autobox Ford Focus estate too the mx remains the car of choice! Slothly said:
I daily my ND2 about 8 or 9 times a month for a 134 mile round trip to London and back for work. Even though I've an autobox Ford Focus estate too the mx remains the car of choice!
I used my nd2 as a daily for a very similar commute for the first two years I had it, and it was great. stickleback123 said:
Slothly said:
I daily my ND2 about 8 or 9 times a month for a 134 mile round trip to London and back for work. Even though I've an autobox Ford Focus estate too the mx remains the car of choice!
I used my nd2 as a daily for a very similar commute for the first two years I had it, and it was great. Gassing Station | Mazda MX5/Roadster/Miata | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff