Potential purchase advice. Help
Discussion
Morning. I have got the chance to buy a Mk 1 1.8 Eunos with hardtop, Kevlar recaros and BBS wheels . Trouble is it's done 120k (miles). Is this pushing it for a Eunos? Will the car drive like a dog?
Pretty tempting as i can get it for £2k with everything.
Any advice on high mileage MX-5/Eunos's would be welcome.
Ta, Matt
Pretty tempting as i can get it for £2k with everything.
Any advice on high mileage MX-5/Eunos's would be welcome.
Ta, Matt
Hi Mat
I have a UK spec car, but as far as I am aware, the Eunos is pretty much the same car. Certainly you will see in the classifieds cars with 100k+ miles on the clock. MX-5s don't have a reputation for reliability for nothing. Mine has 85k on the clock and is still going strong. As long as the car you are looking at has been looked after and regularly serviced, I can't think you'd have a problem. Take it for a spin and see how it feels. For added protection you could always get the AA to give it a once over, or even a mechanically-minded friend.
I have a UK spec car, but as far as I am aware, the Eunos is pretty much the same car. Certainly you will see in the classifieds cars with 100k+ miles on the clock. MX-5s don't have a reputation for reliability for nothing. Mine has 85k on the clock and is still going strong. As long as the car you are looking at has been looked after and regularly serviced, I can't think you'd have a problem. Take it for a spin and see how it feels. For added protection you could always get the AA to give it a once over, or even a mechanically-minded friend.
mat59 said:
Morning. I have got the chance to buy a Mk 1 1.8 Eunos with hardtop, Kevlar recaros and BBS wheels . Trouble is it's done 120k (miles). Is this pushing it for a Eunos? Will the car drive like a dog?
Pretty tempting as i can get it for £2k with everything.
Any advice on high mileage MX-5/Eunos's would be welcome.
Ta, Matt
Sounds great. Don't say where it is. Or it'll be gone by the time you get there! As someone said, it sounds like an RS Limited so if it's in decent nick that's a bargain.Pretty tempting as i can get it for £2k with everything.
Any advice on high mileage MX-5/Eunos's would be welcome.
Ta, Matt
I just bought one with 130k (miles) on and it and it's running nicely. Well, made it to Dublin from London anyway!
mat59 said:
Morning. I have got the chance to buy a Mk 1 1.8 Eunos with hardtop, Kevlar recaros and BBS wheels . Trouble is it's done 120k (miles). Is this pushing it for a Eunos? Will the car drive like a dog?
Pretty tempting as i can get it for £2k with everything.
Any advice on high mileage MX-5/Eunos's would be welcome.
Ta, Matt
Did you buy it yet ?Pretty tempting as i can get it for £2k with everything.
Any advice on high mileage MX-5/Eunos's would be welcome.
Ta, Matt
If not, why not ?!
You won't regret it !
if it hasnt already - be prepared to spend half a day and £50 on changing the gearbox and diff oils.
both pretty simple to do.
2ltr in the gearbox, 1ltr in the diff (or fill till it comes out the fill hole) and possibly change the oil in the shift turret inside - again its a 5 min job with a turkey baster sucking the old oil out and replacing.
if it had its cambelt done at 60/70k then its about time to get it changed again. If its just been done, no worries.
but no, 120k wouldnt worry me. mines on 103k ATM, and rapidly piling the miles on.
both pretty simple to do.
2ltr in the gearbox, 1ltr in the diff (or fill till it comes out the fill hole) and possibly change the oil in the shift turret inside - again its a 5 min job with a turkey baster sucking the old oil out and replacing.
if it had its cambelt done at 60/70k then its about time to get it changed again. If its just been done, no worries.
but no, 120k wouldnt worry me. mines on 103k ATM, and rapidly piling the miles on.
Nope, did not buy it in the end. Someone else came in and offered £2400 for it and the guy accepted the offer. Doh!
However, I have spotted a '95 dark blue one with BBS 15's, nardi wooden bits etc. The woman I spoke to about it said it had red interior. I asked if this was leather, she said no. On further inspection of the photo in the ad it looks like it has burgundy seats. I have a feeling this migy be an R-Limted. Opinions?
Also, I don't think these have a LSD as standard. i really want one with the LSD. Is there any way of checking??????
Ta, Matt
However, I have spotted a '95 dark blue one with BBS 15's, nardi wooden bits etc. The woman I spoke to about it said it had red interior. I asked if this was leather, she said no. On further inspection of the photo in the ad it looks like it has burgundy seats. I have a feeling this migy be an R-Limted. Opinions?
Also, I don't think these have a LSD as standard. i really want one with the LSD. Is there any way of checking??????
Ta, Matt
Matt, I'll try and be impartial for a second 
I think virtually all (if not all) Japanese mk1 1.8's were fitted with LSDs, whatsmore these were the torsen diffs, not the viscous diffs fitted as an option to UK cars. The latter are said to unlock after a relatively small mileage (about 40,000 miles) whereas the JDM torsens don't.
IMHO they're one of the best options to have on an MX5, that and air con.
Some of the special editions have a lowered final drive ratio. Ignore people who say these are too frantic for motorway use - true they might not be as relaxed as a big saloon - but for a car with a soft top (let alone the hood down) I don't think the noise is too much of a factor. This doesn't seem to have any real impact on economy either as mine seems to return about the best MPG on pistonheads according to the recent thread
I think virtually all (if not all) Japanese mk1 1.8's were fitted with LSDs, whatsmore these were the torsen diffs, not the viscous diffs fitted as an option to UK cars. The latter are said to unlock after a relatively small mileage (about 40,000 miles) whereas the JDM torsens don't.
IMHO they're one of the best options to have on an MX5, that and air con.
Some of the special editions have a lowered final drive ratio. Ignore people who say these are too frantic for motorway use - true they might not be as relaxed as a big saloon - but for a car with a soft top (let alone the hood down) I don't think the noise is too much of a factor. This doesn't seem to have any real impact on economy either as mine seems to return about the best MPG on pistonheads according to the recent thread
BBS 15s, Nardi wood and red interior does sound like the spec of an R-Limited, and of course the seats are burgundy type leather. Not sure why the owner would say they are not, unless they've been swapped out for some reason. Also check for red dash and carpets.
Oh, and yes it also has LSD, like all JDM 1.8s.
Oh, and yes it also has LSD, like all JDM 1.8s.
Sorry but advertising on teh forums is a no no , there is a prefectly good classifieds section on ph and you can email via profile , you can mention you may have something but dont chuck it up on here as an ad it will be deleted .
Edited by DennisTheMenace on Saturday 4th August 00:27
The R-ltd does look very nice. I'm off to see an rs-ltd first then I'll get in touch if that also turns out to be a nail.
My preference has to be RS-ltd then R-Ltd followed by the rest of the ltd eunos variants. The kevlar recaros on an rs-ltd do it for me. It seems like the ultimate performance focused eunos. However, it still seems easy to live with.
I can't wait to get behind the wheel.
Matt
My preference has to be RS-ltd then R-Ltd followed by the rest of the ltd eunos variants. The kevlar recaros on an rs-ltd do it for me. It seems like the ultimate performance focused eunos. However, it still seems easy to live with.
I can't wait to get behind the wheel.
Matt
MadaboutMX5s said:
Sorry but advertising on teh forums is a no no , there is a prefectly good classifieds section on ph and you can email via profile , you can mention you may have something but dont chuck it up on here as an ad it will be deleted .
Edited by DennisTheMenace on Saturday 4th August 00:27
Understand there needs to be forum rules but think some thought needs to go into how they are applied.
mat59 said:
The R-ltd does look very nice. I'm off to see an rs-ltd first then I'll get in touch if that also turns out to be a nail.
My preference has to be RS-ltd then R-Ltd followed by the rest of the ltd eunos variants. The kevlar recaros on an rs-ltd do it for me. It seems like the ultimate performance focused eunos. However, it still seems easy to live with.
I can't wait to get behind the wheel.
Matt
Hi Matt,My preference has to be RS-ltd then R-Ltd followed by the rest of the ltd eunos variants. The kevlar recaros on an rs-ltd do it for me. It seems like the ultimate performance focused eunos. However, it still seems easy to live with.
I can't wait to get behind the wheel.
Matt
Your looking at the best two mk1 models!
With the rs ltd model, it should only have the rs sticker on the passenger door. If they are missing check the car for accident damage.
Likewise make sure the vin plate matches up with being a rs ltd. It should also have the rs ltd chassis sticker on the pillar inside the drivers door. Only reason I mention this is Im pretty sure there was a s special model 2? or something similar which was in montagu blue that same year which had the kelver recaro seats put into aftermarket and people have tried to pass as rs ltds.
These two models with the ligthened flywheel, the short ratio torsen rear diff, etc are great fun to drive. Accelration and throttle response is great. In many respects it feels better then my turbo mx5 until the turbo does kick in!
Best of luck with your search.
Interesting. As far as I'm aware the only other car with the M8 (RS-LTD) paintcode was only sold in Australia? Hence, if it's a Japanese import in Montego blue with all the RS-LTD bits it's like to be an RS-LTD, no?
I've had mine looked at by several apparently knowledgable owners club members who all say it's an RS-LTD, plus the VIN code appears to match, yet the stickers are absent. Not really too worried personally as it has all the right bits, but the confusion is unfortunate when it comes to selling.
I've had mine looked at by several apparently knowledgable owners club members who all say it's an RS-LTD, plus the VIN code appears to match, yet the stickers are absent. Not really too worried personally as it has all the right bits, but the confusion is unfortunate when it comes to selling.
Gassing Station | Mazda MX5/Roadster/Miata | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff