Checking front chassis rail (or not)
Discussion
Somebody on here mentioned an RS (in white) going - which interested me greatly. May be the same car - I'll have a look. Though yes, the rust worries me - it'll be a weekend car only, as I have a family and a Golf R for carting them about. I've never even driven an MX5 so I hope they live up to the billing!
Can see a Mk.1 R-limited in blue, but no RS's are apparent at a quick glance... I seem to recall that MX-5 dealer way up in the NorthWest had a white RS in recently too - £5k though, which is more than I wanted to spend. There's a lovely BRG Mk.1 1.8is in the classifieds that is starting to tempt me...
ETA: Holy s
t, that is some rust on there - would that be easy to spot with a torch and mirror, or does it need to be on a ramp?
ETA: Holy s
t, that is some rust on there - would that be easy to spot with a torch and mirror, or does it need to be on a ramp?If you really want to check the rails you need to get the car on a ramp and remove the plastic undertray so you can get underneath with a torch and a screwdriver and have a good look/prod.
I had an 02 Mk 2.5 for nearly 4 years and saw a similar thread on the internet so thought I better check mine. It had passed every MOT with no problem yet the left rail had to be cut out and replaced (1ft long) after I had checked it at a cost of £600 (and by this point it had done over 100,000 miles)
As this one got written off in June, I bought another 02 Mk 2.5 and before we took it home we checked the rails - this too has rust damage but not to the extent my first one did - but the main thing is that I knew what I was buying. This had only done 49,000 so as you can see low miles doesnt mean no rust.
Simply put I wouldnt pay anything for a Mk2 or Mk2.5 until I had seen the state of the rails.
I had an 02 Mk 2.5 for nearly 4 years and saw a similar thread on the internet so thought I better check mine. It had passed every MOT with no problem yet the left rail had to be cut out and replaced (1ft long) after I had checked it at a cost of £600 (and by this point it had done over 100,000 miles)
As this one got written off in June, I bought another 02 Mk 2.5 and before we took it home we checked the rails - this too has rust damage but not to the extent my first one did - but the main thing is that I knew what I was buying. This had only done 49,000 so as you can see low miles doesnt mean no rust.
Simply put I wouldnt pay anything for a Mk2 or Mk2.5 until I had seen the state of the rails.
Vlad - yes, that's the one. And yes, does look nice. I'm North of London though, so a bit of a trek.
Max - coming around to that way of thinking myself now. Shame as it's added hassle when trying to find a good one and impossible to know what you're viewing until you get it up on a ramp somewhere it seems. Have been considering MR2s and wonder if they might be easier to buy, much as I think I prefer the MX5.
Max - coming around to that way of thinking myself now. Shame as it's added hassle when trying to find a good one and impossible to know what you're viewing until you get it up on a ramp somewhere it seems. Have been considering MR2s and wonder if they might be easier to buy, much as I think I prefer the MX5.
It may have been my RS, I did mention somewhere I was pondering selling. It's close to mint, never welded, doesn't need it and now in it's Airchamber over winter. It must be one of the best unrestored MK2's out there. PM me if you're interested and I'll send you details. Here's the only pic I have to hand
MaxMX5 said:
If you really want to check the rails you need to get the car on a ramp and remove the plastic undertray so you can get underneath with a torch and a screwdriver and have a good look/prod.
I had an 02 Mk 2.5 for nearly 4 years and saw a similar thread on the internet so thought I better check mine. It had passed every MOT with no problem yet the left rail had to be cut out and replaced (1ft long) after I had checked it at a cost of £600 (and by this point it had done over 100,000 miles)
As this one got written off in June, I bought another 02 Mk 2.5 and before we took it home we checked the rails - this too has rust damage but not to the extent my first one did - but the main thing is that I knew what I was buying. This had only done 49,000 so as you can see low miles doesnt mean no rust.
Simply put I wouldnt pay anything for a Mk2 or Mk2.5 until I had seen the state of the rails.
To add to this (MaxMX5 is my daughter), the one we bought did appear to be much better than her previous car (before we had it repaired), and so my little project over the Xmas break was going to be to remove the front bumper and undertray, paint the outside of the chassis rails with POR15 and spray Dinitrol down inside them. That way, this car should last a bit longer. Or so we thought...... I had an 02 Mk 2.5 for nearly 4 years and saw a similar thread on the internet so thought I better check mine. It had passed every MOT with no problem yet the left rail had to be cut out and replaced (1ft long) after I had checked it at a cost of £600 (and by this point it had done over 100,000 miles)
As this one got written off in June, I bought another 02 Mk 2.5 and before we took it home we checked the rails - this too has rust damage but not to the extent my first one did - but the main thing is that I knew what I was buying. This had only done 49,000 so as you can see low miles doesnt mean no rust.
Simply put I wouldnt pay anything for a Mk2 or Mk2.5 until I had seen the state of the rails.
Once I'd got the car in the garage and removed the bumper, undertray and wheel-arch liners I thought I'd better see how solid the rusty areas actually were. After a few minutes poking about with a screwdriver, this is what we had:
Given that this is a 2002 car with relatively low mileage, that looked far better from the outside than her previous car, and yet we still found the chassis rails to be rotten inside, I hate to think what some people are unwittingly driving around in!
The previous owner spent £900 getting the sills and rear wheel arches done, so this ones definitely worth saving. So, it's off to the welders on Friday.
When we bought the wife's 2.5 Sport three years back it looked immaculate, apart from a missing cambelt service.
In fact, whilst the cambelt was being installed by a local Indy as part as part of the deal, I asked them if it was clean underneath - they said it was fine.
One year in and both arches and front chassis needed replacing.
I don't want to worry anyone, but the full cost at a company that specialises in MX5 sill and rust repairs was over £1700 including completely renewing all the factory under seal.
The car is/has been perfect since.
In fact, whilst the cambelt was being installed by a local Indy as part as part of the deal, I asked them if it was clean underneath - they said it was fine.
One year in and both arches and front chassis needed replacing.
I don't want to worry anyone, but the full cost at a company that specialises in MX5 sill and rust repairs was over £1700 including completely renewing all the factory under seal.
The car is/has been perfect since.
Although this does seem to be quite a common problem, not all mk2s are affected.
I had a look under my 1998 model and, for a nearly 17 year old car, think it looks pretty solid (I have since treated what little rust I could see).
Don't lose faith in them...
|http://thumbsnap.com/4QMylJgg[/url]
I had a look under my 1998 model and, for a nearly 17 year old car, think it looks pretty solid (I have since treated what little rust I could see).
Don't lose faith in them...
|http://thumbsnap.com/4QMylJgg[/url]furtive said:
MaxMX5 said:
I bought another 02 Mk 2.5 and before we took it home we checked the rails - this too has rust damage but not to the extent my first one did
I hope it's still going ok? 
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