Older Student In need of some advice...
Discussion
Grimezy93 said:
I have a 2007 MK3 so mine's pretty new (shape-wise). My mates both have the old MK1's with the pop-up headlights which are very similar cars just with less fancy features.
Perhaps try and find a garage local to you with one in stock to see if the boot space is adequate, a Clio would be a much safer bet based on practicality but I'm sure most people would say the mx5 is the better car to drive. An old MX5 will normally have been enthusiast owned and have been well looked after (maybe only used as a summer car) whereas the Clio is more associated to the 'boy racer' community and is likely to have been driven that way.
If it were me, I'd find a nice MK1 example for around £1500, you'll find them with mileage around the 50k-70k mark for this price, make sure it's a rust-free clean example, go for a hardtop if you want a bit more comfort in winter (bear in mind you'll need somewhere to store this during summer), try and find an imported Eunos Roadster as these will be less prone to rust.
Really you'll have to decide for yourself if you could live with one. It's certainly not as easy as having a hatchback but I've taken the stance that if I can't do it now while I have no kids, etc then how am I ever going to do it?
Very good way of looking at it, and ill have more money when i finish uni for a better car, Perhaps try and find a garage local to you with one in stock to see if the boot space is adequate, a Clio would be a much safer bet based on practicality but I'm sure most people would say the mx5 is the better car to drive. An old MX5 will normally have been enthusiast owned and have been well looked after (maybe only used as a summer car) whereas the Clio is more associated to the 'boy racer' community and is likely to have been driven that way.
If it were me, I'd find a nice MK1 example for around £1500, you'll find them with mileage around the 50k-70k mark for this price, make sure it's a rust-free clean example, go for a hardtop if you want a bit more comfort in winter (bear in mind you'll need somewhere to store this during summer), try and find an imported Eunos Roadster as these will be less prone to rust.
Really you'll have to decide for yourself if you could live with one. It's certainly not as easy as having a hatchback but I've taken the stance that if I can't do it now while I have no kids, etc then how am I ever going to do it?
whats the Wind blocking like? and can the car keep you warm with the hood down?
and are there any options with this car? A/c, Climate control that youd say look for?
stedaley said:
Very good way of looking at it, and ill have more money when i finish uni for a better car,
whats the Wind blocking like? and can the car keep you warm with the hood down?
and are there any options with this car? A/c, Climate control that youd say look for?
Mine's a bit of a different animal to a MK1. Mine has leather heated seats, very good blowers and a decent windblocker as well as a folding hard-top; basically I've been driving around with the roof down in december feeling perfectly content. whats the Wind blocking like? and can the car keep you warm with the hood down?
and are there any options with this car? A/c, Climate control that youd say look for?
A MK1 probably won't have heated seats or aircon but the blowers are still very good and it'll be fine with the roof down as long as there's no rain. The only difference will probably be whereas I go out in jeans and a jumper, you may need a coat
Look for one with a folding wind-blocker behind the seats, they really do make a big difference when doing 60 down country lanes or even on the motorway. I popped mine down the other night and the wind was unbearable compared to with it up. If you can't find one with it already on, I'm fairly sure you can get them for cheap on mx-5 parts
Grimezy93 said:
Mine's a bit of a different animal to a MK1. Mine has leather heated seats, very good blowers and a decent windblocker as well as a folding hard-top; basically I've been driving around with the roof down in december feeling perfectly content.
A MK1 probably won't have heated seats or aircon but the blowers are still very good and it'll be fine with the roof down as long as there's no rain. The only difference will probably be whereas I go out in jeans and a jumper, you may need a coat
Look for one with a folding wind-blocker behind the seats, they really do make a big difference when doing 60 down country lanes or even on the motorway. I popped mine down the other night and the wind was unbearable compared to with it up. If you can't find one with it already on, I'm fairly sure you can get them for cheap on mx-5 parts
http://www.esperformance.co.uk/car_MX5-Convertible-Mazda_383_0_index.phpA MK1 probably won't have heated seats or aircon but the blowers are still very good and it'll be fine with the roof down as long as there's no rain. The only difference will probably be whereas I go out in jeans and a jumper, you may need a coat
Look for one with a folding wind-blocker behind the seats, they really do make a big difference when doing 60 down country lanes or even on the motorway. I popped mine down the other night and the wind was unbearable compared to with it up. If you can't find one with it already on, I'm fairly sure you can get them for cheap on mx-5 parts
this look good?
i think a mk2/mk3 will be what i go for, save up maybe abit more for the mk3,
do you prefer the mk3 over the mk2?
Edited by stedaley on Tuesday 17th December 16:20
£2.5k will get you a higher mileage 330ci, mine cost me £900 to insure at 21.
Or a 172/182 I've drove a few and enjoyed them (actually got a 197 now).
I'm not a huge fan of mx5s they do handle well but many are rotten now and they aren't that amazing IMO (although many will disagree)
Or a 172/182 I've drove a few and enjoyed them (actually got a 197 now).
I'm not a huge fan of mx5s they do handle well but many are rotten now and they aren't that amazing IMO (although many will disagree)
stedaley said:
Very good way of looking at it, and ill have more money when i finish uni for a better car,
whats the Wind blocking like? and can the car keep you warm with the hood down?
and are there any options with this car? A/c, Climate control that youd say look for?
The grumpy old men hereabouts would probably say "finish University ? With punctuation like that ?whats the Wind blocking like? and can the car keep you warm with the hood down?
and are there any options with this car? A/c, Climate control that youd say look for?
Not in my day......"
The MX5 was the mistake of the generation - by the European car makers. THEY didn't make it.
Can't really go wrong with one.
mark3man said:
The grumpy old men hereabouts would probably say "finish University ? With punctuation like that ?
Not in my day......"
The MX5 was the mistake of the generation - by the European car makers. THEY didn't make it.
Can't really go wrong with one.
Just to put your mind at ease I dont do english and i am doing this on my phone!! Not in my day......"
The MX5 was the mistake of the generation - by the European car makers. THEY didn't make it.
Can't really go wrong with one.
harrisp said:
£2.5k will get you a higher mileage 330ci, mine cost me £900 to insure at 21.
Or a 172/182 I've drove a few and enjoyed them (actually got a 197 now).
I'm not a huge fan of mx5s they do handle well but many are rotten now and they aren't that amazing IMO (although many will disagree)
BMW are out of my range really and 182 are the other option to the mx5, Or a 172/182 I've drove a few and enjoyed them (actually got a 197 now).
I'm not a huge fan of mx5s they do handle well but many are rotten now and they aren't that amazing IMO (although many will disagree)
Grimezy93 said:
Mine's a bit of a different animal to a MK1. Mine has leather heated seats, very good blowers and a decent windblocker as well as a folding hard-top; basically I've been driving around with the roof down in december feeling perfectly content.
A MK1 probably won't have heated seats or aircon but the blowers are still very good and it'll be fine with the roof down as long as there's no rain. The only difference will probably be whereas I go out in jeans and a jumper, you may need a coat
Look for one with a folding wind-blocker behind the seats, they really do make a big difference when doing 60 down country lanes or even on the motorway. I popped mine down the other night and the wind was unbearable compared to with it up. If you can't find one with it already on, I'm fairly sure you can get them for cheap on mx-5 parts
Dont suppose I can get some Pics of yours to have a look what im aiming for?A MK1 probably won't have heated seats or aircon but the blowers are still very good and it'll be fine with the roof down as long as there's no rain. The only difference will probably be whereas I go out in jeans and a jumper, you may need a coat
Look for one with a folding wind-blocker behind the seats, they really do make a big difference when doing 60 down country lanes or even on the motorway. I popped mine down the other night and the wind was unbearable compared to with it up. If you can't find one with it already on, I'm fairly sure you can get them for cheap on mx-5 parts
Afromonk said:
Chopped in my old car a few months back and was looking at what to get (even put a thread on PH) these were one of the choices I was looking at.
They were interesting apart from I could never find one as cheap as £1800 for a facelift, looking at more around £3000 for a decent one and I went to look at several and they had all been treated like s
t! lack of history, obviously clocked, just poor cars in general, while this might not be stereotypical I would advice looking at one before buying.
As for me I completely abandoned hot hatches and went for a very mature E46 330i which in the long term was probably the better idea (not that it helps OP's post)
I picked mine up 106k, 12 months MOT on that day, 6 months tax, full service history 3 owners for £1800. And it has been nothing but trouble free motoring for 8k now. The higher mileage ones are nothing to be worried about, but the lower mileage ones do seem to be more around £3k.They were interesting apart from I could never find one as cheap as £1800 for a facelift, looking at more around £3000 for a decent one and I went to look at several and they had all been treated like s
t! lack of history, obviously clocked, just poor cars in general, while this might not be stereotypical I would advice looking at one before buying.As for me I completely abandoned hot hatches and went for a very mature E46 330i which in the long term was probably the better idea (not that it helps OP's post)
supraboy said:
I picked mine up 106k, 12 months MOT on that day, 6 months tax, full service history 3 owners for £1800. And it has been nothing but trouble free motoring for 8k now. The higher mileage ones are nothing to be worried about, but the lower mileage ones do seem to be more around £3k.
sorry didnt read it, that the corolla? Before going too far, maybe check that your no claims is still valid. Not sure how long you can go before it expires. I know that for bike insurance, the NCD expires after two years but some insurers will honour it for three. Not sure if car insurance is the same but if you're coming up to five years since you passed your test then presumably yours is nearly four years old now? If not, it will add 30% to your premium - better to find out now than when they refuse to honour your NCD after you've bought the car...
stedaley said:
Really? Guessing you didn't use the back seat in the swift then? how is the Mx5? and what model do you have?
It was one of those things where I thought I might need back seats but it's never really come up. MX5 is great, I bought a cheap Mk1 as a bit of a project but for a few hundred more you can get a decent one in really good nick. I prefer it to the Mk2 shape as I feel it looks nicer and who doesn't love pop up lights? Some people will disagree though.
Here's mine...
Alapeno said:
It was one of those things where I thought I might need back seats but it's never really come up.
MX5 is great, I bought a cheap Mk1 as a bit of a project but for a few hundred more you can get a decent one in really good nick. I prefer it to the Mk2 shape as I feel it looks nicer and who doesn't love pop up lights? Some people will disagree though.
Here's mine...
Looks good, whats the interior like? Im just worried about the car in winter with the older one, without heated seats etc, MX5 is great, I bought a cheap Mk1 as a bit of a project but for a few hundred more you can get a decent one in really good nick. I prefer it to the Mk2 shape as I feel it looks nicer and who doesn't love pop up lights? Some people will disagree though.
Here's mine...
the MK2 does look good,
have you done anything to car at all? new Exhaust or anything?
If you want an economical small, cheap car.
Go for the clio dci 100bhp - chip/remap should give you some more shove.
Ive never had one but a friend had one before I passed my test and it seemed like the wasps elbow to everyone else' 1.0 corsa's
edit - If you can afford a 172/182 - do that it will be much faster and tighter, but you won't get 50mpg.
Go for the clio dci 100bhp - chip/remap should give you some more shove.
Ive never had one but a friend had one before I passed my test and it seemed like the wasps elbow to everyone else' 1.0 corsa's
edit - If you can afford a 172/182 - do that it will be much faster and tighter, but you won't get 50mpg.
offshorematt2 said:
Before going too far, maybe check that your no claims is still valid. Not sure how long you can go before it expires. I know that for bike insurance, the NCD expires after two years but some insurers will honour it for three. Not sure if car insurance is the same but if you're coming up to five years since you passed your test then presumably yours is nearly four years old now? If not, it will add 30% to your premium - better to find out now than when they refuse to honour your NCD after you've bought the car...
It only add 80 quid onto the mx5 anyway, so im not to fussed, can always add my dad or mum onto the policyLiamM45 said:
Mk3 Seat Ibiza Cupra.
Go for one as original as possible, although there are loads of modified ones about.
Cheap to run and maintain and the VAG 1.8T engine is pretty solid with loads of potential to go faster if your budget allows.
hard to find at my price range, and insurance more than the mx5Go for one as original as possible, although there are loads of modified ones about.
Cheap to run and maintain and the VAG 1.8T engine is pretty solid with loads of potential to go faster if your budget allows.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff