RE: Shed Of the Week: Mazda MX-5 Mk2
Discussion
Also that rust is utterly ridiculous for a 21st century car. Why is it that 21st century Japanese cars (with the exception of some Toyotas, in my experience) still rust like 1980s Metros?
If you look around a 2000 onwards Vauxhall or 2005 onwards Ford (apart from the Ka) you see pretty much no rust (the odd exception excepted, I suppose)
If you look around a 2000 onwards Vauxhall or 2005 onwards Ford (apart from the Ka) you see pretty much no rust (the odd exception excepted, I suppose)
The car I bought was mainly for the engine/gearbox/diff/interior and wheels the rest wasn't up to anything and it was also going to be stripped no way for that to go back on the road. Was bought down near where the flooding happened a few winter back so might have been in that but it was off the road for 3 years before I had, its the worst one ive seen. I have had a berkely last mk1 1998 which had rusty wheel arches and sills but I did actually put that one back on the road.
Early mx5 are a lot better in metal quality wise than later model mk1 onwards, the early ones ive got have always been a lot cleaner rust wise.
Early mx5 are a lot better in metal quality wise than later model mk1 onwards, the early ones ive got have always been a lot cleaner rust wise.
Jimmy Recard said:
Why is it that 21st century Japanese cars (with the exception of some Toyotas, in my experience) still rust like 1980s Metros?
The Jap's don't salt their roads. Mazda especially vulnerable IMO as they were owned by Ford and rustproofing in the 90's-early 2000s from those companies was a lacking a bit.I had a MK2.5 MX5, but a proper Euphonic. After a proper 4 wheel alignment and a replacement Torsen LSD diff (after the original clutch LSD diff blew up!) it was fantastic - not rapid by any means but it was so much fun to drive and very easy and benign to hang the tail out - a fantastic introduction to RWD motoring.
Even though mine was looked after I spent about a grand on sorting out rust.. it would have been more but I caught the front chassis legs in time. I felt let down by the car at that point and scratched my itch for a Civic Type R - I enjoy the engine, practicality and speed of the Civic but the steering is pants in comparison to the Mazda. It's 14 years old and looks like its had a hard paper round - still not rusty though! (but then again it's built in Swindon)
I really, really like SOME MK2's - The Japanese RS editions with the bodykit in white or the dark blue colour look great IMO - better than most MK1's I think. I would have to put a supercharger on the engine though, and of course you'd really have to buy a MK2 with your eyes open and attack any rust like a Banzai charge.
kellyt said:
Scottie - NW said:
What was wrong with the PZ? I only ask as I bought a 3 year old one as the daily car about 5 years ago, kept it nearly 3 years and was probably the best all round car I ever had.
Rear doors meant putting young child in the rear was easier than any other car I tried, plus it could do both the school run and Nurburgring with the only mod some better brake pads.
Was sorry to see it go, ran faultess at 6 years old, only went when my daily car mileage changed from 4k per year to 22k per year!
I could't stand it. It had literally no torque and I had to stir the gears constantly to get anywhere. Third gear was so notchy it was a serious effort to get it to go in.Rear doors meant putting young child in the rear was easier than any other car I tried, plus it could do both the school run and Nurburgring with the only mod some better brake pads.
Was sorry to see it go, ran faultess at 6 years old, only went when my daily car mileage changed from 4k per year to 22k per year!
To me it just felt dog slow. I know it was actually quite quick, but it felt slow. And the bonging of the rev limiter got to be a haunting melody like when you press snooze a few times instead of getting up, and for ages afterwards you can hear the alarm in your head. All I could hear was the disappointing melody of that sodding bong, bong, of the rev limiter.
The dash rattled like a rattly thing when picked it up and had to take it back and get them to fix it. They said, "Oh , yes they sometimes do that, it's the wiring. We'll open it up and put some grease where the wires rattle on the dash." Great £ 26 k list and you fix the rattles with grease?! Oh, yes the non Mazda exhaust rattled off the underbody, that had to be adjusted too.
Then there's the little things. I used to put papers on the passenger seat when I got in, and when you accelerated (I use the phrase quite generously) a few times they would sod off through the gap between the base and the upright of the seat. The oil, you have to check regularly. I get that, it's how it works, that's fine really. But the filler it under a plastic cover at the back of the engine bay where there isn't a light. Thanks for that. There's the garage (that's not the car's fault) but they were utterly terrible.
I thought then and I still think now, it's a great looking car. But no, it wasn't a good car and a huge disappointment to me anyway. I'm glad you enjoyed yours honestly, they do look really great. Best wheels ever as far as I'm concerned.
But my fleet has an old S60 2.4t which I honestly think would run it very close indeed in a straight line. I's been well sorted and for me is a great car. Just wish it was a 2 door coupe. And a CL500 Mercedes, which would completely and utterly slaughter the PZ in a straight line and I think might well be equally economical, by which I mean it isn't. At all. Not getting at the PZ for the hell of it I promise you, I maybe just got a duff one myself.
Back to the shed MX5, i'd be happier if it was one fitted with the standard LSD but even so, for a £1k hack its great. We have a few MK1 Eunos / MX5 we sprint and track too, they are bomb proof as long as they have oil and water in them . Only thing of concern is rusty sills from the drain holes getting blocked, budget £300 per side to fix. One of our cars has been mercilessly caned for 4 years and is still up for a fight first turn of the key.
battered said:
GravelBen said:
Must be something about the UK that does it, they don't have the same rust problems in other countries. Type of salt used on the roads maybe?
No, just constant moisture, with salt in the winter. In summer, it's warm and damp so everything corrodes. In winter, salt plus damp, everything corrodes. Go to France and buy classic cars - those registered in dept. 29, 22, 50, etc are by the sea (top left, Brittany) and buggered within 10 years. Buy in the south for far less corrosion, including by the sea.ETA: Thinking about it some more - I guess its not so much constant dampness here, it will dump some rain and then dry out again afterwards. And if you were buying a classic you'd still try to get one from the dry inland areas.
Edited by GravelBen on Sunday 15th November 01:17
seany87 said:
The Jap's don't salt their roads. Mazda especially vulnerable IMO as they were owned by Ford and rustproofing in the 90's-early 2000s from those companies was a lacking a bit.
That may well be, but they should be able to work out that other countries (where their customers may live) salt their roads and have climates unlike Japan.I buy and sell Eunos/MX5s for a living (and have done for 10+ years now) and I have a few basic rules, one of which is: Don't buy Mk2.5s. Another one is: Only buy Mk2s if you really have to.
The Mk2.5 has a great spec but rust can be horrific, The earliest Mk2 models (98-2000) are quite a bit better but can still rust in awkward places. There's only so much hassle I need in my life, so I try and stick to Mk1s or occasionally, imported Mk2s.
If, by some miracle, you find a good one, they're actually great fun to drive though not particularly quick in a straight line, But then thats missing the point about an MX5 anyway - its the twisty bits that are the most fun.
My own car is a Mk2 but its one we've just imported from Japan (so its completely rust free). Its also the RS model so it has a six speed close ratio 'box, 146bhp, Torsen lsd plus I've fitted it with Meister R suspension etc. Absolute blast to drive, especially for the money.
The Mk2.5 has a great spec but rust can be horrific, The earliest Mk2 models (98-2000) are quite a bit better but can still rust in awkward places. There's only so much hassle I need in my life, so I try and stick to Mk1s or occasionally, imported Mk2s.
If, by some miracle, you find a good one, they're actually great fun to drive though not particularly quick in a straight line, But then thats missing the point about an MX5 anyway - its the twisty bits that are the most fun.
My own car is a Mk2 but its one we've just imported from Japan (so its completely rust free). Its also the RS model so it has a six speed close ratio 'box, 146bhp, Torsen lsd plus I've fitted it with Meister R suspension etc. Absolute blast to drive, especially for the money.
That's a bugger Sbloxxy, I was fancying one and warming up to buy one. Mk2 was my choice too - recent enough and cheap. But if they are bad news then what's the thinking on a Mk3? Mk1s are all a minimum of 20 yrs old, are any left that haven't had or need considerable amounts of welding?
Might end up with a MR2 mk3 instead, unless I just find a shed Mk2 to run into the ground, lather rinse repeat.
Might end up with a MR2 mk3 instead, unless I just find a shed Mk2 to run into the ground, lather rinse repeat.
battered said:
Mk1s are all a minimum of 20 yrs old, are any left that haven't had or need considerable amounts of welding?
Might end up with a MR2 mk3 instead, unless I just find a shed Mk2 to run into the ground, lather rinse repeat.
My 21 yr old Mk1 only had a small amount of welding done, a bit at the rear of the sills. Otherwise, its just fine. I had the suspension stripped and powder coated a couple of years ago as a precaution as I would like to keep it for another 20 years.Might end up with a MR2 mk3 instead, unless I just find a shed Mk2 to run into the ground, lather rinse repeat.
My neighbour has a nice 1.8L Mk2, some signs of rust at the sill rear but only wants £700 for it, ridiculously cheap.
The timing of this article is quite comical as I recently sold my treasured E92 M3 and replaced it with a MK2.5 Euphonic
(Yes you did just read that correctly)
Regardless of some of the negative comments, I think these cars are brilliant if bought with the correct mindset.
Mine is horrifically rusty but with an immaculate roof, 12 months MOT and everything functions correctly.
It was bought with a disposable 'joke' car attitude so quite frankly it has over delivered in all expectations.
Once you realise that you can't even buy an inert city hatchback with under 100bhp for the same price as this rwd convertible with an LSD and heated seats everything seems to make perfect sense as a used shed buy.
In my 2 months of ownership so far the Euphonic has been an absolute joy to own. The tears of laughter during an attempted overtake, the grin during a power slide and overall fun factor have far outwayed any adrenalin or high octane moment ever experienced behind the wheel in the old E92 M3.
This is the cheapest most comical car I have ever purchased and it has seriously caused me to re-evaluate fun vs cost factor of purchasing a vehicle.
(Yes you did just read that correctly)
Regardless of some of the negative comments, I think these cars are brilliant if bought with the correct mindset.
Mine is horrifically rusty but with an immaculate roof, 12 months MOT and everything functions correctly.
It was bought with a disposable 'joke' car attitude so quite frankly it has over delivered in all expectations.
Once you realise that you can't even buy an inert city hatchback with under 100bhp for the same price as this rwd convertible with an LSD and heated seats everything seems to make perfect sense as a used shed buy.
In my 2 months of ownership so far the Euphonic has been an absolute joy to own. The tears of laughter during an attempted overtake, the grin during a power slide and overall fun factor have far outwayed any adrenalin or high octane moment ever experienced behind the wheel in the old E92 M3.
This is the cheapest most comical car I have ever purchased and it has seriously caused me to re-evaluate fun vs cost factor of purchasing a vehicle.
My worst buy ever. Went looking for a mk1 and saw a cheap enough 2001 mk2 j(£2.4k) Jasper Conran mk2, needing a bit of tic.......was that a mistake. Highlight was fixing the alarm with a new battery and fixing the elec Windows...thereafter the full extent of rot I'd assumed had long since been banished from car manufacturing dawned on me...spent a small fortune on trim bits and pieces doing it up but every fixing was rusted up, the arches needed doing (default setting on every mk2) and the front legs didn't look great. In short it looked like it had been sat in the sea for a week.
Alternator belt snapped, the bolt to loosen the alternator fitted from the back siezes solid and after every tool known to man failed, I had to drill it out from the front. Pas lines were all knackered and looked likely to go any minute. Ended up getting it towed away for £500 when scrap prices were high, still have the oz superlegerra wheels and a set of coils that start when the car is warm.
I'd never buy another mx5 unless Mazda have learnt about underseal and galvanising. Never spent so much and lost so much on any car. Avoid !!
Alternator belt snapped, the bolt to loosen the alternator fitted from the back siezes solid and after every tool known to man failed, I had to drill it out from the front. Pas lines were all knackered and looked likely to go any minute. Ended up getting it towed away for £500 when scrap prices were high, still have the oz superlegerra wheels and a set of coils that start when the car is warm.
I'd never buy another mx5 unless Mazda have learnt about underseal and galvanising. Never spent so much and lost so much on any car. Avoid !!
rotarymazda said:
battered said:
Might end up with a MR2 mk3 instead, unless I just find a shed Mk2 to run into the ground, lather rinse repeat.
...My neighbour has a nice 1.8L Mk2, some signs of rust at the sill rear but only wants £700 for it, ridiculously cheap.
Thanks again Rotary.
As far as "They all do that Sir" I seem to have some of the common faults but not as much corrosion as you might fear.
[quote]My worst buy ever... the arches needed doing (default setting on every mk2)
[quote] and the front legs didn't look great.
[quote]Alternator belt snapped, the bolt to loosen the alternator fitted from the back siezes solid and after every tool known to man failed, I had to drill it out from the front.
Mine slips, I'm going to have a look at the thing later. Thanks for the warning, will apply Penol before starting.
[quote]Pas lines were all knackered and looked likely to go any minute.
Problems that are all my own:
Heater direction knob broken, falls off.
Heater blower seems stuck on about #2.
Aftermarket air filter fitted, needs fixing properly or a return to std.
Possible leaky rad, found a damp patch that may be the result of my poking around checking fluid levels and AF% or may be a leak.
2 rear tyres are about 2 weeks or 10 miles away (whichever comes first) from being illegal. (What brands work?)
Brakes need a service, esp rear.
On the whole, I'm delighted. Done 300 miles in it, in spite of the weather. For shed money it's excellent, I didn't dream this much sports car was out there for loose change. Compared to a Spitfire that I handed over twice the money for 20 years ago this car is as new. It's also faster, prettier and goes round corners better. Oh, and it's Evolution Orange Mica (sort of a coppery gold in the real world) which is a great colour that changes hue with the angle, and a rather unusual choice.
Ended up getting it towed away for £500 when scrap prices were high, still have the oz superlegerra wheels and a set of coils that start when the car is warm.
I'd never buy another mx5 unless Mazda have learnt about underseal and galvanising. Never spent so much and lost so much on any car. Avoid !!
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