Need cheap runaround

[callahan]

Hi Everyone

I am just about to change job and lose my company car, so need something cheap to replace it with in the short term. New car will be mostly for runs to the airport (so it needs to start when I get back from a week away...) and a bit of fun for me at weekends.

I had an MX5 na a few years back and loved it, but having a company car and doing 30k a year in it rather spoilt weekend driving.

I'm looking on here and MX5 Nutz (where I got my last one from) but any suggestions for the spec to choose? Budget is about £2k and I have my eye on this one: http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=3...

Thanks for any help, suggestions etc.

[callahan]

JTSmith said:

Thats easy this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-MX5-MK1-black-1993...

Neon = +85 bhp,,,

Fantastic, but perhaps a little less neon would suit me better?

This is a bit closer to what I was thinking: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Mazda-mx5-MX-5-MK2-...

[callahan]

JTSmith said:

callahan said:

JTSmith said:

Thats easy this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-MX5-MK1-black-1993...

Neon = +85 bhp,,,

Fantastic, but perhaps a little less neon would suit me better?

This is a bit closer to what I was thinking: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Mazda-mx5-MX-5-MK2-...

Sorry, did you say more neon and a bigger back wing? No problem I've got your back:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mazda-MX-5-1-8i-S-/33206...


(In all seriousness though, that black one looks like its in lovely condition! I do wonder though, for £3000 would you not be tempted by the easier to live with mk3?)

Thanks, that's a lovely shade of retina-burn orange!

I'm not stuck on MK1, 2 or 3 really, but have had a MK1 before so fancy a change. A MK3 might be a bit ropey at that price, I'd have thought?

[callahan]

Fair points about the MK3 (and nice example) but I would want the suspension sorted after all the early reports of it not working very well. I'd then be tempted by the folding hard top (for airport car parks) and it would need to be the 2 litre etc etc. Mission and budget creep would take over.

I've always fancied an RX8, I actually got rid of the old MX5 partly because I could never take both kids on journeys. Anyone seen Sophie's Choice? It was a bit like that, but without Nazis.

I would be very, very worried about the usual RX8 stories though and the fuel consumption would be hard to excuse - my 'sensible' car is a C32 AMG, which isn't exactly frugal already.

[callahan]

JTSmith said:

Fuel consumption is waaaaay down the list of things you need to worry about them... The engine blowing up is more of a concern (and it WILL happen, bang on 60k miles)

That said I bought my RX8 cheap, drove it like it was stolen for 6 month, then it blew up... All in a £1000 loss, but it was mighty fun in the process! And frankly, it cost less per month than a Dacia Sandero... So not much of a loss IMO!!! Just buy it knowing a) it will blow up and b) it will be a total pain in the ass if you dont manage to start it first time

Such a shame really, because it's such a great car in most ways, they should at least have had a version with a 'normal' engine in it at some point. For me, relying on it to start after a week sat in an airport car park is a pre-requisite, so that's a deal breaker for me.

MX5, MR2, maybe Celica?

[callahan]

JTSmith said:

Yeaaaah they don't like sitting very much either, so thats the RX8 straight out the window haha (and actually I find my Mk2 more fun to drive than the RX8 was anyway, so its not a huge loss!)


Hmmmmm what year MR2 are we talking? I know the Mk1s for example, make MX5 rust issues look petty by comparison haha

I'd be looking at a MK3 probably, but at my budget an MX5 is likely to be a better buy, purely because there are so many to choose from.

This one looks absolutely perfect in every way: http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/yaf_postst99530_Mazda...

In every way except the gearbox. Why is that in there?

[callahan]

JTSmith said:

callahan said:

JTSmith said:

Yeaaaah they don't like sitting very much either, so thats the RX8 straight out the window haha (and actually I find my Mk2 more fun to drive than the RX8 was anyway, so its not a huge loss!)


Hmmmmm what year MR2 are we talking? I know the Mk1s for example, make MX5 rust issues look petty by comparison haha

I'd be looking at a MK3 probably, but at my budget an MX5 is likely to be a better buy, purely because there are so many to choose from.

This one looks absolutely perfect in every way: http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/yaf_postst99530_Mazda...

In every way except the gearbox. Why is that in there?

That thing is lovely. Buy that. Even at the asking price, done deal!

BRG and tan interior - so spot on

But automatic! In an MX5!