Cold Feet - MX5 Euphonic....

[Teocali]

Hi all,

I had looked at several MX5's over the Bank Holiday weekend and until yesterday I had given up due to finding poor examples at my planned budget of £3k.

Then yesterday I looked at a 2004 Euphonic up for sale at £6k in the ideal spec, 1.8, hardtop, leather, low milage - seemed ideal.

I had decided to go ahead but the following points are giving me cold feet:

- FSH is missing a 2010 stamp although the mileage didnt require a service

- Rear arches show some rust inside (Not visible from side)

- Alloys have corrosion and would require shot blasting

- Passeneger Sill shows superficial rust from where stone chips have made contact

I had a good px value and the dealer has agreed to change the cambelt before collection.

Are the faults listed above typical for a car of this type and age or ar ethere better examples around for this sort of value?

Cheers,

Sam

[Gizmo!]

6k feels a bit steep, and I'd be curious to see how serious the rear arch rust is.

Euphonic is a good model though.

Even if my iPhone tries to change "Euphonic" to "Syphilis" for some reason.

[Aizle]

I've recently acquired a Euphonic

What mileage is it at for that price?
Is the dealer doing the latest service too?

[Riknos]

£6k! For a rusty 7 year old car?! That's madness. You sound like me; you have a budget but you end up purchasing at double what you intended to. For your original £3k; I would get a mint, rust free mk1 for £2k, then spend the money on toys for it, maybe even a turbo upgrade if you fancy it. Job done.

[1st_petrolhead]

I think thats sounds expensive concidering the alloys and rust on the arches

[ApexJimi]

£6k? and there are rust issues?

Two words - walk away

[JFReturns]

Yup, way too expensive. You could spend less than £2k on a very tidy MK1 and the rest on forced induction

[Rocketman105]

Does seem steep considering what you can pick up for £1.5-2k - leaving you pots of cash left over.

I see you're moving on from (supplementing?) your 100HP - another fine automobile!

[Teocali]

ApexJimi said:

£6k? and there are rust issues?

Two words - walk away

Normally I would agree but the rust was superficial and the models I have seen at the £3k range the rust was far worse.

I'm just trying to establish whether any 2004 mx5 is going to have these superficial marks at this price point and I will just have to deal with them?

Also I'm being steered by it being the ideal specification and it drove perfectly.

Alternatively if anyone can find or is selling a good condition £2-£3k MX5 im all ears....

Thanks All - Sam.

[JFReturns]

Teocali said:

Normally I would agree but the rust was superficial and the models I have seen at the £3k range the rust was far worse.

I'm just trying to establish whether any 2004 mx5 is going to have these superficial marks at this price point and I will just have to deal with them?

Also I'm being steered by it being the ideal specification and it drove perfectly.

Alternatively if anyone can find or is selling a good condition £2-£3k MX5 im all ears....

Thanks All - Sam.

Check my profile...

[Evangelion]

On an MX-5, visible rust on the outside is always worse on the inside. Unless you can negotiate a sizeable discount on the face of that, walk away. New sills will cost about £4-600.

[Teocali]

ApexJimi said:

£6k? and there are rust issues?

Two words - walk away

Normally I would agree but the rust was superficial and the models I have seen at the £3k range the rust was far worse.

I'm just trying to establish whether any 2004 mx5 is going to have these superficial marks at this price point and I will just have to deal with them?

Also I'm being steered by it being the ideal specification and it drove perfectly.

Alternatively if anyone can find or is selling a good condition £2-£3k MX5 im all ears....

Thanks All - Sam.

[gowmonster]

if the sills/arches are showing any rust whatsoever i'd be walking away at that price. i'd be asking questions why it hadn't be picked up at service intervals too.

[Aizle]

OP, drop me a PM and you can give me a call. I recently bought an 04 Euphonic for less than the price you are looking at, it was a private sale but I can give you an indication of condition on mine etc.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Mk2 sills can rust just from stone chips with no internal rust as they flare out a bit towards the rear and get chipped easily. If the visible rust is all from stone-chips then it could be cleaned up easily & cheaply.

£6k is a lot of money for a Mk2.5 though. Mk3s are starting to come down to that price!

[PlayersNo6]

I think the corrosion on the alloys is to be expected. My parents' 04 Euphonic wheels are peeling in the bolt holes. I also have the same issue on my TSW Stealth alloys.

Surface rust just seems to be par for the course with these cars. My parents' Euphonic was bought at two years old with 10k on it IIRC. The car is kept under a car port and does about 2k pa but is used in all weather, all year round. There are now signs of surface rust starting on the the rear arch lips and the bootlid underside panel.

My car is an 01 that I think was garaged all its life. It's got no rust on the sills or arches but I had to fix corrosion around the bootlid lamps (even though I suspect it previously had a warranty repair). It is garaged by me and not used over winter.

I've no doubt that if it was left outside all year round and used on gritted roads over winter it would rust. The car's design sees to that.

As for value, 6k does seem a lot in the current economic climate when owners of many cars are complaining about lack of interest.

Good choice on the Euphonic - it is a nice spec.

[M888SXY]

If it's any help or comparison I just paid £4400 for a mint 03 plate Nevada with 33k on the clock from a main stealer.

[PlayersNo6]

M888SXY said:

If it's any help or comparison I just paid £4400 for a mint 03 plate Nevada with 33k on the clock from a main stealer.

Sounds a good buy. Is it 1.6 or 1.8? Leather or cloth seats?

[M888SXY]

1.8 but cloth unfortunately. Silver with blue roof and interior.

Pick it up Saturday morning. Unfortunately it seems the weather here (Aberdeen) will have broken by then.

PlayersNo6 said:

Sounds a good buy. Is it 1.6 or 1.8? Leather or cloth seats?

[SiC2]

£6,000 seems alot of money for a car of that age, I just traded my Mk3 MX5 for a lot less than that and then it was put on there forecourt for less as well - granted my car was just a 1.8 with cloth seats rather than a fancy special edition.

JFReturns - Where abouts are you based? Your car looks in great condition.I am quite interested in getting a new "cheap" MX5 as a second car as I am missing having a convertible.