Mk3 MX-5 - Anyone with huge mileage?

[Pulse]

I'm thinking of picking up a cheap MX-5, but I'm wondering how well they cope with huge mileage.

If I picked one up with 100k on the clock, would it cause me more problems than it's worth?

[matts4]

I wouldn't see it being an issue so long as its been serviced regularly and on time.

I've seen (advertised, not personally in the flesh) a 2.0 sport with 97k mikes at £4895 which seems a bit expensive, but if you could get it for around 4,400 I reckon that would be good value.
Equivalent spec cars with 60k seem to be nearer £6k.

Depends on your annual mileage really, I'd do 3k max per year so it would soon come right over 2 or 3 years.

I've just seen another, with hardtop and same miles for £4,500. If you could get that for near 4 grand and flog the hardtop for £500, that would be cheap fun for sure.

Edited by matts4 on Saturday 26th January 21:21

[hornetrider]

There's a guy on http://www.mx-5.com/forum/ who has well over 100k on his and is still on original disks, and nothing has ever broke. Remarkable. I wouldn't have any qualms about picking up a high miler as long as it was priced appropriately.

[g40steve]

Some of the race cars must be close to that mileage & they get a hard time, with no issues.

[Don Phil]

Have a read of this thread if you haven't already:

http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1...

[Pulse]

Cheers. So it could run for another 100k without too many issues?

What are the main things to look for when looking at a very early and high mileage example? Or would it likely be better to just spend an extra £1000 or so to get one with lower mileage?

[Pulse]

It's this one I'm looking at:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

[matts4]

That was the one I mentioned above. So many variables I guess:

Are all the tyres matching?
What sort of history
What's the roof like
Brake pad and discs condition

On paper,the car looks worth a punt. However, as soon as you factor in the potential to easily spend £4-600 on getting a few things "right", then you could have bought a better one with lower miles for the same combined expenditure

If that we're closer to me, I'd be off to see that today and would buy it and worry about selling my MK2 later, hoeever I think interest will be strong in that car due to price.
That may blinker some people into buying, even if it needs better money spending to make it proper.

[Pulse]

That's my thoughts, too.

I don't know enough about what to look for to just take a punt, sadly. I have the cash ready, and could leave it sat at home for a few months until my lease runs out, but I don't have the knowledge to just go and buy it.

The only benefit I can see is that it's at a main dealer (albeit not Mazda), so that should give a tiny bit more protection?

[hornetrider]

What knowledge do you need? Check all over for rust, check engine and cooling system for leaks, check oil level, listen for clonks on test drive, make sure it stops in a straight line and doesn't wander all over the road, check the history, bush bash bosh.

[Pulse]

I have to be honest and say I don't even know how to check the condition of the brake discs and pads! As above, it could be a significant extra cost if you buy the wrong car and have to spend a few hundred sorting it out.

Where are the likely areas for rust to look out for?

The car is only 60 miles away from me, so could be worth a look.

[matts4]

Check the panel gaps are uniform, paintwork matches.
Do the tyres match, even wear.
How much lip on the discs?

The warranty will be a 3 month affair I should imagine, most of which won't cover the potential leaks of a roof or wear and tear.
At £4k that car "could" be good value. Anything near £4.5 is to rich I reckon.

I'm 110 miles from it, but if you're closer, gotta be worth a look but don't get carried away!

[Pulse]

That's what I was thinking, though they may not want to move much on the price. At £4000, it could represent pretty good VFM.

[Don Phil]

Check MOT for advisories as they might need fixing this time round (if there were any).

[matts4]

Pulse said:

That's what I was thinking, though they may not want to move much on the price. At £4000, it could represent pretty good VFM.

Did you enquire or go see the car? Be good to know what it's like.

[rfn]

My old car is on 100k, never had an advisory at an MOT and in perfect working order (even still has a FMSH... and every invoice and document from new)!
No reason why it shouldn't go on for another 50-100k. It's on original clutch though.

[Riknos]

rfn said:

My old car is on 100k, never had an advisory at an MOT and in perfect working order (even still has a FMSH... and every invoice and document from new)!
No reason why it shouldn't go on for another 50-100k. It's on original clutch though.

This is good news for me. Mine is on 61k, mostly m-way stuff, and is still on the original, so I've not got to worry about replacing yet

[Trefy5]

Pulse said:

That's what I was thinking, though they may not want to move much on the price. At £4000, it could represent pretty good VFM.

sell the bl**dy toboggan fitted on the top
That'll fetch you £400-500 ish

The engines seem to go on forever - what you need to look at is what Hornetrider has listed
Sorted
Good luck anyway

[devnull]

Always makes me laugh when people talk about 100k being huge mileage. This isn't 1970's BL need-to-de-coke-the-heads-on-a-sunday-afternoon car. Your perception is my second-hand purchasing gain!

[flyer0]

Actually I think a few miles could be better for an MX5, mine is a 2006 Sport with just 21000 miles but the clutch literally exploded whilst I was pulling a lot of revs during a trackday at Snetterton recently. I haven't owned it that long but I have a feeling that more regular use and not periods doing nothing may have stopped that happening.