how do you find a mk2.5 that isn't rusty?
Discussion
I realise that people tend to go on forums to say that things have gone wrong, and not many people go on to say that everyting is fine, however, my investigatins suggest that every mk2.5 is held ogether by a few strands of rusty metal and about to implode so badly that you'll need a dustpan and brush to sweep up the bits.
I want a low miles car that will spend almost all of its time in a warm, dry garage, doing maybe 2000 miles per year. The whole point would be that after owning a series of classics which keep throwing up faults and/or have expensive services, this car will be ready when I want it and out of mind the rest of the time. MX5 would be perfect in terms of dependability but not if it is about to disolve.
Anyu suggestions?
I want a low miles car that will spend almost all of its time in a warm, dry garage, doing maybe 2000 miles per year. The whole point would be that after owning a series of classics which keep throwing up faults and/or have expensive services, this car will be ready when I want it and out of mind the rest of the time. MX5 would be perfect in terms of dependability but not if it is about to disolve.
Anyu suggestions?
snotrag said:
- Buy one thats already been fixed/sorted (example a Mk2.5 on Nutz, seller is GaryR, its MINT)
- Buy privately from an enthusiast and get evidence of care
- Buy one that needs work, budgeting for it accordingly
- Buy a Mk1 which rust less anyway
Thanks for the reply and steer. GaryR car is sold but I'll keep an eye out on Nutz. I had assumed I'd buy a low nmilage, low owner car. I know lots of enthusiasts look after cars but they thrash them too! Maybe I'll need to rethink this.- Buy privately from an enthusiast and get evidence of care
- Buy one that needs work, budgeting for it accordingly
- Buy a Mk1 which rust less anyway
I had thought about the needs work but I just don't want to get into all the organising. Its dirving my wife up the wall.
The car will do some clubman competition in standard or very close to standard form so I had chosen a Mk2.5 as slightly faster and slightly more grip. I prefer the look of mk1s so I did consider them.
Chris
ambuletz said:
snotrag said:
- Buy a Mk1 which rust less anyway
how is it that the mk2 rusts more then a mk1?As for an enthusiasts car being thrashed... I'd much rather buy an MX5 from an enthusiasts that uses it properly, uses all of the revs, thrashed it if that's the way you see it, but keeps it all perfectly maintained and serviced, even if he doesn't have any service records to prove it, than one from an owner who treats it like a diesel fiesta, rarely going over 3k but with a folder full of Mazda service receipts. I know which engine is likely to be in better condition!
You can't truly thrash these cars anyway, they just aren't that stressed. My own car is supercharged, has 240bhp and regularly spends a whole day on track near to the red-line yet its still bullet-proof.
ambuletz said:
snotrag said:
- Buy a Mk1 which rust less anyway
how is it that the mk2 rusts more then a mk1?However the main thing that seems to be different is the front chassis rails. The reason is they designed them differently, so they result in the problem that a lot of people are talking about. Apart from that there shouldn't be too much difference.
The other thing is the Mk1's are older now, so a lot of the ones that have been treated badly and have rusted are scrapped now, so it's more enthusiast cars left, which have been looked after.
Shoestringracer said:
I realise that people tend to go on forums to say that things have gone wrong, and not many people go on to say that everyting is fine, however, my investigatins suggest that every mk2.5 is held ogether by a few strands of rusty metal and about to implode so badly that you'll need a dustpan and brush to sweep up the bits.
I want a low miles car that will spend almost all of its time in a warm, dry garage, doing maybe 2000 miles per year. The whole point would be that after owning a series of classics which keep throwing up faults and/or have expensive services, this car will be ready when I want it and out of mind the rest of the time. MX5 would be perfect in terms of dependability but not if it is about to disolve.
Anyu suggestions?
I don't think things are quite that bad with the Mk2.5. All 5s rust, but rust is a slow process, and you'll normally get a couple of years warning before things get so bad that its an MOT failure. Mechanically they're very solid and reliable, so should meet your requirement of being ready when you want the car, you just need to be aware its likely at some point the sills will need attention. Obviously you're less likely to have problems with components failing due to age (eg radiator hoses) on a Mk2.5 compared to a Mk1, though that'll depend on how well maintained the Mk1 has been.I want a low miles car that will spend almost all of its time in a warm, dry garage, doing maybe 2000 miles per year. The whole point would be that after owning a series of classics which keep throwing up faults and/or have expensive services, this car will be ready when I want it and out of mind the rest of the time. MX5 would be perfect in terms of dependability but not if it is about to disolve.
Anyu suggestions?
The chassis rails issue is clearly a serious one when it does occur as its not economical to repair the car. Reading the thread on the owner's club forum, however, it doesn't seem there's any certainty why some cars are affected and others aren't, even of similar ages and mileages, so I wouldn't assume it'll happen to every Mk2.5.
gd49 said:
I don't think things are quite that bad with the Mk2.5. All 5s rust, but rust is a slow process, and you'll normally get a couple of years warning before things get so bad that its an MOT failure. Mechanically they're very solid and reliable, so should meet your requirement of being ready when you want the car, you just need to be aware its likely at some point the sills will need attention. Obviously you're less likely to have problems with components failing due to age (eg radiator hoses) on a Mk2.5 compared to a Mk1, though that'll depend on how well maintained the Mk1 has been.
The chassis rails issue is clearly a serious one when it does occur as its not economical to repair the car. Reading the thread on the owner's club forum, however, it doesn't seem there's any certainty why some cars are affected and others aren't, even of similar ages and mileages, so I wouldn't assume it'll happen to every Mk2.5.
There does seem to be come variation between cars. Perhaps a production line or something? One of things to remember is if you do go for one and get it fixed then you know it's done. If you sold and bought another it could end up with the same problem. Depends how long you're planning to keep. You mentioned about not wanting an expensive car - however even though the repair may be a bit more than the car is worth what else would you get for the money that's (pretty much) dependable? It's the situation I find myself in at the moment needing to sort out the valves on my car which is crazy expensive in Norway.The chassis rails issue is clearly a serious one when it does occur as its not economical to repair the car. Reading the thread on the owner's club forum, however, it doesn't seem there's any certainty why some cars are affected and others aren't, even of similar ages and mileages, so I wouldn't assume it'll happen to every Mk2.5.
gd49 said:
Shoestringracer said:
I realise that people tend to go on forums to say that things have gone wrong, and not many people go on to say that everyting is fine, however, my investigatins suggest that every mk2.5 is held ogether by a few strands of rusty metal and about to implode so badly that you'll need a dustpan and brush to sweep up the bits.
I want a low miles car that will spend almost all of its time in a warm, dry garage, doing maybe 2000 miles per year. The whole point would be that after owning a series of classics which keep throwing up faults and/or have expensive services, this car will be ready when I want it and out of mind the rest of the time. MX5 would be perfect in terms of dependability but not if it is about to disolve.
Anyu suggestions?
I don't think things are quite that bad with the Mk2.5. All 5s rust, but rust is a slow process, and you'll normally get a couple of years warning before things get so bad that its an MOT failure. Mechanically they're very solid and reliable, so should meet your requirement of being ready when you want the car, you just need to be aware its likely at some point the sills will need attention. Obviously you're less likely to have problems with components failing due to age (eg radiator hoses) on a Mk2.5 compared to a Mk1, though that'll depend on how well maintained the Mk1 has been.I want a low miles car that will spend almost all of its time in a warm, dry garage, doing maybe 2000 miles per year. The whole point would be that after owning a series of classics which keep throwing up faults and/or have expensive services, this car will be ready when I want it and out of mind the rest of the time. MX5 would be perfect in terms of dependability but not if it is about to disolve.
Anyu suggestions?
The chassis rails issue is clearly a serious one when it does occur as its not economical to repair the car. Reading the thread on the owner's club forum, however, it doesn't seem there's any certainty why some cars are affected and others aren't, even of similar ages and mileages, so I wouldn't assume it'll happen to every Mk2.5.
I have a MK2.5 it's just gone over 100,000 miles, I recently had the rear sills done (and I shall now look after them unlike the previous owner) and the chassis rails look fine. So I think its hit and miss as to what you can get but a well looked after high mileage car will be better than a neglected low mileage car.
Shoestringracer said:
Do you think that I car that haddn't rusted yet which is then kept away from salty roads could be proteced somehow? I don't want it even weakening as the car would make the odd competition appearance.
I don't know, probably worth having a read of this thread as there's a lot more detailed infomation http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/forums/t/46836.aspx?P...Shoestringracer said:
Do you think that I car that haddn't rusted yet which is then kept away from salty roads could be proteced somehow? I don't want it even weakening as the car would make the odd competition appearance.
Of course it can. See my original 'rust proof your roadster' thread here - http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...And my current project thread here - http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a... for some ideas.
I plan on updating my guide thread this year with more photos after this latest project, I'm taking plenty of photos as I go along this time, a few are here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/simonholehan/sets/721...
My 11 year old MK2.5 has 1 very small rust spot on the sill near the drivers door, to be sorted now the weather is better , I am very careful to keep all drain channels clear , jet wash arches and under, every time the car is washed , the car lives outside all the time , and is covered when not in use , so not all MK2.5s are rust buckets ,just another myth driven by people who most likely have never even laid a finger on the car .
MX51ROD said:
My 11 year old MK2.5 has 1 very small rust spot on the sill near the drivers door, to be sorted now the weather is better , I am very careful to keep all drain channels clear , jet wash arches and under, every time the car is washed , the car lives outside all the time , and is covered when not in use , so not all MK2.5s are rust buckets ,just another myth driven by people who most likely have never even laid a finger on the car .
I think part of it's luck with each car, but also the usual having someone look after it properly makes a difference too. I also think there's a bit more a panic situation at the moment in regards to this chassis rail situation - a lot of people probably changed thinking rust would be less of an issue, and it wasn't really known a few years ago. Once it started getting mentioned there's now a lot of people who looked at the usual spots but are now discovering this one. Gassing Station | Mazda MX5/Roadster/Miata | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff