Pictures of Rust?

[Conor D]

Does anyone have any pictures of rusted MX5s or Roadsters? The sills, and the underside..

I'm going to view a car on Friday and I want to see what bad rust looks like; especially on the underside. So pictures of superficial rust, along with serious rust would be great - I want to know what to avoid, as it sounds as if it's hard to get a truly rust free car.

[Dan_1981]

Mine not shockingly bad (yet)

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0... are two types of MK1's....&mid=169273

[Conor D]

What's the underside of the car like, is it as prone to rust?

I was speaking to the car cleaner at the garage, and he said there's a small spot of rust on the drivers side about the size of his thumb.. Is there any way of seeing from the underside how bad the rust is? Or is the only way to poke open the sills?

[MX-5 Lazza]

If you can see any rust at all it's serious. Even paint bubbles on the arches are serious.

Ok, it might not be serious but it might be and if you are buying then you should treat any sign of rust the same as there is a chance it needs a lot of work repairing the sills/arches.

[Dan_1981]

My underside has been waxoyled, from what paperwork i've got it seems to have been done fairly regularly since it came into the country, including by myslef about 18 monthsd ago, so my underside is in better oncdition than my sills / arches.

[Conor D]

Dan_1981 said:

My underside has been waxoyled, from what paperwork i've got it seems to have been done fairly regularly since it came into the country, including by myslef about 18 monthsd ago, so my underside is in better oncdition than my sills / arches.

What year was yours imported?

[Dan_1981]

Conor D said:

Dan_1981 said:

My underside has been waxoyled, from what paperwork i've got it seems to have been done fairly regularly since it came into the country, including by myslef about 18 monthsd ago, so my underside is in better oncdition than my sills / arches.

What year was yours imported?

Its on a 94 L.

[Jerwatt]

How often does undercoating need done?

[Conor D]

Any more for this?

[_Batty_]

Conor D said:

Any more for this?

take a screwdriver.
poke the drainholes. If they're blocked and its rusty run.
if they're not, poke the rust/look at the inner lip. If its gone/going leave it.
Avoid UK cars

[MX-5 Lazza]

Most JDM cars are no better than UK cars now. Most have been here 10 years or more by now.

[_Batty_]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Most JDM cars are no better than UK cars now. Most have been here 10 years or more by now.

by my calcs 10 years is better than 20
although i take your point...

[Burgmeister]

_Batty_ said:

by my calcs 10 years is better than 20
although i take your point...

My JDM is near immaculate when compared with its GB counterparts...

[themx5restorer]

Import cars do tend to have less rust than uk cars, but its all down to how long they have been here, and what sort of life they have had, I've welded up both

If you get pictures of any car you are thinking about buying showing any area's you are concerned about, please feel free to send them to me, I will be happy to advise

[TheGreatSoprendo]

Here's my thread showing my recent sill and arch rust repairs, which shows you what goes on beneath the outer skin:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... to value my dead but modified '5?&mid=25780

[Dan_1981]

themx5restorer said:

Import cars do tend to have less rust than uk cars, but its all down to how long they have been here, and what sort of life they have had, I've welded up both

If you get pictures of any car you are thinking about buying showing any area's you are concerned about, please feel free to send them to me, I will be happy to advise

Mazda mender - would you have a look at my thread I've linked to above?

How bad does it look? - appreciate they're not the best pictures.

Cheers.

[MX-5 Lazza]

MX5 Restorer. Mazda Mender is someone else