Purchase friday - help needed!
Discussion
MG CHRIS said:
Mx5 are pretty much bullet proof the engine will well out live the body just make sure it hasn't been run before you view it and start from cold. You covered the rest i been more worried by the rust rather than the mechanicals.
Thanks - the car has rusty arches, but seems to effect all of them - i'm guessing it won't be stupid money to get them fixed, especially as i don't need a perfect finish?I was wondering whether to forgoe the 1.8 and buy a 1.6 with better bodywork, for the same price.
It's a track car so don't want it to be too slow...not that the 1.8 is blistering!
Watch the crankshaft pulley which has a poly-V belt pulley on the very front of it. Watch it with the engine running. If there's any hint of a wobble of it means that there's a problem with the location of it on the front of the crank and that is a big problem. Walk away if there's a wobble!
Check for rust on the sills, take a torch and a magnet and inspect them closely. If the magnet wont stick to the sills you're in trouble! Check the hood works properly and check for damp in the boot and the floor carpets. Haggle. Hand over money. Put top down, drive with smile on face. Repeat! 
steve singh said:
Thanks guys - being messed around by the seller, so back on the hunt !!!
Not all about speed Steve, recently done Abingdon with my lad in his Astra Vxr, 280 bhp fwd! Mates Eunos 1.6 lapped quicker, it was all over us through the corners and we let him past on a straight cos we were holding him up. I went out the next day and bought one
steve singh said:
Thanks - the car has rusty arches, but seems to effect all of them - i'm guessing it won't be stupid money to get them fixed, especially as i don't need a perfect finish?
It's doesn't affect all of them and it is expensive to get them repaired properly. There are plenty of cars out there without rusty sills you just need to be patient enough to find one. Or find one that's had the sills properly repaired recently. If you find a car with bubbling paint you won't know how bad the corrosion is until it's been opened up.These cars rust from the inside out and to get them properly repaired (sills and arches) is £350 per side. No doubt someone will be along shortly to say their mate Dave does them for £50 a side, but I've had a Mk1 and Mk2 repaired by specialist MX5 repairers who are well regarded and that's the cost to get all the crap cut out and new metal welded in. Anything cheaper and it'll just be a cover-up job and the rust will be back in less than 12 months.
JQ said:
steve singh said:
Thanks - the car has rusty arches, but seems to effect all of them - i'm guessing it won't be stupid money to get them fixed, especially as i don't need a perfect finish?
It's doesn't affect all of them and it is expensive to get them repaired properly. There are plenty of cars out there without rusty sills you just need to be patient enough to find one. Or find one that's had the sills properly repaired recently. If you find a car with bubbling paint you won't know how bad the corrosion is until it's been opened up.These cars rust from the inside out and to get them properly repaired (sills and arches) is £350 per side. No doubt someone will be along shortly to say their mate Dave does them for £50 a side, but I've had a Mk1 and Mk2 repaired by specialist MX5 repairers who are well regarded and that's the cost to get all the crap cut out and new metal welded in. Anything cheaper and it'll just be a cover-up job and the rust will be back in less than 12 months.
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