Mazda MX-5 (NA) | PH Auction Block
One owner, less than 30,000 miles, and not a single MOT advisory in 19 years...
If nothing else, the revelation of Electrogenic’s battery swap has made us all think about the Mk1 Mazda MX-5 again. For a car famous (around here, at least) as The Answer to Everything, the original seems to have been in very short supply of late. Probably no surprise, really, given even the youngest are now more than 25 years old. But if they aren’t at one extreme of overly preened perfection, they often now look beyond economical repair. Nice old MX-5s seem conspicuous now by their absence.
Happens with so much of course. Cars that were popular when new depreciate, eventually to the bottom of the bargain bucket, and inevitably end up not being cared for properly. Then there’s rust to think of, too. As numbers dwindle, so interest and values increase again, and money is invested in making the cars better than new. Because now the old cars are worth spending the cash on. Happened with 205s, 911s, MG Bs - all the usual restomod suspects. And nobody can deny how good some modified MX-5s are.
All of which makes this NA a real find. It’s borderline extraordinary, in fact. More than 35 years after launch you’d very gladly take a one-owner example, or a low mileage one, or a rust-free one; all are very desirable attributes for the little Mazda. This one boasts all three: the seller bought it new from Runcorn Mazda in 1991 (!), it’s covered fewer than 30,000 miles since, and the digital MOT history - so back to 2006 - doesn’t feature a single advisory. Not one.
It’s a truly spectacular example. Unmodified, too, which makes it even rarer, complete with the original Clarion tape player, the sunflower alloys and optional Mazda hardtop. This would have been a notable MX-5 15 years ago, let alone with so many having fallen by the wayside in recent times. And it looks just as good as might be hoped for given such low mileage and diligent care, a step back in time in the most wonderful way.
As has been said more than once in recent years, the MX-5 has now assumed the role of the classic British sports car it always aimed to evoke when new. In the early '90s the old MGs, Healeys, Jensens and Lotuses were the small, light, 30-year-old roadsters that represented a simpler, easier, more fun time in automotive. Now the first MX-5 is 30-odd years old, with nothing much more for entertainment than a revvy 1.6, perfect manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. It’s exactly the same sort of appeal that made people cherish the classics (and still love the current MX-5, actually), albeit with more dependability.
This one is surely too good to be thinking about much drastic modification, but then that’s been the appeal of an MX-5 for so long - it can be pretty much whatever kind of sports car you want it to be. We’d be inclined to enjoy it exactly as its first owner has: with good care, sparing use and a whole lot of love. A classic for summer Sundays, complete with pop-up lights. Opportunities like this don’t come up very often, as anyone who’s scoured the internet for donor MX-5s over recent years will attest to. Bidding starts on Wednesday…
I’ve enjoyed getting my hands back on the tools with this car over the past year and it’s easy to work on.
It’s great that Mazda are making original parts for them again.
I’ve just had to put a new rad in it replacing what looks like the original this past week along with new fuel filter.
If it’s been looked after the way the owner describes I’d really not worry about it. Just remember it’s still a 30 year old car.
7 years between oil changes is not good, assuming the mileage is consistent.
Normally this too would worry me.. However that engine is such a simple beasty this is firmly in the 'who cares?' category. You'll know within 30 seconds of starting if it's a bag of nails.. and if it is a 1.6 Mazda engine is hardly unobtainable.
7 years between oil changes is not good, assuming the mileage is consistent.
Normally this too would worry me.. However that engine is such a simple beasty this is firmly in the 'who cares?' category. You'll know within 30 seconds of starting if it's a bag of nails.. and if it is a 1.6 Mazda engine is hardly unobtainable.
But it's had quite a bit of paint including very recent black stone chip on the sills. There's definitely different silvers all over the car. The wing bolt in one of the many pictures has chipped paint suggesting the wing has been off. I wonder why? And as for the drivers seat wear. Did the driver wear chainmail trousers while driving it?
It might be low miles, but it's no museum piece. Does have matching Kumho's though..
https://www.mazda.co.uk/why-mazda/news-and-events/...
I love driving my na eunos which is in far inferior condition to this and as such worth next to nothing, currently my son uses it as he paid nearly a grand to get the welding done and get it serviced and MOT'd after I had it sorn'd as I couldn't afford to get it road worthy, he also lives driving it, his daily is an i20N so massively different.
Be interesting to see what this fetches, not sure for how long it will stay rust free, depends if it's driven as a classic or a daily I guess.
7 years between oil changes is not good, assuming the mileage is consistent.
Normally this too would worry me.. However that engine is such a simple beasty this is firmly in the 'who cares?' category. You'll know within 30 seconds of starting if it's a bag of nails.. and if it is a 1.6 Mazda engine is hardly unobtainable.
But it's had quite a bit of paint including very recent black stone chip on the sills. There's definitely different silvers all over the car. The wing bolt in one of the many pictures has chipped paint suggesting the wing has been off. I wonder why? And as for the drivers seat wear. Did the driver wear chainmail trousers while driving it?
It might be low miles, but it's no museum piece. Does have matching Kumho's though..
It had been sitting for 4 years and the time before this it had basically done a few hundred miles per year. There are a few marks on the paint here and there however it's solid. There is one fail since 2006 on the MOT for a failed wipe blade. I wish mine had a hardtop like the one in the auction but it's not the end of the world. I'm the 5th owner.
The first thing I'd do to that would be all fluids, check the rad isn't past its best as these aren't an MX-5 strong point, probably change the belts then drive it in the summer only. As soon as you show it salt that'd be it.
Maybe KGF will buy and try and sell it for £20K
Good luck everyone with your bids
Best wishes
Dave
PistonHeads Auctions
Good luck everyone with your bids
Best wishes
Dave
PistonHeads Auctions
I'm 6'2" and just couldn't get anything like comfortable
About the only advantage of being a shortarse is being able to own and drive one haha
Looks a great example
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