(UK) MX5 Prices
Discussion
Hi All,
I'm on the look out for a UK MX5 (Insuring an import is a pain due only being 24).
Now my original budget was going to be about £2k (I'm planning to get a £3k loan so that I can pay off a couple of debts + get a couple of small mods done).
I also have my 94 Mk3 Golf to sell on which should get me a couple of quid (once i've got it through an MOT and given it a wash).
However the real dilema starts as last night I walked past an MX5 near my house that i've always liked..... and its now up for sale.
It's on a M Plate, Bright Red, Alloy wheels, 69k on the clock but they want £4k for it. Is that expensive?
Prices on Autotrader seem to vary considerably so i've got no way of knowing if it a fair asking price. If it is i'll have to ignore and find another suitable car. If it's priced too high I could try and barter him down.
Thanks,
Phill
I'm on the look out for a UK MX5 (Insuring an import is a pain due only being 24).
Now my original budget was going to be about £2k (I'm planning to get a £3k loan so that I can pay off a couple of debts + get a couple of small mods done).
I also have my 94 Mk3 Golf to sell on which should get me a couple of quid (once i've got it through an MOT and given it a wash).
However the real dilema starts as last night I walked past an MX5 near my house that i've always liked..... and its now up for sale.
It's on a M Plate, Bright Red, Alloy wheels, 69k on the clock but they want £4k for it. Is that expensive?
Prices on Autotrader seem to vary considerably so i've got no way of knowing if it a fair asking price. If it is i'll have to ignore and find another suitable car. If it's priced too high I could try and barter him down.
Thanks,
Phill
I've owned MX5s for 4 years - awesome cars and a great choice for fun motoring on a budget. This year I've been to the Scottish highlands, Ireland, Suffolk, and down to Nice twice (via the route Napolean :-) Total servicing costs this year £60!
Be aware that by 1995 Mazda had introduced the 1.8. After this the 1.6 was de powered - these are ones to avoid. There is always discussion of 1.6 vs 1.8 powered cars. General consensus seems to be 1.8 has useful extra torque but doesn't feel as keen to rev. Extra body strengthening means the power to weight ratio difference isn't a lot.
With insurance being a problem I would go for an early 1.6. Go to www.mx5ocforum.co.uk/index to find current good insurance deals, club membership will also get you discounted AON insurance.
Bear in mind that most uk Mk1 MX5s are starting to rust a little. Imports are becoming more popular amongst those in the know and insurance/servicing isn't nearly such an issue since 50% of the Mk1 cars on the road are imports.
Red is a very common colour and tends to fade, particularly around the bumpers, and these (along with white ones) can be harder to shift.
Good luck I'm sure you won't regret buying one
Be aware that by 1995 Mazda had introduced the 1.8. After this the 1.6 was de powered - these are ones to avoid. There is always discussion of 1.6 vs 1.8 powered cars. General consensus seems to be 1.8 has useful extra torque but doesn't feel as keen to rev. Extra body strengthening means the power to weight ratio difference isn't a lot.
With insurance being a problem I would go for an early 1.6. Go to www.mx5ocforum.co.uk/index to find current good insurance deals, club membership will also get you discounted AON insurance.
Bear in mind that most uk Mk1 MX5s are starting to rust a little. Imports are becoming more popular amongst those in the know and insurance/servicing isn't nearly such an issue since 50% of the Mk1 cars on the road are imports.
Red is a very common colour and tends to fade, particularly around the bumpers, and these (along with white ones) can be harder to shift.
Good luck I'm sure you won't regret buying one
LexSport said:
pmanson said:
I'm on the look out for a UK MX5 (Insuring an import is a pain due only being 24).
Don't let that put you off. Call around and you'll find it doesn't make as much difference as you think, even at 24. My current company (Churchill) won't insure me until i'm 25 (Dec) and i'm 8 months into a policy with them, however they did quote me online £300ish for a UK car.
Perfomance Direct wanted about £500 but there is a potential issue with insuring the Girlfriend on it due to her being 21.
A-Plan won't touch me until i'm 25 and said even though it would be very expensive me to insure (WTF!)
Adrian Flux came back provisionally with £670.
Phill
You haven't said what model/engine size it is, but I'm guessing it's a 1.8? Either way, it sounds a little on the pricey side to me. Compare it with this one in the classifieds. It's a 1995 N plate UK model with low mileage and looks in good shape from the pics. It's also a 1.8is (just like mine!), which gets you some extra goodies compared to the 1.8i, including electric windows, electric mirrors, electric ariel, leather rimmed steering wheel, abs, airbag and some nice aluminium speaker surrounds and kick plates. At an asking price of £3250, you'd have to wonder where the extra £750 of value is in the one you've seen (not that I've seen it of course!).
Edited by thegreatsoprendo on Wednesday 24th January 13:41
thegreatsoprendo said:
You haven't said what model/engine size it is, but I'm guessing it's a 1.8? Either way, it sounds a little on the pricey side to me. Compare it with this one in the classifieds. It's a 1995 N plate UK model with low mileage and looks in good shape from the pics. It's also a 1.8is (just like mine!), which gets you some extra goodies compared to the 1.8i, including electric windows, electric mirrors, electric ariel, leather rimmed steering wheel, abs, airbag and some nice aluminium speaker surrounds and kick plates. At an asking price of £3250, you'd have to wonder where the extra £750 of value is in the one you've seen (not that I've seen it of course!).
Edited by thegreatsoprendo on Wednesday 24th January 13:41
I'm not sure what size engine/model it is. I'll have a look on the way home tonight. I like the one you've just shown me though!
bigjimmy said:
What are the MPG figures like for each of 1.8 and 1.6? Im looking to get one in August, and have to think about petrol cost.
To be honest, not great on either given the relatively small engine size and lightweight of the car. Depends on how you drive, but you'll do well to average low 30's I'd say.
thegreatsoprendo said:
bigjimmy said:
What are the MPG figures like for each of 1.8 and 1.6? Im looking to get one in August, and have to think about petrol cost.
To be honest, not great on either given the relatively small engine size and lightweight of the car. Depends on how you drive, but you'll do well to average low 30's I'd say.
'ere, thats not great.. Do other people find they get about the same?
pmanson said:
Now my original budget was going to be about £2k (I'm planning to get a £3k loan so that I can pay off a couple of debts + get a couple of small mods done).
Would it not make more sense to save, pay the debts off then save a bit more and buy the car? Getting a bigger loan to pay a smaller loans and at the same time get yourself in more debt makes no sense.
UK mk1's are the cheapest, £2K will easy get you one and insure it.
steve bowen said:
pmanson said:
Now my original budget was going to be about £2k (I'm planning to get a £3k loan so that I can pay off a couple of debts + get a couple of small mods done).
Would it not make more sense to save, pay the debts off then save a bit more and buy the car? Getting a bigger loan to pay a smaller loans and at the same time get yourself in more debt makes no sense.
UK mk1's are the cheapest, £2K will easy get you one and insure it.
When I say a couple of debts I just mean £500 for a TV I just brought on the credit card thats it. My overdraft is interest free (Student). The idea was to borrow £3k, pay off the TV then have £2.5k to spend on the car and a couple of mods.
I had a look at the £4k car down the road from me last night its a 1.8 although it doesn't say if it was an i or is etc.
Phill
bigjimmy said:
What are the MPG figures like for each of 1.8 and 1.6? Im looking to get one in August, and have to think about petrol cost.
rubbish, gearing is really low so if you go on dual carriageways or Motorways and cruise at the normal 80mph you'll be doing something silly like 4500rpm and add to that old fashioned batch injection wasted spark and you come out with a really rather un-economical car. Having mine rewired with new ecu to go sequential injection so that'll help a bit, but the gears,.. I want the accceleration & LSD so i'll put up with it.
thegreatsoprendo said:
bigjimmy said:
What are the MPG figures like for each of 1.8 and 1.6? Im looking to get one in August, and have to think about petrol cost.
To be honest, not great on either given the relatively small engine size and lightweight of the car. Depends on how you drive, but you'll do well to average low 30's I'd say.
i have had 2, a 1.8 mk2 and a 1.8 mk2.5, both averaged over the course of a 3 years 22mpg, and now i have turbo'd it, mine now does about 16-17 to the gallon.
Not good
greg
Just another opinion on the MPG. I've got a Mk2.5 1.8iS. I've had it for a year and half or so now and am averaging around 25Mpg on a mixture of town driving and longer runs. I've got the 6 speed box so can cruise at 80-90 mph without being too far up the rev band but it's still pretty shocking for a light weight car with a smallish engine!
Just seen this.
I have a lower power 1600 UK '5.
Its not going to set the world alight,but pulls fairly well.
Of all the '5s in my price range, out of all the ones I saw, it was the lower power ones that were in better condition and had the lower milage, which was very important for me.
If you buy at the right price and the car has the right milage, you wont lose much, or anything when you come to sell.
Below is my actual car.
www.mx5-3rdgenerationlimited.com/monaco.htm
She has 40,000 miles on her at present and is immaculate, with full service history.
I should get all my money out of her if I keep her for 2 years and put 20,000 miles on her.
I have a lower power 1600 UK '5.
Its not going to set the world alight,but pulls fairly well.
Of all the '5s in my price range, out of all the ones I saw, it was the lower power ones that were in better condition and had the lower milage, which was very important for me.
If you buy at the right price and the car has the right milage, you wont lose much, or anything when you come to sell.
Below is my actual car.
www.mx5-3rdgenerationlimited.com/monaco.htm
She has 40,000 miles on her at present and is immaculate, with full service history.
I should get all my money out of her if I keep her for 2 years and put 20,000 miles on her.
bigjimmy said:
What are the MPG figures like for each of 1.8 and 1.6? Im looking to get one in August, and have to think about petrol cost.
I've an early Mk1 1.8 import, and that gets 28mpg on my commute to work (Welsh lanes, so that's fairly demanding on the juice
). On straight, boring motorway runs it'll exceed 35mpg.Gassing Station | Japanese Chat | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff