Discussion
Hi everyone 
Well i have been searching arround now for about a month for a MX-5 and i am going to view one on Saturday.
Its a 1997 (P reg) 1.6i in Red and has done 36,000 miles and its up for £3,500 which is smackbang on my budget. Its a UK car.. not a Eunos and looks very good in the photos.
Can anyone give me some advice on what to look for when buying it? This is the first car i have ever brough for myself so i dont have a great deal of knowledge about cars. I dont wanna buy a Lemon so i was just wondering if there is anything specific i should look out for on this model.
Im told that at a recommended 54000 miles the cambelt needs changing and to check that he pop up headlight work cleanly and dont stick.
Anyhelp would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers Rob
Well i have been searching arround now for about a month for a MX-5 and i am going to view one on Saturday.
Its a 1997 (P reg) 1.6i in Red and has done 36,000 miles and its up for £3,500 which is smackbang on my budget. Its a UK car.. not a Eunos and looks very good in the photos.
Can anyone give me some advice on what to look for when buying it? This is the first car i have ever brough for myself so i dont have a great deal of knowledge about cars. I dont wanna buy a Lemon so i was just wondering if there is anything specific i should look out for on this model.
Im told that at a recommended 54000 miles the cambelt needs changing and to check that he pop up headlight work cleanly and dont stick.
Anyhelp would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers Rob
robert_brunning said:
Hi everyone
Well i have been searching arround now for about a month for a MX-5 and i am going to view one on Saturday.
Its a 1997 (P reg) 1.6i in Red and has done 36,000 miles and its up for £3,500 which is smackbang on my budget. Its a UK car.. not a Eunos and looks very good in the photos.
Can anyone give me some advice on what to look for when buying it? This is the first car i have ever brough for myself so i dont have a great deal of knowledge about cars. I dont wanna buy a Lemon so i was just wondering if there is anything specific i should look out for on this model.
Im told that at a recommended 54000 miles the cambelt needs changing and to check that he pop up headlight work cleanly and dont stick.
Anyhelp would be greatly appreciated!
Cheers Rob
Make sure there's no squeaking from the chassis - it may well be rotten and check for bubbles around the doors etc.
As has been said though if you really like this 1.6, consider tuning it as the 1.8 isn't really that fast either.
That being said, I'm still waiting to hear
benjc said:
88bhp 1.6? Not my bag I'm afraid.
I would strongly suggest driving a 1.8 and 1.6 (if you haven't already), and not discount the Eunos.
Sorry, I just read that and thought "what a negative t
t". I have driven pretty much all variants of the 5 from a stock 88bhp 1.6 to 1.8s, Mk1s, Mk2s, turbochraged and supercharged, and they have all been fun in their special ways. The UK post '94 1.6 was pretty basic and was developed for the UK and Philippine market as an insurance buster, so doesn't have the "upgradeability" as the more commonplace 1.8s and Eunos 1.6s or UK pre '94 MX5s.
If you are doing it for insurance purposes I would completely understand, but spend some time on www.mx5ocforum.co.uk do a bit of research and I am sure you will not buy a Lemon!
Good luck and enjoy your 5 when you get it!
Ben
I drove the new 2.0 Sport MX5 which came out recently and it was amazing! Alot of fun to drive.. unfortunatly i dident have the money to get it but my mum and dad did! lol
I also drove the RX8 with the wankel engine and god did it go!
I would deffiantly prefer a 1.8 to a 1.6 but i havent found any decent 1.8's so far in my price range.
I also drove the RX8 with the wankel engine and god did it go!
I would deffiantly prefer a 1.8 to a 1.6 but i havent found any decent 1.8's so far in my price range.
robert_brunning said:
Yea 3.5 is pretty much as high as i can go as im a student who isent working at the moment and i still gotta find the £600 quid to insure
Is that somthing you would be intrested in? Id love to hear about your car... im so excited at soon being an MX-5er!
www.mx5ocforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=33456
There you go....
You should have no problem getting a 1.8 for £3500. I just picked up a lovely 94L for £3300. In my view it's worth sacrificing a year or two and a few thousand miles to have the 1.8 instead of the 1.6.
Anyway, follow the links to that buyer's guide. It's very good and should give you some pointers. In my search, I saw plenty of dogs that looked mint in photos - and most of them were pricier than what I got!
Best of luck. You'll love the car, even if we can't persuade you to avoid the 88bhp 1.6!
>> Edited by J.P.W. on Friday 5th May 14:01
Anyway, follow the links to that buyer's guide. It's very good and should give you some pointers. In my search, I saw plenty of dogs that looked mint in photos - and most of them were pricier than what I got!
Best of luck. You'll love the car, even if we can't persuade you to avoid the 88bhp 1.6!
>> Edited by J.P.W. on Friday 5th May 14:01
i had Mk1 1.6i MX5 and loved it but in hindsight i would have liked the extra power of a 1.8i
check the body work for "bubbling" particularly around the rear wheel arches also open the boot and have a look at where the rain water drains through. also check that no leaking in the boot that started in mine in the last few years...never did find where it was coming in! could be difficult to find out that - take a peek under the carpet.
its a shame that the cars "cheap" interior lets down such a fantastic car.
sounds a bargain at that price with that mileage.
i just sold my M reg with 120K miles and hardtop for £2,500
check the body work for "bubbling" particularly around the rear wheel arches also open the boot and have a look at where the rain water drains through. also check that no leaking in the boot that started in mine in the last few years...never did find where it was coming in! could be difficult to find out that - take a peek under the carpet.
its a shame that the cars "cheap" interior lets down such a fantastic car.
sounds a bargain at that price with that mileage.
i just sold my M reg with 120K miles and hardtop for £2,500
finally found a buyer for my old sh*tbox civic, and i'm now hunting for an MX-5 to replace it. i seem to be attracted to a T-reg 1.8 model, but it seems a little dear (£6500) for the year (1999) and mileage (45k).
any feedback from Ph'ers would be welcome.
i never considered an MX-5 but everyone here seems to rate it as a driving tool.
can any 6ft2(+) drivers comment on how comfortable it is to use as a day-to-day car - which is what it will be used for most of the time. this is my only concern about buying one.
didn't mean to hijack this thread - just thought it would be better than starting a new but similar one...
>> Edited by fido on Saturday 6th May 12:25
any feedback from Ph'ers would be welcome.
i never considered an MX-5 but everyone here seems to rate it as a driving tool.
can any 6ft2(+) drivers comment on how comfortable it is to use as a day-to-day car - which is what it will be used for most of the time. this is my only concern about buying one.
didn't mean to hijack this thread - just thought it would be better than starting a new but similar one...
>> Edited by fido on Saturday 6th May 12:25
There sure have been a fair few MX5 threads of recent.
Mk1 is 1991-ish? i walk past a T-reg everyday and i like the squarish rear-end, and it's newer as well - so less trips to the garage for the first few years perhaps. i'm basically using the cash from selling my runabout & car allowance for the year, so quite tempted to blow all of it (£10k)...
hmmm, i can't really decide...
first it was a Porsche 944 S2 (maintenance/running costs)
-> BMW 1-series (depreciation like a lead balloon, though RWD hatch is appealing)
-> Honda CR-X 1.6 (UK cars are a bit rare)
-> and now an MX-5.
problem all started when i sold the integra type-R, now every car i drive is missing something. it's like going back to burgers after eating the finest chorizo steaks all your life. And no pls do not suggest a Tiv :O
>> Edited by fido on Saturday 6th May 15:55
hmmm, i can't really decide...
first it was a Porsche 944 S2 (maintenance/running costs)
-> BMW 1-series (depreciation like a lead balloon, though RWD hatch is appealing)
-> Honda CR-X 1.6 (UK cars are a bit rare)
-> and now an MX-5.
problem all started when i sold the integra type-R, now every car i drive is missing something. it's like going back to burgers after eating the finest chorizo steaks all your life. And no pls do not suggest a Tiv :O
>> Edited by fido on Saturday 6th May 15:55
Mk 1 was 1991 until 1997/98
Mine is a 97 Mk1, one of the last I presume,
last years MOT had one failure- brake calipers, had them stripped, cost £80.
Never let me down before or since, its only routine stuff that I have ever had to fix, i.e. battery, tyres, brakes etc.
But then again it depends on the car.
I am looking to trade up, need something faster and more brutal, TVR or Elise. Now that'll be a different story on garage costs :lol:
Mine is a 97 Mk1, one of the last I presume,
last years MOT had one failure- brake calipers, had them stripped, cost £80.
Never let me down before or since, its only routine stuff that I have ever had to fix, i.e. battery, tyres, brakes etc.
But then again it depends on the car.
I am looking to trade up, need something faster and more brutal, TVR or Elise. Now that'll be a different story on garage costs :lol:
fido said:
finally found a buyer for my old sh*tbox civic, and i'm now hunting for an MX-5 to replace it. i seem to be attracted to a T-reg 1.8 model, but it seems a little dear (£6500) for the year (1999) and mileage (45k).
any feedback from Ph'ers would be welcome.
your wish is my command.
that is a little expensive, i sold my mk.2 1.8iS with 58k (good condition)for £5050 a couple of months ago.
HTH
Greg
greg_D said:
that is a little expensive, i sold my mk.2 1.8iS with 58k (good condition)for £5050 a couple of months ago.
HTH
Greg
thanks. perhaps i can negotiate it down to £5750 for cash. this was from a dealer.
couple has offered me £2700 cash for my civic. just spent £300 on service, MOT and tax... i demanded £3k-ish and left them with the offer. (i knew watching the Apprentice has a had a bad effect on me!)
as an amusing side-note (and i hope they do not read PH!) the lady driver has written off 2 civics (1 just last month) and needs a replacement a.s.a.p. i wondered why she was so interested in whether it had twin airbags or not. i suggested some advanced driving lessons but her husband wasn't amused.
I am 6' 3" and can do long distances in comfort. It is tight, but not as bad as other cars I have owned.
My MX5 Eunos is an early one, with a big milage, but no major issues. I have been told they rust ( sills ) but mine is OK there ( lives indoors & waxed every winter ). Don't worry about the cam belt. Change ( or get it changed ) when you buy the car so you know it has been done. It only takes 2 or 3 three hours, so its not really too big an issue ( whether you DIY or send it to a garage ). I have had a brake caliper sieze after a period of lay up, and apperently this is common & not so cheap.
My personal view is that even the 1.8 is not that quick, but the fun of this car is the handling, not the speed so the engine should not make so much difference. Buy the best all round condition car you can, and enjoy...
My MX5 Eunos is an early one, with a big milage, but no major issues. I have been told they rust ( sills ) but mine is OK there ( lives indoors & waxed every winter ). Don't worry about the cam belt. Change ( or get it changed ) when you buy the car so you know it has been done. It only takes 2 or 3 three hours, so its not really too big an issue ( whether you DIY or send it to a garage ). I have had a brake caliper sieze after a period of lay up, and apperently this is common & not so cheap.
My personal view is that even the 1.8 is not that quick, but the fun of this car is the handling, not the speed so the engine should not make so much difference. Buy the best all round condition car you can, and enjoy...
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