Jeez, when did MX5s get SO cheap?

[Chris71]

When I had my RS-Ltd a couple of years ago you needed £2.5k to buy an average Mk1 MX5. Now it seems the same cars go for about £1,500. Barely more than fifteen hundred quid for an apparently rust free 1.8 Eunos with an LSD and a few trick bits... Even for a pauper like me that's mightily tempting.

I wonder if I could justify trading the Focus in for one to cover me while the TVR is out of action?

[5lab]

mine was £730 last year. Not a 'special', but its a 1.6 uk registered unmodified car. The roof is a bit crap but otherwise its sound.


Scotland 2010 2010-08-22 155 by 5lab, on Flickr

[Dan_1981]

£1400 quid three years ago for a low mileage rust free 1.8 mk1 Eunos.

Granted three eyars down the line its a high mileage, rusty one. But its been fun gettign to this point!

Expensive year this will be!

[Chris71]

How bad is the rust issue? Is there anything that can't be welded/replaced economically?

Coincidentally, anyone had any dealings with Goodwood Sports Cars oop north? They seem to have lots of affordable examples in. Often slightly modified, but personally I like my MX5s with a Banzai streak!

[Dan_1981]

Rust will kill them if you don't get it repaired.

Mine is currently effecting my rear sills, and slowly trying to spread to the rear arches.

I'm having them repaired next month - inlcuding all the work and a few other bits and bobs and respray of both rear wings its coming in at about £500. Which is no small amount on a car that only cost £1400.

But its worth it.

If you can find a rust free one, or even better one with a decent repair then you're laughing.

[jdw1234]

The reason you can get cheap ones is so that the MX5 can be the default answer to any "what car".

Whatever the budget.

[John D.]

Some do look an absolute bargain. I'm scared of rust though.

[slipstream 1985]

John D. said:

Some do look an absolute bargain. I'm scared of rust though.

im scared of gay

[John D.]

slipstream 1985 said:

John D. said:

Some do look an absolute bargain. I'm scared of rust though.

im scared of gay

Had a bad experience?

[anonymous-user]

slipstream 1985 said:

im scared of gay

Nevermind, I'm sure you look suitably manly in your butch Renault Clio

[anonymous-user]

Chris71 said:

Now it seems the same cars go for about £1,500.

Tell me about it, I bought one 18 months ago that had a solid body but a bit tatty elsewhere, with the aim that I could (and now have) replace all the tatty and worn bits - at quite a cost when I add it up - however I'd probably not get back any more than I paid for it were I to sell, may as well keep it until it dies then.

[bicycleshorts]

Chris71 said:

Coincidentally, anyone had any dealings with Goodwood Sports Cars oop north?

Steve is a good guy, recommend him. Give him a call and he'll sort you with a nice car

[rsv gone!]

Many of them are around 20 years old so you'd expect them to be pretty cheap.

[anonymous-user]

bicycleshorts said:

Steve is a good guy

Not very good at returning phone calls or removing adverts for cars he sold ages ago - just my experience, he may very well be a lovely bloke.

[Chris71]

rsv gone! said:

Many of them are around 20 years old so you'd expect them to be pretty cheap.

True, but it's only a few years since I had my early-ish mk1, and you wouldn't have expected much change from £3k even for a very basic one back then. Maybe it's an upside of the recession!

[Major Fallout]

I keep thinking about selling mine.

I wash it, then go for a spin to take some photos for the advert. Then I get home and find I'm smiling so much I decide to keep it.

If I do sell it, I will have to put a dirty photo of it sitting in the drive on the advert.

Its slow, impractical, and a little gay. But its so much FUN to drive.

[Sam1990]

Most people aren't buying in the the 'sports car' market at the minute. I know sports car doesn't quite cover the MX5 but majority of drivers are looking for something as cheap as possible to run, whilst the MX5 isn't particularly expensive either, to them it will be more expensive than is necessary. Applies to all the other fun, interesting cars. Prices have come down quite a lot which is great if you're buying, not so great if you're selling. My pride and joy Prelude has lost quite a chunk of its value in the year I've owned it... On the plus side, my next purchase (Celica GT4) has also come down in price too!

Edited by Sam1990 on Thursday 2nd June 13:25

[Gizmo!]

bicycleshorts said:

Chris71 said:

Coincidentally, anyone had any dealings with Goodwood Sports Cars oop north?

Steve is a good guy, recommend him. Give him a call and he'll sort you with a nice car

And if you're really lucky, it might actually be a good one when you buy it, rather than after you've noticed something, complained to him and he's fixed it up.

I'm not saying he sells sheds, and clearly even the newest Mk1s are 14 this year, but there does appear to be a pattern. A little search of the MX5 forum here and Nutz may be an idea.

[slipstream 1985]

yellowbentines said:

slipstream 1985 said:

im scared of gay

Nevermind, I'm sure you look suitably manly in your butch Renault Clio

certainly do! its a girls car i know

[Baryonyx]

Mine had sills in good condition but when I sold it the arches were starting to go, bubbling paint and a tiny patch of exposed rust. It took the dealer I traded it in to about 5 days to sell it. I spent ages looking for it when I bought it, really looking for the best service history and least amount of rust I could find.

Sods law about two weeks after I got it the rear arches began to bubble!