Cheapest MX5 NC in the UK?
Discussion
Well that was an unexpected purchase at the weekend!!
Saw an advert on one of the online MX5 forums during the week for this NC.
It's the 1.8 with the folding hardtop with full Mazda service history.
The guy had it a few months but never really gelled with it and then he apparently hit a deer causing some damage and finally wanted rid.
He was a bit odd about the sale on the forum, not really forthcoming with much information about it despite a lot of interest.
Wasn't really looking at another car but I am looking to shuffle a couple around, mainly due to ULEZ, and thought this might fit in somehow and he was fairly local.
Anyhow, I messaged him asking for more info where he provided more details and thought is was definitely worth a look.
Drove down Saturday morning with my 18 yr old lad armed with some tools and a torch as the seller was more than willing to let me jack it up and have a good prod and poke for rust.
It had some welding to the sills last year that all looks solid and nothing much to worry about elsewhere. I had a VERY thorough look as I know how these can go!
It needs a new offside front wing and the rear bumper brackets have broken on the offside as well.
I have already ordered them from a breakers from a same colour car so should just bolt on. There are a couple of small dents that should pull out but apart from that all good.
Full Mazda service history, interior really good etc. Took for test drive and could not fault it at all apart from a wobble from the disks.
The guy was certainly rather eccentric but a really nice guy with some cool vehicles in the garage. Said he just never got on with the car so had he had a new car coming that day and they offered him a trade value for the MX5.
Which was £700...
After hearing that I said I would go and do an HPI check (all clear) I sat back in my car with my son and said we would be stupid to not buy this!
Knocked back on the door and managed to get it for £550! Five hundred and fifty pounds!!
Got it home and all good. drives great, everything works as it should and happy days!
No idea what to do with it though!
As I said, new wing and bumper coming, £160 for both, get a dent guy I know to touch up a couple of areas and i will be down only about £800 including the car.
Love a bargain!!
My Mk1 NA looking out thinking "what the hell is that boat doing there"...
My lad wants to turn it into a track car but it's only the 1.8. The 2.0 has more power, has an LSD etc so this isn't the best base for a track car really.
I have my MK1 that is very nice that provides the raw MX5 experience that I love.
So all in all a brilliant purchase and just need to decide to profit from it or keep it!
Saw an advert on one of the online MX5 forums during the week for this NC.
It's the 1.8 with the folding hardtop with full Mazda service history.
The guy had it a few months but never really gelled with it and then he apparently hit a deer causing some damage and finally wanted rid.
He was a bit odd about the sale on the forum, not really forthcoming with much information about it despite a lot of interest.
Wasn't really looking at another car but I am looking to shuffle a couple around, mainly due to ULEZ, and thought this might fit in somehow and he was fairly local.
Anyhow, I messaged him asking for more info where he provided more details and thought is was definitely worth a look.
Drove down Saturday morning with my 18 yr old lad armed with some tools and a torch as the seller was more than willing to let me jack it up and have a good prod and poke for rust.
It had some welding to the sills last year that all looks solid and nothing much to worry about elsewhere. I had a VERY thorough look as I know how these can go!
It needs a new offside front wing and the rear bumper brackets have broken on the offside as well.
I have already ordered them from a breakers from a same colour car so should just bolt on. There are a couple of small dents that should pull out but apart from that all good.
Full Mazda service history, interior really good etc. Took for test drive and could not fault it at all apart from a wobble from the disks.
The guy was certainly rather eccentric but a really nice guy with some cool vehicles in the garage. Said he just never got on with the car so had he had a new car coming that day and they offered him a trade value for the MX5.
Which was £700...
After hearing that I said I would go and do an HPI check (all clear) I sat back in my car with my son and said we would be stupid to not buy this!
Knocked back on the door and managed to get it for £550! Five hundred and fifty pounds!!
Got it home and all good. drives great, everything works as it should and happy days!
No idea what to do with it though!
As I said, new wing and bumper coming, £160 for both, get a dent guy I know to touch up a couple of areas and i will be down only about £800 including the car.
Love a bargain!!
My Mk1 NA looking out thinking "what the hell is that boat doing there"...
My lad wants to turn it into a track car but it's only the 1.8. The 2.0 has more power, has an LSD etc so this isn't the best base for a track car really.
I have my MK1 that is very nice that provides the raw MX5 experience that I love.
So all in all a brilliant purchase and just need to decide to profit from it or keep it!
Jonmx said:
Excellent work. About 10 years ago I bought a lightly crash damaged NA for £300 and sold it for £600 the next day. I thought the days of MX5 bargains had gone.....I'll just be off to peruse the classifieds.
Nice looking NA too. Glad to be hiding in the dry!
Cheers, pinching myself at that price!Nice looking NA too. Glad to be hiding in the dry!
And the NA doesn't see much bad weather for sure as it looks like this underneath...
Macron said:
Why would someone with a trade in value of £700 let you have it for £550?
Probably same reason why a vendor of a car with a second hand retail value of closer to 2k would potentially accept £700 as a trade in price in the first place - Cash rich, time/agro poor.Excellent purchase op. I did look at the thread title thinking there was no way you could have beat my leggy 2.0 NC sport with full Mazda history for £850, but you certainly did, congrats!
Macron said:
Why would someone with a trade in value of £700 let you have it for £550?
Because I’m very persuasive!He wanted the car to go to a good home with me and my lad and could see I knew my MX5’s.
He literally could not care about the money. He bought it 4 months ago for £4,800 and just wanted rid.
jrb43 said:
Glad you know your MX-5s and hopefully have been rewarded with a proper bargain. The MOT history is quite a read (I was hovering over making you an indecent proposal...) but fortune favours the brave 
Ha! I went equipped with tools and jacks. Could see the welding that had been done last year. Stuck my wee WiFi boroscope into various holes and all good. He was fine with me tapping and poking everything!
What a steal, I went from the NB to a NC 2.0 Sport after the NB was written off by a drunk driver. NC has been an amazing car, softer and more comfortable on the b roads just makes it so much better. Granted the NB on coilovers felt better on track but that's about it. The extra torque is also welcomed from the 2.0. Hope yours treats you well.
I'm not sure what I am more impressed by - how cheap you got the NC for, or how clean your NA is underneath!
After my NA rusted away underneath, to the point that there wasn't anything to weld repair patches to, I got a 1.8 NC and it was a fun car, obviously a 2.0 would have been better, but it was cheap and beggars can't be choosers.
After my NA rusted away underneath, to the point that there wasn't anything to weld repair patches to, I got a 1.8 NC and it was a fun car, obviously a 2.0 would have been better, but it was cheap and beggars can't be choosers.
nessiemac said:
Jonmx said:
Excellent work. About 10 years ago I bought a lightly crash damaged NA for £300 and sold it for £600 the next day. I thought the days of MX5 bargains had gone.....I'll just be off to peruse the classifieds.
Nice looking NA too. Glad to be hiding in the dry!
Cheers, pinching myself at that price!Nice looking NA too. Glad to be hiding in the dry!
And the NA doesn't see much bad weather for sure as it looks like this underneath...
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