Where to buy MX-5?

[nicecupoftea]

Hi folks,

Pretty much decided that we're going to get an MX-5 as a fun / reliable / drive anywhere car, but I'm wondering where the best places to look are?

Ideally,

- Jap import (for better spec, a/c, etc.)
- V-spec (LSD)
- unmolested (or at most simple mods)
- 80k miles max
- not too fussed about colour but not silver
- prefer something without the usual fake minilites but again not too fussed.

but happy to compromise!

Looking to spend 2.5k, 3k tops.

So I'm looking in the PH classifieds, ebay, autotrader (but very little private stuff, I figure buying from a dealer at this level is a waste of money)...

Does anybody have any other suggestions - ie importers, MX-5 sites? Haven't managed to turn up much on the web...

[slinky]

Dandy Cars ( http://dandycars.co.uk/ )
MX5 City (although I think all of their cars are on Ebay now - www.mx5city.com/ )
Classifieds on PH
For sale section on www.mx5ocforum.co.uk
For sale section on www.mx5nutz.com

I found mine through the PH classifieds..

HTH,

slinky

[steve bowen]

Russ at www.mx5mad.co.uk often has imports for sale

[nicecupoftea]

Thanks gents - does my wish list look sensible / reasonable for the price?

Obviously going for an early Mk.1 - not worried about engine size as long as it's not the wheezy 90bhp 1.6 - I heard the 1.6 is a nicer revvier engine than the 1.8 even if it's slower.

My dad had a UK 1.8 which was great, although he got rid in disgust when the sills started rotting (that was the reason he stopped buying British cars in the 80s!).

Is the PAS steering as rewarding as the non-assisted?

[steve bowen]

nicecupoftea said:

Is the PAS steering as rewarding as the non-assisted?

Better, non-assisted was an afterthought for the americans because they wanted "a simple car".

[slinky]

nicecupoftea said:

Thanks gents - does my wish list look sensible / reasonable for the price?

Obviously going for an early Mk.1 - not worried about engine size as long as it's not the wheezy 90bhp 1.6 - I heard the 1.6 is a nicer revvier engine than the 1.8 even if it's slower.

My dad had a UK 1.8 which was great, although he got rid in disgust when the sills started rotting (that was the reason he stopped buying British cars in the 80s!).

Is the PAS steering as rewarding as the non-assisted?

Wish list looks entirely reasonable..

FYI, I picked up my G Eunos 1.6 for 2k..

Hope you find the one you're after..

[giryan]

I got my R-Limited from www.windisorclassics.co.uk/ a very nice helpful garage.
It was still on the boat and he offered me the chance to put a fully refundable deposit on it, which was very nice.
The car was in really good condition when it got over, other than a couple of tiny chips in the paint which he happily had someone in to fix.

[nicecupoftea]

Which cars have the LSD? Is it just the V-spec?

Oh yes, and which years was the 1.6 only 90bhp?

Edited by nicecupoftea on Saturday 6th January 13:09

[Beefmeister]

giryan said:

I got my R-Limited from www.windisorclassics.co.uk/ a very nice helpful garage.
It was still on the boat and he offered me the chance to put a fully refundable deposit on it, which was very nice.
The car was in really good condition when it got over, other than a couple of tiny chips in the paint which he happily had someone in to fix.

It looks like Windisor are going for shopping carts and Figaros only now, which is a shame as they used to have some interesting metal there.

They had about 4 RX-7's, 3 Skylines and an Isuzu Vehi-Cross in at one point...

[NiceCupOfTea]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dl

Thoughts?
What sort of price is it worth?

[slinky]

NiceCupOfTea said:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dl

Thoughts?
What sort of price is it worth?

Looks to be in good condition, same age as mine with low mileage, I'd put it at 2.5 -> 2.8 ish (although I may be wrong on that)...

If you like the tan interior and wooden steering wheel, go for it (they can always be changed if you get it for a good price tho!)

slinky

[T5SOR]

Im going to sell my 91 Eunos V-Spec in a few months. It's had a new engine put in (1.8 conversion), new S/S manifold, de-cat, back box. Also uprated the clutch and flywheel with the engine out. Bilstein shocks, 2 new rear calipers, all round toyos. Has a new Mohair hood with glass rear window conversion. List goes on PM me if you wanna chat


Mike

Edited by T5SOR on Sunday 7th January 15:50

[nicecupoftea]

I'm not nuts about the interior and the wheel will be changed for a Momo one, but it goes quite well with the BRG and it's a V-spec so should have the LSD which I understand is worth having..

[slinky]

nicecupoftea said:

I'm not nuts about the interior and the wheel will be changed for a Momo one, but it goes quite well with the BRG and it's a V-spec so should have the LSD which I understand is worth having..

I've done a quick bit of digging around the diff thing, and, if my thoughts are correct, it will have a VLSD (viscous LSD), these are generally found to have reverted to open by about 60k miles and even before that, didn't provide a huge amount of lockup when provoked!

If it comes under budget, it's not too big a job to swap the VLSD unit out for a torsen diff from the later 1.8, but you will need prop, diff and halfshafts to do it..

HTH,

slinky

[bigjimmy]

MX5 City ...... This place looks very expensive to me!!!

www.mx5cars.co.uk/ Riviera Sports Cars seem to have a nice selection. If you live in the southwest.

[DocJock]

nicecupoftea said:

Which cars have the LSD? Is it just the V-spec?

Oh yes, and which years was the 1.6 only 90bhp?

Edited by nicecupoftea on Saturday 6th January 13:09

S-spec also has factory LSD and also has factory Bilsteins.

[slinky]

DocJock said:

nicecupoftea said:

Which cars have the LSD? Is it just the V-spec?

Oh yes, and which years was the 1.6 only 90bhp?

Edited by nicecupoftea on Saturday 6th January 13:09

S-spec also has factory LSD and also has factory Bilsteins.

Worth having a look at this as well for more details --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_Mi

[jazzybee]

nicecupoftea said:

Which cars have the LSD? Is it just the V-spec?

Oh yes, and which years was the 1.6 only 90bhp?

Edited by nicecupoftea on Saturday 6th January 13:09

Hmm.. I don't think that all V-Specs had LSD as standard. LSD became available as standard on Japanese 1.8 models from the '95/'96 model year IIRC, and was optional before then. If you really want the driver's choice, it has got to be the '94/'95 RS Limited or less so, the '95/'96 S-Type II.

Details of the Japanese Eunos Roadster models

with regards the 90bhp model. All UK Mark I 1.6 cars after the introduction of the 1.8 in late 1993/early 1994 were the 90bhp model. This should really be avoided. Early UK 1.6s are very sweet the 90 bhp not so. The 90bhp 1.6 was never put into Japanese Eunos Roadsters - so you should be safe with any of them. Personally, I would only ever buy the import - they are much better specced and usually in better condition and lower mileage.

[chris71]

Are the eunos LSD's not worth looking for then?

[jazzybee]

chris71 said:

Are the eunos LSD's not worth looking for then?

They are, but I am just saying that don't buy an early V-Spec expecting it to have LSD if that is a priority - check the car for an LSD first. The RS had a different, Torsen LSD, I believe, a different drive ratio and a lightweight flywheel that really makes a difference when driving - and that is on top of the very firm Bilsteins and lightweight BBS wheels. The V-Spec looks great and is a more comfortable, but still great handling car, wheras the RS, and S-type II are more (albeit somewhat tiring) racers.