After a couple of years without a proper car - been driving a Skoda Citigo - I now have just enough funds to buy an MX-5.
Never had one before. I quite fancy a 1.8 but the only ones in my price range are around 110,000 to 130,000 mileage. My only Mazda experience is with a 626 2.0 estate 2001-2004 which was excellent and a 2 hatchback which had a bit of a collision with a WWII tank trap so was short-lived.
Do Mazda 1.8 engines do that sort of mileage easily, if looked after reasonably?
I know about the potential rust issues. Anything else to consider?
The 1.8 BP, fitted in various states of tune from 1993 to 2005. This is a generally robust engine. Some of them built over 1995-1999ish can be rampant oil burners, due to sticking scraper rings. In general, 130k miles is not an issue. This is an engine known, like its B6 cousin, to achieve 300-400k miles without serious attention.
The 1.8 MZR, a completely different engine, that was shared with Ford. Fitted from 2005 to 2015 to base model Mk3 (NC) MX5s. A number of engines of this series, 1.8 or 2.0, have known to have failed at comparatively low mileages, due to oil starvation. One theory is oil surge, which I suppose might be to do with the baffles in the sump. There is no reason why these could not achieve high mileages, if the owner or owners have been fastidious in maintaining the oil dipstick level on max.
You probably need to clarify which models you are looking at.
Thanks for the info. Really spooky but on my way home from work I had to drop in for fuel and there on the forecourt was a 2002 1.8 Brooklands with plenty of miles (147,000) but a nearly full service history and drove really nicely.
May have overpaid a bit (£840) but she’s mine from Saturday.
Will very much be a second car as my Skoda does comfortably more than 50mpg and is easy to park so that will get most use.