Forgive me if this has been covered before - had a good search of the site and found some very useful info but still have a question:
I’m going to look at a couple of MX5s tomorrow (a 2000 Mk2 and a 2001 Mk2.5) I know to run a mile if there’s visible rust on the outside of the sills but from what I gather even sills which look clean and fresh on the outside can be rotting from the inside - how do I check for this? (bearing in mind I will probably have a salesman looking over me so can’t really start dismanteling the car!)
At the rear end of the sill just press hard all over a six inch length, including under as far as you can go. If it feels soft and there is some give then it’s starting to go.
Don’t worry about the salesman. You’re buying the car, not him
Take a philips screwdriver and a small torch, remove the kick plate on the door sill, prize out one of the rubber bungs and or plastic covers and have a good look-see.
Bound to be a bit of surface rust in there but if its crumbling, walk away.
If you can see rust here, in the main sill section, then the rear sill is likely to be in a parlous and highly visible state of disrepair. Be warned; the sill plates on Mk1s may have adhesive strips, and can’t be casually removed without damage. There are no rubber bungs to remove; you could try prying out the inserts used for the self tapping but even then, you are only going to have very limited visibility of the actual sill.
And pop off the large rubber bung in the rear wheel arch for a look. Got a feeling this will become an increasingly essential bit of kit for MX5 owners.
