Hi everyone, I’ll try keeping this short and sweet, I am super new here (first post) and have been thinking about an MX5 for the last 2 months. I have finally decided to go ahead but I need some advice.
I am looking for an NC Roadster because I live in London and I think it would be safer overall even if originally I was only after a soft top. I want a Sport Tech or Venture because of the 6 speed, LSD, Bilstein and Cruise Control so from 2009 onwards.
I`ve found a 2011 Roadster Sport Tech with 60k miles for £ 9k. 2 owners, a set of Pirelli in very good condition. Only surface rust on the bottom. Test drive was ok even if it needs an alignment. What concerned me is that the rails that hold the passenger seat were discoloured and the bolts slightly rusted. I immediately checked the carpets for dampness but it was dry. Is this normal or should I be put off? The dealer is one of those parking space/40 different cars/shed office but seemed like a nice person.
The other option is a 2015 Roadster Sport Tech with similar mileage, 1 owner, FSH for £ 10.5k that I’m yet to go see.
I know prices right now are over-inflated so I don’t know if it’s worth paying this much or wait until later this year and re-evaluate then. After driving it I can’t stop thinking about this car I must have one!
What would you do if you were me? Thank you for your time reading my post!
Its a customer market mate. however I wouldn’t pay that much tbh. I think the prices you got quoted are a little bit inflated. there are a few cars being sold by members mind your atm not sure if one fits the bill for you
It’s all about the condition underneath the car really, definitely over 10 years old. Ok a good service history is key too but these cars mechanically are pretty tough, especially post 2009 the NC2 the facelift. Still need to watch the oil level on any NC, as said a decent SH look out for.
They can rust more easily as the undersides aren’t very well protected so watch out there. The have been known to need welding around the weak, lower inner rear wing where it meets the sill. Best if they can get the car up in the air on a ramp for inspection.
The Venture is basically a Sport Tech with possibly a Nav head unit fitted, they aren’t that good by all accounts, well not the earlier models of head unit so look to possibly changing them out. Also the Venture has tan leather seats/door cards. Sport Tech comes in 2ltr with Bilsteins and LSD and Bose head unit. The Ventures came in 1.8 or 2ltr no LSD on the 1.8 and that would be 5 speed.
Hi
Don’t rush into it, take your time and you will be rewarded. Search this forum for similar posts, as there are lots, all offering sound advice.
The 2015 car sounds the obvious choice as there will less chance of rust underneath, this is a key check when inspecting a possible car as it’s a known weakness.
Thank you everyone for replying to my question! I definitely agree with all of you, I have the feeling that the right car at the right price is not impossible to find. I might go take a look at the 2015 sport tech and will keep you updated!
About your question @Paul20v. NC1 and NC2 did not have it but maybe it came as standard with the NC3 or cars after 2013?
Hi, it’s worth while taking your time for sure. It took me 5 months to find my MK3 NC Sport. A 2007 2.0 ltr sport with only 25k miles, FSH and in excellent condition. They are out there and I’m pleased I took a little time out to research this and feel duly rewarded. I guess the price is as previously stated down to what you feel the specific vehicle is worth to you. I probably paid top market price for mine however seeing as I’m hopefully a long term MX5 owner & investor, I got value for money. Good luck!
@Geoff_Birks like you Geoff I took my time to find a really nice NC. Don’t dismiss earlier NC’S. There are some extremely well looked after examples out there. @SimThree you should consider casting your eye over examples nationwide and be prepared to travel for a good one! Mine is 2007 and she has covered only 32000 miles with full Mazda history was garaged and drives like a new car to be honest. I guess the other thing to consider is mileage mine isn’t my daily and I have the luxury of not using mine in the winter when there is masses of salt on the roads. The first owner of mine did not use it in the winter and it shows in the overall condition. To summarize there are lots of nice examples out there. If you find one you really like do get an independent inspection report, especially to verify the OVERALL condition if you need to. Footnote may not be practical but if you have a garage or can rent one locally well worth it to help keep your MX-5 in tip top condition.
Thank you guys so much for the useful info! I will use mine as a daily driver and living in London I don’t have a garage unfortunately. In terms of what I should be aware of, would you say that me spotting rust on the passenger seat rails was a red flag or is that just normal wear and tear due to age? Also, I went to look at a soft top but it was full of mould and that put me off, the car was not driven in 3 weeks and kept outside but that worried me that as a daily it will require a lot of effort to keep it clean inside. Is that the case with soft tops or just ones that are not used often?
If mould has formed inside then I reckon it’s been sat unused and probably (almost certainly) has had a water leak into the cabin. Same could be said for rusty seat rails. I had a Mk2 that had similar rusty rails, it had a mouldy hood on the inside. It was a little unloved when I purchased it.
I’d go for a PRHT if leaving outside in all weathers, I feel it would be more secure too.
@MickAP thank you! That’s it exactly my thought process! Having a walk around my neighborhood bibnoticed 2 soft tops and 1 hard top and started questioning whether I was being silly only considering the hard top but it does make sense. When I went to look at a couple of MX-5 I always check if the carpet is damp and if I can see rust inside the car.
So basically you’re going to pay an extra £3-4K just to get cruise control?
NC1 has 6 speed (which is overrated in my opinion, 60mph is about 3000rpm, clunky when cold), it has LSD and also the bilstein suspension. Many of those shocks seem to give up around 60-70k miles so I wouldn’t look too much in to them. For 9k I would want an immaculate car.
Prices will probably go up in the middle of the year and no guarantee they will drop towards the end of the year.
In the summer I will ask 6k for my car. 55k, 2007 hardtop, fsh, 3 owners, ecutek remap, underdsaled etc but to think of paying close to 10k for a standard MX5, unless it has extremely low mileage I think there’s better options out there, all be it they are not RWD.
@Sunzoffski thanks for your reply. I’ve had both cars with and without cruise control and since this will be a daily driver I need it. Right now the chip shortage has skyrocketed prices on the used market and blown them out of proportion. Buying a used car right now it’s not the best thing to do but out of necessity I do need to change mine and I’ve always wanted a 5 so I started looking at what would check most of the boxes. Finding a good 5 for 9k will be tough and I might only find good ones for around 10k this year. My options are limited since I need a new car by end of Jan beginning of Feb. Fingers crossed I’ll find one that’s not crazy expensive whilst still being good!
Having searched around to eventually buy my MK3.75 Venture from a dealer in December I can confirm that prices are high, especially in the south east. However high prices include the price PX prices. My PX seemed to gain nearly £2000 in value over the last couple of years so I didn’t worry about paying inflated price for my Mazda.
I wonder that sometimes low mileage on a car can mean that it’s sat around being damp during much of its life and maybe only had local low mileage drives. Isn’t it better to get something with “appropriate” mileage that has been looked after, knowing that it has been driven? I baught a 55k mile Sport Venture with full service history and don’t regret it. It only has the usual issues
@NewtoMX51 it totally makes sense! My PX is destined to be scrapped unfortunately so won’t get much money there. But yes, I do think that something with mileage might actually mean that it was better looked after? I am looking for anything low mileage up to 70k miles to be honest. I spoke to a salesman when I went to look at a soft top and he recommended against it because of the ease of use of the hard top bu he also said that I’m fine with looking at high mileage ones with even 80 or 90k miles if the car has been properly looked after because the mechanical parts are bulletproof. Would you say it’s right?
More bullet proof post 2009 (NC2) pre that the NC1 engines needed care, attention to regular oil changes, keeping it up to the mark on the dipstick. Of course you would apply this to the NC2 also, any car infact, my daily driver gets the same attention, that’s a SEAT.
I wouldn’t hesitate in buying an NC1 again, I’d need to be sure it’s had the correct services done engine wise though.
NC2 engine changes…
Performance Upgrades
MZR 2.0 engine is revised for better performance feel and top speed (manual transmission only)
The engine now produces 160 PS at 7,000 rpm (up from 6,700 rpm) maximum torque of 188 Nm remains at 5,000 rpm
Rev limit fuel cut-off increased by 500 rpm to 7,500 (around 7,200 in some markets) for livelier acceleration feel
Surge tank optimised for rigidity for improved contribution to engine sound
New forged steel crankshaft to minimise vibration at high engine speeds
Fully floating pistons with higher pin-boss reliability
Newly-designed valve springs that suppress valve ‘bounce’ at high revs
Higher-durability materials for the connecting-rod bearings
Added an engine oil cooler
Revised six-speed manual transmission for improved gear shifting, 3rd – 4th gear synchromesh diameter is now increased by 6 mm, all synchronizer cone specifications are revised and a carbon coating is used on some of the meshing surfaces of the 1st through 4th gear synchronizer cones
The upgrades to the six-speed gearbox improve acceleration performance 0-100km/h in 7.9 seconds for the soft top and top speed 218km/h (135mph)for coupe
New induction sound enhancer (ISE) on six-speed manual cars amplifies pulse sounds created when the throttle valve opens for a more sporty engine sound This sound is transmitted to the dash panel through the air, but also to the dashboard, the outside dash top and the windshield frame through a special duct
The sound transmission to the outside dash top creates an even more intense sound when the roof is open
New to UK six-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel paddle shift and two new control technologies: Direct Activematic and Active Adaptive Shift
All powertrains fine-tuned to improve fuel economy
MZR 1.8 with five-speed manual uses 7.0 litres of fuel per 100 km (4% reduction)
MZR 2.0 with five-speed manual uses 7.4 litres of fuel per 100 km (4% reduction)
MZR 2.0 with six-speed manual uses 7.6 litres per 100 km (7% reduction)
MZR 2.0 with six-speed automatic transmission uses 7.9 litres per 100 km
I can’t vouch for the longevity since I’ve only had mine since December. As a 6 year old it has more rust (underneath) than other cars I’ve had and googling the car model doesn’t give huge confidence since rust seems to be one of the primary discussions with leaks also being a popular subject.
I don’t regret getting a hard top and in fact pleased that I did. Opening it is a piece of theatre for a start and even though I have almost never driven it with the roof up I prefer the security of it.
Yes used car prices are high at the moment, but if you are pushed for time you are gonna have to pay them.
However, as obvious as it may sound, you can still haggle.
That 2015 Sport Tech with 60k miles you mentioned doesn’t seem that overpriced to me compared to what I have seen over the last few months.
If you see it and it’s in great condition, offer something like £8800 to start with, and see if you can close a deal for £9300 or maybe £9500 tops.
Do not tell the seller you have a deadline of course, say you are seeing a few others, and walk away if they won’t discount.
Leave your phone number and who knows, they may call back.
You may have to travel further afield to find one.
