Low mileage MX5 Harvard

Buying a ‘5 and Insurance advice Buying Advice
2

Hi, I’m about to purchase an MX5 Harvard from an elderly family member who has owned the car since it was 2 years old. It’s had very little use and has spent the last few years in a dry garage only coming out for it’s annual MOT, current mileage is 14,000 The car is in excellent almost showroom condition and only really needs a good valet. The only fault, if you can call it that, is the plastic “wood” trim is de-laminating in places. I guess as it’s stood for so long it would also be wise to change the cam belt and probably tyres (which are the originals). My question is, what should I pay for it? A fair price for both of us bearing in mind I’ll never sell it again. Any help/suggestions welcome.

Thanks

3

Fair price could be up to £4k valeted it could fetch even more if rust free

Needs ALL fluids changing and tyres

4

It all very much depends on what you and the seller feel it is worth to each of you.

5

I would give £2000 and sell it on for a good profit

6

IMHO, if you got it for £4K you would be getting a bargain.

7

 

So you woud look to make a good profit from an elderly family member.

Some people have no shame!

 

8

 

Surely not read the original post correctly 

 

9

Cars are machines and do not like to be neglected.

They need to be used regularly to function correctly.

A badly stored garage car is likely to be in worse mechanical shape than a regularly used example.

“Your” example will need careful examination of all rubber components and seals, all the fluids will need to be replaced.

Buy it by all means just don’t take it from the garage onto the roads without a thorough check.

As for prices you know what it’s worth to you and the seller will have a price, I would say if the body is in rust free condition it would be worth about £2500 or thereabouts plus the cost of recommisioning it.

 

10

Would you sleep at night though?

11

Well said Sir

12

Wasn’t there a Harvard in the STHT recently for £6,500?

Or did I imagine it.

13

Yes, the Feb 2017 edition, page 62.  The car was a private sale, 19,000 guaranteed miles, FSH, etc, for £6500.

14

 

I just wondered if that would help the OP with determining a fair and just price for the car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

15

I was not telling the OP to give £2000 I said I would give £2000 for a Harvard.  If I was selling on behalf of a family member or a friend I would get as much as I could for it. The OP was asking what it was worth. To me £2000 all day every day.

16

There was a low mileage Harvard (12,000 I think) advertised by a dealer recently for £6,500, but that’s a dealer price for a fully serviced car, ready to go and with warranty.

17

 That is not what I said.

18

I slept well when I bought a UK spec Mk1 for £250, did some fettling and sold it on for £1900.  I suppose that was wrong. But if I did not buy her she would have been broken for spares. 

19

Appreciate all the feedback guys. I’m not exactly a novice having some motor trade background, so I know what I’m getting into as regards recommissioning for the road. The difficulty for me is that the car belongs to a much loved Uncle who has no idea what it’s worth and I want to be as fair to him as possible. I already have an MX5 NA (1990) which is lightly modified and is used regularly, so the Harvard would be brought back to as close to showroom condition as possible and taken to shows etc. (driven, I don’t do trailer queens!) keeping the mileage relatively low. It would be a good example of a low mileage original car.

20

I am sorry that some members got the wrong end of the stick. I did not mean you should buy it for that it is just what I would pay for one at the moment. Talk to your relatives and see what they want for it. Bare in mind that good NA’s are now getting good money