Very small step from “not seriously weakened” to rotted away when it rots from the inside, out of sight until if rots through.
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Hi Leo, over the last ten years I’ve had three 5s I’ve had a 2007 2.0 Ltr , a 2012 venture 2.0 Ltr and now I own a well sorted 1.8 Ltr model made in 2000. Even this car which is twenty years old still puts a grin on my face every time I drive it, just like the others before.you will get a great experience whatever the model, I do I keep going back to them.
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The previous bills on your car makes for interesting reading.
Routine servicing only makes up a small fraction of the cost. I can see work and components that make these bills disproportionately high.
Welding is always expensive unless you have a mate that can do it.
OE brake and suspension components are an arm and a leg but less costly alternatives are available.
If you wish to keep everything OE then the bills will be high. If you don’t mind aftermarket then running costs can be kept in check.
Same story for the Porsche. If you think the bills for a Mazda are high, try replacing the same components on the Porsche with OE parts. 
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Just want to say thanks for the amazing replies. Never expected to get this much mileage from an opening post.
Yesterday I popped down to see stressd lovely 2.0 NC. Top fella, really looked after me and showed what the car was capable of, and was kind enough to let me behind the wheel. Left with a huge smile on my face. During the drive back home in the Cayman I realised that the Porsche is just too well behaved, it doesn’t speak to you, it just does its job exceptionally well. Where with the NC it felt like it wanted to dance so to speak, its an engaging drive, the cayman isn’t. That 2.0 was plenty torque enough for me, not sure where the comments of it being ‘‘not fast’’ comes from.
I still have my eyes on a earlier model but if it lacks the torque of a 2.0 mk3 (depending how much I’d need to spend on tuning) then I could be convinced to spend a bit more and get a NC.
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Your Cayman will talk and dance too, but you need to add another 30 mph on the speedo, and therein lies the problem with having too much power and grip. Shortly before I sold my Cayman I wrote this piece (although it was never published). Perhaps it might strike a chord with you. http://www.arthurlea.com/Stories/NewCayman/index.htm
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Hi Leo,
I have a 1997 Mark1 which I have owned from new.
Had the usual sill and arch repairs on it.
I live near Gatwick airport.
Happy to meet you somewhere for a chat if you contact me
That was a good read John. Feel the same way about the 20inch wheels.
Is that a 1.8 Lingfield?
Looking at the trader market. Theres a nice 1991 1.6 mk1 for 5.3k with rust protection. There’s also a few 2003 1.8 mk2 for half the price. As nice as the mk1 nice visually. Feels the mk2 is the better choice here and I still have 2k or so to spend on upgrades before I even get to the price of a good mk1.
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That makes for very interesting reading. Thank you.
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Interesting insight; thanks for sharing. I’ve often thought that newer cars are just fat, (with the ND being the only exception to that rule of which I can think), and this suggests there’s something in that perspective.
Marketing schtick which says "Class leading cabin space! etc.
You’ve just made it wider, haven’t you?
This adds another string to the bow, with improved performance and handling just meaning it’s crashy and unhelpful at anything less than 90%, or so uncommunicative it just becomes dull–as shown here.
I’ll keep my old, slow, fully manual NB until further notice, thanks ver much, and I’ll enjoy every second of driving it!
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I’ve no idea if you are old enough to remember Around the Horne and its classic sketch about an ‘outbreak of truth’ which threatened to undermine the British way of life. It included this radio report of a society wedding (courtesy of Michael Bates):
Alas I can see why your article wasn’t published; but I suspect that I am not the only one who enjoyed an ‘outbreak of truth’.
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Sadly I am old enough to remember Around the Horne. I have been hammering away on the topic that fast cars were no fun anymore for some years now, and I am amused to note that this line of logic is now becoming commonplace amongst mainstream motoring journalists. At last!
Here’s one on the same theme that was published (and it has some MX5 content too) http://www.arthurlea.com/Stories/718B/index.htm
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Going back to the cost of £2,500 for a service and changing the brakes on my 2013 Boxster, I also had an engine warning light on my previous Boxster - a 2006. I took it to Porsche (mistake) and they did a £100 investigation and said it was the sensors on the exhaust system. That was a further £600. When they had done this, they still had the car and called me saying that although they probably did need changing, that was not the problem. There were 4 catalytic converters that did need changing. Therefore I had to change these too. The exhaust had not really had an issue and by the time I got the car bak it was no different apart from the light was no longer on. oh and I was £4,500 lighter…SO I got rid virtually immediately and bought the new one as it was going to be cheaper. it was, until it wasn’t… All cars will cost some money, but like for like a Porsche will cost a LOT more for the same work… In the end I get more fun from the MX5 and I would rather put some money into that. 4 tyres cost me £200, rather than £1000 on the Porsche etc…
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Thanks for that Snelly. I took a friend out in the MX-5 yesterday evening and let him drive it. He didn’t think it lacked power or torque and absolutely loves them. I told him your £4,500 lighter story and he was incredulous.
Blimey!
So, having been burnt badly, I will not buy another Porsche, although the ones I have had were nice cars, but they are not financially worth it. I know that people have different amounts of money, but I can afford it, I just choose not to, as value is more important than cost and I get more fun out of the MX5.
The MX5 I now have cost me £1,650, I have spent about £1,500 having welding done, new brakes and some other stuff that did not really need doing, but the car is probably worth just over £2,000 and will not go down much as long as it has an MOT. It is a fairly standard Mk1 and is great fun. It does not go quick (its quick enough though), can be enjoyed at 20mph and is cheap if anything does need doing.
Therefore I will stick with my MX5 (for now…).
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Yup.
It’s all about comfortable affordability & practicality.
I subscribe to Harry’s Garage on YouTube.
He just picked up his Lambo Espada from it’s V12 engine 100% rebuild. Special lightweight crafted pistons from USA that will see it red-lining at 8k rpm. Total cost just for the engine 32k. But…he’s a farmer…(cough).
Also subscribe to the Tyrrell Youtube.
He’s a fantastic chap. A true arstisan. If you can pay.
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Just back from seeing a mk2 2003 1.8. Described as sport, was in blue but didn’t have leather seats or a 6 speed which I thought they all had ?? I liked the seating position, felt cosy 
Pedals felt a little nicer than the NC, didn’t have that little lip on the dead pedal that catches when using the clutch.
Obviously the 2.0 from the mk3 is a torquer engine, 1.8 came alive from around 4k onwards but good enough for me, a little supercharger would make it come alive. Sills and arches were treated in 2018 but some corrosion signs on the outside of the nearside chassis rail (inside of the rail felt and looked good though). Had a hardtop. Was good enough to buy but just too expensive at £3.5k, almost NC money.
Going to put the Porsche up for private sale, see if I can move it on because part/ex it for a £3k car doesn’t seem likely.
Max budget 3k on a NB.
I haven’t gotten away with a service less than £1000 on the 15 year old Jag, but its such a nice drive, its worth it. It’ll be the last opportunity for me to own a V8. My 260k km Mk1 MX5 usually just needs a couple of hundred each year to see it through.
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Mk1 off the agenda.
Mk1 1.8 is obviously down on power, @125-130hp, depending on year. A1995+ Mk1 import (denoted by a green script “Roadster” badge, rather than a red script badge on the back, will have a 4.3 final drive, rather than 4.1 for earlier and UK 1.8 models, and also 4.1 on 5-speed Mk1. Knocks ~1 second off 0-60. These cars are “Phase 2”.
VR-Limiteds, R2-Limiteds, B2-LImiteds, SR-Limiteds and S-Special 2s are all exclusively Phase 2. Most (not B2) will have T2 Torsen LSD, and a lightened flywheel.
eg
Not a Mk1, but this 10AE looks to be a great buy, as its from Mazda’s own collection.
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