And that’s how to become well-off I suppose😉
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There’s another local option. Looking for offers “as close to £2000 as possible”. Going to go see it later potentially but here are the pics I’ve got so far: Dropbox - MX-5 2 Pics - Simplify your life
- 130,000 miles. “thousands” spent in the past year (brakes, fuel pump, water pump, battery, light stalk, welding). MOT until March 2022. One bodged sill repair, the other side looks original but on its way out.
Wonder if it’ll maybe be worth the extra £1000 or so. Its generally in much better condition than the red one, but has been for sale for a long time around this price and not sold, making me think it’s hiding some nasties.
If you look at the MOT history there have been a lot of fails, suggesting previous owner(s) haven’t invested in the car. Also there are hints of underside corrosion from the number of comments of corrosion in prescribed area.
Lots of MOT failures seems to kind of be typical of mark 1s around this price point nowadays. Doubt I’ll find a mark 1 that’s been well looked after and properly invested in for under 2 grand. I’ll do a proper check for sill and arch corrosion when I go to view it this afternoon.
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You are on a budget I accept that but you must factor in what you are going to have to spend on it to keep it on the road. It can suddenly start adding up then you may as well have just gone and bought a newer better one in the first place. Buying a dud then having to scrap it at its next MOT is not ideal.
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Yep, that’s definitely a consideration. It depends how much a newer/better one is. £5000? £3000? £9000?! I’ve seen all sorts.
If you can invest in it steadily over time, you may be alright to get a poorer one and spend on it during ownership. If not, buying a poor option is just going to disappoint…
I would definitely plan on investing in it over time. From what I understand they are relatively simple and straightforward to work on, parts can be cheap and they’re good for a first time driveway mechanic. That’s what I’m after really. Something I can try and fix up myself without worrying too much if I F something up. It’s a second car, not a daily, and I’m desperate to get into working on/fixing up cars more so seems like an ideal starting point.
I’m not really scared of anything really but having to do sills and arches again, especially when all the ones I’m looking at have already had them bodged once and probably made them worse in the long run. It depends how long the bodges can hold out for. Does anyone have any experience with this? If a new panel is welded on top of the sill to get it through the MOT how long will it typically last?
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Sounds like you’re going in with eyes as open as possible!
One of the major things to catch us out is the is that the exterior, visible skin is only part of the problem. These cars tend to rust out from the inside, so a sill may require some work on the outer, but much more on the inner.
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Well, here are some more pics following my viewing of MX-5 three, the silver one. Not the most detailed pics.
The owners were very open about their approach to maintaining it. More of a reactive approach than proactive. Each MOT they’d expect some repairs and they’d get them done basically. Sills all been welded over the last couple of years, expect more will be needed in the not too distant future.
Perks of this one are it’s MOTd until April 2022, it’s lower mileage than the neighbours red one (100,000 miles less!) at 128,000. I test drove it and it drove really well. Started right up, no worrying noises, steering felt good. Gear change felt a little stiff. Brake felt a little weak but an MOT advisory was for new brake pads.
They wanted £2500 for it but agreed on £1900. Think the old chap liked me and was sick of the Facebook Marketplace time-wasters asking if he wants to swap it for a modified Peugeot 206 
So at least £1000 more expensive up front than MX-5 two (the neighbours red one), but has the potential to last much longer mechanically. Needs a bit of TLC but nothing major done in the next year (hypothetically). Will need properly welding if I want to it to last forever but then again they all will at this budget.
I’m feeling pretty good about this one. Feel like it might be an alright deal, to be fair. The sills and arches all felt solid despite the paint bubbling. Open to any advice but feels like it might be worth the extra upfront cost. The rust in the drivers door sill of my neighbours red one makes me worry it is literally about to fall apart.
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You can also sell the number plate to a Ford Mexico or RS 2000 owner. AVO.
You sure?
Are they not age related?
That’s right J reg 1971, Escort Mexico came out in 1970 to 1974 and the RS 2000 1972 to 1974, so apart from a really early Mexico it would be legal on all of them, even the rare RS 1600 could have it except on the the first as they went from 70 to 74, you could probably squeeze it onto a late Twin Cam as well. As long as the plates older than the car it’s okay, I have MX55 on a 2016 ND.
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J prefix is 1991; you can’t put that on a 71 car. It will have to be a J suffix or older… ie AVO271J not J271AVO
Yep my bad, you are completely right. I got my suffix and prefix all ar*e about face in the excitement. 🤦
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