Hi All,
Any views on the famous Mk1 RS Ltd.? I’m considering buying one. It is totally rust free and has the correct Recaro seats and BBS wheels etc. It is quite expensive though (circa £9k and 125k miles). She won’t be a “garage queen” as I intend to drive her regularly during dry days in the summer. Any feedback good, bad or indifferent from members would be appreciated
Thanks in advance
I just have this feeling that it will be worth nowhere near £9k if you try to sell it.
At that price buy a much newer low mileage Mk3 and get statistically better reliability.
The Mk3 will depreciate as well.
I just do not believe those cars will hold their value as to be very honest they are still a Mk2
Its a Mk1 not Mk2.
A mint (but I suspect, not original) RS-Limited was sold at the last national rally for £9k by MX5Restorer. The Mk1 is a nicer MX5 to drive than a Mk3. The Phase 1 NA8 is pretty bullet proof, and the RS has to boot the T1 4.300 Torsen. Not everyone gets on with the Recaros though; at 9k, these would need to be in original Recaro cloth, not the leather retrims many are.
Mk1s are beyond holding value now, they are appreciating. But don’t be blinded by the fact that it is a complete RS; check the sills.
My view for what it is worth…
It is top money and I would want the car to be in top condition.
I would pay the price for a 100% sorted RS.
It’s top money but if you can spare £9k and you want it why not? You’ll only be here once.
…IMHO…£9k for 125k miles MX5 !!! …a complete and utter joke…way way too much for an “old” MX regardless of spec, but as per above, if you have the money and nothing better to do with it and its what you want then why not…good luck anyway…
Like Flyer says above … if it is in great condition / original (or easily returnable) spec/ then it will not lose money and is likely to appreciate more than most Mk1 's due to it’s rarity … all in all - an inflation proofed fun investment.
Well SAZ you caught me not checking what the poster posted so bad of me not to check and sorry to the poster.
“The Mk1 is a nicer MX5 to drive than a Mk3.”
Please modify that with “in your opinion” as I and many others have a very different “opinion”
No
Thanks to everyone that has replied so far. The subject has proved to be quite lively! I really appreciate the cross section of views and its great to see a club that is fully engaged and has members that are passionate about the MX5. As a new member its refreshing and I look forward to meeting some of you once I’ve collected my car (whatever Mk1 model that may turnout to be). Please keep your opinions coming
Spending 9k on a 125k mile mk1 that you intend to drive is lunacy, and the seller is taking the piss out of you. If you want a good mk1 (mk2 is a better driving car and much cheaper, both are better than a mk3) spend a third of that on a normal spec non rusty one and enjoy it as you are unlikely to be able to tell much difference.
A tad harsh don’t you think.
We are responding to a post by a prospective new member.
Just saying…
This price isn’t unusual for an RS in rust free and original condition. Certainly Goodwood Sportscars have sold a number and have an import coming in at this price point. Garath at MX5 Restorer is showing some good cars at £6k which aren’t RS’s. Get wise, prices are going up for the really decent examples and there are some adverised elsewhere for much higher figures.
These cars are meant to be driven, so if you do buy it, please don’t put it in the garage, but drive it when you can and enjoy it.
There have been a number of ground-breaking cars throughout history that have changed the motor industry forever and the original Mazda MX-5 was a “game changer”. It was an affordable, pokey, fun two seater roadster which had a huge impact on an entire generation of motorists, me included. I think Rusty Wheels nailed it when he said good examples are becoming hard to find and those are rising in price quickly. I agree, Its getting harder and harder to find a good MK1 . Most UK cars that I have seen have been attacked by the dreaded “tin worm” which for me personally is a non stater, I know on the whole it can be repaired but I’d prefer a rust free example. Any Limited Edition cars value comes down to rarity, originality, condition and provenance, the mileage does have part to play but it is less important in my opinion compared to a standard production car. The “fly in the ointment” for an imported car is often the lack of service history and for me that is a problem I’ll have to get my head around. Hopefully the condition of the car will be a good indicator that the car has been well maintained. As for value, well I suppose that comes down to me and wether I’m prepared to pay the sellers price or not? Thanks to everyone that has posted a reply, you have all helped me towards a decision. I’ll keep you posted with my progress!
My advice is simple - if you are prepared to spend that sort of money on a MK1, go for a fresh import with no rust.
I believe £9k will buy you an excellent example that if selected carefully would be completely rust free and by definition will last a lot longer than a car that has been in the UK for any length of time.
125k miles is not generally a problem for an MX5 but there are many excellent examples with much lower mileage available. Whilst the mileage should not be a problem, it should be reflected in the purchase price…apparently not in this case.
There have been a few top condition cars that have sold at around that price so if it’s a good one why not. All of the n/a ltds are appreciating now, especially the rarer imports.
I bought a couple of mk1s last year to clean up and sell on. I sold a v spec for a 60% clear profit in April. I’ve ended up keeping the other and sold my mk3 instead.The mk3 was a great car but ultimately I found the mk1 more fun to drive.
I bought an “unmolested” genuinely rust free mk1 freshly imported 1.8 Eunos 73,000 mile car for £4190 last October and it I have spent around £1000 getting it very near to where I want it with a lot of generously given free advice from this forum. Improvements include the fitting of heated electric seats from a mk2.5/ Dinitrol treatment/tyres/wheel refurb/interior improvements/immobiliser. At the time I felt I was possibly paying slightly over the odds buying from an MX5 specialist for the peace of mind. The car is not a special edition but it drives beautifully and I absolutely love it and intend to continue driving it frequently/regularly. For what it is worth I think it is represents great value for money and worth every penny. - a completely different (involving) driving experience from any car I have ever driven before and it has diminished my view of modern cars.
£9,000 may well be worth it for the amount of pleasure you will get from it but the price does seem a bit high for a car of that mileage
Cheers
Matt
Hi Short Shift,
You certainly have a nice car by the sound of your post. I agree £9k is a lot to pay but
Limited Edition cars value comes down to rarity, originality, condition and provenance, the mileage does have part to play but it is less important in my opinion compared to a standard production car.
It is impossible to prove a Mk1 is rust free. Even a fresh import off the boat may have paper thin sills. Of course the underside will look shiney-ish.