MX5 MK2.5 Rust- To buy or not to buy???

Buying a ‘5 and Insurance advice Buying Advice
2

Hi all,

I am looking to jump into MX5 ownership, specifically looking at the MK 2.5. I am jumping ship from a Vauxhall insignia that I unfortunately had to depart ways with prematurely.

I’ve viewed in the region of 10 MX-5’s all of which have had rust on the rear wheel arches (which I understand is a common problem). One of these also has a MOT advisory for corrosion on the chassis, however looks mint in every other respect.

My budget is 2.5k. My question is am I likely to find a 02/03 plate MX5 without any rust as I really am debating whether they even exist currently! And also if I were to buy one with rust issues am I a) silly to do so & b) how much would I be looking at to remedy the issue?

Specifically with the corrosion on the chassis would you advise me to steer clear as this is the car my heart  is really with?!

In addition a lot of cars I’ve looked at don’t seem to have paperwork for cambelt changes even though they have good service history. Is this commonplace?

This is my first post to the forum!

 

Many thanks in advance!!

3

Hi

Your budget should still eventually find you a good car with no rear sill/wheel arch rust and more importantly no chassis rail rust.

A good original car with no visible rust is preferable to a repaired car in my opinion.

Much cheaper cars are available with rust in these places but the cost of repair is prohibitive unless you want to put yourself or someone you know really well through the torture of doing the work.  

The rust is down to bad design in these specific areas so typically the cars being scrapped for £300 - 500 are clean everywhere else.   

Take your time and spend your money on a clean car with no problems. 

In my opinion the MK2.5 car to go for is a well sorted 1.8 sport but these need to be very carefully checked over with additional issues like big brake condition, 6 speed gearbox and limited slip diff. If you are not so bothered about engine power, etc there are some very nice, well cared for 1.6 models to be found.  

 

4

If you post your location someone might just be able to point you to a sorted and looked after car.

There are two very local to me that i wouldn’t hesitate having a look at if i was in the market.

5

My views:

 - Rust is endemic in MX5s.  Chances of finding one completely rust free are pretty much nil.  The only question being how much.  On a positive note, the two most common areas of rust are the rear sills and the front chassis rails.  both of these can be replaced.  the costs I’ve seen are circa £650 for each areas.  Balancing against the cost of that is that mk2s seem to have stopped depreciating (assuming reasonable condition) and are mechanically very reliable.  So whilst you’re costs in depreciation and general maintenance will be very low, budget to spend some of the savings on rust correction and prevention.

 - If you want an LSD, you either buy a Sport, or one of 3 special editions, i.e. the Phoenix, Arizona and Euphonic.  Note that the LSD from 2004 onwards was changed to a Fuji unit, which sounds like it was made of cheese

 - Whether to go directly for a sport is dependent upon whether you want the Bilstein suspension (only fitted to the Sport).  Clearly some love it.  I didn’t like it’s lack of compliance

 - Be aware that the road tax is high for what is not a particularly powerful car

 

Personally, I love my 2.5 and believe that the pros massively outweigh the cons.  Just buy carefully.

6

In addition to Rhino’s valid points be aware that from (late?) 2003 I believe cars have potentially weak (expensive) LSDs, so I would concentrate on 2001/2002 examples.

Being pragmatic, I accept they are all old mild steel cars bedevilled with designed-in moisture traps, so there will be creeping oxide in evey one of them, just a degree of how much from microscopic for 2 to 4k &  treatable to rampant rot sheds with structural issues for spares & repairs. 

If I was in your market on your budget, I would do two things. Put wanted ads into to Mx5 dedicated forums (any forum) to seek club cars with provenance, Secondly, and you won’t like it, apply to old cliche of “you get what you pay for” and add a £1000.00 or so onto you purchase price.

Also, investigate recognised businesses including to fixer-upper ones who can prove condition before you travel…because you’ll being doing a lot of that.  

If a seller cannot prove cambelt/waterpump service, that’s a £300+ negotiation. What is vital is proof of regular service book fluid changes.

I say this as an owner of a 2002 Mk2.5 of the last 14 years and have spent a not inconsiderable amount restoring it to pretty much show standard to include full OEM chassis rails, sills, and rear wings plus a full repaint & lacquer, so I’ve “been there & dunnit”. It’s also been injected will many litres of aggressive “stuff” to make it last. 

My car owes me around £6.5k in billing & invoices now over 4 years and if it was for sale that would be the non negotiable fixed price, but that’s an odd-ball & extreme situation.  

Frankly, colour & specification has become of secondary importance. The Holy Grail is condition, condition, condition & sheaves of TLC. 

Walk off from anything less. It’ll be frustrating & tough but they are out there. 

7

Thank you all so much for all of the advice posted so far, it really is appreciated.

All of the cars I’m looking at are 1.8’s and that seems to be the common consensus of the one to go for so I’m happy with that :).

I’m based in Noroflk so if anybody knows of any hidden gems semi-locally I’d be very interested to hear from you. I’m currently away in Kent for a few days but have found very little to look at.

In terms of budget a big career change really does prohibit my spending power unfortunately so just over 2.5k really is my absolute limit.

One thought I had was to buy a pooper condition car for say 1.5k & spend the rest of my budget fixing any rust issues. What are general thoughts on this?

Also, really interesting to hear about the LSD ( I didn’t realise some cars had this). It now makes sense why 1 car had a 6 Speed box & the rest haven’t! Is the LSD fitted to all cars post 2003 of rust sport models? Just trying to ascertain if 2001/2002 Is definately the way to go.

 

Many thanks once again!!

8

Rust never sleeps. My advice would be to spend a bit more and buy a 2.0 MK3. Not immune to rust but would be in better condition.

9

I’ve had a quick scan of eBay and auto trader & have found a 2007 MK3 2.0 Sport for £3000 with lowered suspension with 135k miles. Too much money for the year & the mileage? Would the suspension mod put anybody off?

I can’t help but feel more comfortable with a 2002/2003 Mk2.5 with 50k miles on it but with rust issues for £500 less.

10

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201805296960107?onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&make=MAZDA&postcode=tn221hf&advertising-location=at_cars&radius=100&sort=sponsored&model=MX-5&price-to=3000&price-from=2500&page=3     No rust on this one

11

From what I’ve seen recently, realistic prices for a good condition mk2.5 appear to be circa £2 - £2.5k, though some traders are asking what appears to be stupid money.

From a budget perspective, I’d suggest you think along the lines of £3k, to include the car, then some care and attention on a good service when you get it.

For example, my 2002 was £2k and looked in good condition on purchase 3 months ago, but needed/will be getting:

 - x2 new calipers (£400 all in)

 - Service items, i.e. oil, filters, wipers etc.  Probably circa £100

 - Going in for a full under-sealing next month @ £360

 

Note that I already had a decent bluetooth Alpine HU from a previous MX5.  That was £100.

Also had some spare tyres with just a week’s use, they’re around £60/corner for the Uniroyal Rainsport 3s that were recommended here.

 

As mentioned, IMO good condition mk2s have stopped depreciating.  So throwing some money at it is not simply money thrown away and you then end up with a lovely, cheap to run soft top. 

Mine makes me smile everytime I sit in it.

12

Another tip TrimmyTrish.

MOT history public domain info on the DVLA website.

Just pop the Reg in.

You’d be surprised what they sometimes reveal.

13

Once you create a free account, Cazana gives you a little extra information over the MOT history site:
https://cazana.com/uk

You’ll get an idea where the car was first registered (ie. has it been a local car, or auction fodder), the MOT history will list “major events” which will generally be a change in ownership or registration.

Be warning though about reading too much into the MOT history, especially the Advisories.

14

Problem is with that budget and a 14 yr old car you buying a banger,go for a corsa or fiesta and spend a bit more.A lot of people in this club use the 5 as a second car,if it’s your main car forget it.

15

 

Utter tosh & complete sweeping statement hogwash.

As off-piste as another recent post suggesting mature citizens ought not to drive them at all.

We are not privvy to the OP’s personal lifestyle or anything else and we do not need to be.     

I ran my (back then 3k) Mk1 for 14 years as a work/weekend vehicle. Sure, it needed bits now and then.

SWMBO ran her (mentioned above) 2002 Sport for 14 years as a work commuter…now retired as the car is for daily pleasure/domestics.

 This forum like many others contains a variety of older dailies & weekenders…and plenty are ancient Mark1s & older Mk2.5s

Between the two, we have so far clocked up 130,000-odd mixed miles over the years.  

Age is irrelevant, condition is all. 

OP…ignore the previous post, carry on please, and let us know if you see something.

 

16

I think that what we buy depends on two things.

Firstly the money at our disposal; few of us would turn down an ND if we had the spare cash.

Secondly the tools & equipment, coupled with the skills to use them.

 

Lets say someone has limited money and no mechanical skills. I would suggest they should look for the best they can get mechanically/rust wise, but perhaps an older model.

Now lets say limited money and a high skill set. This is the chance to buy a lesser car at a low price and end up with a cracker.

 

Just, whatever you do don’t go for a lesser car if you don’t have the ability to put it right. I believe thats called a money pit.

 

Me, I’d give my eye teeth for the OP’s VGC Sport with the rough chassis rails. That’s exactly what MiXi was a year ago.

 

Paul G

17

Pmd

18

Your inbox is full

 

Hi are you still looking for a MX5 mk2.5?

I have a very good
Condition mk2.5… that I am thinking of selling due to change in circumstances…

Pm if interested
Or message me on
07712566258

Thanks
Tom

19

Scottish fiver and Saz  thanks for the advice & links!

I agree with what you’ve said Scottish-condition is paramount & there’s no reason the 5 can’t be run as a daily. Different car I know but before the insignia I drove at 15+ year old rover 75 and it was excellent despite all of its bad press in terms of head gasket failure etc. I’ve only owned the insignia for just over 3 years & due to modern day restrictions  it’s proved to be uneconomicsl to repair.

Jenkt, Tom  appologies my inbox was full but please feel free to resend now I’ve made some space:)

20

Trimmytrish, I have a problem with your remarks here as they are in my opinion unrealistic as you have decided that the price you pay is a fixed price on a 12 year old car.

You are talking of dropping £2,500 on a very nice MK2!

You advise that you are on a limited budget.

If you are on a limited budget, I would not take on a project as it will always cost a lot more. I mess about with MX5’s and you have at best a 30% chance of buying a £1K to £1.5k car and getting it “sorted” for £2,500 in total, believe me on that one. Some people are lucky! On the other hand, if it lasts for 2 years before it fails a MOT and that is not an issue, then that has a better chance of working.

Your finances are not my business but if the final bill comes in at £3,000 does that leave you with an MOT failure you cannot afford to get back on the road.

You have not advised if you are handy with cars but if you require a garage to do the work it may well end in tears.

Yes, there will be clean cars around but they can be very hard to find and without a lift to inspect the car, you are taking a chance on a 12 year old car.

The age of the cars you are talking about are not fixed price offers they are a starting point to run an old car and there will be further bills.

I went around and looked at second-hand MK2’s with a prospective owner recently and the vast majority of cars needed work to get them sorted.

I then got the lady very annoyed. I took her to a large car dealer and got a price for a no deposit, new basic car and over a three years lease, then give it back, it was cheaper to run the leased car than an old MX5. I live in Aberdeenshire and lots of road salt is used here, you are well south and that will help.

Therefore, if you are tight for money and it is an only car that is a larger risk than leasing a cheap box from new.

Not that we want a boring car.