MX5 Running costs

General Discussion Forums MX-5 Chat
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So I’ve owned my NA S-Spec II for just over 16 years (Feb. 2005)… Reflecting on what these cars has cost me.

1997; paid £9000 for a 1992 Eunos Roadster (at the time, that was $15,000)
2000; paid £6000 for a 1991 Eunos Roadster (at the time, $9,000)
2005; paid £4500 for a 1996 Eunos Roadster (at the time, $7,700)
2005; sold for £3800 a 1991 Eunos Roadster (at the time, $6,500)
2007; paid £2500 for a 1993 Eunos Roadster (at the time, $4,975)
2009; sold for £2500 a 1993 Eunos Roadster (at the time, $4,000)
2013; paid £2500 for a 1993 Eunos Roadster (at the time, $4,125)
2017; sold for £3,800 a 1993 Eunos Roadster (at the time, $5130)

So I have left a 1996 Eunos Roadster, brought with 90,000 kms on the clock, now on 270,000kms. Those values are as much a result of the changing fortunes of the NA MX5 market, but also fluctuating exchange rates.

The expenses:

£6000 in routine servicing (inc. tyres, batteries)
£100 new radiator
£1000 replacement engine and fitment
£500 in 5x replacement calipers; front right is now on its third replacement caliper, after previous recon caliper gave up after 10 years service
£200 Sachs clutch (included labour)
£100 for 3x clutch slave cylinders
£100 for clutch master cylinder
£50 for clutch flexi hose
£1200 for repaint
£1500 for welding (both rear arches, sills (rockers) with paint
£400 for upgraded factory leather seats
£400 for Coilovers
£200 Cambelt (@100kms)
£100 waterpump (@120kms, oops)
£300 Cambelt + Waterpump (@250kms, on second engine)
£100 for dry stored VR-Limited hood on frame
£400 for new BAS Vinyl hood, diy fitment
£100 for used hood on frame

So including purchase, I’m in for £16,950 on this car.

Rising values of NAs mean the gardeners spade 1996 is worth £3500 on a good day. So actual cost is £17,950. Hardly used now, so its all gravy.

But, to run, this car has cost me ~£800 a year.

But the above costs don’t include maintenance costs for the other cars,

ie. New hood on the 1991 car
General mechanical fettling on the 1993 M2-1002
Welding, respray, new hood, new wheels, tyres on the 1993 S-Limited
A Mongoose exhaust along the way

If back in 2005, I had chosen to run a new NC1 2.0.
Cost price of car: £15,900
Routine servicing ; assume similar (£6000)
Repairs; allow £1000
Assume this wasn’t a NC going rusty
So £22,900 over the same period.
If I kept this NC nice, I might now get £4000 for it, realistically, £3500 for a quick sale.

So cost of the newer car is £34,800. If instead of an early NC, the purchase was of a later NB-FL, add £3000 to that cost, because of the very likely welding needed.

That NA is now left 2-3 weeks at a time without being driven, but starts on the button every time.

If back in 1997, I had managed to scrape up the money for a new NA (as a recent postdoc on £18,000 a year, not likely).

£17,5(I think) to purchase
£9,600 in routine servicing
£1000 in cambelts/waterpumps (I’d be on my 3rd one by now)
£1000 in hoods (Mada hoods last about 10 years, possibly I would have fitted a third one by now)
£100 new radiator
£1000 replacement engine and fitment
£600 in 6x replacement calipers
£400 in clutches (included labour) (100k miles per clutch)
£150 for 5x clutch slave cylinders
£100 for clutch master cylinder
£50 for clutch flexi hose
£1200 for repaint
£1500 for welding (both rear arches, sills (rockers) with paint
£400 for upgraded factory leather seats
£400 for Coilovers

At the end of that, a survivor 1 owner but 250,000 miler MK1 is probably worth £3500 to someone.

So the cost to me would be £48,500.

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As we all know, money is only a means to an end. So as long as the end is good, not evil, gives pleasure and not trouble then it’s served its purpose. So you may have spent quite a bit but I’m betting you’ve got a good rate of pleasure/£, and in that way you’re quids in, well done! :+1:

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Buying old is better than buying new. And I never have to worry about a Warranty.

But also, no one who actually “owns” a classic actually makes any money on it, unless your name is Rowan Atkinson. And by “own” I exclude people flipping cars before any expense.

Its the logic I now apply to a 15 year old Jag; its worth the cost of getting it properly maintained and repaired, because what’s the alternative? Though I was very happy it flew through the MOT with zero advisories.

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Hmm, interesting details. I have spreadsheets with info like that…

That NA cost you roughly 10p/km plus fuel (15p/km?). Considering all the repair work that is not bad at all for maybe 40p/mile all in.

My old Astra after 205K miles from new until its first breakdown wrote it off (1994-2007) no repairs, no mods, just normal wear and tear replacements
cost £39,786 for 19.4p/mile,
of which petrol was £13,981 for 6.8p/mile, (45mpg)
so 12.6p/mile on capital loss, fixed costs and mostly dealer maintenance

By contrast for the 15,230miles since buying it in Aug 2014 for £9,400 my low mileage NC has
cost £19,236 for £1.27/mile
of which petrol was £2,369 for 15.5p/mile, (37mpg)
so £1.11p/mile on capital loss, mods, fixed costs and mostly dealer maintenance
Most smiles per mile though.

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All I can say, is it’s the cheapest and most fun little roadster in it’s class :joy: - ,but there are always costs…!
Money earns nothing in the bank, and where is the fun in that…!

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The MX5 currently costs me very little, mainly because it sits there unused. Nothing that will now go wrong with it will cost me big bucks. Can’t say the same for newer models.

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As my old Mum used to say…there’s no pockets in a shroud…

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Most expensive part of ownership for me is the bonkers VED rate of £330…

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