New - not *yet* an owner - now have 2010 Mazda MX-5 2.0 Sport Tech mk3.5

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Hi folks, just joined the forum… I’m a Mazda RX-8 R3 owner and been an RX-8 owner since 2004 - that’s not about to change! :smiley:

However, I have a 16YO son, soon to be 17 and he’s keen to pass his driving test this year…
He’s been a member of the Under 17 Car Club since age 11, and therefore driving regularly to a high standard at most weekends! For that we purchased literally the cheapest car I could - a 2009 Chevrolet Matiz (1.0 SE+)… And I do let him have the occasional rip in the RX-8, but the fuel cost kills that as a regular…

Anyhow he has this idea that the first car he’ll own will be a “Miata” – which given my very little knowledge of MX-5s equates to a “Mk1” 80s / 90s with pop-up headlights?

So I’m scanning the ads - and I think he’ll be OK with a “project car” - though we really don’t have the best facilities or space available (with three cars already on front driveway / garden and Garage full of pushbikes and Storage - no way a car would ever fit in there)…

I’m “handy enough” to do simple oil-change services and change wheels / brake pads etc. (which is a LOT given Track days!)… BUT have a limited tool kit, and mechanical knowledge…

Put it this way - it’s only when I’ve got something fully disassembled that I realise I’m A) Probably way out of my depth. B) Usually broken something by now. C) Need to pop off to Halfrauds for “yet another” tool to deal with the situation! :smiley:

Anyhow - any pointers for a reasonably cheap Mk1 - ideally “a runner” even if it needs some TLC…
Really not sure of the budget yet - but looking at those for sale - DECENT ones are way out of budget…
But some of the runners looking around £2-2.5K which I would say would be “absolute tops” and probably even that is NOT going to be “Wife” friendly!

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mechanically between the NA and NB a later NB would have all the bells and whistles unless you absolutely want popup headlights - I mean who wouldn’t.

They will all have some rust - some more than others especially under the wheel arches and at the rear underneath the car. Just make sure the engine and gearbox is sound, its not been botched together and any bodywork repairs that might have been done were done properly. I think a car that has had some bodywork done due to rust but done properly would be more attractive to be as a buyer compared to one that “didn’t” need any work done.

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A car with years and years of patched up repairs will be quite close to end-of-life. Botched repairs can make things worse. Rust repairs can fail after 5 years. Check carefully cars up for sale, with owners boasting of spending thousands to have it done “properly”, only the repairs were done 10+ years ago. I remember distinctly when the first owner appeared on the UK MX5 mailing list with a required sill repaair, and it was about 2000. Mk1s started to rot out after about 10 years on UK roads. So for imports, that clock started from the day they were landed. eg. a 1990 car imported in 2000, probably started to show signs of rusting in about 2010, and those repairs, if done to the very highest standard, might need looking at again in 2020…

This would be considered a bargain:

But £2k will also net you an early Mk3.

Cars repaired “properly” will likely be out of budget. But sometimes there are bargains; see the ads here, but also if you join the Owners Club, the club magazine will incude small ads for cars whuch never appear online.

Besides rust (and Mk2s will have other rust issues), you need to check the car for accident damage (its a sports car). And that damage might be a bit more than a dinged wing. This video is about a car in for usual rust repairs that had a history of multiple accidents:

Roofs; ones with a shredded top will more likely have rust issues. New roofs are ~£300. Soft tops have a limited working life (5-10 years).
Mechanicaly, early cars (1990) had issues with the crankshaft. Later cars might also have problems with the crankshaft if the timing belt was botched.

Oil leaks; fairly frequent on these cars.

Older radiators can fail. Oil leaks on a 1.8 can lead to catastrophic failure of heater hoses. Both can lead to overheating. The engine is robust, and an alert owner can save the engine. But a less alert owner may en up saddled with a car with HGF issues

Electrical issues; the early cars are old cars now. Things like wiper and headlamp motors starting to give problems. Replacement factory parts can be expensive new, or NLA (there were 3 different wiper motors on the MK1, and they are not interchangeable). Availability of used parts is not like it was a few years ago, when there were reliable mainstream suppliers who were well stocked, such as Autolinkuk.

There are bargains out there, but be prepared to travel, and be flexible. Don’t discount an automatic version, because they wil be cars that will be less messed about with. The conversion to manual is fairly straghtforward, and 5-speed gearboxes, because they don’t go wrong, are cheap (sell for scrap weight). If a 1.6 auto, on paper it will be 4hp own on paper, but you won’t notice the difference on a 30 year old car.

Do your homework on insurance implications if the car is a grey import (Eunos, Eunos Roadster, Mk1s with a square rear plate). The insurance might be twice that of a UK spec car. All Mk1 autos are imports.

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Greetings :smile:
What a Fabulous Dad You Are :smiling_face:
Under 17 Car Club from Aged 11 yrs & Getting Him Driving :smiley:

You’re Looking Ahead :eyes:

BUT…Saw Recent News about Backlog of Driving Tests & Possible Theory Tests :upside_down_face:

Just one extra bit of personal experience to consider :thinking:

Back in the day I sold my Triumph Spitfire Mark IV 1500cc to a Dad who had promised his 18 YO daughter a Sports Car if she passed her test
A few months later I drove past their address to see how the Spit was doing…Whole Back End Stoved In ! :sob:

Perhaps a Sports Car Should Not Be His First Car….WHEN He Has Passed His Test :thinking:
Take Pressure and Worry Off You and Mrs SeanP :fearful: :sweat: :disappointed_relieved:

[My First Car Was a Mark 1 Escort. I’d Got My First Job as a Police Officer - Aged 19 yrs…But Still had to Have My Dad Stand as Guarantor to My Bank [First Bank Account]…Dad lent me £200 and the Bank lent me £600…AND I PAID THEM BOTH BACK]

But If You’re Looking for a Sports Car…MX5 is the one :smiling_face_with_three_hearts: :_with_three_hearts:

Good Luck :smiley:

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At one time Escorts and Minis were typical cheap first cars. Now RWD Escorts (even 4 door ones) and Minis (even rusty ones) are basically unaffordable. Mk1 MX5s are quickly joining them.

If its RWD, BMW 3-series for around £1000, but a bazillion miles, seem common. And not all are diesel. You can get a basic 3-door RWD 1-series on a 59 plate for around £1200-1500. Its not going to have the rot, and will have more safety features.

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saz9961 is not a Forum Moderator for Nothing :+1:

Providing Sound Advice :+1:

My Girl is an NB 2.5 Icon 1.8 [one of the last before the NC]

First Owned by a Car Lease Company…I Got Her 2007

Then due to Various Family Circs et al…She Got Neglected

But Slowly Bringing her Back now

So She Became a ‘Project Car’ [But Not a Rocketeer Project !]

Just Getting Her Back to Basics

One Step at a Time

For Me It’s About the Love of My Girl…Her Amazing Performance…Even When Neglected

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Mine all started with our trusty Peugeot 106, then moved on to Mazda 2 a Polo and a Twingo, my son was 20 when the insurance dropped below £1K (7 years ago now) so he was ‘allowed’ to take over my NA and ditch his Polo, and I bought an NC. The Polo had a box fitted to drop the insurance to an affordable level, of course my daughter didn’t need one to have the same price of insurance at the same age!

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Btw… Besides the usual trawling through autotrader pistonheads etc I just came across this dealer.

Maidenstone Autocentre seem to have a lot of used mx5 stock. (No affiliation whatsoever) Worth to have a look what they have in stock.

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Hi Again

Club Membership is about £35 p.a. [Believe You Can Pay Monthly by DD]

OK…So Was Losing 10lbs of Pressure on Rear Tyres…First Drivers Side…Then Passenger Side
[Used to Happen to my 14 Year Old Clio…So Would Just Turn Up at My Local Tyre Guys & They Would Reseal Her for a Few Quid Pretty Soon]

HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED !

So went to reputable National Tyre Place with my NB [Quote £100 to Reseal plus Book on Line Only]

I knew my current Tyres were Legal [ex Criminal Justice] plus a nice chap at the reputable Tyre Place confirmed

BUT via MX5 O.C. Membership…Could Use Halfords TyresontheDrive 20% Discount

So My Girl Got 4 x New Firestone Roadhawk for £214.37

I’ll Take That !

PLUS I GOT 100% Excellent Support & Guidance & Advice From MX5 O.C. when there was a hiccup in the process

Hopefully Food For Thought ?

Kindest

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Hi Folks, Can’t believe it was Feb when I first posted!

MANY THANKS to those who responded - I did read - but been a little busy so to speak!

Now July; time has flown and he’s 17 in a couple of weeks!!
Theory test booked, ADI booked for some “real” driving experience, and “looking towards” the test - but who knows when!? :wink:

Within U17CC, he’s borrowed a fellow member’s MX-5 and taken it for a spin; Actually was VERY similar to RX-8 in general feel (was my first go as well!), if a lot “lower / less visibility”, but “felt right”; Mazda know how to make a proper sports car! :smiley:

I HAVE managed to convince him that the MX-5 should NOT be his first car; and despite his experience.
Risk his first year in the Matiz which owes us nothing… And we can “work towards a contribution” if he wants to “get himself” a MX-5 after the first year experience (part of 18th present, I guess!)…

I’ve STILL not familiarised myself totally with the various “Mk1, Mk2, Mk2.5, Mk3” etc. and NA / NB / NC etc… If anything I get more confused everytime I read about them / speak to somebody :wink:
And not AT ALL confident that I / we could make a properly educated purchase “within budget”…
Mk1s will deffo be out of budget - and I’m personally “less keen” because of the lack of safety equipment - so will require even “more” proper driving experience… Not to mention extra in maintenance and “good’uns” being WELL out of budget!

We’ll keep looking / trying, following this forum, and prepare for something in perhaps a year or so! :smiley:
Will be a JDM Combe in the Rex - so I’ve no doubt he’ll head over to the MX-5 stands and have lots if chats with people!

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Thanks For Your Feedback…Was the Post About a 19 yr old trying to Insure an MX5 at the moment Helpful ?

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@Bullit2005 You’ve include so much information and useful anecdotes I’m not entirely sure “which” part you refer to :wink:

Been looking into insurance (for the Matiz - too scared to quote for him on the RX-8 ;-)) - and it’s a strange beast… As a “Provisional” driver - we get him on the policy for £41 quid “temporary - 90 days” or £180 for full year as a “permanent” addition.
As a full licence-holder - as you say big quotes £1500++ for a total non-performance car…
Need to experiment with adding mum & dad (I think I forgot in the initial range of quotes!)…
So “Insurance” and “Driving Lessons” are really to form our contribution for his 17th birthday!
Also looking a things like Collindale for “Learner” policies - to keep the Excess and NCD off “me” should he have a prang on “my” insurance…

Thereafter - we may “contribute” towards his “sports car” desires but he’ll have to go it alone on Insurance and any other “money-pit” expenses; but also needs to realise he will need a dependable car to actually drive!!

I also get your drift about club membership… More so for “him” than me (also member of “too many” other car clubs and realise the overall benefits :-))

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I like your thinking :+1:

Sending You Virtual Award for ‘Dad of the Year’ :trophy:

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Well - here we are. Now TWO years on from initial investigations etc.

My son took some on-the-road lessons from an ADI as soon as he turned 17 despite worries of complete unavailability of tests, and the utter NASTINESS of the roundabouts (designed by 4YOs?) in Slough; took his test back in December 2022, and passed with flying colours.

Convinced him to keep the Matiz - “just in case” he has that inevitable “first prang” etc. It literally owed us nothing… Only to be picking him and two passengers up from this only a week later! :flushed: :scream:

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Don’t worry - “ALL SAFE! NO INJURIES” - and he’s learned his lesson (DESPITE U17CC!) that a 60 doesn’t mean that 60 is safe for all bends! He was INCREDIBLY lucky, but survived! One up on his dad - I’ve not yet managed to fully roll a car! :laughing:

Took ownership of a Hyundai i20 in Jan 2023.

Roll on another year - he’s driven that to death (literally, for the car) since then; fitted the biggest boom-box you can think of, and deafened the neighborhood every time he leaves / approaches! Car reached end of life / critical engine problems etc.

He’s also started an Apprenticeship in non other than the Royal Opera House in London, and we sometimes coordinate our commutes; but more not than often! He needs a reliable car for the commute (to train station) and unsociable hours he tends to work!

He’s been constantly bleating on about wanting / needing a “project car” - ALWAYS an MX-5 and I’ve been “out of my depth” to even consider looking at the many he proposes! Too scared of a bad choice / too much rust etc. and not enough space, equipment or experience and skills to “deal with it” properly. I suspect he wouldn’t really have the funds to have “two car” ownership either!

“But my mate’s a mechanic in a garage” etc… Yes, he is (with less than a year’s experience) but when does he ever come and help you with e.g. problems with they Hyundai etc.??? (Never is the answer).

I then “unwittingly” discovered a friend in the RX8OC - not only lives / works locally - but OWNS a Car Dealership and deals mainly in Mazda RX-8s and MX-5s - none other than: Enjoyable Cars!

So - we agreed with Joe: Don’t get a ‘project’ car; instead pool your resources and get a reliable, enjoyable car which you can still TASTEFULLY (:joy:) mod etc.
i.e. Replace your Daily - the i20 - which it turns out, became fatally broken in the engine department!

Joe agreed - further agreed that I’d only allow this if I put my trust in my new found friend Nick!
He knows his stuff and I know he’ll be reliable etc.! Not to mention on our doorstep!

Went to an RX8OC meet about 2 weeks ago; actually acquainted myself with Nick (I’m socially very shy!), and put him to (impossible?) task of: “Budget around £3K-£5K (tops), MX-5 - or any other decent ‘sports car’, non-clunker, little / no rust, reliable daily!”…

“Just so happens”, he replies, “this came in today. But it’s a Cat N write-off!”…
The ONLY thing he could find wrong was some rodents camping out in the air-box, which he replaced (air-box, not the rodents!). Fully checked over wiring looms and engine, suspension, mechanics and bodywork… All great. Only 41K miles too (I think pretty common with MX-5s - most only ‘summer’ cars!?).

We went down last week - test drove it; beyond expectations - and very familiar to me considering RX-8; and Joe got straight on with it too -felt very comfortable.

The car has more features then we anticipated - including “safety” things I didn’t even realize were still missing from NCs (DSC / Traction control!). Pulls well, drives well and in even better condition than my similarly aged RX-8!

Insurance was main worry now! But Joe managed to find something “only £50 a month more” than what he was paying for the i20 - and a year’s NCD (Matiz was on MY insurance at the time!).

So “the deal was done” - re MOTed (had failed initially), services, cleaned, registered, taxed & delivered.

Today we took delivery of the 2010 Mazda MX-5 2.0 Sport Tech mk3.5 and Nick kindly took away the i20 in PX!

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Was previously owned by somebody “hereabouts” - has MX-5 OC stickers; checks show was on another plate early in life (personalised?)… Joe will be joining the MX5OC in due course!

Where’s Joe? Oh- he’s out driving with his girlfriend!

:smiley: :smiley:

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“When I was 18 yrs I thought my parents knew nothing…by the time I was 25 yrs they seemed to have learnt a thing or two” :thinking:

There are times when I feel quite low about not having children and then I read posts like this and appreciate I’ve probably had a lucky escape :worried:

And I’ve questioned why females lost an automatic deduction to car insurance in comparison to males :face_with_spiral_eyes:

Sorry Sean P …apart from getting the MX-5…I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes as a parent :grimacing: :smiling_face_with_tear: :cold_sweat: :face_with_diagonal_mouth:

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