I’m looking at a mk3 2006 with 49000 miles. There are some signs of rust however what is age appropriate and at what stage do I walk away. Never had an mx5 so any advice appreciated.
These cars don’t have the best level of factory anti-corrosion protection.
Also, it’s likely that many 13 year old cars (regardless of make / model) will have some signs of rust by now; for example I’ve seen a number of 2005/2006/2007 Ford Focuses with holes in the front wings. Saw a 2006 Audi too last week with a rusted out door.
Low mileage isn’t necessarily a guarantee of sound bodywork, particularly if the car’s been kept outside in which case condensation will cause rusting from the inside out.
There are some rust-free MX-5s out there of a similar age to the one you’ve seen, these will in all likelihood have had additional anti-corrosion protection, been garaged & kept out of the salt as much as possible.
Where are the signs of rust on the car that you’ve seen? Some corrosion on these cars can be just cosmetic of course, whereas other corrosion can be more serious. Some early Mk3s have been reported to have rust at the bottom of the rear wheelarches, at the front end where the arches join the back of the sills & also rotting out of the box section behind the sills at the same location. Apparently though that’s a relatively easy fix.
Back end wheel arches and inside the rear wheel covers we’re you cannot see with out getting under it and if you get it on a ramp it probley frighten you away I have just brought a 2006 after looking at a few mk2 then give up on them went to the mk 3 and was suprized to see they had bad rot at the rear…under he bonnet and boot lid…mine was very clean… AS I thought so brought it but on one of the side skirts plastic a clip had broke so took it of to replace only to find it full of mud trapped between the other sill plastic and the main sill metal I think I was lucky that clip broke… It was rusting the sills away …mine was only surface rust with about 1" of rust not seen till I took the cover off so I was able to treat it
now will have to take the other side off to check that out iam waxing the under side as I go along…my wife’s mini of the same year put the mx5 to shame…but I guess we know what the mx5s are before we buy…brill to drive but if you don’t keep on top of them and that is parts you cannot see the the faster you go the more you leave on the road…??
if you type in rust on mx5 mk3 on Google there is a video …but be warned it may put you off
Thanks for the replies. The rust is under rear sills and very slightly underneath wheel arches. I’m not really worried if it’s a cheap enough fix as the rest of the car is outstanding and great to drive.