In fairness to them though, they can’t put lipstick on a pig. If a car comes in for part X, maybe as a PCP ‘handback’, other than a wash and a mechanical check over, and repair actual damage like scuffs etc, the dealer isn’t going to spend money correcting stuff such as swirls and rubbish paintwork from 3+ years of wash and scratch merchants, rusted calipers, nor alloys which literally look eaten. Given 80% of people (guess there) don’t give a jack about cars, that’s often the state they arrive in, and pretty much the state they’re sold in. Them charging top draw for such train wrecks is another issue of course.
Yea. Cars I reject often sell relatively soon after so I understand the 80%. My frustration is when the dealers spend ages telling you it’s immaculate and condition is good for its age. As noted above there is a huge difference between 7-10 year old + cars that have been loved and looked after regardless of mileage versus those that have been driven and uncared for
Also I feel that once the second hand car is of a certain value then I would expect a level of presentation as a minimum.
The smaller sports car specialists I have been to do this by default and are much better than dealers
Here is a few from dealerships I turned down when I looked for my mx5 and one of a well presented one (in my opinion)
Dirty wheels and rust
Apparent leak / water pentetration to soft top (main dealer)
Wet boot lining ( clogged drains )
Keyed paintwork
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Yes, shocking. Good spots too. Someone less savy could have wound up (and unfortunately have) buying one of those.
The boot one? I presume the carpet was wet, and you investigated further?
The brake disk pic isn’t so bad. Like you said a clean wouldn’t hurt, but that disk lip/light caliper rust/heat shield rush is ok for a used car.
The water ingress on the soft top is scary.
Good post. Helps others, me too, not always to run on emotion buying a car.
Yes indeed the lining was noticeably wet in the boot so investigated further
I found generally the undersides all had rust to some degree the bottom of bilsteins on 2.0 litres in particular but some were noticeably better than others. Always asked for a picture of this area before viewing as gave indication of how vehicle had been stored and whether driven in dry or salt and winter roads
Both the wet boot and damp soft top were both at main Mazda dealers! The soft top car was inside the dealership all polished clearly had leaked when cleaned and gone unnoticed. The splitter was cracked. Paint keyed… all added together led to me walking away
My b’ther’s well into cars and detailing and works in an big indoor car park, and the stories he tells me about the condition of people’s cars. '25 plates with brutal curbing already etc
I’m not surprised you walked away.
The thing is though, as nice as it sounds in theory to find a pristine undercarriage on an ND on a used car, to all intents and purposes it isn’t going to happen. ALso due to the fact that they’re prone to rust anyway. I mean, mine has seen <5% the salt many an ND has seen, is currently on the drive with me ‘too scared’ to drive it with salt out, and even that got some of the shock bottoms etc, and a bit here and here.
My advice would be to someone who’s looking for that to suck it up and get a pre reg, or new. They’ll probably never be satisfied with whatever condition a used one they’re looking at is in (that’s no a criticism, I wouldn’t either). At least with a new or sub 100 mile pre reg, it’ll be totally clean, all be up to you.
In regard to depreciation. I would say if you want to retain value on an mx5 ND I would go after cars with the best possible specs, maybe even a level of rarity
In your 2016-2019 bracket.
-2016 recaro editions ( sought after, one off diamond cut wheels, recaro and alcantara interior as standard ) last year when I was looking these cars sold faster than you could find them especially at this time of year. I’d suggest £15k on one of these in good Nick would lose very little in 12-24months if you don’t clock up more than 4000-5000 miles a year and mileage is reasonable at purchase
- 2017 RF launch editions ( this is what I ended up with so biased ) … every single option on the car as standard. Forged wheels £700 a pop. Recaro and Alcantara interiors. Seemingly almost zero depreciation since I bought it a year ago based on live autotrader ads. Rarity somewhat overruled by fact you can now spec recaro interiors as standard on 24-25 cars but still very few do due to ££
In both cases soul reds seem to sell for most money. If you don’t like recaro interiors then just try to go for leather with top spec possible.
hopefully that helps in some way
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Don’t know if you have found an ND but I was going to put mine up for sale in the next month or so. It’s a 2016 2.0 litre Sportnav, Soul Red. It has full Mazda service history, 37446 miles.
it’s going in tomorrow to have the wheels refurbished, I am the second owner and the first gave them some rough treatment. It is then going to be professionally valeted and then into Auto Trader.
Knighty77
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Purely down to statistics and probability.
You’re correct that it could have one owner who didn’t look after it. It could have one owner who did.
Likewise it could have had 4 owners who loved it to bits, verses 4 owners who didn’t. But with 4 owners there’s more chance of an ‘in between state’; some did, some didn’t.
Not sure what the percentage of having 4 owners on a car, and not one didn’t give a jack about it.
Imagine finding a 6 owner ND, all of whom never drove it in the rain or salt lol
I see what you mean about condition though of course.
But who knows what driving style all of the multiple owners had. Riding the clutch, flying over speedbumps, rocking back and forth on the clutch at traffic lights etc. I think the point is as the previous owners number go up, so does the risk in having one of them being a howler goes up too.
Also as the owner numbers goes up, it makes me think what exactly is wrong with the car that makes it V5C change so often. Appreciate than an MX-5 might be an emotional purchase that gets old once winter comes, or someone didn’t think of stuff like practicality, but still, it makes you think.
Answer really, if one is that concerned, is to get a new or pre reg. Only you know the miles then. Of course though, that costs a premium and that route isn’t for everyone.
There’s a nice NC model on piston heads.2012,14 thousand miles.looks great.I would give it a go but already have an nd.
Yea definitely the risk goes up. However I do think majority of sports cars tend to have more owners in shorter time period than daily cars.
Lots of people buy one enjoy it for a few years, then get bored or switch for perhaps a different make / model etc.
I love the mx5 but with electrification of majority of cars personally I am keen to get through a short bucket list of cars before I’m inevitably priced out of ICE cars. Definitely feel I’ve been born too late.
so at some point I might well try something different. It doesn’t mean I won’t lavish tonnes of love and attention on the mx5 for as long as it’s in my ownership though
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My 2016 NDIcon is coming up on Piston Heads auction, it’s on preview now.
This one?
That looks absolutely lovely! 
- Have you seen my reply to you PM. New to owners Club and also the messaging.
Hi, I recenly sold my MX5 to West Drive Mazda. It was advertised on this site but there was little interest at the time. This car is mint, only one owner from new (me) and almost like new. 12k miles. It has been garaged all its life. It has full service history with even the gear box oil changed at year 5 despite low miles. No bush issues etc - its a great car. Have a look at the link below. If you want any info message me. You won’t find one better and the price has recently dropped. It will come with a Mazda warranty - Cheers.
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Thanks for the info, looks a lovely car. Right at the top end of my budget though.
Was hoping to find something closer to home, I have three Mazda dealerships within a 25 mile radius of where I live. Non of them have had a decent MX5 in stock for the last 4 months.
Will definitely consider it. 1.5 hour drive from where I live, but an easy journey on A14 / M11 / A120. What are Westdrive like to deal with.
West Drive were fine but I only sold to them. You’ll need to check the reviews. It’s a Mazda Main Dealer so should be fine. The car is mint - one look underneath and you’ll think it’s new. Never driven in winter so no salt damage/rust. Rarely been out in the rain. If you want a genuine MX5 then you wont find one better. Cheers.
Do you think in hindsight it was all worth it?
Not driving it in salt, hardly out in the rain etc, and the thought process that occured maybe many a time deciding whether to take it out or not? When if you’d have used it ‘as a car’ you’d probably have got not far off the trade in price you got for it (taking mileage into consideration) and then not see the dealer maybe then think his Xmas came early and ask proper top draw for it (so ridiculously so they reduced it)?
I’m not knocking it, as I do similar, but I think if I don’t keep it forever, what will it really have achieved- a few hundred extra quick at part X time?
I also don’t do it, and I wonder if a single person planet earth does it, out of 100% altruistic intentions, so the next owner benefits, well, if they care.
Interesting.
I was amazed at the trade price I got for it - there was a lot of strong bids from the trade. However, I didn’t think of doing it for value - it was a perfect fun car for me and my wife for runs out in the Lakes in good weather. Keeping it as good as possible was never for money or value it was for pride. At Compton Verney last year I had 3 people come up to me whilst in the queue to get in telling me how amazing the car looked and one even commented on how well it sounded. Pretty much as new for an 18 plate.
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