I am new to this community. I am looking at buying an MX-5 as a second car for some top-down weekend fun. I am drawn to the platform as I have only heard good things about the handling and gearbox, and want to get a taste of the affordable sports car. I am making this post to ask a couple of questions about good options in terms of generations.
I am looking for a manual and have a budget of £3-5,000. I am based in Hertfordshire, UK. I think that this is too little for a decent NA. So, I have been looking at the NB and NC generations. However, I don’t know to what degree these later generations compromise with the handling and ‘spirit’ of the NA. Also, I have also read that the NB in particular suffers from rust problems.
The car will be garaged in the winter and I am interested in learning how to perform basic servicing. I may extend this to suspension/exhaust etc. upgrades in the future, so it is important that the aftermarket support is good.
So – to the actual question(s)!
What do you think the best option for me would be? I am drawn to the 1.8L NB2 as it seems to be in a bit of a sweetspot at the minute – relatively affordable whilst being well equipped. It also seems to be sufficiently powerful. However, is this engine easily serviceable and reliable? From my limited knowledge, the main NB2 drawbacks seems to be the rust issues. Is there anything else I need to look out for?
Or should I be looking further afield at the NB1 and NC cars? Maybe this will boil down to finding a rust free example with a good service history. I should probably also get a move on with test driving some cars as I imagine that the prices start increasing throughout spring.
Finally, is anyone able to link me to information about the different MX5 generations/specs/options or is Wikipedia the best resource?
Welcome to the group Jonny. Being an NB2/NBFL/2.5 owner I am quite biased, rust is not to be undersestimated on any MX5, not unknown on the latest models straight from the show room.
Rust for NB’s is particularlty well known the chassis rails visible under the bonnet so never checked for MOT, arches and sills. Mine looked great when I bought it, without knowing anything what so ever about them. Just wanted a red one, see above the day I got her in 2018, but turned out to have been badly repaired in the past see below 2020. The car drives so well I keep throwing money at it and have no regrets 60,000 miles and 5 years down the line.
These cars are 20 years old but if driven regularly are very reliable. I work week on week off so can only drive mine every other week and for the first four years she was kept outside, only been let down by a fan belt which was a maintenance oversight on my part.
For the money you have you should be able to get a nice low mileage NB2 anyting under 60k miles. I would not be put off if it has had the the rust work repaired by a reputable garage. Just make sure there is plenty of photograpic evidence, also if it has not been done factor in back to bare metal rust protection, some thing I would recommend for any of the MX5’s even straight out of the showroom.
If you want the basic seat-of-your-pants, 60s roadster experience go for the NA or NB.
If you want a more modern driving experience (air con, steering wheel mounted controls, etc.,etc), go for the NC. That’s not to play down the open-top roadster experience which it does brilliantly.
I am lucky enough to afford (just about) to run two cars. My other car is a 2013 Mazda6 Sport which has, much like the later NCs, all the bells and whistles. My NB is (as Mazda intended) all the MGB or Spitfire I ever wanted, but without the wait in the lay-by for the AA. I couldn’t be happier with it.
Hi.
If you need any help with insurance at all for whatever model you are looking at then please feel free to drop me a line. I’d be only too pleased to try and help.
Regards,
Dan.
Its a very big can of worms “which one” because everyone will have their own personal preference and opinion on the subject.like tyres,oil, turbo or charger, 1.6/1.8/2.0 ltr,antifreeze, MG or mx5,brake pads/disks, the list is endless…
So it is what ever mark/version or model works for your needs and wants because there are a lot to choose from.
Personally from the 30 odd years on these roadsters i would say invest in a well sorted over engineered retro MK 1 import, for that original feel and smile , or fully sorted Nb import editions that retained some of the MK 1 character but slightly comfier , the MK 3’s lost it for me in character/feel and looks and feels like driving a sprung bed, MK 4 is a more modern back to basic driver feel roadster again.
But the best advise i can offer is pick one that is your eye candy but try them all to see which one as the feel like you are putting it on and wearing it rather than just driving a car.
And must never forget the budget, bar the mk4 version they will all require maintenance , they are not new roadsters
M-m
NB 2.5 1.8 [2005] Icon [Second Owner from March 2007] in Orange [Aprox 46,500 Miles]
Like Art_Tidesco [Love Your Pics Art ] I am Biased in Favour of the NB
Fan of All the MX-5’s But For Me the Pop-Up Headlights of the NA Didn’t Appeal and Found the NC and ND Getting ‘Squarish’ Like a Saloon. Loved the NC Twin Exhausts But Both the NC & ND Getting More Like ‘Driving a Computer’ than a Car Because I Enjoy the Less Tech Assisted Earlier Models
But It’s Really ‘Horses for Courses’…You’ll Know Her/Him When You See Them…Test Drive Them All and Find What Suits You Sir !
YES…Rust Prone…But in Bullits Case It Was My Bad Because She Got Neglected and Wasn’t Garaged until 2019
YES…Now Having to Spends LoadsofMoney Renovating & Restoring Her
But I Don’t Care As She’s Given Me 18 Years of Fun Driving
Thanks a lot for your write-up. I love the look of the NB2!
That is some quite serious rust repair! I will absolutely ask for evidence of this being sorted when looking at cars. Or factor it into the budget.
Thanks for your reply.
I definitely need to test drive a few examples but I think that the NB2 is calling me…
I may be wrong, but I think that AC is standard in the NB2? Not sure about the other options.
I appreciate your reply! I realise that the question I posed was a massive one, with supporters on each side of the fence. Ultimately, I need to book in a few test drives and see what ‘speaks to me’. On looks alone, I think that the NB2 is edging ahead.
My first MX-5 was a late 2001 Mk2.5 Sport, or NBFL with the 1.8l SVT engine. Someone more technical than me can explain why an early version might be bettter than a later one, but I’d recommend something like this as your starting point - great balance of fun, daily driver useability and a few mod cons, eg heated seats if that’s important.
I then moved to a Mk4 - 2 litre ND2, which ticked all the boxes but was not cheap - GTSport Nav+ which I believe was top of the range at the time. Sold it for silly money profit when used prices shot up in 2021.
Now have a Mk1, NA 1.6 engine. Fabulous fun but no mod cons and not suitable (for me) as a daily given it’s plastic rear window, no a/c etc etc but great as a weekend car.
Toyed with the idea of a Mk3 but haven’t tried one to tempt me away from the NA.
If I were to sell the NA it would be because I’m not using it enough and I’ve no spanner skills to do anything other than routine servicing.
Based on the comments on this forum, if I were buying with no budget constraints & having not driven an MX-5, I’d go for a ND2 1.5l which would give (me) the best balance of worry-free motoring combined with weekend/daily fun.
Otherwise a well-sorted Mk 2 or 2.5 for around the £5k mark would do it.
] I am Biased in Favour of the NB
