Hi
Just joined the forum
Looking to buy an mx5 ,budget 8k
Can any one recommend what year ,mileage ,etc I should be looking at?
Thanks in advance for any replies
2 Likes
Hello Saxon, welcome aboard. I hope you find the car of your dreams.
The question you posed is a sort of “how long is a piece of string” type thing though.
There are four eras of MX-5 and each will have owners who will convince you that their’s is the right choice.
I suspect your current budget rules out all but the highest mileage/oldest/roughest NDs though.
You could spend all of your money on any of the rest and it will come down in large part to what you want from a car.
If the original ethos of MX-5 suits you then you’ll find some clean and tidy NAs well within what you’re planning to spend.
Your budget will also run to a nice NC which might possibly feel more modern than the NA or NB.
So try to narrow the field a bit by deciding what is most important to you. Doing that could save you alot of toing and froing.
Hth
Cheers,
Guy
5 Likes
NA and NB have a completely different feel than NC; more sporty and nimble than the NC models. NAs are appreciating, and I think 2023 will see the values of good early NBs, especially those in a strong colour (reds, blues, greens, Evo Orange) start to firm up. The numbers of NBs still in use seems to have fallen significantly.
NA and NB maintenance is very little, but possibly the days of using these cars for 15-20k a year are behind them. However, even relatively major mechanical repairs are not that expensive. The body condition of NAs is fairly self evident, and £7-8k should net you a near showroom example. Some care around NBs is needed because of the front chassis rail rust that is unique to that model.
NCs are still depreciating, and I suspect the cost of ownership (what you spend on the car while you own it, and what you lose on resale) of a NC is higher than a NA or NB. The value of the cars is falling, but the cost of repairs is not. And some of these repairs can be pretty hefty, eg replacement engine costs (higher than on the NA/NB, and more likely due to the oil starvation issues). Rusting is recognised in these cars, but an understanding of the pattern of rusting is still evolving, and there is a general lack of replacements for the rust (unlike the NA, NB. The lower volume of NC sales means its less likely the same sort of pattern part support will evolve).
£8k for a NC, buying from a dealer, still parks you in the territory of problem cars, with hidden defects. The defects are generally more expensive to correct than the older cars (that’s the generally case for most new design cars; parts are more expensive). Avoid poverty spec cars (anything 1.8), and don’t be swayed by paying a premium because the car is a “special edition”.
Ultimately, the NC is a completely different kind of car from the NA and NB, and to see which one is best for you requires a test drive.
£8k might get a ND, but the early models had potential for some serious and expensive defects.
4 Likes
Hello Ty,
The real question is what are you looking for?
Analogue feel or somethong more comfortable?
Daily or weekend toy?
Classic appearance or more modern?
I bought the MX-5 book listed below. I am now on my sixth MX-5, soon to be seventh.
They are all great cars and as others have mentioned all the first three models are obtainable.
I do like the special models too, they have some extra’s that make the cars stand out. If you purchase wisely you should get your money back when you buy your second MX-5 
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Theo
2 Likes
As previously advised you need to test drive the various generations to see which one you prefer and what suits you best.
For your budget you are unlikely to get a good ND, but you can probably afford any of the other generations.
If I had £8k to spend I would be looking for a well-sorted NA, they are great fun to drive, fairly inexpensive to own and run and a good one will be starting to appreciate in value.
Just be aware that there will probably be some ongoing maintenance, and you won’t get too many creature comforts or any of the modern electronic driving aids, but for many that’s a good thing.
1 Like
Hi guy
Thanks for the info
If I want a mid to low mileage nc model what should my budget be
Saxon
1 Like
Wow
Great info
I like the nc but looks like I will have to raise my budget
2 Likes
Hi again.
Another great question but unfortunately another that doesn’t necessarily have one definitive answer, sorry.
There are three iterations of NC. The earliest cars should be well within your budget but the cautions mentioned by others previously apply. Careful checking for corrosion is extremely important on the earliest cars, even if they appear cosmetically good.
Check out “Yorkshire car restorer” YouTube channel for just how bad things could be.
The NC 3.5 and 3.75 cars should be better but the best cars are going to push your budget somewhat.
Where you buy, who you buy from, mileage, colour, extras, all of these things will affect what you’ll need to pay.
Checking online sellers may help you gauge roughly where you are in the market.
The good news is that, unless you’re in a blazing hurry, the good weather when these little cars really shine, is still a few months away 
Happy hunting and apologies that I can’t be more specific.
All the best,
Guy
1 Like
Your budget will buy a very nice NC, but an earlier one.
The best bargains, are around now while the weather is bad.
I brought a 2006 NC 2.0 Sport only 36,000 miles , this time last year for just over £4K , it needed a good service , new brake discs, tyres etc.
I’ve done 5K miles this year including the NC500 and its been excellent, I found the handling very poor as standard so fitted some Eibach Pro sport springs and a sports back box and its now great.
There are some rusty ones, but plenty of good ones as well but you MUST check underneath.
Total cost of mine (including service parts, tyres, springs, exhaust etc ) less than £5,000
If your not mechanically minded then I would spend £6K on the best you can find and save the rest for better suspension / other minor mods.
1 Like
What are you looking for, as in will it be a daily driver, project or weekend car?
2 Likes
You do not choose the model of MX5…the model of MX5 chooses you.
2 Likes
A piece of advice I had from a guy when I was enquiring about which Mx5 to buy as a first, there were only three models then the NA, NB & NC,
He advised buying the NA as that’s where it all started. I did and have owned all the models bar the ND and went back to the NA as they’re so brilliant.
Excellent examples of both the 1.6 and 1.8’s NA’s will be your £8k spent wisely and as an investment.
1 Like
Well that’s a pretty biased view…
An opposing opinion is:
-
You could buy an na which is old, small and full of rust.
-
You could get an nb which looks a little long and starting to rust.
-
You could get an nc that is comfortable enough fir a daily drive and with slight modifications can be an excellent car.
-
You could get an nd that’s far too expensive for what it is and in 20 years will no doubt rust.
Your choice
3 Likes
Quite possibly you could blow £8k on a rotted NA. You might need your head examining though.
For 25 years, my NAs have been daily drivers. Perfectly comfortable
You don’t know that much about NBs, because most of them are now part the “starting to rust” stage. The complication on this model is the need to inspect the front chassis rails, possibly requiring removal of the engine tray.l
You could get a NC that has an engine that is about to punch a hole through the block. And its rusty all over. The complication of this model is that some structural rot may be hidden by plastic panels.
As others have indicated, the first step is to test drive some examples. The NC was aimed at a different demographic from earlier models, and it shows (I was in the NC focus groups, and Mazda wanted people who didn’t want a NA/NB to buy the NC). The NA/NB don’t really have that much in common with the NC. The ND was an attempt to reconnect with the characteristics of the original model.
1 Like
Is this a case of Short Nose Crank Syndrome? I spent 60,000 miles of ownership up to 130,000 on the clock, half expecting my early Eunos engine to lunch itself, based on numerous articles I read about it.
An NC with 75,000 miles on the clock, a history of regular oil changes and sounding sweet on tick over and acceleration has to be a relatively low risk proposition at the price.
3 Likes
If you want a daily driver with a 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.
If you want the basic seat-of-your-pants, flies-in-your-teeth 60s roadster experience go for the NA or NB.
I am lucky enough to afford (just about) to run two cars. My other car is a Mazda6 Sport which has 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.
3 Likes
Whatever happened to your senses of derring do & adventure young fellow?
Gone all soft?
Actually, now I think of it…Mmmm… 
Anyway, much as I am a Mk1 devotee, I’d say to the OP get the best NC you can, for as little as you can, and have it rigorously fettled up eg “super-serviced” and it’s bottom wiped & treated…including dropping out the nasty plastic fantastic factory rot traps. It’ll be a lot more “plug n play” than any Mk1 now. The thing is, if you can even find a low miles garage queen Mk1 or 2 which claims to be rot free…you’d not really want to serve it up an early death sentence either with excessive usage.
2 Likes
Thanks for the info
Drove a nc today and really impressed
Noticed rust on the arches
Now looking for a decent garage for servicing etc
How do you find a decent garage???
Thanks again
Your location will help on the servicing side of things.
1 Like
Enough of an issue in that 1.8 MZR owners might struggle to find a replacement engine.
http://www.duratecnc.co.uk/?p=146
Some reference to the type of owner the damage might result from.
1 Like