A "concours" example, <6,000 miles, for £6k.
goo.gl/UmQyo
I'm very tempted, already owning a well used, scruffy example that I have already spent c. £3k on over 2 years, excludng the low purchase price. It still needs the front brakes renewing, and decent radio, and the driver's window lifter sorted.
The only reasons not to swap, for me, are that the premium for a concours car is wasted given I want it to use; and it's too perfect - I'll worry about damage, which I currently don't.
I was similarly tempted by a 'preserved' E class a few years ago - 5 years old, 3,000 miles, with plastic on the seats still. But what was the point of paying extra for a car that had never been out in the rain, to use it in exactly those conditions?
I still think the £6k is a bargain though. They say if you want a nice one, buy a nice one.
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There does seem to be quite a lot of extreme low mileage cars around - spotted this near me
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-90CD-7-900-MILES-ORIGINAL-AND-CONCOURS-/151034934782?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item232a6235fe
With the MX5, you are virtually getting a 'new' car for £6k, If I was in the market for such I think I would be tempted. It's thinks like rubber seals / gaskets / bushes that would worry me.
EDIT: here's another - tinyurl.com/btvebr4
Last edited by: ToMoCo on Mon 13 May 13 at 08:56
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Well worth the spondulics I would have thought - for THAT condition, I've just forked out 7 big ones for a 6 year old car with 67k on the clock!
You'd have to treat it like a new car though for a certain period until 'the gilt wears orf'
(or Mrs Manatee prangs it)
:)
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Probably just me, but why sell a car using 8 month old photos? OK they are good photos and the condition may not have changed since then but even still, would expect a fresh set.
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Car Mechanics had a long wail on failing rear brake calipers on low mileage MX5s..Think £200 per side +
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>> Probably just me, but why sell a car using 8 month old photos? OK they
>> are good photos and the condition may not have changed since then but even still,
>> would expect a fresh set.
>>
It's rained every day since :-)
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My neighbour bought a 3 year old, 6,000 mile MX-5 with the folding hard top for £6k. This was in January 2011.
When I came to look later in the year, prices had firmed up considerably. So much so that I bought new instead.
That car is a 1.6 - I'd have thought the price was a bit optimistic. But this is the time of year for him to sell.
Last edited by: Tigger on Mon 13 May 13 at 12:10
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Yes. If it was the 1.8, with the LSD, I'd have bought it by now.
I don't know much about the Mk3, but the Mk2 is a much better looking car to my eye.
Shame about the rust trap sills. A plus of the car on offer is the rustproofing. Mine have been cut out and plated over twice now, I hope the job just done is better than the first.
Last edited by: Manatee on Mon 13 May 13 at 12:20
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Yes, I took mine to rustmaster easier this year. Hopefully the car will make it to my retirement now!
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>>But what was the point of paying extra for a car that had never been out in the rain, to use it in exactly those conditions?
It has a premium in its value because it has never been used in such conditions. It will lose that premium as soon as you drive it as a normal car, and so within 3 months will be normal market value.
Which I suspect would be quite a drop.
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>> >>But what was the point of paying extra for a car that had never been
>> out in the rain, to use it in exactly those conditions?
>>
>> It has a premium in its value because it has never been used in such
>> conditions. It will lose that premium as soon as you drive it as a normal
>> car, and so within 3 months will be normal market value.
>>
>> Which I suspect would be quite a drop.
Exactly. Most that age are £3,000-£4,000, even in very good condition. There's a 12,000 miler in Edinburgh for £4,500. Those are 1.8s too.
I'll see if I have a good year, and if I decide to upgrade I'll look for something at the end of the summer. Mine won't be worth any less for a while, with any luck.
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The beauty about that little gem is the proper rustproofing.
It means that you can use it normally if sensible as to washing the salt off after winter use and get the rustproofing topped up in another couple of years, job done.
MT i know little about these cars, is LSD such a bonus?, i've found it can help to cause a full oversteer due to the reluctance to let one wheel spin up a bit, as i say i know little about these so happy to be put right.
Is this model likely to have less electronic gubbins than later 1.8's to go wrong as the cars age?
I note Madf's post above mentioning rear caliper problems, well it seems odd that both Corax and i have bought main dealer serviced cars and both of them have had caliper problems due to lack of proper brake servicing, seems to be a common problem for others too, so i wonder if the affected MX5s have had regular main dealer neglect too.
Seems to me that for long life of parts like calipers, could it be prudent to find that greasy overalled proper mechanic again that does real servicing from his lock up if people dont fancy doing such jobs properly themselves?
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Mon 13 May 13 at 21:56
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Not sure about the LSD, but they aren't that uncommon on MX5s.
Mk2s are supposedly prone to electrical faults, but I think that's comparative - they don't have too many mechanical ones. How the head on mine got so bad, or why, I have no idea. All the valves leaked when I acquired it, the compressions were beyond poor.
I have had to replace the two front ABS sensors (expensive) and the coil pack (luckily a second hand one did it at £85.) It looks quite good though now, unless you inspect it too closely, and it is at least fairly solid.
We're doing a bit of a UK road trip in a couple of weeks, just hope we don't come home on the back of a lorry!
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Mazda MX5 - "New" 11 year old car - worth it? - ToMoCo
