MX5Ireland

Hi everyone,

I am new here and I was hoping to get some advice.
Been looking at a few 5's lately, really interested in buying one. Looked at a lovely on over the weekend, a UK import, on the surface it looked and sounded great.

After the owner changed the flat battery in it for a new one, I took it out for a spin. It started up first turn of the key and the engine sounded smooth through the rev range and Idled nice.
Everything seemed to work and sound as it should in the cabin and under the bonnet, but underneath seemed riddled with rust.

I would know a few bits on these cars and a few things to look for but I am not hugely familiar with these cars, particularly with regards to rust. Im not sure whats bad rust and what would be just normal amounts of it (If there even is such a thing).
I checked the usual spots around the sills and they were showing rust, and a lot of bubbling. There was clearly a pretty poor respray job done on it, and the new paint was bubbling very bad around the jack points. The boot had rust showing inside the roof of the boot lid and around where the license plate lights are.


Whats your thoughts on this? Stay away?

And do the NA models suffer this rust as bad? I know the NB 2.5's went under small changes to the crumple zones which made this problem worse.

Thanks guys!

Stay away from ex UK cars as they are well known for rot.Big time.Jap import or maybe clean Irish car but the mk2/2.5 cars rust severly on the front chassis rails , not visible from opening the bonnet, the under engine tray must be removed to check properly.Stay away from the one you looked at.

MX5Spares wrote:Stay away from ex UK cars as they are well known for rot.Big time.Jap import or maybe clean Irish car but the mk2/2.5 cars rust severly on the front chassis rails , not visible from opening the bonnet, the under engine tray must be removed to check properly.Stay away from the one you looked at.

Thanks for the info! Confirmed my suspicions for me.

How are the mk1 NA's? Will be looking at a 93 model soon (Jap), anything in particular I should look out for? Are they know to rot as badly as the NB 2.5's?

Hi, no not half as bad but the sills do suffer a bit.Good JDM car are usually the cleanest but being 20 odd years old you need to check well. No real front chassis rust issues.Just general condition is main thing.We get some very clean ones in from time to time or there is lad i Limerick selling mint mk2.5 Irish 1.6 blue, with genuine 60k miles.I know as he bought it from my mate.Its mint. 2002/03 not sure Owner asking 4500k approx incl hardtop , new alloys etc

MX5Spares wrote:Hi, no not half as bad but the sills do suffer a bit.Good JDM car are usually the cleanest but being 20 odd years old you need to check well. No real front chassis rust issues.Just general condition is main thing.We get some very clean ones in from time to time or there is lad i Limerick selling mint mk2.5 Irish 1.6 blue, with genuine 60k miles.I know as he bought it from my mate.Its mint. 2002/03 not sure Owner asking 4500k approx incl hardtop , new alloys etc

I don't know much history on this car or how long its been in the country. I know its been apparently driven very little over the last few years, to nearly never driven in the last year.
What would you say is a fair price for a mk1?
Anything really to watch out for with them?

Do you source mx5's yourself? I will have a look and see if I can find that lads in Limerick, sounds good too. Would love a mk1 though!

I have number for the lad in Limerick if you need it

MX5Spares wrote:I have number for the lad in Limerick if you need it

Thanks, any pics up of it? Is it up on any of the buy and sell sites?

No .I will get details

I have a mk2 Japer Conran edition for sale, rust has all been taken care of and previous owner was also a mx5 enthusiast.
Pm if you have any interest.