Well after selling my MX5 back in the summer, I realised I needed another in my life.

A UK car, 1997, Black, 1.8iS, which means it has ABS, electric windows, power steering, electric mirrors etc.

High miles at 151k, but full history.

A few bits to be sorted over the winter, but importantly it has no rust underneath whatsoever!

All in all, a bit of a bargain at £950!! It was advertised at £1295, so its amazing what a few £20 notes waved about can achieve.

11 months MOT, but no tax. It was advertised as having a cooling problem, which I've diagnosed as simply being a radiator cap that needs replacing. It also needs an oil seal replacing at a whopping cost of £1.08!!!!

I'll be tinkering with it over the winter with a view to using it as my daily driver come the Spring, which is when my company car has to go back.

Edited 31 October, 201015 yr by Tom_vRS

Very nice Tom

Looks good matey. Nice buy for that money. Also the right spec as you know

Best choice of wheels for the Mk1 too, IMO.

Enjoy

Steve

Cheers Steve and Ross.

I was ready to bite his arm off at £1295 to be honest, it drives so much nicer than my old one, and is better spec etc, and I sold that for £2100!

Its been losing coolant, basically been overflowing at the expansion tank, but its not been overheating at all, rad fan cuts in properly. The guy thought it might be in for a head gasket, but no mixing of coolant or oil, and its not overheating. How he missed the coolant dribbling down the inner wing I don't know!

I do like the wheels too! Shod in 4-5mm of Toyo T1-Rs too!!

In the past couple of years its had cambelt, waterpump, all the major service bits including box and diff fluids, 4 new calipers, new pads and disks all round, new genuine springs with reconditioned Bilstein dampers, the list goes on.

The best bit was its only 3 miles up the road!

Sounds spot on. Good find.

Mine ran really well with T1-Rs on when I had it. Good grip levels and progressive when you went beyond too

How many cars is that now and how old are you :rofl:

Nice! Guess it has limited slip diff being a 1.8 as well?

Nope, no LSD, or if it has it doesn't work!!

I've lost track of the number of cars tbh, had the Mazda 3 over a year now though...

Nice looking car and a bargainby the looks of things. Spec seems very similar to my 95 1.8is except you have different airbag wheel, no chrome rings around the dials and no pockets in the doors. Same 7 spoke semi hollow wheels though!

Nice

You tart!

needs lowering tho

(and supercharging)

You tart!

needs lowering tho

(and supercharging)

Er, no on both accounts, for now anyway!!!

Still got yours Col? Charged yet?

ohhh errr what a bargin!! looks good in black too!

Nice buy Tom "too many cars to remember" (insert last name)

So how many cars are we on now Tom?

Nope, no LSD, or if it has it doesn't work!!

I've lost track of the number of cars tbh, had the Mazda 3 over a year now though...

Thought the UK 1.8iS indicated the presence of an LSD? Or is that just the Mk2? :S

How come the 3 has to go back Tom?

Tom comes up smelling of roses yet again

A fine looking car for the money mate

Er, no on both accounts, for now anyway!!!

Still got yours Col? Charged yet?

Yes and almost (after procuring some of the required parts in a drunken ebay sesh)

Looks stunning, excellent find.

Very nice They are great to drive too! Mine will be getting some TLC over the winter as well

So how are the other matters and home finding going or have gone?

Life is good! Settled into a nice 3 bed semi in a nice village 20 mins from work. Family love the new lifestyle. Debt coming down very quickly. Work is bucking the trend getting busier all the time, but company car scheme terminates in March and we are getting a £70/month allowance instead. Bit of a bummer but atleast I have a job!!

Found insurance for £196, so going to call them tomorrow to get it insured, meaning it will be on the road for those nice sunny winters days we get occasionally!

I rent a garage too so it will be tucked away in the warm every night.

Pretty sure the LSD isn't standard on the 1.8iS on the NA (mk1), but if it has one its worn out...

Pretty sure the LSD isn't standard on the 1.8iS on the NA (mk1), but if it has one its worn out...

Yep I'm pretty certain that is right, no UK cars had an LSD as standard. I'm not even sure it was an option in the UK as the only cars I've seen with them have been Japanese import special editions. Certainly if it was an option not many buyers took it up!

Congratulations! My old MX-5 was the best car I ever owned, in terms of driving pleasure. I still miss it. Strangely, the second best car I've ever owned was an RX-8. Mazda really know how to build a great-driving, reliable car

I hanker after getting another MX-5 some day, but I'll have to wait until my left leg decides it can work a clutch again...

Wasn't it the last of the line mk2.5 1.8is that got the LSD like ColinD's old one?

I'll buy one, one day

Congratulations! My old MX-5 was the best car I ever owned, in terms of driving pleasure. I still miss it. Strangely, the second best car I've ever owned was an RX-8. Mazda really know how to build a great-driving, reliable car

I hanker after getting another MX-5 some day, but I'll have to wait until my left leg decides it can work a clutch again...

You do occasionally see autos knocking about on the OC forum but they are difficult to find...

Life is good! Settled into a nice 3 bed semi in a nice village 20 mins from work. Family love the new lifestyle. Debt coming down very quickly. Work is bucking the trend getting busier all the time, but company car scheme terminates in March and we are getting a £70/month allowance instead.

70 quid a month?

Is there a number missing from that figure?