Sills are the main MX5 problem, not arches. Not expensive though - factor £150 a side. Rust will eventually get them though, especially UK registered cars.

Yeah i went and had a poke around the one linked to in the 1st post and it looks like a dog.

The front of the drivers side sill is all rotten,the damper covers are all split, everything underneath looks rusty, the rear screen is split down the middle and fixed with carpet tape, the drivers seat side bolster is destroyed.

On it's on an N plate but even still i might not be rushing into it

If you can find a good car at the right price I think you'll have a real blast with this Cliff. That racing pack looks well priced too.

I think I have car ADHD

but only when i'm feeling particularly flush or bored or see something relatively affordable locally.

I know the feeling.

I'm selling mine at the moment, very little corrosion on it an the sills are good. Just realised I have too many cars!

Looking for £1k and it's got six months tax and mot, a personal plate and new coilovers. Engine revs properly too unlike some and in my opinion, you need to get a mk1 as they look better and are a rawer drive.

I'd have an mx5 if I could afford to run another car. My parents have one, it may only have a lowly 1.6l engine but its great fun to drive. I always offer to car sit when they go away

They are terrific little cars Matt, not the fastest but seriously engaging to drive and I live pop up headlamps!

It still anazes me that you can get something that good with amazingly solid mechanicals for no money.

My Mrs runs an 02 plate Mk2.5 cracking car, ****pit is a bit small for me as I am 6'1 and have long legs. Chassis could take more power than the 1.8 (147Bhp) she has the sport with an LSD fitted as standard. Apart from a new battery and routine servicing it hasn't missed a beat - unlike my last couple of VAG cars. Worked out at its last MOT that it was even on the original bulbs at 10 years old and 61K miles.

That Sport is a cracking car.

I went on an Elise trip to Le Mans a few years ago, one of the lads was in between cars and borrowed his dad's 1.8 Sport. Despite some hard driving (I went with a fast group), he managed to keep up with us, which was a big tribute to the car as well as the driver.

I've driven one up hartside to see what the fuss was about... I loved it! lol...

ColinD's supercharged MX5 (been with it at a few meets now) rocks... very quick car, and coling goes sideways in it everywhere! lol...

... and Colin tries going sideways in it everywhere! lol...

Fixed that for ya

lol.....

Me mothers got one, white eunos with 17" venoms on haha. The car is hardly used, I think I've driven it more than the folks. Im 6 3 and at the time was at me largest, 16st. I was fine in it with soft top or tin roof on. Admittedly getting out was a struggle, especially after pulling lower back. But apart from that its fine.

Tbh easiest, most enjoyable car I've driven. Even in the snow was ok.

Prev lemans trip one of the guys was running a turbod mx. Got a crappy vid somewhere of us on Mulsanne chasing him in an rx8. It flew to say the least

Sent from my GT-N7000

The 1.6 is good for 260 bhp and I imagine that makes for rapid progress in a 1000 kg car.

A little sketchy in the wet I expect!

In standard form in the wet, back end can get twitchy. I've always looked at the engine and space around it in the bay and wondered what else cud go in.....

Sent from my GT-N7000

There are a few Corvette LS conversions out there but I'm not sure if the chassis would take all that power - probably better off in a Cerbera!

Did someone mention a buyers guide???

I have a 1995 mx5 1.8is and have had for the last 14 years so am probably pretty qualified to comment...

so... copied from one of my old posts...

Basically thay are solid cars if looked after but a few pointers...

They can do high mileages with no probems - the engines are strong as they were basically a Mazda Familia turbo engine without the turbo. They do need regular oil changes though - at least every 6k mls with an engine flush and semi-synthetic (not fully synthetic) to stay in good nick.

Spec wise UK cars didn't get A/C (it was an expensive option on UK cars but generally standard on imports as was leather).

Early 1.6's were 116bhp with a shorter final drive so similar in performance to the later 1.8 130bhp and much better then the later 90bhp 1.6.

Check it starts easily, runs well and ticks over steadily when coming to a halt. If not the problems are usually sorted by plugs, leads (they go at 20k mls due to heat) and resettig the base idle.

Paint work is usually good but is thin. The plastic nosecone and rear bumper should be exactly the same colour as the rest of the car as Mazda spent a lot of time sorting the paint match. anything else points to accident damage.

Check for rust on the lower sills just in front of the rear wheel arches. This is usually the first place to go and they rust from the inside out. Mostly, if caught early it's cosmetic and can be cut out and replaced (there are three layers of steel there and the outer layer is non-structural).

Any engine rattle on startup is probably the Hydraulic Lash Adjusters and they all do it after being sat - the Mazda oil filters have a pressure retaining valve in them to help with this but clean oil and a flush normally sorts it.

Gearbox should feel tight and mechanical with an engineered in "snick". The clutch slave cylinders can go but are easy to replace and only a few quid.

More often than not any oil leak at the rear of the head is the camshaft position sensor seal - a 10p seal but can be awkward to replace and if left too long can lead to the heater hoses disintigrating which can be a pain to replace.

The heat should come up to temp quickly and hover about half way on the scale with the fan kicking in regularly (the underbonnet temps get very high at up to 80degrees C)

Oil pressure should be steady at idle and on the earlier cars was a proper gauge rather than a tell tale fake gauge so should come up quickly, drop as it warms and then move with revs.

New hoods are pretty cheap and can be fitted by a good DIYer. If fitted and adjusted right they will not leak. older cars often need the door quarterlight alignment adjusting by brute force to stop some leaks but it's easy to do when you know how with no tools needed.

The interiors are solid except for the gloveboxes which can be flimsy at the hinges.

Condensation in the boot is pretty common if left stood and the same goes for the inside.

The pop up lights on Mk1's should come up together and go down together and should line up well with the bonnet - again easy to adjust but many owners don't do this and they get leant on at service time.

Brakes should be good but not as highly servoed as modern cars - they stop well though and shouldn't pull. Sticking calipers are about £120 to replace and hot wheels after a run are the giveaway.

They can get occasional wheel bearing noise but if the car have ABS it impacts significanlty on price and cost.

Slow electric windows probably need the rails greasing - they dry up and will snap the cables if your not careful.

Shock absorbers generally last about 60k mls - budget £450 ish plus fitting for something decent like Koni's

erm - that's about it - anything else shout...

Oh and just remember they are not about power (although they can be turboe'd and v8's do fit) - it's all handling and balance with the MX5

http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid20.photobucket.com/albums/b211/Janfearn/LeMans2006078.mp4

Sent from my GT-N7000

That worked?

Sent from my GT-N7000