Today I sat in a MX5 for the first time. Tomorrow I'm going to test drive it. It's a mk3 Kendo and seems in good nick but more inspection to come. I'm still not sure if this is the right time to buy one as it is rather impractical as a second car for someone with a young family. Maybe after a test drive my heart will overrule my head.
I've done some research but a few questions.
Any known major issues with this model?
Should I bide my time and look at an alternative model? The is a low mileage mk2 available locally, but seems to be more of an occasional car while I want an everyday.
Anything specific I should look out for?
I'm a bit concerned about boot space, does the luggage rack work well?
Last edited by gerrudd; 3rd March 2023 at 20:38.
Wow. A MX5 thread that is dedicated to MX5 ownership.
Usually associated with sarcastic jokes around a whole plethora of What Car Should I Buy threads.
Good luck op. Look forward to reading this, as there can be no better place in the world to request info about MX5 ownership.
Very bold sir. A thread to which the actual correct answer is “Buy an MX5”. This may prove a challenge.
My only experience of the MX5 was the first one, which a friend and I would drive around Tokyo in our salad days.
Until friend acquired a girlfriend. Fortunately, she was quite limber and, origami-like, would fold herself up neatly behind the front seats as required.
I'm clearly no use for your mk3 decision and can't even add the standard “I've got a …” response due to being carless at present.
So all I can offer is a suggestion in anticipation of the next forum milestone thread, “Which watch to wear in an MX-5?”
MK3 is a great car…had mine for 3 years now. I have the powered hard top on a 2011 plate. Great cars… plenty of choice so wait for the right one. Any questions just ask.
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Mrs Gyp has had her 2.0 NC (3.5) Sport Tech for about 6 years now and it's been pretty much trouble free.
Servicing has been cheap and easy; just hand it to a local garage to change the oil and filter every summer and that is pretty much all it needs. Am starting to see a little paint bubbling on the panel that lifts up for the roof to go away so that'll need attention soon.
Despite being a "sports car", we find it best cruising rather than attempting to race it everywhere. It puts a smile on my face whenever I drive it, and the roof is always down.
The radio is basic and a bit rubbish, and the car is far from economical but it doesn't do many miles so that's not a major headache.
Being both old and plump, the low seats combined with long doors can make it a pain to get in and out of in tight car parking spaces. And reaching ticket barriers can be a stretch.
Powered hard top is more practical for a daily, especially if fitted with a device to allow the roof to be powered on the move (at town traffic speeds), but you can't use a luggage rack with the hard top.
Last edited by Gyp; 4th March 2023 at 08:48.
Don't buy a MkII, they have very bad problems with rust. IIRC before the car was launched the crash impact rules changed and chassis rails either had to be double-skinned or that was the solution to make them strong enough. Because it was a bit of a bodge, they rust from the inside out. Car magazines like to tell you that the MkII is a bargain, what they don't tell you is why. You can get it fixed, it involves cutting out the metal and welding on new sections, but from memory it's about £1,500. It happens to all of them, no matter how nice they look from the outside.
I can't help with the MkIII, I've never had one.
p.s. it's an MX-5, not an MX5.
"A man of little significance"
Meant to add that as a daily, the NC is arguably better than the earlier cars too as they are bigger and more spacious. Purists see that as a bad thing. That confirms that I'm not a purist.
I’d go for 2009 onwards car as it’s the updated model with a tougher engine amongst other improvements. 2010 Sport Tech with power folding roof would be my starting point then go newer depending on budget.
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http://www.roadster.blog/2013/08/the...elift.html?m=1
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See quite a few Miyakos for sale….no heated seats which for me is a deal breaker as I use my car all year round.
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Ah yes - more special editions than Omega!Originally Posted by ELD1970
Heated seats are great, and the heater is very effective too which makes it a good car in winter :-)
Oh, the traction control is a little, how can I put it, relaxed in its approach... it typically waits until you are fully sideways before deigning to get out of bed and do something
We took a 2010 automatic in p/x in 2012, with 25k and my wife decided to have it. Now55k and has needed a couple of services, some tyres, a battery and brake pads. Never misses a beat and when I approached a garage for a minor scratch repair estimate, the owner said that they were widely disliked in the trade, "they never go wrong, bloody things".... I don't like little convertibles, by and large, but it is great thing.
Don't be put off by a lack of heated seats. All the wiring is in place and you can pick up a set of heated seats for £200. After that you just need the switch panel. All plug and play.
Rust is the main issue on NCs. Look for nice clean arches, clean drain holes (from the roof storage space down to the floor).
Once you find a nice rust free example, consider a full undercoat treatment.
Just over twenty years ago, no longer doing ~30k+ miles a year on the motorway network and a new car bi annually, I couldn't decide what to replace the usual BMW cruisers with. Requirements were reliability, reasonably practical and pleasurable to drive. Purely as a stop gap measure I picked up a well priced eighteen month old, low mileage MX-5 Jasper Conran SE which caught my eye.
Nearly nine years later, and still not having made up my mind, the local Mazda dealer made me a decent offer to chop it in against a new MX-5 Miyako SE Roadster. Needless to say it's still my daily driver.
If you can make a two seater with somewhat limited boot space work as a second car in your circumstances, simply go for it is all I would add.
I picked this up about 3 yrs back as a 2nd car and it's been more fun and given many more smiles than I'd ever imagined.
It's so rewarding to drive, handles like it's on rails and hardly ever goes out with the folding roof up.
There are known issues with rust on all MX-5's (from the inside out) so a good looking at on a ramp if possible would be advised.
That's not to suggest that they're not all lemons of course.
If you get it, keep a keen eye on the dipstick oil level - keep it topped right up and check weekly. They do not like being run low on oil.
Other than that, a great little car and I don't know why I never picked one up much earlier in life.
Go for it , then again Im biased. Not a NC but we have just part exed our 2018 ND for a new ND. We love them and only regret not buying one sooner
Steve
My sister has this 25th anniversary model. I often borrow it and give it a damn good thrashing around North Wales. It really is a fun car to drive, comfy, just about enough go to make it fun, and handles nicely.
She’s owned it from new and the only problem it’s ever had was a faulty TPMS sensor.
I bought her the plate for her birthday..
I bought a 2011 NC 3.5 sport tech with folding hard top & can confirm it’s wonderful to have as a 2nd car. I drive with the roof down most days as with heated seats & a good heater you keep pretty warm at all times.
Isn’t the Kendo a 1.8? I think the 2.0 is really the engine to go for.
A modern Classic for sure, they are a great buy in all guises. Go for it.
Thanks all for the tips and information. I test drove the car today. I have to say it was a fun experience. I came away from it buzzing. The Kendo has the 1.8 engine but it seemed to perform well enough at least for the short time I was in it. It has rather toasty heated seats, lovely responsive steering and great gear changes. It also felt faster than it was. I was doing 35mph in a 40 zone and I had to check the speedometer as I thought I was doing 50. The car seemed in great condition and that was pre the usual dealer touch up. But it will have to be a pure heart buy. I rarely drive by myself these days except for a run to the shops. When I commute to work it is by train. Otherwise it is either daddy taxi or full family outing. The odd time I do solo recreational trips I usually need some luggage space. I'm not sure this the right time to have a third car that is purely a toy, albeit a fun one. Lots of pondering to do.
Depreciation is quite low on these so, not too much of a potential mistake...
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Check for wet/mouldy carpets behind the seats and for signs of rust around the seat mounting bolts. The rag-top roof drains run through a narrow concealed pipe/duct behind the seats and discharges through the floor pan via a simple rubber flap. These drains tend to become blocked with debris/leaves etc over time - often where the crud gathers at the rubber flap, meaning trapped rainwater then floods into the 'footwell' behind the seats and cant get out.
The actual blockage is very easy to fix with a trombone cleaner, but you do need to know where to thread it as it can be a bit awkward, but trapped water in the floor pan over a long period of time will be more of a problem if the previous owner hasn't addressed the issue.
No heating in the leather seats in my HondaS2k, so I just fart and wriggle, soon ok!
About 10 years ago I had a Mk 2.5 and really enjoyed it. I sold it on and it was followed by a couple of Boxsters and a 911 but the car I had the fondest memories of was always the MX-5. Something about the simplicity and the driving experience I guess. Any fast forward to a month ago and I picked up this Mk 3.5 (NC2) Sport Black........
Loving every drive in it! Go on dip you're toe.......not much to loose as long as you check it out, and so much to gain.
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