Wanted: Mazda Mk1 MX5/Eunos

[Tim in Belgium]

So I'm going to take the bender plunge and go Mazda.

So if anyone has or knows of one for sale then I'm intererested.

I want a good solid manual car, detailed cosmetics, e.g paint scratches/fading etc don't bother me. This doesn't have to be a shown and shine example! Long MoT preferred.

No need for a hard top but the soft top must be in reasonable condition and weather tight.

Subtle mods, roll bars, uprated suspension (nothing totally slammed or track solid) are fine.

Let me know what you've got :thumb:

Next weekend is shopping weekend.

[rob13]

I think I still have a Mazda comb & scissors in the garage somewhere........

If you're needing a stereo, then I have a Clarion CD & Tape deck from the Mk2.5 you can have if it fits. Only problem is needing to be decoded.

Mk2/2.5 shouldnt be ignored. Some cheap examples out there and the 1.6 is still a decent performer. In fact, I had both the 1.6 and the 1.8 and there's little difference unless you're in the top of the rev range.

I should presume you will be looking for pace from it Tim? If so, Turbo is the way.

[Tim in Belgium]

Not too bothered about pace Rob, more something fun to chuck around b roads for the next 6months.

Off to look at a mates supercharged one, a bit over budget but it could be interesting!

As for the Mark 2/2.5, few of them within my decided budget and I prefer the "cheekiness" of the Mark 1.

[Durbs]

If you are after a decent one then look up "Paul Sheard Autos", they are MX-5 specialists here in Cheshire and always have a fair few for sale (think they run their own MX-5 race team too?).

I went looking at their stock a few weeks back and they had a load of minters but they were all pretty expensive though so depends on how good you want?

[Tim in Belgium]

Really looking for sub 2k, but prepared to pay a bit more if something catches my eye, those on his site look a little salty.

[Tim in Belgium]

I may have put a deposit down on a MK1 Black Eunos S special, Bilsteins, A/C, strutbrace etc as standard, pick it up Saturday :)

No rust anywhere, late (2005) import. It's a pity about this weekend's weather forecast....

[markc123]

Excellent choice. Fantastic cars, use one as my daily hack.

Watch out for rusty sills!

[MiniMatt]

Hmm - well if you fancy a .... err, project... got a 1991 Mk1 Eunos sat in the drive. Bottom end gone and been stood for... about 8 years.

2nd piccy in http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=90778 shows it in all it's moss-covered glory. Been telling myself I'll restore it and squeeze a rover v8 in there (tho a straight 6 from an IS200 looks like it might be a better fit) but it's been so long I might as well be honest and say it's never going to happen :(

[Drew Carey]

Good choice Tim, just as an FYI - when I had mine was able to replace the soft top myself for approx £160 notes for an un-heated rear screen version. 2005 will probably have heated screen, which I think is circa £240 from where I got mine from (or was!!!)

Just always worth factoring into your thoughts in case there is anything wrong with the hood.

EDIT - Was from Dandycars.com...... current example on ebay is £154.99. With the plastic window....the glass window version is circa £300 notes. They will also fit for apprix £100, so £255 all in for plastic.....but I saved the £100 and dit it myself with my old man.

Another good site is www.mx5parts.co.uk

Happy motoring, brilliant fun cars, ace cornering too.

[markc123]

The 2005 will be the import date, not the manufacture date.... So probably the same plastic "Screen" that I have....

[punyXpress]

Keep it in the family, MM - a rotary would fit nicely! ;)

[Tim in Belgium]

Luckily it's had a replacement hood fitted with a glass rear screen, it has the heater element but it's not connected.

And it's a '94 model I think, so characterful with the pop up headlamps.

Meeep meeep.

[MiniMatt]

Careful on those glass rear screens as I know they're prone to cracking if you're a bit heavy handed lowering the roof. I know on the plaggy screens you're supposed to unzip the window part so as it lays flat rather than bent in two when the roof goes down but to be honest I only did that about half the time with mine. Mainly because skipping that step meant you could lower the roof whilst sat at traffic lights without having to get out of the car or even undo a seat belt.

Poppy up headlights are ace :) And it's a damn shame they won't be fitted to new cars any more (bit to sharp and pointy when you run over pedestrians). Been a few years since I changed a bulb in them but I'm sure I remember they were sealed units, so if a bulb blows you end up replacing the entire lamp rather than just the bulb - but old school Mini units are a perfect fit. Other thing to look for is that you end up losing the ability to flash your lights - you can wire up without too much difficulty a flash system that raises the lights, flashes them and lowers them if you want. Though as you can independently raise the lights without actually turning them on (button raises and lowers, steering wheel stalk turns them on) I found just raising and lowering the lights without them flashing was a similar indication in daylight to other road users.

And oooh, rotary :D Had an RX8 to play with for a weekend a few years back - and it was nice :D

[markc123]

There is a rotary MX5 for sale atm on nutz - http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=66972

Would be awesome!

[Tim in Belgium]

The car has already been wired up for flashing -oooeerrrrr!

[rob13]

Sounds nice Tim, love black as it makes it a bit more masculine.

Looking forward to photos.

Did you buy private and did you go over budget?

[Tim in Belgium]

Was a private car being sold through a dealer on behalf of the custonmer, was originally supplied to the seller by the dealer, and the car was originally imported through dandycars.

No rust :) Very slightly over my personal rough guide budget, but not much and within what I had transferred across from Holland (my real upper limit!).

Some pictures of it dirty will soon appear, it's still a hairdersser's car though!!

Insurance as a 2nd car is a wopping 212 quid fully comp! I'm glad I'm getting old....

[punyXpress]

A car called Eunice & a bike called Gladys, what more could a thrusting man about town desire?

[Tim in Belgium]

Had fun in it at the weekend. :D

[aarond]

great little cars! i had a play in mine too... i missed my bike but take the mx5 for a play on some country roads was a good 2nd choice!

[Gazza77]

Looking forward to getting mine back on the road in a month or so. :cool:

[Lozzo]

I remember they were sealed units, so if a bulb blows you end up replacing the entire lamp rather than just the bulb - but old school Mini units are a perfect fit.

Forget old school Mini units cos they are as crap as the sealed beams. If you need decent headlights then search out a pair of 7" Hella units as fitted to the early BMW 3 series in the late 70s. They fit straight into Minis and improve the night vision dramtically, so no doubt they'll do exactly the same in an MX5. Fitted with slightly uprated bulbs they are pretty much the best headlights I ever had on any car.

[rob13]

Photos Tim?

[rob13]

How you finding it? Are we going to see photos?

[Tim in Belgium]

Rob, really enjoying it still, great fun at low speeds, I got the rear out nicely on a roundabout whilst "racing" a Renault Megane Scenic, all within the speed limit :)

I still haven't had a chance to clean it, hopefully this weekend I'll get to give it a wash then I'll grab some photos.

[rob13]

I've seen a few on the roads this last week and I've actually been thinking about getting another. 3rd time lucky if that was the case.

[Tim in Belgium]

Mk1 FTRetroW!

[rob13]

I cant convince the missus thats it a good idea. We're too used to the space that the hearse gives us for camping and she wants and needs a new car which can do mileage for pennies.

[Tim in Belgium]

I'm just banking on the 0% depreciation and smiles per mile :)

[Tim in Belgium]

Finally gave it a wash and a polish:

http://inlinethumb19.webshots.com/46034/2026513790084392296S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2026513790084392296NaDgYg)

http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/46683/2358583940084392296S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2358583940084392296KwNyCw)

[rob13]

So a glass screen and BBS alloys. Looking nice Tim, you've certainly had some top down weather this last couple of weeks.

[Tim in Belgium]

Yep, the tan is coming along nicely. Top down everywhere including motorway trips up and down the country.

[Tim in Belgium]

The MX went surfing this weekend, ideal shortboard transport:

http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/46575/2569301870084392296S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2569301870084392296HfwrFv)

http://inlinethumb41.webshots.com/45160/2574812300084392296S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2574812300084392296VSIePy)

[454697819]

love it..

reminds me of top gear last night

[Red Herring]

The MX went surfing this weekend, ideal shortboard transport:


Unless it rains.....!

Great little cars. We bought a 1995 UK model earlier this year for peanuts, simply because I had the opportunity to do a car track day and needed something appropriate.... I told the Mrs it would be sold directly afterwards, but that seems to have been conveniently forgotten and we now regularly enjoy weekend blasts together, mid life crisis I reckon but far cheaper than that other diversion in your garage Tim...?

[Tim in Belgium]

The other diversion is Dad's toy/mid life/old age crisis (to be fair it's a replacement for his old Lotus Esprit Turbo), I washed and polished the Mazda whilst up there last.....

[rob13]

Tim what you going to do with it when you move away? You garaging it or selling it? I've seen a MEV Exocet (MX5 Chassis) which would be a very cheap and cheerful Atom!

[Tim in Belgium]

Probably plan to keep it, may be get it spruced up with a respray/interior freshen/wheel refurb and tuck it away up at my mum's and use during UK return trips.

[Tim in Belgium]

Just booked a track day at Rockingham in this. It'll be the slowest hairdressing vehicle there!

[Tim in Belgium]

Just fitted some yellow stuff pads in prep for the the track day. Bedding them in was smelly.

[Tim in Belgium]

a Rockingham report:

Just back in after training , the MX-Gay was fun, variations on a theme, the theme being lines through corners, no one was ever taken the same!

The car stood up great, eben if it is is soft, understeer, oversteer, 4 wheel squidge. The brakes worked great though, even if I locked them up occasionally :rolleyes:

In the afternoon a slight hesitance developed whilst passing through 5500 rpm (but not always), then towards the end another appeared at 5750 ish rpm. My first solution of taking some corners at an extra 500 rpm almost ended in tears, 10% more velocity can be interesting. Once the red flags came out towards the end I came in, I was getting a bit tired, but was pleased with the little Mazda, the first time I've driven on a proper short track.

A great day seeing meeting some guys off the nuburgring forum, friendly as always. In general it was a well behaved group on track in general, I must say I'm a fan of open pitlane vs the typical sessioned stuff you get on a bike. However a car still can't compare to the bike experience, I'm getting a new plan together ;)

It was also great to see a number of E-types out on track, these weren't race ones, just pretty standard classics, awesome to see, although chatting to the guys brake fade seemed to be the big cat flavour of the day. The big old Volvo 240/260 was pretty epic in my book too!

Today = :cheers:

And a couple of pictures of the Mazda, showing the extent of its suspension travel:

http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/47129/2871591040084392296S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2871591040084392296VAMBPK)

http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/48864/2287236920084392296S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2287236920084392296eHmmqo)
Note novice/I might get out of shape sticker ^ .

http://inlinethumb02.webshots.com/46017/2075799490084392296S600x600Q85.jpg (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2075799490084392296QiuqIy)

[sauluk]

Mrs has a mk3 2.0l sport, bilstein gas suspension. Nippy and I can't believe the grip of the thing and how flat it corners! Great fun these

[Tim in Belgium]

Yep, with minimum outlay they're lots of fun, and with some well judged spending can be transformed further.

[aarond]

i always assumed we would need a roll bar to track them... looks like we dont :)for some reason i thought you bought a turbo one? ours are like twins... yours maybe looks a tad nicer than bertha though ;)

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u95/ad53ggz/DSCN1382.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u95/ad53ggz/me.jpg
http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u95/ad53ggz/winking.jpg

[Tim in Belgium]

Yep, if I was going to start doing trackdays in this regularly I'd fit a roll bar or cage, but as it is this was a one off.

The cars look very similar, is yours an S-Special? The only difference is the spoiler and winking ;)

[aarond]

im not 100% i think so has the tear drop speakers in the doors... anything else that points them out? im really wanting to get some coilovers. Yeah i couldnt believe the winking how to make the car look even gayer!

[Tim in Belgium]

A Nardi wheel, yellow mazdaspeed strut brace, yellow bilstein shocks, S-Special floor mats, the BBS wheels, and maybe some other bits, although I'm no MX5 geek, so can't remember all the bits.

[aarond]

nardi wheel, gear nob yeah, yellow blistein, s-special floor mats and bbs wheels all got... strut brace no though?

[dyzio]

Excellent choice. Fantastic cars, use one as my daily hack.

How do you find it as an everyday car? Apart from that how's the wind noise at motorway speeds?

Do you use yours in winter? Take it that they will take a while to heat up and winter tyres are a must.

great little cars! i had a play in mine too... i missed my bike but take the mx5 for a play on some country roads was a good 2nd choice!

Give us a shout next time you're in town... I mean gizzaa go! ;)

[aarond]

just got some meisterr zeta-s on mine! bloody hell, hell of a difference will still need to put her slightly lower but very happy.

dyzio, i use mine as my daily just now.... been up and down to lincoln from fraserburgh 3 times now not missed a beat ( touch wood) motorway noise is more than your usual car but its not bad. 70 its fine, 80 its ok but as you speed up noise increase substantially. However headrest speakers soon stop you hearing that!

Yeah more than welcome to get a go, im currently commuting through from fraserburgh in her everyday as dont have flat in aberdeen which i hope to be remedied in the coming weeks so more than welcome for a go then!

[dyzio]

Well, the Fiat isn't exactly quiet either, I dunno where this came from :D

I'm looking at mk2's, there's a nice one in Edinburgh at the moment (black, 2002, 48k, 1.6 engine for £2500), would have to sell the Stilo first and budget for tyres for the winter.

There's also this one in Newmahar (http://www.newmacharmotors.co.uk/used-cars/mazda-mx-5-1-8i-2dr-newmachar-201115384369485), slightly older and bigger engine, but local (test drive) and dealer (trade in?) :lol:

[aarond]

Get onto mx5 Scotland and scottish fivers too mate

[dyzio]

Had a quick scan, but haven't really seen anything interesting, the two mentioned earlier seem to be the best I could find at £2500 around here (Gtree, pistonheads, ebay, atrader).

[aarond]

You not wanting to travel for it... Oh and go for a mk1 pop up headlights are cool! http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?/topic/75913-My Mx5 1.8 Mk2.5 60K Miles

[aarond]

For the money your looking at you could get a nice turbo mk1 and a hard top roof for winter!!

[dyzio]

Not really keen on the pop up lights- age also puts me off abit as well :/, I almost got banned in the fiat and you're talking about a turbo here hehe tempted to go for the standard 1.6.

Travelling - don't mind Edinburgh or Glasgow, anywhere else it's just adding to the cost of the car. Wouldn't mint it but have seen some cars/bike advertised as perfect where the reality looked somewhat different.