About to inspect a couple of NBs

[madmort]

Hello, brand new to the forum for which I am extremely grateful for, the knowledge here has accelerated my learning curve rapidly. Thank you.
I currently drive a couple of Volvo's and I am now looking for a fun weekender.
So, I'm looking at a 2003 NB? 113,000ks $13,000 tomorrow and a 1998 NB? 97,000ks $9,800 on Tuesday.
I have printed the excellent inspection list (Chet95) that I found and will be taking that with me but are there any other special tips I should be aware of during my inspections.
I am no mechanic buy any means and tend to let my heart rule my head during negotiations of the vehicle kind, any other tips before I jump in?

Cheers

[smy0003]

I'd want the 2003 model to be in perfect condition for that money. NB8b's have gotten quite cheap over the last two years. Good examples now change hands for less than $10k, I sold mine for $9k something with 103k kilometres.

[captaincabinets]

Yep what SMY said. I bought a 98 NB with 125ks for under 8k recently. So the second one sounds like a better deal.

I'd say it's a buyers market at the moment. I looked for a good 6 months at NAs through NCs and noticed that prices were highest over summer.

NB is probably the most car for the money, IMO. NA's are starting to come up in price due to them becoming classic I think, whereas you get a similar car with more features, e.g. safety, for similar or less money now.

With the NBs I would note the wheels as they vary from 15s through 17s through their life / models. I just bought some NB 16s today though in okay condition for only a couple hundred so don't factor it in tooo much. More so the hassle of changing over and the expense of new tyres.

Best of luck

James

PS. If you don't really know what you're doing mechanically, it might pay to have an RAA inspection (or local equivalent). I had a mechanic friend give mine a quick once over and we missed things that I think would have come up under an inspection. E.g. minor front end repaired accident damage, battery clamp missing in the boot.

[Steampunk]

Obviously bargain away on both cars, especially the 1998.

I assume you've seen all cars within your price and year range, but in case you've missed it; to give you a comparative value, at the top end of the scale for NB's a 2004 SE with approx 150,000 can be had for less than $15k. This is much more desirable car and will reflect on resale value.

[greenMachine]

I'd say it's a buyers market at the moment.

This.

I bought a nice NB8A for $6k a few months ago, and it was priced up on account of the plastic woodgrain trim ...

[beavis]

Don't bother with the earlier model NB, focus on getting a 2001+ car.
You should be able to find one for around $10k depending on the kms.
Whereabouts are you? It would be handy if you could take someone with you who knows mx5s.

[davekmoore]

1,000,000 made. You don't need to pay over the odds.

[madmort]

Thanks all for your advice and suggestions. Maybe I'm a bit eager and need to sit back and asses the market better. The two I'm looking at seem a bit overpriced. Plus I'd be up for the 100k service on one at least and I hear that's over $1000. The one I'm looking at today has modifications and I'm a bit wary of that. I'd like my first MX 5 to be bone stock until I gain some knowledge on what's appropriate for me.

Cheers

[captaincabinets]

Yep, exactly what Dave said. I paid $7500 and it'd had $3500 in servicing in the past year. Definitely pays to be patient. Good luck with the hunt! The rewards are worth the wait

[Nevyn72]

Hi madmort and 'Welcome to the obsession' as we say around these parts!

Firstly, condition and service history are two of your main considerations here,these cars are very reliable when treated well, generally getting 300K+ without major issues if looked after.
Another thing not mentioned so far is the condition of the soft top as they can start to show wear and leak at the 10-15 year mark. You are looking at ~$1200-$1500 to get someone else to fit one for you.

Now you have mentioned two cars so far but despite having the same body are actually quite different beasts.

The first is a NB8a which has a 5 speed transmission and 1.8L engine and 15" alloy wheels.

The second is a NB8b (later followed by the almost identical NB8c)
The 8b/c adds;
- 6 speed transmission
- ABS brakes
- VVTi engine
- 16" alloy wheels
- factory foglights (which actually work well as fog lights but not much use otherwise)
- projector headlights
- more comfortable seats, but these will sit you slightly higher so could be an issue depending on your height/body shape.
- numerous detail styling changes

How important these changes are only you can say but a good 8b/c will cost you more than a good 8a, even with the same mileage......

To further complicate things there is the SE produced in 2004/5 which is the only factory turbo if you're after more power. (This is what I have)
It came with a lot of extra 'fruit' but be prepared to spend a lot of money 'fixing' the factory configuration to enable the vehicle to reach it's potential if the current owner hasn't already.

Take your time and drive a few to get a feel for what you get with each version.
Get in contact with your local MX5 club and see if you can attend a meet, you'll see a lot of different MX5s and get a lot of information from enthusiasts, although you may end up even more confused as a result!

You may even want to consider a later generation NC as the price on these have fallen dramatically in recent months. Early model NC's are now in the same ballpark as late NB's pricewise.
Some say it's heavy and slow by comparison (and IMHO it 'looks' a little that way) but in reality it has a more powerful 2.0L engine and only weighs slightly more than the last of the NB's. Look at them, you may prefer the new version, It's your choice!

Good luck with your search and don't be afraid to ask questions, we're generally a helpful bunch around here.

[Mr Morlock]

I agree with Beavis- buy the later car ( start from 2001) and low KLM if its available and good cond. Make sure to check if NB has had timing belt replaced ( 100K recommended)_ as this cost something like min $600. F You cannot take KLM off the car. You can always get a car checked professionally for one that suits. One pays for condition and KLMs etc. Service books are good to have and owner knowledge but not always available. Be wary of cars thrashed , modded or used in competition. Condition tells you a lot. Makes sure soft top is on good cond- expensive to replace. Buying a better car for a bit more money is no bad thing. The person with the better car gets to see the value on going.

[93_Clubman]

Welcome!

Take your time and drive a few to get a feel for what you get with each version.

+1 & also so you get to know how a good one should feel.
Also research the market some more so you have a better idea of what you should be paying & can move swiftly when one comes up that ticks all or most of the boxes.

[Rob]

Welcome to the wild and wacky world of MX-5 owners thinking their cars are worth more than they are on the secondhand market. It's an affliction not confined to MX-5 owners by any means, but some MX-5 owners do get caught up in the idea that they're selling some ultra rare collectible and because they polished it every weekend, it's added some disproportionate amount to the bottom line. I've sometimes thought it's a sub-conscious thing where they actually don't want to sell the car and are pricing it in a way where it might not.

Anyway, enough pop psychology. As others have said, if you want an NB go for the 2001-onwards models. They are too compelling to ignore. Even the seats are heaps better.

If that 2003 model was 10K it'd would be an OK buy.

[madmort]

Looked at the 2003 NB the other day and realised after many years of buying and selling, off and on, motorbikes and cars, I had nd eye for a trouble waiting to happen. The silver "Titanium" model was 8/10 on first appearance. No real blemishes on the duco, all panels aligned, soft top in good nick, interior liveable.
I then noticed the corrosion around the wheel hubs and then the condition of the shocks and springs,(King springs) the OEM shocks were haggard by sight. The under rear was also looking like it had done many more Ks that was on the odometer, maybe lived on a dirt road.
The under bonnet also looked every bit of it's 113ks, or more, with fluids dirty visually and grime build up on the front end. Long story short, I didn't even get to the checklist (Chet95).

What happened to seeing a near perfect specimen first up and buying it for a steal? Second one I was supposed see gave me a very long story on where it was and why I could not see it, I began to yawn and now need another on the horizon.

NEXT!

Thanks for all your info and advice.

[Rob]

Not to worry. Plenty more fish in the sea. These aren't ultra-rare collectibles; even 'limited edition' models come around often enough.

Patience will always pay off. When I was looking for my NC I was aiming for three things; the colour, the PRHT and a year between 05 and 07.

It took longer than I would have liked, but every time I look at my car I am happy because I got what I really wanted and didn't compromise.