The previous-generation MX-5 was on sale between and and is every bit as impressive as the current car. It's great fun to drive and feels nimble and agile through corners.
Provided you're not too concerned about boot space — and let's face it, who is with a convertible sports car? We'd stick with the soft-top models and go for the smaller 1. The range was facelifted in , which brought with it more interior options. A sub 50,mile car with our preferred 1. Whichever model you go for, be sure to check the roof's folding mechanism is working and that there's no sign of damage, tears or leaks. Look for damp patches on the seats and carpets where the roof has been left open, too.
Some owners have complained about a buzzing noise from the gearlever when the car is accelerating, too, but it's nothing to worry about. Check for uneven tyre wear, as this might indicate that the wheels are not aligned properly. Click here to read our full used car review of the Mazda MX Read more about the Mazda MX Got a motoring question? Our experts are standing by to help, just tweet us your question using askwhatcar.
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Then these are the top 10 cars you should be looking at — and the ones that are best avoided. The stream of grey imports has almost dried up now. The cars have got older, the numbers are fewer, values have risen a lot in Japan and the post-Brexit pound is worth less. This reduction in supply is one reason why values are rising in the UK for good MX-5s.
Condition is far more important. Nor is there any reason to think an original UK-market car is any more desirable than a Eunos, except possibly for its relative rarity. Most of the aesthetic damage can be reversed if you feel the need, because the availability of new parts is excellent and eBay is your friend for used bits. Here, an MX-5 is like a modern car rather than a s or s classic; if maintained properly with regular oil changes, the engine seems to last almost indefinitely.
The crankshaft itself is lighter than later ones, making for a revvier, snappier engine, but the bottom pulley is prone to working loose and damaging the crankshaft if its central bolt has been incorrectly tightened.
Oil leaks are becoming common as the cars age, but the main one to worry about is from the camshaft angle sensor on the back of a 1. The drip from this lands on a heater hose, which then perishes and splits. Replacing the sensor O-ring and the hose is easy enough, though. The transmission is tough. The two rubber gaiters should be changed at the same time if, as is likely, they are perished and split. Clonks or creaks in the suspension may be nothing worse than a worn or failed anti-roll bar drop link, easily and cheaply fixed.
Vague or shuddery progress suggests worn bushes or dampers, and the coil springs often break if allowed to corrode. Check for dampness in the cabin and in the boot, which can have a variety of causes. This involves removal of the entire roof assembly to fix properly. The leather seat trim fitted to some special editions is thin and prone to splits, but a specialist can work in new matching sections. Finally, the big one: rust. The first manifestation of this is usually at the bottom of the rear wings, ahead of the rear wheels where the panel covers the sill structure.
Other top rust points? Long-term cabin leaks can eat into the front floors, too, and road salt can erode the pressed-steel suspension arms. It could be any of them, although the automatic and the late 1. Why are they there? For others, the joy of Miata ownership never fades. Here's a breakdown of plus years of Mazda's roadster. View Photos. Later MX-5s became progressively more athletic, but the first-generation car is a bit like a puppy.
It might not be as well-coordinated and grown-up as the rest of the bunch, but it's absolutely the most fun to fling around on a backroad. This is the car that brought back the essence of the lightweight British sports car, with some much-needed reliability baked in.
From the outset, it was an unqualified sales smash, with some , of them sold between as a model year and That makes the NA the most popular of all four generations of MX-5, and the one that remains the cheapest on the used market. But not forever. It's not like it's a secret that Miatas are great fun on the cheap, which means that they're often snapped up as a second car and flogged to death. Finding a clean first-generation Miata, especially an unmodified example, can take a bit of hunting.
Having said that, part of the joy and delight about a Miata is that you don't have to be precious about it.
Drive it in all weather, modify it, take it autocrossing and lapping, and put your dog in the passenger seat. It's just as much fun as it looks. Early Miatas came with a zingy 1. Both variants of NA Miata are pretty slow, despite the car's low weight around lbs.
Note that putting a lightweight flywheel in the later 1. Also starting in , the Miata M Edition had a host of cosmetic add-ons like a wooden shift knob and parking brake handle. Over the years, there were many special edition Miatas, and they command a price bump over more basic models. Check to make sure it has either a viscous 1.
You can't get a full stock of new parts for your Miata, but thanks to Mazda's Japan-only for now NA restoration program , a host of Miata parts have gone back into production. If you're refreshing a tired car, most of the stuff you need can be picked up at your local Mazda dealership. Being one of the most popular enthusiast machines of all time means that there's a huge wealth of knowledge to draw on.
Want a turbocharged track missile? The third-gen car is roomier, he says, as well as being more stable as standard. The brakes are better too. On the older cars, beefing up the pads and discs is enough to give good stopping power to match and engine mods.
Neil views the entry-level 1. Paired to a naturally aspirated powertrain, those gears are going to seem awfully long. Best spend extra and go for the 2. In Mazda introduced a folding hardtop version of the NC. The weight penalty was fairly low at 36kg, but in return, buyers got better weather protection, increased security and lower wind noise at speed.
Neil considers 25mm to be the optimum ride height drop, and 30mm to be the limit.
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