My wife's on her 3rd MX-5, she's had an NA, NB and now an NC - loves them to bits, I must admit , they're so much fun to drive without getting silly, and you're right - the gearbox is what gearboxes should be like. They're solid, cheap as chips to run, reliable and fun - no brainer really.
I'm on my fifth MX5, this one for 5 years, rear brakes is the only thing I've had to replace in that time. Make sure you clean the rear drain holes as they will cause water ingress.
@z41dane33 In a nc you can find them with the hood almost fully retracted. One each side. Videos on here of how to clear them though I could never manage it. They recommend threading a trombone cleaner through them. Took it to an independent mx5 specialist who blasts them through with an air line.
I loved this model when it was released and time hasn't been unkind to it. Doesn't need any lifts or fillers to keep it looking young. You could tell it had been looked after before you opened the doors. Great colour too. Nice work, Matt - I bet it sailed out of the door.
well yes its way too high on its wheels the way it is looks out of place if its just a bit lower (not slammed) but maybe 3cm lower it would look a thousand times better@@coops1964
@@thedandy6765True, but you need some space for your hands to gain access to wash out the inside of the wheel arches, or the sporty Maxda will be a rust-box in no time. Maybe drop it half a cm.
In that spec it's looking like the Sport model : 17" wheels, 6 speed box, Bilstein shockers, LSD, leather. We had one of these and used it daily year round, but rain and salt took their toll. In all, that looks like a car somebody has really cared for.
Cracking car , and great price too. Who needs 200bhp + ? With the roof down 60 mph feels like 80 and as you said you’ll have a smile on your face. If I had a garage I’d have one ASAP .
My old MX5 NC in Winner Blue ... I miss her ... A couple of things for people who might consider one: 1. The story with the gear knobs: on my one, the former owner used to drive wearing rings, and the knob was very damaged, a replacement from Mazda is 70 quid, so I got an aftermarket one, nowhere near as weighty as the original. 2. The paint: the front bumper is plastic, the wing is metal, the paint doesn't degrade in the same way and if you look at any picture of a winner Blue you see that they look repainted. If you look closely you will notice the painting stroke is the same and is continuous. 3. Safety belt not winding back: it's an old recall, in my case Mazda had offered a discount to replace it on my 66 plate in 2019. Another known weakness is the central locking, occasionally there can be a water ingress in the control box on the passenger side, and the cl/alarm behave erratically. Aside from that, I miss her every sunny day, and I sold her after 3 years for the same money I had bought it for.
@@zsb707 fair play for saying aloud that you enjoy your NC, I still get "benevolent banter" on forums regarding boaty handing ... are you going to the national MX5 meeting next weekend?
@@Alessandro--- I know that many NA, NB or ND owners look down on the NC. That's why I never talk to any of them, just enjoying my car. No, Sir, I'm not going as I live far away from UK.
Mazda is probably the only major car manufacturer that has still not done enough to kerb rampant corrosion problems. Every time I see an MX5 I am reminded about the rust problems particularly in the sills.
I have two Mazdas that I bought new in 2009. No sign of rust in either of them even they’ve done 340,000 miles between them and always been kept outside.
I had one of these for 4 years as a daily driver and it was the most reliable car I've ever owned. My experiences as follows: ALWAYS have 4 matching tyres, regardless of the make. Get a 4 wheel alignment done and checked regularly, I used to have mine checked regularly and it never went out of alignment in 4 years! Check the footwells for damp, the bolts on the windscreen scuttle bolt through behind the dash and the washers deteriorate. Cheap repair but can cause rusting of the metalwork behind the dashboard Check the drain hole in the middle of the bootlid by the numberplate. They corrode from the inside out. Check the drainage channels for the roof as these can get blocked and over flow. Replace the spark plugs when they should be done or before as they can snap off in the cylinder head. Fit the wiper stalk from an RX8 as this gives you the variable speed intermittent wiper in drizzly conditions. The old one unbolts and it's a direct replacement. Regularly use 98oct fuel as it does run nicer. Going into second gear on the 6 speed gearbox can be a bit stiff when cold, this is quite normal. You can replace with a different spec oil but then could cause premature wear one other parts so best leave as is and be sympathetic until it's warmed up. A decent set of lowering springs to get rid of the first sized gap between the wheel arches and wheels!
Hey Matt, I would love to see a video about how things worked out with that private plate, how transfers & retention works and any insights you might have on that market works. Cheers
I bought one in silver , from the main dealers in Stockport . It was a brilliant car and you’re correct about it delivering more smiles than a BBC comedian. Traded it in several years later , for a good price, having done many long road trips from Stockport to Porto. Everyone should at least try one.
Had one of these when they were new - great little car. We even drove to Italy for a fortnight's holiday in it and managed to bring some wine back with us too! Tempted to get another.....
Also replaced the standard stereo with a Pioneer touchscreen unit that incorporates rear cameras, a very worthwhile update and modernises the interior, easy to do.
As someone who happily drives a long wheelbase van, with no rear windows, and parking sensors only... You feel the need for cameras on the back of an MX5?😂 Have you got cameras on the arse pockets of your jeans?
My mum has owned one each of the NB, NC and ND models. All of them were an absolute hoot to drive. The whole experience, even just driving to the shops, is brilliant. Can’t think of another car that fulfils its design brief as well as this car
I've been touring around North Yorkshire for the last few days, and the number of these - along with other soft tops - has been quite amazing... the nice weather brings 'em out.
I love the MX5 - I'm on my 3rd which I bought new in 2021, in lovely Soul Red. I traded in my 2007 Mk3 MX5 (which I'd had from new) and it had never had a fault of any sort in the 14 years I owned it (it had the folding electric hard top). These cars are SO much fun to drive as they are light and flickable unlike Porches etc. And dirt cheap to own and run. I love them! But you do need a more conventional car as well for when you need more than 2 seats and have a load to carry (my wife drives that!). I love top-down motoring, so anything with a fixed roof won't fit the bill for me.
Love to know where you get your wheel refurbs ! Round where I live, Basingstoke/Reading no one quotes less than £100 per wheel. For me its a complete rip off
Great restoration of this model in that amazing blue finish👍 In 2016 I brought a 2007 basic model with only 14k on the clock. Had to sell 2019 due to practical reasons but still miss the quality engineering and fun factor. Might get another as a hobbyist and for classic shows in the future. One of those cars that holds distinction, popularity and continues its rein in todays market 👏
I had a Mk1 1.8 Berkeley and it was one of the most fun cars I ever had. I had it at the same time as an Alfa 147 which I also loved. I decided that having two cars was a bit too much (given that I lived in the centre of Manchester and walked to work!) so swapped both for an MK3 2.0 MX5 Roadster Coupe. The expectation was that I would get the fun of the Mk1 and the refinement of the Alfa. Unfortunately it didn't work out - it was less fun than the MK1 and less refined than the Alfa. It also had awful MPG. It was still pretty fun though - all MX5s are fantastic cars. There's nothing else like them.
Just check the drian holes and clear with a wire coat hanger behind the seat belt were it's secured behind the seats if it's that model that has them , it runs straight out to the ground and they can get blocked up
Choosing a random video to say THANK YOU for making me aware of car vertical, it just saved me from buying a "perfect" car with one single careful owner which turned out being involved into three accidents, changed two owners, was used as a rental vehicle and had been into service for five times within its first year.
You got a nice little upgrade in this Mx5 that few know about. That's the addition of the retrofitted RX8 wiper stalk, which gives you adjustable intermittent wipers.
I have the 2.0 sport (2009 NC.2) in top spec with lekky roof, heater leather, Bose sound and the 6 speed is great for motorway cruising at 3k rpm. It's about to go in for it's first service since I got it in Jan (8 months ago) and I have no cause for concern. It's been 100% reliable with no dash lights or issues of any kind whatsoever. If they didn't corrode like they do and if they were more stable at high speed in cold wet conditions they would be near perfect cars. Only 42k miles on mine so it's barely run in as they have been known to do moon mileages. Recommend!
I have an MX5 NC 3.75 - not the best handling cars out of the factory, but as mine is for track use I spent "a bit" improving all the handling specs, including meister coil overs. MY LORD! At the local track I can even with a bit of talent out corner BMW M3s and other cars you would expect to totally run you over. Great fun too, like an F-16 on wheels.
Mazda are beautiful vehicles , but totally unacceptable with how easily the wheel arches rust so quickly. Another great video Sir. Thank you for sharing this with us all.
Imperial Car Sales was based in Southampton and had car supermarkets in different area of the UK. Cazoo purchased Imperial in 2020 and rebranded the business absorbing the stock and turning the car supermarkets into distribution centres and customer collection bays. Most of these have been closed over the last year or so.
Imperial were a car supermarket based down my way in Southampton. All ex lease cars. Lots of people I know bought cars from them and all the cars were excellent with no issues. Sadly went out of business in Covid.
Matt, loved the before and after. Long sleeves and rain before. Blue sky, sun, shorts and roof down after. RUclips gods on your side this one. Cool car certainly played its part :)
My brother had a eunos roadster years ago (just the original Japanese name for it for anyone who doesn’t know, he had one that had been imported from Japan), and it was such a fun car to drive. Took it around a track one time, it was so easy to drift with unsurprisingly. Only thing that confused me with his was the indicator stalk being on the right side. I found myself turning on the wipers when wanting to indicate very often.
Getting to love this S Class! Easy to park? At the golf club a guy parks his so far forward in the row anyone else is struggling 😅. Always fancied one of these Mazdas.
Great cars....we have a 2009 Mk 3.5 roadster coupe, Typhoon grey. We bought it new and its only done 32000 miles ! Custom pale grey leather interior and it gets lovingly cared for and stored in a dry garage. When we sell it someone is going to get a cracking car for their money !
Hi Matt,i'd take it over to Spain and use it there. Nice car and been well cared for,makes a massive difference to some other cars you have bought and over spent on! Great work 😊
My first ( and only ) bought new car 2.0 Sports MX5 on a 57 plate, bought in my midlife crises loved it had all the bells and whistles list price 21k I paid about 18.5 k for it, kept it 3 yrs before entering my 9 years of Saab rag top ownership. Bought myself a quality leather flying jacket and drove top down all the time. Manchester to Portsmouth on a cold frosty New Year’s Day top down, stopped in the queue in the light traffic entering Portsmouth I could see a Hampshire motorcycle cop paddling his way up the traffic to me he got alongside me leaned over shouted and put his thumbs up at me ( never did catch what he said 😂 ) ah happy tales of motoring in the MX5. BTW I still have the tailored luggage I bought at great expense for the boot of a Mk3 ragtop, been in storage years but I’ve had to get rid of the storage, it still smells new you can have it if you get a courier pick it up bung it in the boot of the next mk 3 you sell.
My mom got a 90 Miata back in the day. It was quite a bit before it became the MX 5, hehe. Back then it was quite looked down on. This was before there were a bunch of people who modified them to have great power with the nice driving characteristics. There were, however, people who always loved them for the fun they provided even in their stock form. I took my drivers test in this car back in 93. I didn't even have to back up in the parallel parking section. The new MX 5s look fricken sweet and I bet they are just as fun to drive. Just get the manual!
Mines a mk1 , 97 Harvard , just needs a new hood n drivers seat recovering. no leaks tho. Many things done , had it 11 years now .Love driving it , paid £400 + rotten classic mini. 🙂
Wow! Here in Oz that car would get $AUS20,000. Our prices have not come down on sportscars. We don't have rust problems, but the sun hammers the paint and the interior plastics.
What a cute little car, the colour really sets it off too. I thought I had miss heard when you said you hadn’t overspent, that must be a first lol. As always great video Matt, I really enjoyed it❤.
Love this particular MX5 model & the one withthe retractable hardtop. I owned 2001 MRS Spyder, even though it does look fiercer, MX5 is so muc comfortable to drive and it comes with a boot
There always seems to be good deals to be had over there. I happened to be on Kijiji when I clicked on your video and sitting on the page in front of me is a listing for 2006 MX-5 with 70,000 kms and they're asking $14,000 CDN! We just don't get cheap deals like that here in Toronto.
Just picked up one yesterday for £1500 although its not as clean as this one. The rear bumper wants a full respray plus a couple of other bits and pieces ( but no £280 transport cost 🤣) . Mines is an entry level 1800 gutless version but has new suspension and bigger 17" wheels which really give it some presence. TBH at £1500 its a cracking car but like you I'm paranoid about the state of the underneath, couldn't see much but the inner sills do look crusty. Must say its a right entertaining drive and handles like a go cart. Not a bad emergency buy for use whilst my Scooby is undergoing surgary 👍
Lovely looking car. Love the blue colour. Miss the mgtf I had as a daily driver. Every day was a top down day winter, summer, day or night. Really need another simple convertible. Thought about a z4 or a slk but too many dodgy electric roof stories can't beat a nice simple manual roof
I owned a M1 and a Mk 2 1.8 Sport. Great cars but my advice is don't buy one without Aircon. Long motorway journeys in summer can get very uncomfortable. Also they are best kept garraged to stop the hood fading and turning green. Other than that they are bomb proof and a great weekend car.
I’ve got this exact car same colour same spec 2.0i sport. I bought mine for £2500 two years ago it came with Bilstein suspension and ebc brakes so is even more fun to drive and stops on a dime. 👍🏻
I’ve had so many MX5s over the years and I think they are great, not particularly quick but fun to drive and handling is great. The last one was an 05 so it’s good to see it on the show. I love this show, I love the consistent theme and it’s like a lucky dip each time you never know what’s turned up. That’s what makes it good. Cheers.
Love those old Miatas. For a second there, this was almost your shortest video. Wouldn't be surprised if someone had stolen it before you got there. Just popped it into their backpack and run off with it. Very surprised that the key-fob worked though. Got the exact same one for my 2009 Mazda 6 V6 sSport model. Bought her new back in '09. Have had to get replacement key-fobs from Mazda far too often since they usually stop working in a relatively short amount of time. Have had 4 or 5 now. Each one at $300.oo per pop. Just seems excessive since it wasn't until 2016 that Mazda USA started going up-market as a more luxurious brand.
Drove one of these around bru ntinthorpe race track i won a competition with mazda and me and the girlfriend at the time went around in either the mx5 2.0 or rx8 rotary 😅
Really like these MX5s a neighbour up the road has got one , I've asked him if he sells it to give me first refusal of it . On me list of cars to have . Nice profit Matt and excellent video.
These are great little cars. Enjoyed your video as ever. Both entertaining and informative. PS: rubber mats are very useful when you get caught in a shower when the top's down!
I'm a motorcyclist. I'm not young anymore. The pullaver of getting dressed up is getting to be a pain. The expense of buying riding gear that looks "civilian" when you get where youre going is a pain. Being wet & cold isn't as fun as it used to be. Maybe it's time for an MX5?
Morning Matt, love these cars I've had two of these myself a mk3 and a mk4RF had great fun with them both, love the colour of your one and at that price it won't with you very long. Cheers Phil from Newark.
We owned an '04-plate Euphonic limited edition MX-5, in Mazda's best colour, Velocity Red. Sure, the 110bhp 1.6 engine is slower than my boss's Fiat Doblo 1.3 diesel work-van, but it was great fun and felt really nice just to sit in, with a very special feel. One cool touch it had was at night when you turned the headlights on, the cream dials disappeared into the sporty bright red backlighting. The Mazda was very well-put-together and always reliable. However, rust eventually took hold on the front chassis legs and was quite an expensive job. It coincided with a big vet's bill so the car had to go, sadly.
Current designers could learn a lesson from the designers of this model. Has cup holders in both doors, a glovebox and cup holders in the center console.
Nice one Matt, I've bought a fair few MX5's and as long as there isn't hideous amounts of rust they are great. Did get burnt with one NB that was well disguised but that's life eh.
Really fancy an NC MX5 they have so much going for them. Their only achillies heel is rust, think the Mk2 was the worst ( front chassis legs!) but the mk 3 is not immune. Looks like you got a good one that had been cared for, great colour too. I plan to wait till the Autumn or Winter to buy as prices seem to drop in the colder weather and I might get more of a bargain🙂
Our beautiful, gone-but-never-forgotten Velocity Red '04 1.6 Euphonic caught the rot-bug in the front 'legs, and was a very expensive job. We had to sell it after getting it repaired though, due to the dog becoming unwell at the same time.
Hi Matt, great to see you do an MX5 MK-3/NC at last (thanks for being positive about it!), better still it is exactly the same as the one I had back in 2007 (also on a 56 plate also), same colour same spec’ which is (IMO) the best spec to have. The 2.0 Sport (I think the highest spec’ available at that time) has the benefit of 6 speed ‘box, 17” wheels, LSD, Bilstein shocks, front spot lamps and under-bonnet bracing all of which are nice to have. Don’t think A/C was available on the early NC model so you’re not missing anything there. If that is as solid underneath as you say I think you’ve swum the channel with it! I think that documentation you have may be wrong (would be worth checking the VIN and engine numbers) as that is not Stormy blue it is Winning blue, Stormy blue is much darker and although nice not as good a Winning blue (IMO), it also indicates registered 27/4/07 which would be on an 07 plate not a 56(?). The car does look very well looked after, the interior seems to have worn very nicely, the leather is obviously used but not ab-used, very good. Nice to see the compressor still present in the boot. Would have been a good idea to look under the carpet there. You mentioned that the NS wing looked like it had been painted, I suspect the OS wing has been replace also. All the body panels on these cars carry a label with the VIN, your NS present on the NS wing (on the return edge) but missing on the OS, could just be it’s been removed of course, you should find them on every panel. The engine oil didn’t look too bad, and it seems it had been replaced only about 1000 miles ago, rather than replace that it may have been better to do the ‘box and diff’ unless you have records for them (should be done at 60K) but not a big deal for a future owner to do. I’ve got to say though I do wish you’d stop that practice of spreading oil on some convenient piece of under-bonnet plastic, it really gets my OCD gene firing off and my teeth can’t take too much more grinding I had mine from new in 2007 until 2013 as a daily driver and only got rid of then as I wanted something else (Jaaaag), should have kept it really in hindsight. I don’t agree with going backwards in life but when I found myself looking for a simple, cheap car recently I got another, it’s still a MK3/NC but a bit newer which brings a few improvements (stronger engine internals, A/C, Cruise control, adjustable heated seats). I must admit I’ve got a bit misty eyed seeing this as it’s so similar to mine and I’m actually a bit tempted, if I didn’t already have a second car I’d be even more so but I don’t have space or time for a second-second car!
Great video, only just watched it. I looked up the MOT history, it always amazes me what testers record. I would have like to seen the front brake discs failed in Oct 21, probably should have passed. Sep 18 advise brake fluid slightly aged, nonsense. It is amazing that some MOT testers appear to have 'calibrated' eyesight. My wife had an advisory once, all discs rusty when the braking surface on all 4 discs had NO rust at all on her MX5 NB.
Air con is only really useful in convertibles for winter demisting. I put the roof down on mine year round when it's dry. On the bright side you won't have to pay to re-gas it if it isn't fitted.
Great to see younot massively overspending!! I'm going to be in the market for a folding hard top one of these very soon, just selling my 911 first 😯 Reasons being, I can't really use my 911 for everyday driving due to fear of someone nudging it in a car park or a shopping trolley running into it. Plus being in Australia, I cannot use any of the performance. So the NC will enable me to use it everyday without worrying about it and then I can take it to a track and properly enjoy it.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Proof that you don’t need big power to have a fun car, as long as it handles right.
Strange comment.
@@mariemccann5895What do you find strange about the comment?
Clarkson loves them.
@@Conservator. probably one that needs 1000bhp for a car to be fun, one of those.
@@snbala 👌
My wife's on her 3rd MX-5, she's had an NA, NB and now an NC - loves them to bits, I must admit , they're so much fun to drive without getting silly, and you're right - the gearbox is what gearboxes should be like. They're solid, cheap as chips to run, reliable and fun - no brainer really.
Agree ...apart from the solid bit. My sister had one and the rust reminded me of cars from the seventies. Apart from that they are brill.
I'm on my fifth MX5, this one for 5 years, rear brakes is the only thing I've had to replace in that time. Make sure you clean the rear drain holes as they will cause water ingress.
Always check. Rear calipers seized up on our 2004 1.6 Euphonic limited edition mark 2 MX-5. Very expensive, £900 job at an Indy garage.
@@owensteele1645 you could've saved a lot and done them yourself. I replaced my front caliper on my 1.8 euphonic and it's really quite easy
Where are those drain holes?
@z41dane33 In a nc you can find them with the hood almost fully retracted. One each side. Videos on here of how to clear them though I could never manage it. They recommend threading a trombone cleaner through them.
Took it to an independent mx5 specialist who blasts them through with an air line.
I loved this model when it was released and time hasn't been unkind to it. Doesn't need any lifts or fillers to keep it looking young. You could tell it had been looked after before you opened the doors. Great colour too. Nice work, Matt - I bet it sailed out of the door.
it could do with some lowering springs tho cus its at monstertruck height
@@thedandy6765No
well yes its way too high on its wheels the way it is
looks out of place if its just a bit lower (not slammed) but maybe 3cm lower it would look a thousand times better@@coops1964
@@thedandy6765True, but you need some space for your hands to gain access to wash out the inside of the wheel arches, or the sporty Maxda will be a rust-box in no time. Maybe drop it half a cm.
@owensteele1645 they don't rust the same as the mk1 and 2s
In that spec it's looking like the Sport model : 17" wheels, 6 speed box, Bilstein shockers, LSD, leather. We had one of these and used it daily year round, but rain and salt took their toll. In all, that looks like a car somebody has really cared for.
@jeremybrown9179don't do that, don't do the dad jokes 😂
Cracking car , and great price too. Who needs 200bhp + ? With the roof down 60 mph feels like 80 and as you said you’ll have a smile on your face. If I had a garage I’d have one ASAP .
My old MX5 NC in Winner Blue ... I miss her ... A couple of things for people who might consider one: 1. The story with the gear knobs: on my one, the former owner used to drive wearing rings, and the knob was very damaged, a replacement from Mazda is 70 quid, so I got an aftermarket one, nowhere near as weighty as the original. 2. The paint: the front bumper is plastic, the wing is metal, the paint doesn't degrade in the same way and if you look at any picture of a winner Blue you see that they look repainted. If you look closely you will notice the painting stroke is the same and is continuous. 3. Safety belt not winding back: it's an old recall, in my case Mazda had offered a discount to replace it on my 66 plate in 2019. Another known weakness is the central locking, occasionally there can be a water ingress in the control box on the passenger side, and the cl/alarm behave erratically. Aside from that, I miss her every sunny day, and I sold her after 3 years for the same money I had bought it for.
I've experienced all of that, Alessandro. After 10 years I keep on enjoying my 2006 galaxy grey NC (black Oz racing wheels and black racing stripes).
@@zsb707 fair play for saying aloud that you enjoy your NC, I still get "benevolent banter" on forums regarding boaty handing ... are you going to the national MX5 meeting next weekend?
@@Alessandro--- I know that many NA, NB or ND owners look down on the NC. That's why I never talk to any of them, just enjoying my car. No, Sir, I'm not going as I live far away from UK.
Mazda is probably the only major car manufacturer that has still not done enough to kerb rampant corrosion problems. Every time I see an MX5 I am reminded about the rust problems particularly in the sills.
MK1 and 2, less so mk3
A problem with the UK unfortunately not the cars. They don’t have issues in Ireland for example where they don’t salt the roads 👍
Yes the sills are a problem. It's the welded seals. Run the sandpaper along immediately and Kurust the minute you purchase. Takes minutes.
yeah especially when ford owned part of mazda for a bit
I have two Mazdas that I bought new in 2009. No sign of rust in either of them even they’ve done 340,000 miles between them and always been kept outside.
A great little car. It gives you the feeling of owning and driving a old MG, but but not having to deal with the MG's flaws.
I had one of these for 4 years as a daily driver and it was the most reliable car I've ever owned. My experiences as follows:
ALWAYS have 4 matching tyres, regardless of the make.
Get a 4 wheel alignment done and checked regularly, I used to have mine checked regularly and it never went out of alignment in 4 years!
Check the footwells for damp, the bolts on the windscreen scuttle bolt through behind the dash and the washers deteriorate. Cheap repair but can cause rusting of the metalwork behind the dashboard
Check the drain hole in the middle of the bootlid by the numberplate. They corrode from the inside out.
Check the drainage channels for the roof as these can get blocked and over flow.
Replace the spark plugs when they should be done or before as they can snap off in the cylinder head.
Fit the wiper stalk from an RX8 as this gives you the variable speed intermittent wiper in drizzly conditions. The old one unbolts and it's a direct replacement.
Regularly use 98oct fuel as it does run nicer.
Going into second gear on the 6 speed gearbox can be a bit stiff when cold, this is quite normal. You can replace with a different spec oil but then could cause premature wear one other parts so best leave as is and be sympathetic until it's warmed up.
A decent set of lowering springs to get rid of the first sized gap between the wheel arches and wheels!
Thank you. Is there an MX5 FB group? Looking to buy one this summer
Hey Matt, I would love to see a video about how things worked out with that private plate, how transfers & retention works and any insights you might have on that market works. Cheers
It's quite easy now as it's mostly digital transfers
Great little car - probably the best value for smiles per mile.
I bought one in silver , from the main dealers in Stockport . It was a brilliant car and you’re correct about it delivering more smiles than a BBC comedian. Traded it in several years later , for a good price, having done many long road trips from Stockport to Porto. Everyone should at least try one.
Try one? It's addictive. Tried one, HAD TO buy one ... so I've been enjoying it for 10 years and counting 😊.
Had one of these when they were new - great little car. We even drove to Italy for a fortnight's holiday in it and managed to bring some wine back with us too! Tempted to get another.....
Also replaced the standard stereo with a Pioneer touchscreen unit that incorporates rear cameras, a very worthwhile update and modernises the interior, easy to do.
As someone who happily drives a long wheelbase van, with no rear windows, and parking sensors only...
You feel the need for cameras on the back of an MX5?😂 Have you got cameras on the arse pockets of your jeans?
the Pioneer unit came with them, the rear cameras video drivers in longwheelbase vans
@@robblack7560 🤣
@@robblack7560which model
My mum has owned one each of the NB, NC and ND models. All of them were an absolute hoot to drive. The whole experience, even just driving to the shops, is brilliant. Can’t think of another car that fulfils its design brief as well as this car
I've been touring around North Yorkshire for the last few days, and the number of these - along with other soft tops - has been quite amazing... the nice weather brings 'em out.
I love the MX5 - I'm on my 3rd which I bought new in 2021, in lovely Soul Red. I traded in my 2007 Mk3 MX5 (which I'd had from new) and it had never had a fault of any sort in the 14 years I owned it (it had the folding electric hard top).
These cars are SO much fun to drive as they are light and flickable unlike Porches etc. And dirt cheap to own and run. I love them!
But you do need a more conventional car as well for when you need more than 2 seats and have a load to carry (my wife drives that!). I love top-down motoring, so anything with a fixed roof won't fit the bill for me.
1.5 or the 2.0 now?
@@khelgarironfist3301 2.0 of course. Not sure of the point of the 1.5. Even the 2.0 only has 181 bhp.
Love to know where you get your wheel refurbs ! Round where I live, Basingstoke/Reading no one quotes less than £100 per wheel. For me its a complete rip off
We've got one and driven it to Budapest, Barcelona and Nice on three different trips. Excellent fun. Crossing the Pyrenees and the Alps was a blast.
Great restoration of this model in that amazing blue finish👍 In 2016 I brought a 2007 basic model with only 14k on the clock. Had to sell 2019 due to practical reasons but still miss the quality engineering and fun factor. Might get another as a hobbyist and for classic shows in the future. One of those cars that holds distinction, popularity and continues its rein in todays market 👏
I had a Mk1 1.8 Berkeley and it was one of the most fun cars I ever had. I had it at the same time as an Alfa 147 which I also loved. I decided that having two cars was a bit too much (given that I lived in the centre of Manchester and walked to work!) so swapped both for an MK3 2.0 MX5 Roadster Coupe. The expectation was that I would get the fun of the Mk1 and the refinement of the Alfa. Unfortunately it didn't work out - it was less fun than the MK1 and less refined than the Alfa. It also had awful MPG. It was still pretty fun though - all MX5s are fantastic cars. There's nothing else like them.
MX5 wins hands down on a Mk3 MR2. Cracking little car that that brings loads of smiles without setting cameras alight.
Just check the drian holes and clear with a wire coat hanger behind the seat belt were it's secured behind the seats if it's that model that has them , it runs straight out to the ground and they can get blocked up
MX5’s are Joy of Motoring. Tonight I’ve been out in my BBR NC, top down and 22 degrees. NC’s are currently the bargain of the range. Great vid.
Choosing a random video to say THANK YOU for making me aware of car vertical, it just saved me from buying a "perfect" car with one single careful owner which turned out being involved into three accidents, changed two owners, was used as a rental vehicle and had been into service for five times within its first year.
Oh really. Money well spent then
Love my NC. Had it for the last 3 years and it’s been faultless.
I had a 58 plate MX5.(The 1.8 slower variant). I got it from Stockport Mazda. It gave me years of reliable, fun motoring.
You got a nice little upgrade in this Mx5 that few know about. That's the addition of the retrofitted RX8 wiper stalk, which gives you adjustable intermittent wipers.
I have the 2.0 sport (2009 NC.2) in top spec with lekky roof, heater leather, Bose sound and the 6 speed is great for motorway cruising at 3k rpm.
It's about to go in for it's first service since I got it in Jan (8 months ago) and I have no cause for concern. It's been 100% reliable with no dash lights or issues of any kind whatsoever. If they didn't corrode like they do and if they were more stable at high speed in cold wet conditions they would be near perfect cars.
Only 42k miles on mine so it's barely run in as they have been known to do moon mileages. Recommend!
Survives the ulez test too... Great ride, the NC is my favourite series of the MX5 (though I'd want the hard top convertible personally).
I have an MX5 NC 3.75 - not the best handling cars out of the factory, but as mine is for track use I spent "a bit" improving all the handling specs, including meister coil overs.
MY LORD! At the local track I can even with a bit of talent out corner BMW M3s and other cars you would expect to totally run you over. Great fun too, like an F-16 on wheels.
Just did the NC500 in one of these in this colour. Had it tuned at BBR a year ago, big recommend
Credit to the viewer that sold it to you, kept a very nice car.
You videos really light up my day. Only thing I watch on 1x speed. God Bless Matt!
Glad you like them!
Mazda are beautiful vehicles , but totally unacceptable with how easily the wheel arches rust so quickly. Another great video Sir. Thank you for sharing this with us all.
SO COOL! I have a white 2013 MX5 NC (same model) as second/fun car since 1,5 years: super fun drive cars indeed! Cool to see you featuring it!
Imperial Car Sales was based in Southampton and had car supermarkets in different area of the UK. Cazoo purchased Imperial in 2020 and rebranded the business absorbing the stock and turning the car supermarkets into distribution centres and customer collection bays. Most of these have been closed over the last year or so.
Imperial were a car supermarket based down my way in Southampton. All ex lease cars. Lots of people I know bought cars from them and all the cars were excellent with no issues. Sadly went out of business in Covid.
Fun in the sun .I've had two in the past and so has my Mrs. Love these cars ,thinking of getting another one again
Matt, loved the before and after. Long sleeves and rain before. Blue sky, sun, shorts and roof down after. RUclips gods on your side this one. Cool car certainly played its part :)
My brother had a eunos roadster years ago (just the original Japanese name for it for anyone who doesn’t know, he had one that had been imported from Japan), and it was such a fun car to drive. Took it around a track one time, it was so easy to drift with unsurprisingly. Only thing that confused me with his was the indicator stalk being on the right side. I found myself turning on the wipers when wanting to indicate very often.
It's helpful for changing gears on roundabouts! I used to own H524FRP if it's still about.
I'm just looking at a MX5 now and didn't know about Eunos name. Learn something new all the time haha
Credit to its owner, looks like new! 😍 I’d be very tempted if I had somewhere to keep it!
Getting to love this S Class! Easy to park? At the golf club a guy parks his so far forward in the row anyone else is struggling 😅. Always fancied one of these Mazdas.
I had a 1991 MX5 for 11 years. Loved it! So much fun the drive.
That is the perfect description. It is a lot of car for no money - insanely good value
Great cars....we have a 2009 Mk 3.5 roadster coupe, Typhoon grey. We bought it new and its only done 32000 miles ! Custom pale grey leather interior and it gets lovingly cared for and stored in a dry garage. When we sell it someone is going to get a cracking car for their money !
Hi Matt,i'd take it over to Spain and use it there.
Nice car and been well cared for,makes a massive difference to some other cars you have bought and over spent on!
Great work 😊
It's a good one. Unfortunately, that rust from the fenders will flourish after the winter salts :( And it's inevitable.
A good example of this year CX5 in Australia can go for near on $A20K and pristine with low KM for over $A30K - truly great cars.
Such a deal…my dad bought a few years back & his Corvette just sat in the garage ..great little cars.
My first ( and only ) bought new car 2.0 Sports MX5 on a 57 plate, bought in my midlife crises loved it had all the bells and whistles list price 21k I paid about 18.5 k for it, kept it 3 yrs before entering my 9 years of Saab rag top ownership. Bought myself a quality leather flying jacket and drove top down all the time. Manchester to Portsmouth on a cold frosty New Year’s Day top down, stopped in the queue in the light traffic entering Portsmouth I could see a Hampshire motorcycle cop paddling his way up the traffic to me he got alongside me leaned over shouted and put his thumbs up at me ( never did catch what he said 😂 ) ah happy tales of motoring in the MX5. BTW I still have the tailored luggage I bought at great expense for the boot of a Mk3 ragtop, been in storage years but I’ve had to get rid of the storage, it still smells new you can have it if you get a courier pick it up bung it in the boot of the next mk 3 you sell.
My mom got a 90 Miata back in the day. It was quite a bit before it became the MX 5, hehe. Back then it was quite looked down on. This was before there were a bunch of people who modified them to have great power with the nice driving characteristics. There were, however, people who always loved them for the fun they provided even in their stock form. I took my drivers test in this car back in 93. I didn't even have to back up in the parallel parking section. The new MX 5s look fricken sweet and I bet they are just as fun to drive. Just get the manual!
Mines a mk1 , 97 Harvard , just needs a new hood n drivers seat recovering. no leaks tho. Many things done , had it 11 years now .Love driving it , paid £400 + rotten classic mini. 🙂
You're lucks in here Matt, a cracking little mx5 and we're hitting an Indian summer. Perfect timing
Wow! Here in Oz that car would get $AUS20,000. Our prices have not come down on sportscars. We don't have rust problems, but the sun hammers the paint and the interior plastics.
What a cute little car, the colour really sets it off too.
I thought I had miss heard when you said you hadn’t overspent, that must be a first lol.
As always great video Matt, I really enjoyed it❤.
I’ve always liked these cars…good value even at that age and mileage 👍
Bought one for my daughter ,She absolutely loves it .Only whinge its high road tax other than its nigh on perfect,
Love this particular MX5 model & the one withthe retractable hardtop. I owned 2001 MRS Spyder, even though it does look fiercer, MX5 is so muc comfortable to drive and it comes with a boot
What a result 🥳
Always liked the MC5 and wouldn’t mind getting one, they’re amazing
Hi Mate, your MX5 colour is Winning Blue. GLWS.
There always seems to be good deals to be had over there. I happened to be on Kijiji when I clicked on your video and sitting on the page in front of me is a listing for 2006 MX-5 with 70,000 kms and they're asking $14,000 CDN! We just don't get cheap deals like that here in Toronto.
I had one from new, loved it. Only issue was that it would flood inside if the hidden drains clogged up with leaves etc. it became quite a nuisance.
Brilliant, Matt! What an unusually, straight car which I'm sure will sell well! 👍
Just picked up one yesterday for £1500 although its not as clean as this one. The rear bumper wants a full respray plus a couple of other bits and pieces ( but no £280 transport cost 🤣) . Mines is an entry level 1800 gutless version but has new suspension and bigger 17" wheels which really give it some presence. TBH at £1500 its a cracking car but like you I'm paranoid about the state of the underneath, couldn't see much but the inner sills do look crusty. Must say its a right entertaining drive and handles like a go cart. Not a bad emergency buy for use whilst my Scooby is undergoing surgary 👍
Lovely looking car. Love the blue colour. Miss the mgtf I had as a daily driver. Every day was a top down day winter, summer, day or night. Really need another simple convertible. Thought about a z4 or a slk but too many dodgy electric roof stories can't beat a nice simple manual roof
Honda s2000 ?
I’ve got both I recommend the z4
I owned a M1 and a Mk 2 1.8 Sport. Great cars but my advice is don't buy one without Aircon. Long motorway journeys in summer can get very uncomfortable. Also they are best kept garraged to stop the hood fading and turning green. Other than that they are bomb proof and a great weekend car.
The only one I've seen I wouldn't buy was rotten underneath, shame because everything else was perfect.
In an earlier film you said that the profit is in the buying not the selling and I think this is a good example.
Really enjoyed selling these cars back in the day, no comebacks ever! Lovely cars. Thanks Matt you did well with this one.
What a great little buy, love these and starting to see a lot more on track too.
I’ve got this exact car same colour same spec 2.0i sport. I bought mine for £2500 two years ago it came with Bilstein suspension and ebc brakes so is even more fun to drive and stops on a dime. 👍🏻
Even by just watching you drive that s class you can feel the quality oooze through the screen😁👍
I’ve had so many MX5s over the years and I think they are great, not particularly quick but fun to drive and handling is great. The last one was an 05 so it’s good to see it on the show.
I love this show, I love the consistent theme and it’s like a lucky dip each time you never know what’s turned up. That’s what makes it good. Cheers.
Love those old Miatas. For a second there, this was almost your shortest video.
Wouldn't be surprised if someone had stolen it before you got there. Just popped it into their backpack and run off with it. Very surprised that the key-fob worked though. Got the exact same one for my 2009 Mazda 6 V6 sSport model. Bought her new back in '09. Have had to get replacement key-fobs from Mazda far too often since they usually stop working in a relatively short amount of time. Have had 4 or 5 now. Each one at $300.oo per pop. Just seems excessive since it wasn't until 2016 that Mazda USA started going up-market as a more luxurious brand.
I have an MX-5 ND2. Simply the best car I've ever driven.
Drove one of these around bru ntinthorpe race track i won a competition with mazda and me and the girlfriend at the time went around in either the mx5 2.0 or rx8 rotary 😅
Really like these MX5s a neighbour up the road has got one , I've asked him if he sells it to give me first refusal of it . On me list of cars to have . Nice profit Matt and excellent video.
These are great little cars. Enjoyed your video as ever. Both entertaining and informative.
PS: rubber mats are very useful when you get caught in a shower when the top's down!
Over the years I've owned 3 convertibles but not an MX5 it's definitely a car I'm going to own , I've never heard a bad word about them .
Have a good look underneath before you buy...they can be very rough even at 8 or 9 years old.
I'm a motorcyclist.
I'm not young anymore.
The pullaver of getting dressed up is getting to be a pain.
The expense of buying riding gear that looks "civilian" when you get where youre going is a pain.
Being wet & cold isn't as fun as it used to be.
Maybe it's time for an MX5?
Morning Matt, love these cars I've had two of these myself a mk3 and a mk4RF had great fun with them both, love the colour of your one and at that price it won't with you very long. Cheers Phil from Newark.
What you need Matt is a Citroen Ami as your daily for a week.
We owned an '04-plate Euphonic limited edition MX-5, in Mazda's best colour, Velocity Red. Sure, the 110bhp 1.6 engine is slower than my boss's Fiat Doblo 1.3 diesel work-van, but it was great fun and felt really nice just to sit in, with a very special feel. One cool touch it had was at night when you turned the headlights on, the cream dials disappeared into the sporty bright red backlighting. The Mazda was very well-put-together and always reliable. However, rust eventually took hold on the front chassis legs and was quite an expensive job. It coincided with a big vet's bill so the car had to go, sadly.
I have a 2018 124 Fiat Spider, and think it's even better. Fantastic little car, and goes like a rocket
Current designers could learn a lesson from the designers of this model. Has cup holders in both doors, a glovebox and cup holders in the center console.
Nice one Matt, I've bought a fair few MX5's and as long as there isn't hideous amounts of rust they are great. Did get burnt with one NB that was well disguised but that's life eh.
Really fancy an NC MX5 they have so much going for them. Their only achillies heel is rust, think the Mk2 was the worst ( front chassis legs!) but the mk 3 is not immune. Looks like you got a good one that had been cared for, great colour too. I plan to wait till the Autumn or Winter to buy as prices seem to drop in the colder weather and I might get more of a bargain🙂
Our beautiful, gone-but-never-forgotten Velocity Red '04 1.6 Euphonic caught the rot-bug in the front 'legs, and was a very expensive job. We had to sell it after getting it repaired though, due to the dog becoming unwell at the same time.
@@owensteele1645 i think the red euphonics were some of the best looking NBs
Hi Matt, great to see you do an MX5 MK-3/NC at last (thanks for being positive about it!), better still it is exactly the same as the one I had back in 2007 (also on a 56 plate also), same colour same spec’ which is (IMO) the best spec to have. The 2.0 Sport (I think the highest spec’ available at that time) has the benefit of 6 speed ‘box, 17” wheels, LSD, Bilstein shocks, front spot lamps and under-bonnet bracing all of which are nice to have. Don’t think A/C was available on the early NC model so you’re not missing anything there. If that is as solid underneath as you say I think you’ve swum the channel with it!
I think that documentation you have may be wrong (would be worth checking the VIN and engine numbers) as that is not Stormy blue it is Winning blue, Stormy blue is much darker and although nice not as good a Winning blue (IMO), it also indicates registered 27/4/07 which would be on an 07 plate not a 56(?).
The car does look very well looked after, the interior seems to have worn very nicely, the leather is obviously used but not ab-used, very good. Nice to see the compressor still present in the boot. Would have been a good idea to look under the carpet there.
You mentioned that the NS wing looked like it had been painted, I suspect the OS wing has been replace also. All the body panels on these cars carry a label with the VIN, your NS present on the NS wing (on the return edge) but missing on the OS, could just be it’s been removed of course, you should find them on every panel.
The engine oil didn’t look too bad, and it seems it had been replaced only about 1000 miles ago, rather than replace that it may have been better to do the ‘box and diff’ unless you have records for them (should be done at 60K) but not a big deal for a future owner to do. I’ve got to say though I do wish you’d stop that practice of spreading oil on some convenient piece of under-bonnet plastic, it really gets my OCD gene firing off and my teeth can’t take too much more grinding
I had mine from new in 2007 until 2013 as a daily driver and only got rid of then as I wanted something else (Jaaaag), should have kept it really in hindsight. I don’t agree with going backwards in life but when I found myself looking for a simple, cheap car recently I got another, it’s still a MK3/NC but a bit newer which brings a few improvements (stronger engine internals, A/C, Cruise control, adjustable heated seats). I must admit I’ve got a bit misty eyed seeing this as it’s so similar to mine and I’m actually a bit tempted, if I didn’t already have a second car I’d be even more so but I don’t have space or time for a second-second car!
My previous NC was an early one (06 reg) and had air conditioning.
Good video Matt ,the main thing is to flush the sills out as if blocked they are a certain rust trap
Can you do a test on a saab that would be great 😊
Great video, only just watched it. I looked up the MOT history, it always amazes me what testers record. I would have like to seen the front brake discs failed in Oct 21, probably should have passed.
Sep 18 advise brake fluid slightly aged, nonsense. It is amazing that some MOT testers appear to have 'calibrated' eyesight.
My wife had an advisory once, all discs rusty when the braking surface on all 4 discs had NO rust at all on her MX5 NB.
Air con is only really useful in convertibles for winter demisting. I put the roof down on mine year round when it's dry. On the bright side you won't have to pay to re-gas it if it isn't fitted.
Great to see younot massively overspending!! I'm going to be in the market for a folding hard top one of these very soon, just selling my 911 first 😯 Reasons being, I can't really use my 911 for everyday driving due to fear of someone nudging it in a car park or a shopping trolley running into it. Plus being in Australia, I cannot use any of the performance. So the NC will enable me to use it everyday without worrying about it and then I can take it to a track and properly enjoy it.
Got one. They are brilliant. You always smiling ❤😊
Thats a bargain, nice nick , a lot of car for the money , lovely hood n glass window 🙂
Nice! Always love a Mazda mx-5.
Great video - Had one myself and a neat roadster
MX5 the car that everybody loves this is what MG should have made