£5k Sports Car Choices: Boxster vs MX5 vs Hot Hatch

A £5k Boxster is almost certainly rough as. I looked at one a while ago and from memory those early ones at that price now have some fairly serious engine bearing problem. Add to that a couple of decades of abuse, plus the fact those early cars are actually pretty slow.

The IMS (I think that’s the acronym) is a known Porsche issue so would narrow the search down to one that has had that sorted.

I’m aware a Boxster might be stretching it really to find a good one.

Audi TT.

I think 2.7 porks avoid ims issues, but I might be wrong.

Na mx5 is a lovely thing, super reliable but will rot. Truly a joy to drive though.

Rx8 should be in budget if your milage is low.

Good to know - thanks. I prefer the look of a Eunos but more likely to go with a later MX5 as reliability is more important than looks and power.

RX8 is in budget but had written off due to the rotary-ness and risk of expensive repair bills!

@Doomanic - TT’s do really do it for me I must say. Happy to be convinced though.

My bro runs a 3.2s Boxster. 2003 vintage, he paid £3900 for it as it was barn stored for 4 years. Hes spent the same again bringing it back to good condition. Some parts that are not available from gsf or ecp and main dealer only are criminally expensive.
They rust badly in certain places, the ims bearing people bleat on about is expensive but the actual failure rate is fairly low, its not 1 in 100 but people with perfect cars dpnt whine online about them.

There's a specialist buyer who does pre purchasing inspections. If your still keen, his does 26 to 36mpg, is on classic insurance so buttons. There are a few desirable features, traction, glass hood, heated seats from memory.
He will chat on the phone if your serious or i cam get him to ping you a message

The rotory engine costs around £1500 to get retipped from memory, and lasts 60,000 miles (do it's unlikely to happen during an ownership period). Buy one for 3500, leave the rest in a kitty and if it doesn't blow up you're quids in. If it does, you've still got a great car that was much newer than others you could have got

Appreciate that, thanks. Still early days but if the Boxster route proves realistic and I find a good one locally I may well take you up on that.

@5lab - reckon they’re worth it over the ‘more conventional’ alternatives? I’m no speed demon but I do like the interest value of the Rotary engine.

I had a mk1 mx5 for 13 years. Utterly brilliant particularly the gearbox, handling and reliability. The early 1.6 was 115 bhp, which was ok in a car weighing about 1000kg but when the 1.8 came out they dropped the 1.6 down to 90 bhp which I would expect to be sluggish.

BMW Z4 3.0 SE.

EDIT - I chose a Z4 over a 2.7 Boxster and the MX5. The Porsche was nicer to drive, but felt slow and quiet. The MX5 just felt underpowered and less...special. The Z4 was the best all round from a specialness, drive, noise and practicality/maintenence POV. It also had a fully electric roof which the others didn't.

I ran the Z4 for a few years and then considered a Cayman 3.4s but ended up with a Z4M Coupe.

reckon they’re worth it over the ‘more conventional’ alternatives? I’m no speed demon but I do like the interest value of the Rotary engine.

They're certainly better value. Go test drive one and decide for yourself. In contemporary reviews they did really well, other than the fuel consumption that may not be an issue as a second car

MX5 is a brilliant car, not very powerful but fun, cheap and easy to maintain, plenty of parts for them.
Boxster engine issues would put me off, friends have had them, both needed a lot of work to put right.

You could get a nice BMW Z4 for 5k

My fun car is a Cooper S which is just a like a go kart we have Type R as well which is nice but I doubt would really tick the box for you.

I’ve spent some quality time with both. The boxster is special, the mx5 less so.

Don’t drive a boxster if you want the mx5. It won’t feel the same after.

5-6k should buy one. But learn and look carefully. 2.7 should be fine. I ran an S for a year or so, you don’t need that much pace, the wail at 7k is fab 🙂

Get learned up, and go get one.

Having owned an ep3 civic for over a decade, they're great fun, very reliable and pretty cheap to run. They'll also do 40mpg on a motorway run if you take it steady. I think mine had done 170k miles when I sold it and it was still driving great. I miss mine and shouldn't have sold it, I think I sold it for £1k a few years ago.

Daughter has a 1992 Eunos which i get to drive. Has done most of the work herself apart from fitting the turbo. It's a bit quick and in very good condition for its age.

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She also imported an 1998 Evo 5 last year which she is just building back up after a full strip down. Can't wait to give it a go in a couple of months once it's finished

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I've just been through a very similar exercise weighing up a boxter,cayman, mx5, z4 or hot hatch and ended getting a z4.

I've had an mx5 before and it's nowhere near as nice.

The porsches have a real risk of some sort of engine issue which will require an £8k rebuild so that put me off those for now. Also a soft top convertible is a pain, with the shampoo and conditioner-ing it, and it's like being in a tent in a hurricane on the motorway.

I plan to get a porsche cayman in the future when budget allows, but the z4 was the best option for practicality and expense, boot fits a golf bag, super quick fully electric hardtop convertible, not crazy thirsty, and nice enough to put a smile on your face while driving it

Are Hartech still doing the maintenance plan? That guarantees you against the IMS issue…

Had a Boxster S for 10 years and it was fabulous. Had one major bill when the cam cover oil seals leaked and the brakes had corroded from sitting over winter after using after the road had been salted. Regular use would prevent that last issue. Rest was just two yearly servicing.

Roof is absolutely fine at motorway speeds. Only retreated it once in the time I had it and the glass rear screen was as good as in a fixed roof.

3.2 engine not mega powerful but fast enough and a joy to drive at legal speeds. Twisty back road, keep it in third and it felt alive like no other car I’ve ever driven.

I looked for a lot of last year for a boxster at that price. You better have a good reserve for emergency repairs because I found not a single one with more than a service every 3 years. One came close and I even test drove it, engine was amazing and worth the money alone, but on the drive home my NB mx-5 felt unbelievably light and nimble in comparison. I've ended up with a r53 mini cooper s instead for the winter whilst the mx-5 is hiding from salty roads. Both cars together cost less than half a "safe" boxster

350Z?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302114181942?

https://m.facebook.com/groups/426132064172580/permalink/5876208695831529/?sfnsn=scwspwa&ref=share
Service history, looks smart but over budget

I went the Boxter route. Mine's one of the runout edition 986 3.2s. I've had it since late 2015. I bought it on the rebound after trying my "dream" car - a Jag XKR which was really boring. Drove one; loved it; looked for a good(ish) one.

Its plenty quick enough. Maybe not in 0-60 terms compared to modern hot hatches, but its at its best on fast A and B roads. Very tactile. (especially since the Centre Gravity geometry setup which has made it a bit more interactive and a bit less bitey). There's plenty of torque, so while you can drive it on power (and it feels great to do so), you can also make decent progress without thrashing the knackers off it.

Its a good touring car - boots each end can take plenty of stuff. Motorway driving is absolutely fine with the hood up, and its still quite civilised with the roof down. We did the NC500 in 2016 and did a week in northern France in 2019 doing WWI and II battlefields and it soaked that up with no problems.

25mpg in normal driving, 30+ when tootling at 65/70 on the motorway (although punt it hard down a slip road and you'll knock that back down to the mid 20s again)

I do a lot of the maintenance myself, but keep the service history going with a good indy. Some parts aren't too bad, others are point and laugh.

IMS isn't so much of an issue as its cracked up to be. Mine's on its original, although I had it checked whnen teh clutch was done. Bore score isn't an issue on 986s, but is on 3.4 987s. Aircon condensors rot (one of mine is just starting to go), brake lines rust (look under passenger side sill) - I DIY replaced all mine a couple of years back and the powersteering rack hardlines rot out and burst (look in through the drivers side front wheel and you can just about see them. That was an absolute * of a job. Suspension can also make all kinds of fun noises. Front ends of the sills get battered by crud coming off the front wheels and can rust

Its not a cheap thing to keep nice, but on the right road and the right day its an absolute joy. Like all nigh-on 20 year old cars though, it has plenty of "why the * am I doing this to myself" moments.

Thanks for the links - 350Z is a bit brash for my tastes, I’d prefer something a bit more subtle.

That Boxster looked good - it’s sold now I think but that’s certainly the kind of example that could tempt me. At this point though, an MX5 seems the best choice for me, unless a killer Boxster comes up.

@JonEdwards, thanks for the thorough response!

My FiL had a 987 Boxster for a while and he raved about it. While I’m not worried about a bit of maintenance compared to a modern car (I currently drive an 1985 Escort!), I don’t want it to be in the garage every second week.

If I had £10k to play with then it’d be a Boxster every day, but with more like £5k I can’t really be as picky as I’d like and it could well end up as a bit of a gamble, might pay off, might not!

MX-5 lovely cars, just bear in mind rot is bad for mk1 and also mk2 (especially silver ones!).

Depends what you want out of a car …

The Boxster will be faster but it doesn’t have the ride quality, engagement or handling that the light weight MX5 does.

For some speed is everything and will find the MX5 boring. For others the Boxster is heavy and lacking in emotion and engagement.

Tracey, what compression ration is that turbo charged miata running?
They made lcr piston for the gtr /gtx but they are hellishly rare.
A mx5 with a 323 gtr or gtx transplant would be great, correct cr, corrrct valve timing overlap, gtx easy 200bhp, gtr up to 300bhp.

IMS isn’t so much of an issue as its cracked up to be. Mine’s on its original, although I had it checked whnen teh clutch was done.

I think the issue with it is that in most cases it isn’t but if it does go then you’ll be needing to strip it down to see exactly how much it’s fubar’d ,it’s the usual pain in the arse if you can do it yourself but if your paying someone else to spanner it I reckon it’s gonna cost bigly.

I’d probably have had it changed whilst the clutch was being done tbh.

I had a 2001 3.2 boxster and tbh I think you really have to be into them and into spannering once they get a bit long in the tooth.

I’ve been lucky to have a lot of Porsches over the years , but when I moved to Spain it was the smart convertible that came with me.

Save some money and get a MR2 Mk3. Best handling car I ever drove, and that was when I had a Caterham 7 and my wife had an MR2. Lotus-engineered suspension, reliable Toyota engine same as the Corolla one, so easy to get spares for if needed. Looks a lot like a Boxter, too 😁

Watching a few of those MR2s on eBay at the moment. Could definitely be a viable alternative.

I’m thinking small engine, low power but big fun. The other thing that I’m keep an eye on is a little Daihatsu Copen, but that might be pushing it a bit too far into the niche!

I like a hot hatch.

2.5 focus st. Lovely 5 pot sound. Practical.
Can be subtle in right colour

Don’t get me wrong - I love me a hot hatch, but we have a ‘big’ car in the wife’s Vectra so I have the opportunity to go for something a bit more impractical if I wanted. MK5 GTi, Civic Type R and 100hp Pandas are all on the Hot(ish) Hatch list, but seems like too good an opportunity to pass up to have a small midlife crisis!

I sense hooning around is not quite what you are after but deeply impractical could be a clio 172/182 that you converted into a daily driver trackday car (or bought one that hadn't been totally mashed as a track car already). 2 sets of wheels, a stripped interior and a roll cage and probably a pair of ear defenders for the motorway! Mid life crisis enough for you?

I think I'd go Tt mk1 3.2. Not the last word in handling but sounds good and everything you touch inside is wonderfully designed. But i know that Clarkson et al ruined it's image beyond repair for some people.

@convert I can’t imagine my wife wanting to come along for a nice pootle up to the moors with a picnic on a sunny day in a stripped and track prepped 182, although the mental image is making me chuckle!

Might have the give the TT’s a second look - I’d kind of glossed over them in truth.

imagine my wife wanting to come along for a nice pootle up to the moors with a picnic on a sunny day

Then does sir want to go back a generation and pick up an mgb or a stag? Actually, that might be beyond budget....and having owned an mgb in the early 90's when they were 'only' 20 years old and motorways much quieter - I can't see it being a lot of fun on a motorway these days.

I've got a 2000 Boxster S 3.2 250bhp. I've had loads of cars, mostly sporty. TT's, MX5's, MR2's of all 3 varietys etc etc. The Boxster is probably the best car I've owned. Perfect handling/balance, amazing engine note, easy to work on, well built, not terrible on fuel. Everything about it is just right, for me at least.

I normally keep my summer "fun" car on SORN for winter as the weather is pretty rough up here in the Highlands. This year though, I've just been using it. Drove to Skye in snow and -8 degrees, heavy rain, all types of weather. I've commuted in it, done 200 mile journeys in, 90% of the time with the roof down and loved every minute.
Go and try one 😁

Speaking as a serial MX5 & hot hatch owner / boxster driver…

Sorry to be boring, but this is so dependant on how and where you drive.

Ultimately you will not beat a Boxster for handling, and if your local roads are fast and open, and you’re not interested in wringing its neck (or alternatively staying legal) it’s an amazing car. But the gearing is really long. Hanging on to second gear will see you well beyond the legal limit. If you enjoy ragging a car then it’s arguably not the most engaging, unless you’re happy to completely disregard speed limits.

The MX5 is at the other end of the spectrum. Get an early (pre-’94) 1.6 and the gearing and general lack of power means you can drive it like a teenager, everywhere, without having to worry too much about how fast you’re going. Where I live (west Cornwall), a good blat is mostly spent diving between 20 mph corners and short straights – roads that in a Boxster would be dispatched without leaving 2nd gear. The Mazda will be 2nd / 3rd / 4th / 3rd / 2nd all day long on these roads. I love this aspect of the car, but it’s not for everyone.

A Boxster also feels heavy by comparison, because it is. The Porsche is better balanced, but there’s more mass there.

A hot hatch falls somewhere between the roadsters. Can be a great option, depending on what you go for. Again, for my roads (and preferences) I’d go more old school, but that’s just me. But there’s a reason the first hot hatches were the death-knell for old sports cars – they can be an unbeatable combination of practicality and joie-de-vivre.

Consider the pitfalls, too. The Porsche could be uber-reliable (though more expensive on consumables), or could be ruinous. The Mazda will be utterly reliable, buy equally [b]will[/b] rust (doesn’t matter if it’s just been restored with full cavity wax… it will rust). And don’t think the newer MXs are better for this. They’re not… they’re just a little more refined and less raw. But still rusty. NA and NB MX5s are also rattly, flexi old things compared with the Porsche (or hot hatches). If you’re used to old classics it’s part of the “charm”, otherwise it might get wearisome.

TL:DR
For me…
Porsche; beautiful balance, really practical, great engine, insufficiently engaging at sensible (boring?) speeds.
Mazda; Light, lithe, old school fun. Also utterly reliable but slow, rattly and rusty as ****.
Hot-hatch; Arguably the best option if you just want a giggle, and don’t care what car Nazis / driving gods think. Also most choice.
Also, the MR2 is an epic shout. Zero practicality and dull engine, but awesome car.

I would (and do) have the Mazda.

YMMV

Fiat Barchetta?

Is it just me that's deeply curious about the Escort? Is it a late Mk3 or an early Mk4? Pics?

Late Mk3: on eBay here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266167253771?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Y9EMCMXWTr-&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=Y9EMCMXWTr-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Forget about all the cars mentioned, if it fun your looking for, then look no further than a Abarth , I've recently got one, it's the most mental fun I've ever had

MR2 is fun, I'd have another one if I could have an impractical car. Less cramped for the driver than an MX5 of the same age too.

@PZ_Steve, thanks for the insight - that’s really good stuff to know and definitely helps frame a decision.

Fiat Barchetta would be very cool, but haven’t seen any within 50miles of me and I’m not sure they’d be worth travelling for over a more local MX5 or Boxster. If one came up locally though I’d definitely take a look.

Mx5 I don't know much about them other than the major rust issues but do they all have a lsd?
Z4 e85 has to be one of the best looking so I have 3 all with Mot.
A 2.0,2.2 and a 3.0, definitely go for a 6cyl preferably a 3.0i or si, other than the 3.0si they can be bought so cheap just now , not good for me currently wanting rid of the 2.0

@redmex, what Z4 engine sizes have the flat 6 in? Are all the 2 litres units 4 pots?

A £5k Boxster is going to be a nail I'm afraid (with some biggish bills to come - yes, coolant pipes I'm looking at you).

I've been watching the prices for a long time and they've doubled over the last 12 months.

2.0 is a 4 pot, the 2.2 and 3.0 are an inline 6. You don't want the 2.2, you get the same fuel economy but worse power. The 3.0Si is a nicer, but heavier car than the 3.0SE, but then it also has a bit more power and is a bit more comfortable. depends what you want.

The 3.0Si Coupe/Convertible is, in my opinion the sweet spot in the range.

I picked up my 2.2 for less than 2k, I just wanted to get the heated seats, the headlights and the unmarked new wheels and premium tyres but it's too good to break up
Ok it doesn't have the torque or induction growl of the 3.0i not the 6speed but for the money it's a great car Maldives blue. I'd much rather drive it than any unreliable '70's Triumph Stag or fume filled cabin Mgb roadster with no heated seats if you want the roof down
The 2.0 is good if you're not too interested in engines and just enjoy the wind blowing in you're hair if you have any

My default answer for all car threads - Mini R53. Utterly fabulous things and £5k will get a really good one. Reliable, brilliant to tinker with and make faster/handle better, the way they drive etc is addictive. Had 2 and will definitely get another at some point. Every drive was an event (which is why I'd also go Boxster over an MX5).

I have a 3.2 986 and can confirm it’s an absolute money pit! It’s a great car to drive, feels like you are always going so much faster than you actually are which is fun, and sounds great, but I’d be very very wary of one costing 5k

My clutch went at 60k. By the time they took the rear end off to replace it the bill was 3 grand. That said they did the IMS at same time as a precaution, 600 quid for one bearing!!

You could run one cheaper if you took your chances and only fixed stuff when it broke, but if you want to keep it running sweetly it’ll be expensive. 700 quid for 4 new tyres for example

Things will go wrong at that age, steering rack needed replaced last year, now need to do the front bonnet catch, and only yesterday I had to rip out the alarm as it was playing up. Not so long ago the exhaust went, luckily managed to get one second hand from the breakers otherwise you are talking 1500 quid. Design 911 do cheap aftermarket parts for most things however, original Porsche parts are daylight robbery

That all said, it’s a far nicer car than an mx5 if you can afford it

My clutch went at 60k. By the time they took the rear end off to replace it the bill was 3 grand.

..... which is why I'm thinking maybe an auto is a good choice!!

(yeah, I know they go wrong also)

I used to have a Cayman 987, they are great, but I wouldn't go near one for £5k, it'll cost you a fortune in the long run. Mine was £12k on 100k miles and needed the suspension all replacing, and some other bits- not cheap on a Porsche.

After having a 370bhp Lotus, I've realised it's not all about power and have got a Renault Clio 200 cup, which is a right giggle. Reasonable weight, little car, enough power, revvy engine, short-ratio gearbox, amazing steering, fits the bikes in the back, and you feel like you can actually push it on public roads. You can pick them up easily for £5k. Similar cars e.g. fiesta ST's, supercharged mini, civic type-R etc worth a look.

Personal preference for me is lighter = better, n/a, manual, and a revvy engine, so when I have space for another car, I'll be getting an Mx5 or BMW Z4 for around £5k. You cant beat front engine rwd, but they're normally far less practical than the hot hatches.

As far as driving entertainment goes, I prefer the Clio to the Porsche. You just end up going too fast in something with as much power as a Cayman/boxster to enjoy it for long. And at £5k it's not like you'll get the Porsche poser image either!

Also +1 for what PZSteve said!

Honda S2000??

S2000 over budget unfortunately, and new Mini’s just don’t excite me.

A bit as feared with a Boxster - just because they exist at £5k doesn’t mean you should buy one at £5k.

Considering TT, Z3 and Z4 based on the above comments. Although as good a car as a Z4 might be, again visually it doesn’t excite me. Although a Z3 does a bit more (but rust would be a factor).

My friends cheap boxster ended up as a money pit when it needed clutch doing. Wouldnt put me off them.

But i think it really depends on how or when you use it. Not sure I'd want to daily any as they're all getting on a bit.

I quite like Z4's and theyre relatively simple... I like my BMW's though.

Massive mx5 fan here. My wife is on her 4th.
Mk1 very much had the 'classic' feel, the early 1.6 before it was hobbled is an absolute peach. Love it. The 1.8 is definitely less frantic.
Mk3 2.0 is a great car but definitely not as 'pure' to drive. A lot more refined though.
Mk2 kind of the middle ground. 1s and 2s are absolute rot boxes, so be careful! Hood drains block up and fill the sills with water, often not caught soon enough. If you see one with 'a bit' of tinworm on the sills, then walk, unless you are a proficient welder!
Mechanicals are very strong though. The reason engines are so cheap is because they rarely die so they're are loads of them!

Favourite of my wife's collection was the mk1 Eunos R Ltd. Shorter final drive, uprated diff, which we then caged and tweaked a bit. It was just so much fun. At the time I had a 200sx I spent a lot of money trying to make as satisfying to drive. In the end I just gave up an bought a 'big mx5 with a rotary' but they're significantly out of your budget now.

Rx8 is a lovely chassis, and the engines are wonderful when they work, but I don't think they're quite what you're after tbh. More of a quirky daily.

My neighbour was raining a relative's early Boxster for a while, and he seemed to be forever trying to sort bits on it.

A lot of price related scaremongering on here, my 3.2 was £4k at the start of winter and when fuel was more expensive.
Full history, facelift rear lights, factory Litronic headlights, sports exhaust, GT3 wheels and a few other nice bits.
Expenditure has been on servicing (9 litres of oil!) as well as a Bluetooth head unit and new speakers. Service parts are cheap although Porsche dealer parts are crazy money.
They can be expensive to run but that's not completely why the cars are so cheap to buy. They made loads of them, they are at the bottom of their depreciation curve and they are forever seen as not as good as the 911.

Don't be afraid of them 🙂

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Cheers Murf - great to hear it’s not all horror stories.

I feel like a Boxster at £5k is a gamble, whereas an MX5 at £5k is a far safer bet. I’m not too worried about usual running costs, it’s more that a big repair bill out of the blue could be a real nightmare!

A lot of price related scaremongering on here, my 3.2 was £4k at the start of winter and when fuel was more expensive.

So you've had it for all of 3 months?

the other thing I'd add.. whilst jap sports cars do tend to rust, getting it sorted out even annually (which might be the case on a late-80s mx5) isn't super-expensive. I got the sills patched (bit of a rough job) on the one I had for <£200 - for a grand you'd have a proper job done which would last years. Yes, its something to look out for, but it would probably cost less to rectify than anything that needs new parts on a boxster 🙂

MX5

I spent probably 2 decades dismissing them based on the notion they were a hairdressers car and didn't have a "proper" engine (by that I mean "more than 4 cylinders" or "turbocharged" or both)...

How wrong I was!

I've owned all sorts, driven plenty of exotica... Bought a 2009 MX5 2L sport with a few mods (mine was a little out of your range at £7200, but £5k will get you a tidy stock car no dramas) back in October and haven't looked back! It is SOOOOO MUCH FUN!

Took it on track at Donington a couple of weeks ago, had an absolute riot in it!

All I can say is I genuinely wish I'd got on the MX5 bandwagon much earlier... I had a BMW M2 before this, it was a lovely car, went fast, made all the right noises, even had a pretty decent chassis compared to the M-Lite cars (M135i etc.)... But you couldn't really exploit its abilities on the road, and on a track they tie themselves in knots pretty quickly unless you spend huge money sorting them out... MX5 is just way more fun to properly exploit, and at a fraction of the price too!

Do it, you won't regret it... Mine has been to BBR for their Super 180 conversion (a 4 into 1 manifold and a remap, gives 25bhp, mine now dyno's at 183bhp), has had coilovers and stiffer ARB's fitted too so corners a lot flatter. Next thing is a brake upgrade as I was cooking them after 5 or 6 laps of Donington GP circuit...

On the road though... MX5 is perfect stock. Forget the PHRT folding hood models, the stock fabric hood is perfect simplicity, up and down on your own in seconds... And it's lighter... The boot is big enough for a week away unless your OH demands you take the kitchen sink too, fuel economy is mid to high 30's unless you're thrashing it, get a sport model and it comes with an LSD and heated seats (both VERY important IMO!) stock too... The heater's good too... Oh, and as Mazda developed the engine for Ford too (Ford owners know the MZR as a Duratec), spare parts are dirt cheap and as long as you check the oil level regularly, they will go on for big miles too...

And the gearshift... The shift on the 6spd in my car (stock fluids have been changed for Millers, which makes a big difference to feel and performance) is probably the best shift feel this side of a Honda S2000 too... In fact, my car is now only 55bhp shy of an S2000, but also 200kg lighter, so it's not far off performance wise but is much easier to live with and much cheaper to buy and run!

Only real worry about NC (mk3) MX5's is rust... Same as with any generation of MX5. But buy a good one that has already been treated properly, or find a clean one and get it treated and undersealed yourself, and you'll be laughing literally every time you drive it! 😁

Mk3 2.0 is a great car but definitely not as ‘pure’ to drive. A lot more refined though.

I get why the MX5 cognoscenti say this, but coming from any other (heavier) car, an NC feels quite a pure sports car by comparison... They are also MUCH easier to live with as you say...

A couple of quick mods to suspension make the NC much more of a capable sports car too. And whilst they do suffer from tin worm if not looked after, it's much better on the NC than NA's and NB's, and the 2L MZR engine is a much better place to be starting from tuning wise than the engines in the earlier cars too...

It's odd that the NC is so hated amongst the MX5 purists, and that was a big consideration in the design of the ND returning to a smaller and less practical form factor... I want something I can get into and drive with some level of practicality. If I wanted something lightweight I could barely fit into, I'd buy a Caterham or some other similar type of kit car! 😂

"So you’ve had it for all of 3 months?"

Yep, and prior to that I had a blue 3.2S that I bought for £3.5k. it had been sitting in a garden uncovered for 5 years and I brought it back to being roadworthy, getting a fair idea of what their weak points are.

A bit as feared with a Boxster – just because they exist at £5k doesn’t mean you should buy one at £5k.

Not always. I turned down a 1999 Boxster 2.7 last week for £6k. 1 owner, 42k, dark blue with hardtop, garaged its life, F-in_L's neighbour. I was tempted (REALLY tempted) but a 2-seat car wouldn't work for me - I'm rarely driving anywhere without at least two passengers. Something like that's never going to be worth less than £6k in future.

Downside to that is I'm now looking around at for whatever the 4-seat equivalent of a £6k Boxster is, and drawing a blank. There's some really interesting bargains/moneypits available for that sort of price though.

Any chance of FWDing me the details and/or a contact @a11y?

I get why the MX5 cognoscenti say this, but coming from any other (heavier) car, an NC feels quite a pure sports car by comparison… They are also MUCH easier to live with as you say…

Exactly. Maybe I didn't put that quite right. On it's own merits the NC is a great car, it's just that some of it's older siblings drive that fraction better. Like you say, coilovers on my wife's made a world of difference.

For us, She desperately missed her old 5s, and a change in job meant that they would fit perfectly. Off the back of two rather posh new C Class cabriolets through work, her standards were a little higher than previously, so the mk3 was the perfect compromise. (This is not to say she only like comfort, she had a DC2 as a daily for over 3 years!)

Any chance of FWDing me the details and/or a contact @a11y?

@abingham, messaged you.

Not always. I turned down a 1999 Boxster 2.7 last week for £6k. 1 owner, 42k, dark blue with hardtop, garaged its life

When I bought mine it was significantly newer, had similar miles and a fsh. It had to have 4.5k’s worth of work on it in first 12 months (it had a warranty that covered 1.5k of that). Ime around 45k in is when quite a few issues materialize.

Im not saying don’t buy one, I still have mine and love it. But go in eyes open, recognizing at some point in next 24 months you’ll probably be facing a substantial repair bill of one type or another. If that doesn’t bother you then bash on as they really do put a smile on your face

Also..you definitely want it to have a soft top!!

@tpbiker, oh absolutely agree with you on all that. The entry price can be attractive but once you're in the ongoing costs can be a riot. Off the back of another 'what car' thread on here I've rediscovered Autotrader and I'm amazed at what £5-6k buys. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with this for <£5k? 😁

I recently gambled by using a 14 year old Aussie import muscle car as my daily driver for 4 years, so personally I'm OK with a wee bit of risk! First 15 months were cost-free but the 9 months after the less said the better.

I'd like another soft top - previously owned a Z4 - but IMO 4-seaters rarely work as soft tops, as Jeremy Clarkson once said.

Will you DIY repairs or paying a garage? That makes quite a difference in running costs.

A mk3 MX5 is probably the safest bet, but inspect it carefully, or get it inspected, plenty rotten ones out there (that look clean, until you realise you can put your hand through the sill). They are just good fun, not as interesting an engine/noise compared to a six (if that matters), but a simple, fun car you can just use. Could also buy a cheap one and budget to get the sills done.

MK3 MR2 can be made a lot more interesting if you remove the 1ZZ and fit a 2ZZ from a celica or corolla, gives you factory reliability and the performance it should have had (same engine as a Mk2 Elise).

Do you care about an LSD? You can get MX5s with LSD, Z4s dont (except Ms). EP3s and FN2s dont except 2011+ or special editions. Could also price it in to fit one if its a deal breaker.

Another thing to consider is road tax, 2006+ can be expensive, RX8s are £630 last time I checked (if thats an issue for you). I was looking at a few cheap/fun cars recently, but a £2k car, that is £2500 in road tax over 4 years is kind of annoying.

OK:

Repairs will be done at a garage - I’m keen but incompetent in the mechanics department.

LSD would be cool but being realistic I’ll very rarely push the limits of even a small sports car

Well aware of the rust issues, heart says Eunos but would be reliant on finding a good one. Mk3 would be the most sensible choice in terms of MX5 I think but it will depend on what cars are on the market at the time of buying (in the next month or so).

I’m really liking the idea of a MK3 MR2, they seem to be less prone to rot and the slightly left fuel choice which appeals to me. Also mid/rear engine is a very cool selling point.

What about a Mercedes slk?

That 5k merc on autotrader reminds me of a 2005 plate cl AMG I had a peak at when I bought my last (far more sensible) car. It was 5k, so less than a grand per 100 hp! As you say, what could possibly go wrong at that price 😂

Well, there’s LOADS of SLK’s about at well under £5k but most (all?) have a folding hardtop and I’d prefer soft top. And, they just don’t really do it for me like some of the alternatives discussed. In fact, Mercedes cars generally don’t really speak to me.

Is there anything Tracy's daughter can't do?

Two daughters.

Eldest likes her old cars. She has just won a competition for a 1939 Morris 8 Series E Tourer for a year.

Youngest dissappears tomorrow for up to 18 months riding her bike. Most of the first 12 in New Zealand and then into Canada on her way back.

@Tracey apologies for spelling your name wrong. 🤦‍♂️

I think either of your daughters is ahead of me in most things