For those interested in "Modern Classic" Cars

[37114]

19 hours ago, big jim said:

There’s an NB I’m watching on ebay that’s ending tonight with no bids at £1500 (or best offer) 

 

looks tidy enough, no rust on the arches in the pics but this has raised alarm bells for me, the 2019 MOT, nothing major on the pass sheet…….

 

but then look at the failure sheet from the same day, with the same mileage showing (it continues off the scrolled page too!) 

 

Something isn’t right there, none of the above failures appear on any further MOTs and there’s no way all that work would be carried out in a day had it been done

Agree with you Jim, that looks well dodgy..

[big jim]

I think he’s going to have to get himself something a little mundane for a while, I spotted an NC on eBay with a full 12 months mot and decent history but it’s the 2l one, gave his insurance company a ring and they won’t insure him on it either as a car change or a new policy (which would mean he’d lose his accumulated 6 months NCD too) 

 

I haven’t found an NB with a long enough test at a decent price to make it a worthwhile purchase, the ones I’ve found with maybe 5 months test are as rotten as his when you check the history so he’d probably be back in the same position again come mot time so he’s just going to have to get himself a small hatchback or something until he’s built his no claims up, he seemed a bit fed up about that but I said he’d achieved his dream and had an MX5 as his first car which not many teenagers could manage to do, plus I think if he gets something a bit more ‘refined’ he might realise how brash the Mazda is as an every day car!

 

He did find an RX8 last night for a decent price so to bring him back down to earth a bit we looked at dummy quotes on compare the market and for a £2k car they wanted £8k for fully comp insurance! 

[MJI]

And they wonder why do many people buy a car and not insure.

 

Got a son in 20s looking at cars, i told him look at bigger 'boring' cars.

 

Mentioned 5k insurance for a focus.

 

So i reminded him, boring bigger car, try a Volvo.

 

Small cars are prime high insurance due to buyers.

 

So choosea  car labelled as boring, could get nicer car with less insurance.

[Ryde-on-time]

2 hours ago, big jim said:

I think he’s going to have to get himself something a little mundane for a while, I spotted an NC on eBay with a full 12 months mot and decent history but it’s the 2l one, gave his insurance company a ring and they won’t insure him on it either as a car change or a new policy (which would mean he’d lose his accumulated 6 months NCD too) 

 

I haven’t found an NB with a long enough test at a decent price to make it a worthwhile purchase, the ones I’ve found with maybe 5 months test are as rotten as his when you check the history so he’d probably be back in the same position again come mot time so he’s just going to have to get himself a small hatchback or something until he’s built his no claims up, he seemed a bit fed up about that but I said he’d achieved his dream and had an MX5 as his first car which not many teenagers could manage to do, plus I think if he gets something a bit more ‘refined’ he might realise how brash the Mazda is as an every day car!

 

He did find an RX8 last night for a decent price so to bring him back down to earth a bit we looked at dummy quotes on compare the market and for a £2k car they wanted £8k for fully comp insurance! 

Our Daughter passed her test just over 2 years ago around her 18th birthday and she has had her own car since - First she had a 2006 Fiesta which cost £1500 for first year fully comp with Direct line and no silly black box and £1200 for the second. She now has a 2008 Mini Cooper and the insurance for that is £1200. Car bought in her name and her insurance policy with us parents as named drivers

 

We found though, as she had her own car (which some insurers ask about), we could insure her additionally on something more interesting. Within 6 months of passing her test I was getting quotes of £500 to insure things like an MX5, Mercedes SLK, Chrysler Crossfire, Mini cooper s convertible etc with her added as a named driver. We got the NB 1.8 MX5 in the end and the insurance is about that

 

Perhaps he could get a mundane everyday car in his own name but you could get something a bit more exciting?

[Quarryscapes]

3 hours ago, Ryde-on-time said:

The NC MX5's suffer rust just a badly but the 1.8 and 2.0 litre engines are also a weak point, there are always plenty of cars for sale where the bottom end of the engine has failed

 

Sorry but that's utter nonsense. Those engines are in use across loads of different Ford, Mazda and Volvo models, and there are further 2.3 and 2.5 versions as well. The only real clanger in their design is that the crank pulley sits only on a taper, there is no key. For racing it is common to have a key machined in, but we are talking on engiens that are seriously abused, and highly tuned. 

[Quarryscapes]

3 hours ago, Ryde-on-time said:

The NC MX5's suffer rust just a badly but the 1.8 and 2.0 litre engines are also a weak point, there are always plenty of cars for sale where the bottom end of the engine has failed

 

Sorry but that's utter nonsense. Those engines are in use across loads of different Ford, Mazda and Volvo models, and there are further 2.3 and 2.5 versions as well. The only real clanger in their design is that the crank pulley sits only on a taper, there is no key. For racing it is common to have a key machined in, but we are talking on engines that are seriously abused, and highly tuned. We don't key our 2.5s, and apart from fitting ITBs they are in standard tune. 

 

[big jim]

1 hour ago, Ryde-on-time said:

Perhaps he could get a mundane everyday car in his own name but you could get something a bit more exciting?

I’ve already got a modified Mini Cooper S and he’s going nowhere near that! 
 

must admit I did try and get him on my diesel Skoda superb insurance as a named driver but again they wouldn’t touch him as a new driver, I may be able to add him once he’s been driving for a year 

[Kickstart]

2 hours ago, Quarryscapes said:

 

Sorry but that's utter nonsense. Those engines are in use across loads of different Ford, Mazda and Volvo models, and there are further 2.3 and 2.5 versions as well. The only real clanger in their design is that the crank pulley sits only on a taper, there is no key. For racing it is common to have a key machined in, but we are talking on engines that are seriously abused, and highly tuned. We don't key our 2.5s, and apart from fitting ITBs they are in standard tune. 

 

 

Think part of their reputation for being weak is when compared to earlier engines when turbod. The older engines would take a turbo easily with no problems, but the NC engine struggles more when that much extra power is added. In day to day use they do not seem to be unreliable.

Rust wise they are not perfect, but they do appear to be massively better than the NB. Most likely corrosion spot is a bolt on brace, that by the time it rusts is unlikely to unbolt! Yes rust does happen, but seems less severe and takes far longer to be terminal than the NB front chassis rails.

 

All the best

 

Katy

[Ryde-on-time]

3 hours ago, Quarryscapes said:

 

Sorry but that's utter nonsense. Those engines are in use across loads of different Ford, Mazda and Volvo models, and there are further 2.3 and 2.5 versions as well. The only real clanger in their design is that the crank pulley sits only on a taper, there is no key. For racing it is common to have a key machined in, but we are talking on engines that are seriously abused, and highly tuned. We don't key our 2.5s, and apart from fitting ITBs they are in standard tune. 

 

Sorry but it is not rubbish. A short search will bring up cars like this:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202305277844874?sort=price-asc&advertising-location=at_cars&make=Mazda&model=MX-5&postcode=MK179BT&price-to=2500&fromsra

 

And if you google MX5 NC bottom end knock you get page after page of forum discussions and web pages about it such as these:

https://forum.mx5oc.co.uk/t/2016-nc-1-8-engine-knock-blue-smoke/132518

https://forum.mx5oc.co.uk/t/engine-knocking/93788

https://forum.mx5oc.co.uk/t/nc1-2-0-bottom-end-knock-engine-rebuild-options-or-conversion/133796

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=185&t=1616988

 

 

 

 

[big jim]

We have a bit of a predicament regards a replacement car, found plenty of other stuff but he simply can’t get insurance on them, even looking at switching to an 1.8 mx5 is a no no, if he wanted to do that he would have to start a new policy at £2.4K a year and lose his accumulated 7 months worth of NCD 

 

we looked at insurance for a 1.4 civic that my mate has for sale for £750 and they want an extra £730 on top of the £1500 he’s already paid for the current MX5 insurance just to insure that, so even to just buy a run about to build his no claims up is going to cost £1500 more! 
 

the only solution we can come up with is the mx5 with the dodgy 2019 MOT that I highlighted on the previous page, that’s identical to his current car in every way apart from it’s a couple of years newer so a change shouldn’t cost anything other than the change of vehicle fee however when he put the reg in on his on line policy it says he needs to ring them to discuss it (which we’ll do later this morning) if they say they won’t insure him on it then questions need asking! 
 

my thinking behind that car is it’s MOTd until late August which by that time he will have his first years no claims (hopefully!) so should it go for it’s mot and fail spectacularly it’s going to be a case of doing as he’s done now and sell it on for spares or repairs and look for something different with his one years NCD, if it passes then he can keep it and hopefully insure it cheaper using the NCD 

 

it’s not an ideal solution but it’s the best one to keep his insurance going to build up to his first year and the one that will be the least outlay from his pocket, the guy said he will take £1300 for it with the hardtop but has said to come and have a look first as it’s got a few scrapes and marks (it looks better externally than Dom’s car from the pics though) 

 

Dom’s car is up on eBay and has a bid at £350 with a week to go, the hard top is up for £250 with people watching so if they both sell at those prices then he will have had a years free motoring (apart from consumables of course) as he only paid £600 for it anyway, of course that money will go toward the new MX5 meaning his outlay for that should only be £700

 

its all very complicated! 
 

Dom’s car 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/386842497838?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=TJORlFVXTTy&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=TJORlFVXTTy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

The one we’re going to look at 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/395251031997?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=QvP3T6_WRDC&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=TJORlFVXTTy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[MJI]

How much would it cost to repair?

 

Either DIY welding or pay someone.

 

Say it was 1k for another years usage, compared to insurance rises, would be viable.

 

Says someone looking at spending 6 to 7k on a 20 year old car to life extend.

[big jim]

Spoke to his insurance and they won’t insure him on the like for like MX5, so he’s going to have to look elsewhere and will lose his accumulated NCD if he starts with a new company

 

either that or buy the run around and run that until he’s got the year in, but again he looking at having to add to his already paid premium unless we find the right car

 

personally I think he’s better off finding a run around for 6 months than lose his NCD as when getting quotes last night it was making over £1000 difference on some quotes

 

2 hours ago, MJI said:

How much would it cost to repair?

 

Either DIY welding or pay someone

 

Easily £800 of chassis and cill repairs are needed, then there’s the calliper, rear discs and pads as well then to properly repair the rear arches is going to be £500+ and it would need painting too, the garage he works at said pre mot that if it did get through he’d be lucky to get another year out of it, it would end up like the forth bridge, finish one bit and start on the next and back to the start again! 
 

EDIT: found he can insure something like a Mini Cooper for about £100 extra, some half decent ones knocking about for sub £1000 so I think we might head down that route for now 

Edited March 9 by big jim

[jcredfer]

Have you looked at Marmite Insurance?  A couple of my daughter's friends pointed her in that direction, as a useful {first year} option, if it fits??

 

Basically you buy your insurance by the mile {Batches of 1,000 at a time, or more}.  The "bind" is that she has to have a Tracker fitted, which they provide.  The second condition is that the Parent / guardian also has to "register" on the same Insurance {The logic of that beats me - I can think of a couple of reasons, but they are seriously into conspiracy theory.  Either way, I have my own car and don't drive her's, so it isn't really relevant.}.  I'm not over-fussed about the tracker, for a year or so and may even have benefits for her as it provides the feedback to her, every trip.  She finds that to be useful information about how well she is driving and likes seeing the rows of 5 stars.  Her friends are likewise positively engaged with the tracker.

 

With that as a background, she picked up a 2011 Mini One, 1595/8?cc{!!!} and they were just fine with that, straight after her test.  Once a year has passed, or maybe more, she will have accumulated some no-claim time and can move on to more conventional modes.

 

I'm not connected with them and to be honest, I found then a touch finicky on details they already had. {they asked when I Passed my driving test and I replied with the Jul 1964, which was when I passed the Test.  Nope, not good enough, they wanted the date that my {Post Office paid Licences stopped and went to DVLA, ie when my first DVLA issued Licence was issued and clearly, recorded on the, current, plastic licence, of which they already had a photograph of!!}  That said, they did provide insurance cover and at a reasonable price, for a newly qualified driver, for what it may be worth.

 

Best wishes

 

[big jim]

It’s not so much changing insurance companies as he’ll no doubt do that when he’s due to renew as if he does that now just to insure another MX5 he’s lost his accumulated no claims and he’s back to square one trying to build up his first years NCD again

 

weve found a few minis about that should see him through til August to get the all important first year in but hopefully he might realise after a few months of driving something ‘sensible’ with a metal roof having an old rattly sports car isn’t the be all and end all

tbh I’m liking this for him….

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285754558611?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=hZmBhohDQse&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=TJORlFVXTTy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

Edited March 9 by big jim

[Dunsignalling]

9 hours ago, big jim said:

It’s not so much changing insurance companies as he’ll no doubt do that when he’s due to renew as if he does that now just to insure another MX5 he’s lost his accumulated no claims and he’s back to square one trying to build up his first years NCD again

 

weve found a few minis about that should see him through til August to get the all important first year in but hopefully he might realise after a few months of driving something ‘sensible’ with a metal roof having an old rattly sports car isn’t the be all and end all

tbh I’m liking this for him….

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285754558611?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=hZmBhohDQse&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=TJORlFVXTTy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

 

Looks far too good to go for close to the current bid, though. Snipers will be lurking....

 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

Looks far too good to go for close to the current bid, though. Snipers will be lurking....

 

I’d be putting a bid on that if I had anywhere to keep it…

[jcredfer]

11 hours ago, big jim said:

It’s not so much changing insurance companies as he’ll no doubt do that when he’s due to renew as if he does that now just to insure another MX5 he’s lost his accumulated no claims and he’s back to square one trying to build up his first years NCD again

 

weve found a few minis about that should see him through til August to get the all important first year in but hopefully he might realise after a few months of driving something ‘sensible’ with a metal roof having an old rattly sports car isn’t the be all and end all

tbh I’m liking this for him….

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285754558611?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=hZmBhohDQse&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=TJORlFVXTTy&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

 

Mentions interior, wheels, engine, transmission and suspension having no issues, paint colour, good pictures, but no nearside bodywork picture??

 

[Dunsignalling]

2 minutes ago, jcredfer said:

 

Mentions interior, wheels, engine, transmission and suspension having no issues, paint colour, good pictures, but no nearside bodywork picture??

 

Ad states that the central locking isn't working and on 214s/25s you need to know in what way it's not.

 

My stepfather's went and the rear doors didn't lock at all.... 

[big jim]

The guy we got the MX5 off has a Saab 9.3 TDI with 12 months test for £500 that dom has just looked at the insurance for and it will cost him and extra £200 to change to so we’re going to have a look at that in a min, crazy they will insure him on a 1.9 family barge but not a like for like 1.6 that he’s been driving round in for 7 months!  

[big jim]

And bought! 

 

 

[MJI]

Family barges are quite cheap to insure for young drivers as not the usual purchase,

[spamcan61]

23 minutes ago, big jim said:

And bought! 

 

 

Blimey that's got to be worth 400 quid scrap!

[Dunsignalling]

Well bought!

 

The gentle art of finding good specimens of "future classics" while they are still priced as just "old cars".....

 

John

[Nick C]

18 hours ago, MJI said:

Family barges are quite cheap to insure for young drivers as not the usual purchase,

Agreed, it's always been like that, as insurance is all done on numbers - very few young people drive big cars like that, and those who do tend to be more careful (as if you're the kind of young driver who's going to drive like an idiot, you're not going to choose a 'luxobarge'), so there's very few crashes.

 

A friend of mine found this when we were learning to drive back in the early 2000s, and bought a Volvo when everyone else had Fiestas/Novas/106s etc - he was paying about half the insurance that everyone else had...

[big jim]

We have been to a funeral today so before we sat off dom wanted to mourn his MX5 too!