Mazda MX5 Roadster Coupe (2006 - ) - Valuing an MX5..

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Wed 4 Nov 2009 23:21
Valuing an MX5.. - legacylad
I have been considering an MX5 for a few years now, waiting for prices to drop, and now have the opportunity to buy a 2 year old folding hardtop, which is for sale locally from a private seller, as an early wedding present for ourselves.
I shall run it as my sole car, covering less than 10k miles pa, whilst the future SWMBO has a company Passat which we normally use at weekends.
Being of short arms and deep pockets, spending this kind of money brings me out in a cold sweat. I hate to waste the time of garages many miles away asking them for their 'best price' with no p/ex, so please can anyone here provide me with Glass's private sale price.
The spec is '57, 2.0 Sport 14k miles. One careful owner in excellent condition. I may well need to buy 2 or 4 new Bridgestone Potenzas, and shall have to fit a towbar! I appreciate that prices may fall further as we go into the winter months, but probably less so for this model.
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Wed 4 Nov 2009 23:51
Valuing an MX5.. - rtj70
folding hardtop


Not made of metal though. But still fun cars.
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Wed 4 Nov 2009 23:53
Valuing an MX5.. - dsuk81
I believe s towbar on a mk3 is illegal...
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Thu 5 Nov 2009 07:18
Valuing an MX5.. - maz64
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=77...7
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Thu 5 Nov 2009 08:35
Valuing an MX5.. - RobertyBob
I think prices on MX-5s may have firmed a little.

We bought our 2.0l soft-top brand new in February. I saw a similar second-hand one on our dealer forecourt this week with a sticker price of £1k more than we paid.

As said above, MX-5s are not designed to take tow bars.
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Thu 5 Nov 2009 09:21
Valuing an MX5.. - Pugugly
Cracking cars - friend bought a MX5 Sportech (rag top) in September (new) - no discount from dealer (!) - Autotrader and e-bay to test for prices. Getting a car from a private and known seller is priceless - it'll still have a warranty. Worry about the twobar after you've got it....
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Thu 5 Nov 2009 12:00
Valuing an MX5.. - martint123
I think the Mk1 (pop up headlights) was type approved for a towbar or an approved towbar was manufactured. Mines nearly 20 years old now and no issues really.

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Thu 5 Nov 2009 11:50
Valuing an MX5.. - sandy56
If you need to fit a tow bar to an MX5 youre buying the wrong car.

You need a bigger car. The mx5 is too small and light to tow anything.
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Thu 5 Nov 2009 11:57
Valuing an MX5.. - old crocks
If you need to fit a tow bar to an MX5 youre buying the wrong car.


Not if you want it to fit a bike rack to it or occasionally tow a small trailer short distances. They are not that small or that light.



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Thu 5 Nov 2009 12:52
Valuing an MX5.. - legacylad
Thankyou for your replies. According to the Witter website the MX5 is not homologated to tow. Thanks for informing me fellow BR's .
As the MX5 would be my sole vehicle, I did not give a second thought to the inability to fit a towbar. My current vehicle accommodates everything in the back...a large Honda petrol mower and Stihl pressure washer which I use for commercial purposes. Obviously a 2.0 Sport has sufficient power to tow a lightly laden 5ft x 3ft trailer.
The pressure washer will sit on the passenger seat, with hoses, lance etc in the boot (just) but the mower is a dilemma. What a quandary.
To make matters worse, the car is the colour I want, the spec is right, and it is a genuine sale by someone whom I know.
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Thu 5 Nov 2009 18:04
Valuing an MX5.. - Pugugly

Specifically says in the manual not to fit a tow bar :-(
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Thu 5 Nov 2009 18:15
Valuing an MX5.. - martint123

Seen this pic??
i80.photobucket.com/albums/j183/gwa_2006/trailer-1...g

Edited by martint123 on 05/11/2009 at 18:15

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Thu 5 Nov 2009 18:33
Valuing an MX5.. - Frederick
That's a Mk I and a towbar could be fitted to it, but not the later models AFAIK.

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Thu 5 Nov 2009 19:23
Valuing an MX5.. - RobertyBob
Adding a towbar can be done. See the following US site :-

www.bethania-garage.com/hitch.htm

Not sure what your insurance company might say though.
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Mon 5 Sep 2011 18:50
Valuing an MX5.. - Collos25

I know lots of people who have towbars on sports cars they are used for bike racks I have one myself on my CLC.

Edited by Collos25 on 05/09/2011 at 18:51

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Mon 5 Sep 2011 18:34
Valuing an MX5.. - mx5fun
If you need to fit a tow bar to an MX5 youre buying the wrong car. You need a bigger car. The mx5 is too small and light to tow anything.

Not strictly true, there are smaller and lighter, or certainly as light cars on the road that you can fit towbars too, think Corsa sized cars,

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Tue 6 Sep 2011 00:53
Valuing an MX5.. - Ethan Edwards

Think micro caravan 180 Kg no not 1800 but 180 kg try googling teardrop trailer.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ALL-SPORTS-TEARDROP-TRAILER-CARAVAN-MICRO-CAMPING-/250884427737?pt=UK_Campers_Caravans_Motorhomes&hash=item3a69e08fd9#ht_1248wt_1139

You won't believe it but it's legal to tow a trailer with a motorbike, I would think a MX5 would be able to tow a little more than a motorbike wouldn't you?

http://www.lizardtrailers.co.uk/images/motorbike_trailer_1.jpg

In fact I've been thinking about one of those Micro caravan's myself.

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Fri 14 Sep 2012 15:16
Valuing an MX5.. - mx5fun

Agreed. To the original poster, how did our families manage to tow back in the sixties, seventies and eighties then? Cars were smaller, lighter and not as powerful. In the eighties I towed a full 4 berth caravan with a 900kg, 125bhp car for thousands of miles, no issues. The MX5 is 1050kg give or take with approx 160bhp in 2 litre guise.

The matter in hand is type approval in Europe, yes once again Brussels decides for us. Incidentally you can get towbars for the MX5 from the US, they apparently have no issue with sensible towing with the car, and they say the Yanks are stoopid, thanks Europe!!

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Tue 6 Sep 2011 01:39
Valuing an MX5.. - Avant

Is it worth thinking about a BMW Z4? It would have to be a slightly older car for your budget, but it might be able to take a towbar.

Edited by Avant on 06/09/2011 at 01:39

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Fri 14 Sep 2012 18:09
Valuing an MX5.. - 72 dudes

You say the car is a 2 year old, yet it's a '57. Can't be both!

'57 is now between 4.5 and 5 years old and I would expect a nicely looked after 14k model to go for around £7250 - £7750 in a private sale, maybe a little less.

However, check for full service history with the Mazda dealer where he has had it serviced - they are kept digitally and need a service/oil change every 12 months, regardless of the low mileage, in fact especially because of the lowmileage as the oil can deteriorate more quickly if it rarely reaches operating temperature with short journeys.

Forget the towbar and the Bridgestones! Most MX5 drivers go with Yokohamas, original equipment. Avon ZV5 is another option - both cost less than the Potenzas.

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Fri 14 Sep 2012 19:05
Valuing an MX5.. - NARU

You say the car is a 2 year old, yet it's a '57. Can't be both!


It can when the original post was on Wed 4 Nov 2009!

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Fri 14 Sep 2012 19:38
Valuing an MX5.. - Bobbin Threadbare

Most MX5 drivers go with Yokohamas, original equipment. Avon ZV5 is another option - both cost less than the Potenzas.

How do you find this information out? She says, looking at the Uniroyal Rainsports on her MX-5.

I often wonder why people, who don't usually post, suddenly drag up a really old thread.

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Sat 15 Sep 2012 15:16
Valuing an MX5.. - 72 dudes

Sorry - had not noticed the original post date!!! Although mx5fun revived it, not me.

Bobbin - are you not in the MX5 OC? Yokohamas are often mentioned in the magazine, possibly more so for older MX5s I would concede.

Edited by 72 dudes on 15/09/2012 at 15:16

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Sun 16 Sep 2012 14:13
Valuing an MX5.. - Bobbin Threadbare

Haha no I'm not in an owner's club and I don't go on the MX-5 forums either; don't know why not!

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