Outstanding condition MX-5 with incredibly low mileage, just fully serviced, fully valeted with warranted mileage and great specification, including power-folding retractable metal hard top roof, satellite navigation, 17” multi-spoke alloy wheels, climate control, cruise control, leather interior, heated seats, Bluetooth and CD-player, TPMS, heated and electrically adjusted mirrors, electric windows and a premium suspension upgrade with Bilstein dampers all round!
In the details below, you’ll find full details of the specification, vehicle history, and a thoroughly detailed condition report.
Twenty-eight large-format photos also below!
Now we’re talking! What a fabulous opportunity this is to acquire an ultra-low mileage immaculate condition example of this gorgeous and iconic third-generation Mazda MX-5 sports convertible.
The Back Story
This MX-5 Sport Tech was first registered in April 2015 when it sold to a private owner in Walton-on-Thames in Surrey. In August 2018 – just over three years and 7,000 miles later – it changed hands to its second owner. That second owner kept the Mazda for a further three years or so, until it was sold to Austin, its third and last keeper, in October 2021 still with just 9,600 miles on the clock. Austin went in to the selling dealer to buy something else, but saw this MX-5 and fell in love with it! In the next year, Austin added a further 5000 miles in it, during which time the car behaved perfectly. Then Austin got promoted at work and given a company vehicle, so the MX-5 was relegated to weekend use… and then Austin realised that weekend use usually involved going out with friends, which was a bit restricted with just the two seats in the Mazda. So since then, the MX-5 has again been hardly used, with just another 1300 miles or so added in the last ten months. Austin decided to look for an equally low mileage mid-sized four-door hatchback instead, and I was delighted to sell him one and to take this sporty MX-5 in part exchange.
Mazda MX-5 Ownership in General
The MX-5 is a motoring icon. Just by way of an example, this month’s Classic Cars magazine features the 50 most important cars to be released in the last 50 years – and the first one to be reviewed is the Mazda MX-5; it goes on to comment on how the MX-5 effectively saved the genre of the small two-seater roadster, adding: “it kept the sense of being an enthusiasts’ car in the way the (Lotus) Elan was, complete with pin-sharp handling and high-revving twin-can engine. It felt like something much more specialized than the mainstream car industry would usually produce, and yet unlike Elan ownership, you didn’t have to become an expert in bolting bits back on”
Since the first generation MX-5, it’s been through a few iterations, but has managed to retain that ability for go-cart-esque thrills and handling whilst adding more civilized comforts. This third generation of MX-5 was introduced in 2005 and ran through to 2015 – so this example is one of the very last before the current model was launched.
You won’t have to google far to find stories of how fabulous they are, not only to drive but also to own, thanks to Mazda’s legendary reliability. It has a heady combination of swift acceleration, roadholding and sharp handling. It’s got plenty of power from the 2.0 litre 4-cylinder naturally-aspirated engine, which develops 157bhp and 188NM torque and delivers this power through a 6-speed manual gearbox to the rear wheels – classic sportscar layout. This gives it a strong 0-60 mph sprint in just 7.6 secs and on to a maximum speed of 136mph (where legal of course!) – plenty fast enough for most people! The engine and drivetrain are smooth and progressive and the car just loves to be cornered with spirit!
The interior is spacious enough for two occupants, and comfortable too. There’s even a reasonable amount of boot space – more than you’ll find on some of its rivals!
Specification of this example
This example is an MX-5 i Roadster 2.0 Sport Tech Nav, dating from April 2015. This brings it plenty of power and lots of great tech-based equipment too! It looks fabulous, in the Metallic Meteor Grey paintwork, set off by the 10-spoke 17” alloy wheels, shod with high quality Bridgstone tyres all round, and by the twin chrome exhaust tailpipes.
When you want it to be sporty, then there is endless fun to be had – just drop the electric roof, drop it a gear or two, and revel in the acceleration and sharp cornering; that cornering is doubtless enhanced here by the fitment of a set of yellow-painted Bilstein dampers (shock absorbers) all round – a set of these is in the region of £750 for the parts alone! It handles like it is on rails, and has all the ‘go’ necessary to make the most of that opportunity. Yet it still gives 46.3mpg on the Extra-Urban cycle and 36.2mpg on the official combined cycle…. Amazing! It’s also Euro-5 compliant, with £320 per annum road tax.
Despite all this sportiness, inside it’s also comfortable and well equipped. There are only two seats – there are no rear ones in the MX-5 – but they are trimmed in soft black leather, heated, and the driver’s seat is height adjustable too. There’s plenty of other equipment to keep you interested and entertained – including a colour screen satellite navigation system, cruise control, CD-player, electrically adjusted mirrors, electric windows, front and rear fog lamps and Bluetooth compatibility for phone and audio.
The “Sport Tech” designation is a bit confusing – not least because the car also has badges on the flanks indicating “Sport Venture”, which was a parallel, but different, trim level. I suspect that where this car was effectively a “run out” model (i.e one of the last produced), it has elements of each trim level. However, the equipment roster for each of those designations is also inconsistent when researching on the internet – so just to try and be clear, this example has a single CD-player (with Bluetooth and aux capability), side airbags, and traction control. It does not have the CD-multichanger or a DVD player.
It also boasts loads of safety and environmental equipment too – such as Dynamic Stability / Traction Control, Electronic Brake Force distribution, Brake Assist, front and rear fog lights, and driver’s, passenger’s and side airbags.
This car’s condition
This example is finished in Meteor Grey Metallic paintwork, and has clearly been extremely well looked after throughout its life. Inevitably at this age and mileage, there are one or two very minor touched in scratches and stone chips, but there’s none of the usual trolley dents or patches of bird or tree lime anywhere to be found. There is some very slight kerbing marks to three of the wheels, but no damage or scuffing to any of the spokes.
You’ll not go too far on the internet without reading horror stories of underbody rust on MX-5s. I made sure I attended the MoT that I had done on this car and was with the MoT tester as we walked round underneath this car to check it out. There was no evidence of any deterioration here – hence no advisories on the MoT form itself – and the MOT tester was very complimentary of its overall condition.
There has never been even so much as an advisory item on a previous MoT – it has a completely clean pass record.
The recorded mileage of just 15,594 miles is warranted to be correct. It has benefitted from regular servicing too. Personally, I’m not a fan of electronic service documentation – it’s great for the early years of a car’s life when it is in the main dealer network, but once it comes out of that then it is easy for the records to get lost and become less accessible than the old servicing books. This MX-5 was intended to come with an electronic record, so there is a printout from Mazda showing the first two years’ servicing, and then subsequent invoices from independent garages for services in 2020 and in 2022 (see full details below). I’ve also had a full service completed, which included replacement of the front brake pads. There was nothing else of concern. These five services I’ve recorded in a generic service book for your future use. The furthest the car has gone between services is 5000 miles! Like most Mazdas, this MX-5 has a chain-driven camshaft, so there is no cambelt replacement to be worried about either. Reference to the DVLA website shows no outstanding safety recalls for the car.
As the MoT was due to expire in October, I’ve also had a new MoT completed already, so this is valid through to August 2024. There were no advisory items.
The MX-5 has also been fully valeted and Experian Data Checked (like HPI) and is clear (again, as you would expect), whilst referencing that former owner Austin ran the car on a personalized numberplate. All the owner’s handbook, navigation guide etc is present with the car. Like all our cars, the Mazda will also come with a 100-pt mechanical and functional inspection report.
The Motoring Press View
Giving it an excellent rating of four stars out of five, Parker’s Car Guide praises its style and fun-to-drive, coupled with excellent value for money, and comments:-
“The third-generation of the Mazda MX-5 adds layers of sophistication over the previous two. It’s roomier, more refined and easier to live with. Yet it doesn’t sacrifice the purposeful nature of Mazda’s roadster. As such it’s one of the best modern classic cars today.
By far the main appeal of the MX-5 is how fun it is to drive. Thanks to excellent steering and a nimble rear-wheel drive chassis, you can have fun in any ‘5 no matter how fast you’re going. Retaining the spirit of a modern British sportscar has been done so well, it’s easy to forget that the little Mazda is built in Japan. One of the most popular sports cars ever built, the classic formula of the original was updated in 2005 to create a very different car to the minimalist original. This means it’s easier to live with everyday, from getting in and out of it, to motorway refinement and economy – yet it’s still just as exciting and fun.
The availability of a folding hardtop version, makes it an even more sensible buy. The lightweight roof retracts in just 12 seconds, plus it comes with the otherwise optional air conditioning. More suited to British weather than the thin fabric roof, it loses none of the fun factor and is still hugely enjoyable on open roads with great body control and pin-sharp steering, though there’s slightly less space in the car because of the upright back window. For used buyers it may be better value than getting a hard top for a regular MX-5.
The efficiently-shaped boot will cope with a weekends worth of bags, while a luggage rack can be added too. A new body, chassis and structure not only add space around the occupants, a reinforced windscreen frame and integrated roll hoops add protection too. New on this model are side airbags to complement the driver and passenger airbags fitted previously. A traction and stability control system fitted to 2.0-litre models curtails any unruly loss of control should you encounter slippery roads.
The well finished interior may not be the most stylish around but it’s neatly laid out with easy to use controls. There are no soft touch plastics and it feels functional rather than inviting, however it’s clear that quality is good. An attractive three-spoke steering wheel houses inbuilt controls for the stereo while the high-mounted gear lever adds to the sporty feel. You’ll soon come to appreciate how low down you are when other traffic towers over you, but otherwise the view out is very good and the MX-5 is easy to manoeuvre.
Revised models from April 2009 have better cabin insulation, reducing road noise on the move. Taller drivers should have no problem fitting in the MX-5, though the short length of the car limits overall seat travel and the seat itself is only adjustable for backrest tilt and height. The folding hard top improves refinement further and as you’d expect makes the cabin even quieter on the move. It also comes with a reprofiled wind deflector so it’s less turbulent with the roof down. Roof down or up, the Mazda MX-5 Mk3 is considerably more comfortable for longer drives than the previous models.
The 2.0-litre sprints from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds compared to 9.4 seconds for the 1.8-litre. The folding hard top on Roadster Coupe models adds 37kg of extra weight but this doesn’t affect performance. Mazda engineers have benchmarked the MX-5 against cars like the Porsche Boxster and this is evident on the move. It’s agile, nimble and great fun – helped further by the fact the MX-5 is rear-wheel drive.The new body is stiffer than before and this means that even with the roof down there’s no wobble or vibration. It’s composed on poor surfaces and makes a surprisingly good motorway cruiser.
As a used buy, the Mazda MX-5 Mk3 is probably one of the better cars you can go for in terms of overall low costs. Unless you’re a high-risk category for insurance, they’re not expensive to get cover for, and most service parts and spares are cheap and easy to get. Fuel economy hovers around 30mpg, as it’s not geared for motorway driving and frankly, too much fun to try making progress without using power. 1.8s have to work harder, and may be marginally less economical.
Should I buy a used MX-5 Mk3? If you want a cheap, fun, open-topped sports car, absolutely. They drive very well indeed, and are great value for money. Even if you’re not an enthusiastic driver, they’re light, easy to control and safe in all weathers as long as you have good tyres. Find a good specialist to look after it, and you’ll have years of two-seater, fresh-air fun at a price that’s low enough to let you run a family car as well, or justify hiring a bigger car when needed.
Which MX-5 is best? Look for a post-2009 2.0-litre model for the best engine, and it’s hard to argue against the practicality of the folding hard top roof. It looks just as good when folded, is more refined, prevents condensation, needs less maintenance and avoids having to find hundreds of pounds and lots of space to store a detachable hard top.”
Equipment and Features
> Finished in Metallic Meteor Grey paintwork, with Charcoal leather interior trim
> 1,999cc 4-cylinder 16-valve fuel-injection petrol engine, producing 158bhp and 188Nm torque
> 6-speed manual gearbox
> Electrically operated retractable metal folding hardtop roof
> Electric Power Assisted Steering (PAS)
> Full dashboard instrumentation including oil pressure gauge
> Climate Control
> Cruise Control
> Satellite Navigation system with Colour touch-sensitive display screen
> Mazda Integrated radio with Bluetooth compatibility, aux input, single CD player, steering-wheel mounted remote controls, integrated anti-theft protection and rear-quarter mounted detachable flexi-aerial
> 10-spoke (5 x twin) 17” alloy wheels
> Upgraded Bilstein dampers fitted front and rear
> Electric front windows, with one-touch operation on both windows
> Electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors
> Anti-lock braking system (ABS) with Dynamic Stability Traction Control, and Electronic Brake Force Distribution
> Remote control central locking, with two full remote control keys
> Tinted windows
> Height adjustment to driver’s seat
> Heated seats
> Height adjustable steering wheel
> Driver’s, Front Passenger’s and side airbags
> Fog lamps front and rear
> Trip computer with external temperature, trip distance and average fuel economy
> Heated glass rear window
> 12v charging point
> Tailored front floormats
> Twin front cupholders
> “Drilled alloy” pedal covers
> Twin chrome exhaust finishers
History and Documentation
> The current mileage is showing as 15,594 miles which is warranted as correct.
> The MX-5 comes with its V5 registration document. It was first registered 17th April 2015, and then sold to the second owner in August 2018 with around 7000 miles on the clock. The second owner kept the MX-5 until October 2021, when the last owner bought it with 9,600 miles showing
> The current MoT expires 6th August 2024. It was issued 7th August 2023 at 15,584 miles. An MoT history check shows previous MoTs completed at:-
13/08/2018; 7,119 miles – Passed, no advisory items
12/08/2019; 8,600 miles – Passed, no advisory items
10/08/2020; 9,237 miles – Passed, no advisory items
22/07/2021; 9,568 miles – Passed, no advisory items
19/10/2021; 9,573 miles – Passed, no advisory items
17/10/2022; 14,271 miles – Passed, no advisory items
07/08/2023; 15,584 miles – Passed, no advisory items
> The car has been Experian Data Checked (similar to HPI), and the buyer will receive a copy of the report – which shows no problems, and advises that the car was previously held on a personalized registration.
> The recommended servicing interval is annual, or every 12,500 miles. Originally the car is supplied on an electronic service record scheme. I have now supplemented this with a traditional service history book. The records show services at :-
15/04/2015; 31 miles – Pre-Delivery Inspection, Mazda Main Agent – electronic service record
05/04/2016; 2,857 miles – Mazda Main Agent – electronic service record
25/05/2017; 5,882 miles – Mazda Main Agent – electronic service record
10/08/2020; 9,237 miles – Independent Garage – Service receipt
17/10/2022; 14,271 miles – Independent Garage – Service receipt
09/08/2023; 15,590 miles – Independent garage (my mechanics) – Service receipt and stamp in new service book
> The owners handbook, satellite navigation guide, book pack etc are all present.
Bodywork and Interior Condition
> As you can see from the photos, the bodywork is in outstanding condition
> There are literally one or two minor scratches and stone chips which have been touched in. There are no trolley dents, scuffs or scrapes.
> The interior is also in excellent condition, assisted by the floor overmats. There is some minor creasing to the right hand driver’s seat bolster where people have got in and out of the car.
Mechanical Condition and Wheels/Tyres
> The car has covered just over 15,000 miles. It goes very well indeed – and runs, steers, stops and goes round corners even better than you might expect. Its handling is assisted by the upgraded Bilstein dampers fitted all round
> All the interior warning lights come on and go off as they should.
> The road wheels are multi-spoke 17” alloys; three of them have minor kerbing marks which have been touched-in (there is no spoke damage)
> The road tyres are all top quality Bridgestone Turanza 205/45 x17 tyres. The front tyres have between 6mm-7mm of tread, the rear tyres each have an even 6mm of tread. A boot-located inflation kit is provided in place of a spare wheel
> The locking wheel nut key is present
Summary
So – to review – this is an opportunity to acquire an outstanding condition example of this dynamic, exciting and iconic sports roadster. The ultra-low mileage makes this a rare opportunity. Couple all that with the great equipment levels (including that fabulous power operated roof and colour sat nav system), thorough service history and just been serviced, fully valeted, HPI-checked and MoT’d, and it all combines to make a very compelling case for this car. You’ll be hard pushed to find another in this condition and at this mileage….
If you have any questions, please mail me or call me on 07917-234897. Any inspection or accompanied test drive is welcomed by appointment.
A note about Warranties
We go to exceptional lengths to assure the mechanical condition of any car that we sell. Cars are generally much more reliable than was the case in the past – but they are ever increasing in complexity and should the unthinkable happen, repair costs can be high. Many buyers prefer us to keep the price of our cars low, so we do not include a mechanical breakdown warranty as standard. However, we are agents for the industry-leading warranty provider – Warranty Wise; if you wish to do so for this car, you can also optionally purchase a comprehensive Warranty Wise Gold vehicle warranty covering 100% of the repair cost on all major components, with a maximum claim of £3000 per claim and a £75 per hour labour rate. This would cost £299 for 6-months, £399 for a year or £749 for 24-months.
Please click on “our services” above for more details.
