Car unused for 10 years - what to be aware of if buying

blondeonblonde · 13-01-2011 11:46am #1

Firstly, apologies for the long winded title!

Secondly, as I say, I have been looking around for an MX5 for quite a while and recently came across one that is for sale. Haven't been to see it yet but it does look very clean with low mileage. It is a Jap import but it has not been driven in over 10 years.

Basically I'm just wondering if there are any things I should watch out for in a car that has been unused for so long. It has been stored inside a heated garage and so rust should not be a problem. I would be more concerned about parts that have seized up or potential mechanical difficulties. Obviously a new battery would be needed and a service before putting it on the road.

Any motor heads out there who might have some tips or things to watch out for? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

itarumaa · 13-01-2011 11:51am

Brakes are most likely stuck, as well hand brake. Clutch might not work either and does the engine even turn over? Even piston rings might be seized to cylinders.

I would avoid this car unless really cheap and you have required skills to fix the car yourself.

Anan1 · 13-01-2011 11:53am

It hasn't been driven at all in ten years? At the very least i'd imagine you'd need a new timing belt, new hoses, tyres, all fluids, and probably a brake rebuild. Personally, i'd find another - MX-5s aren't worth enough to make it worthwhile.

woody33 · 13-01-2011 11:53am

Tyres are likely to have gone bad, maybe less so if the car has been rolled back and forward occasionally so the same patch has not had all the weight for 10 years. It sounds like a great find, I hope it works out for you.

thirtythirty · 13-01-2011 12:03pm

Think about a bicycle that hasn't been used in ten years. Everything would be seized and it would take a good bit of work to lubricate and tighten everything again. Now extrapolate that to the thousands of moving parts on a car!

MX5's are excellent cars, but i would quite honestly look for a similar price higher mileage one that has been used up to the day you bought it!

That being said, if you're getting an excellent deal on the 10 yr one, just have it go (maybe towed) for a full service before using it.

Stevie Dakota · 13-01-2011 12:27pm

Don't be seduced, the bodywork may be great but underneath it will be rotten. I can think of an appropriate analogy but there may be children present.

cjt156 · 13-01-2011 2:03pm

You can get 10 yr old MX-5s for well under 5 grand now.
Unless you're getting this one practically for free its just not worth it.

Absurdum · 13-01-2011 2:10pm

unless it's free and you have a workshop and you're handy with a spanner, I'd leave it!

07Lapierre · 13-01-2011 2:14pm

Just curious... How much will the seller pay YOU to take it away!

blondeonblonde · 13-01-2011 3:40pm

Cheers for the input lads... nice to see a bit of lively advice! Plenty food for thought there anyway, I'm going to look at it tomorrow evening so will let ye know how I get on! I'm neither handy with a spanner nor do I have a workshop. I do know that the guy who owns it is a car enthusiast and has a sizeable collection of cars so I imagine the car has been fairly well looked after. Will know more once I crank it up and have a drive.

thirtythirty · 13-01-2011 3:44pm

You just didn't listen to me at all!

If damage is going to be done, it'll be when "it's cranked up and driven"!

Good luck anyway, hopefully the guy has maintained it to a certain extent then anyway and you won't burst any hoses / blow any gaskets / sheer any joints...

ronaneire · 13-01-2011 3:52pm

My question is, why has he decided to sell it now? And why was left lying up for 10 years.

You have said your not handy with a spanner or don't have a workshop. I would avoid if I were you and look for something that runs and has an NCT

brennarr · 13-01-2011 3:54pm

Any links for the car?

Pkiernan · 13-01-2011 3:55pm

As owner of a 23 year old Harley Davidson that has been in storage several times, I would not be as concerned as some posters here - definitely worth having a look.

Before engine is started have the seller do at least the following:

Drain and replace oil.
If not fuel injected then clean the carb.
Drain and replace fuel - if present it will be varnish now.
Replace fuel filter.
New battery as prolonged cranking may be required. Ditto for new spark plugs.

If is starts up check all vacuum hoses for leaks and signs of perishing. Don't be afraid to push, pull and twist the hoses. While doing this listen for changes in the engine rpm - this will be a sure sign of leaks.

Flush and replace coolant.

Replace brake, clutch and power steering fluid.

10 year old tyres will HAVE to be replaced no matter how good they look.

You could be on to a great bargain, but make sure the price reflects this.

mathepac · 13-01-2011 3:55pm

blondeonblonde wrote: »

... Will know more once I crank it up and have a drive.

I echo the sentiments expressed by other (non-blonde

) posters above.

Forgive my directness here, and I mean no disrespect, but only a certifiable lunatic would do what you are suggesting. Take a mechanic / technically knowledgeable person with you and have them ask the relevant safety / reliability questions of the vendor and evaluate the state of the car. If they're happy, let the tech drive it if they decide it's safe to do so. If you can't do this, shop elsewhere.

blondeonblonde · 13-01-2011 3:58pm

This is it!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mazda/MX-5/Eunos/201101200757901/advert?channel=CARS

The price would be open to negotiation... for my part at least... and obviously would be getting it checked over before considering it. Seems to me it's definitely worth a look and I won't know a whole lot more until I can actually start and see how it runs...

Funfair · 13-01-2011 3:58pm

BEWARE there might be a skelleton in the boot

Funfair · 13-01-2011 4:08pm

blondeonblonde wrote: »

This is it!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mazda/MX-5/Eunos/201101200757901/advert?channel=CARS

Looks a smashing little car

I'd defenitly have a look, as he said in the add, it wasn't driven regulary as to opposed to not driven at all which means he probably had the sense to drive it a few times a year.

robtri · 13-01-2011 5:01pm

defo worth a look...

as stated in the original OP... car has not being driven for 10 years...

doesnt mean the car hasnt been stated and left run on a regular basis...
take a look but err on the side of caution..... preferably get a mechanic to look it over if u are not too familiar with cars and engines...

13-01-2011 5:09pm

blondeonblonde wrote: »

This is it!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mazda/MX-5/Eunos/201101200757901/advert?channel=CARS

Presumably he has to move the mx-5 to get the Ferrari out

, so I reckon it has at least moved a good few times.

biko · 13-01-2011 5:29pm

Lovely car. If it's been kept as a collective perhaps the owner has made sure it's been in good shape. Also it seems to only have been kept indoors, which is a plus.

dr.fuzzenstein · 13-01-2011 5:55pm

It says not being driven regularly over the last 10 years, so this does not look like your average wreck that's been left to rot in a shed, could be a good 'un, but mechanic is always handy to have along.
If he did drive it every now and then mightn't be too bad.
And deffo looks in good nick.

ART6 · 13-01-2011 6:03pm

If it's been stored for ten years, hasn't been or rarely been moved, and hasn't been on blocks to keep the wheels off the ground, then I would expect to have to replace all of the tyres and wheel bearings at least. If the engine has not been turned over regularly or had all of the oil drained and a preservative oil used to replace it, then I would suspect crankshaft bearings.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't touch such a car unless it was a collector's item on which I would be prepared to do a fair bit of work.

Anan1 · 13-01-2011 6:25pm

blondeonblonde wrote: »

This is it!

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Mazda/MX-5/Eunos/201101200757901/advert?channel=CARS

The price would be open to negotiation... for my part at least... and obviously would be getting it checked over before considering it. Seems to me it's definitely worth a look and I won't know a whole lot more until I can actually start and see how it runs...

Am I the only one who thinks that's silly money for a car that will definitely need biggish money spent on it? I just had a quick look through carzone, and saw this: http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201048200384998. I wouldn't bother getting up off the couch for the red one at much more than €1500.

ShadowHearth · 13-01-2011 6:42pm

To be honest, for 3.5k eu you can get really really reasonable mk1. or mk2 which needs some tlc.

i just see "dodgy" written all over that mx5, it might be all good after all fluid change, but it might be rotten.

just get your 3.5k and go buy decent one which is used regulary.

try mx5ireland club m8, they allways have something for sale.

dgt · 13-01-2011 7:46pm

We got a Merc 280SE that was stored in a barn for 9 years. Brakes seized, slightly rotten underneath (rust loves these cars) and the fuel pump had packed up. There was also a horrendous smell from the interior... This is worth a look at the very least, you could have a cracker there

peasant · 13-01-2011 8:36pm

blondeonblonde wrote: »

Will know more once I crank it up and have a drive.

Do yourself one favour ...as soon as you get this thing moving (and while still off the public road) stomp on the brakes real hard and long several times.
Hopefully any perished brake hoses will break there and then and not later while you're bombing along

Absurdum · 13-01-2011 8:42pm

Seems an odd choice to keep in a collection - a Jap import Eunos Roadster would be less "collectible" than an Irish or UK MX-5, imo. Still, from the looks of the ad, it seems genuine enough but at that price I would expect a full service with a dealer or specialist including new tyres and all the other bits listed here.

jaffa20 · 13-01-2011 9:40pm

ShadowHearth wrote: »

To be honest, for 3.5k eu you can get really really reasonable mk1. or mk2 which needs some tlc.

i just see "dodgy" written all over that mx5, it might be all good after all fluid change, but it might be rotten.

just get your 3.5k and go buy decent one which is used regulary.

try mx5ireland club m8, they allways have something for sale.

The guy selling it is a poster on mx5ireland;)

I'd say the car is in pretty good shape as the seller is an enthusiast and it looks like a very clean, well cared for car. It really depends if you prefer the mk1 or mk2/2.5(like mine) as you could probably get an mk2 easily for the same money.

No harm in looking anyway. Enjoy the test drive.

MagicMarker · 13-01-2011 9:46pm

What am I missing here? 3.5k for a 20 year old 1.6?

dr.fuzzenstein · 13-01-2011 9:49pm

jaffa20 wrote: »

The guy selling it is a regular poster on mx5ireland;)

I'd say the car is in pretty good shape as the seller is an enthusiast and it looks like a very clean, well cared for car. It really depends if you prefer the mk1 or mk2/2.5(like mine) as you could probably get an mk2 easily for the same money.

No harm in looking anyway. Enjoy the test drive.

+1
That car looks to have been kept in near living room condition, unless most cars in Ireland that rot away in the drive while the garage is crammed with crap.
If there is any rot on that car I would be very surprised.
As for suggesting it needs wheel bearings and crankshaft bearings, Jesus, this is not a barn find that has been under a bale of hay for 40 years.
Go there, look at the car and if anything is seriously wrong with it, it should show up pretty much immediately.
But I don't think that the car will disintegrate Laurel&Hardy style the second you fire her up.
Says it has not been driven regularly, so it seems that it has been driven.

jaffa20 · 13-01-2011 9:52pm

MagicMarker wrote: »

What am I missing here? 3.5k for a 20 year old 1.6?

It's a MX5.

Will also soon be a classic which is nice. I'd say the price is negotiable.

franksm · 14-01-2011 11:33pm

Looks in good condition body-wise (MX5s go rusty in the sills if left unused).

However, the rubber bits will have gone bad - dried and cracked in terms of pipes and bushes. That means you'll be expecting to replace the timing belt very soon, ditto the other belts.

The battery is a gel battery and doesn't like being left flat - they're not dear (STG80) but you can really only get them from the UK.

The tyres will have flat-spotted, ie will be out of round. The MX5 is so precisely weighted that it will quickly tell you when it's not aligned properly, or if something else in the suspension is out of balance. Look up the "65mph shimmy" as that's the well-known problem with these cars when there's an issue with wheels, tyres or alignment.

The clutch slave cylinder will also be ready for replacement. Not expensive either, another STG50.

The handbrake is known to stick and even jam if over-used or under-used :-) This can be expensive as it needs the rear calipers fixed or replaced (STG130 each)

Other than that, these are fab cars and you will love it. You won't have any problems really other than the above, and I'm aware that it does all sound very negative. But, it all gives you something to negotiate with. MK1 MX5s can be had much cheaper than this one, but chances are it's a good timewarp car that just needs some basic work to be roadworthy again. Just compare prices with other ones out there. Don't be put off

bmw535d · 15-01-2011 12:05am

jaffa20 wrote: »

It's a MX5.

Will also soon be a classic which is nice. I'd say the price is negotiable.

and its mint, you pay for the condition of these old cars, not what they are.

dingding · 15-01-2011 12:08am

From the photo, the front panel looks a different shade of red to the body. Might have been fixed up at some stage.

galwaytt · 15-01-2011 1:19am

Oaklyn Rancid Exterminator wrote: »

Presumably he has to move the mx-5 to get the Ferrari out , so I reckon it has at least moved a good few times.

Look at it this way; I'd buy a 10yr non-moving Mazda long before a 10yr non-moving Ferrari........

Anan1 wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks that's silly money for a car that will definitely need biggish money spent on it? I just had a quick look through carzone, and saw this: http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201048200384998. I wouldn't bother getting up off the couch for the red one at much more than €1500.

Luddite

Absurdum wrote: »

Seems an odd choice to keep in a collection - a Jap import Eunos Roadster would be less "collectible" than an Irish or UK MX-5, imo. Still, from the looks of the ad, it seems genuine enough but at that price I would expect a full service with a dealer or specialist including new tyres and all the other bits listed here.

Less collectible ? Really ? Says who(m) ? There are no 'specialist' bits required. It's a very high quality, volume produced car that will cost about half-a-peanut, mechanically, to run.

MagicMarker wrote: »

What am I missing here? 3.5k for a 20 year old 1.6?

LOL, it's a Classic.......yes, really. Mine is on Classic insurance - just cost me €80 to add it to my policy for a year.....

jaffa20 wrote: »

It's a MX5.

Will also soon be a classic which is nice. I'd say the price is negotiable.

see above

franksm wrote: »

Looks in good condition body-wise (MX5s go rusty in the sills if left unused).

Other than that, these are fab cars and you will love it. You won't have any problems really other than the above, and I'm aware that it does all sound very negative. But, it all gives you something to negotiate with. MK1 MX5s can be had much cheaper than this one, but chances are it's a good timewarp car that just needs some basic work to be roadworthy again. Just compare prices with other ones out there. Don't be put off

Amen, Frank

...which brings me neatly to my point. People can moan and whinge about mechanical bits 'going off', seizing, yada yada. But, mechanical bits are all changeable. The body, chassis, is the key - if that's good, all else is easy. It's only if it's the other way around that you will get problems worth worrying about.......

If I had the money, I'd make an offer for it. But there again, I already have one

x in the city · 15-01-2011 2:17am

spottyelephant wrote: »

Think about a bicycle that hasn't been used in ten years. Everything would be seized and it would take a good bit of work to lubricate and tighten everything again. Now extrapolate that to the thousands of moving parts on a car!

MX5's are excellent cars, but i would quite honestly look for a similar price higher mileage one that has been used up to the day you bought it!

That being said, if you're getting an excellent deal on the 10 yr one, just have it go (maybe towed) for a full service before using it.

thats a very good example, you would be crackers to get a mx5 unused for 10 years

wtf was the owner thinking, what an idiot

Absurdum · 15-01-2011 3:06pm

galwaytt wrote: »

Less collectible ? Really ? Says who(m) ? There are no 'specialist' bits required. It's a very high quality, volume produced car that will cost about half-a-peanut, mechanically, to run.

Imported ones are more prone to rust

groupb · 15-01-2011 4:55pm

Your looking at a proper sports car. With a mx5 condition is more important than age.

chiefwiggum · 15-01-2011 5:06pm

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1810586

Anan1 · 15-01-2011 5:49pm

galwaytt wrote: »

...which brings me neatly to my point. People can moan and whinge about mechanical bits 'going off', seizing, yada yada. But, mechanical bits are all changeable. The body, chassis, is the key - if that's good, all else is easy. It's only if it's the other way around that you will get problems worth worrying about.......

That may well be true of a Citroen DS23, but we're talking about a three grand MX-5 here.;) The definite costs of recommissioning that car are substantial - four new tyres, timing belt, hoses, fluids, filters, brakes. Add in the maybe stuff like varnish in the fuel system etc etc and it could easily make that car uneconomical.

Just so we're clear, i'm not anti the car full stop. I've a lot of respect for MX-5s, and that one may well have a lot going for it - I just think it needs to be priced such that the end cost to the buyer is reflective of what he has.

Car unused for 10 years - what to be aware of if buying

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