MX-5 NB guides
Everything we know about buying and owning a Mazda MX-5 NB, costed like a surveyor rather than pitched like a salesman. Start anywhere — every guide links to the free checklist and the calculator so you buy the right car at the right price.
The NB buyer's guide
Variants, the rust that scraps cars, the mechanical checks that matter, and exactly what to pay for each condition.
Read the guideWhat's a fair price?
2026 UK prices by condition, what moves the value, and a surveyor's method for building a fair offer and a walk-away figure.
See the pricesCommon problems & costs
The faults that actually show up — engine, cooling, clutch, soft top, electrics, rust — and what each costs to fix.
Check the faultsRust spots
The eight places an NB rots, ranked by cost, how to check each in minutes, and when to walk away.
Find the rustNA vs NB vs NC
The three MX-5 generations compared on character, reliability, rust and price — and which to buy.
Compare them1.6 vs 1.8
Power, gearbox, limited-slip diff, insurance and price — with an honest pick for each kind of buyer.
Pick an engineRunning costs
Insurance, tax, fuel and the risk reserve nobody budgets for — the true pence-per-mile of NB ownership.
See the costsFree: the 40-point NB inspection checklist
Print it, take it to the viewing, and walk away from the wrong car with confidence. The exact checks our cost figures are based on.
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