Me and the MX5: The Finale
Well, let’s just say at this point that Motors: Mazda: MX5 has been listed as a favorite on my Trade Me account as long as I have had a Trade Me account. This is basically becuase when I first started getting into Property Investing, I happened to pass by the Mazda garage in Wellington (as you do – honestly its on the route to Moore Wilsons). And I thought I would pop in to look at what they had in the showroom – so that I could build a “Vision Board” of where I wanted the investing to take us.
And lo: they had this really swanky new Dark Purple (so dark its almost black), shiny MX5 that was just screaming at me to buy it.
I was in Wuv.
Slight sticking point – it was $50,000.
And it was brand new – which means as soon as you drive it out the dealership its worth a lot less than you paid for it. Not great odds for anyone planning on making squillions in the property game. Besides – didn’t have $50,000 sitting around burning a hole in my pocket. But dammit – thats the car I wanted, so it went on the dream board, and I have been keeping an eye out on Trade me for 2nd hand ones. One came up a while back, but still with a price tag of $35,000 which is still too much for me.
Ho Hum. Of course now that I need to buy a new car, the swanky purple one isn’t available – at any price, but I have been watching and planning. I was hoping to be able to spend about $20,000 but in the end the pennies just weren’t there. So I decided to buy a cheaper version – and I can always spray it when I have some more money.
2nd hand MX5′s can be had for between $3,000 and $45,000 – so I thought I’d better be at the lower end. I test drove a few in the 8-10k range, but in the end decided I wanted an Automatic. Basically because most cars over here are automatics, all ours were, and I’ve just got used to them. Besides – my original 2 MX5′s were as well.
On Friday last week, I called a guy in Levin who was selling an 1999 MX5, automatic, British racing green (no pop up headlights). Asking price $7995. A quick price check said that was very reasonable – I looked at one a year older for $11K, and one a year younger at $14k. We drove over to take it for a spin, and I loved it! It was in good nick (needs a good clean inside), but the roof is sound, it drove well and everything worked. Experience says theres not likely to be a huge amount that needs fixing – they are not cars that are run by complicated computers so they tend not to be expensive to fix. And the big expense which was a new Cam Belt had already been done and there was a service bill to show it.
All it took was a call to the bank manager, who had been warned this might be coming, and she put the payment through straight away. The guy was comfortable enough from talking to me to let me take the car straight away, and within 10 minutes I finally had my long sought after dream: an MX5.
We then drove a little north to Foxton Beach, grabbed fish and chips from Mr Grumpy’s and coffee from the Simply Balmy Cafe and had a late lunch at the beach sitting in my new car with the hood down. I couldn’t stop grinning.
In fact – I still haven’t stopped grinning every time i get in the car.
Like what Avalon has to say?
Click Here to buy Avalon's Guide or Click Here to buy the E-Book
Related posts:
Comments
3 Comments on Me and the MX5: The Finale
-
Andy on
Fri, 9th Jul 2010 1:16 am
-
Sarah on
Sun, 11th Jul 2010 10:53 pm
-
Avalon on
Thu, 15th Jul 2010 12:37 pm
Great story – and with a happy ending too. I can sympathize: an MX-5 has been on my “dream wish list” for a couple of years now. Three years ago I’ve settled for a sensible Honda Accord, which is very nice and everything, but still not an MX-5. Now however, with all the gear we have to carry with our 1yr old daughter next will be rather a *bigger* car. So MX-5 stays deep down on the wish list – but I’m happy your dream is now a reality.
Congratulations!!! Looks gorgeous and a lot of fun to drive; especially on your weekends in the country. I really enjoyed reading all your posts on this – quite a story! Happy driving x
Cheers Guys. Its a little cracker to drive – especially now that its been really cleaned. Took 3 days, and cost $850 becuase it was a mixture of Cat crap, fish bait, spoiled milk and coffee: years of the stuff.
Now the car smells like a new car, rather than the final resting place of many dead things.
Andy – I hear ya. But with the last few years – sense is just getting thrown unceremoniously out the window 
I think the term is “Bugger it!.” Mind you – we have access to a “sensible” car if we need it. lol.
Tell me what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
Avalon’s Guide On Facebook
-
