How much would you pay? 1990 Meotter

1990 Miata - more pics

DD#1 is looking for a Challenge-priced autocross beater.  Probably will not be a daily.  Local CL (Delaware has this on offer.  How much would you pay?

1990 Miata
206,000 miles

PROS:

Runs and drives great
New top / window, tight, nice fit
Interior incredible for mileage / age
Do not know accident history, but looks straight and feels tight
Engine bay looks clean and dry
Lots of major maintenance within last 25,000 miles, with receipts:

• New clutch
• Timing belt / water pump / lots of gaskets and seals
• New front struts
• Brakes
• IAT

CONS:

Short nose crank
Rust:

• In front of rear wheels
• Behind front wheels
• Little bit inside bottoms of doors

Based on the above, how much would the GRM hive pay for this car?

I would pay $1000-$1500. Rust is a big no no for me. 

The front fender rust is easy to deal with, as that's a bolt on panel. Just about any 1990 that isn't living in AZ will have that sill rust by this point, unfortunately.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

140K Ohio life

It's a base car, no power windows or mirrors.  I guess, to Keith's point, you could swap doors and fenders with Florida pieces (Treasure Coast, or similar), but rust is also a big no for me.  

Not more than $1000.  

Does anyone market a repair kit for the rear of the sill? Not a trivial repair, but if the patch panels are availble, then not a huge deal.

More critical is how far the rust has progressed inside the sill.

Pete

What is a Meotter?

I was going to say close to 3k until i scrolled to the rust pictures. I think 1000-1500 is right. 

Thanks for confirming.  I was thinking $1500 tops.  Asking is $2000 which is crack pipe stuff with that rust.  If it weren't for that, it would be a really nice car.

However, we have also turned up a strong lead on a well maintained E Street  '00 that a trusted friend is selling, for more money... but not enough more to make this rusty '90 interesting any more.

NOHOME said:

Does anyone market a repair kit for the rear of the sill? Not a trivial repair, but if the patch panels are availble, then not a huge deal.

 

More critical is how far the rust has progressed inside the sill.

 

Pete

You can get a patch for the skin. The lower black section is a simple curve, I've been able to fabricate panels for there before. Inner structure, I'm not sure. That's the first place they rust. Both of my 1990s have it.

So many Miatas were made, I wouldn't mess with a rusty one----unless it was seriously cheap.   $2,500-$3K clean, rust free Miatas are all over the South.  That would be my choice.

$0

I'm far too lazy to mess with rusty cars. 

$1,000 and ignore the rust until the car falls apart.  It’s worth driving but not restoring.