MK1 MX5 or Sierra Estate

Sierra estate, and I own an mx5.

MX5s are nice cars but there are loads of them about. Go for a drive anywhere and I'll bet you see a dozen. Nothing wrong with that but hard to stand out (if that's what you're into) without major alterations.
on the other hand Sierras are becoming quite rare so why not get one before the prices go in the silly direction that all other RWD Fords have.

Also The Sierra is the comfiest car I've ever driven. Quite fancy one myself now.

Many moons ago I used to hire a Sierra diesel estate for work / holidays and it was a comfortable & capable load lugger. Sierra's weren't immensely good cars, MX5's are.

If I walked down the street I just totally wouldn't notice an MX5, they're too abundant and not all that interesting but I would notice a Sierra and stop and smile. 

Sierras will continue to get rarer so the value will go up, estates are rarer again. It will be a very very long time before MX5's are thin on the ground.

If these 2 are the only choice I'd plump for the Ford.

^^ this exactly

Good MX5 NA's are now hard to find and thin on the ground,i spent three months finding a good one.There are a lot that look ok on photos but are absolute dogs when you get up close and personal and won't be long for the road.

I've had two Sierras,an early 83 1.6 and an 86 1.8.Decent solid cars,comfy,likeable and simple but unremarkable.

The choice is apples and oranges really,obviously totally different cars aimed at different markets.

The Sierra will be a bit different and get noticed more perhaps.An estate is rarer and as a daily it would be more practical than an MX especially if it's an only car and you need to do a tip run or live in B&Q.

You say it's not a daily so an MX will be more fun to drive and will probably always have more specialist company support for parts and modding options much like an MGB has.It gives you the top down option and they are hard to beat for smiles per mile.It might feel more like a "special event" taking the MX out than the Sierra.

Above all i would say buy on condition whichever way you jump.

whichever one you decide to have you'll have to battle with rot, as said buy on condition, for me it would be the sierra but I am biased

I had a Sierra Estate at 18 (25 now so not that long ago) 2.0 twin cam, i loved it but it ended its days as most rwd cars do with 18 yr olds trying to impress the female of the species...

Sierra has an equal cool rating (to the MX5) of just under 1k Megafonzies. Personally I like MK1 MX5 and they are simply epic fun around twisty country lanes, whereas the Sierra is akin to sailing the Atlantic. That said, you could always kit yourself out as a pirate and have just as much fun! Being an estate, it will also be very well suited to lugging treasure chests or fitting a hammock? There's only one choice for a new steering wheel naturally.



A smaller ''sports'' version may be available?



Whichever you choose, look out for excessive rot and barnacles.

Indeed. I was surprised at just how much curse word there is out there with MX-5s. Alot I have seen on the streets have shot interiors, more patches down the sills than a chain smoker, and generally are very tired.

The MX-5 community are one of the least judgemental and most helpful community I have come across. I have not really seen this in many other circles. A certain audio forum I frequent was quite a bit like this, and to quite an extent I'd also say this place . They always have quite a bit of down to earth advice, do not ask for a fortune for parts with there being many helpful sources and suppliers out there, including Autolink, MX-5 Parts and even Skuzzle to name a few. Maybe I got hit with the RS Tax but in many ways the Ford scene has started becoming pricey, even compared to the Porsche world IMHO ; I never thought I would pay £100 for a parcel shelf or see people buying dashboards for Escorts for £500, or £100s for floor mats and original exhausts ; the stuff just is not available unlike the MX-5 ; thank God my dash had no cracks!

They are a Marmite car though IMO, but most of the haters refuse or have never driven one IME. It is one of the more fun retros I have owned, and I would say is maturing well.

What budget do you have? IMHO you'd get a better MX-5 than a Sierra for your money. £2-2.5k will get you an MX-5 with almost nothing needing doing it. You could do it cheaper I am sure but I am thinking about hassle free motoring. Even new cars require servicing, the odd repair here and there etc.



WHS. What's the budget and do you have two cars in your sights? I'd buy a welded car happily, as long as it was done right. Anything patched as a daily will come back to bite you in the rot department.



Try putting the roof down in a Sierra or enjoying a country road for the off as well as bombproof mechanics, and that's coming from a Ford fan .

But as above, what's the budget? A UK MX-5 will be cheaper to insure is another thing to remember. I was paying £90 for a UK car, that would have been £180 for a Eunos.

Anyway, i had an old Nan, and one dull day......... i rubbed her! (mmmmnnnn knitted jumper! home made too!)

now back to the cars.