A lot of people ask us why we bother to import MX-5s all the way from Japan.

There is one very simple reason. They are much better than the UK spec ones!

The Japanese seem to look after their cars better than we do, but more importantly, they do not salt the roads in winter. Salt is by far the biggest cause of chassis and bodywork corrosion, so cars that have spent most of their lives in a salt free environment are always in better condition. Japan also enjoys a predominantly better, drier climate than the UK. There’s also a lot more cars to choose from in Japan, so it’s easier to find good, well maintained examples.

The best way to illustrate the difference is by looking at the photographs below. The first two pictures show the underside of a typical UK spec car, manufactured in 1996 and has been in the UK from new. The second two pictures show a 1991 car, freshly imported from Japan.

Click the image to open a gallery...