NEXT GENERATION DIARIES
Charles Costello bought an MX-5 that was older than he was as soon as he passed his test. Here he shares the reality of his ‘daily driver’ classic sports car while still a teenager
HOW DID YOU COME TO OWN YOUR CLASSIC?
‘My earliest memories are of spending time in my grandad’s garage, with his collection of ’60s muscle cars, and I always knew that I’d drive a classic myself once I was 17. I certainly didn’t want a modern car that needs me to plug in a scan tool just to know what’s going on. These days, traditional classics such as an MGB are now beyond the budget of young enthusiasts, both to buy and to maintain, but the Mazda MX-5 represents the new wave of classics and the spiritual successor to older MGs. My parents were less excited about their 17-year-old son buying a 21-year-old car but I explained that even if I needed to buy a replacement engine, I could get one from a breaker for around £150 so what was the problem?’
WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR IT?
‘I’ve used the car for absolutely everything; from driving to school to venturing onto a track at Bedford Autodrome. I hadn’t had the Mazda long before the first gear synchro wore out so I decided to replace the gearbox myself, even though – at that stage – I only had a basic socket set and a pair of axle stands. But I soon learned to make do with what tools I had. The cost of that repair tells you a lot about MX-5 ownership – the gearbox was £30 from a breaker; in fact, the new transmission fluid was more expensive than the ’box! My exciting track-day experience encouraged me to consider modifying the car. I’ve added around 8000 miles in two years of ownership and undertaken suspension and braking upgrades;
I’ve recently completed a turbocharger installation, too. Mazda specialists and breakers have most of the parts that I need at sensible prices.’
WHAT WOULD YOUR OWNERSHIP TIPS BE?
‘Make sure that you can get a lift to college or wherever before you start taking your car apart – maintenance is much more fun when you don’t need to work all night to get the car running again for the next morning! As a young person driving a classic, I need to minimise the risk of being kicked out of the hobby for financial reasons. It’s not what anyone wants to hear but ask if you can afford to fix some rare or exotic classic when it goes wrong before you fall in love with it; no-one wants to own a lovely classic car that they then have to sell because they can’t afford to maintain it. Remember, most classic insurers won’t look at anyone under 25, but there are still good deals to be had elsewhere.’
WHAT DO YOU SEE BEING IN YOUR GARAGE IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME?
‘I’ve recently acquired another MX-5 – this time a ’95 car – which I am re-building to hopefully one day compete on track with In
