I have a pal who is into his series 1 MX5: he does hill climbs, auto solos and sprints.
Yes they rust but are easy enough to fix: the biggest reason for MOT failure, he tells me, is the fuel tank rusts out.
MOT failures are cheap.
To replace it you have to drop all the rear transmission and suspension.
When replacing the tank you can easily replace the brake lines and deal with any rear sill rust. Parts are cheap.
With suspension upgraded and everything fettled it is a quick, comfortable car.
