Scarcity of good early MX-5s is driving demand. Yes, that's right, a car so successful and therefore so ubiquitous that you assumed it existed in endless supply has been quietly succumbing to rust, neglect or just simply wearing out.

This was the introduction to pure, simple roadster driving pleasure for a generation, and it's now hard to find pristine, low-mileage examples of the pre-1994 cars, hence the growing premium on prices. Now's the time to seek out a good one and keep it that way.

Buying advice and market analysis is part of 18 pages of buying information in every issue of Classic Cars magazine, including Quentin Willson’s Smart Buys, Russ Smith’s Market Watch, in-depth buying guides and Ads on Test.

Phil Bell

Editor, Classic Cars magazine

For more details of the latest issue, visit www.classiccarsmagazine.co.uk