I saw one...( I have driven one )

[RD5T3R]

Hello People
We just purchased our very first MX5, a 1991 BR Green one with horrible wing
mirrors! Great fun to drive though.

We know little about them but are learning fast with the help of the website
and mags that were passed on when we bought it. We have 2 questions tho:
1.. Is this NA, NB stuff the version of the car?
2.. Where can we get new/replacement wing mirrors?
We also just signed up for the 9Oct launch of the new MX5 so look forward to
that

MX5 Newbies - Stuart & Vivienne Gross

[Grant]

Welcome and congratulations on the purchase.
NA, NB and now NC stuff is the model. NA is the original pop up headlight
model, introduced in 1989. NB is the second version, and has fixed
headlights. This was introduced in Japan in 1988. NC is the version you will
see at the launch on the 9th.
No matter what others in this list might say, you have excellent choice in
colour!!!
Try Ross at MX5MART for some mirrors. Have a look at www.mx5mart.co.nz
See you on the 9th.
Grant in Sunny Blenheim (green NA and green NB)

[Ian]

Typo..Grant meant NB launched in 1998? (Its all the sun in Blenheim!)

[Grant]

And I proof read it!
Long work day yesterday takes the blame...760km and 16 hours. Unfortunately
not in the MX5. Well that's my excuse for now.

Grant.

[Lyel Stewart]

Hi There, Wonder if you, or someone, can help.
I'm looking to purchase an MX5 but don't really know much about them. Would
like to know the sort of things to look out for, good and bad, and am keen
to discuss it with someone. I am here in Nelson so will contact the local
Club folk, Jill & Kevin llport but any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks {in anticipation} Lyel Stewart.

From chris.tankard@aderant.com Fri Apr 27 17:30:53 2007
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Subject: Buying a used MX5 / Miata -- was RE: I saw one...( I have
driven one )
Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2005 08:54:19 +1200
Thread-Topic: Buying a used MX5 / Miata -- was RE: I saw one...( I have
driven one )
Thread-Index: AcXEafR0N6UxqSnOQleYPzaRHKRj/wABA1yA
From: "Chris Tankard" <chris.tankard@aderant.com>
To: "MX5List" <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
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Welcome.

Good luck with looking for the MX5 / Miata - there are plenty of really
good ones out there if you have a look.

The NA (popups), or NB (newer with 'real' headlights), or NC (Coming
your way in a few days) is going to be the main choice - along with the
size of engine.

Some swear by the early (basic) 1.6 NA's, others prefer the more modern
NB - I would suggest you try both and see what works for you.

There has never really been a 'dog' model - so on that side you can
never go wrong.


Here are some things to look for when checking out a used Miata. (found
at http://www.miata.net/faq/usedmx5.html) Miata.net - it is the best
place for anything mx5 on the web.

There is more info on the page - so it is well worth a look.

...

Items to bring along: flashlight, Phillips screwdriver, a ground cloth
to lie on while peering at the underside of the car, something to clean
your hands with and, if available, a car knowledgeable friend.

Inspecting the dirty side: Start with the front end and lie down on the
ground on your back (use a floor mat or the ground cloth to keep clean),
stick your head under the front bumper and look up at the structure
behind the bumper. Use the flashlight to help you see under here. You
are looking for bent metal, evidence of paint overspray in the wheel
wells and coil springs, missing pieces, etc. All are evidence of serious
accidents. Unless there is a severe shortage of used Miatas in your
area, reject any that show damage. While under there, have a look around
for evidence of oil leaks, shock absorber leaks and bent suspension. Ask
if the car has been wrecked. Many people will lie about this until you
point out evidence of the damage.

Repeat the above for the rear end of the car. Check the shocks, CV joint
boots, differential, exhaust system and the metal forward of the rear
bumper. Look forward at the driveshaft and transmission, looking for
leaks and bent pieces. Check the rear suspension for bent pieces. Check
the floor pan and rocker panels for large dents and for rust if you are
in an area where rust is a problem.

Ask if the car has a salvage title. Stay away from any that do. Cars
with salvage titles are hard to insure and finance and are worth about
50% of a non-salvage title car. Many are bought at auction and repaired
by people who do a less than professional job. If you have any doubts
about the car or its title, go elsewhere.

Using the flashlight, peer through the wheels into the brake calipers.
Try to determine how much pad is left. It is sometimes difficult to see
just how thick the pads are. It helps to move the car a little to see
around the spokes. Are the rotors scored? Replacements can be expensive.


Inside the trunk: Open the top of the vertical fabric panel on the rear
of the trunk area. The little round plastic thingies come out easily if
you use a fingernail to lift the center piece first and then pull out
the whole fastener. Look behind this panel for evidence of bodywork,
bent panels, etc. Check down in the jack well on the left for
water/rust. The outer skin just above this area is unprotected from junk
in the trunk and you can get dents from the inside. Many Miatas have an
aftermarket panel bolted in here to protect from this. Check here for
signs of repair. Check the battery on the right side of the trunk. Ask
if it has been replaced. It should be a sealed battery marked
'Panasonic' on the side and should not have been replaced with a lead
acid (normal) battery. Check the area for signs of acid corrosion. If it
has been replaced with a lead acid battery, plan to spend the $$s to put
the correct battery back in. The long-term effects of the acid in your
trunk can be expensive.

Interior: Check for signs of unusual wear. Miata interiors are pretty
rugged. The black fabric seats will fade if left in the sun. Look for
wear on the driver's seat bolsters where your backside rubs as you get
in the car. Check the clutch and brake pedal pads. Do they look like the
right amount of wear for the mileage on the speedo? Check the door sill
near the certification sticker for another sticker that tells of a
replaced speedometer and check the owners manual and warranty manual for
notations of a changed speedo. Sometimes this info is scratched into the
paint near the certification sticker. Most states require the installer
of a replacement speedometer to make notification in one or more of
these places. Ask the seller if the speedo has been changed.

Ask the seller(s) if they have the security code for the radio (if it is
the stock radio). Ask if the radio is slow to come on when the car is
started - if it takes several minutes for the radio to start, it means
that the radio has to come out for a "do it yourself fix" (but don't
tell them that; the dealer has probably already told them that the radio
has to be replaced--use it as a bargaining chip). Try all controls and
check all lights. Check general appearance. After you have seen a few
Miatas, you will know what a good one looks like. If you are not
familiar with the Miata, inspect a new one at the dealer to see what the
baseline is.

The convertible top: Inspect the top carefully. Look for wear spots on
the underside. Check operation of the zipper. ALWAYS unlatch the top
from the windshield header and lift it a little before operating the
zipper. Check the window for scratches and brown spots. If you find
brown spots, the window is getting ready to become opaque and will
require replacement. With the window unzipped, lower the top. Does it go
down smoothly? Raise the top. ALWAYS zip up the window before clamping
the top to the windshield header. Learn this sequence. Does it clamp
easily to the windshield header? Check the exterior of the top for wear,
cracks, tears, etc. New tops cost about $1,500 installed at the dealer
and a new rear window with zipper is about $450. Figure these into the
cost and negotiations if they are bad and you decide to buy the car.
(Installation at a convertible top specialist will cost less.)

Inspecting the body panels. Are they smooth and do the seams match well?
Sight down the sides of the car in bright light. Do you see any ripples,
roughness or other signs of body repair? If possible, check the paint
under fluorescent light. It will show sanding marks and other signs of
body and paint work. Check the door sill areas and rocker panels for
signs of rust. Look for little bubbles in the paint. If the car has
metallic door sill plates, ask if you can remove them to look for rust.
You will need the Phillips screwdriver for this.

How good is the paint? Do some of the painted panels look fresher than
the others? If they do, the car will be two shades of the color after a
few years of fading. If you find some discrepancies, ask again about
accidents. Inspect the door sills for overspray; check the black rubber
parts next to the paint for overspray. All are signs of a repaint which
likely means an accident.

Under the Hood: Check for general cleanliness, oil leaks, and missing
parts and inspect the area around the radiator and headlights for signs
of accident damage. Also look for leaking coolant. Ask if the timing
belt has been changed. It is due at 60K mile intervals. Ask if the spark
plug wires have been changed; many go bad at about 30K miles.

Consider doing a compression check if the car has very high mileage
and/or is running unevenly. You can do it yourself if you have the tools
and a compression gauge or you can pay a shop to do it for you. In fact,
you can also pay a shop or dealer to go over the whole car and give you
a report. The cost for this varies greatly; make sure you have an
understanding with the shop about what will be done and what it will
cost.

Pull the oil dipstick. Check the oil for visible contaminants. It should
be clean but it will darken as the miles add up since the last change.
If you see metallic particles sparkling in the oil, stop now and leave.
Ask when the oil was last changed. Ask to see maintenance records,
especially of oil changes. 3K intervals are great; up to 7.5K intervals
are OK. Longer intervals or no records, not so good. If they claim
frequent oil changes but have no records, you will have to decide
whether to believe them or not.

If the car has an automatic transmission, pull the dipstick and check
the cleanliness of the oil. Smell the oil when the transmission is hot.
If it smells at all burnt, walk away and find another. If you see
sparkling metallic particles, walk away.

Check the fan belts for cracks and obvious wear. Grab the water pump
pulley with both hands and rock it back and forth to see if there is
excessive wear (unlikely on most Miatas). Be careful; it might be hot.
Inspect the brake and clutch fluid reservoirs for proper level and color
of fluid. If it is very dark and dirty looking, plan on some $$s for
repairs in the future and get the fluids changed as soon as you buy the
car. Check the power steering fluid reservoir for level and leaks. Check
the air conditioner compressor for oil leaks.

Have someone start the car while you watch the exhaust pipe. Look for
smoke. In general, a white cloud indicates water in the cylinders from a
leaking head gasket or cracked block. If it pumps out great clouds of
smoke, thank the owner politely and leave.

Go back to the front and listen to the engine. Listen for knocks and any
unusual sounds. If you are not familiar with the noises engines make,
bring along your favorite gearhead friend to help. Turn on the A/C and
check to see that both electric fans behind the radiator come on. Listen
to the sounds that start when the A/C compressor comes on. Loud knocking
probably means replacement of the compressor. Squealing sounds generally
mean the belt is too loose. Some Miata A/Cs whistle a little, and that
is generally not a problem. Check to see if the A/C blows cold air. On a
hot day, you should feel cold air at the vents within 30 seconds. If it
takes much longer, there may be a refrigerant leak to fix and a recharge
of R12/R134a.

Once the engine is warmed up, grab the throttle valve and rev the engine
slowly up, listening for knocking sounds that come on at a certain rpm
levels and fade away. Early signs of rod and main bearing wear will show
up here. Does the engine idle smoothly without shaking from side to
side?

There have been reports of crankshafts failing in the 1990 Miata. It is
nearly impossible to check for cracking in the crankshaft without taking
things apart, however you can inspect the crankshaft pulley to see if it
is wobbling when the engine is running. A wobble could indicate a failed
crankshaft or a worn keyway. Low speed loss of power and hesitation can
also be a symptom, though it may also simply be worn ignition wires or
in need of proper timing.

The test drive: Start with the top up, windows closed and the radio off.
This minimizes the wind noise and allows you to better hear the
mechanical noises. Again, if you are not familiar with these sounds,
bring along your gearhead friend. The Miata is a fairly noisy car with
the top up. With it down, the wind noise drowns out the mechanical
noises. You will hear whirring sounds from the rear which are usually
tire noise. Listen for the sound of dry bearings grinding away. If it
changes with road speed, but not with engine RPM as you change gears, it
is probably the rear wheel bearings or the differential. Listen to the
sounds of the transmission as you go through the gears. High-pitched
whining noises in one or more gears are indicative of bad bearings in
the transmission. Be sure you try out the reverse gear as well.

Note: I'm leaving out the automatic transmission as I have never driven
a Miata with an automatic and have no idea what a normal shift pattern
sounds/feels like.

With the car stopped, set the handbrake. Does it feel solid? It should
go up about 3 inches. If you feel it hit a solid stop at the top, it is
either maladjusted or the rear pads are worn out. Gently try to move the
car with the brake applied. Does it seem to hold?

Is the clutch smooth on engagement? Any slippage? Go up and down the
gears several times. Any sound or feel of bad synchronizers? Is the
acceleration about right (you will have to drive several to get a
baseline for this comparison)? Try the brakes. Do they have a solid
feel? Does the car stop straight? Do you feel pulsations in the brake
pedal? On a deserted road or large parking lot, make some quick left and
right turns. Does the car feel solid or does it wallow back and forth?

At about 15 mph in 1st gear, get on and off the gas quickly several
times. Do you feel or hear any slack in the driveline? Drive about 45
mph in 5th. Disengage the clutch, rev the engine about 2K above what it
was doing and pop the clutch. If the engine immediately drops back to
the original rpm area, the clutch is probably good. If it comes back
slowly and the car sounds like it has a slipping automatic transmission,
you have the first signs of clutch slippage. Be gentle--it's not your
car yet and it is easy to cook the flywheel doing this!

Drive at 60, 65, 70 mph and whatever speeds you can safely do under the
conditions. Miatas are infamous for the 65 mph shimmy. Check for this.
Does the car wander or follow the longitudinal grooves in the road? Does
it feel controlled over bumps, or does it wallow like an old Buick?

While you are driving in stop and go traffic, does the engine stutter,
misfire, bog down after a shift? All are signs that the plug wires need
replacing, or worse.

Summary: All in all, the Miata is a well built, tough little car with an
excellent maintenance record. If the car has had good care and
maintenance, it will give you good service. If you suspect the car has
not had good care, pass on it and find another. If you have been
following the list for awhile, you are aware of the few problems that
Miatas have. Also, check the Miata.net web page for the Tips from the
Garage which cover all the wear/maintenance/problems/rattles etc. of the
Miata. The above may be overkill for many people, especially if you are
looking at low mileage cars. I'm sure there are some areas I've
overlooked. If you are not mechanically inclined, bring along that
gearhead friend to help out (if he/she really knows what he/she is
talking about). After the purchase: After you have found and bought that
perfect (for you) used Miata, and unless you got receipts from the
previous owner(s) for recent maintenance, do the following:

Change the engine oil now and at 3k intervals. I use dino oil, others
prefer synthetics, either is OK, you decide. Check and replace the air
and fuel filters if needed.

If the antifreeze has not been changed recently, change it and use a
50-50 mix of a good quality antifreeze and distilled water.

If the car has high mileage, consider changing the transmission and
differential fluids. It would also be a good idea to change the brake
and clutch fluids as well, especially if they are dark and dirty. Do any
other maintenance per the owners manual. If the timing belt has not been
changed and is near the 60K interval, do it now. Clean and detail it
(the previous owner probably didn't keep it as clean as you want your
new baby to be), and then give it a coat of wax.

[Mike Jolley]

Welcome to the list,will see you at launch,BRG sure gets some good fun poked
at it but then hey it is BRG. mike
MIKE
WEZTY

[Carey Hill]

Congratulations, my wife and I just bought our first mx5 three weeks ago too.
Its a red eunos, 91, mechanically fine, paint will get attention soon, but we
have rebuilt and restored many classic cars including rare ones that you have
to make your own stuff for ,so we figure an mx5 cant be too daunting, no
matter what needs doing, because there nothing you cant buy! Why worry
Try buying bits for a nash metropolitan convertible or taillights for a
studebaker.
We always admired the original mx5, drove one in 92, and fell in love, but had
the kids and mortgages, it has taken a lot of years to finally get one.
Anyhow we have registered for the NC launch, look forward to meeting as many
of you as we can
Carey and Andrea Hill

From chris.tankard@aderant.com Fri Apr 27 17:30:40 2007
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Subject: RE: NC Launch
Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2005 21:39:48 +1200
Thread-Topic: NC Launch
Thread-Index: AcXE01uUiUEU2pgkSb2NwQ+VCECW5gABl/tt
From: "Chris Tankard" <chris.tankard@aderant.com>
To: "MX5List" <mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>, "MX5List"
<mx5list@mx5club.org.nz>
Precedence: list
Message-ID: <KPTPbD.A.d7D.ExYMGB@L733>

Bill,

Lousy excuse (the cast) - Get a mate and get them to drive!!!

Would be horrible to get to 199 and your at home!!!


C

________________________________

From: e-admin@mx5club.org.nz on behalf of Bill Rehm
Sent: Thu 29/09/2005 8:48 p.m.
To: 'MX5List'
Subject: RE: NC Launch


Thanks to Kevin, Jill, Vince, The Simpsons (Homer, Marge, Bart, etc),
and Peter.

If the cast can be removed next week, I'll join you!

Regards
William