Archive for August, 2009
Buying a used Mazda MX 5
This article covers buying a used Mazda MX 5 NA (Mark 1 Model 1989 to 1997) aka Mazda Miata.
Make sure you take the car for a long test drive to warm everything up, warming the engine and gearbox will reveal a couple of extra faults not apparent when cold.
Engine: The Mx5 engine is almost bullet proof, mines got 127,00 miles of thrashing and still runs sweet, however make sure any mazda mx 5 you are interested in has had regular servicing, most importantly check when the cam belt was last changed, Mazda recommend a cam belt change every 60,000 miles.
Other things to check on the MX 5:
Engine oil, older Mazda MX 5 models tend to leak oil from the around the cam cover, not a big deal just check the oil levels more that usual.
Rusty rear sills, just behind the door towards the bottom of the car is a short sill piece, the drain holes tend to become blocked over time, water then accumulates causing them to rust from the inside out, give these areas vigorous attention, Using a magnet to ensure they have not been bodged up with filler.
Pop-up lights, Make sure these are working, as they can be troublesome.
Mx5 soft-top roof: Take your time inspecting the soft-top and rear plastic window, the roof on the Mazda mx 5 can be expensive to replace, so make sure it’s in good condition.
Now back to the reason I recommend a longer test drive, when the Mazda engine is cold more fuel is pumped into the engine and performance is increased, as the engine warms up less fuel is used, this is all controlled by a small computer located in the car, any problems with the computer should be obvious, such as engine cutting out, lumpy tick over or poor acceleration.
Inside the Mazda mx 5 cockpit, when everything is warm use your nose, can you smell oil? Put your hand on the gear stick gator, if it’s warm the gear lever boots have perished and will need to be replaced, not an expensive job (approx.£50) however you may be able to knock the seller down on price.
MX5 Cars
MX5 Cars is all about the Mazda MX5 car, I am currently updated the site, if you want to know more about the Mazda mx5 please come back soon , I will have updates about mx5 parts, mods and mx5 accessories.