Mazda MX-5 Miata (2005 and earlier)

postoak

I don't know if they can be bought at common stores. I bought mine and the 303 by doing a websearch, getting a 1-800 number and doing the mail-order thing. The Meguiar's is easy to find, though.

brekke

I know I've seen Vinylex at a retail store, either Auto Barn or Aid Auto

dgraves1

Yeah, Vinylex is everywhere - Pep Boys, Target, just about anywhere that sells automotive stuff. I like their leather conditioner (Lexol), too.

ateixeira

Thanks, folks, I'll check it out next time I'm there.

-juice

bjrich

We just got back from a great weekend at Petit Jean State Park in No. Central Arkansas. A little rain going down but a great day on Saturday running Mt. Nebo's 5 mph switchbacks and the great scenery all over the place. It is very green in Arkansas. Nine Miatas and 17 great souls that were the finest of Miata owners. They are looking forward to the National Miata Confab in Toronto this July. (Mrs.bjrich and I are not going to that one. We had attended the National Confab a few years back in Poconos Pa.) The Mathers Lodge and cabins in Petit Jean State Park is a great getaway place for the running of Mr. Nebo, sitting back in the forest of the Park. Enjoyed a fine evening after the drive with chile dogs, and a bit of he vine. Saturday we made the Nebo run, hit a Sonic for a late lunch and the ladies had to make a Walmart stop in Dardanelle AR., For a refill of bottled water etc.,and some more sun screen. The Miata was run hard, did it's job with ease, as always, we were reafirmed in our faith, the handling, and great drive of the best roadster on the market, as we have proven over and over again. The S2000, Prosche, BMW or Cl do not reach the heights of ownership love that the Miata started over 10 years ago. The owners from Springfield, IL., Decature and the surrounds that we joined for this trip, truly believe in this car, from top to bottom. We had a 91, 92, a 10 AE, only two red, One black,one Crystal Blue, and a couple of BRG's.A super selection.Mrs. bjrich and I are planning a trip to Savanaha and Charleston in a few weeks, but the summer gives us great treats no matter where we roam. Give that Arkansas Trip a try some time you guys!

ateixeira

Sounds like a hoot. Any events closer to the nation's capital?

-juice

justin

i JUST found out about the Miata SE. i can't find any pics of the gray one. it says it has "saddle brown" interior. what does it look like? same wheels as the yellow one? is it leather interior? does it have the chrome interior door handles? is that real metal, or just painted plastic like the 626?

thanks!

lngtonge18

Here is a link that will show you a small picture of what the gray paint looks like and all the features of the SE:

http://www.miata.net/news/editions.html

The brown interior is leather. It looks like the color of a horse saddle or dark colored baseball mitt (it's literally brown, not tan or beige). The gray SE has the same wheels as the yellow one. The door handles are not "chrome". They are real aluminum, not painted plastic like on the 626. Anyway, the link above should answer all your questions about the SE.

lngtonge18

My Miata has recently started acting up every once in awhile. While accelerating after shifting gears, I noticed a "dead" spot in acceleration. I pushed down on the gas after shifting into 3rd gear, but the car accelerated a little and then just sort of sat there, as if no power was getting to the wheels or the throttle had been suddenly lifted briefly. It wasn't audibly sputtering, but gave the sensation that it was (you could feel slight shaking in the steering wheel). It happened for about 5-10 seconds and then stopped once I backed off the throttle just a tad. Is this signs of the clutch slipping? The clutch does engage near the top of the pedal travel. Can I adjust it down some to maybe lengthen the life of the clutch? Any thoughts? Thanks

ateixeira

Sounds like my old Datsun when the clutch started slipping. Is it worse going uphill?

It's the clutch. I'd shop for a new one now, don't wait.

-juice

locke2c

It's the pressure plate. Because of the labor everything else should be replaced in there as well-- pilot bearing, takeout/throwout bearing, clutch disc, and the cover (pressure plate). Labor should be in the $200-400 range since it's RWD, parts I have no clue about.

-Colin

justin

i finally see what it is like. that is one beautiful car!

locke2c

I agree, I've always liked a gunmetal type color. Pretty rare here in North America, they have them more cars in Europe and Japan.

-Colin

freddy_k

Just wondering if anyone can give me an idea of what I should be paying for brake work in Canadian bucks.
I'm getting OEM pads and machining the rotors all the way around, and flushing the system. Unfortunately this is the first car I've kept long enough to need work done to it, other then junk piles in my earlier driving years, and am suseptable to being ripped off.

dgraves1

Ah, I was wondering about that gray color. I've seen a couple lately and was wondering if Mazda came up with a new color. It looks very nice in person.

maltb

but they cheaped out the top. Just as all the other Miatas, the top SHOULD match the seats.

lngtonge18

So far it looks like my fears of clutch replacement have been realized (heck, the thing has 140k miles on it). I will just live with it for now until it gets a little worse and I get my job situation in order. Living in Florida means roads are almost always flat so going up hills won't be a problem. Does anyone know whether adjusting the clutch engagement position is possible and might help it a little? Engaging at the top of the pedal is making me slip the clutch more on engagement and can't be good for it.

locke2c

no it really won't help. btw your profile says you have a 2000 Accent? If you do I wouldn't drive the miata until you have money for the clutch job. just my opinion...

-Colin

ateixeira

I was thinking the same thing. Couldn't it harm the flywheel to continue using a worn out clutch?

-juice

lngtonge18

I have 4 cars actually. A 00 Accent, 02 Lancer, 92 Miata, and 84 VW GTI. I don't drive the Miata all that much, but I don't think it's a big deal at this point. My mom had a bad clutch from the start in her 92 Accord. That thing lasted until the car was wrecked at 184k. It slipped real bad at that point and shuddered a lot, but it still worked. My slippage is very minor at this time. I think it could last another 5-10k without any difficulties, but its good to know thats what the problem is and not some fuel problem. Are clutch jobs more or less expensive for rear drive cars? The reason I asked about adjusting the clutch is because adjusting the cable on my GTI made the clutch feel better and moved the engagement point down (though I don't know whether it is possible to adjust a hydraulic clutch).

locke2c

yes, generally speaking any transmission located behind a longitudinally mounted engine-- which should be all RWD cars-- is easier to work on than one behind a transverse mounted engine. once you've done both you let me know if you disagree. ;-)

btw, you mean your family has 4 cars at your disposal? (trying to figure why one person would have 4 cars of those specs.) anyway, as you noted with the accord you can often get by on a bad clutch for a long time, especially if you don't pull out in front of anyone or try to pass. but I can't imagine the point of driving a miata like that... at that point the Accent is probably more fun.

-Colin

postoak

Just had my clutch done 4 or 5 weeks ago at 172,500 miles. $500 -- the dealer wanted around $900.

lngtonge18

Postoak: Thanks for reporting! Good to know a general ballpark figure for clutch work.

Locke2c: The 4 cars are distributed among 2 people only. What can I say, I love cars I'm being stubborn about selling my GTI even though I have no use for it anymore. I just can't part with it (was my first car at the age of 15 and I'm now 22). I love how it drives too much (one of those few cars that actually puts you in touch with the road and makes driving fun) and I have put too much money (in performance additions) and time into it that I can't justify selling it to someone who isn't going to give it the attention it deserves or care anything about what I put into it. Besides, the darn thing is the most reliable car on the road, so what's the point of throwing it away for a measly $1500? People usually get rid of something when it breaks or is simply too much of a hassle to keep up anymore. This baby starts up first try even after sitting for 2 weeks and has 200k on it. Anywho, that's why I have so many cars.
As for the Miata, it is more my "cruising" car, not performance car. So I don't really drive it very hard. In fact, I rarely take the rpms above 3k. Even driven sedately, the Miata is still a blast to drive with its quick reflexes and open top experience. One last remark about my clutch. If I can hold it off for a little while, I can have it replaced at my brother-in-law's repair shop for a much cheaper price. One of the few perks of having inlaws.....

ateixeira

There you go. Send his wife some flowers first. ;-)

-juice

eddiesvr4

Have any of you had the pleasure of parking your car on the street, and coming back to a huge paint chip on the front of your car? Obviously, the moron who parked in front of you backed into your Miata HARD, buckled the bumper, and separated the paint from the body where the bumper folded up...

My blue Miata now has some serious paint chips on the nose, and it keeps peeling. Touch up paint will probably fill the holes but won't keep the paint from chipping and peeling from the edges.

Is there anything which can be done about this? Is this something which should be taken to a pro? I'm broke, so I don't have the loot to have a pro rip me off.

I was thinking of covering it with a bra, but I don't have $90 to make my car uglier.

Any ideas? Thanx...

Eddie

freddy_k

Unfortunately you will need to repaint. Touch it up for now, but save up or wait for a better time to fix it properly. Once you start letting the little things like that go with temporary cover up jobs, it's only a downhill slide from there!

If it will be a while before you can fix it probably, take it to a respectable body shop who can do a 'professional' retouching for less then a hundred bucks. Not perfect, but good enough for a time.

miatame

I just purchased a 95 M Edition with 46K miles. It still has the OEM shocks and Bridgestone Potenzas with about 20K on them. Does anyone have a suggestion for replacement shocks and/or tires?

smars

I replaced my OEM shocks in January with KYB AGX 8-way adjustable. I've been well pleased. Those and the adjustable Koni's are usually the shocks of choice. You can get the KYBs for around $320 delivered. I've seen them recently on e-bay for around $300 delivered. Its not that difficult to install yourself, you just need a spring compressor.

Tires will depend on your price range and intended use. The Falken Azeni is a top choice for Autocross (on a budget). They're in the $50 ea. range. They have exceptional grip, but probably won't last that long as a street tire. I bought the summer Pirelli P7000, and its great on the street, dry or wet, and works for autocross as well. It also was only $47 ea. @ Tire Rack for the 14". The Toyo Proxes(sp?) T1S is also a highly rated tire for the Miata, probably more for strictly street use. The reviews on it are a great ride and handling, but not as crisp turn-in as some of the other high performance tires. They're also over $100 ea. Hope this helps. You might also want to check out the "tires and wheels" and "handling" forums on miata.net for more opinions.

matroskin

I'm shopping for a car and have found Mazda MX-5 and Mazda MX-5 Miata in dealer's inventories. Where is the difference between MX-5 and MX-5 Miata?

locke2c

One is the full name of the car, the other isn't.

Usually you see just "Miata" far more often than just "MX-5".

-Colin

ateixeira

In other markets they also use the names "Eunos" and even just "Roadster". They all mean the same thing - fun.

-juice

locke2c

Miata = "one with the horse"

;-)

-Colin

hyttenj

I was hoping maybe someone out there can help me. I have a 93 Miata with the "c" package that was recently in a really bad rain storm and there seems to be water underneath the driver's side seat (I can hear it move back and forth while driving) There is no wetness in the interior of the car. How do I get it out? Also I think this has affected my radio because after the car sits for more than 10-12 hours the radio won't work for the first 10 minutes and then comes on. My guess is there is an amplifier(probably under the seat or wherever the water is that I'm experiencing) and it won't kick in until it dries out a little. Am I correct about the amplifier and if so is there a way to protect it? Any help would be great.

reward72

Just got all four brake pads replaced on my MY2000 for about CAN$200 in a Goodyear center. My dealer wanted twice that money.

ateixeira

Check under the door sills. I've heard it's common for those drains to clog, and you can hear the water sloshing back and forth.

-juice

freddy_k

Thanks, I had to do them already, they were almost metal on metal, having never been serviced before.

I paid $330 bucks for 2 brake pads, machining the rotors, servicing the calipers (in other words only front brakes) plus spark plugs and ignition wires. It seems high, but they did a thorough job.

I went with all OEM parts, not sure if this was a good or bad idea but it seemed safe to me.

dgraves1

freddy - I hope you got 4 new pads, not 2. For the life of me, I can't figure out how places charge so much for brake jobs but they all do it. On most cars, it's like a 30 minute job for me to do one set (front or back) in my garage. If I had I had a lift and air tools, I could probably do all four wheels in 20 minutes.

bkdamoron

I own a '94 M edition Miata. I recently broke the tab off the zipper to my plastic rear window. I went to the dealer thinking that they could just sew one right back on, but they quoted me $280 just to put a new zipper on (said they had to take the top completely off). My plastic rear window is really becoming a pain as well. I was thinking of just having the whole window replaced with a glass one so I don't have to keep fooling with that stupid plastic piece of garbage. Does anyone know what a fair price would be for a glass rear window? I've seen them for about $300 bucks and thought that wasn't too bad considering the plastic window costs about $200. But how much would it cost to install?

bjrich

Dear Mr. moron'Sorry for the title shot!Go to Miatanet.com. You will find many references to your problem and go to reviews for solving your problemI was just reading about top problems on that site no too long ago.I do not believe they have to remove the top. It seems to me a good shop has a hand held seweing sewing and can do the install of he zipper in just a short time. The zipper costs less then $10.00, but you have to have the right shop. I live in St. Louis and can reommendrecommendher if you live in this area. Good luck. Bob

bjrich

I just went to Miatanet.com and went to the "garage" section. There is a complete description of how to fix your problem. the part number you can get from Mazda for $4.00, and do it yourself.
Hope this helps you out.
Bob

nativetex45

I have read numerous posts on why the Miata is not a good daily commuter car. Since I can't afford to own another car to drive to work, my Miata is my daily commuter car (52 miles round trip). Is it because it's such a small car or a little noisy? I love driving this car even in rush hour traffic. I have never understood why so many people think the Miata is only a weekend car. There are a lot of people that simply cannot afford to have a weekend car and a commuter car. I knew when I bought my Miata it was the most impractical car I have ever owned, but that is one of the reasons why I had to have one. I deserve a selfish, impractical, fun car after raising 2 children to adulthood. This was my reward to myself.

bjrich

My 01 has over 19,000 miles in one year and I commute all over the place every day. It is a great commuter car, hot or cold, wet or dryI use it for grocery shopping and fill the trunk up, and if need be fill up the front seat too.I had to hall an 8 ft. tall stuffed giragiraffes past holiday, and for that I called a friend who has a mini Van. Other than something like that,the Miata scoots and commutes, and I might add it zooms pretty well also.You have to make adjustment. No 8 ft. girafegiraffefit in most any car. That is why you need friends with Vans.Regard, Bob.

freddy_k

For me the car is a great daily driver, and I haven't missed the practicality of a larger or more spacious car. I'm also only 5'6, 130, and the car is practicaly built for my size! In my old car I would drive straight home on the most practical route, but now I find I don't really care how long it takes me to get anywhere, I'll often find illogical reasons to take the long way. The clutch is light enough that in moderate traffic it doesn't present a problem, and it's a fantastic city driver because you have to shift a lot in the city, and that, to me, is half the fun of the car!

On the other hand my girlfriend, who loves the car when the top is down on a nice day, does not like it otherwise. She finds it cramped for longer drives and also finds the engine heat coming in through the floor is too much. We're already arguing about which car we're taking to Virginia this summer on the 10 hour drive - an argument which I plan on winning ;-)

ateixeira

I do commute in mine some times, but in the rain, and especially in the snow, it's not nearly as enjoyable. Even with snow tires, you have to dodge all those behemoths on the road. It's not my driving I'm worried about, it's the folks that seem to get their license despite having all the driving prowess of a coconut.

I'm not saying you can't, just that I wouldn't want to. A wonderful roadster on a sunny day becomes a cramped, loud coupe with poor visibility on a snowy/rainy day.

To each his/her own.

-juice

nativetex44

I read your post in "Roadsters - all of em" that you were saving for a wood kit. I've been thinking about a gear shift cover. Do you have a cover? If so, which one do you have? Do you like it? Which one would you recommend? I would like to start customizing my car, but $$$ is a big issue right now.

freddy_k

The only things I've done, and plan to do to my car are 16" 5 split-spoke rims, removed the front tie-down hooks, removed the aftermarket foglamps the car came with and installed a front grille instead.
I love the lines of these cars and prefer not to clutter them up with lights, ground effects, wings etc. The grille looks even better then I thought it would.

For the interior I plan on installing the rosewood kit, a matching gearshift knob and handbrake handle, which looks really sharp with the tan. Unfortunately the rosewood kit is insanely expensive and I'd rather wait until I can do it all at once.
My gearshift boot is still the stock black one, which I plan on replacing with a tan leather one with the wood mods.

Ive been debating replacing the stock shocks and springs with higher performance one, but I worry about uncomfortable daily driving. This one is still up in the air.

lngtonge18

Are Mazda keys on the earlier Miatas one sided? Meaning can they only be used facing one direction? I'm having a problem with my key working right. It refuses to unlock the driver's door when inserted one way but works the other. It refuses to turn the ignition one way, but works the other way. However, even when inserted into the ignition the one way that works, sometimes I have to fight it as if the steering column is locked but its not. I at first thought there was something wrong with the ignition tumbler, but my partner claims he has no problems with his key. So, is my key worn down or something? Anyone ever encountered this?

smars

The key on my '92 is "2 sided", works from either way its inserted. While it works fine, I also have a '93 626 and that key has the same problem you describe. I think it must be wear on the key. My wife doesn't have a problem with her keys to the 626, but they have probably been used onaly 10% as much as my keys.

ateixeira

Swap keys, since you use yours more often, or just make a copy of hers.

-juice

davekmdmd

hyttenj,

By now I hope you've found the solution to your problem. The convertible top area of the Miata has drain channels that direct water into the lower frame rails of the car. These frame rails are reinforced but are hollow and themselves have drain holes. Look closely at the rocker panels/ frame rails running the length of the car and at the bottom, front and rear (both sides) you'll see the structural steel formed into holes. These become clogged with debris. Simply take a slim screwdriver and gently poke into the hole. Water will drain. Additionally the drain holes from up at the convertible top can become clogged. There are special (long thin) brushes you can buy to unclog those drains.

As a final note, everyone here with a Miata should visit www.miata.net. This web site is jam packed with Miata specific help/interest/how-to, etc. information. (I do not have any affiliation with that web site, I simply visit there often).

Regards, Dave K.