Learning maintenance, technical, mods on my '11 MX5 as 20y/o
Discussion
Hi to anyone who is interested; I'm going to write this thread about my ownership experience and acquired knowledge of my first car, a 2011 MX-5, as well as learning to work on and modify cars essentially from scratch - from the POV of a 20-year-old.
I'm going to detail things I've done, learned and plan to do with the car here. I like to be relatively technical but don't know everything and I'll try to keep it interesting!
I'm new to PistonHeads, only ever using it before to look at used cars and read technical info really - but my Dad is a long-time (almost longer than I've been around!) member as he has had a few 7's and a TVR Cerbera 4.5. I even remember seeing the forums on an old laptop when I was very young, so would like to post my experiences here, now that I'm getting more serious doing things to the car.
Onto the car/story:
To those of you my age just now learning to drive, I will give you one bit of advice - don't be too sensible! You might be able to drive something interesting, not necessarily fast, but interesting and fun; without sacrificing a whole lot at all.
And some more, as a bonus: check your insurance quotes, learn advanced driving tips, be safe(!!!!) but know driving around at 45 in a 60 in top gear isn't the only way - as my driving examiner actually seemed to appreciate "making good progress." Learn to do your own air filter, spark plug & oil changes, at the VERY least! You'll save hundreds, maybe thousands in just a few years.
Back when I was a learner, I did all the compulsory "want to be interested in cars" things: study for the theory test, look at as many cars as possible, do everything you can to get behind the wheel, check insurance quotes on every single car listed for sale you can find...
It's this last activity that lead me to where I am now. One day, while probably looking at something sensible (KA, Swift, Picanto?) I ran a quote for a MK3 1.8L MX-5 and it blew me away. If my yearly insurance would be ~£1,500 with a city car; the MX-5 was within £300 of that - without a black box, and often cheaper to buy!
Long story short, after considering a whole list of affordable sports cars (RX-8 231 BHP even cheaper to insure??? Glad I did NOT go down this disaster pit!) and convincing my parents it was *totally* not insane; I bought a 2011 MK3.5 in "metropolitan grey mica" at the age of 18.
^Photo from when I had just bought it in early 2023 and it snowed shortly after. Was a load of fun trying to get off the drive at a 45-degree angle, on summer tyres, so my parents could park!
^Fantastic looking side-profile.
^I used to wash the car often - wish I had as much time now!
Info on my car:
It's a MK3 MX-5 from 2011, making it a facelift known as the MK3.5 or NC2 (NC is the chassis code for the MK3 MX-5 2006-2015).
There were a large number of significant (to me) improvements over the NC1/MK3 and prices do reflect. I paid £3,999 for it in winter, which I still think is a fair price over 2 years later.
There is also an NC3/MK3.75 variant with a few small changes but overall I didn't read anything about them that would justify the extra cost again for a first car. I'll talk more technical differences between the three later.
For the money, I got a 2.0 litre Sport Tech model with a nice metallic grey paint (code 36C I believe) that appears almost black in low-light but has a really nice bluish tinge in sunlight; with flecks of red, blue and green flake in the basecoat. I'd have preferred a nice red or metallic blue, but it's very difficult to find a good Sport Tech for that price anyway.
Included in the Sport Tech trim (the highest available for NC2 other than a 'Nav' option with sat-nav, and some later limited editions) are:
-Leather heated seats;
-The 6-speed P66M-D gearbox instead of 5;
-Only the 2.0 engine available which has extra features such as VVT, better valve ports and a higher redline, and only comes with an LSD in any trim (down with open diffs!);
-A/C with automatic climate control;
-Front fog lights;
-Basic (throttle only) cruise control with steering wheel buttons;
-A pretty decent Bose stereo & more speakers;
-Sports suspension inc. a front strut brace that ties to the firewall area, Bilstein dampers and possibly stiffer ARBs (how can the base model get even softer? I don't think I'd like that...);
-Small exterior & interior details, like chrome or fake aluminium trim here and there;
-And 17" wheels with a slightly lower tyre sidewall profile.
There might be a few more changes, but these are the most notable.
My NC had about 138,000 miles when I bought it, but no immediate issues; and 4 matching Michelin Primacy (mid-budget) tyres with relatively fresh brakes, oil, spark plugs, gear & diff oil(!) and had a full dinitrol underseal that someone paid almost £750 for. Ouch. I now know this was actually done straight over all the surface rust on the underside, which is very poor. It will easily flake off with the rust, but the main chassis is totally hole-free (for now).
Initial impressions/review:
It's a fantastic little thing - it feels light and nimble along country lanes, with soft suspension that greatly communicates the car's limits - which are not infinite, a very fun character. It's small enough to be able to pick your own line round corners without straying into the oncoming lane (as everyone else will be doing, regardless of car, normally!) and it's got delightful gear changes that are snickety, positive and smooth.
My favourite part is the steering - what a bombardment of feel compared to cars I've driven with e-PAS. It's a hydraulic setup with a slightly oversized RX-8 wheel and relatively slow ratio but the feeling at low speeds is immense. There is texture, and it feels alive and weighty - like you turning the wheel is actually moving something mechanical.
At speed, the feeling gets more taught and the amount of self-centering is perfect. When sideways (ahem, on track only, of course!) it's possible to let go and let the wheel point you in the right direction with confidence. If you're taking a bend just 5-10 MPH faster than normal, it weights up in a really natural way to tell you how far the chassis and tyres are being pushed. The general feel of the car is very involving, you'll feel each & every rock, bump and change road surface but not in an off-putting or uncomfortable way.
Compared to the limited number of cars (10?) I've ever driven, it's the most natural to drive in both traffic and spiritedly on a NSL road. On the motorway, it's of course a little louder, slightly less relaxing, but with the folding hardtop roof it's mainly tyre noise and moderately high revs that will be irritating.
It's surprisingly practical - when I bought a home earlier this year I was able to take a huge amount of tools, oils and sprays from the garage to not feel totally useless compared to the van & Dad's truck. The boot is a good enough size for a weekly shop for 2-3 and the interior space & materials are cozy but not cramped or uncomfortable.
The engine: in standard form, It's "just enough" and more functional than exciting. It'll blow most FWD hatchbacks away at a set of lights but above 2nd gear you really start to wish for some more go. At least the redline is set at 7,500RPM, which is plenty high for an eco-engine!
Eco... maybe in another car, it's a MZR (MaZda Responsive - terrible acronym) lump that was designed by Mazda - then worsened (cheapened, maybe) and used by Ford, who owned Mazda, and branded Duratec. These engines have a few more known faults, I've heard. I get around 33MPG average on my 30-50mi commute, which is a little low by modern standards, but OK enough.
The NC engines are known to be pretty reliable, but I've heard of many NC1 engines that have been oil-starved or burning oil due to lack of maintenance. It's not uncommon to read of one going bang after this, especially on track.
The pedals are perfectly positioned for heel-and-toe, with all controls feeling suitably "right". Clutch force is moderate, brakes are easy to modulate but probably lacking a little feel compared to more exotic cars, and the accelerator isn't too light - smooth and linear, with a nice stop at the end of its travel (DBW, not cable).
There is a LOT I have done with this car already, and it's now almost at 155,000 miles. A few things have broken, a few things I've fixed, and a few things I'm planning.
I'll post more replies with work I've done gradually, and follow up whenever I have time or do another project!
I'm going to detail things I've done, learned and plan to do with the car here. I like to be relatively technical but don't know everything and I'll try to keep it interesting!
I'm new to PistonHeads, only ever using it before to look at used cars and read technical info really - but my Dad is a long-time (almost longer than I've been around!) member as he has had a few 7's and a TVR Cerbera 4.5. I even remember seeing the forums on an old laptop when I was very young, so would like to post my experiences here, now that I'm getting more serious doing things to the car.
Onto the car/story:
To those of you my age just now learning to drive, I will give you one bit of advice - don't be too sensible! You might be able to drive something interesting, not necessarily fast, but interesting and fun; without sacrificing a whole lot at all.
And some more, as a bonus: check your insurance quotes, learn advanced driving tips, be safe(!!!!) but know driving around at 45 in a 60 in top gear isn't the only way - as my driving examiner actually seemed to appreciate "making good progress." Learn to do your own air filter, spark plug & oil changes, at the VERY least! You'll save hundreds, maybe thousands in just a few years.
Back when I was a learner, I did all the compulsory "want to be interested in cars" things: study for the theory test, look at as many cars as possible, do everything you can to get behind the wheel, check insurance quotes on every single car listed for sale you can find...
It's this last activity that lead me to where I am now. One day, while probably looking at something sensible (KA, Swift, Picanto?) I ran a quote for a MK3 1.8L MX-5 and it blew me away. If my yearly insurance would be ~£1,500 with a city car; the MX-5 was within £300 of that - without a black box, and often cheaper to buy!
Long story short, after considering a whole list of affordable sports cars (RX-8 231 BHP even cheaper to insure??? Glad I did NOT go down this disaster pit!) and convincing my parents it was *totally* not insane; I bought a 2011 MK3.5 in "metropolitan grey mica" at the age of 18.
^Photo from when I had just bought it in early 2023 and it snowed shortly after. Was a load of fun trying to get off the drive at a 45-degree angle, on summer tyres, so my parents could park!
^Fantastic looking side-profile.
^I used to wash the car often - wish I had as much time now!
Info on my car:
It's a MK3 MX-5 from 2011, making it a facelift known as the MK3.5 or NC2 (NC is the chassis code for the MK3 MX-5 2006-2015).
There were a large number of significant (to me) improvements over the NC1/MK3 and prices do reflect. I paid £3,999 for it in winter, which I still think is a fair price over 2 years later.
There is also an NC3/MK3.75 variant with a few small changes but overall I didn't read anything about them that would justify the extra cost again for a first car. I'll talk more technical differences between the three later.
For the money, I got a 2.0 litre Sport Tech model with a nice metallic grey paint (code 36C I believe) that appears almost black in low-light but has a really nice bluish tinge in sunlight; with flecks of red, blue and green flake in the basecoat. I'd have preferred a nice red or metallic blue, but it's very difficult to find a good Sport Tech for that price anyway.
Included in the Sport Tech trim (the highest available for NC2 other than a 'Nav' option with sat-nav, and some later limited editions) are:
-Leather heated seats;
-The 6-speed P66M-D gearbox instead of 5;
-Only the 2.0 engine available which has extra features such as VVT, better valve ports and a higher redline, and only comes with an LSD in any trim (down with open diffs!);
-A/C with automatic climate control;
-Front fog lights;
-Basic (throttle only) cruise control with steering wheel buttons;
-A pretty decent Bose stereo & more speakers;
-Sports suspension inc. a front strut brace that ties to the firewall area, Bilstein dampers and possibly stiffer ARBs (how can the base model get even softer? I don't think I'd like that...);
-Small exterior & interior details, like chrome or fake aluminium trim here and there;
-And 17" wheels with a slightly lower tyre sidewall profile.
There might be a few more changes, but these are the most notable.
My NC had about 138,000 miles when I bought it, but no immediate issues; and 4 matching Michelin Primacy (mid-budget) tyres with relatively fresh brakes, oil, spark plugs, gear & diff oil(!) and had a full dinitrol underseal that someone paid almost £750 for. Ouch. I now know this was actually done straight over all the surface rust on the underside, which is very poor. It will easily flake off with the rust, but the main chassis is totally hole-free (for now).
Initial impressions/review:
It's a fantastic little thing - it feels light and nimble along country lanes, with soft suspension that greatly communicates the car's limits - which are not infinite, a very fun character. It's small enough to be able to pick your own line round corners without straying into the oncoming lane (as everyone else will be doing, regardless of car, normally!) and it's got delightful gear changes that are snickety, positive and smooth.
My favourite part is the steering - what a bombardment of feel compared to cars I've driven with e-PAS. It's a hydraulic setup with a slightly oversized RX-8 wheel and relatively slow ratio but the feeling at low speeds is immense. There is texture, and it feels alive and weighty - like you turning the wheel is actually moving something mechanical.
At speed, the feeling gets more taught and the amount of self-centering is perfect. When sideways (ahem, on track only, of course!) it's possible to let go and let the wheel point you in the right direction with confidence. If you're taking a bend just 5-10 MPH faster than normal, it weights up in a really natural way to tell you how far the chassis and tyres are being pushed. The general feel of the car is very involving, you'll feel each & every rock, bump and change road surface but not in an off-putting or uncomfortable way.
Compared to the limited number of cars (10?) I've ever driven, it's the most natural to drive in both traffic and spiritedly on a NSL road. On the motorway, it's of course a little louder, slightly less relaxing, but with the folding hardtop roof it's mainly tyre noise and moderately high revs that will be irritating.
It's surprisingly practical - when I bought a home earlier this year I was able to take a huge amount of tools, oils and sprays from the garage to not feel totally useless compared to the van & Dad's truck. The boot is a good enough size for a weekly shop for 2-3 and the interior space & materials are cozy but not cramped or uncomfortable.
The engine: in standard form, It's "just enough" and more functional than exciting. It'll blow most FWD hatchbacks away at a set of lights but above 2nd gear you really start to wish for some more go. At least the redline is set at 7,500RPM, which is plenty high for an eco-engine!
Eco... maybe in another car, it's a MZR (MaZda Responsive - terrible acronym) lump that was designed by Mazda - then worsened (cheapened, maybe) and used by Ford, who owned Mazda, and branded Duratec. These engines have a few more known faults, I've heard. I get around 33MPG average on my 30-50mi commute, which is a little low by modern standards, but OK enough.
The NC engines are known to be pretty reliable, but I've heard of many NC1 engines that have been oil-starved or burning oil due to lack of maintenance. It's not uncommon to read of one going bang after this, especially on track.
The pedals are perfectly positioned for heel-and-toe, with all controls feeling suitably "right". Clutch force is moderate, brakes are easy to modulate but probably lacking a little feel compared to more exotic cars, and the accelerator isn't too light - smooth and linear, with a nice stop at the end of its travel (DBW, not cable).
There is a LOT I have done with this car already, and it's now almost at 155,000 miles. A few things have broken, a few things I've fixed, and a few things I'm planning.
I'll post more replies with work I've done gradually, and follow up whenever I have time or do another project!
Edited by Cydonia on Monday 19th May 00:48
Edited by Cydonia on Monday 19th May 00:53
First thing I noticed with the car was an annoying tapping/ticking/rattling noise at idle. I'll link a video from recently, but it started over a year ago:
It was probably the longest standing issue I had with the car - I thought it might be the timing chain, but about £75 worth of pulleys plus a new belt and the noise is gone.
It was just the tensioner and idler pulley, below are photos of me replacing them, I only needed a couple sockets to remove the battery and my favourite ratchet: a £20 US-Pro brand extra-long swivel-head 3/8". This, and a low-profile socket will reach the tensioner even if the battery tray is left in place when the bolts are rusted solid and a drill bit snaps inside one
.
It was probably the longest standing issue I had with the car - I thought it might be the timing chain, but about £75 worth of pulleys plus a new belt and the noise is gone.
It was just the tensioner and idler pulley, below are photos of me replacing them, I only needed a couple sockets to remove the battery and my favourite ratchet: a £20 US-Pro brand extra-long swivel-head 3/8". This, and a low-profile socket will reach the tensioner even if the battery tray is left in place when the bolts are rusted solid and a drill bit snaps inside one
.Edited by Cydonia on Monday 19th May 01:03
Great first car- and putting nearly 20,000 miles on it suggests you can drive it!
I’m tinkering with a similar MX5, a 2013 NC, and enjoying it. Happy to learn from your experiences and share what I find about mine. They’re easy to work on, as you know, and rewarding to work on.
Have you had a best drive in it that stands out? Keep posting, don’t be put off that there are so many NCs on here- it’s for a reason!
I’m tinkering with a similar MX5, a 2013 NC, and enjoying it. Happy to learn from your experiences and share what I find about mine. They’re easy to work on, as you know, and rewarding to work on.
Have you had a best drive in it that stands out? Keep posting, don’t be put off that there are so many NCs on here- it’s for a reason!
Before I had that issue fixed, I had never done any car DIY work (except adding a new bumper grille insert - see below) so went to a local garage to have it checked out and have the oil/filter changed. They called me back to say a rear spring had broken (only had an MOT ~4 months and 1,000mi ago) so one was on order. I was sceptical that was the issue because it was coming from the engine and nowhere near the rear, but I waited to see and was happy they found the spring.
Also had the thought the next day that they'd never specified how many springs they'd ordered. I didn't want one new one as left/right they might be a little off - so asked them to get two instead.
Thinking about how it could've happened - I did hit a cat's eye on the motorway at just the "wrong angle" when sometimes they feel like a much bigger impact than they should.
Anyway, the oil, filter and 2 springs cost about £230 - not awful, but my idle noise was still definitely there.
Bumper grille insert from MX5Parts (£5ish):
Before spring replacement, definite rear droop (slight):
After (sorry for bad photos, they're old now!):
After this, the car did handle a lot more predictably - I almost oversteered into a curb the first time I drove in the wet after the diagnosis and before they had the springs in for me.
Also had the thought the next day that they'd never specified how many springs they'd ordered. I didn't want one new one as left/right they might be a little off - so asked them to get two instead.
Thinking about how it could've happened - I did hit a cat's eye on the motorway at just the "wrong angle" when sometimes they feel like a much bigger impact than they should.
Anyway, the oil, filter and 2 springs cost about £230 - not awful, but my idle noise was still definitely there.
Bumper grille insert from MX5Parts (£5ish):
Before spring replacement, definite rear droop (slight):
After (sorry for bad photos, they're old now!):
After this, the car did handle a lot more predictably - I almost oversteered into a curb the first time I drove in the wet after the diagnosis and before they had the springs in for me.
Edited by Cydonia on Monday 19th May 01:00
E-numbers said:
Great first car- and putting nearly 20,000 miles on it suggests you can drive it!
I’m tinkering with a similar MX5, a 2013 NC, and enjoying it. Happy to learn from your experiences and share what I find about mine. They’re easy to work on, as you know, and rewarding to work on.
Have you had a best drive in it that stands out? Keep posting, don’t be put off that there are so many NCs on here- it’s for a reason!
Thank you for the comment! I now drive from Gloucestershire to Bristol for work every weekday, so I do rack up the miles. I used to go out with my partner for a drive almost every day when I passed my driving test. I actually think this is one of the best first sports cars you can get for learning how to drive properly - not difficult but not overburdened with tech. Easy to work on, cheap to run etc. They seem to let you drive, and help you not crash if needed - but won't save you from being a total idiot :P.I’m tinkering with a similar MX5, a 2013 NC, and enjoying it. Happy to learn from your experiences and share what I find about mine. They’re easy to work on, as you know, and rewarding to work on.
Have you had a best drive in it that stands out? Keep posting, don’t be put off that there are so many NCs on here- it’s for a reason!
Compared to my partner's 2006 Toyota Celica GT (2ZZ-GE Yamaha engine), it really is easy to work on. I always find there is "something" you can do to complete a job - just to drill/tap the exhaust manifold-to-head threads in the Celica we had to pull the head. Twice! This did actually kill the engine recently, and I'm looking to take it apart and get a new head/engine but that might be a topic for another thread...
Anyway - to answer the drive question: I did once have this fantastic drive after getting an alignment done (badly) on the way to my Dad's to fix it ourselves and the roads, visibility, conditions were excellent. I was with my partner and we were being followed by a 350Z also having a fun drive.
Or, maybe it was the first drive on country lanes after passing my test. I had the music going, felt like a movie haha.
Thanks for the support, I don't think enough MX-5s are on PH and didn't want to use a MX-5-only forum.
callahan said:
Great thread write-up and choice of car - I had an almost identical one (but with Meisters and a couple of other bits) and really regret changing it for a GR86.
I'll be following!
I appreciate the kind words! I've got a lot of BIG stuff planned that I won't share just yet...I'll be following!
How were the coilovers? I've read a lot about a few and it seems all but the Ohlins are compromised in some way. I'd like to make this car a road car that is track-capable and quick; because I'd love a Z4M coupe 3.2 with a carbon airbox next, but it's not the best trackday car or a convertible (not a huge fan of soft-tops). It'd be nice to keep the NC as a "budget" project, track & weekend car for years even if I progress to faster / more serious things. End goal would be a couple cars - I love the sound of what my Dad briefly had, a Cerbera with the 4.5 AJP V8. Or even the Caterham he had. Both great for opposite reasons.
Think the cheaper end of sports cars is where I'd be interested - super/hypercars just seem a bit out of reach and more for speed than enjoyment or interactivity.
I'm interested in the 86, though. Is it any good? I've heard the engine is much improved over the GT. With a nice exhaust I'd have considered one as a 2nd car and sell the Mazda if they weren't only very recent.
I'll add one more post for today.
A small job I did after getting the work done by a garage was to install a Viofo A119 V3 dash cam - pretty good for the price, most more expensive ones seemed to just get more features instead of better image quality. £100ish for that and a hardwire kit - for someone who had never wired anything in my life, trying to figure out I needed a fuse tap and to know what "ACC" meant wasn't fun!
I found a fuse on the interior fusebox (passenger footwell) for the stereo I believe, that would get a positive signal when I switched on the ignition or accessory mode (1st key click). I also had to find a fuse that always had 12v - dome light if I remember correctly. Then using a fuse tap to retain the original fuse for the light and add another fuse and output for the camera coming from that circuit, I bought a crimper and wired it in so when the car is off it'll record a time-lapse until it detects some kind of incident.
Will take and post photos of this if anyone would like to learn more or needs help. I've got more wiring added to the car for other things I've yet to write about too.
A few weeks later, I started driving and heard this incredibly loud whining/howling sound that varied with wheel speed. With the roof up, it would resonate the entire cab - really uncomfortable! I couldn't tell where it was coming from, and a drive-by at 40 didn't help pinpoint either.
Here are some example videos that sort of captured the sound:
So, me still not working on cars, I went back to my garage and they diagnosed it as a rear wheel bearing. "Sounds serious," I thought. It was. They actually refused to work on it for fear it'd get stuck on their only lift due to the time it would take them.
Had to go to a bigger garage and they diagnosed the same issue, gave me a quote of £650ish to fix and asked me to decide. Really nice guys actually, it was near the end of the day that day and they actually took me to the car on the lift and showed me what the issue was and how it would need to be fixed.
They also left me alone with a torch under and let me have a look around (no idea what I was doing!). Thought I'd be able to find the idle rattle. I didn't.
Anyway, over £600 spent and after a weekend of work I had the car back. Nice and quiet (well, not relative to some cars, but no wheel bearing noise!).
^I was happy to see only surface rust anywhere on the car, and all on parts that are held in by bolts - so could be swapped if needed.
So, so far I was pretty much £5,000 in with just the purchase and repairs/maintenance and hadn't driven a whole lot (See: mileage, age = high, luck = low). Could be a lot worse anyway. I have heard about the running costs nightmare that is my Dad's old diesel Mercedez truck, and I'm always glad I chose this car!
For those interested, the oil change was about £70 for someone else to do it, and the wheel bearing plus CV joint (think CV part of the driveshaft which was replaced if I remember right) was less than £200 in just parts, so labour was around £450!
This was probably what got me into doing the mechanicals myself, as I had only just found a job after moving away by this point and was feeling the unexpected costs by now.
Forgot to mention, A/C refrigerant was refilled at some point by Halfords for a surprisingly cheap price and they were actually very friendly and helpful. It didn't work until I had this done. Think it was £69 including diagnosis. I am aware of their reputation they sometimes get, but this was one of a couple nice experiences I've had going to them. So far it hasn't all leaked out in 2 years and still blows cold & demists. I've noticed both the heater and A/C work well in this car. Any weather, I can drive with the roof down and be comfortable - even heavy rain, as long as you don't stop!
A small job I did after getting the work done by a garage was to install a Viofo A119 V3 dash cam - pretty good for the price, most more expensive ones seemed to just get more features instead of better image quality. £100ish for that and a hardwire kit - for someone who had never wired anything in my life, trying to figure out I needed a fuse tap and to know what "ACC" meant wasn't fun!
I found a fuse on the interior fusebox (passenger footwell) for the stereo I believe, that would get a positive signal when I switched on the ignition or accessory mode (1st key click). I also had to find a fuse that always had 12v - dome light if I remember correctly. Then using a fuse tap to retain the original fuse for the light and add another fuse and output for the camera coming from that circuit, I bought a crimper and wired it in so when the car is off it'll record a time-lapse until it detects some kind of incident.
Will take and post photos of this if anyone would like to learn more or needs help. I've got more wiring added to the car for other things I've yet to write about too.
A few weeks later, I started driving and heard this incredibly loud whining/howling sound that varied with wheel speed. With the roof up, it would resonate the entire cab - really uncomfortable! I couldn't tell where it was coming from, and a drive-by at 40 didn't help pinpoint either.
Here are some example videos that sort of captured the sound:
So, me still not working on cars, I went back to my garage and they diagnosed it as a rear wheel bearing. "Sounds serious," I thought. It was. They actually refused to work on it for fear it'd get stuck on their only lift due to the time it would take them.
Had to go to a bigger garage and they diagnosed the same issue, gave me a quote of £650ish to fix and asked me to decide. Really nice guys actually, it was near the end of the day that day and they actually took me to the car on the lift and showed me what the issue was and how it would need to be fixed.
They also left me alone with a torch under and let me have a look around (no idea what I was doing!). Thought I'd be able to find the idle rattle. I didn't.
Anyway, over £600 spent and after a weekend of work I had the car back. Nice and quiet (well, not relative to some cars, but no wheel bearing noise!).
^I was happy to see only surface rust anywhere on the car, and all on parts that are held in by bolts - so could be swapped if needed.
So, so far I was pretty much £5,000 in with just the purchase and repairs/maintenance and hadn't driven a whole lot (See: mileage, age = high, luck = low). Could be a lot worse anyway. I have heard about the running costs nightmare that is my Dad's old diesel Mercedez truck, and I'm always glad I chose this car!
For those interested, the oil change was about £70 for someone else to do it, and the wheel bearing plus CV joint (think CV part of the driveshaft which was replaced if I remember right) was less than £200 in just parts, so labour was around £450!
This was probably what got me into doing the mechanicals myself, as I had only just found a job after moving away by this point and was feeling the unexpected costs by now.
Forgot to mention, A/C refrigerant was refilled at some point by Halfords for a surprisingly cheap price and they were actually very friendly and helpful. It didn't work until I had this done. Think it was £69 including diagnosis. I am aware of their reputation they sometimes get, but this was one of a couple nice experiences I've had going to them. So far it hasn't all leaked out in 2 years and still blows cold & demists. I've noticed both the heater and A/C work well in this car. Any weather, I can drive with the roof down and be comfortable - even heavy rain, as long as you don't stop!
Edited by Cydonia on Monday 19th May 00:17
Edited by Cydonia on Monday 19th May 01:05
Mad Maximus said:
Nice car and nice write up.
Just remember it’s only nuts and bolts. Once you get your head around it the only thing that’ll hold you back is either specialist tools or not having a lift to give decent access.
Nuts and bolts.
Take your time do your research and give it a go.
Hah, very true. I have started to acquire a few specialist tools, not quite up to the level of getting SSTs (special service tools) but some fancy stuff definitely.Just remember it’s only nuts and bolts. Once you get your head around it the only thing that’ll hold you back is either specialist tools or not having a lift to give decent access.
Nuts and bolts.
Take your time do your research and give it a go.
A lift would be amazing, and I've gone round in circles trying to justify how I could build some kind of garage in the garden that could fit a lift. I think that's a project for the next house unfortunately!
If anyone is looking into doing their own stuff, I'd say get a 3/8" socket set, some basic racheting spanners, a long swivel head ratchet, a cheap jack and 2-4 stands. NOT the 3-leg stands, these look awful. Get the 4-base proper ones, even if they're small.
A load of different socket extensions and size adapters helps.
Oh, and an oil funnel, oil pan and torque wrench. You don't need a filter tool if you've got a long flathead too, but it helps! (Try and guess what the flathead is for).
Thanks for the reply!
swampy442 said:
Great thread, all that most jobs need is confidence and a good tool kit, Lots of guides online for most jobs now and like the man above said, its just nuts and bolts 
Exactly, and YouTube is an amazing resource. Even non-MX-5 videos can be immensely helpful for 10-15 minutes of watching. All regular servicing on these cars is extremely simple, except the idiotic location of the oil filter!Another huge help is a parts catalogue and supplier I've found, I'll talk about this in a later post.
Thanks for replying.
Nice thread! I'm 23 and also own an NC, it's an NC1 2-litre but has quite a few goodies on it (cams, Meister R coilovers, polybushes etc). Me and my dad are currently in the process of reconditioning all the rear subframe, undersealing the chassis and fitting an LSD and 6-speed gearbox. We've both worked on plenty of cars across the years and these are amongst some of the simplest.
One day when I'm bored I may finally get around to writing a thread about mine!
One day when I'm bored I may finally get around to writing a thread about mine!
Great thread & watching with interest - I have a high mile (129k) 2007 NC1 2.0 Sport which i'm slowly getting up to standard, bit by bit.
I also have an annoying rattle on start up and at certain revs...sounds very exhaust-y, coming from front/middle of car, but it passed recent MOT with no advisories and I don't suspect it's a leak. I've replaced the entire exhaust from the Cat back, so I feel this is potentially the front cat and/or heat shield falling apart.
I also have an annoying rattle on start up and at certain revs...sounds very exhaust-y, coming from front/middle of car, but it passed recent MOT with no advisories and I don't suspect it's a leak. I've replaced the entire exhaust from the Cat back, so I feel this is potentially the front cat and/or heat shield falling apart.
RustyMX-5Lover said:
Nice thread! I'm 23 and also own an NC, it's an NC1 2-litre but has quite a few goodies on it (cams, Meister R coilovers, polybushes etc). Me and my dad are currently in the process of reconditioning all the rear subframe, undersealing the chassis and fitting an LSD and 6-speed gearbox. We've both worked on plenty of cars across the years and these are amongst some of the simplest.
One day when I'm bored I may finally get around to writing a thread about mine!
Cool, I think I'll get into the full restoration one day. I want to take both axles and subframes off for a refresh before they get too rusty. Did your 2.0 not come with the LSD?!One day when I'm bored I may finally get around to writing a thread about mine!
Unless you mean swapping a 4.1 ratio one? I'm absolutely planning on doing that, and I have some really nerdy gear ratio info I'll be posting about very soon.
Good luck! Hope to see a thread soon
MattyD803 said:
Great thread & watching with interest - I have a high mile (129k) 2007 NC1 2.0 Sport which i'm slowly getting up to standard, bit by bit.
I also have an annoying rattle on start up and at certain revs...sounds very exhaust-y, coming from front/middle of car, but it passed recent MOT with no advisories and I don't suspect it's a leak. I've replaced the entire exhaust from the Cat back, so I feel this is potentially the front cat and/or heat shield falling apart.
Interesting - I've been chasing many rattles and noises over the last couple years. Do you have any sound clips?I also have an annoying rattle on start up and at certain revs...sounds very exhaust-y, coming from front/middle of car, but it passed recent MOT with no advisories and I don't suspect it's a leak. I've replaced the entire exhaust from the Cat back, so I feel this is potentially the front cat and/or heat shield falling apart.
I've taken apart the entire exhaust more times than I can remember by now, and I don't reckon the front heat shields are likely to make noises as they might have done in early generations.
Though, my pre-cat did fail (again, will be following up soon!) and took out some of the next cat which caused the absolute most puzzling noise when accelerating.
This is what led me into modding the car later on
So, today I was planning to continue my story with some more updates to catch up on my past work, but nope!
Had some really bad luck today:
On the way to work, I just clipped a sharp rock on a narrow lane and had to get my front left tyre replaced before I could get to work. Not at all what I needed, and the tyres are all a few months old and my top choice of UHP.
I'll be getting another (yep, more to come) alignment and two new fronts soon.
Very expensive morning!
Had some really bad luck today:
On the way to work, I just clipped a sharp rock on a narrow lane and had to get my front left tyre replaced before I could get to work. Not at all what I needed, and the tyres are all a few months old and my top choice of UHP.
I'll be getting another (yep, more to come) alignment and two new fronts soon.
Very expensive morning!
Cydonia said:
Cool, I think I'll get into the full restoration one day. I want to take both axles and subframes off for a refresh before they get too rusty. Did your 2.0 not come with the LSD?!
Unless you mean swapping a 4.1 ratio one? I'm absolutely planning on doing that, and I have some really nerdy gear ratio info I'll be posting about very soon.
Good luck! Hope to see a thread soon
It started life as a 1.8 hence the 5-speed and non-LSD diff. I've gone for the 3.7 as I feared the 4.1 might be too short for my liking. It's going to predominantly be a track car so I may look to change after a few tries!Unless you mean swapping a 4.1 ratio one? I'm absolutely planning on doing that, and I have some really nerdy gear ratio info I'll be posting about very soon.
Good luck! Hope to see a thread soon
Cydonia said:
I appreciate the kind words! I've got a lot of BIG stuff planned that I won't share just yet...
How were the coilovers? I've read a lot about a few and it seems all but the Ohlins are compromised in some way. I'd like to make this car a road car that is track-capable and quick; because I'd love a Z4M coupe 3.2 with a carbon airbox next, but it's not the best trackday car or a convertible (not a huge fan of soft-tops). It'd be nice to keep the NC as a "budget" project, track & weekend car for years even if I progress to faster / more serious things. End goal would be a couple cars - I love the sound of what my Dad briefly had, a Cerbera with the 4.5 AJP V8. Or even the Caterham he had. Both great for opposite reasons.
Think the cheaper end of sports cars is where I'd be interested - super/hypercars just seem a bit out of reach and more for speed than enjoyment or interactivity.
I'm interested in the 86, though. Is it any good? I've heard the engine is much improved over the GT. With a nice exhaust I'd have considered one as a 2nd car and sell the Mazda if they weren't only very recent.
I liked it with the Meisters on both road and track and even did a few long journeys in it, which weren't too bad. The only issue was that it was too low really - looked great, but I had to be careful about it bottoming out occasionally.How were the coilovers? I've read a lot about a few and it seems all but the Ohlins are compromised in some way. I'd like to make this car a road car that is track-capable and quick; because I'd love a Z4M coupe 3.2 with a carbon airbox next, but it's not the best trackday car or a convertible (not a huge fan of soft-tops). It'd be nice to keep the NC as a "budget" project, track & weekend car for years even if I progress to faster / more serious things. End goal would be a couple cars - I love the sound of what my Dad briefly had, a Cerbera with the 4.5 AJP V8. Or even the Caterham he had. Both great for opposite reasons.
Think the cheaper end of sports cars is where I'd be interested - super/hypercars just seem a bit out of reach and more for speed than enjoyment or interactivity.
I'm interested in the 86, though. Is it any good? I've heard the engine is much improved over the GT. With a nice exhaust I'd have considered one as a 2nd car and sell the Mazda if they weren't only very recent.
The GR86 was a massive improvement over the GT86 in terms of the engine, good torque and felt quicker than it should have been. Still not the best engine to wring out, but neither is the MX5 unless you get a Rocketeer or Honda engine in..... The steering and gear change are better in the NC2 and I like it with the roof off / down. I was converted (pun intended) to convertibles after getting an NA, then a 986 and I definitely need another MX5 of some flavour soon.
Bad luck with the tyre, that's so frustrating when you haven't done many miles on new tyres and always takes money out of the modding budget!
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