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Hi guys, Ive always loved mx5s but im about done with it.... literally everything i touch in it breaks, rattles and noises from every corner, ive put in more money into the car than what its even worth yet it is in worse condition now than when i bought it. Anyone else ready to torch their car?

I try not to touch anything

Hmmm....is it a case of the car is pretty far gone, or is it a case of it was fine but then it was touched and it broke?

If it's a car is pretty far gone issue - then the choice is to either commit to it 100%, or move it on to another enthusiast who is willing to put the time and effort in. No point in half doing a car as the non-done-half will always annoy you. If you just want a running / driving / no hassle car, sell it off and buy another one that's been well looked after. It will be quicker and probably cheaper.

If it's a skills issue - try getting into your local MX-5 club and shadowing the mechanically experienced guys. Every time I wander into one of the local expert's workshops and spend a day there with them, I learn new ways of doing things that I never would have figured out myself. Kind of like an enthusiast apprenticeship of sorts.

Don't know what to say Jakeey. Your car is a NA, so it's not a new car anymore. Are things breaking because they're old and brittle, Or is it just a lack of Mechanical know how?
Sorry, don't mean to insult, However, as said before, If the car is too far gone, perhaps time to get a newer one.

If you touch something and then it breaks every time. Maybe its not the cars fault?

the car is definitely on its way out, worst part is that i havnt even owned it for 6 months and since i bought it the diff broke, makes horrible noises all the time, the thrust bearing is stuffed so it always making this loud whining noise, whole gear box needs to be replaced anyway, clutch is slipping, ive had to rebuild the front of the engine as it had crank nose issues and while i was at it decided to fix everything around it, fixed multiple oil leaks, lifters are knocking all of a sudden, recently started blowing smoke when the car is started, ect ect.
worst part is that the car had no issues when i first picked it up, just seems like every thing that could go wrong just did and all at the same time. Its not the way i drive either cause i dont thrash it... definitely think its time to start looking for another one that is abit more reliable.

unfortunately it maybe the luck of the draw, they are old cars, mine is 23yo and now has 186 000 km, but think it was always looked after, but still in the new year it needs a new soft top, they always need some sort of maintenance but that's half the fun

I've recently acquired my second Mx5 and it just ticked over 200 000k's
My other one is at 94 000k's
And there is a difference, but you must always expect maintenance,
I've found they're a simply car to nut out any problems on and heaps can be learn't on the forum.
Both my cars have all the service history and it shows years on, they both still drive great and i use one as a daily drive.

if you don't want to commit to fixing all the issues, maybe watch the for sale thread and upgrade to a well looked after one that has already had a bit of money spent on it.

Sounds like a case of the dreaded passion fingers disease.

How much did you pay, how many klms when bought and what year is it? The answers can very well explain the problem. Also, what other car (of equal age, cost and klms) is more reliable in your extensive experience?

Cars have a service life. They break when things reach their service life-some things break quicker than others. MX5s are probably somewhat better than most cars but drive an older car and expect things to wear out. There comes a point when it time to change to a set of wheels with lower K's and better condition. Many people also do not want to spend their time fixing cars but instead driving them and doing other things.

Agree with everyone else, i'm guessing your car is around 25 years old. Any rubber will harden with age and crack or leak, bearings and teeth wear down with use.

Make sure you're running a pretty thick oil, give it lots of time to warm up and make sure the cooling system is working really well. Hopefully the issues aren't too bad.

How many kms on the engine?

That sucks dude. The probs you mentioned are all cheap fixes though. Diff, clutch, gearbox. Good luck with whatever you decide.


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Hi Jakee, I was thinking along the same lines as gslender.
A 25yr + vehicle that hasn't been cared for will inevitably have a lot of issues, both minor and major.
I bought a 1976 Celica just like this about 20 yrs ago and the list of things I replaced or fixed was fairly long, but I loved the car and it was worth the effort.
Depends whether you feel this particular car is worth the trouble.
I don't know what you paid but sometimes you get what you pay for.
Anyhow I hope you come up with a plan.
Cheers, Rocky.

Jakeeyjones wrote:Hi guys, Ive always loved mx5s but im about done with it.... literally everything i touch in it breaks, rattles and noises from every corner, ive put in more money into the car than what its even worth yet it is in worse condition now than when i bought it. Anyone else ready to torch their car?

Let us know where you are, there may be someone who can help you out. We all need a bit of mentoring occasionally.
Greg.