How high is high?

[Pokmx5]

Hi Guys,

My name is Denis and just recently just bought a NA6 which i pick up on friday. Just wondering how high is to high for KM with mx5's ? @ what point do you say "time to get a new engine".

Cheers guys.

Pok.

[NitroDann]

When your using excessive oil, or your compression is down considerable, or youve spun a bearing. These things get raced on the circuit well past 300,000 km in some cases so age is not a relevant factor.

Give some details on yours

Dann

[Bauer]

welcome to the forum Dennis

agree with Dann. No such thing as too many kms and it will not be a guide to get a new one.

look forward to hearing more about your new baby (and pics)

[Pokmx5]

Thanks guys,

She is a lovely little car , saw her on Ebay, called the guy, went around and bought it. She is red with a little fade here and there. Soft top is original and in excellent contion except where the plastic window is.. the stitching has come undone, good old need and string will fix that , She has about 275.000 on the clock but the engine feels so tight and under acceleration there is no smoke or anything so that was the main thing. Clutch is excellent and so is the gearbox. VERY smooth, all teh seals are fine. There is a oil leak about 1 5c peice per day. But other then that all electrics works but the driver side window is slow hehe.

I cant wait to pick her up and just cruise around.

Always wanted one and now i got one There was a few pictures on ebay but the gentleman pulled them down and i forgot to get some on my day from excitement. We did film a video of me driving it but the quality is low .

[NitroDann]

solicone spray the window runners, that should help a lot.

Chances are a professional detail will get the red back just fine.

As for the oil leak, id suggest, because you dont know the cars history, soon get a 100000km service done, and get the water pump and seals done also. Then youll have full peice of mind.

Dann

[gslender]

Any car, regardless of make, with high klms will have a lot of little issues rather than a single one thing that fails.

Things like tired plastics that break easy or are already broken, high chance of multiple electrical wiring changes and patches etc, many of the engine sensors could be outside workable tolerances. None of these are critical or expensive to sort. Unfortunately you'll probably have suspension that is worn out (lots of rubber in the joints and shocks) that, if you wanted to fix, could cost a fair bit to sort.

Fact is, even a low klms car can also have these issues - more critical is how the car was treated and serviced when small problems came up.

Good luck with the car, and welcome to the obsession.....

G

[Mr Morlock]

agree with most of what gslender said. Cars wear out with use- you can delay it but essentially there is a design life. Most people replace olds cars with newer ones. The MX5 is a very robust and well designed vehicle and best thing is drive the car, do the maintenance and see how it all pans out.

[93_Clubman]

Just wondering how high is to high for KM with mx5's ? @ what point do you say "time to get a new engine".

She has about 275.000 on the clock but the engine feels so tight and under acceleration there is no smoke or anything so that was the main thing. Clutch is excellent and so is the gearbox. VERY smooth, all the seals are fine. There is a oil leak about 1 5c peice per day. But other then that all electrics works but the driver side window is slow.

Congrats & Welcome!

Pamex has done over 395k kms in her NA6 (probably 400k kms by now!):
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=47208&p=592538#p592538

Oil leak from cam cover gasket &/ or CAS O ring at the rear of the head is common, so worth checking.

Slow power windows are also common & it's worth cleaning the contacts inside the power window switch as they build up a black coating & lose some conductivity.

You don't mention anything about service history in your posts above - do you know anything about its service history, in particular 100k km & 200k km services or when the timing belt & water pump were last replaced? If not done at 200kms or later, then worth getting done. At least worth baselining the car with a lesser major service unless you have proof it's been done.

[Pokmx5]

I have no idea about the service history, but its been owned by 1 family so i assume its had its service here and there as it wasnt owned by a cheap family(very very very very very wealthy) 5 years ago it had its radiator fixed i know that from the sticker on it. Also im not to worried if the engine lets go as i can get another one relativly cheap as there seems to be a few of them on the market @ the wreckers.

Only thing i want to get a Hard top and paying 1000 for one is just expensive. Any pointers in this area?

[93_Clubman]

I have no idea about the service history, but its been owned by 1 family so i assume its had its service here and there as it wasnt owned by a cheap family (very very very very very wealthy) 5 years ago it had its radiator fixed i know that from the sticker on it. Also im not to worried if the engine lets go as i can get another one relativly cheap as there seems to be a few of them on the market @ the wreckers.

Only thing i want to get a Hard top and paying 1000 for one is just expensive. Any pointers in this area?

ok - if you have reason to believe it's been regularly maintained then it's worth contacting Mazda Australia (1800 034 411 or CustomerServiceEnq@mazda.com.au ) with the VIN to establish if it's been serviced at a Mazda dealer, as Mazda Aust has access to the basic data. If it was serviced by a Mazda dealer then Mazda Aust can tell you who that dealer was & you could then try contacting the dealer to see if they still have any records of servicing, which might indicate if timing belt & water pump have been done in the last 75k kms or so. Of course, if serviced by other than a Mazda dealer, Mazda Aust won't be able to help. May be you can contact the original owner?

Ref hardtop, occasionally you can pick them up for under $1k, but they will either be the basic matt black, no lining/ padding & no demister type, or they'll be coloured, but a bit rougher paint-wise.

[Pokmx5]

Is there away to check with out going to all the calling around? For example is there a part number difference or date difference or color difference from the OEM parts ?

[93_Clubman]

Is there away to check with out going to all the calling around? For example is there a part number difference or date difference or color difference from the OEM parts ?

It's one 1800 call to Mazda Aust, & then a second call to the dealer if Mazda Aust have records of it, so one 1800 call, or maximum of two calls if you get lucky!

[Pamex]

Aftermarket gear looks very similar to OEM gear, so it won't be easy to tell.

I'd be changing all the fluids (diff, gearbox, coolant, brakes, engine oil, etc. etc) and checking the timing belt/water pump have been done. Everything else won't be urgent, but you'll have a base to work from then.

Where are you located? We could recommend somewhere to try if we know. If you're in Vic, I'd suggest talking to Allmaz, tell them Pam sent you. :-)

I'm just over 400,000 now. My odometer had a freak out, so I'm somewhere around 400,203kms. If they're looked after (by that, I mean just doing your timing belt/ water pump and fluids at the correct intervals) they go forever. If yours has even just had a regular oil change, you should be fine to go for some time yet.

They're so wonderfully bulletproof and simple.

[de Bounce]

The motor in the MX5 is a non interference meaning the motor won't lunch itself if the belt breaks.
IMHO, I'd give it a baseline service, change all the fluids and filters, then risk it until 300k Km and do the complete timing belt/water pump service.

[Mr Morlock]

agree with de bounce- thats what I would do. The timing belt is a recommended change every 100.000 so 300K seems the go for next change . It is probably next to impossible visually to know if the timing belt was changed at say 200K and same with the water pump.