NA6: Import vs Aus delivered

[Okibi]

... I see no issue with JDM other than a 180km limiter...

As far as I know the limiter is just a screw behind the dash.

[StockNA]

... I see no issue with JDM other than a 180km limiter...

As far as I know the limiter is just a screw behind the dash.

I wouldn't be surprised if your right, there is a screw location on au and mazdaspeed cluster

[Venuci]

Hi Guys

Newbie here so please be nice!

I am looking at buying an NA to scratch an itch that I've had for many, many years and saw one today that I'd like some feedback on from the many wise people on this forum.

It's an NA (obviously!) and I'm just trying to verify some history..... mainly if it was an Aud delivered car or import. Here's what I've checked.....

1. The VIN that is stamped on the firewall matches up with the VINs on the plates and the paperwork;
2. Mazda Australia confirm the car as being an Aus delivered car and they confirmed the correct colour, options, interior trim, transmission and engine number;
3. The speedo reads to 220km/h;
4. The rear badging looks correct.

So far so good but then there's a couple of things that don't seem right and they are.....

1. It has a Eunos badge on the front;
2. It has Japanese writing only on all the stickers under the bonnet.

So, I suppose it's possible that it has had an imported bonnet and bumper fitted after a relatively minor accident and in fact the owner did say that they understood that it did have a small front-ender a coupe of owners ago, but I'm just wondering if it's possible to tell any more about the car from an inspection.

Other information I can add is that the car has black cloth trim and NO power steering. I seem to recall reading somewhere that all JDM NA MX-5's had power steering fitted but I'm not sure about that.

Any thoughts and/or comments?

Cheers

[emily_mx5]

What does the VIN start with?

JM0N - means aussie
NA6CE - means jap

quite simple really.
Its a japanese car so a lot of jap writing and symbols appear on wiring looms etc.

people fit jap badges all the time, or its had a prang and replacement bumper came from an import.

[speed]

Weird!
If the bonnet/bumper have been replaced with jdm, the colour would not match and if you respray the bumper, would you put the eunos badge on it, when it was a Mazda? NA6 had a sticker and NA8 had a badge.

You say it has an Australian compliance plate, does the number match what stamped in the firewall?


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[speed]

Emily, I swear I didn't mean anything about the badge swapping. Was coincidental that your post beat me.


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[Venuci]

Hi speed and emily_mx5

Thanks for posting.

Yes - the VIN does start with JM0NA as per Australian delivered cars but it was the all-in-Japanese stickers under the bonnet and the Eunos badge that threw me.

So, yes, the VIN stamped into the firewall matches the one on the compliance plate so it all looks legit and maybe it is just a case of someone putting a bonnet and front bumper off an imported car to repair some damage. As for the Eunos badge, I suppose it's possible that someone actually wanted to fit that to the car or it was on the used replacement bumper and someone painted around it or removed it, painted the bumper and put it back on..... who knows?

I suppose the other thing to do would be to check other things inside the car..... under the dash, inside the boot etc..... any ideas?

What about my point re: the power steering - does anyone know if there were any JDM cars that DID NOT have power steering?

Cheers

[sailaholic]

The holes in the front bumper are different for the eunos and Mazda badges. You can't interchange with out making new holes. I tried.
I'd say it's just had a cheap front end repair.

[Jeo]

VIN is Australian, car is Australian - don't over think it. Nobody is trying to pull a swift one on you, and even if they were, you're still getting the same damn car.

Aus delivered doesn't magically make it more reliable or less likely to be tampered with by the time it's >20 years old. If the car looks good, it probably is; if it doesn't, it probably isn't.

[hks_kansei]

Aus delivered doesn't magically make it more reliable or less likely to be tampered with by the time it's >20 years old. If the car looks good, it probably is; if it doesn't, it probably isn't.

I agree.

10 or 15 years ago I wouldnt have, but since the NA is so old now any issues will have already popped up, or be getting ready to pop up. Regardless of what nation it started off in.

But, an Aussie VIN is a pretty safe bet that it's an AUssie car.
A lot of Au one shave ended up with jap bits on them since a lot of wreckers (the few that have MX5s anyway) will tend to buy smashed ones from Japan and bring them over in a container for fairly cheap.

[Venuci]

Hi Everyone

What a bunch of wise old heads you all are..... thanks for all the words of wisdom!

In thinking about it more and reading all your comments it sounds more and more likely that what has happened is a front-end repair with imported parts which is most probabaly more than OK but I might just get someone with more of a clue than me to check that part of the car out.

Does that sound like a good idea?

Cheers

[Venuci]

Sorry..... just read my last post again and maybe I should have left the word "old" out of it..... oops!

[lizard]

Could be just a cut and shut nothing to worry about

[hks_kansei]

In thinking about it more and reading all your comments it sounds more and more likely that what has happened is a front-end repair with imported parts which is most probabaly more than OK but I might just get someone with more of a clue than me to check that part of the car out.

That's the most likely scenario.

Make sure to check very carefully as to how well the damage was repaired, if you're lucky it was just a minor rear ender and just bent the panels.
But there's always the possibility it was a bigger hit.

Basically check it all lines up visually, check for missing/broken bits, check the frame parts for signs of hammering etc.
Or even better, bring along somebody who knows about panelbeating.

[Jeo]

Could be just a cut and shut nothing to worry about

If the car looks good, it probably is; if it doesn't, it probably isn't.