JoshuaM's Midnight Blue NB8B

[Magpie]

Also forgot to mention with the last photos that when we lowered it back down I took it to Accurate Suspension for a wheel alignment which really made it come alive too!

That is where my car is now.

[pursuit170]

Won't have time to get it on for another week or so.

You mean i wont have time to get it on for a little while haha

[joshuam]

Long time no update!



Well following where I left off - the muffler is on and is a very nice addition. It isn't loud, but is there just enough to hold me back from spending money on anything more right now

I was just finishing up exams when I stopped posting, and then I had an operation that kept me from driving for a little bit. I had a brief few days of fun with it:

Exploring some random Gold Coast side roads and doing some 'Geo Cashing' with my sister:



Then I had to hand over the keys to the body shop (BCM Body Repairs, Marooka) for the rectification work from the poor quality insurance repairs from earlier in the year.

Due to poor weather the repairs ended up taking two weeks instead of one, but luckily I convinced the insurance to pay for car hire since it was their fault. This meant that I had to wait anxiously until 5pm Friday the night before I left the country to pick it up!!

I suppose it is poor form, but I don't actually have any 'finished' photos I was a bit busy at the time and I ended up pretty much just rushing the car away for storage. The repairs were very good, I am happy, and I would go back there again. There is a bit of orange peel, but you will get that with any job. I paid $180ish out of pocket and they basically resprayed that whole side of the car, cleaning up a few notable little dings and scratches which I am very happy to be rid of.

Then I was off to Europe!!! 9 weeks, and most western european stops covered. Did lots of car stuff too; visited the Porsche, Mercedes and BMW museums, and managed to hit 200kph on the Autobahn (In a 180 electronically limited diesel i30 wagon ) - driving fast is just so natural there. Anything up to 160 just feels like cruising, I was really surprised. Good roads, nice wide lanes and traffic that generally knew what it was doing. Next time I go, when it is summer over there, I hope to drive the ring

I was soooo looking forward to driving the MX5 again as soon as I got home, but it threw me a bit of a curve ball.... Although I had disconnected the battery when I left, it had to be moved once when I was gone and it wasn't disconnected again afterwards, so the battery was completely dead and couldn't be recharged. I just needed to go and grab a new battery, no biggie..... WRONG! It took me days and a lot of running around to get one. Despite century themselves admitting that their batteries are not appropriately vented for use in the MX5, that doesn't stop all the major auto stores from listing them in their catalogues and know-it-all salesmen promising the world over the phone only to find that they don't actually have an appropriate battery when you come in the store. I waited until Monday and rang around all the specialty stores too, and nobody had a simple solution to the problem (Apart from one shop 30 min away that had the Supercharge one.... but I disagree on its use - it is not valve regulated and it does still vent). So I waited until Wednesday and got Richard to drive me over to Aspley to pick up new batteries for both of us from Automotive Plus (The Federal AGM one - same as I had before). I then had to spend an afternoon on rust removal and painting Pursuit170's boot where he had a normal Century SLA battery in there, so some first hand proof of why you buy the right one to begin with (this was obviously a previous owner).

Since then I've just done a service (At 75,580km for my own records) and have been enjoying the drive!!!

I went out and did the Friday night Nebo run with the guys from here which was a LOT of fun - It feels so amazing to have all the pieces together (suspension, tires, alignment, LSD and short gearing). And then I went out with the Brisbane chapter of the MX5 Club QLD on a Sunday cruise. It was wet, but made the most of it. The weather has been a bit funny with patchy but heavy rain, and I have been caught twice recently with absolute downpours with the roof off. I've been going quickly each time so not much gets in.... but I'm tall so my head does get a bit wet

I got hit and run the other day -.- I'm pretty sure it was the Thursday before Easter, because it was on the rear passenger side, but I almost always reverse into parks, but that time I didn't. The mud flap is creased and chipped, and there were very noticeable scrapes on the bumper. Luckily, most of it was paint transfer from the light coloured car that hit it, and polished out, but there is still a notable patch up close on the bumper :/ It was on the good side too!!!

I bought a fire extiguisher for it the other day, but haven't made up a mounting plate for it yet. Also bought some Ken Auto door blocks from a local member which I'll put on in the next few days. I still have some random IL parts from last year to get around to installing too

[ManiacLachy]

Glad to hear you're still kicking about and enjoying the car, that shot above the GC looks great!

[joshuam]

Glad to hear you're still kicking about and enjoying the car, that shot above the GC looks great!

Thanks, a case of 'the best camera is the one you have with you'!


I installed the KenAuto door blocks today;



The passenger side was really simple - just bolt it in and open and shut the door half a dozen times and it was all good. The drivers side required a lot more encouragement Not the blocks fault, but as I have demonstrated before my drivers door is very dodgy from a previous repair before I bought the car.

When I was finally done with it....


Mum got cranky at me for slamming the door in the driveway not long after I started sanding the drivers one down, so I initially drove down to the local park car park to do it, but realised that just driving with it in there was just as effective, so I went on a drive and found the worst roads I could think of near mine (I drove out past Mt Cotton into the redland area). Wow, I wasn't expecting that much but the car behaves MUCH more nicely over rough corrugated roads, potholes and changes of pavement. Whether it is any stiffer from a performance point of view, who knows. But I am very happy with the reduced rattles / better refinement, and I hope that remains ones the blocks have settled in a bit more.

Future Goals

As so many people are jumping on the turbo bandwagon recently - I thought I'd put in my thoughts (Because I have been thinking about it ). I am currently interviewing for graduate engineering positions, so I will shortly have a (comparatively) large disposable income to play with if I choose to do so. A local member very kindly gave me the chance to try out his SP a couple of weeks ago, which helped my decision. Whilst I loved his car, and it was a lot of fun...... it felt completely different to me. I enjoy having to rev the guts out of my MX5, and having the really short gearing. If it was a simple choice of one or the other, I would choose turbo.... but I don't think it is worth the ~$10k that it would cost to get it done properly to me right now.

I was also having another issue, now that I am starting work I am looking at ~1hr of mostly stop start traffic each way, and my MX5 gets very tiring for that (not aided by the fact that I drive quite aggressively when I'm in it ). I had been planning on spending some money and getting some nice MCA or Ohlin coilovers that give a more comfortable ride, and upgrading the stereo and everything else to add usability, but rocking up to client building sites in a modified MX5 isn't the greatest look either. Sooo, I need a cheap, reliable, practical daily. So I have decided I want an Alfa Romeo I have always drooled over the design of the 159, and I think it will sit well next to any recent model BMW or Merc that others are driving. I am looking at about $15k for a ~100k km '09 2.4L JTDm (154kW, 400Nm, ~8L/100) TI 6spd Auto, and Sportwagon if I can find one.







That is still a little way off... but then I would have a comfortable, respectable grown up car for work (that can also be load lugger, fit mountain bikes, go camping etc) and I get to keep the MX5 exactly the way I LOVE IT, being high revving and not very comfortable And I will start doing some autocross / track events with it shortly.

Mod planning for the MX5 isn't too extensive right now; Automotive Plus Twin Hoop roll bar, SRD and side stripes are the only things on my immediate to-do list. Making a custom bikini top for it will be after that. And maybe replace this bloody drivers door

[joshuam]

I removed the drivers side door block - my door is just too far out of alignment for it to work without a lot of mucking around. Problem for another day

Some fresh photos

[SileNceR]

Great photos again Josh

[billybunter]

I'd think twice before you buy an alfa. I've had about 7 in total..........not one good one...lol plus the resale is probably the worst of all the cars out there. the price on parts -over the top. the chances of it breaking down -extremely high.
I've had them from brand new to near new in the 4 pot and the V6. they are nice cars and I too really like them BUT unless brand new or with some kind of warranty they will test your limits and drain your pocket...lol
my last one was a GTV V6 spider with just 26,000 klm - its also hard to get some-one who knows the cars to repair them too. plus the dealer will gladly take your cash and in large amounts.
so if you must buy one go ahead as they are nice looking car and good to drive but just like the boy scouts motto....be prepared now knowing what I said if it was me and I wanted it - i'd just buy it regardless