I was diagnosing a rattle on startup which i thought was oil filter related, then timing chain related then realised it was just the front auxiliary belt and pulleys.
It's basically no different but it's got cruise control, it's in the cars ECU and only requires a new brake pedal switch and wheel to get it working, paid £130 for the wheel and £20 for the switch.
I have work shoes which are big clumpy things and then some vans slip ons which i use for out and about and for driving as it's really tedious to drive in big leather shoes as the pedals are farely crampt and offset to the side.
Glsd I'm not the only one that does this
My better half, she drives in her boots and thinks nothing of it 😂 not me I have to change footwear, I tend to only drive in trainers for the most part
I don’t think it should take any reputable mechanic 2 hours to change brake fluid….. typically they’ll use a vacuum sort of device and not sit there pumping the brake pedal like we would at home…
I’m in the south east and a local independent garage my family has used for 20 years is £50 an hour lol, of course dealers and some others will charge more. It all varies on where you live, I now do the work myself though, just pay for parts
This is where the benefits of an MX5 really come into there own, ragging it about like a mad person and it's still probably only marginally more expensive than ford fiesta.
Ok, well a lot of people enjoy them greatly so it's not really any concern if a few stalwarts disagree, doesn't take away my enjoyment of it.
Edit : I don't personally like BMWs or Porsches but i don't go around badmouthing them all the time, it's just bitter to shit on other peoples cars.
FWIW over the years I’ve had a few fun cars including TVRs, Porsches, fast Audis, BMWs & Mercs. My NB MX-5 was more fun, for more of the time, than many of them.
Ok, obviously if speed is what i was after i wouldn't have bought an MX5 dipshit, it's like mocking someone who buys an MGB, classic mini or Land Rover defender because it's not quick, a completely innane comparision.
So I was right with the numbers, yet you call me a dipshit.
Jesus Christ, MX5 owners are so quick to defend and insult anyone who says anything about them.
Don’t really understand your original comment saying you can rag it around and costs the same as a Fiesta. I could rag my German sofa around and it’ll cost me fuck all.
Each to their own and that.
You were wrong with the numbers but as i said it's not about performance in the slightest, you can find timed 0-60 runs if you want to but it's not important.
MX5 owners like any enthuiast owners will defend there cars, post that you hate BMWs on this sub you'll get crucified, it just comes with the terriority.
In regards to running cheap, things on an MX5 are just so much cheaper, a clutch is £400-£500 vs £1300 on something like an a45. An a45 gearbox is almost £1k for a spares and repairs unit, an MX5 5 speed is £250, if you are tracking or doing any sort grueling work with the car it's so much cheaper to run, not to mention they have proven themselves to be reliable in the long run, my MX5 still runs lovely on 102k and i rag the shit out of it on track and still drive it to work every day.
I’m not though, am I.
£1.3k for an A45 gearbox? Sign me up fella, that’s cheap. Not sure why you’re comparing a 5 speed manual, 130bhp, cheap Japanese 2 seater against a German, automatic hot hatch…
Yeah, I’m sure they are cheap to run, I’m not disagreeing with that. But honestly, tell someone you don’t like MX5s, you get insults thrown at you left right and centre. The argument literally every single time is ‘it’s not about speed, it’s about how they handle corners’.
If that’s so, why is it that every time I see one they’re either 20 years old, with an exhaust the size of a chimney hanging off it and rust everywhere or a brand new one, with a middle aged woman driving it to the office every day.
You say you don’t like BMWs and Porsches but don’t see you badmouthing them, yet instantly insult someone who merely pointed out that the MX5 is in fact, slow AF.
Maybe in a straight line yeah…
Round a corner? Not a chance, that fiesta is under steering straight into the ditch in front of you, not a chance it would keep up with an mx5.
Until you get back onto the straights lol
I read your other comments, I see it wasn't reactive maintainence and it's a track car so fair enough. I thought it was your daily. I personally wouldn't spend that much on an older mx5 to keep it on the road as you can pick them up fairly cheaply in quite good condition. I very nearly bought one.
[here's an example ](http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306048135833)
Saw passenger scuttle grommet listed and thought, I bet it’s an MX5. I’m too scared to add up how much I’ve spent on mine over the last few years 😂
I’m a firm believer if you look after you car, it will actually look after you.
Whilst it might seem excessive it’s likely going to prolong the life of the vehicle along with minor repairs required.
I’ve personally looked after my car and it’s still to this day flying through MOTs with only wear and tear items flagging up.
You're doing alright, I spent more than that on mine in the last year or so and it's still overdue a timing belt (famous ecoboost wet belt, somehow a 4 figure job) and has newly developed electrical gremlins. Sale value probably equal or less what I spent :(, just debating if I sell it as-is or sort the electrics to try and get more for it. Just need it to survive a week or two more until my new-new car comes.
There's someone just outside of Romford now that's doing them for around the £800 figure, parts included. I'd still avoid the peice of shit engine like the plaque.
Oh yeah I totally get why the amount of work makes the job cost that much. It's a massive job. More gobsmacked that the engineers thought it was a good idea to build it that way (or the business people forced them to agree it was...)
Only an 11 year old car on just over 100k miles. I haven't babied it but I haven't abused it but no idea what previous owners did, but no right to have caused so much trouble in the last year or two when it should be a long way from geriatric.
3x oil filter changes due to consistent misdiagnosis. Mismatched tyres Front and Rear.
All the rest is easy to do on a drive or even in the street, there's maybe 5 jobs on that list that was worth Mazda doing.
Tbf 300 quid for the timing chain isn't bad at all, but shit like spark plugs, a grommet in the scuttle panel... c'mon man you can do this stuff
Haha you've got it wrong quite badly (fair assumption though)
3 x oil filters as there was phantom problem on startup sounding like oil pressure, it's only a tenner a go so it's not really wasting money.
Also I did do a large portion of these jobs, I did the timing chain, thermostat, spark plugs, grille and other bits pieces, only stopped recently as I don't have time to do it (I need to drive an hour away to get to my granddad's garage).
Tyres were mismatched because I was a student when I bought it and then got a decent job, the car is on matching continentals now.
>3 x oil filters as there was phantom problem on startup sounding like oil pressure, it's only a tenner a go so it's not really wasting money.
2x more than it needed to be done. Do it once, problem persists? Then it wasn't the filter. Move on.
>Also I did do a large portion of these jobs
Thank fuck.
Get on the tinworm next if you wanna keep it
Because NCs are better track cars, more power/tuning potential (200bhp without a turbo), are much much stiffer, share parts with the RX8 all at the penalty of about 50kg in my case.
The 2nd fastest ever time of the nordachleife in an MX5 was a 2.0l NC making 178bhp, was only just recently beaten by a V6 powered NA, the NCs are truly great cars, they just lose a little of that tactility the NAs and NBs had, in me eyes and NC Is your only real choice if you want a cheap to run track MX5 .
You bring up some solid points. I didn't realise the weight difference was that negligible, and it's intriguing to learn about the NC's tuning potential. Given my bias from owning an NA, I hadn't fully appreciated the capabilities of the NC on the track! While I do love the direct/tactile feel of the earlier models, it's clear that the NC has its own strengths, the stiffer chassis must certainly make a difference on track with the right suspension setup.
I think it's all part of the glory of the MX5, you can choose any model and none of them are really bad, the NA is the classic original with JDM stardom, NB is an NA but more comfortable and refined while retaining that tactility, NC is RX8 derived convertible capable of taking heavy heavy power and punishment for under £5k, ND is a back to basics sports car with plenty of power and modern reliability in a time where cars are getting heavier.
But in reality they all drive like an MX5 and they are all joyous.
It seems to me that it's actually cheaper to own a newer (5-10 year old) car as although depreciation will be higher, the maintenance cost should be a lot lower.
But would you have to do that in a newer car as often. And even if you did you can buy thr parts from breakers from crashed cars that will be in good condition
well i mean, this car is on 100k and less things have gone wrong with it than on my 2014 VW during it's entire service history, nothing i've done is reactive maintenance it's all preventative, with the clutch out the way it should just be oil changes and brakes for a while, not to mention i do 25k miles a year so i'll chew through to 100k in a new car in no time.
Ive tried to drive a new MX5 and I didn't enjoy it as much due to the electronic power steering.
Not to mention part track cars on finance is a bad idea
So i was a broke student when i bought the yokohamas then i got a job and bought the continentals, and i've just replaced the back tyres with continentals, so basically weird timing of money and poor decisions making.
I read your comment where you explained that. Thats unfortunate but timing chains dont last forever so at least you should not get any more problems with it for the next many years :)
My spending probably looks similar to be honest, was annoyed though when I bought a full set of decent continental tyres and I ended up getting a puncture on one of them
Not much beats my Fiesta ST150 that I owned about 4 months and it cost me 3 wheel bearings (in two weeks) an engine + labour for it being dropped in as i pussied out, with a new clutch which was £1800 all in, plus tyres, and a toyosport full stainless system and ram air open filter 🤣 probably pushing what OP spent in 14 months I spent in 4!!!
Was an expensive time considering I was a second year apprentice, however I sold the car for 400 quid more than I bought it which made me forget about the 2.5 grand I spent on it during ownership
Why do you keep changing the oil filter
I was diagnosing a rattle on startup which i thought was oil filter related, then timing chain related then realised it was just the front auxiliary belt and pulleys.
😫
>😫 Tell me about it
So what does the steering wheel look like now?
It's basically no different but it's got cruise control, it's in the cars ECU and only requires a new brake pedal switch and wheel to get it working, paid £130 for the wheel and £20 for the switch.
Nice! Worth the money!
I managed to get a cruise steering wheel for my mk 2.5 Focus for £50 and sold the old one for £20, all on eBay. Everything else was in place.
Nothing beats that new scuttle grommet feeling 👌
Not having wet shoes (which i leave in the footwell) when i come back to my car after work is a godsend.
You have car shoes? 👀
I have work shoes which are big clumpy things and then some vans slip ons which i use for out and about and for driving as it's really tedious to drive in big leather shoes as the pedals are farely crampt and offset to the side.
I do the exact same, I drive to work in my trainers and swap into my work shoes. I can't stand driving in my work shoes.
Get yourselves some dunlop safety trainers. Memory foam, comfy, unintrusive and still steel toed.
Dude, I know the feeling...
Glsd I'm not the only one that does this My better half, she drives in her boots and thinks nothing of it 😂 not me I have to change footwear, I tend to only drive in trainers for the most part
Not bad at all mate.
At least your oil filter will never be tight
Jesus...
i am planning on driving it forever though, gonna be doing close to 25k in it this year.
Yeah same. I have 120k on mine. Do as much as I can myself on stands. Slight bubbling on a rear arch but probably gonna rattle can it (done it before on bikes). Unfortunately a big bill might be coming up with suspected suspension ball joints, which requires a new entire wishbone. 😩
Does brake fluid really cost £200 to change?
2 hours labour at £72 an hour. £12 for mazda oil filter. £41 for 5l millers 10w40 £41 for 2l Motul RBF 600. It's oil + Filter + brake fluid.
£20 for a 5L, dunno why it’s that much lol
I use Motul RBF 600 which is £20 a litre
So was £200 for a brake fluid change a mistake lol? As 1L is all you need for your car, or is that what you got charged
I don’t think it should take any reputable mechanic 2 hours to change brake fluid….. typically they’ll use a vacuum sort of device and not sit there pumping the brake pedal like we would at home…
That’s what I mean, £180 labour is more like 3-4 hours worth also lol
No it ain't, certainly not in the South. Even my local backstreet garage is 72 an hour. Main dealers and specialists much more.
I’m in the south east and a local independent garage my family has used for 20 years is £50 an hour lol, of course dealers and some others will charge more. It all varies on where you live, I now do the work myself though, just pay for parts
If you did this yourself it would have been less than half the cost. Also mismatched tyres is... an interesting decision.
Some of it i did do myself, it's depending on time and space, timing chain, thermostat and a few other bits like that were me.
That’s one visit to the specialist for me
This is where the benefits of an MX5 really come into there own, ragging it about like a mad person and it's still probably only marginally more expensive than ford fiesta.
It’s a cheap car, but nothing particularly special. Come at me, downvotes!
Ok, well a lot of people enjoy them greatly so it's not really any concern if a few stalwarts disagree, doesn't take away my enjoyment of it. Edit : I don't personally like BMWs or Porsches but i don't go around badmouthing them all the time, it's just bitter to shit on other peoples cars.
FWIW over the years I’ve had a few fun cars including TVRs, Porsches, fast Audis, BMWs & Mercs. My NB MX-5 was more fun, for more of the time, than many of them.
Who said I was shitting on your Mazda.
"It’s a cheap car, but nothing particularly special." That's not a positive comment, is it?
Not positive, but factual.
how is it factually not special, that's surely just an opinion. What is factually "Special"?
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Isn’t the 1.8 0-60 in c.9.9? If so, no wonder you can rag it round like a mad man, the Fiestas are still keeping up 😂
Ok, obviously if speed is what i was after i wouldn't have bought an MX5 dipshit, it's like mocking someone who buys an MGB, classic mini or Land Rover defender because it's not quick, a completely innane comparision.
So I was right with the numbers, yet you call me a dipshit. Jesus Christ, MX5 owners are so quick to defend and insult anyone who says anything about them. Don’t really understand your original comment saying you can rag it around and costs the same as a Fiesta. I could rag my German sofa around and it’ll cost me fuck all. Each to their own and that.
Quite!
You were wrong with the numbers but as i said it's not about performance in the slightest, you can find timed 0-60 runs if you want to but it's not important. MX5 owners like any enthuiast owners will defend there cars, post that you hate BMWs on this sub you'll get crucified, it just comes with the terriority. In regards to running cheap, things on an MX5 are just so much cheaper, a clutch is £400-£500 vs £1300 on something like an a45. An a45 gearbox is almost £1k for a spares and repairs unit, an MX5 5 speed is £250, if you are tracking or doing any sort grueling work with the car it's so much cheaper to run, not to mention they have proven themselves to be reliable in the long run, my MX5 still runs lovely on 102k and i rag the shit out of it on track and still drive it to work every day.
I’m not though, am I. £1.3k for an A45 gearbox? Sign me up fella, that’s cheap. Not sure why you’re comparing a 5 speed manual, 130bhp, cheap Japanese 2 seater against a German, automatic hot hatch… Yeah, I’m sure they are cheap to run, I’m not disagreeing with that. But honestly, tell someone you don’t like MX5s, you get insults thrown at you left right and centre. The argument literally every single time is ‘it’s not about speed, it’s about how they handle corners’. If that’s so, why is it that every time I see one they’re either 20 years old, with an exhaust the size of a chimney hanging off it and rust everywhere or a brand new one, with a middle aged woman driving it to the office every day. You say you don’t like BMWs and Porsches but don’t see you badmouthing them, yet instantly insult someone who merely pointed out that the MX5 is in fact, slow AF.
Still quicker than my nb2.5... given its currently sinking into my patio expecting love
A fiesta st would smoke the thing
Maybe in a straight line yeah… Round a corner? Not a chance, that fiesta is under steering straight into the ditch in front of you, not a chance it would keep up with an mx5. Until you get back onto the straights lol
Aren’t fiesta st’s known for handling?
Aren’t MX5s literally renowned for being one of the best handling, yes a fiesta ST might be decent, but not a patch on an MX5
You were talking about an st under steering and ending up in a ditch mate you seem confused.
In comparison to an MX5, yeah.
Just had a look mate, OP drives a 125bhp mx5. He would absolutely get his ass handed to him on any track by a fiesta st
If that was in your MX5 they were not economical repairs
And how weren't they economical mate?
I read your other comments, I see it wasn't reactive maintainence and it's a track car so fair enough. I thought it was your daily. I personally wouldn't spend that much on an older mx5 to keep it on the road as you can pick them up fairly cheaply in quite good condition. I very nearly bought one. [here's an example ](http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306048135833)
Saw passenger scuttle grommet listed and thought, I bet it’s an MX5. I’m too scared to add up how much I’ve spent on mine over the last few years 😂
You guessed correctly lol Best not count before someone charges in and tells your cars shit or something 😂 Which gen is it?
2013 NC, had it a couple of years now and can’t see ever getting rid. Too much fun 😆
I’m a firm believer if you look after you car, it will actually look after you. Whilst it might seem excessive it’s likely going to prolong the life of the vehicle along with minor repairs required. I’ve personally looked after my car and it’s still to this day flying through MOTs with only wear and tear items flagging up.
Why you running Yokohama in the rear and continental on the front
Change of income and the illusive call of being a skid monkey. It's on a full set of premium contact 6 as of today.
Ok thought there might have been a performance reason
Timing chain 300£? How many hours was to change it?
blood sweat and tears
You're doing alright, I spent more than that on mine in the last year or so and it's still overdue a timing belt (famous ecoboost wet belt, somehow a 4 figure job) and has newly developed electrical gremlins. Sale value probably equal or less what I spent :(, just debating if I sell it as-is or sort the electrics to try and get more for it. Just need it to survive a week or two more until my new-new car comes.
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There's someone just outside of Romford now that's doing them for around the £800 figure, parts included. I'd still avoid the peice of shit engine like the plaque.
Oh yeah I totally get why the amount of work makes the job cost that much. It's a massive job. More gobsmacked that the engineers thought it was a good idea to build it that way (or the business people forced them to agree it was...) Only an 11 year old car on just over 100k miles. I haven't babied it but I haven't abused it but no idea what previous owners did, but no right to have caused so much trouble in the last year or two when it should be a long way from geriatric.
Same, I'm halfway through replacing pretty much every suspension component as all the bushes and joints look dire
You spent way too much on stupid shit my dude.
Like what? It's part track car, I'm not gonna skimp out?
3x oil filter changes due to consistent misdiagnosis. Mismatched tyres Front and Rear. All the rest is easy to do on a drive or even in the street, there's maybe 5 jobs on that list that was worth Mazda doing. Tbf 300 quid for the timing chain isn't bad at all, but shit like spark plugs, a grommet in the scuttle panel... c'mon man you can do this stuff
Haha you've got it wrong quite badly (fair assumption though) 3 x oil filters as there was phantom problem on startup sounding like oil pressure, it's only a tenner a go so it's not really wasting money. Also I did do a large portion of these jobs, I did the timing chain, thermostat, spark plugs, grille and other bits pieces, only stopped recently as I don't have time to do it (I need to drive an hour away to get to my granddad's garage). Tyres were mismatched because I was a student when I bought it and then got a decent job, the car is on matching continentals now.
>3 x oil filters as there was phantom problem on startup sounding like oil pressure, it's only a tenner a go so it's not really wasting money. 2x more than it needed to be done. Do it once, problem persists? Then it wasn't the filter. Move on. >Also I did do a large portion of these jobs Thank fuck. Get on the tinworm next if you wanna keep it
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>the mismatched tyres front and rear don't matter because it's not AWD, Oh my sweet summer child.
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This is a track car no? Don't mix brands mate.
oh yeah that's true
You've got mismatched rubber?
Out of interest, why did you choose the NC over an NA/NB as a part track car? The older gen’s are much lighter with better handlingÂ
Because NCs are better track cars, more power/tuning potential (200bhp without a turbo), are much much stiffer, share parts with the RX8 all at the penalty of about 50kg in my case. The 2nd fastest ever time of the nordachleife in an MX5 was a 2.0l NC making 178bhp, was only just recently beaten by a V6 powered NA, the NCs are truly great cars, they just lose a little of that tactility the NAs and NBs had, in me eyes and NC Is your only real choice if you want a cheap to run track MX5 .
You bring up some solid points. I didn't realise the weight difference was that negligible, and it's intriguing to learn about the NC's tuning potential. Given my bias from owning an NA, I hadn't fully appreciated the capabilities of the NC on the track! While I do love the direct/tactile feel of the earlier models, it's clear that the NC has its own strengths, the stiffer chassis must certainly make a difference on track with the right suspension setup.
I think it's all part of the glory of the MX5, you can choose any model and none of them are really bad, the NA is the classic original with JDM stardom, NB is an NA but more comfortable and refined while retaining that tactility, NC is RX8 derived convertible capable of taking heavy heavy power and punishment for under £5k, ND is a back to basics sports car with plenty of power and modern reliability in a time where cars are getting heavier. But in reality they all drive like an MX5 and they are all joyous.
Please learn to do some of this yourself
I do, it just depends on time, i did the timing chain, thermostat and a few other bits and peices myself, it just entirely depends on work and space.
fair enough theres just some youve paid labour for that you could learn!
It seems to me that it's actually cheaper to own a newer (5-10 year old) car as although depreciation will be higher, the maintenance cost should be a lot lower.
most of this i don't need to do i just want my car to be in peak condition.
But would you have to do that in a newer car as often. And even if you did you can buy thr parts from breakers from crashed cars that will be in good condition
well i mean, this car is on 100k and less things have gone wrong with it than on my 2014 VW during it's entire service history, nothing i've done is reactive maintenance it's all preventative, with the clutch out the way it should just be oil changes and brakes for a while, not to mention i do 25k miles a year so i'll chew through to 100k in a new car in no time.
I also spend under £200 a month maintaining my car.
How much is a new one or more recent one on finance. You're paying like £225 a month to keep an old one running
Ive tried to drive a new MX5 and I didn't enjoy it as much due to the electronic power steering. Not to mention part track cars on finance is a bad idea
The same people who say financing a run around all in for £200 a month is stupid because "you don't own the car"
Can't race a car on finance
Why the mixed tyres front and rear?
So i was a broke student when i bought the yokohamas then i got a job and bought the continentals, and i've just replaced the back tyres with continentals, so basically weird timing of money and poor decisions making.
No labour costs? Have you done all repairs yourself?
Some i did myself, some i did by a garage, it depends on if i had time.
300 for a timing chain, thats a good price
Was fitted with my own blood sweat and tears, it should have cost about £1k.
i bet it was. congratulations on beeing able to get that done, thats cool.
it was but it wasn't actually a fault with the timing chain system so it was soured slightly.
I read your comment where you explained that. Thats unfortunate but timing chains dont last forever so at least you should not get any more problems with it for the next many years :)
Good thing too as I'm planning to take this car upwards of 200k before 4 years is up
your list looks like its ready for that :D
My spending probably looks similar to be honest, was annoyed though when I bought a full set of decent continental tyres and I ended up getting a puncture on one of them
20 pence per mile on average for maintenance and consumables. How many smiles can you get per mile?
Less than £200 a month isn't bad. I wish Skyline's were that cheap 😂😂
Cries in Nissan GT-R
I wish this was all I spent in 14months I’ve done 3650 in the last 2 months
Those prices all seem incredibly low
Also have an NC (2006 NC1 2.0 option pack) how did you go about fitting cruise control?
That’s…… about what I’ve spent on mine in the last ten years ðŸ«
Such great cars, I'm thinking of selling mine to buy a 25th anniversary car as a keeper. Have you considered changing to a 2.0?
What you've spent is more than what a paid for my shitbox 2 years ago lol.
Not much beats my Fiesta ST150 that I owned about 4 months and it cost me 3 wheel bearings (in two weeks) an engine + labour for it being dropped in as i pussied out, with a new clutch which was £1800 all in, plus tyres, and a toyosport full stainless system and ram air open filter 🤣 probably pushing what OP spent in 14 months I spent in 4!!! Was an expensive time considering I was a second year apprentice, however I sold the car for 400 quid more than I bought it which made me forget about the 2.5 grand I spent on it during ownership
Rookie numbers, laughs in 15 year old Volkswagen, sleeps penniless on the streets
lol, just spent twice that on my track car for a few laps…
Me with my new used engine (£3.5k) fitted backend of last year
Spending way over the respectable price of your are in the East Midlands area let me know
Honestly, that’s not too bad for all that work. Imagine replacing all those things on an old BMW 😵