DaveyR Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Having posted in the forum when I originally got this car I thought it was about time I actually posted up a picture of the car! It's relatively standard, the only real changes from original are the small rear lip spoiler, removal of the badges other than the Mazda emblem on the rear, nice shiny new gear knob, and until now the car has had Mazdaspeed shocks and springs and ARBs (Springs are Tokico blues, and springs and ARBs are identical to Eibach's offerings I believe. Although as per my original thread in the suspension section hopefully there will soon be improvements made in this area. This picture was taken before I actually fitted the gearknob properly with some threadlocker! It's nothing too special, and could really do with a slightly more vocal exhaust, but this is it as it stands so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 What a stunning car.... This is what beeps my button about the MX5, it's styling is timeless, stature and poise speaks volumes, superb example, thanks for posting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted March 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Thanks for the kind words Tony! It does look great when it's clean eh. Agreed on the timelessness of the design. Looking at the Mk1 and Mk2 MX5s which still look so right, hopefully this design will age in the same way. I'll try and take some more photos when it stops raining long enough to get it nice and shiny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 I prefer the looks of the mk2 to the mk1 but alas i dont fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted March 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Have to agree with you on that one, I do like the mk2 best out of mk1 and 2. Yep, they are not the largest cars and I can see that taller people would have serious leg and headroom issues! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 The mk1 seems a little roomier inside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted March 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 The MX5 went to WIM yesterday to have the BC Racing coilovers fitted. My previous shocks had completely blown at the rear, prompting either a replacement of current shocks or something different. I wasn't too impressed with the mazdaspeed setup, it was alright in terms of stiffness/roll but the damping was lacking. The wheels tended to lose contact with the ground over bumps, not to mention the car seemed to spend a lot of time on the bumpstops making for crashy progress at times. So I decided I didn't want to spend my hard earned replacing something I wasn't all that enamoured with in the first place! So given a lot of positive feedback about the BC Racing coilovers across the internet and from WIM themselves I took the plunge. Joe has the fitting down to an art it seems as it only took 2 hours to remove and replace all 4 corners before moving onto Tony to work his geo magic! Although it's a poor phone pic and the car is a little dirty I thought i'd pop up a picture of how the car is currently sitting: Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Looks sweet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parthiban Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Looks great, the MX-5 is one of those cars that is begging to be lowered as they look quite high as standard. And personally think the mk3 is the best looking of all the MX-5s - the design is much more aggressive than the previous models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Spent some of the Easter weekend playing about with the damping settings. Tried a number of softer settings than the WIM preferred 14F 12R (Clicks from soft) to get an idea of how soft the ride goes. Surprisingly supple at 8F 6R, with a slight trade-off in terms of loss of general sharpness, slightly softer turn in etc. I'd say that the ride is more comfortable in most scenarios than the previous suspension at this setting, soaking up lumps and bumps very nicely and controlling body movement well. Apart from on the most broken/sharp edged tarmac (i.e. the bits that really should be repaired!) where there is no escaping that this is suspension oriented at performance rather than comfort and you do get shaken around a little! I've set the damping to 12F 10R for my daily commute this week to see how I get on, as I prefer the sharpness and tighter control over the softest settings i've tried so far. All in all enjoying the handling of the car and playing with different settings (and boring my lovely wife by describing the changes I have made each time ). Next on the agenda is taking my car to my friendly mechanic to try and track down and remedy a noise or two. Also thinking about some of the IL Motorsports underbody braces, as although considerably stiffer than previous generations there is definitely noticeable flex on occasions and numerous people seem to report good things about some of the braces available. Does anyone here have any opinions on these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 I'm pleased your enjoying the suspension, as said some bracing would really help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 Will definitely look into some bracing then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 3, 2013 Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 It's sitting well now. Coilovers are something I need to get in the future, never had them before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted April 3, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2013 It's a first for me Rich, i've never really had the chance to make any changes to my previous cars so it's nice to be able to play with this one a little. Hoping to keep making little additions here and there to make it more "mine" over time, even if most of them will have been done by the sizeable MX5 community already anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Posted April 4, 2013 Report Share Posted April 4, 2013 Thanks for sharing Davey, looking good. Getting my BCR's fitted on the 20th will be interesting to play around a bit. One question, wheres the boot lip spoiler from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted April 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 Hi Funky, the car had the spoiler fitted when I bought it. I believe it was fitted when the original and only other previous owner bought the car new, so pretty sure it was a standard Mazda option. Having a look I think it is probably this spoiler: http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/rear-spoiler-mazda-p-1063.html Looks identical to mine, and is a genuine Mazda item. Looks good I think, although I really like some of the ducktail spoiler designs that were created for the mk1 and mkk2 mx5's and wouldn't mind something similiar for this one! Enjoy your BCR's once they are fitted and do have a play around with the settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted April 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Did a 400 mile round trip to Bradford this weekend to see my Brother, his wife and my little nephew. Set the dampers nice and soft (4 Front 2 Rear I think) and was quite impressed with the way it soaked up the journey there and back. As far as small, relatively impractical convertibles go it was as comfortable and smooth as you could hope for (realistically, it's never going to rival a 5 series or a Merc S class!!). My brother and I also took the opportunity whilst our wives were otherwise occupied with napping and/or cute nephew to give the car a decent wash and a quick coat of wax (very kind of my brother to give up a couple of hours of his weekend to give me a hand ). Up close the paintwork could do with a good polish as there is a fair amount of hazing and light scratches, but it cleaned up quite nicely really. So obviously I snapped a few pictures on the phone to throw up here! Bro finishing off the windows on the inside! And the rest once finished: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Stunning...... It's so shiny it looks wet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Try some poor boys black hole glaze after polishing that will mask any hazing etc and give a deeper gloss Looks great though , black looks lovely when clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted April 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 Thanks Tony And thanks for the advice Liner, I do remember reading good things about black hole a while back when I first bought a decent mitt/wax etc and started washing my cars properly! Might have to give it a try. I do have a clean your car rotary at home that was a present to my brother and I (he loves a shiny car too) a few years ago, so I could also pull my finger out and actually give it a proper polish, although I think i'd start with a very gentle polish compound and see how I get on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 You can use the black hole with a da polisher or by hand but not with a rotary , be very careful with those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted April 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 I was thinking more along the lines of an actual polish rather than filler i.e. those designed for use with rotarys. Using a really light grade polish would be reasonably safe to learn i'd have thought? Not like heavier cutting compounds where you could do serious damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liner33 Posted April 8, 2013 Report Share Posted April 8, 2013 It's the machine that does the damage , rotaries spin very fast and can burn he paint Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveyR Posted April 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 The MX5 had developed an irritating and fairly audible click/tap from the right front when applying the brakes, particularly noticeable when moving along at lower speeds, slowing down at junctions, roundabouts, in traffic etc. I took it into my friendly mechanic and it turns out the new front pads he fitted recently at my request (Pagid items) were able to move just enough on the caliper slider that they were obviously moving around on application of the brakes. Nothing dangerous and would have been fine to carry on, but to be honest the noise would have driven me mad. New Mazda genuine front pads and fitting kit (clips/springs to hold the pads in place) were fitted and now the car is noise free again. So just a word of caution to any other MX5 mk3 owners really, although the Mazda items are considerably more expensive, which is why I thought i'd try aftermarket options, they are potentially worth the extra money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 A least you found the noise relatively easy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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