5 MX-5 Miata Problems You WILL Have
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ค. 2021
- Have a Mazda MX-5 Miata? You'll almost definitely have at least ONE of these problems. The 5 problems covered in this video are all extremely common on both the NA and the NB Miata, so if you have an MX-5 between 1990 and 2005, get ready!
This list of problems is as follows:
Radiators Failing and Turning Brown / Green
Leaky Soft Tops and Rain Rails
Oil Leaks
Floppy Eyeball Vents
Rust Issues
End Screen Music: 3mbrace - Issues spoti.fi/3hpG1b0
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Fix your problems! (Affiliate links for which I may be compensated)
Radiators: amzn.to/3ih9AfU (Check NA vs NB fit)
Soft Tops / Rain Rails: amzn.to/2U5g0XL
Oil Leaks: amzn.to/3yZBfZz (Confirm fit)
Floppy Vents: ebay.us/ZtnKQK
Rust: amzn.to/2Te76qr
►Full Build Spreadsheet: bit.ly/3z0SCg4 (My Turbo NA)
►Falken 615K+ Tires: bit.ly/3MTZFuU
Awesome!
"You should expect some oil leaks from these cars"
BMW owners: That's cute.
"The valve cover is easy to replace"
BMW owners: *Screams in pure suffering*
There's a reason I bought a 2nd Miata and sold my german car...
actually, I have a miata and recently I sold an e46 which had no oil leaks anywhere, but it was overheating as hell which is the reason I sold it. Before that, I had an shitbox e36 sedan and it wasn't leaking oil but again... overheating.. I think it's my curse cause my miata is overheating too :(
Haha
@@richardbenko5196 IDK man, it might be something with your driving style :D
@The Career Neophyte You are stuck in Hotel Beemer Hell....you can decide to check out at any time but actually departing? That is the hell part....
1. Sill rust
2. Fender rust
3. Chassis rail rust
4. A-pillar rust
5. Subframe rust
Honourable mention to bootlid rust if the previous owner didn't connect the vent tubes to a wet lead acid battery.
so true :(
Where's the vent tubes?
1 rocker panel rust 2 chasis rail rust 3 oil leak 4 passenger power window motor dont Work
crying in my 1999 nb with rear fender rust
Still no rust on my '97. Kept inside every winter since new. Only driven through 1 winter.
We bought our 1990 MX-5 in 1994 and owned her for 20 years. The only problem we had was an oil leak that amounted to a quart per year. That being the rear seal, our mechanic advised us to just add oil when necessary. Otherwise, the Miata was just bulletproof. Admittedly, we kept her garaged.
nice
bro that sucks i was only imagining that i did all the work to get there just to do a rear main seal lol
Nice but if its a manual that will cause clutch slip and Hotspot on the flywheel .. but considering sounds like u got a killer deal bro ... peace and love
2003 NB.
Radiator- replaced with an aluminium one.
Soft Top - replaced.
Oil Leaks - No. (manifold seal was replaced as per 100,000 km service)
Floppy Vents - yes. On the ‘to-do’ list.
Rust - No. Australia does not salt its roads.
2004 NB.
Radiator- replace with an aluminum one. On the ‘to-do’ list
Soft Top - replaced. but has small tear thats fixed
Oil Leaks - yes :) but not dripping on the ground
Floppy Vents - No. fixed with tape.
Rust - yes. rear wheel arch. In Finland salt allover the place on winter
@@Jusu.siltsu Do your thermostat at the same time. I sprung for a radiator replacement, mine was going green and running kinda hot when the AC was on (220F), went to aluminum rad, but it was actually just the thermostat. You can get more cooling performance boost by just goibng with new thermostat and coolant re-route than an alu rad, for less cash. mind you, the alu rad looks awesome and it was cheap enough anyway :)
Yea thank god I live where they don’t salt the roads otherwise it would be hell to maintain cars like these
@@mr.lostmyaccount4721 yea thats why everyone keep their project cars as summer cars
Do you have AC? Did your new aluminum radiator affect your AC radiator at all?
Excellent presentation. I appreciate your "just-get-to-the-points" style.
4:07 “with age sometimes its hard to keep it up”
The power window switches in the NA. I became an expert at rebuilding these when I had my '97.
Those go bad on the NB, too. I tore the plastic lever assembly out and used the switches on the circuit board directly for a while before putting new levers in.
The top latches perform a similar trick with wear. They won’t stay in the latched position because the retaining nub wears off. I got “remanufactured” latches. Still overpriced, but cheaper than new factory items.
Think I’ll mention that the leather seats go to blazes in a hurry, too. Darn stuff.
everything about power windows in NA is constantly breaking down... I know what I'm talking about
I did have to replace the whole regulator in my driver's side once in 200K miles, but I had to clean and rebuild that switch at least 20 times in the same span.
i fixed mine by sanding the contact patches and removing a bit of the plastik on the switch it self, whrere the metal is. On my Miata it seemed like it got pushed into the plastik somehow.
Early Miatas? One of the best cars on earth, pure and simple. I’ve owned two of them, and I’d buy another in a heartbeat.
Absolutely. The one in this video is my 4th
2003 NB owner. The only unscheduled maintenance that I've had to do with my car is to replace one of the header latches, as the locking mechanism can wear with use. If possible, I would recommend to keep the car garaged, as this keeps the weather off the car, as well as the debris.
I think the water pump is worth a mention. If you have a coolant drip in the front, get ready to take the front of the motor off and do the timing belt. It is 100% going to happen.
Keep your car clean, keep it out of the sun, these two things prevent all the problems mentioned in the video. My car is 20 years old and I haven’t had ANY of these problems.
This car is amazing.
They are the best cars. I agree, those things help a lot
I have a 93 NA and all the issues you addressed are spot on. I have had to replace the soft top. Clean out the rain rail drains unclog the pinch weld drains under the car. I have 290,000 miles and the engine doesn't leak oil so I have been lucky there. I really enjoy your videos and have been a subscriber for quite a while. Always good content. Keep them coming
Very helpful, easy to understand tips on what to watch out for. - many thanks. My '97 NA Speedster is garaged year round. When putting away for the winter I put the top up to keep the material straight and in its natural position. However, to avoid strain over 6 months of storage, I DON'T latch the top to the windshield - just let it sit up in its natural position. A top boot/tonneau cover is a must to keep out the sun, dust and moisture. When folding down the top, make sure your vinyl window isn't creased or folded crookedly. I also tuck a rolled up towel in the outside of the rear window when the top is down, to minimize any creasing and to keep out dust. Regular cleaning and treating a vinyl top will ensure a long life. I believe there are about 13 (!) drain tubes on NA Miatas. Carefully cleaning them out will help fend off lower body rust and prevent water in the interior.
Was fully prepared to roll my eyes when I started watching your video. I apologize for that. I have a 95 Montego Blue with 215,000 mi on it. I've got about 10 grand into her, engine and transmission are fully stock. I consider myself a religious zealot in the Church of Miata, and your info was spot on. The only other known failure point on miatas I would bring up, are the clutch slave cylinders. It's a very easy fix, and a cheap part, but for some reason the seals tend to go out prematurely.
Audio is EXCELLENT. The whole video is Good. Many TH-cam videos will "show" but you can't hear and the producers are oblivious to it or don't care even with the volume up. This was excellent concise to the point and very informative.
Thank you for your comment! I always try to make my audio as clear as possible. I appreciate it!
Great info brother. Had all those issues except the rust issues!
Those video IS A MUST it's really ideal, thanks!
My Miata had 1 previous owner and it just so happened to be in a coastal region, I’ve never seen so much rust before!
Great video! Simple solution for soft top issues, remove and hit the track!
Just to add to the oil leak problem don’t forget that oil and coolant hoses don’t go well with each other since the cam seal on the back of the head is such an issue it will always cause the heater core hose directly under it to wear much faster don’t forget to check for a squishy or ballooning hose!
My 1995 Gen 1, Series 2 (1.8L) in Classic Red acquired in 2001. Always garaged and not driven in winter. Now with 132,247 miles. Head gasket replaced in 2017. Radiator replaced with an aluminum Mishimoto in 2018. Just replaced the soft top and rain rail this June. Maintenance costs over 21 years of my ownership is $7,451.13 or $354.82/year. Pristine appearance and shown frequently at auto shows. Lovin' every minute of it.
Just bought my first Miata, so far every video uploaded has helped me so much
What year?
Just brought my 2000 Miata LS home yesterday. Thanks for the content!!
Enjoy it!
The Miata is a great car. I had a ‘93 that I kept almost 10 years. The only failure was a plastic gear in the window lift mechanism. Some design problems that were easily fixed such as a frame brace that was included from the factory I think in ‘94. When I sold it I bought a 2000 Corvette convertible. Now that was a car with lots of MAJOR design and manufacturing issues. More than I can remember. It looked good, had 29 mpg, quick acceleration and stopping. Altogether a different car. But from an engineering and quality perspective, Miata wins my vote!
BULL CRAP ITS A PIECE OF JUNK
Picking up mine in about 2 hours. A 1996 1.8 NA and genuine rocket bunny kit.... can't wait.
I just bought a 2003 NB, and I’m so excited! I remember wanting one the first time I saw one.
How is it going for you? I'm about to buy a 2002. I'm not much of a car guy 😅
@@win5947 It’s been flawless. The only thing I’ve needed to do is general maintenance. Oil and oil filter change etc. It’s been my daily this whole time, even through the Utah winter, and it’s been perfectly dependable. I’d recommend always driving with at least the running lights on, and maybe even getting a train horn lol. I live next to a high school, and so I’ve had a few close calls with high school kids not paying any attention at all. The train horn scares the bajebus out of them and they always stop immediately.
mk2's also rust on the front chassis rails. since its structural its really worth checking and fixing immediately if they are swollen!
the one problem ive had recently is a beltsquealing on cold starts. Not just sometimes, but EVERY cold start. The belt tension and pulleys are fine. I also have the rear main seal leak issue. But that's it. I've had most of my issues fixed on my 223K mile miata.
What a great time to live on the west coast, ive never seen a rusty miata, maybe a few rusty mufflers but thats it
Awesome video man
I have a 90’ miata with 328k miles and have done all things you mentioned.
BUT, I consider them problems applied to ANY CAR. Nothing unusual if you Truly care about your car and maintain it out of love. Just my 2cents!!!!
Thank you!
Thanks! I’m looking for a first car and been thinking about miatas, we call them mx-5 here
Great video..I have a 2006 touring that has 115k miles and so far I've only had to replace the electric thermostat.
Just bought a 99 nb today, thanks for the insight into what to look out for!
Enjoy your car! I have a more in depth video on Miata common problems on my channel :)
@@CashedOutCars any chance you have one about cheap functional upgrades? 90% of my friends are screaming for me to Autocross it but I don't want it any stiffer than it is now 😂
Lettings everybody pass on the track straights and catching them up in corners... Balance comes with a reliable turbo setup, grip- and brake upgrades as well
I’ve had the misfortune of having an unscheduled valve cover gasket replacement due to the factory PCV breaking into a thousand pieces while replacing the PCV to intake hose. Wasn’t too bad, but wasn’t fun either.
2003 Mx-5 Miata, have had to replace the fuel pump twice, seems to be a big problem if your Miata sits to long. Thanks for the info and will have to check your recommendations on my wife Miata. Thanks for the if info! Smooth riding!
I have a mint condition 2001 Miata LS and be 1.8 L. Since buying new off the lot, the only thing that is gone wrong on the vehicle was a slight misfire on multiple cylinders. After it been sitting for five years in the driveway we change the coil pack, and she’s been running great.
3:13 - Not just the rear main seal. There is a carrier for the rear main on the NA and NB's, that can make it look like the rear main is leaking, you'll have to replace part of the oil pan gasket for this as well. I recommend you replace both if you are doing a rear main seal job to avoid removing your transmission more than once. The carrier for the rear main seal will look like the rear main is leaking when you get there, heads up.....Hopefully this will help one person.
Thanks! Can you link to this part? I've fixed all of my leaks (including cam and crank pulleys) and so now fixing to pull the trans and only want to do this once!
I've owned my N/A for eleven years. The UK climate isn't kind to bodywork, but because my MX-5 had always been reliable and my wonderful local garage had maintained it mechanically over the years, I decided on two new wings (fenders, I think you folks in the USA call them) plus having the rot cut out and new metal welded in at the rear wheel arches. That was four years ago, and it was cheaper than buying another car - plus I know the car's history whilst in my care.
All of the issues you mention are spot-on, all part of normal wear and tear. My car's had a new convertible roof, clutch servo cylinders, new suspension springs (I blame the ridiculous speed humps in our area, even though I'm careful when driving over them), new brake discs, new clutch, camshaft cover gasket, battery, driver's door handle spring and four tyres. To help preserve the bodywork, the underside's been sprayed with Waxoyl. It seems to be very effective.
Importantly, all of this has been affordable!
25 years on, still waiting for any of these to happen.
Lucky model I guess
All 5 problems are resolved on mine soo iam quite happy right now😋😁 nice video 👍
Nice😁have fun with it!
YEP! Every problem but the rust. Great video
I have a 2001 NB2 with 60,000 miles. Replaced the radiator when purchased, cleaned out the drains and fender panel. Sprayed anti corrosion on inside of panels. Swapped AC vents with 2005 Mitsubishi Eclipse (slightly modified). One problem that WILL happen and one I consider more important than floppy vents is the soft top latches wear and won't stay shut. You'll be driving, the wind will catch your top and rip it open.
i have a '89 Eunos at 190K miles in the UK which is very wet. It has the original roof with no cracks, rain-rail fine although needed new foam installed inside rubbers around windows. Water inside the car often due to blocked drain pipes behind the seats.
Rear wheel arches rust as do windscreen surround. Electric windows on NA can be a problem but are fixed with a deep clean and new bushes. Gear change can become loose between 2nd and 3rd, replace the nylon bush on the bottom of the gear selector rod, simple 60 min job.
I have a 2000 NB.
At one point the clip that holds the window puller cable in my passenger window came off and got in the way of the glass going down. That was an easy fix, just a zip tie in the door panel to hold the cable in place.
It has an alright top and rain rail (I think) and I don't know if it has the rust. But it definitely leaks oil, the vents are floppy, and my radiator cracked at one point, I had to get a new radiator for it.
Just bought a 2000 NB, i will check for these things 😉
Damn, I guess I'll be having these problems in my Nissan Altima.
Thanks for telling me!
Great video. I have a 2002 mx5 with 123k miles on her and sadly the bottom ends started knocking. Time for a new engine and maybe that supercharger I want.
My 94 laguna blue and tan has a tick over 16k miles. Definitely need to take a look
I have an 02 NB Miata, and I recently replaced the radiator which cracked, I replaced the top last year and now I am actually having to replace the cam shaft position sensor. Which as I have done research is a common fail a well.
Straight to the point. I REALLY like that.
I appreciate that!
Lost me with your "green" radiators. Still, I'll pay attention on my ND. Thanks for the tips.
Love your Miata content, waiting for those videos of how to fix the oil leaks :)
Thanks man! I'll keep it on the list of video to make!
I have a 2003 NB I've owned since 2007. Its rear main seal has leaked since about 2010... had the valve cover leak too, but fixed that one. Rear main STILL leaks to this day, but hasn't really gotten any worse. Some day I'll summon up the motivation to drop the trans and replace it but today is not that day.
radiator used to be like $50 to replace when I had a NA. I paid ~$470 for a glass window top. put in a NB Top frame. Outside of that, my shocks needed replacing (I got NB shocks where some NB owner swapped for Bilsteins) also every other month I replaced a relay or solenoid for between $15-60.
I loved my 90 Miata.
It was Red with Tan interior. It was a perfect car for a 25 year old man
Thanks, a very informative video :) I wonder if you have a video on why and how to fix engine over revving after it is warmed up or hot??
'96 black and tan, bought new. Driven year round up until fall of 2013, ~352k on the clock and currently sitting in my garage waiting to be restored thanks to the liquid car dissolver CT uses on the roads in winter. Other than routine scheduled maintenance & brake pads/rotors (and go-fast goodies like shocks, springs and sway bars), it was a very reliable car. Replaced a weeping differential axle shaft seal at 66k, and welded a rusted through exhaust flange somewhere in the mid 100s. Had to replace a rear wheel bearing somewhere in the low 200s. Finally did the water pump and hoses with the 240k timing belt replacement, replaced a dead fuel injector some time in the mid 200s, alternator brushes around 280k and replaced the rear calipers in the low 300s when one of the parking brake adjusters finally seized. Incredibly trouble free car! Oh yeah, did the radiator somewhere in there, too, probably in the 200s.
I wish those were all the oil leaks. I've also had the cam shaft seals leak, the front crankshaft seals leak. And the worst of all I'm fixing now on an NA is the oil pump leaking at that gasket that runs along the top of it. Requires the engine to come out, since it's bolted into the oil pan at the bottom.
the main front frame supports that rust could easily be remedied if you clean the support arms and undercoat them, i was lucky in that the original owner of my current NB undercoated everything before it hit the road. its a pita when i need to get a bolt out but im thankful its there because my undercarriage has zero rust
I have a 1990 thats rust free and has zero leaks or issues hopefully it stays this way as it has 175k
same here, mines like at 230k and has a bunch of suspension work done on it but i need to replace the front end of the thing
keep on top of the scheduled maintenance and it should keep on going. A guy in my miata club has a NA with 300K miles on it, never had the head off
My friend thank you for the accurate video. keep going. thank you
You’re very welcome, thanks for watching!
2 - 1992's For thirty-year-old cars, they are quite remarkable. A little rust on the rear quarters from plugged drains on the black one, and a rattle in the speedo cable on the red one, but other than that still a lot of fun. Small issues over the years are as follows.
New tops for both, but not too bad a job.
Alternator chirp when cold. Black one
Power window guides and lubricant. Both cars, but the red ones where MIA.
Small oil leak from main seal on the black one.
Radios are problematic at best. Red one's dead and the black one has ground issues.
Easy cars to work on and parts are reasonable, some odd parts are getting hard to find. Needed a passenger side mirror for the red one and couldn't find a direct replacement, only glue on ones that covered the original and looked horrible. Not the cars fault I broke it doing something in the garage, replaced it with a used one.
2000 Miata Thrust Bearing Failure at 20xxx . Bought used engine that had the same problem Remove and replace engine 2x . Set thrust bearing properly at minimum. No problem since. I have had multiple slave cylinders fail. Clutch master fail x 2 Fuel pump failure in 2023. Rear calipers leaking x 2 Water Pump failure, replaced, switch for electric mirrors failure, replaced. Replaced green radiator. Replaced top with Robbins Top. Keep up the good work.
The Japanese - made radiators are having less problems but it is a simple fix with a Koyo / Flying Miata or similar. Never had an oil leak on rocker cover. The sealing had been replaced during timing belt service every 100000 kms so no problems there. Soft top- come on, it is logical that that is not lasting more than 10 years. But had to replace ignition wires to NGK on both my NA and NB 10.Anni. Some have NGK from factory, mine ( Germany ) doesn`t. Brakes, Brake disks- replaced the front calipers on my NB for 4 pots and Zimmermann brake rotors + Stahlflex PTFE ss braidet lines. Great upgrade. And Bilstein shocks if not already in ...
Clutch slave cylinder and Cam Angle Sensor are also common failures which keep you from driving the car. Stabbing the cam angle sensor with the shaft slot aligned (in that narrow space) is a pain.
I have replaced the roof once. The radiator has been replaced as well. Like any car, the battery has been replaced.
The Miata is a 91 NA. Owned since 2012.
Thanks so much for the review.
I had a Miata years ago.
Now that I’m retired my wife and I are looking into buying a nice newer Miata for our fun summer vehicle.
All generations are great! Enjoy it when you get one
Kudo's on a verrry clean engine bay.
I'm on my fourth MX-5--an '07 w/retractible hardtop, now at 280-k miles. Item #6 on your list should be the A/C compressor (especially in areas of the country where we use the A/C year-round).
Never had any of those problems on my NA, but I have had master/slave clutch issues. Cheap and easy to fix.
That's a very common one too. Enjoy it!
Hi Susan , my clutch is messing up . Seems to engage at different locations of peddle how did yo7 know it was a salve ?..
Yep, had the radiator blow out. Top back window been gone for awhile. Probably have all the oil leaks mentioned. Vent droop, check. light on the rust though, live in desert/dry area. 1996 Miata.
MX-5 NB1 2000
Radiator crack? Check
Soft top rips? Check
Clogged rain rails? Check
Engine oil leaks? Check (front crankshaft and valve cover)
I would also add coil pack failure and power windows only rolling down half of the way! From my experience and what I read in other forums those two are also very common.
At least, it's a cheap car to fix! Great video man!
Thanks! Luckily nothing catastrophic tends to go wrong with these!
I've had my 2001 for 3 years. Had to blow out drains behind doors.
One window would only go down 5 inches - tie holding wiring disintegrated. Fixed with a cable tie.
To avoid rust and soft-top problems keep garaged if possible.
Thanks for excellent video!
Another good helpful video.
Maybe add the window switches failing, and windows needing cleaning/regreasing, and the center console lid latch and/or hinge breaking. (On my NB1 I glued in a flexible hinge and used a magnet from a hard drive so the lid just lifts open.)
(Lots of posts on forums with somewhat complicated ways to remove the vents, but I saw one that showed a really simple way that doesn't risk scratching or damaging anything by just using a small hole in the vent.)
*Sorry, didn't see window switches already mentioned.
Good point with the windows, mine are very slow on this NB and I also just replaced my center console
Thanks!
I've cleaned the windows and tracks and done the Shin Etsu grease and that's worked well, but I still have the nagging feeling I could have cleaned better because it's tough to get in there.
pro-tip for the vents; just press the inwards a bit and then they'll stay at their position.
Glad I replaced my vinyl top with cloth top. More durable
And looks great too!
Did you put it on yourself? To take a long time?
These cars are so reliable that you need to find unreliable things about it 😂
Iv just bought a 2005 mx5 vvt with 31.000 gen miles and just seeing this will help me keep my miata rust free
Enjoy it! They’re great cars that last a very long time with just basic maintenance
@@CashedOutCars thanks I can't wait till its on the road very soon I work in a garage so it will get the best of every thing 👍
Thanks for the radiator hint.
You bet!
You could have mentioned the clutch rubber/plastic buffer. They get old and finally beak and you can see the pieces at your feet. You can check when your Miata no longer start. It happened on both my miatas.
2002 Miata. Original owner. 75K. Sat outside and driven year round (great sled!) for first 5 or so years. Yes, rust, especially rocker panels and lower fenders but also muffler heat shields (just removed). Replaced the rear O2 sensor ~50K. New top and rain rail about same time. Valve cover gasket is leaking but not enough to worry about. Air conditioner compressor failed at ~60K but who needs it anyway.
I have a softtop company for over 30 years , and I can tell you it is one of the best hoods/ ragtop/ softtop ..the water coming out of the bottom is blocked drainage..overflowing. I have personally had more than 10 of these cars ..a cheap fantastic convertible...
1999 MX-5 NB; had to replace soft top, front left fender, radiator, and cam cover seal. But the main issue is intermittent hard starting (battery and alternator were changed out for separate other reasons, ignition switch plus electrical grounds checked and cleaned; however, the problem still persists).
These problems will never interfere me to get one in the future. Fell Inlove since nfs underground 2
They're great, these are minor issues in the grand scheme of cars :)
I have 5 months with my miata I’m definitely gonna get a 2nd one I also found a Mazda speed miata 2005 near me probably gonna buy it
Also the cover under the steering column will fall off. Have had an NA and NB and it happened in both. Also have had valve cover oil leaks in both and not a leaky rain rail but definitely clogged drains that have to be cleaned out periodically.
I’ve have front wheel bearings go. Front brake callipers seize and rusty sills, leaking roof. Clutch release bearing went too and water pump had tight spots when replaced. All on a 76,000 mile 2002
Slave cylinder from the clutch,
Pcv valve,
Temperatuur sensor at the back of the engine,
Airvalve,
Jammed power windows,
Poor rust repair
In the first year/9000miles of my ownership of a 96 NA
But all diy jobs and loads of Fun fixing it!
1993 NA Miata here. Yes to all. Completely accurate and yet still a very amazingly resilient car. I’m not a mechanic and did replace my own radiator. Get puppy pads to prevent spills on the driveway. I also replaced the gasket seal but even taking great care and adding the extra sealant to problem areas the gasket still leaks. This may be something in need a professional to do since I already had my hand at it. Lastly SPARK PLUGS. The Miata eats spark plugs. I bought premium ones after replacing them a few times and they lasted just as long, not worth the up charge. It’s just a yearly thing I do now.
was your oil leaking on the belt? i’m trying to buy a 96 and it’s leaking oil on the belt near the alternator.
Clutch slave and master are weak.
Front hub broke in two pieces with lite track duty. Mine didn’t cause damage since I caught it immediately, but has caused extensive damage to many Miatas.
I have a 1996 with 196000 miles, I had to replace the clutch slave twice. Yes, mine has drooping vents, original top but the back window turned yellow and cracked. Mine does not leak oil, I had to replace the radiator after a accident with a aftermarket,. Listen, I’ve owned cars with half the mileage and had a lot more problems (talking Vega, Chevette, Sprint) I love my Miata
I have a 99 NB, about 70k miles. radiator replaced due to top cracking. Replaced top. It was ok but rain rail was leaking. Vent pad a little loose.
i have replaced the top twice, replaced the radiator, learned about cleaning the rain rails, but have not had any problems keeping it up, with rust or the air vents lol
I have a 96 with 275k miles. It's been very well maintained so no oil leaks or anything of the sort. I have an aluminum radiator. The only issue is floppy vents and rust on the rear quarters since the old owner never cleaned the rain drain
Get it up to 1,000,000 miles :) Enjoy it!
Really good points! How to reset the alarm after replacing the battery? Thanks!!
Good content
I owned a 1999 MX5 1.8SE from new for nearly 20 years. I didn't experience any of these.
After owning my '02 for about 6 years, I've started getting intermittant power windows not working and my speedo randomly cutting out- sometimes for days on end. Two other things that suck but are apparently easy fixes, so that's good.
I got a 2001 MX-5 hard suspension which is lower in ground and a skirt around 6-speed I love it I have 103,000 miles on it. The only problem I replace the rad, also cam shaft sensor now will have to replace cam shaft seal it start to leak also I beleive the rear main seal also will need to be replace I love my Miata rust free. I leave in Canada so I drive my Miata from May 1st to November 1st, also trying to not drive in the rain. The car is restore for 6 month in my garage not heated and a battery maintained charger 2 amp.
the only issue i had was camshaft/crankshaft sensor went bad the first week i got it 2nd hand. but they were an easy fix.