MX5 Mk3 boot rust

[Alexxtreme]

We have just noticed that my wife's MX5 mk 3 has badly rusted along the back edge around almost every slot weld with some of the rust spreading further. We have taken the car to our local stealer for a claim again the 12 year perforation warranty.
(we also have rust around the boot lid opening on the spot welds and we hope that this will be an easier claim as it is only just starting to show :-( )

They came back with the following
"I am sorry to learn of the corrosion apparent on the Mazda MX-5 boot lid. Having reviewed the claim submitted by Hendy Mazda with our Technical and Warranty Department, I can confirm the vehicle’s 3-year paint and surface corrosion warranty covers the paint coating of the exterior body panels against damage and /or surface corrosion arising from the use of defective materials or workmanship during vehicle manufacture. The 12-year perforation warranty covers the sheet metal body panels of the vehicle against corrosion rusting through from the inner surface in such a way that the outer surface of the bodywork is affected. To put it into simpler terms if the bubbled surface were removed there would be a hole right through the metal panel.
The photographs submitted by Hendy Mazda suggest surface corrosion is apparent and the claim would corroborate this, as the level of repair suggested by the dealer does not involve the replacement of any parts. The surface corrosion warranty applicable to this expired in May 2011."
I had a budget price for the repair of around £1200!!
To me this looks like a brush off email. Has anyone had any luck claiming against Mazda for a rusty boot lid and if so can you give me some guidance / advice to the best approach?
One approach could be getting auto specialist involved (cost around £120ish for a report) and then threaten to take Mazda to the small claims court.
Alex

[Deerfoot]

There are plenty of mk3 boot lids on ebay for less than £100.

A respray in your body colour and a bit of rectification on the other areas would be much les than the price quoted and it's the route I'd take.

[Ninja59]

Alexxtreme said:

We have just noticed that my wife's MX5 mk 3 has badly rusted along the back edge around almost every slot weld with some of the rust spreading further. We have taken the car to our local stealer for a claim again the 12 year perforation warranty.
(we also have rust around the boot lid opening on the spot welds and we hope that this will be an easier claim as it is only just starting to show :-( )

They came back with the following
"I am sorry to learn of the corrosion apparent on the Mazda MX-5 boot lid. Having reviewed the claim submitted by Hendy Mazda with our Technical and Warranty Department, I can confirm the vehicle’s 3-year paint and surface corrosion warranty covers the paint coating of the exterior body panels against damage and /or surface corrosion arising from the use of defective materials or workmanship during vehicle manufacture. The 12-year perforation warranty covers the sheet metal body panels of the vehicle against corrosion rusting through from the inner surface in such a way that the outer surface of the bodywork is affected. To put it into simpler terms if the bubbled surface were removed there would be a hole right through the metal panel.
The photographs submitted by Hendy Mazda suggest surface corrosion is apparent and the claim would corroborate this, as the level of repair suggested by the dealer does not involve the replacement of any parts. The surface corrosion warranty applicable to this expired in May 2011."
I had a budget price for the repair of around £1200!!
To me this looks like a brush off email. Has anyone had any luck claiming against Mazda for a rusty boot lid and if so can you give me some guidance / advice to the best approach?
One approach could be getting auto specialist involved (cost around £120ish for a report) and then threaten to take Mazda to the small claims court.
Alex

I have had this exact brush off when mine (2009 car) had it back in 2014. Mine also had ran out of the 3 year paint and surface corrosion warranty.

The actual 12 year warranty only stipulates "corrosion" coming from the inside out and not that it has perforated the body panel - in the general sense, MMUK's claim to me was like yourself surface corrosion.

So I pushed MMUK and my dealership by saying well your warranty covers "corrosion" - surface corrosion is a form of corrosion that the warranty covers, the spot welds bubbling has developed from the inside out as per the 12 year one. They asked for the corrosion warranty inspections for ALL years.

Unfortunately, as the second owner the 1st year one was done, but no one could find paperwork so I only got 50% contribution from MMUK. I no longer bother going to Mazda for warranty anymore as I take mine to Blink Motorsport now for servicing/MOT and the odd tweak here and there (like lowering, alignment, ARB's etc.).

Being utterly brutal though I find MMUK goodwill very short in supply and act like they do not care at all in many cases. For what is their main show piece car MMUK need to get better IMO - I know they do a lot for the MX5 community, but they need to treat them better as well.

I will add this is a COMMON issue, I visited one Mazda dealer where nearly all MK3 MX5's had this problem. Primarily more than anything is the lack of galvanising on these cars combined with the spot welds being exposed so much with thin paint.

It is worth at least in my book putting some additional measures in place with cavity protection and then covering these over with clear protection film as it stops the spot welds from being exposed to the elements so much and provides some more internal protection for the panel as well. (Don't get me started on rust proofing with the MX5 in general - I love mine to bits and she is no longer a daily driver, but even so I personally have had to go out my way in many cases).

Edit: Just thinking also remove the indicator lights on the side as this is another spot for bubbling, along with the rear arch.

Edited by Ninja59 on Sunday 22 May 12:06

Edited by Ninja59 on Sunday 22 May 12:09

Edited by Ninja59 on Sunday 22 May 12:10

[Alexxtreme]

Hi thanks for the answers...
Did think about getting a boot off ebay however most I have found are from a soft top and not a roadster..
I will try again and complain with MMUK and see what they come up with. I expect I will be a similar situation as we have a poor / non existent record of corrosion inspections
Any idea how to repair the spot welds that are starting to rust on the boot aperture? Is this an easy job such as injecting waxoil into the joint from the inside

Alex

[Ninja59]

Most of the time it only needs stripping back and the rust treating plus some spraying (depending on how bad it is).

[Alexxtreme]

Hi thanks for the comments
this is the worst area of the boot lid
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6Ilq1i_ZPCgc...
most of the drain holes are rusty and the spot welds are showing signs of rust.
The boot opening spot welds are showing but at a much earlier stage
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MTahkBiP0l5j...

Is this repairable for a keeper... we like the car (other than the rust) so want a solution that will not come back and require repainting

[HorneyMX5]

Alexxtreme said:

Hi thanks for the comments
this is the worst area of the boot lid
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6Ilq1i_ZPCgc...
most of the drain holes are rusty and the spot welds are showing signs of rust.
The boot opening spot welds are showing but at a much earlier stage
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/MTahkBiP0l5j...

Is this repairable for a keeper... we like the car (other than the rust) so want a solution that will not come back and require repainting

Spot welds just need rubbing back, coating and painting. The boot lid the same but a bit more attention to the crusty bits. Any decent bodyshop should be able to sort that for a max of £200 if not a lot less.

Try owning a MK1 or MK2 MX5, the rust you've shown here wouldn't even register on our worry radar!

[Ninja59]

Looks not to bad just make sure it is cleaned up well.

If you are thinking of it as a keeper get the covers all stripped off underneath and get treating, cavity protection and underseal on there. I had mine done in 2013 she was low mileage then (27,000 on the clock), I took the liners off in the past few weeks holding up very nicely with her sitting on 61,500 now....

As said above in comparison with the MK2 specifically the amount of rust there is nothing...they are more worried about crumbling front chassis legs!

Edited by Ninja59 on Monday 23 May 13:52

Edited by Ninja59 on Monday 23 May 13:53