Collected the MX5. Nightmare

[Chapppers]

So, looks like my parents going to have the last laugh yet.

Collected MX5 with a mate this evening, but when we were within 6 miles we both smelt burning brakes and it turns out his rear brake had seized on. The mx5 seller came to meet us and I did the changeover. Mate then decided his car was fine, but once we got onto the motorway we discovered it wasn't ok and we proceeded to crawl to the next junction. Still 30 miles away and unwilling to leave the friend who'd just driven back with me we decided to hobble back so that he could work on the car, because he doesn't have RAC cover.

25mph for 40 miles = boredom. I discovered having turned the radio on that only one speaker was playing sound, so I tried to investigate and as I slid the radio out, there was a big spark and all the interior lights and rear lights went out. We then had to swap places so he was following me. Finally we got back to within ten miles and found a fast food restaurant. I tried to look for the fuse box (still don't know where it is?) and discovered the boot was soaked. Yay.

Car drives fine but the journey has knackered me out and i've gone from excited to thoroughly pissed off all in the space of FOUR HOURS for a journey that should have been 1.5 hours return.

So, in summary;

• Stereo wired in by monkey, two wires touched and fused everything. Where is the fusebox and which one will that be?
• Need to rewire the stereo too
• need to find cause of wet boot

Other than that, the car seemed to drive fine, although 25mph on straight roads mean i've not found out anything about it just yet.

[cheshire_cat]

Sounds a nightmare, but wait till a sunny day and go for a spin with the roof down, you'll soon forget the hassle!

The fusebox is under the bonnet, should be top-left corner looking from the front of the car. My car also has a fuse on the live wire from the battery in the boot.

The boot leak could be from a number of places. Check the frankenstien bolts (two chrome covers above each side of the boot) as one was loose on mine causing a leak. Also have a look under the parcel shelf to see if it is damp, as sometimes the rain rail on the back of the soft top tears, which means the water drips onto the parcel shelf then makes its way into the boot.

ETA: Interiors fusebox located in driver's footwell under wheel as below

Edited by cheshire_cat on Monday 11th January 22:29

[MX7]

Chapppers said:

I tried to look for the fuse box (still don't know where it is?)

Under the dash on the drivers side, near where the door hinges. Are any of your friends contortionists?

Edit: Well, mines there.

Edited by MX7 on Monday 11th January 22:27

[Herman Toothrot]

The stereo is an annoying tiny blade fuse in the driverside foot well fuse box. The cover on the box will tell you which ones gone.

p.s. I got the replacement fuses from maplin couldn't find them anywhere else

[hornetrider]

You test drove this old nail I take it?

[Chapppers]

Fixed lights! Minor problem. Interior fuse blew due to monkey wiring. Boot probably fine. Will dry it out and fix the leak. Sorry guys, was drained when I got back but have recomposed and thought about things and the car is brill. Going to have a drive now with a hat on and the roof down

Report back in 30 mins

ETA: Turns out i'm quite the contortionist actually... form a queue ladies

Edited by Chapppers on Monday 11th January 22:50

[Gizmo!]

My boot's soaking too. Now the snow seems to have buggered off I'm thinking of getting a goldfish.

[Chapppers]

Right, well. All is forgiven. That was the MOST fun i've had in a car for a very long time!

However, I think I may have set a new record for "Fastest MX5 pull by the cops ever"... 1 min flat! Literally drove 1 mile from my house to the petrol station and an unmarked R32 golf pulled in after me...!

"You came round there way too fast. You think you are showing off in your little sports car, but it's icy and you need to slow down before you kill someone"
"Sorry! I only got it tonight!"
"Tonight? Wh....who are you insured with?"
"Direct Line! I'll calm down a bit. Sorry. Thankyou"

Sheepishly get out of car, filler on wrong side, slight giggling once he'd gone. Then went and found a deserted industrial estate with some nice curves... dooorrriiifffftooooo.

I love this car already, it's got character.

Things to do:

• Dry boot out
• Rewire stereo + fit my own that I can actually figure out.
• Mop and polish
• new door lock spring
• more dooorrrrrrriiiiifffffftoooooooo

[Gizmo!]

Chapppers said:

Things to do:

*take photos - because we've never seen one before

• more dooorrrrrrriiiiifffffftoooooooo

[MX-5 Lazza]

A bit late now but if you are an AA/RAC member you could have called them out as it's the person who is the member, not the car.

Anyway, the most probably cause for the boot-wetness is the roof drain-holes located near the roof hinges right in the corner. You might well find that the carpet behind the seats is wet too.

[Chapppers]

Cool, i'll check. Luckily i'll have some shelter for my car by the weekend.

and yeah I offered to call the RAC out for him, but he didn't want to because he thought he could get home... which to be fair, he did.

[Chapppers]

Spent this evening rewirong the radio trying to fix the mess that one of the previous owners left behind. Ended up buying an ISO loom and wiring that straight in so that now at least any aftermarket stereo will fit even if the Mazda ones won't.

I think the car is good, there are a few squeaks and rattles and the paint needs one hell of a clean bit other than that it seems to be running well and I've been staying dry so far too! Maybe one of you experts can come for a ride at sone point and tell me just how badly I've been conned....

[Gizmo!]

Where is it you're based? Essex?

Will have to drag you along to one of the North London meets, or the Ace Café nights...

[Red Firecracker]

It's a cliched response and something of an echo, but it is well worth getting a good geo done on it at somewhere such as WIM. It really does transform the car if the current settings are out (which if it hasn't been done for a while is likely).

[Chapppers]

Yeah I'm going to get my cousin to look over it when I get back to Essex, I think he has the funky laser alignment.
Failing that, where's a good place near Coventry?

[RVVUNM]

Get used to it, you've still got the electric window, rear caliper, water filled sills and ignition misfire to come. I had mine for a year and got fed up with it, on a plus side it never let me down and had no rust.

[neil_bolton]

Sounds like you've had the standard MX5 introduction.

I had to reqire my stereo. I had to replace fuses. I had to replace a temp sensor, and all sorts of other squeaks and rattles have/are appearing.

However, I understand that this is known as character.

Before long you'll understand that they all do that (sir) and that each MX5 has a story to tell.

Hell, it seems mine was run without any oil or water for some time!

But they're hardy little things, and once you've spent some time giving them the TLC that an MX5 deserves, they'll repay you back many times over with memorable drives with the top down.

Mines been utterly reliable in this snow and ice, and I think, with all her faults, she's The. Best. Thing. Evar.

[maz8062]

You come across as clueless to me. Enjoy the car...get yourself a decent exhaust and forget the stereo.

[Chapppers]

maz8062 said:

You come across as clueless to me. Enjoy the car...get yourself a decent exhaust and forget the stereo.

What? You're going to have to expand on that one.

I did a reasonable amount of research and decided to buy one for under £2k. I was expecting a few niggles, the car is mechanically sound and physically solid underneath.

I'm not expecting to know everything with my first MX5, so I go on forums to ask questions.

Edited by Chapppers on Wednesday 13th January 15:38

[Stevesh]

I think he meant that you should enjoy the exhaust note rather than listen to music. The turn of phrase was just unfortunate.

Steve