- My model of MX-5 is: __Mk 3
- I’m based near: __Winchester
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __Servicing
Hello
My Mk 3 MX5 ‘Suzy’ has just passed 70,000 miles and will need a good service very shortly.
Since I cannot afford Main Dealer prices I will probably use my local garage who also do the MOT, but in addition to the usual oil and air filter changes etc I am unsure what else they need to do for this service. Specifically the Mazda main dealer told me a year ago that when the car reached 70.000 miles it would require special spark plugs Iridium?? which were expensive. Could anyone give me some advice on this and what else I need them to do.
Many thanks
Michelle.
Iridium Spark plugs are at 60k, miles, so you may be due a change on these, but I’d suggest that it’s not essential , and if you were handy, you could do these yourself at a later date, maybe if someone has an offer on. They are about £16 each, so no they are not cheap.
Oil and both filters is a given and I’d say an essential bare minimum
Then maybe consider gearbox, and diff oil change as well as a brake fluid change.
If the garage decides that the brakes want changing, and suggest discs as well as pads, then I can quite well imagine a big bill.
The greatest cost will be labour.
I’m so glad that I service my own, I don’t charge myself a labour fee or markup on the parts.
I guess something else to think about, is how old is the car, how long do you intend to keep it, and what’s it worth.
Spending loads on a big service for an old car that you might only keep for another 18 months is a consideration.
In which case maybe just have an oil and filter change.
For reference I recently did the following on my nc having bought it with very little service history but only 32k miles at 9 years old. The parts only cost around 225 from memory for quality brands.
Mobil1 Engine oil
Blueprint Filter
Air filter
Ngk iridium spark plugs
Gates Auxiliary belt
Mobil1 Brake/clutch fluid
Mobil1 Power steering fluid
Redline Gearbox oil
Redline Diff oil
At 70k I’d be considering a coolant flush and replace as well with the genuine fl22 stuff.
Wouldn’t like to say what a garage would want for it as I only use them for mot’s.
I changed my brake discs and pads at the same time and refurbished the calipers but this was a reactive mtce thing due to rust and uneven wear as opposed to scheduled servicing 
.
Thank you. I hope it does not turn out to be as expensive as you envisage.
Michelle
No need to splash all the cash at once. Engine oil and filter is the main thing. If the air filter is clean then it can continue, if the car is running well the plugs can wait etc. Brake fluid can be checked for moisture content and left for a while longer, if gear changes and transmission are nice, smooth and quiet they can wait a little and so on. I’d always make sure above all else that the oil and filter are done on time, the rest can be done at your leisure or when the need arises,
I only did mine the way I did to know it was done, establish an interval and make future interim servicing cheaper and easier as I will know what was done and when👍
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