Autoleads RMA-1000 Electric Aerial

[ast]

ie. this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004TW84LM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

Brought on the strength that some reviewers fitted this to their MX5s.

 

Well, it doesn’t fit my Mk1, too long, unless I am missing something.

 

Anyone use this aerial, or can claim to be a reviewer:

 

Bought to replace the original fitted aerial on a Mazda MX5. With change from £25 against £150+ for the Mazda option, it was no contest. Outwardly, the two look the same. But they aren’t. It would be very helpful if the seller included the dimensioned drawing of the aerial (in the instructions) the web page. This might avoid some returns. Especially as the web pages gives the wrong under body size! The water drain tube supplied was too short to be useful. But this is a minor grumble. There is the original drain tube to go at, and you can even spend a little at the local car spares shop.

 

Good product and supplied with all the extras that may be required. I used it to replace an aerial on a Mazda MX5 and whether the previous owner had altered the wiring I am unsure but the two power wires on the replacement were not a match for the three to the old unit, however, all the parts were interchangeable and I was able to fit all the broken/lost bits from the original with parts from the replacement, Good strong antenna.

 

Really good product fount mounting to an mx 5 a little tricky but once we had the mounting sorted it was easy to wire up

 

 

[rhino666]

I would suggest this has been successfully fitted to a MK2 car but as you say is too long to fit to the MK1.

I have encountered similar aerials on MK2 cars before.  

Will your MK1 facilitate the Mazda aerial? I ask because early cars, 1992 and before will not without radical mods. You can spot early types because the aerial base fitting is quite different(unlike MX5Parts photos) and there is a metal support welding to the inside of the wing below the hole for the aerial. 

If so I strongly recommend a good secondhand Mazda MK1 aerial - these really are an excellent part. 

[ast]

Its a 1993; the factory power aerial is knackered (motor was dead, in the tip). 20-25 year old factory power aerials regularly sell for £70-100. Too much for this car, so I have just fitted a rubber aerial. Looks fine.

 

Factory power aerials were fitted from Sept. 1991. Before that, there was a dealer fit semi-automatic power antenna for Japan only.

[rhino666]

@saz9961

Its a 1993; the factory power aerial is knackered (motor was dead, in the tip). 20-25 year old factory power aerials regularly sell for £70-100. Too much for this car, so I have just fitted a rubber aerial. Looks fine.

 

Factory power aerials were fitted from Sept. 1991. Before that, there was a dealer fit semi-automatic power antenna for Japan only.

The kind of reply I should have expected. Thank you very much for that.    

 

[rhino666]

I have handled well over 100 MK1 and MK2 original Mazda electric aerials.

The MK1 aerial rather like the car suffers less corrosion and other issues than the MK2. MK2 aerial is flimsy in comparison with a thinner and longer mast that causes far more problems. 

Only encountered one MK1 aerial with a broken motor - they are usually bullet proof with a snapped mast worm being the main repair requirement.

Most of the MK1 aerials I handle are dated 1992 - 1996 with no issue. All I have to do is strip them, clean and grease.

These regularly sell in as removed order on ebay for £30 - £50, so you can buy one cheap, do what I do with it and away you go. I just sold one on ebay for £73.99 with a new mast and a three month guarantee - this is at the top end of price to pay for these. This was a 1994 aerial and will no doubt be worth the same sort of money when the car it has been fitted to has been scrapped. 

You pay your money you make your choice but don’t buy a cheap aftermarket MK2 aerial to fit to a MK1. Aside from the physical impossibility, the wiring is completely different. Yes, it can be bodged in electrically but what is the point?       

[ast]

Thread is moot now, as I have moved on from this issue.