Has anyone else had problems with the alloys on the MK3 blistering. Thankfully I have noticed mine 3 weeks before my warranty runs out. Godfreys of Horsham have taken pictures and have sent them off to Mazda. I wait to see if Mazda will replace them.
Yes, its been a common problem, starting with the MK3 Launch Edition. I think a lot of people have had them replaced. Mazda now have a reputation for corroding alloy wheels, going back several years…
Getting my 4th set of wheels under warranty next Friday (on 2 different MX-5’s) on my 06 MK3. Mazda took 2 working days after my dealer photographed them to agree.
I think that must be a standard time - it was 2 days after my photos were sent that I received the call that my replacement wheels are in. I look forward to Wed when they are scheduled to be fitted.
Why 4 sets - are they that bad?
A set a year on my MK2.5 and this set on my MK3, a bit of a theme…
I noticed this on Mk2.5 03-05 reg’s. The sport models alloys seem to blister quite badly (I had put it down to careless owners, not cleaning them regularly). But maybe they are just badly made? Weird thing is I have a Nissan 100nx with Almera GTI alloys that are 11 years old and they seem 95% perfect (no blistering).
Yes, I had 3 replacement sets on my previous Mk2.5 Nevada and have just had my first replacement set on new Mk3 Sport. I don’t mind a new set of wheels every year under warranty 
Mur
the problem with that is when the warranty runs out, you have ■■■■ wheels 12 months later and you can’t then get them replaced again if you keep the car…
My 02 sport had the wheels changed under warranty, and despite mostly dry miles, waxing the wheels and doing everything possibly to look after them they still now show signs of bubbling, still pretty minor but disappointing all the same. I had a Mondeo with RS alloys from new for 7 years, and they were as good as new the day I sold the car, not a sign of any sort of corrosion… Mazda unfortunately do rubbish alloys…
When my wife’s 2002 1.8iS alloys were replaced under warranty in 2005 I asked what had been done to rectify the corrosion problem - and was told that the spokes had been redesigned to remove the sharp edges and the problem had been solved. They wouldn’t let me have any alternative wheels, even if I paid the cost difference. Now, 3 1/2 years on, the new wheels have corroded even worse than the originals, and it’s patently obvious that the design fault was never rectified.
Sad that customers and quality have been totally ignored.