One of the ‘niggles’ I see having with my impending Roadster Coupe concerns its understandably small carrying capacity (I appreciate that this comes with the territory). Our summer holidays are spent at our place in Cornwall which is self-catering, and hence we need to take a fair bit down there with us. Previously we’ve not had problems filling the boot and some of the rear seat space on our Vectra, so we know that we’ll need to trim down the amount of reading material, food, drinks, changes of clothes, tanning lotions, etc. that we’ll be taking down this year.
A lot of this won’t be a real problem, as much of what we take is down to laziness (what drinks shall we take? … oh, well, put a bottle of everything in, just in case) and a modicum of thought should be all that’s needed to save us bringing 90% of it back unused, as is usually the case. However, I would like to meet the problem half way, and have looked at the use of a boot rack.
I note from the Mazda UK and aftermarket supplier sites that this is not appropriate for the Roadster Coupe. Now, my question is; is this simply because any boot rack and attached luggage would be in danger of fouling the roof lowering/raising mechanism, because if it is only this, then a rack would be a suitable solution for the journey to and from Cornwall with it being removed for the stay there. On the other hand, if I’m told that the boot won’t take either the weight or the fixing method, then of course this would count the rack out as a solution completely.
If so, then anybody got any experience fitting a towing point to … no, no, not a serious question really!!!
Hope someone can help as this is the only major fly in an anticipated enjoyable ointment.
Motor bikes tow trailers, so why not a small trailer behind an MX-5? I’ve often thought about it when we know we will be staying in a rented cottage for a couple of weeks so the trailer could be left behind. I wouldn’t like to go touring with a trailer on though.
Ya know Pollyana, after I’d posted the question with it’s humorous allusion to using a trailer, the exact same thoughts did cross my mind. Yes, why not? I’m not sure a towing point would exactly fit in with the sporting lines and appearance of the MX, but if there’s such a thing as a ‘removable’ towing point, then this’d be an ideal solution. Hmmm! Can’t imagine a removable towing point would pass all the safety requirements though, but as I know little in this area I may be proved wrong. I’ve also had trailer training as part of my job, and do in fact occasionally do do some towing.
I have seen comments somewhere on the web, maybe even from within this club, about using a trailer but on which model and what’s involved I have no further idea. So, anybody done this already, or know somebody who has? Is it even possible to fit a towing point to an MX-5? It’d have to be a small trailer though as the weight of the car’s not much more than some trailers [^o)]
Ah, our replies obviously crossed in the ether Jim, as your information puts the cat amongst the pigeons and knocks this idea on the head, well and truly. Still, at least it did conjure up some interesting mental images!
Seriously back to the boot rack option then, and to draw us back to the original question: Is the RC unsuitable for boot rack mounting because of the necessary roof lifting/lowering clearance or is there some other fundamental reason?
Just to confirm the MX-5 manual supplied with the car specifically states the 5 is not suitable for towing.
I’m pleased in a way you have brought the issue of the boot rack up as we have used one for ages for our trips to the Dordogne on Jan’s Mk 2.5. Having just got a Mk 3 (Soft top not Roadster) we notice the rack will still fit just fine.
Jan did think about a folding top roadster but if I am honest we hadn’t factored in the fact we wouldn’t be able to fit a boot rack - that would have been a big mistake for us as I say we generally use the five for our French trips and simply wouldn’t manage with the boot alone.
The Mk1 was originally weight approved for a tow bar, and Witter towbars listed them at one time. The reg log book should show a towing weight of about 450Kilos. The Mk 2 onwards was not approved in he same way, and the log book will show a towing capacity of zero. I’ve got some pics of '5s with a trailer and I will post them later when Photobucket is back on line
MJG: And I thought I’d read the brochure from front to back, but I must’ve missed that nugget, and fortuitous that you didn’t end up with the coupe and find the boot rack no longer usable. For touring that would’ve been a major setback. However, our need is considerably less yet just as important.
I’m hoping that the boot rack will physically fit to the coupe’s boot albeit that it means that the roof MUST stay up for the duration of the rack being fitted (can also then use the roof storage space in addition), as it’ll only be fitted and in use for the 300 mile boring motorway journey from home to Cornwall, whereupon it’ll be whipped off for the time we’re there before being re-fitted for the journey home.
So, the real nub of the matter is will a rack physically fit to the boot lid? Anybody know??? I asked the sales guy yesterday and he didn’t know, only that it wasn’t an option on the RC. I can appreciate a supplier’s position not wanting in any way to encourage somebody to do something that could potentially wreck the roof of the car, but this doesn’t answer the actual question - is it possible.
Geof: Cheers mate, I’m actually pleased that the Mk3 can’t legally tow - didn’t really want to go down that road.
There is a considerable ammount of side ways and angle adjustmnet on the mounting feet so it may be possible for the rack to fit. Looking at the boot lid in pics the boot lid on a roadster looks less deep from fron to back than the one on a soft top but may still fit.
I am in East Cleveland near Satlburn if you are ever up this way from Manchester you would be welcome to try my (Well Jan’s actually) rack if you wish to see if it would physically fit.
Thanks very much for the kind offer of trying Jan’s rack, I may very well take you up on that if nobody else has tried this already. Any excuse to get a drive in across some of the best driving/riding roads in the country is always welcome [:D]
I’ve done a measurement of the dimensions for both the soft-top and RC from the brochure photos and it does seem that they’re the same size, although this is a notoriously difficult thing to judge accurately this way. It does LOOK shorter, but I reckon that’s a trick of the eye caused by the lack of the soft-top storage area opening. I may of course be totally wrong in this.
It would be very instructive if you wouldn’t mind posting the dimensions of your boot lid so that I can compare them with the RC’s when I get to pick it up in the next few days - or if someone else with the RC wouldn’t mind doing this in the meantime.
I’ve got a Mk 1 Eunos Roadster and bought a cheapish rack to travel to France - no problem at all, but I put the spare wheel on the rack to free up space in the boot - worked fine!
Bought it from Autolink UK on Ebay - have a look at item number 390034116688 on Ebay for a current one for sale
It’s not the use of a rack that’s the issue here, but specifically fitting one to the Mk3 RC. Thanks for the links though, which I’ll have a ganders at next. As it’s only likely to be used a handful of times a year then I don’t really fancy paying Mr Mazda’s prices [:(]
Post thought: I suspect that the ‘hard-top’ that they are refering to is the soft-top’s removable one and not the powered one of the RC. I’ve sent off an email to clarify this with them and will post the answer in due course.
It would appear that you can get a boot rack to fit an RC, but the “flap” that lifts to allow the roof to fold away would be fouled
You should also be aware that while the Mk2 rack will also fit, it will obscure the high level brake light and doesn’t have a secondary light built in (as does the Mk3 rack). In addition the upstand on the Mk3 rack is to the forward end of the rack rather than the back end as shown on the photo.
Anyway, some positive comment - I’m sure the boot on a RC is just as big as the one on our Mk3 Roadster (soft-top). We manage to get all our luggage into the boot, even for our two week trip around Europe last year. If you carefully select and pack your essential clothes and other items, take a couple of drinks in the internal holders and have a trip to Tesco when you arrive, I’m sure you could manage without a boot rack or a trailer.
Travelling light is essential for MX-5 holidays, and just takes a little practice [;)]
Thanks very much for the time and effort you’ve gone to Mark getting the photo on the thread. This is further supported by the reply I’ve had from Andrew Stott of AutoLink:
I haven't fitted one to the RC myself but we have sold a couple to RC owners and they've managed ok. I think the rubber feet may need to be trimmed slightly to fit.
So it very much appears that a rack can be used on an RC, but that you must ensure that the roof is not operated whilst it's fitted, and that there is some fouling of the aerial, and in the case of the AutoLink product; a need perhaps to trim the supporting rubber feet.
None of this is an insurmountable problem, so the next thing to do is to buy ourselves one in preparation for our trip to Cornwall later in the Summer, which would sensibly involve using it before that on a less important errand to prove that all will truly be well.
Thanks to everyone who helped in solving this matter, much obliged to you all. This has certainly removed one of the few ‘flies in the ointment’.
