It's Hello from me!

Blade_Runner · 2 February 2011 21:58

Hi there!

I’ve been lurking on this and other forums for a while now but I thought it about time that I introduced myself before I started posting here. Embarassed

My timeline of cars has been a varied one, but I am relatively new to Mazda ownership. My Copper Red 1.8 MK3 RC arrived in 2007 when I retired from working and wanted something interesting and stylish to drive - something that might remind me of the joy of my first sports car, my much loved Austin Healey Sprite Mk 2. Luckily I have two cars so changing from my aging BMW 318 was not a problem as my other car, which I now use daily, is a Golf 2.0 TDi GT Sport - in red of course! Smile

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Like many seeking a change of car, I had read car reviews and been to the dealers; looked at several sports cars such as the BMW Z3, Audi TT, etc, but my heart was taken by the MX5 when I took a test drive True Red 1.8 Mk3 at my local Mazda dealer. I really wanted an RC but there was a 6 month waiting list back in 2007 and I couldn’t wait! Luckily, on the day I went to buy it, sitting in the showroom was a new Copper Red RC with a price sticker on the windscreen: apparently it had been ordered by a customer who had not turned up to pay a deposit - and the rest is history. <o:p> Big Smile </o:p>

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Sadly, no discount was available because of the waiting list. In my MX5 ignorance, I had the dealer fit luxury mats, chrome style bar covers, a chrome filler cap and chrome side repeater surrounds – these being the only discountable items they would entertain in the deal. It was some time before I discovered the MX5 forums and MX5Parts: both have saved me bags of money since the initial purchase; the former is a great source of knowledge and advice, and the latter a great source of accessories. Now, thanks to these and the MX5, I have re-discovered the joy of customising my car. Big Smile

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I’ve been a member of the MX5OC since last year when I was urgently seeking a new insurance company (more about that later, perhaps), and from another forum found Footman James, who suggested the MX5OC as a way to get a discount with them.

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Well, that’s more than enough for now! I’ll be posting in other threads about the additions to my MX5: I am currently wading through all the posts about lowering the suspension and geometry set-up. (I’ve got the message about insurance, and the geometry thanks to WIM, but I am undecided who will fit which springs, so will be seeking advice as to using the dealer or another garage, hopefully reasonably close to where I live in West Yorkshire.)

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Roger
Member of the Silver Grey squad!

marpar · 2 February 2011 22:04

Greetings and welcome to the forum Waving .

Geoff_Walton · 2 February 2011 22:51

G’day mate Welcome to the forum–

Mazda_mender · 3 February 2011 06:53

Greetings and welcome Roger

Sir_Cumference · 3 February 2011 08:05

Welcome

taff_eunos · 3 February 2011 08:20

Hiya from a very wet and windy Wales, Butt! Waving

Dr. Eunos Geek

patnav · 3 February 2011 08:25

Hi Roger and welcome Big Smile Waving

joecottrell · 3 February 2011 10:20

greetings roger

rd1 · 3 February 2011 10:23

Hi Roger,

I’ve got an indentical car to yours (same year, even) :) - is there any chance you could post a picture of what it looks like with the mesh grill, as had been thinking of getting one but having problems visualising whether it would look the business or too boy-racer.

Thanks in advance (and welcome!).

t.rudkin · 3 February 2011 12:08

Welcome

Blade_Runner · 3 February 2011 14:20

Thanks everyone for the greetings! Smile

Hi Swizel,

Any of the popular stainless steel grilles look good on the Copper Red car and not at all ‘boy racer’. My preference was to use one that replaced the plastic grille rather than one that fixes in front. I will need to take a photo of the whole car with the new grille and I will post a side-by-side comparison as soon as I can find a bit of time. I took several photos of the work-in progress, so here is one that shows the car with the chrome fog light surrounds and only the mesh grille:

What do I think of the Mazda grille? Well, it looks quite plain and understated but a lot better than the black plastic one. I think that the fog lights with ILM chrome surrounds definitely lift the look of the front of the car quite a lot, but to my mind there was still something missing. After trawling the Internet looking for ideas, I found a number of people in the States had fitted a thin chrome strip around the edge of the plastic grille (and some had sprayed the plastic grille silver or chrome). A quick trip to Halfords turned up a thin chrome detailing strip like the ones used by the Miata owners in the States. After much deliberation I bit the bullet and went ahead and fitted the chrome strip around the edge of the ‘mouth’ abutting the grille. This was the result:

And here is a close-up which shoes the chrome strip a little better:

Sorry, I don’t yet have a full-frontal photo! Big Smile

IMHO, this looks miles better than the plain grille with the Copper Red body colour but is still understated. It even compliments the chrome fog light surrounds. I think perhaps Mazda have used something similar (but arguably more expensive and complicated) on a facelift model.

My tip is to consider fitting the strip BEFORE re-fitting the front bumper and number plate holder, as there isn’t enough room to fit one all the way around the mouth after re-fitting everything. Mine was done after re-fitting the front and so the strip ends just behind the number plate - but looks OK. BTW, my other big tip is to paint the white polystyrene packing that fits behind the grille a nice matt black before fitting the mesh grille in place, otherwise the white shows through the mesh grille and is well nigh impossible to paint once everything is re-assembled.

If this all sounds a bit daunting, it isn’t really! Just a bit fiddly at times. I’ll post more details if requested, but take a look at the ‘GlasgowDave’ web site for excellent instructions. I took my time and spent most of one day doing this: but I also fitted Mazda fog lights while the front of the car was off, which turned out to be a good idea.

Hope that helps! Smile

Roger

<<< So, car insurance premiums have risen on average by 40%. It’s a disgrace! >>>

rd1 · 3 February 2011 14:39

Thanks Roger - agreed, that looks really good, definitely better than the standard black and not at all ‘bling’. Thanks for the fitting advice - will come in useful if I decide to go for it! Any reason you didn’t just go for the clip-on Zunsport grille?

Post-script - the Glasgow Dave web-site is excellent, there’s some great stuff on there, especially repairing kerbed alloys - thanks for pointing it out.

Blade_Runner · 3 February 2011 15:20

I don’t think the Zunsport one was available in this country for the Mk3 when I purchased the Mazda grille, but I may be wrong. So at the time the options were more limited. The Zunsport one certainly looks a lot easier to fit! I haven’t seen one fitted on an MX5 so I can’t comment on the appearance with any confidence.

The straight mesh on the Mazda grille did worry me a bit in that in photos it did not seem to look all that good compared to a diagonal mesh available from other suppliers, but it looks OK and nicely understated to me now it’s on the car, especially with the chrome strip applied. I’m also looking to fit a small badge on the lower RHS for decoration, perhaps a Mazdaspeed one. I do like the (ILM?) Roadster one from MX5Parts, but it is rather expensive.

Roger

Blade_Runner · 3 February 2011 15:28

I forgot to add that: at least Zunpsort do a grille for the air intake under the front bumper. When you take a closer look at the gaping hole you wonder how stones don’t get in there and wreck the radiator!

Since I have the straight mesh Mazda part, I am looking for a suitable small grille to cover that hole. Unfortunately I don’t think the Zunsport small lower grille with a diagonal mesh would look right in this case. ILM do one with horizontal bars which may be OK, otherwise I may be taking the DIY route and use the same material that GlasgowDave used.

Roger

VO5_Jo · 3 February 2011 15:42

hello and welcome roger Waving

rd1 · 3 February 2011 15:49

I’m already on my second radiator… Must look at the Zunsport website…

flying_flea · 3 February 2011 15:54

Hi Ya, Welcome Waving

Blade_Runner · 8 February 2011 20:55

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome. Big Smile

Roger

SteveW · 22 February 2011 21:47

Hi Roger

We have a few members with the Copper red Mk3/3.5, one which is a bit special as it has the Cosworth forced induction…

If you check out the Yorkshire Ridings forum on here you may see a run or social listed on the events section.

The next social venue may be in the Brighouse area, yet to be finalised, second Wednesday in March.

Regards

Steve