Unfortunately I don’t have a garage to keep my mk2 and this is my first winter with her so I keep her in the drive.
I notice the back shelf is very damp and when i turn corners water leaks out of the seal. I know I should of got a cover for her but alas I didn’t.
I’ve tried to find a cover but the ones in argos look naff, what does everyone else use? Also any suggestions on the leaking?
Thanks in advance.
Hi I don’t have a garage either and I bought a full car cover from Care4car.com it was £48.99 but i have just been to paul sheard autos in congleton and am sure I saw half covers just for the roof in his shop not sure what price. Have you tried ebay or autolink - they may have some.
If your roof is leaking contact Mazmania - Peter Jones on 07812152250 - he may suggest an answer to the leak.
Many Thanks
I am justing thinking roll on the summer so I can get the roof down and dry it out abit. I will definately invest in a cover, could kick myself that I didnt before!
Sounds like you have a problem with the rain rail.
Check the rain rail drains are clear; behind the seat belt towers, on each side, these is a drain for water coming off the roof. These often get blocked with paper etc, and the water backs up and wets the shelf. gently run a long piece of wire through it (eventually, underneath, you should see it poking through). Don’t be too brutal though; at the bottom on the drain, there is a valve to reduce road nose. You may dislodge this. More seriously, you may break the drain tube inside the superstructure, which is very difficult to fix.
Has the roof been replaced? Undo the carpet, and check the 10mm nuts for tightness 9there’s about a dozen of them); don’t tighten them too much. With the carpet removed, get someone to turn a hose on the car, you might be able to see the leak then. In some cases, if the hood has been replaced, the rainrail isn’t reinstalled properly (its a U-shaped moulded skirt on the bottom edge of the hood; its a gutter to collect water which drains out via the drain tubes). Usually, if undisturbed from the factory, it shouldn’t give any problems. In hot countries, it can crack. Sometimes just loosening the nuts, and retightening them in the correct sequence will fix a leak; the garage section of miata.net has the correct sequence. Its the same for Mk1s and Mk2s.
On the Mk2, particularly early models, the window seal would fail. This was a warranty issue on early cars, supposedly fixed. Aftermarket manufacturers have had a hard time getting this seal replicated. If the window is leaking, the entire roof needs to be replaced.
Lastly, roof leaking problems are known in cars with accident damage; the rear of the car is distorted. If the rear wing has been replaced, if you open the boot and check the sealant on either side. Mazda apply it pretty roughly. Garages tend to put it on too smoothly. In bad cases, the hardtop mounting plate doesn’t sit flat properly, as there is so much filler underneath.
I’ve got one of these small covers from Moss Europe - it’s 100% waterproof and very well made, quite thick fabric and tough with velcro straps, and anchors very nicely using the windscreen wipers, door handles, wing mirrors and bootlid, so it doesn’t come off even in strong winds. Takes just a few seconds to put on / remove and as it’s small and fairly hefty so you don’t end up covered in water or battling with it in the wind. It scrunches up small enough to fit into a washing up bowl, which is where I store it in the boot of my car to avoid it dripping on the boot carpet.
For just £43 it far outclasses anything I’ve seen in the shops.
http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=10297