Hi I’m new to this but had 5 mx5 cars in last ten years and just bought a mk4 . Icon with 1900 miles on clock . Gear box lost 1st and 2nd gear within 90 miles of buying car . Gearbox was replaced by Mazda but that was just the start of my problems. If anyone reads this please get in touch because I really need help. I’m ready to torch this vehicle and get no help from JCT 600.
Antony
If it’s that bad and still under warranty why not take it back as “unfit for purpose” and get your money back rather than deal with the problem(s) piecemeal.
What other problems have you had to make you so upset? Who are/is JCT 600? Is it your dealer and are your problems down to their incompetence? This may be going off thread a little (apologies to the moderator) but you sound desperate. Most of the early niggles were easily rectified by dealers.
In reply to the guy who said take it back to the dealer. I have many times. Other problems well the gear stick wobble when driving . The socket spanner left under the bonnet after the gear box had been replaced and only found 6 weeks after. The real view mirror that suddenly has become loose . The dash cam thats fitted to the windscreen and for no apparent reason starts to shake . The dealer has given me another years warranty due to the gearbox and a free service due to the socket wrench but seems in interested why the rear view mirror has come loose or the gear stick bounces about for no reason . I am only going by my previous mk3 that never had shakes rattles or owt else and wish she was back with me now instead of this heap of junk. Can anyone confirm are gear stick shake and vibrabrations common on these mk4 cars
The gearstick wobbles on my ND and is a deliberate trait to make you feel more in contact with the car. It is often noted in reviews of the car. It does not bother me at all. Does it move so much that you miss it when changing gear? The rear view mirror can be sorted. The dash cam that was fitted to the car is not standard fit and is not relevant unless it was fitted by the dealer. Yes, your dealer sounds to have been remiss regarding the socket spanner (not the first time this has happened at a garage), but he has offered you pretty good compensation. The dealer issues are not the cars fault, so it is not a heap of junk. Try another dealer if you are not happy with their service. It is under warranty so you can take it anywhere. They should also offer you a courtesy car whist yours is being rectified.
A bloke where I work has had his Audi at the dealers since Christmas and they have still not solved a non starting issue and it has cost him a fortune and he still hasn’t got a car1
Anthony1967:
The gear lever wobbles because the engine moves on the mountings; the gearbox is rigidly attached to the engine and the lever assembly is bolted to the gearbox. It has no choice but to move, unlike the lever in a front wheel drive car which is more likely to be attached to the body and connected to the gearbox by cables.
That doesn’t exclude the possibility that there is something wrong with it of course. If you have had MX-5s before, then you should have a sense of what is normal. If it really is excessive, then it’s possible I suppose that an engine or gearbox mount is broken, but you’d probably know about that*.
*(Having said that, I did once have a broken engine mount on a Ford Orion, resulting in frame-shaking thumps when the clutch was let in, which a Ford dealer was unable to diagnose “because it was raining and we couldn’t test drive it”.)
The engine mountings are made of the same chocolate as the gearbox so I would definitely check them…i currently have 3 sets in stock because they fail soooooooo much.
Gearbox issue…what gearbox issue lol
i know Mazda in Sheffield recently replaced a gearbox too!!!
Thank you replying. If the gearbox wobble is correct then so be it. Personally I am extremely disappointed with how the car is and I guess it will be up to me to either get rid or live with these issues. Rear view mirrors coming loose says to me vibration but as ive said thats only my opinion. I joined the forum to just try get other opinions from mk4 owners. The hire car I had which was on a 17 plate had rust on the small window pillow which I was amazed at and just feel quality standards seem to have dropped. . As someone once said mx5 are bomb proof. I feel that is no longer the case .
Antony, as I’m “The guy who said take it back to the dealer” this is what I said:-
You have taken it back “many times” to get problems sorted piecemeal, which is what I said not to do. However it would seem from your later post and the replies that things are nowhere near as bad as you implied in your first post and can be rectified. Good luck.
Track racing wasn’t it, rather than normal road usage?
is this correct that engine mounts fail on mk 4 cars
Are there any videos showing gear stick bouncing about on another mk4 so that I can confirm mine is normal
TThanks
Not as often as implied in the original post, maybe on those used in track racing but not in those used normally.
Having worked for Mazda in the past and having extensive experience with both the mark 3 and mark 4 (NC and ND) variants, the ND is the better car.
The gear stick shake as mentioned is there for a reason to allow a lot more feel through the shifter allowing the driver to achieve a connected feel to the car. My MK2 did it too but to a lesser extent.
The gearbox issue on the MK4 is not the first time MX5s have had serious issues early on in their life, its only cos this is here and now that its so prevalent. Do searches on the earlier models and they were not without issues too.
There are 3 main issues with the ND all of which now have dealer fixes - the main being the gearbox which is still ongoing
The roof wearing issue/roll hoop fix is now being heavily utilised by dealers (my last ND had it done) and a lot get a BRAND NEW roof for minor wear.
There is a minor TSB for window rubber squeaks and also for seatbelt loops.
Take a look at other cars similar such as the BMW Z4 and Mercedes SLK - they have more issues than the CHEAPER MX5
No ND is a heap of junk - if you hate the car that much as more than one person has suggested - Try rejecting it to the dealer
If you don’t wanna reject it, sell it to me and i will give it a loving home 
i love me an ND
Sorry Anthony just re read that and it sounded like a rant which it wasn’t supposed to! Hate words at times cos they can be read wrong - it does sound like bad luck on the car but a lot of what you describe does seem to be dealer incompetence as my roof issue on my Sport Nav was solved so quickly and efficiently by Burrows Sheffield.
I would deffo try another dealer, Perrys Huddersfield is where i used to work - go speak to Nick their service advisor he has worked for Mazda for years and knows his stuff.
I also didn’t mean to make it sound like the NC was a bad car, it wasn’t at all and there were certain editions i adored selling! What i should have said is that the ND is technologically superior and the handling etc have been improved. That’s what makes it better ;)
I am huddersfield based if you want me to take a look and let you know if the gearstick wobble is more than it should be? Ive over 4 years experience working with mazda and owning them too :)
If you really cant cope with the car though you should be able to reject it as not fit for purpose although JCT probably wont go down easily.
This is a great forum and we will help wherever we can :)
What colour Icon is it?
It’s the grey icon.
The most surprising part of this saga to me is the failure of a gearbox on a 2,000 mile 1.5.