MX-5 NB accident damage

General Discussion Forums MX-5 Chat
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Hi

I joined on behalf of my son, he can’t be trusted to do anything. This is my first post, so apologies if it’s in the wrong place.

He’s got an 05 NB 1.6 Icon with only 52K genuine miles on the clock.

He’s crashed it into a metal bollard at his works underground car park.

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It’ll obviously need a new wing, but it’s done something so the steering geometry is completely out of whack, so it can’t be driven (well not on the road, just back to his parking space). I’m sure the wishbone and suspension arm will be bent out of shape, and the wheel is not running straight, but what else could be broken, any ideas?

I understand that you can’t tell exactly what has happened, but I don’t think the impact speed was very high, does anyone think this could be relatively easily repaired.

Any ideas what could have broken and need replacing?

Needless to say the insurance company wanted to scrap it immediately, but it seems too good for that, as long as the damage isn’t too catastrophic.

I’m just really fishing for any guidance.

The car’s in Leeds city centre if anyone knows any reliable MX-5 experts in that area who could come and take a look.

I forgot to mention, like many other owners my son has become emotionally attached to his MX-5, he doesn’t want to let it go because he knows the history, but just in case it has to be written off he’s already started to look for another to replace it (got to be an NB apparently).

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Things attached at the point are main suspension arms, drop links, anti -roll bar and steering arm.
Everything can be unbolted and replaced.
The front wing also bolts on.

Hth.

Hope your lad gets his pride and joy sorted out :crossed_fingers:

Edit* One thing that isn’t obvious from the photo is the condition of the strut top mounting point.
It might be my imagination but the front wheel looks to be quite far back in the arch.
If the mounting is bent the repair would be much more involved.

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If I take the wheel off where should I be looking to find out if “the mounting is bent”. Is that something attached to the chassis or sub-frame?

What could have happened, and how can it be fixed.

I’m no vehicle engineer but I am handy (and cheap), and can unbolt and replace obvious parts (got trolley jack, axle stands, socket set, spanners, and torque wrench).

Thanks for the quick reply it’s really appreciated.

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Check around the “long bolt”

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This is also a good opportunity to check the chassis rails for the well documented “double skin” rot including the anti roll bar mounts etc. Or as that photo above calls it in USA speak…" sway bar".
To a degree, it may well prove a blessing in disguise.
In the “possible only” but not inevitable event of chassis rail rot being present, I trust your son has not bent it.
If he has, I trust you will not bend him.
Chassis rails can be fixed too.
Sons…perhaps a bit more technical.

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If the chassis rail has weakened (highly likely) then it might have deformed before anything else.

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I think I would inspect the strut top by looking under the bonnet.
Make sure there is no deformation of the area where the strut protrudes into the engine bay. Compare the offside to the nearside to make sure none of the mounting bolts are bent.
Any rippling in that structure would suggest quite a difficult repair .
Looking at the position of the wheel even a gentle impact may have pushed the whole wheel, hub and suspension arms backwards. If that’s the case the strut may have torqued the strut top and twisted it. :grimacing:

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Is that terminal, in as much as that would be just not cost effective to fix?

Could the wishbone, suspension arm, and sway bar just be bent? When you say strut top, do you mean the mounts that connect those parts to the chassis rail (not sure of the correct terminology here)?

Thanks for everyone’s input so far, in a couple of hours it’s moved me on from knowing nothing, to having a rough idea what to look out for. The downside for me is that he’s useless at practical things (I had to talk him through how to change a wheel over the phone), and me and my tools are 75 miles away in Grimsby.

The plan now is to get someone to move it to his drive, and for me to go and inspect it. I’ll be taking a camera and trying to document it, who knows it might be useful to someone else if the worst comes to the worst.

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Hopefully it is just the bolt on suspension bits that need attention :crossed_fingers:

The suspension struts are connected at the lower end to a suspension arm and at the top end through the bodywork by fixed bolts.
You’ll know much more when you get to have a look yourself.
In the photo you posted the wing has obviously suffered significant damage and is dented in front of the wheel but it also appears to be possibly buckled upwards above the wheel arch. :thinking:
Gauging the gap from the front bumper to the tyre and the tyre to the rear of the wheel arch the whole wheel seems to be quite far back.
The wing bolts onto the metalwork adjacent to the strut top.
Hopefully all of this is an optical illusion caused by the angle of the photo but if that area is bent, the repair could be beyond a reasonable sum :pensive:
I shall keep my fingers crossed that it’s restricted to easily replaced componentry.

Cheers,
Guy

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Its all an easy fix , everything that is damaged is just bolted on , you will more than likely find its a bone bent from impact.
M-m

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While the wheel is off, have a check for cracks, dents etc.
Surprising what previous owners “Know nothing about…”

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“He’s Already Looking for a Replacement in case it’s Written Off” :thinking:

Plenty of Tech Advice Already Posted :+1:

Sending You…Grumpy Dad…Empathy :grimacing:

Put My Young Sister on My Insurance to Drive My Newish Ford Escort Mark IV when she moved in with me.
She scrapped the Car All Along Its’ Side because ‘the Gates to the Driveway Were Too Narrow’
[Nothing to do with her Inexperienced Driving Skills]

I Didn’t Claim…but instead made her pay for the damage [affordable monthly installments]

Much Later…Previous [Young] Car Mechanic Drove My NB 2.5 1.8 [2005] Icon Off the Ramp Too Fast & Dented her Rear Wing. Needless to Say…His Company Had to Repair the Damage

I Still Have My Girl [46,000Miles/2nd Owner/Know Her History = Good/Bad] BUT BEWARE INSURANCE COMPANIES WANT TO WRITE OFF Vehicles their age

Tough Decision Your End

Just Hope Your Son Appreciates the Efforts You Are Making on His Behalf :+1:

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The hub is connected via the wish bones to the subframe which is in turn attached chassis rail. so it would need to be one hell of a bump to move that. my guess is lower wish bone, but it would not happen at parking speeds.

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I haven’t received a full set of photos yet, but I was told this was low speed (in relative terms), as he was exiting the works underground car park.

I asked him to tell me what the shut line between the wing and the bonnet was like. He told me the wing is close but not actually touching the bonnet so it doesn’t sound too bad.

The plan is to get a low cost tow truck to take it the 2 or 3 miles to his drive, and I’ll go a week on Saturday tooled up (as it were). A full examination will take place including photos, and a decision can made after that.

Although it’s 17 years old, this was a one previous owner MX-5, garaged over the winter, and only ever a second car. Previous MOT’s have detected the rust worm, but not to sny dangerous extent. Finger’s crossed.

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Hi there,

Thanks to everyone who previously helped with this one.

I went over to Leeds at the weekend to take a look at the damage.

The wheel has been pushed back and is well out of alignment.

The lower wishbone has been bent back, so it’s pushed the wheel back to the rear of the wheel arch, and it’s sticking out at the front at an angle as if your doing a right hand turn.

The upper wishbone doesn’t look too bad, but I’d replace that anyway.

The drop link from the sway bar has broken at the lower end connection, and before it broke, under stress, has probably bent the sway bar back towards the upper wishbone.

I don’t know if anything has happened to the tie rod or the steering. Can anybody help me with suggestions here. It’s not in the correct place as the wheel is sitting as if it’s turning right.

I don’t think the chassis rail has been damaged, I (or a mechanic would have to check this when everything was removed.

I’ll upload the pictures I took, but on reflection they’re useless.

There is the usual surface rust on everything, but it doesn’t seem to have penetrated to any great depth, or is massively affecting the structural integrity.

Please feel free to add your thoughts, but my summary is new upper and lower wishbones, drop link, maybe sway bar and tie rod, and a new wing.

Sounds horrendous. Would anybody bother, or just kiss it goodbye?

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So long as the chassis is sound & straight, it’s a Big Boy’s Meccano set.
By sound I mean a deep investigation to ensure there is not great amount of inside out “hidden” rot…
BUT…you must ensure the chassis is 100% straight.
If so, your deal.
If you fix, you must must get it 4 wheel lazered to polish it off.
Good luck
Keep us posted please.

They are Mk2 spares specialists.
Right now they could be a best buddy.

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That front chassis rail rusts from the inside out. It starts to balloon around the front anti-roll bar brackets.

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I just told him that.

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Easy fix , all bolt off and on items, just also make sure the upright is ok and upper bone including the sub where they connect and also make sure you get the tracking/alignment done after the repairs have been carried out.

M-m

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I just told him that too. :face_with_peeking_eye:

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