My understanding is that Mazda has two factories, Hiroshima and Hofu and that the VIN code indicates which one the car was built at.
Brian Long’s book “Mazda MX5. The Full Story” (2002 edition, page 55) says (caption to a photo) “produced almost exclusively in Hiroshima, although for a brief spell during the boom of the 1990s, it was built at Hofu. Once demand subsided, production shifted back to Hiroshima.”
Another book, James Taylor’s “Mazda MX5 and Miata 1989-1999” has on page 127 an explanation showing how to interpret the VIN No. This states that the two digits BEFORE the final six digits will be either 00 or 01.
It states that 00 is Hiroshima and 01 is Hofu.
I have also seen on the internet several sites offering the same info. Some state that this first zero must be disregarded and that the factory code is simply either:-
0 - Hiroshima
1 - Hofu.
What they do all seem to agree on is that the final 0 is Hiroshima and 1 is Hofu - EXCEPT for one (very significant) site - MX5parts, whose relevant page clearly states that 1 is Hiroshima and 0 is Hofu.
Who is correct? The weight of evidence suggests that MX5parts are in the wrong. If so, I am surprised that someone hasn’t already drawn the attention of MX5parts to this oversight which, I suspect, has led Paul W to make this comment earlier today (to my earlier posting):-
(Mike, you’ve got me interested, too!
I do know from the chassis number that my car wasn’t built in the Hiroshima factory, unlike most MX-5s, but in Hofu.
As was yours!
What I find interesting is that my car doesn’t appear to have suffered from rust like many other, later Mk2s have (that’s the reason I bought this particular example). I wonder if the lack of rust is because the paint shop was a different one.)
My chassis plate shows ‘0’ so I believe it to be made in Hiroshima. Paul doesn’t quote his chassis number but says it is the same as mine! Paul goes on to make the very relevant comment that a lack of rust (on his car) might be down to being made at a different factory. But the weight of evidence (as shown above) is that both our cars did come out of the Hiroshima factory.
To summarise therefore, can someone more expert than me (I’m only a newbie) give a definitive ruling on whether Hiroshima is 0 or 1 - and then perhaps someone in a senior position within the OC needs to have a word with MX5parts.
MikeD.
(I believe I did also see an earlier posting on the forum stating that 0 is Hiroshima and 1 is Hofu but I didn’t make a note of where/when this was. Sorry.)
