Mx5parts.co.uk - (Bad) Review with 🖼️

[GeBu]

I took my NC to MX5Parts expecting expertise, but my experience was disappointing. When my car overheated, they diagnosed a stuck thermostat and replaced it. The issue seemed resolved, likely due to colder weather and motorway driving. However, after a month, my car overheated again—this time due to a blown 30-amp fan fuse.

Upon inspecting the car myself, I discovered a battery hook stuck in the fan, preventing it from operating. This critical check was completely overlooked during their diagnosis. I returned to give them a chance to acknowledge the oversight, but they refused to take responsibility for their mistake.

As MX-5 specialists, I expected a more thorough and accountable approach. Instead, I found myself fixing their negligence. Disappointed and cannot recommend them.

George

PS: I removed my details from the invoices

[liamog]

That is incredibly poor and sorry to hear this

[Combemartian]

Unfortunately I had a similar experience.
I took my MK1 to them to have a new hood fitted. They advertise free fitting. Collected the car after the work and was told everything went well, no problems. The next day when I went to put the carpet back in I found 3 of the studs that hold the roof/rain rail in place has been snapped off. I know there was nothing wrong with them before as I only replaced the rain rail last year. When I contacted them the answer was “ don’t worry it wont leak “. No apology. Needless to say first time it rained it leaked. When I contacted them the answer was “ oh well you better bring it back then”. Still no apology.
I took the car somewhere else as I didn’t trust them to do a proper job. So their free fitting cost me £300 to put it right.
I don’t know if they have their own workshop or send the work out.
Good shop but I wouldn’t let them anywhere near my car again.
D

[GeBu]

Did you leave a 1 review on Google Maps? People should know about this.

Fortunately, their workshop is shutting down, but after this experience, I wouldn’t buy from them again either. Their response to their mistake? “We can sell you the new OEM fan, and you can go fit it somewhere else because we’re closing down the workshop.”

Unbelievable.

[Philip]

I’ve only had one (good) experience at their workshop, but I got the impression that they had a single mechanic who did everything.

They were also offering “free” fitting on lots of items (including disks and pads); that’s not a sustainable business model.

[BNsilver]

They sent me the wrong part when i orderd last year . Told to send it back and they will send the correct part once they got the part back, OK sent it back after a week or so i got a refund but not for the postage, No apology never got the part from them in the end.

[GeBu]

It is, because they would do a poor job, then you’d have to pay for it

[Combemartian]

I’ve been meaning to email them to say I’ve had the damage repaired elsewhere and would they like to contribute to the cost as they caused the damage in the first place, but to be honest, I decided not to bother, as I probably wouldn’t get a reply. Just take the hit and move on.
D

[Olaup]

Was the hook down there due to their negligence ?

This hilight of the shoddy workmanship will be enough to cost them more than £300 I’d say.

[Olaup]

Interesting reading on their reviews negative feeds paints a horror story attitude and service.

[TerryM1]

I ordered a new mohair hood from MX-5 Parts for my NB and had it fitted free by them last month. Everything went smoothly and I’m very happy with the quality and fit of the hood. I drove across to Portsmouth from Bournemouth and had it fitted in a day.

Nice bunch of people,

I paid just shy of £800 for the job and was quoted £1500 by Mx5 Heaven in Dorchester (!) and £1250 by a company in Poole who do custom hoods.

[iainf]

A month had passed since you had the repair? with many miles and motorway speed driving since!

I think you are being presumptuous that this fault existed at the time of your repair - as I am fairly certain they will not have let you go without a test on a new thermostat to temperature - until the fan kicks in - when fitted, to ensure that resolved the problem that was diagnosed.

MX5parts are the parts supplier to the community - and although they previously offered limited workshop services - this was usually and most commonly for the assistance of fitting parts purchased. They were never a garage workshop and Mechanical issues like this are much better diagnosed at a garage, however as it is likely that the fault has occurred since the thermostat replacement and it is unlikely it would not have mattered where you went for the thermostat.

While I appreciate we only have your side of the story here, there is without doubt steps that were undertaken by mx5parts for you, if you spoke to them about the issue, like any of the specialists in the community I am sure they did not wash their hands in quite the way you outline.

[GeBu]

Over the past month, I’ve driven the car just as I had before—covering 5,000 miles since December, mostly in cold weather. However, both times it overheated, I was stuck in traffic on an exceptionally hot day.

The first overheating incident happened late on a Sunday night in London, requiring me to tow the car home. The only thing I checked at that point was the head gasket, which was intact. The shop diagnosed the issue as a stuck thermostat. While I wasn’t entirely convinced—since cooling seemed adequate when the car was moving—I agreed that replacing it was a good idea given the car’s age and the upcoming need for a coolant change.

A month later, another heatwave hit. I got stuck in traffic near home, and the car overheated again. This time, I suspected the radiator fan. Checking the 30A fuse confirmed my suspicion—it had blown. I picked up two replacement fuses from my favorite MX5 shop in town (back then) , swapped one in, and let the car warm up. The fuse blew again immediately.

It took me around 20 minutes to manage to warm up the engine for the fan to kick in (the fuse to blow);
Before the thermostat replacement, I reset the trip meter before leaving the car at the shop and noted that it had only been driven about three miles afterward.

This Tuesday I went in store after work to see their stance in all this situation.
I’ve approached them peacefully and willing to talk.
Mistakes happen and anyone can have a bad day.
I don’t regret replacing the thermostat and coolant either.

All I wanted was a reasonable solution.
All I found was denial and a very defensive attitude.
You can’t tell me, "I don`t care that we made a mistake, here, buy some more parts from us … "

I appreciate the shop’s contributions to the community, as their sponsorship helps support this platform. That said, their presence here also serves as a marketing tool to boost sales, which is fair.

However, what I find disappointing is the lack of accountability when mistakes happen. A strong community thrives on trust and transparency, and businesses should uphold those values rather than simply benefiting from the platform.

Headz up, Top down,

George

[Onedrew]

I’ve used MX5 parts for annual servicing and various additional jobs for quite a few years now. So much better than main agents and a huge saving in costs. I am absolutely gutted that their mechanic is no longer part of the business and no idea where to go next April to get the same level of service. The service history is logged with Mazda’s central database and I want to keep that going. I was happy to spend a day in Portsmouth, driving there from St Albans for work to start at 0830, because the service level was so high.

Obviously no-one’s perfect but for me they have been brilliant, and great value too.

[wacee]

perhaps slightly off the critique of mx5 parts .co.uk…but it never ceases to amaze me that noone ever thinks maybe the rad is on its last legs… my own experience while rebuilding a Eunos auto 1.6 to manual and a full nothing untouched rebuild was when i began to drive it again it began to run warm… i tried everything that i could ,replaced the head gasket yes it was old and showing signs of decay ,flushed the heater rad, all hoses and senders renewed and spoke with my friendly rad repair operation, he was a family friend of sorts, his aunt had worked for my family for many years, will, he says… get a bigger alloy rad see what they cost and i’ll see what i can do for one, what noone seems to know in the UK is that these wee units run at 98/99 deg… i found this out from the USA Miata forum so they run at the edge all the time and the std unit even the larger auto one is nearly always on the limit… i did i came across one on sale about 2 years back, also put in a proper capillary guage in the top hose and now my Eunos sits nicely around 85…w

[beardytechie]

I use a good independent in Huntingdon. Fortunately it’s not too far from where I live just west of Cambridge.

[Onedrew]

Hi Beardytechie
What is the name of your indy? My bro lives in St Ives, so this could be ideal for me

[Rex_P]

I’d like to know who your indy is too, I’m just outside St Ives.

[beardytechie]

I take both my MX5s to FourPaw

About us - Four Paw Racing

Before you continue to Google Maps

they’re in the little industrial estate, at the big junction just north west of Huntingdon, near the Delta/Marriot hotel.

what I did was to take the car there, walked to the hotel and worked from lounge.

[Rex_P]

Thanks, there’s a Regus office right opposite that I can use.