Have owned the Mazda for just over a year now and enjoyed every minute. Formerly owned a few sportier cars before buying my 2.0i Sport, including an Ibiza Cupra and Nissan 350z. Wanted to see what all the fuss is/was about IRO the MX5 and why all owners hold onto them for decades! Needless to say, I’m smitten - nothing that I have driven comes close to matching the fun-factor that the Mazda offers.
Mods to date include the Eibach Springs and Wheels-in-Motion alignment. Have booked her in for an Underseal/Arch Restoration in the next couple of weeks too. Very keen to explore the n/a tuning options for the NC1 - nothing too extreme (for now…), perhaps a manifold swap, exhaust and map (). Still trying to find the £2,000 behind the sofa ()…Any feedback on the reliability when tuning the NC1 would be much appreciated. Keen to hear the day-to-day experiences of those owning modified 5’s, as I daily mine.
Hello and welcome. I can’t give much input on the reliability of the NC1 as I have only had mine a short time. But given that this is my fifth MX-5 I can say that as a rule they are mechanically bulletproof (as long as you do regular maintenance), it’s just the rust you have to look out for.
That’s great, thanks! Glad yours have been tip-top from a reliability standpoint.
Mine has been trouble free too for the last 12 months - only a battery replacement to declare so far!
I’m keen to undertake mild modifications (say, power to 180bhp). It’s hardly a huge gain, but nonetheless am curious to hear how others’ have fared from a reliability standpoint. Not after crazy power, but to give the car a little more low-mid range. Will be doing the under-sealing next month, along with an arch restoration to keep the car in good shape (and help to justify a big spend on the n/a tuning!! )
Put 25,000 miles on a 2007 NC1 with a BBR Super 200 upgrade (cams, manifold, re-map and exhaust) in the last two years and no mechanical problems apart from replacing the clutch; release bearing was the culprit. Now approaching 90,000 miles and still sweet.
Couple of common rust areas to check: between the rear number plate lights and the base of the door quarterlight struts. Both inexpensive and easy to remedy.
Thanks you for the feedback re: BBR (Mac5) and Roddison Motorsport (Keith). Will consider both when the time comes. Keen to sort out the under-body, arches, etc. first!
Glad no reliability issues to report, as that is/remains my greatest concerns.
I’ll work out how to upload pictures, and will pop a few up on this feed. I took the Mazda down to Devon last summer for a camping trip (!!), and managed to snap a few shots once the sheep lost interest in the car.
Hi Folks!
Hope you’re all well. It has been a while and wanted to share a few updates on the NC1 that is still proving to be a trusty companion!
In December 2017 I visited Neil at BBR for the Super 180 package. I purchased a Racing Beat rear silencer which BBR also installed at the time. Absolutely delighted with the results! I left with 189hp and, headline numbers aside, the added mid-range oomph is very welcome, and the car has retained the linear characteristics that make it so much fun to drive!
A few months later the standard centre exhaust section snapped, so revisited BBR to have their sports equivalent installed. Aside from a slight increase in noise and change in tone, no noticeable power (as expected, then…).
For maintenance and other TLC, I have been keeping a close eye on the rear arches and sills. I have visited the MX5 Restorer a few times, both for their underseal, and to keep on top of the inevitable rust that occasionally appears within the lip of the rear arches. Garath and team have done a great job to remove and protect against future breakouts! While pretty expensive, the Renovo products are also keeping the mohair top water tight and continue to use the restoration and proofing product.
So, at 61k (around 15k since the BBR work), still no issues whatsoever to report, and car has not missed a beat. Finding myself exploring avenues for more power on a daily basis, and seriously contemplating the Super 200/cams upgrade for when finances permit.
More to follow I imagine, but that’s all for now, and have a great weekend!