Hi everyone, I just retired and bought an NB 2004 1.8 so I thought I would join up. It’s an Arctic edition although weirdly its is registered as a Euphonic, this confused me initially.
I live in Tenbury Wells.
The car needs work doing to it and I have decided to do the work myself as a learning opportunity (I have no mechanical experience).
See you about
C
EDIT : I just noticed there’s a separate channel for new members to say hello 
Welcome aboard C.
I hope you’ll consider sharing your adventures with us?
Cheers,
Guy
Welcome to the forum and NBFL, thats Mk2 2001 - 2004 model year, ownership. If your car is a Euphonic it should have a fancy Sony Hifi, speakers in the wind blocker, fancy 16 inch wheels and be Brilliant Black, Titanium Grey, Velocity Red or Sunlight Silver. Artics were in Razor Blue, Titanium Grey or Sunlight Silver with 15 inch wheels. If you are ever likely to be travelling into a ULEZ zone it is worth checking yours is ULEZ compliant. My ‘02 Sport SV-T is but my friends ‘03 1.8i is not, yet both have the same engines ! Anyway I have had mine 8 years have done some work myself and PSE to do most of it. If you have questions you have come to the right place, loads of people like us have started with minimal experience. Wishing you many smiles per mile.
Hi!
Its definitely an Arctic, silver grey, I was just surprised its registered as a Euphonic with the DLVC. I was mildly disappointed in a way because as I understand it, Euphonic has LSD and Arctic does not, but not a big deal really.
C
Welcome Chunkers 
to NB ownership and membership and retirement from
NB 2005 2.5 1.8 Icon owner ….retired [2024]
Brill to see another NB owner taking on a ‘restore and renovate’ project 
I’ve owned Bullit from when she was 18 months old in 2007 but she fell into the ‘renovate and restore’ category during my ownership due to ‘Life, the Universe and Everything’ ………my bad 
But gradually bringing her back
Labour of love and ….err…….loads of pennies
Plenty of guidance and advice on this Forum re you DIY 
Hi Bullit, I think I would probably currently more fall into the category of “keep on the road” than restore and renovate but whilst I am not too bothered about appearance I want my car to be sturdy, safe and reliable. I am going to have to tackle a rather nasty rust / crack thing, currently contemplating whether I should try cut it out and weld it up (badly), lol
I’m not a mechanic, but I’m sure that’s just cosmetic.
Always best to cut out rust and weld, but if you just want to keep it on the road, you could try a rust remover then fill, sand, spray can etc. Loads cheaper and can be done over 2 days on your driveway.
Before my ND, I had an NA 1.6 Eunos Roadster (Jap import) and a NB2 Phoenix. I was always pottering about with them, fixing this and that. They’re so easy to work on.
Now I’m getting on a bit, my ND is the first car I have refused to get under, but fortunately, thus far, apart from the rear bushes, I haven’t had to. Long may that continue.
I suggest that you get a second opinion. If that is on the surface then you MUST have a good look underneath.
Yeah, good shout, but surely the sills are more important and are normally the MOT failure. Remember, he only wants to keep it on the road and presentable - are arches an MOT failure, dunno?
The chassis rails are also known for rotting. Double skinned and corrode from the inside out. On my NB2 I injected Dinitrol into mine which stopped it in its tracks.
Anyway, it’s all doable, nothing on these cars is too difficult.
I haven’t had a really good look underneath it yet but I am taking it to a place where there is an access pit to do a service next week so I’ll get a chance then and take some photos.
I think I have a receipt for sills and they look OK, I’ll have a better look if it ever stops raining.
Definitely recommend taking all the rust back to solid metal. I spent 8 years getting mine sorted out PSE as and when I could afford it. Ended up refreshing all the suspension too. At the same time clocking up 90k miles 
Hi again
Had Bullit assessed by body shop on Xmas Eve morning as recommended by my local MX-5 Specialist [Club Members]
Crumbs……her wheel arches show very little corrosion in comparision to your pic
They’ve recommended 2 x new Rear Wheel Arches …..probably because I’ve also asked for a respray so Bullit metal work needs to be smooth
She’s already had welding and new cills
‘Keep it on the road’
Chassis Rails first priority
Good Luck DIY
Managed to do this back in the day with my Triumph Spit MK IV
But now need to pay others as too cream crackered
These were mine a good few years back. The bullet that needs bitten with them all…is that normally the rot you can see is all too often the proverbial tip of the iceberg. All depends how much cash you want to throw at an old car upon which you will never see a re-sale return of investment.
Welcome another fine NB.
If you keep your head still, you can see the rust spreading, and the petrol guage going down.
Worth every penny and effort though. Good luck!
Have a look at my repair thread to see how far the tin worm can spread, plenty of pics to help
Hi Chunkers and welcome. I bought a 54 reg Arctic a couple of years ago and it too was registered with the DVLA as a Euphonic. No idea why. It’s Razor Blue and has all of the other Arctic special features. I contacted the DVLA and provided photographic evidence and they changed it for me. You may or may not wish to do the same? I felt it important that the DVLA record was accurate.
Accurate DVLA records
I concur
In similar vein…..Bullit was originally bought/registered by a Car Leasing Company in June 2005 [name still on her number plates] who sold her to a dealership CarCraft (Leeds). I purchased her from them in March 2007
DVLA wanted to list me as ‘third’ owner but I successfully convinced them to list me as ‘second’ owner as all she’d done is sat on the dealership forecourt for the period of time that they had her
I wasn’t having 3 owners in less than two years as part of her records….what could that say about a car ?
[Respect to ‘serial’ buyers]
Obviously didn’t know back in 2007 that I’d still own her in 2026 and pending on going renovation works …..she’ll hopefully out live me 
I should add that in my case for the model change the DVLA required proof from Mazda UK, which was very easily obtained.
Welcome to the Club, I also bought my 1.8iS when I retired back in 2018.
Ive done quite a bit to it since then, they’re relatively straight forward to work on - enjoy the learning experience and enjoy your Car.
On another note a good friend of mine lived in the village of Hatfield near Leominister, not far from you in the Mistltoe capital of the UK.
Cheers
Nic
Welcome from Aberdeenshire 
….
