Thank you - useful info. I suspect that I have air in the line. The car is new to me. It has a full service history but who knows whether the brake fluid has been changed, let alone the clutch line bled. I’ll have another go at the the adjuster as well - this time by crawling in on my back rather than trying to do it using a mirror and torch. Thanks again.
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Personally I would change the fluid and bleed the brakes/clutch lines before tackling the bite point on the pedal. All part and parcel of the same hydraulic system. (Otherwise you will probably have to adjust it all again). If you don’t know the clutch slave cylinder is up by the oil filter.
A matter for your good self. 
Looks like you may have already done that?
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Yes, plus 1 for bleeding first. Easy job, and might fix things.
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I have a 2009 NC which I’ve had for 4 years, 1st to 2nd in the cold has always been a bit notchy. About 18 months ago I replaced the gearbox oil, turret oil, selector plate and clutch bite point, and whilst there was some improvement its still there when its cold. I’ve just come to accept this as a feature of this great little car.
Great instructions and pictures McTrucky👍.
You’ve saved a lot of hassle and money by doing it yourself.
Mazda garage would have had you for a new gearbox no doubt!
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One thing to try is DuratecNC’s transmission oil. Several people on here, me included, have seen a noticeable improvement in cold changes with his oil.
See this link (there are many others as well)
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My mechanic noticed the notchy change when ours went for its MOT a few weeks back.
He wasn’t convinced ‘they all do that’ was a great argument, even when cold.
He’s recommended changing the slave cylinder to see if that helps and to be honest, I’m inclined to give it a go.
Even when it’s warmed, if I’m totally honest I really think it should be a bit slicker then it is and I’ve learnt to accept it but his comments have got me thinking.
Anyway, will give that a go, see if it helps and go from there 
My argument for ages,can’t believe when new the gear change is like this other wise on the test drive you’d have walked away.
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Just an opinion.
Over a period of time the “bulk rings” will wear along with other soft metal components within the gearbox. Some gearboxes will wear better than others.
The early Toyota gearboxes were not great and became notchy very quickly.
Also “Some” gearbox oils will advance wear quicker than others, because of certain additives.
I believe that Mazda have/did address some of these issues when the 3.5 came out.
I have a 3.75 a 2013 model with currently low miles. So arguably not a worn gearbox and has been serviced and looked after.
Okay, when I changed the gearbox oil in 2018 for Total oil which was GL4/5 it wasn’t as good as before, (Mazda oil).
Again I changed it late 2021 with Total GL4/5.
Research pointed me to Castrol and to use ONLY a GL4 oil.
So I did and dumped the Total oil (less than 500 miles) and used Castrol Transmax Multivehicle 75W90 API GL4 Fully Synthetic Gear Oil.
I remained optimistic on the issue.
Straight away the gearbox changing was smooth.
As said before in another thread, I have no issues whatsoever when cold and certainly none when hot.
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+1 for bleeding the clutch first. Also add this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJcCNydZcTQ
Yes, I understand there were different synchro materials used (I think I saw something about a carbon coating) on the face-lift cars.
GL5 contains extreme pressure additives that attack the soft metals in the gearbox, some GL4/GL5 oils may be safe, but pretty sure no GL5 only oil is suitable.
There is a Ford specific Castrol Multivehicle syntrans oil, but as above, the DuratecNC oil works better for me (but do note it is meant to be changed every 20k which is far more frequently than Castrol/Mazda would advise. Not an issue for me, or (I assume) any enthusiastic owners.
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Several things:
The car could have been already warmed up before the test drive. If people are testing a car all day long then only the first run of the day would have been notchy.
If it wasn’t then the answer to it being notchy would have been ‘It’s a brand new car, they all do that and it’ll settle in’.
Thirdly you expect a totally new car to feel different in so many ways it would have largely gone unnoticed in the overall experience.
The amount of cars sold with the clutch badly adjusted is staggering, it’s also difficult to comprehend someone driving a car with the biting point 1mm from the floor, yet they do and for tens of thousands of miles. I got them coming in regularly with that issue along with the usual incorrect oil inside.
You can tell some people what is wrong with their gearboxes until you’re blue in the face and they will still not take any notice.
A lot of the time we aren’t battling simple physics and mechanics here, we’re up against what goes on inside peoples heads and that’s when it all goes wrong.
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Mines a 2006 in that year I’d just bought a brand new Focust ST around £22k if I’d test driven that and some one told me it bedded in etc I’d walk,but then I had a choice of many hot hatches compared to 2 seater convertibles. Just know through previous threads people admitted driving out of the showroom taking test drives with notchy gear changes calling it characteristics.Amazes me in 2006 onwards people would listen to that.But agree the heart takes over the mind.,that’s why I bought my pile of #### but at £3k.
I changed the slave on mine. Made no difference. Worth a go though if yours is bad. Getting a good bleed is critical!
Interesting. Cheers.
I’m not convinced it’ll help, but it’s a process of elimination now and that’s an easy place to start.
It went out for a good 60 mile run a couple of weeks back and was really well behaved. No issues apart from when it’s stone cold for the first few miles and it’s a bit notchy.
Could I live with it as is? Yes, in fact I have been, lol. If I could improve it another 5 or 10% though, it would be perfect.
I’ve just been to Sainsbury’s in mine, 6 mile round trip, for petrol mainly.
It was notchy (as always) going but the return journey fine. I’m still going to change the oil (got some arriving today actually) although it was changed about 2 years ago. I don’t know what was put in there, Castrol is my preferred gear oil to go in.
The done all the other stuff to ease the change, did on my last NC. Yes it all helped but you’ll still get a notchy from stone cold.
Bleeding the fluid out for fresh is next when I have the brake lines bled.
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If you are going to use the Castrol oil that I think you are. You will be “very” surprised.
(Castrol Transmax Multivehicle 75W90 API GL4 Fully Synthetic Gear Oil).
That’s the stuff, used it in my previous NC, it was called Syntrans then.
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Change the name, add a few quid to the shelf price. Clever marketing 
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Too right, it’s gone up considerably over the last couple of years, what’s not? 
It’s annoying that all my local shops don’t stock it now including Halfords, infact the Halfords have closed now, at the end of last year👎
B&Q used to do Castrol oil, that’s near me but can’t get it there now.
To think I had this oil delivered today from Cornwall, still it keeps the courier’s wheels rolling.