If there was just one thing Mazda could do to make the MX5 a bit better, what would it be?
Correct and suitable rust protection
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Most other manufacturers, particularly in Europe, at least partially galvanise the bodyshell early in production.
Mazda, and many others, do not, for any of their models, presumably as corrosion isn’t as much of an issue in their largest markets and the cars will do 10 years or so before rust causes problems in other more harsh environments.
In any case the realistic life of a car is at best 10 years/150k miles, and it’s not usually rust that finishes cars off - it’s mechanical/electrical problems that are uneconomic to repair.
I’m sure this will become more of an issue with full electric cars, if for no other reason that there’s not enough automotive electricians being trained, and the costs of the failed parts will be prohibitive.
Think computers/phones - software not supported after a few years, and if anything goes wrong it’s often more cost effective to buy a new one, especially if it’s more than 4 or 5 years old.
Great for manufacturers, not so much for consumers.
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Based on comments about the current model, a glovebox. I would add a lack of popup lights.
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Better colour options, they seem so bland over the years.
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Zinc dips.
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Glovebox ?Colours? Light ? Whatever … What do we really really want ? - Hydraulic PAS mate .
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There’s hot-dip galvanising, and there’s electro-galvanising
Here’s a picture of hot dipped galvanised fence wire I put up in 1988, now buried by dead ivy but still in excellent nick
And here’s one of modern electro-galvanised fence wire eight feet away I put up in 2017, soon to be replaced by stainless, its worse elsewhere, but harder to photo.
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+1 for the PAS.
And a model with fully retractable metal roof.
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Thought they all had PAS?
Missing something here.
I was referring to John_Aston’s above comment about hydraulic PAS.
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I believe the PAS in the ND is electric, not hydraulic.
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Ah.
Perhaps less favoured.
As I recaall, after driving a few pre launch ND’s on a VIP day ( I think Mazda fetched a brace of prelaunch Eunos Roadsters…& badge engineered them to read Mx5) I wrote into a now defunct Mx5 Forum a report as I was requested to do that I found the steering directional (very) over light, and had little or no road feel.
Brings it back now.
Give the a RF a full PRHT!
As things stand when/if I am able to replace my 08 PRHT NC I would be hard pressed to choose between the ND soft top and RF.
They did a model with a fully Retractable roof, ok not metal, that would be too heavy.
How would it be heavier than an RF?
I can’t work out whether you are making a joke or are simply trying to cast aside my answer to this thread’s question…
I think we may have misunderstood each other!I assume you are referring to the availability of a soft top,I was after a fully retractable hard top not the targa top of the RF.
I wasn’t responding to your comment, I was responding to MickAP’s comment.
Hence using the reply arrow at the bottom corner of his comment.
I happen to agree with you on the prht, so no I wasn’t talking about a soft top. I too would like a fully retractable metal roof on the MK4, so that it becomes a full convertible.
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I think the PRHT on the NC is plastic, not metal.