I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on:
I need to take my precious R2 eunos to get few things resolved and i want to make sure she is in good hands with a mechanic who is passionate about MX5s, knows them inside out, and can trust. Here in London i just find mechanics who charge a fortune and try to ‘take me for a ride’ as they see I am a woman and assume I am clueless about mechanics (not the case!).
Last year the clutch was gone and had to get it replaced here. Since then the hydraulic played up meaning I need to pump the pedal for 10/15minutes when I switch on the engine until i can finally engage any gears (from cold the pedal is 50% looser/gives in).
I spoke to Andrew & Rob (OC tech gurus) and recommend I get the clutch slave and master cylinder replaced, which aren’t expensive parts but a) need a good mechanic to do a sterling job to solve the issue; b) won’t charge me a fortune in labour
I also need to get sorted:
electric: since I got it serviced 6 years ago and the guy replaced the oil gauge in the dashboard, my speakers stopped working. I get sound only from the headrest.
ball joints dusters: severely deteriorated. Keep on coming up at MOT. Want to get them replaced
suspensions: the previous owner had some custom ones installed. Right now it feels like driving without suspensions. In London is ‘a joy’ with all the potholes but also when travelling out towards Milton Keynes in some road the holes feel like a punch in the face at 70mph.
replace exhaust heatshields as they look severally damaged/broken (most likely courtesy of London speed bumps)
Any recommendations not more than 2hrs drive from London?
Watching this, as I am also in London, SW, looking for recommendations for a good Indy. I know what you mean about mechanics ‘taking you for a ride’, seems to be a common thing! Not good.
C&C Sparkes 10A Bullhousen Farm, Bisley Green, Woking, Surrey GU24 9EW
01483 488433 Expert in Mk1 & 2 MX-5s. (Now doing some Mk3’s as well)
I have used his services and extremely happy with workmanship and prices.
I have a mk1 1.6 Eunos and after having the clutch done twice locally I experienced a lot of noise issues.
Basically the PPF alignment may have been part of the issue and the quality of the clutch components. Yours is a later 1.8 so not sure if you will be affected in the same way. My advice would be to use the genuine Mazda clutch components.
Vincent resolved the issue with genuine components. I would recommend (2h 30m) this garage, he showed me the difference from the standard Exedy clutch and the genuine clutch plate.
Hey
Thanks for sharing your experience with the clutch. No noise with mine but i know for a fact they didn’t install a Mazda part even if I told them before hand to buy only original parts from MX-parts. Yet another reason why I don’t want to use that garage anymore. If I pay. (And they indeed charged me a fortune!) I want them at least to buy what I asked for.
I see your eunos is white like mine. No matter how many times I look at mine i still get a rush of happiness when I see a picture of a white mk1.
From our original post it seems Vincent is well known among members. What I couldn’t find is where’s his garage/address. Do you mind sharing?
Thanks
I’d highly recommend Vincent too. Previously Cleverley Repaired Cars. He and Michael have got me out of lots of mechanical pickles over the years. If you’re north London it’s not too horrible to get to Stradbroke.