My Eunos Roadster front mudguards are always catching sleeping policeman or low kerbs and getting damaged. They have been repaired about three times but the last time, they were damaged beyond repair. So I had to order a new set from MX5PARTS, they duly arrived as always the next day after ordering them and they looked the bees knees. Today I decided to fit them and when I took the one from the car off I was dismayed to find they weren’t the same length as the new ones. I was expecting that they wouldn’t fit on the same place on the bodywork and some patching up of paintwork was going to have to be done.
What a relief it was when I found that they fitted the body work perfectly and due to them being shorter than the old ones , they are now about 50 mm higher from the road. It looks like someone has realized the original mudguards were to low especially on a lowered car and had the replacements lowered. Very pleased with them.
So are these genuine Mazda, or MX5parts/ILM knock-offs? I can see it being the latter, as I can’t imagine Mazda would have done different front mudguards depending if the car is for domestic or export use (why would they?). If genuine, there will come boxed with a Mazda label and part number (I brought a set of front mudguards ages ago from Mazda, and thats how they arrived), so a Mazda part number would be appreciated, as I always shop around and can often get parts cheaper from my local dealer than MX5parts. Because I paint adherance, I’d rather have the genuine article. Some of the replacement mirrors MX5parts are Chinese made copies, even though they look identical to the original part.
The only change I know of is when the 1.8 came out, and Mazda replaced the short rear mudguard with a longer rear mudguard. Early front Mk2 mudguards were stubby little affairs, which I suppose could be made to fit the Mk1.
Hi SAZ, sorry it has taken me so long to reply to you question but here it is.
First, MX5PARTS advertise these as Genuine Mazda Parts.
Second, The number on the MAZDA label on the box they came in is …NA12-51-840B SU With the words and letters above the number FLAPR . F Made in Japan. and in large white letters on a blue background MAZDA GENUINE PARTS.
Ps I am not intending to shout with the uppercase letters, it is that is how they are shown on the label.
Everything points to them being genuine though.
I would be a bit gutted if I found that a Mazda dealership were cheaper than MX5PARTS. as they are not inexpensive.
Always double check with a dealer; even if the price is the same, the dealer will still be cheaper as there are no carriage costs. Additionally, many dealers will do an extra discount for Club Members, something MX5parts won’t do.
In some cases you are probably correct as far as carriage costs are concerned but, it costs me about £5.00 in petrol as it is a 40 mile round trip for me to the nearest dealer. Plus my wife comes with me and wants to go into the town to spend some more money so I don’t mind the postage charge, all other things being equall.
