As 999to5 says, roof and rear deck cover, composite non metallic, boot steel, bonnet aluminium. General consensus is moisture somehow, trapped in the composite material from factory, causing bubbling. Repaint requires prep and FULLY drying perhaps heated somewhat, in an attempt to remove any moisture. My PRHT (aluminium metallic colour) has none but as previous folk have posted, might affect certain colours? Don’t ask me which ones though Soft top version aluminium boot lid and no rear deck cover, although they do oxidise in same location as steel boot lids rust.
PRHT has the steel boot lid so it is rust around the number plate lights. The soft top has as stated the Ali boot lid, a little easier to deal with. Done mine a couple of years ago, most older models steel or Ali do go like that unfortunately unless kept impeccably clean from new.
I was doing a service on the brakes on my daily driver yesterday, it’s a 7 years old SEAT. Just the odd very minor rust patches appearing on the suspension parts, everywhere else still covered in factory black paint. It lives outside, go look at most untreated MX-5’s underneath at 7 years old, some not a pretty sight.
I suspect the seals on the number plate lights are made of a similar nasty material to those on the scuttle cover inserts. They seem to hold water and promote corrosion.
Read a lot of threads on the Miata site about the PRHT composite bubbling,a lot of blame is for cars parked in sunlight without much care on waxing the paint work for protection.
I park mine basically underneath a tree with only a little of the PRHT not been in the shade, and that’s the bit that had bubbled a bit.
I assume this means the moving cover on the PRHT. My son’s is bubbling a bit. I didn’t think it was steel when I looked - I thought probably plastic, but it might be aluminium. Must have a closer look.
If it is plastic or composite material the bubbling is perhaps Osmosis. Happens a lot with fibreglass bodies where moisture permeates inwards through micro pores and get trapped inside the structure. Sometimes this happens from underneath to the outside. So if the bottom of the panel isn’t fully sealed moisture can be drawn in from the air and get trapped underneath the paint causing blisters. Osmosis blisters are often quite small but numerous.
I think you’re doing the right thing in waiting a while, second hand car prices are currently artificially high and bound to drop soon.
The more you can add to your budget the better chance of getting a peach. They are out there.
Hard to answer any pricing question at the moment with the ridiculous price ‘dealers’ are often asking for cars in general.
Case in point, there’s a Mazda dealer on Autotrader ‘offering’ a 3K mile, near year old 100th Anniversary for 32K !!! plus a nice £100 ‘admin’ fee.
Surely there is no one in the UK who would pay that for it.
Admin fees… sign a bit of paper to tell DVLA you bought it, then give you a receipt for your money.
Ok there may be more like a short warranty to write up but basically you are paying for someone who’s already being paid to do a job.
Can I say generally that I don’t mind receiving messages direct if someone has a really nice MX5 2.0 litre to sell, with details, rather than by a post which seems to contravene forum rules.
Also, I live on the Wirral, and whilst I will travel to see a perspective purchase I would prefer to keep travel within, say 100 miles.
Quite understood and with many thanks for making your position clear. I was obviously unaware that I was breaking any forum rules & may I apologise for that to everyone!
Perry.
The ability to use this forum to sell a car is afforded to MX5 Owners Club members only. If you are a OC member, and your membership is not linked to your forum account, contact Admin.
Soft top version aluminium boot lid and no rear deck cover, although they do oxidise in same location as steel boot lids rust.
