I changed a headlight bulb.
Much easier than I had expected after reading people’s experiences on here. Probably because is was on the offside, and only the baby bulb (sidelight, I think you call it).
Was gonna give Nugget a much needed clean, but the constant drizzle made me change plans, and off we went for a drive in the mist and clouds.
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I love that colour on a MX they seem to be made for that colour ! I settled for a silver MX5 but would have liked the Grey colour of the one in this photo… They look so solid and the colour shows the lines off to perfection, and it sits nice,too. Ray in Essex.
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From a purely scientific point of view they “ slow the car down “ but too infinitesimally to measure… Even a fly hitting your windscreen slows your car down for a split second ….I’m referring to the go faster stripes I have them too… so I’m not being critical by the way, Just sitting in doors bored and felt like saying something ANYTHING even if beyond blindingly ‘ superfluous nonsense ‘ …
However… my remark is true it does indeed slow the car down Ray Epping Essex
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Nice piece of kit… 
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I second that, Lovely car Mick… Probably an optical illusion but They look bigger in white !!! In Eastbourne last year I saw one parked up in the distance and thought it was too big to be a MX 5 NC But it was …
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Hi GJ, can I ask please who you used to do your work? I’m in Leyburn, North Yorkshire and I’m looking for a trusted place to get wheel alignment done, preferably by someone who knows the MX5. Thanks.
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If you don’t mind a drive down to Sheffield, Rodders would be the man I’d go to (Roddison’s Motorsport)
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Hi. The ZetaCRDs were installed by AK Automotive near Newcastle upon Tyne (5-6 Whinfield Ind Est, Rowlands Gill NE39 1EH - https://rowlands-gill.cylex-uk.co.uk ) so not all that far from you. They did the installation and full alignment for £255. I understand that they run an MX5 racing team and do just about any type of work on all versions of the MX5.
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Well it’s all apart except for the crank bolt, still waiting for the locking tool. Got to clean everything up and replace cam seals, cas seals and water pump. Just got to remember where it all goes now
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Thanks very much
Well I never, thought it looked familiar so had a look at my keys and the same, in four years in my ownership never noticed the dealer name on the rear.
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This Reminds me when I once followed up a Citroen C2 It had a list of all the electrical gadgets that it ‘didn’t have’ written on the boot panel ! …. And at the end of the list it said “ peace of mind “ nothing to go wrong “ ! How true …
In the 1960s the cars had none of this gadget malarkey and the repair bills that come with the modern electrical ethos, didn’t exist !
What is wrong with throwing the roof back manually on the NC 1 ? What is wrong with winding a window down or up ? What is wrong with lifting the tailgate up or down instead of depending on electric motors to do it for you ? What about electric seats ? I just get in my car on a freezing cold morning. One hot water bottle up my jumper and one not so hot one on the seat …
I recently had a SL Mercedes The roof mechanism alone cost me £2000 to put right, The window problem another £1000 Etc Etc Etc, The car had only done 60,000 The Mercedes guys argued That the car had not had full Mercedes services Etc ! I asked them to tell me where it states that window mechanism and such is part of any service ! Just badly put together The CL was even worse, The
Huge door eventually destroys the electric body loom because much of the electrics run through the doors and under the dash panel and my car needed a £6000 repair ! I scrapped it instead ….
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Yesterday I replaced the sidelight bulbs with 501 Ring Premium LED 12V W5W from autobulbsdirect that were previously recommended here.
Old bulbs
New ones
New ones at night
And with headlights on
Even managed to do it from under the bonnet with my fat fingers lol
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My wife had a Ford KA. Original version '51 plate, base model. Smaller outside, cheaper and more economical than the Fiesta but more room inside.
It was a great little car to drive. Very much a wheel at each corner. You could drive it enthusiastically without looking like an idiot on the road and it never had any trouble keeping up with traffic. Long distance drives were comfortable and it would cruise all day at 80 and never felt unstable even at speed.
It was such fun to drive that after a year I sold my Audi A4 which was expensive to run and bought one myself. We ran the two Kas for around four years and I only sold mine as it wasn’t getting used when I bought my first Mk1 MX-5.
The only weak point that we found was the electric heater valve which stuck open which meant the heater was pumping out full heat all the time. A replacement was around £25 and could be easily accessed under the bonnet and even as a reluctant mechanic I swapped it with hand tools in an hour.
There’s a lot to be said for no frills motoring.
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Nothing like throwing the “ lid “ back on a MX5 NC1 in two seconds No worries about all the electrics going wrong when the rain is pouring down and the “ Lid “ sticks half way open or half way shut, Of course this will not affect people today. The electric roof system is still too young. But further down the line These little inconveniences will happen in the future as the system starts to show its age, Just because it’s a Mazda Trust my word They. “ Will “ succumb to their little problems… But The current owners will probably not be experiencing such things for many years to come … bless you all, Incidentally on a different note. Anyone wanting their MX5 A Pillars wrapped I can thoroughly recommend “” ESSEX TINTS “” just done mine 100% perfect. 2 hours work £120 including materials . They are in Harlow Essex. Take care you guys Best regards from Ray in Epping Essex ….
The Ka isnt a bad car at all. My wife had one of these at a time I owned an Impreza wrx, on twisty roads I think that the Ka could have shown the scobby a thing or two and was great fun to drive. There was a cheap upgrade from south africa which included cams, manifold and a chip that took the power up from 90 to 120bhp.
The only problem is rust, the area around the fuel cap starts to bubble and within weeks it seems like the whole car is ready for the scrap heap.
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I do worry about my bonnet Ray.
“Pedestrian safety was improved with the addition of a newly-developed active bonnet known as the Deployable Hood System (DHS). This system added impact detection sensors to the front of the car and actuators either side of the rear of the bonnet that would instantly lift the bonnet in a frontal impact. The deployable hood increases the crumple zone between the engine and bonnet in an attempt to lessen pedestrian injuries”
Been covered s few time on here, if it goes ping an expensive repair for yourself or rather the insurance. On a car old enough to be on the cusp of the insurance claim being ott I guess it could be a write off.
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I always enjoy your posts And certainly have enjoyed your Numerous hearts 
! But for the first time to date I am scratching my head at what post you was referring to ? I don’t recall sending a post about pedestrian safety Etc. Unless you were referring to one of mine from one of mine from some time back ! Giving the reasons for MX5s sitting so high on their springs Etc… Best regards from Ray in Essex …
You were generalising about electrical and such problems in MX-5’s, keeping it simple etc Ray.
Just pointing out that from 2013 (I think) they introduced the active bonnet on the NC, an expensive safety feature fix should it get deployed.
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