Mk 2 1998 silver R.S import sort out thread,06

[robabarker]

I'm thinking either blue or grey for the top. I've got a house move coming up though so the top may have to wait a little bit!

With the mats, mine are the dark grey Roadster ones with a checkered texture, I think the correct RS ones are black with diagonal white stripes/slashes.

[robabarker]

So, I've done a bit of research and it looks like there were a few mat options, so mine (2nd along) are right, just not the ones I've seen elsewhere!

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[Mazda Mender]

They are right bud ...as for the hood i have a link for you somewhere..
M-m

[robabarker]

Cheers, I'll keep an eye out.

I do like the first mats that look like bus seats and the third ones along though, might have to start a collection!

[robabarker]

So, that most anxiety-inducing of all days - MOT day - came up today. Luckily it turns out I had nothing to be worried about!

I'd booked in to Church Lane Garage, Bramhall, and while they're Jag specialists it seems they'll turn their hands to pretty much anything, as shown by the AMG in the car park and the Nissan GTR that turned up as I was leaving.

In short, top blokes, good, quick service, and not too pricey either! Best of all, the Roadster passed with flying colours, not an advisory to be seen.

As a bit of a side note, and as something to keep in mind for my own records, it looks like the test centre I took it to last year managed to b***er up the mileage when they recorded it:
2016: 82,768 miles
2017: 85,481
2018: 98,066
2019: 91,777

...wait, what?

I can only guess that the 2018 figure was meant to be 88,066 and somebody's finger slipped and hit the 9 not the 8, since I'm fairly sure I'd remember driving the Roadster 4 times further than usual.

Anyway, if anyone round the Stockporty, Cheshirey, Manchestery area needs an MOT sorting, give Church Lane Garage a shot. Apparently they do undersealing too, which is always handy with a Mazda!

[robabarker]

Update time!

Took the Roadster over to Mr. Mender on Sunday 8.9.2019 for a service (oil change, oil filter, spark plugs, aux belt) and to get the shrunken vinyl hood swapped for an OEM Mazda mohair one that he tracked down for me.

In hardly any time at all, Wayne and Daryl had sorted the roof, done the service and identified the source of my squeaking front brake - the pad wear indicator.

Getting a little water leaking in between the two seals at the top of the passenger window, but I'll adjust the middle seal outwards by moving the s/steel frame and that should sort it!

I'll also need to clean and proof the new top, and dye the inside where it's faded, so just waiting for a couple of clear days.

Photos:

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[robabarker]

Mega-quick update - sorted the passenger side middle door seal by removing it, loosening the screws on the stainless rail and moving it out.

The most fiddly part is getting the seal back into the channel, but using the edge of an old credit card made it easier to pop the 'lip' of the seal under the bend in the metal.

Now all watertight, which is just as well since we had a massive thunderstorm on Sunday morning!

[robabarker]

Another update!

Dropped the Roadster in with Mr. Mender on Saturday (12.10.19) for new brake pads all-round after it became apparent the fronts were a bit on the low side.

He was also going to change the upper and lower gear-shifter boots and the nylon bush, but hadn't accounted for me accidentally screwing the gear-knob on with far too much force.

Drove back the same afternoon and the brakes feel spot on. Manager to get the gear knob off with a pair of rubber gloves and a bit of grunt, and popped it back on slightly less tightly. A word of caution, always make sure you grease the threads of your knob if you're planning on taking it off anytime soon.

Also had a break in the rain so managed to put a coat of dye on the inside of the soft-top to combat a bit of fading, although more coats needed since the heavens opened while I waited for it to dry.

Next bits will be:

Popping back to get the gear shift boots sorted (there's a bit of play in the shifter and heat coming through).
Putting a JDM-sized rear plate on to replace the ugly UK plate that's currently on there.

[robabarker]

Another quick update to the old digital service record.

Popped over to see Mr. Mender on 10.11.19 to sort suspected torn gearshift boots, sure enough, they'd both gone after four years and not many miles. Hopefully it was just a bad batch!

MM also tightened up the aux belt to sort a bit of squealing. Hopefully that's cured it!

[robabarker]

As MM recently pointed out, a lot of my photos have vanished from this thread. Apparently the hosting site I used shut down, taking my images with it.

Luckily I've got backups of a few of them (but not all), though I'm not sure if there's a way of editing my past posts so I can put them back in

Since my last post there have been some little bits of Roadster fiddling, including replacing the driver's side door seal (it's so much easier if you take the window out first!) replacing the clutch and brake pedal rubbers, and re-gluing the metal tabs on the stainless sill plates because they were loose, rattling and doing my head in!

The main thing, though, is that after a lot of searching for the right person for the job, I've had some of the paintwork to the front-end redone.

Without going into too much detail, I'd previously had the front bumper and lip repainted, partly because they were starting to look a little tired (though not terrible) and partly because I'd decided to remove the UK-spec number plate plinth and go to a JDM-sized plate on a stand-off mount.

Sadly, the new paint didn't take long before it was absolutely covered in stonechips, and the front lip took a bit of a beating from tall speed-bumps and unexpectedly steep driveway entrances!

After saving a few pennies and researching like a madman, I found Ian at Taylor Made Body Repair, just down the road from me here in Hazel Grove, Stockport. I dropped the car off with him on Monday 1 June, and he was done by Friday 5th.

As well as repainting the front bumper and lip, I also had him repaint the Mazdaspeed A-Spec Touring headlight covers, paint and fit the longer rear mudguards/spats that I've had in storage for a while, and fill the holes that had been drilled when a UK-size rear numberplate had been fitted.

The work really speaks for itself, and nothing seemed like too much hassle for Ian, if you're in the area I'd definitely recommend him, and he'll turn his hand to most things. As he said himself, if it stands still for long enough, he'll paint it!

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[robabarker]

Quick job for today, replacing the old, flaking hazard light button.

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It's a really simple job, just take off the little covers on either side of the stereo headunit, pull it out with a pair of removal tools, pull out the cubby box under it (with a single DIN stereo at least) to get a bit more room, then pop out the old switch from behind, unclip the wiring connector and remove it.

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Then just do everything in reverse order to fit the new button.

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Since the switch is right in the middle of the dash it makes a huge difference to the looks, thanks to Andy at Autolink for getting the switch out to me so quickly!

[robabarker]

Well, after five years of faithful service, the Roadster let me down for the first time on Saturday. Sadly it decided to cut out on the A1M halfway between home in Stockport and my parents' house in Whitley Bay, while my pregnant girlfriend was in the car with me!

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After getting to a nearby service station the AA came out and had a look, and while it did cut out a few more times, it didn't do it predictably enough for a proper diagnosis, so off it went on the back of a truck, with us in the cabin.

So, after setting off before 9am, we finally completed what's normally a 3-hour journey (with a stop) by 6pm

Anyway, this morning I hired a recovery bloke to take the Roadster over to AK Automative here in the Northeast. After about 7 hours with them...they have no idea what the problem is. It's been running all day without cutting out, though I don't know if they've actually driven it or revved it enough to get properly hot.

Current guesses are that it could be the cam sensor, crank sensor, ECU or immobiliser, but as yet it's no further forwards. They have noted that the passenger carpet is wet, which is a fairly frequent issue, but fingers crossed the ECU is okay!

[blackyb]

What a shocker, we get to just assume these wee cars run no matter what. Tge damp carpet is a starting point but I tend to agree it's a sensor failing as the car gets properly warmed up. Nothing stored by the way of a code in the ecu.

[robabarker]

Nope, no flash codes coming up or anything so it's a bit of a mystery!

[blackyb]

Needle in a haystack then.

I assume its intermittent or is there any particular manner of driving that causes the car to cut out.

Does she restart after a few minutes of cooling down.