MX5Ireland

hi Guys,

Heads up - check the under side of your 5, particularly early 2000's. Check for rust spots or obvious rust. I have some potential bad news where the NCT is concerned. Apparently they are now failing cars with Chassis rust. Up to a while back it was not a live issue, one may have been informed by and by, not a fail issue. But it now has become a fail issue it seems.

Was talking to my mechanic today and it came up as a big topic of discussion as he has had a number of clients with different cars with this problem. Can cost 1000's to sort if rust on wishbones, axles, exhaust etc.

I am mentioning it because apparently some early 2000's MXes were not treated properly with rust proofing on certain areas of the chassis. ( Google MX5 rust chassis )

Is your MX a UK import - if so chassis rust can occur due to the UK using salt on their roads.

This one is going to be interesting re the NCT because quiet a few UK cars were brought into Ireland over last number of years. Plus whats structural rust and what is not.

I was also told that over the years when buying registered cars in main dealers and garages DOESNT necessarily mean they were not UK cars originally. The Garage does not have to tell you unless you ask .. apparently.

So - least of all a topic to discuss. And if any one has had NCT/Chassis rust stories with an MX5 here ..

NCT Manual with MAY 2012 changes - http://www.ncts.ie/pdf/NCT%20Manual%20Revise%20May%202012.pdf

Rust fail threads elsewhere:

http://www.dtdirl.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94767
http://www.fto-ireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5434
http://www.fto-ireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9975
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=78491927

Yes, I know about rust intimately. Mine is a UK car that does spend its winters in the North.

But it's not just UK cars. The roads have been salted here in the South for the past few years so it's the way things will be.

Hi Franksm,

Uhh, that looks nasty

It seems the Mark 2 / 2.5s seem to have larger rust issues on the chassis as per here, a recent fail in UK MOT:

http://web4.pistonheads.com/gassing/top ... assis+rust

And read this horror story: http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=397790 ( Frame Rail Rust )

Mechanic friend mentioned an exact same thing as appears at this forum:

http://www.mx5oc.co.uk/forum/forums/t/42944.aspx

"These cars rust from the inside out so as with an iceberg, what you see is the tip. " - Its the inside out part that struck me here as that is what the mechanic said. I didnt know that rust on chassis was as a bad an issue as I have heard recently.


Had a look under my 03 .. signs of it there on alot of the chassis areas.

Would be interested in other peoples 5's, have you looked?

I know it might sound like I am scare mongering but this is now a live issue with the NCT centres