How Grey Was my Valley

This is an unusual question that I am hoping you can help me with, as RSA has no such website for the MX5's. I bought a 1994 model two years ago and am now hoping to sell it to upgrade to the new one. I was hoping for some history on my car and how it arrived in RSA. My dealer tells me it is a gray car (in that it was not imported whole) because it has features that other MX5's do not show that were 'local' cars. This I don't understand because all of them had to be imported in. Other reasons are that the steering wheel is a Eunos and the boot has a light on it. It is also marked to 180kms and is a 1600. Please can you shed some light on how these cars were brought here and what the meaning of the Eunos steering wheel is. I do not want to be in a position of ignorance now that I am trying to sell her. It is also marked as a roadster, if that helps.

Carmen Barnard, South Africa

'Eunos Roadster' was the name applied to Japanese Mazda MX-5s. Other than different badgework and (in some cases) different colo(u)r and spec availability, they are effectively one and the same. Some differences - such as the 'cap' on the speedo reading as well as the fact it's speed-limited to 185-190km/h - are vehicle regulations applying to all locally-built cars sold in Japan.

Mazda used to sell cars through five sales channels in Japan; Mazda, Enfini, Eunos Autozam and Autorama, the last selling Ford-badged Mazda-designed and built products such as the Telstar and Laser. Some Mazda models you may be familiar with in the West might be marketed as an Enfini (the FD RX-7, for example) a Eunos (the MX-5/Miata) or Autozam (121). Other than superficial detail differences, they're basically the same as the car which looks the same that you may be familiar with.

Most grey imports of late are used Japanese cars, shipped into countries with few restrictions on the importation of used vehicles. The business flourishes in markets where right-hand-drive is the order of the day (such as new Zealand, South Africa as well as former British colonial outposts in Africa, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Australia is a bit of a holdout, as importation and certification rules make the job more trouble than it's worth.

While grey import used cars such as this are usually cheaper than the locally available item, in some cases the local importer is under no obligation to provide parts support or service, so tread carefully before you buy. A little less than ten percent of the questions I get are from Eunos Roadsters owners in the British Isles with no local source of parts or service.

bwob

Bob really does like Baskin-Robbins Daiquiri Ice

Hi Bob, I have a question, actually a few. I have always had sedans or SUV's (I am a lease junkie) and I have had my eye on the Miata for about 2 years now, and am seriously considering buying one. So many people tell me that I will get "bored" with it, but I cannot explain WHAT exactly has driven me to research the Miata, order catalogs, etc...I just cannot seem to put my "Miata Fever" aside. My two questions are: Would you lease or purchase as a first-time Miata owner? and...Have you ever grown tired of your Miata, and gotten another or another type of car altogether? Your honesty and opinion is very appreciated!

Tila, Los Angeles, CA

If the people who insist you will 'get bored' with a Miata actually own or owned one, I might give their comments minimal consideration. Otherwise I'd probably tell them to go to Hell. It is, after all, your car and (more importantly) your money and someone who's never owned a Miata has no idea whatsoever as to what they're babbling about. Additionally, such comments don't take into account that people's tastes are not universal. To make an equally moronic statement, you won't like Baskin-Robbins Daiquiri Ice. How do I know this? Because I don't like it.

I'm not a fan of leasing cars, so I cannot give you a fair answer to your query of leasing versus purchase. Sorry.

In addition to not ever getting tied with or bored of any of my Miatas, I've never gotten bored with any car I've owned. This can be an expensive problem, especially when I've decided to hang onto a few and garage space starts to get scarce. However, even in the times I didn't own a Miata, I always owned something similar (as in a two-seat open car).

The depth of your conundrum begs the very obvious question: have you driven a Miata yet? If not, you probably should.

bwob

Price of a mid-Winter tanning

I have an original 1990 (white) Miata. I've long wanted to change the interior color/upholstery to beige along with the top. Can this be done? Is it cost prohibitive?

Christopher, Naples, Fl

It's eminently doable, bit it will be a pretty expensive job if you buy all the bits from a Mazda dealer as NOS parts. In dollar amounts the costs could be pared considerably by trolling through junkyards, especially those specializing in imported cars. Please bear in mind that this could become a very time-consuming exercise finding parts in the condition you'd like. As a result, a lot depends on how much you value your own time as well.

bwob

Bob's no substitute for common sense

Hi BWOB!

Two quick questions:
How many NOS tanks will fit in the trunk of a '96 Miata?
Where would you recommend placing the switches for the NOS?

Steve Repp, Albuquerque, NM

1] Tankage with the approximate volumetric equivalent of a pair of standard golf bags should fit in a Miata trunk. Now I realize this is an incredibly obscure idea, but have you given any thought to contacting a company which makes the things to find out what sizes are available? If you find that too tough or a bit too abstract to deal with, you may have a devil of a time guessing when to push the switch referred to in question 2.

2] Inasmuch as it's your car, that's best left to your own personal preferences. You wouldn't like my answer anyway.

bwob

If you can breathe unassisted, why shouldn't your car?

Hi. 2 weeks ago I just purchased a 91 classic red Miata from my friend. She's in mint condition with 43000 miles and I was thinking of either supercharging or turbocharging it to get some more power.. My question is which is better in your opinion and which would be better for the car?

Ryan Murray, Fairfield, Ohio

My opinion on forced induction of any kind on spark-ignition engines isn't exactly a secret (as a quick peek through the "Ask Bob!" archives will show), but if you aren't into research I can give you a much-abbreviated version as it applies to your two basic queries;

1] Neither

2] Letting it breathe on its own (which means 'neither' in this case)

Hope that helps.

bwob

NEWSFLASH: It is now possible to travel between continents!

I thought that the aussie folks drove on the other side of the road? By the looks of your pic on miata.net the drivers wheel is on the left.

mike, carolina

I have no idea how the law-enforcement agencies in whichever of the Carolinas you forgot you live in feel about it, but in the California Republic the bluesuits (tansuits in the case of the CHP and others) generally prefer that you drive on the right-hand side of the road. As a result, most cars there have the steering wheel on the left side. Well, except postal delivery vehicles.

bwob

It's not a hard choice for me

Slap me silly! I keep fantasizing about a yellow S2000 and I keep thinking about doing sinful things like trading in my beloved 98 BMW M3 and 93 Miata (Mariner Blue, one of your faves I believe). Any suggestions besides checking in to a psychiatric ward?

Tom Nguyen, Sugarland, TX, USA

Nope. But then I've lived with a couple of S2000s. Thankfully on a temporary basis only.

bwob

Well Doctor, I've got a 'friend' with this problem...

Well, g'day bob. There was this fat guy from out town, now this guy was about 450 lbs..and he drove around in this little ass Miata, just a question is it safe to do so?
your sincerely,

Doug Diggler, Kingston Ontario Canada

When you hit 450 pounds, let me know and I'll pass the word along.

bwob

Why do they ALL come from HotMail or AOL accounts?

Howdy bob well i just bought a 1990 classic red miata truly a beautiful car i love it! but when ever my engine sits on 2000 rpm there is a weird vibration/grinding noise any clue what it migght be? i know it is coming from somewhere in under the hood! i knwo thats a lot of help! thanks again, chris

Chris Burkley, Dallas/Tx/Usa

Sorry, but my abilities in transliteration of the written word (even with the best of onomatopoeia to work with) haven't been too good since that painless cycling accident I had with Naomi Campbell back in '91. I'm sure you read all about it in the papers of the day.

Maybe you ought to take a radical step to get this one IDed. Like driving the car to somebody - a mechanic, for instance - who can actually hear it. I know that's an alien as well as extreme measure, but why do anything by halves?

Anyway, it's an excuse to drive the car instead of sitting in front of a computer, should you need one. I can't speak for you, but I know where my own preferences lie and it's sure as Hell not with a keyboard.

bwob

Yeah bwob, but do you put sugar on cornflakes before you pour the milk on?

How do you change the oil of the 2001 Miata? Can you remove the oil filter from the top or from underneath the car? If it is from the top, can you give a tip on how to squeeze in your arm/hand to reach it? Do you use the left or the right arm/hand? I have the oil filter wrench.

Thanks very much.

Rene Valbuena, San Jose, California

I do it from beneath the car (though you can do it from above if you wish), but then I put my socks on before my trousers and cut my steak up as I'm eating it, not into bits before eating.

bwob

Glass windowed soft top no problem for hardtop

I need a new soft top. I want to also purchase a hardtop to put over the soft top and stealthbox. Do I need the plastic, or will the glass window upgrade for the soft top interfere with any of the other components of the above mentioned??

Eric, Las Vegas/NV/U.S.A

Because the hardtop fits on the body outside of the top bay, a glass rear window in a Miata top should cause no problems whatsoever. Top boots can sometimes be tricky to fit -especially when cold - with some glass-windowed tops, but you probably won't be using a top boot when the hardtops is on, so this is only a minor inconvenience.

bwob