![]() ![]() Two pairs were in the UK, the other was in maritime Canada. I think we've had three sets of FM springs break due to rust worldwide. The UK is really tough when it comes to corrosion. That's interesting about the control arms, because they're the same basic design as the NA but with a few extra reinforcing gussets. My OTM Dodge gets no love, no washes, no oil spray, lives outside 24/7, and is our main family hauler, 150,000 km.the paint/body have held up better than my 3. The area I live in enjoys better weather than some of the salty-est cities up here (Montreal, Ottawa).those cities are full of rusty Mazdas.ĭisappointing to say the least.I love the car otherwise. It has been rust protected (oil spray) several times, and it doesn't even get driven much in the winter. I'll probably get it fixed, as this car is too good to let go. It looks brand new, inside and out, but is starting to show some rust bubbles where the rear wheel arch meets the bumper. I read that it had something to do with Mazda's assembly of a few key panels.where the metal meets, it wasn't treated properly. The rear wheel arches and the trunk lids are very bad. I see tons of rusty 3s up here, and its well documented. The Mazda 3 (1st gen) is really bad for rust. The Miata, in general, isn't an accurate measure on Mazda's rust reputation.many are fair weather cars, and are well cared for. The wishbones should, subject to rebushing, pretty much last the lifetime of the car. Rusting through wishbones this has been cropping up on NB-FLs, and is unforgivable. The sealant that was applied over overlapping panels is now hardening and cracking, creating another rust trap. Sealed joints older MX5s are basically shaking themselves apart. So the Mazda is no worse than a Citroen C5. To be fair, the rot problems here are also seen on some French cars. ![]() Then there is the issue of the front chassis rails. Neither the Toyota or MG, which see similar use, and are used in a similar environment, have this problem With the NB-FL, some cars have panels that are poor sealing to the sill panel, creating even bigger problems. Compared to the MG and the Toyota, the Mazda suffers from poor design with this notorious rust trap. ![]() Blame is the past for rotting MX5 sills/rockers has been ascribed to blocked drains, but that fails to appreciate that the source of the rot the close proximity of the outer strengthening panel to the wing, creating a non-draining rust trap. Unlike most tin top cars, all three cars will channel water from the roof through the car substructure. The NB-FL, which is basically a 1998 NB with revisions, is a comparable design to the MGTF (itself a revision of the 1995 MGF), and the Toyota MR-S E30 (debuted in 1999). True, but modern cars are far more resistant to corrosion than cars of yore, thanks to better steels, better design, better primary coatings, better primers, better paint.Ĭomparisons to the MGTF and MR-S are valid. Any car subjected to the harshness of road salt without proper care, undercarriage flushes, touching up scratches, chipped paint, etc. ![]()
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