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greenMachine wrote:What a saga! Bummer!!
If it helps, I have a spare one of those exclusive collector's edition 'Bear' rear tow hooks ... LMK.

Awesome, that sounds good. I was going to pop down to Mania and see about a replacement hook..

Weird thing .... when i looked under the bonnet to see why the intake sound seemed so much louder... didn't really see anything untoward, but i think i need to pull off the intake to see if the filter is seated properly. In the meanwhile i heard a clicking sound... followed it to the fuse box and the horn relay was making a clicking sound. The car was on the charger at the time so there was power going around but don't know why the horn relay was clicking. Shouldn't there be nothing going to the horn unless it is pressed?

Anyway, pulled the horn fuse and left it overnight but it doesn't seem to have made a difference to the charging. Just checked the car after it's been on the charger since yesterday and there's still almost no charge. The windows are partly down and the car won't turn over and the windows don't respond. I think i'll be needing a battery too...

Shortly after getting my car back with the resurrected AC, I put my hard top on the car to really test it out. Sadly my tank was near empty and petrol took a 30cpl hike, which I refused to pay, so my car has sat for the past 2 weeks just waiting. I put $20 in on the weekend just to shake the dust and go visit my mum, any excuse is worth going for a drive, and even that little jaunt was good fun making turbo noises from the lights

Today is my office day, and I see petrol on that side of town is cheaper than my neck of the woods, so I've dríven to work as well. Should make for a good drive home in a couple of hours time. Not much of an AC test though given the current temps, even in QLD



LOL regarding A/C - that always seems to happen regarding heating/cooling, when you "get it" you don't need it until NEXT season
(kind of like when you wash your car and it rains unexpectedly once you're done)

Recently, we did approximately 1200 km (2 x 600 km) for a week's break and then back home. Awesome drives. Most of the way, we managed the trips top down, even through a lot of light showers. In between was beautiful sunshine and great scenery. We've done this route along the coast to Port Fairy from Adelaide often over the past 30 years and a number of times now in MX-5's. Parts of the coast roads are really crappy, and I was actually second-guessing taking the SE because it hasn't really been all that comfortable or relaxing for me driving it in the past. Until now, my favourite of these journeys had been in Mexie, our NA6, but this drive actually surpassed that. The improved power and smoother power delivery over stock, even though the car is only subtly modified, is just awesome, but I already knew that from previous trips. What made a big difference was the new tyres fitted just a couple of days before we left, ended up being ultra comfortable and confidence inspiring! I sat at max speed limits most of the way, even over the worst sections. I'm also always impressed with the economy of these, too, considering how hard I pushed it, returning 8L/100km for the trip. I was so much more relaxed this trip it really renewed my passion for this car ....

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^
Upgrading the OEM 17" rims to 15" or 16" would make you love your SE even more

I think I have to say that the recent (expensive) Dealer Service produced a noticeable improvement in how the car runs. (so it should for that kind of money). I thought it ran pretty smoothly before but it is most noticeable after my weekly run when I reverse it up the curved incline of the driveway into the garage. Used to be a very jerky process but now almost idles (not quite) up the incline.
The weekly run is a mix of 'B road' surfaces, some quite bumpy, some smooth. Lots of corners, some sweepers and some tight. A few off-camber with reducing radius just to hold your attention. The dampers are almost 90,000k old but still seem to maintain good adhesion on bumpy corners.
Might give it a present of new and better dampers at 100,000klms, I think. Tyres 30,000k's old but plenty of meat/grip. Alignment must be good as wear is very even. Still a delight to drive after 20 years and 70,000 k's behind the wheel.

Rocky wrote:I think I have to say that the recent (expensive) Dealer Service produced a noticeable improvement in how the car runs. (so it should for that kind of money).
Might give it a present of new and better dampers at 100,000klms, I think.

Good to hear your NB8B feels to be running better post its recent major service. Possible OEM dampers & springs upgrade should be an interesting project.

Me at Motorex 21...

Bruce...I'm sure I speak for many on here, I'd love more details and images. Looks awesome.

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A picture tells a thousand words...

Impressive Bruce.

Many other MX5s on display?

Drove Canberra to Sydney yesterday and back again today. First time I've left town in this car and I've owned it for 3 years. Also the first time in many years that I've spent an extended period in my fixed back Recaro... It's literally the same seat that was in my NA (and I sold that car in 2015) but I had dríven that for much more than three hours in a stint before and never really had an issues. Three hours yesterday though and my back wasn't happy with me last night. Barely made it to Marulan on the trip home this morning and it was flaring up already.

I must be getting old. Who thought that was a good idea...

The getting old as in. Fixed back seats are a great idea.

I was the only 'mx5' there.
I had a chat to Al from the Skid Factory.

Bruce, your Bullet needs it's own thread, pictures, details, and how it feels, please!

I drove down to the Gold Coast on Saturday to visit a friend, and back home on Sunday. No spirited driving, but the AC was nice at midday on the highway. I found myself quite drained at the end of each leg though, I think the noise and vibration makes the drive more draining. It was still nice to get out and drive and see a friend.

bruce wrote:Me at Motorex 21...

Looking good! Also a good day for it (here at least) - sunny (with a cold breeze admittedly after snow falls Sat & Sun).

93_Clubman wrote:Looking good! Also a good day for it (here at least) - sunny (with a cold breeze admittedly after snow falls Sat & Sun).

Be a while for me yet. Joe, you picked a good day to leave town ...