Miata Rust: NA & NB. Different Chassis. DIFFERENT issues!

[@wibuwe]

Probably the most informative video on Miata rust

[@75supercourse]

I really appreciate you making the comment about crumple zones. I feel like that is a point that is too often lost on folks, it looks like you've got a nice steel cage around you, but in fact you've got jack. I got no issue with somebody who understands that deciding they want to take that risk, but lots of people have no idea of the exposure.

[@jeffreylucas3899]

Great information for the naive buyer. I have owned 47 Miatas from 1991-2005 . Anything north of the Mason Dixon line with substantial mileage will have issues of some degree. My advice, find a southern car. Cheaper in the long run even if you have to fly to get it, or have it trucked to you. My current driver is a flood car from Mississippi, a 2005 Mazdaspeed that I bought for 6500 from auction, with a hardtop and 15K miles in 2008. I treated the rockers with spray wax, fixed one door switch, treated the front rails.....cleaned everything out the ass.....and it is a tremendous car.

[@justsumguy2u]

We don't have the rust problems here in Florida, but there's a trade-off----because the weather is nice, people drive them year-round, which means they often have high miles

[@boatman222345]

Well you just talked me out of buying a used 1994 NA Miata! I had no idea that rust was this big a problem on these cars. Reminds me of a 1984 Toyota pickup I once owned. I brought it in to Toyota for a tuneup and the mechanic asked me if I really wanted to spend the money to do the work. When I said what do you mean, it's a great little truck! He brought me out into the service area where the truck was up on a lift and showed me spots i the frame where you could literally see right through it! His comment was "I shouldn't say this but Toyota should have to buy this truck back from you, there's no excuse for this kind of rust problem!" Did I mention that the truck had primarily been driven in California and Arizona? You can't help but wonder why Mazda hasn't dealt with this rust problem given they've been producing the Miata since 1989....

[@523motorsports]

For the NB miata front frame rail rust, they sell replacement panels to cut out the bad and weld in the good. I just bought some on ebay UK and I'm having them shipped to the USA because I couldn't find any US sellers.

[@Spookieham]

I've got a 2001 NB with absolutely Zero rust on it and 160k miles on it. It's lived its entire life luckily in Western Australia where it's dry and burning hot in summer but snow is unknown so no road salt.

[@chris_hayes]

Unlike my UK NB that’s just had it’s front chassis legs replaced, along with the rest of the metal that holds the front and back wheels together!

[@joelyjowell3]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge in this video . Great content

[@greentriumph1643]

I am a little (well a lot) older than I Do Cars, and I lived in New England, but all rear wheel drive cars rusted in the areas that he mentioned. But in the old days you generally had a frame! My 67 Mustang, which was unibody looked beautiful but it was a rust bucket underneath and I had to part it out. One day I stopped a little harder and a strut to the lower A arm pulled out.

[@matthewanderson2464]

I had a '94 NA when I lived in Minnesota. Rust was not too bad on that (by Minnesota standards), but it usually was parked in the winter. I traded it in on a 2001 NB and got snow tires to drive in the winter. I ended up having to get rid of it due mostly to the rust. It had large holes in front of the rear wheel wells, as well as all of the other problem areas.

[@Captaintek77]

Great video! I will check out the front fenders on my 97 NA and clean them out. Thanks for sharing.

[@I_Do_Cars]

Thanks! Feel free to share it around!

[@ianmcclure112]

Great content so far man! I think this channel has a lot of potential!

[@Propulsions_Anciennes]

Thanks man ! I live in Belgium (sorry my english is not perfect haha), but I have a 1990 Miata and I have a the sames problems that you ;) But now, it's done, and its a wonderfull car ! Great video man ;)

[@ThePilotGear]

Great video! I'm on the edge of buying an ultra clean NB2 with zero rust. I intend on driving it quite a bit but man do I hate rust. Would you recommend that I rustproof it? I'd be using Krown, possibly having it done professionally. I watched this video to get better acquainted with the worst areas as to best inform the rustproofing technician. But I don't want any drain holes clogged. What's your take?

[@dirtyfivethirtygarage]

I can honestly say I've never seen a rusty Miata here in California...

[@thunderbirdizations]

Great video, very knowledgeable, genuine

[@SamFBM]

my 2003 was rusted legs, every wheel well, shock mounts, floors , both sides of trunk , sills in and out , crash bar , arches. fricken nightmare car

[@the1beard]

Would love to see a video on NC and ND Mx5's

[@Ty-cx6vz]

How much would you pay for a 2003 NB2 160k miles and rust on both the rear quarter panel wheel wells? No other rust spots, typical clear coat peel, but mechanically sound. Thanks.

[@johnscott9086]

Yeah next time you try to take the bolts out of the front quarter panel spray them down with penetrating oil first and let them soak and then work them back and forth a few times before just going and snapping them off in One aggressive Direction

[@jacobminardi9231]

I just bought a 91 for $200. Needs rockers and fendes. Clutch. But for $200 might consider fixing.

[@rickyg1247]

Just sold my JDM Eunos Roadster and whilst it wasn’t as bad as some I’m happy not to be doing the annual rust repairs

[@miketdavies]

Curious if the NC(2) has the same issue as the NB on the frame rails. I guess a couple hour's work and I can verify for myself on my own, but ugh. That's brutal.

You should totally do an in-depth engine tear down on the red '97 ...not because I'm curious as to why the damn thing kept eating oil... But for science!

[@I_Do_Cars]

I’m pretty sure its rings, because there’s no element left in that cone filter lol

@@I_Do_Cars only one way to find out! Lol But yeah, I got tired of chasing up the issues that the PO hid from me. There came a point when I stopped to balance out the finances it'd take to get that thing sorted out. That's when I realized that it was going to cost me way too much just to chase up all the repairs to get it to a state of being that I could be proud of, so I stopped caring and it just became a beater while I stockpiled funds elsewhere.

[@thunderbirdizations]

60 miatas??? Any opinion on my miata’s hood? Do you think it’s marketable/scaleable to sell?

[@jonathanellis6097]

They are called the MX5 in the UK, basically all our roads are salted during the winter, the MX5 is widely known as a rust bucket. I don't think I would ever buy a Mazda or Ford, they seem especially bad for rust.

[@bentnickel7487]

I'm 71 y/o, been driving since 1964 and from the Midwest. I've never seen a vehicle that didn't rust. Early 1970 Datsun's lasted 2 years in the St. Louis area, but they all rust. Rust retardants slow it down, but if a magnet sticks to it, it's just a matter of time.

[@glfarwell]

Your absolutely correct, as I am of the same age and general location at that time (now in S. CA.). I even garaged my 73 240Z in winter, and still find rust within a couple of years.

[@stumac869]

Great cars but they do rot from the inside out and what might look nice from the outside could hiding a lot of nasties. NCs also starting to rot around the rear, similar fashion to NA.

[@neilhartigan7456]

You truly are a rare bird a breaker with A conscience. Safety crumple zones that you will not repair respect 🤡🌎

[@ChiemyChanga]

Thank you

[@user-vq6ym6qg4j]

Gonna buy an nb most likely. I live in Los Angeles and I’m still gonna check, but is it less of a worry here?

[@I_Do_Cars]

CA is likely one of the cleanest places to buy a car. I’d just do a carfax and if it lived it’s entire life there I wouldn’t be concerned

[@euphoric_performance]

Mine was also rusted and whenever I got into an accident it crumpled my front end all the way back to my motor and I was only going like 15

[@k80clay]

When your crumple zone is a little more crumple-y than others.

[@seansims2475]

Sounds like another reason to buy NA miatas instead of NB.

[@merlyn2121]

He is like Adam sandlers younger brother

[@MrTAKIS1984]

I had the same issue in front and i payed 700euros to make it new

[@cartermercer9076]

Save the broken Miata in the back.

[@I_Do_Cars]

Which one?

[@stchman]

So Miatas are rust buckets.

[@everythinggaming7938]

Unfortunately yes

[@KarmaVoyager]

So not surprised mazda and ford hooked up. Shitty bodies with terrible mechanicals. Match made in heaven.

[@James-dt7ky]

[@johnscott9086]

They-rust a lot less than other cars

[@johnscott9086]

They are great cars

[@johnscott9086]

Usually the rear main seal will start leaking if the car is never driven in the winter time other than that they are bulletproof

[@boelensds]

buy new car and dump couple of galons of body wax into caveties.

[@LoppanH]

Rust is the worst.

[@johnnypetro9314]

Love your videos. There is no special connection between rust and tetanus btw other than the fact that rust can be “dirty”: www.discovery.com/science/Tetanus-From-Rust