mx5cartalk.com

hey guys, new here after buying my first mx-5 a week ago and absolutely loving her!
being a Pplater I'm pretty tight on budget so i thought why not go original and i ended up buying an awesome '89 NA6!
now its currently running coil overs and 17"s, aftermarket air intake and exhaust but i really want to swap out the stereo, and fix the roof.

i live in Perth so as usual, everything sucks over here. but i was wondering what i can do about the DIN issues. ideally id love to get a double DIN head unit for the car and then use a little cubby pocket to put all my stuff in, but it seems like that might not be possible

also the soft top got slashed a day after i bought it outside of my girlfriends house, so its currently being held together (waterproof thank god) by a good couple rolls of gaffa tape.

also just wanted to know how you guys clear up your rear windscreen, as i can't see sh*t out of it at the moment. apart from all tha the car runs awesome and is the best fun I've ever had!

thanks for all your help, look forward to meeting some of the perth members on here

Welcome to the obsession!
Everything you have mentioned has been covered before, and the best way to find this is use the search function towards the top right of this page.
I know you want immediate info, but there is waaay too much info out there for someone to type in a post.
Perth has a decent MX5 scene so maybe join the local WA MX5 club.
http://www.mx5club.com.au

When you replace the roof get one with a glass rear window so you'll always be able to see out.

Are you sure you need music at all in an MX5? If so, double DIN units can be made to fit. The reduction in storage isn't really an issue in such a small car anyway. Remember the bigger and better the head unit the more likely it is that some lowlife will break into your car. Whenever possible my car is left empty, with the roof down, and the front removed from my single DIN head unit.

depending on how bad the rear window is, I found a gentle polish with some silvo (yeah probably not the traditional course) can take out some of the scratches. Something like jif also could work. just don't be too rough. otherwise, I just use the side mirrors for most things...

If the rear window is brownish then it's basically dead and you cannot make it clear. A new window can be sewn in by a car upholsterer. As an older car you can expect some maintenance. If you have insurance you can claim on the top less excess. If the budget is tight then do what's needed.

Hi Jordan, welcome.
You made a good choice with the NA.
Duct Tape is so versatile, isn't it.
I don't even know what a "double DIN Head Unit " is but then I don't use the Cassette Player/CD player in mine anyhow.
I prefer to listen to the collective sounds of the engine and everything else which provides a bit of early-warning if something isn't working properly.
I'd use an iPod instead of a stereo as I can't hear a damn thing at highway speeds anyhow.
Good Luck.

Welcome to the obsession.

Start saving for a new roof, we probably won't get much rain over summer in Perth, a new roof is more important than a double din stereo.

If you can park your car with an empty glove box and centre console on display, that way junkies can see there's no point trying to slash their way into your car.

A double din stereo is pretty attractive to thieves, so get something with a removable face. When you're just a P plater with not much money you have to ask is it worth it.

If you have a look at the MX5CarTalk.com facebook page Emily has a slashed roof she's repairing, you might get some good tips from her.

If you're handy enough to fix the slashed soft top then you could consider doing this ..

http://www.jimmypribble.com/blog/2006/08/miata-rear-window-repair-on-the-cheap/

or this ..

thanks for the help guys,
yeah the roof replacement is the first thing on my upgrade list, although i have a full stereo from my old sh@tty magna that i pulled out of it so i wanted to use that, i like the simplicity of my MX-5's though which was the crossroads with having a LCD stereo or just keeping it simple and using a small and basic head unit just so i can listen to music off my phone really.

i always hear people talking about how they've had their roofs slashed by somebody. does it really happen as often as everyone speaks about it? I've garaged my car but obviously you can't garage it when you go to the shops etc and i really don't want to get a hardtop (at least not until winter)

has anybody put a single din head unit at the bottom of the stereo slot and used something like oil pressure or some bullshit gauges just to fill the space? the main reason i wanted to go for the LCD head unit was just to take up the whole space.

i do appreciate my music but i don't think I've actually had the radio on at all over the last week, the sound of the car is just something else. Chuffed.

Beware strange inconsistencies wherever you go in life, including here.

To join in with this now strange conversation though:

Roofs can be slashed often or rarely depending on the mood of the nearest crackhead. If you leave the roof down and the glovebox and all other storage open and obviously empty you'll reduce the chances of yours being slashed again.

If you like the sound of the car so much you may not need an audio system, or may be able to use the one that's already in it. If you want to listen to music from your phone, use the earplugs/speakers provided with the phone at a low volume so you can hear your car and the traffic around you. If you don't like the look of the bottom of the console, put a towel over it.

Just a few quick replies to your questions. The plastic rear window can be bought back to new with some Meguirs PlasticX. The best softop replacement is a later NB roof with the glass rear window as a cheap second hand buy. You can definitely fit a double din in place. The NA6 tombstone makes the fitment a little off however the later model tombstone allow a much better fit. Same applies with the gauges and a single din. I've never had my top slashed but that is down to luck and being conscious of where I am parking.