Maintenance questions by Miata Noob [Archive] (2024)

Krasnaya

24th July 2020, 23:17

I wanted to get input on a couple of things regarding my brand-new MX-5 RF GT.

1. Does the MX-5 ship with conventional oil or synthetic?

2. At the 1,000 mark I was thinking about taking my new MX-5 to Jiffy Lube just to change the oil to synthetic and have them check all the fluids, given that the car shipped all the way from The Land of the Rising Sun. I run synthetic in all my cars. I would then have the dealer do the regular 7,500 mile service. Anything wrong with that idea.

I am not a mechanical guy. I am proud to say that my son starts an Automobile Mechanic's program very shortly, but I never had that opportunity...

Xtreme

24th July 2020, 23:20

I wanted to get input on a couple of things regarding my brand-new MX-5 RF GT.

1. Does the MX-5 ship with conventional oil or synthetic?

2. At the 1,000 mark I was thinking about taking my new MX-5 to Jiffy Lube just to change the oil to synthetic and have them check all the fluids, given that the car shipped all the way from The Land of the Rising Sun. I run synthetic in all my cars. I would then have the dealer do the regular 7,500 mile service. Anything wrong with that idea.

I am not a mechanical guy. I am proud to say that my son starts an Automobile Mechanic's program very shortly, but I never had that opportunity...

1. synthetic

2. I stopped reading at jiffy lube. No. Seriously, I don’t know what followed, but going to Jiffy Lube for an oil change is like going to McDonald’s for open heart surgery.

Krasnaya

24th July 2020, 23:28

1. synthetic

2. I stopped reading at jiffy lube. No. Seriously, I don’t know what followed, but going to Jiffy Lube for an oil change is like going to McDonald’s for open heart surgery.

Really? It's just an easy way to change oil without having to dispose of it yourself.

Xtreme

24th July 2020, 23:39

Really? It's just an easy way to change oil without having to dispose of it yourself.

Is the only option Jiffy Lube or DIY?

I’d look for a local independent shop that works on Mazda, or if all else fails a Mazda dealer.

You would be lucky if Jiffy Lube put the correct oil in your car, added the correct amount, put the oil filter on correctly (if they happened to use the right one), replaced the crush washer so your garage didn’t collect oil stains, and didn’t strip your oil drain plug.

Google is your friend. (https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&source=hp&ei=6asbX-yXNc-Mggexs4zoCA&q=jiffy+lube+destroyed+my+engine&oq=jiffy+lube+dest&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQARgCMgIIADICCAAyAggAMgYIABAWEB4 6CwguELEDEIMBEJMCOggIABCxAxCDAToFCC4QsQM6CAguELEDE IMBOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoCCC46DgguELEDEMcBEKMCEJMCOgc IABCxAxAKOgUIABCxAzoICC4QxwEQrwE6CwguELEDEMcBEK8BU IUnWKJSYIxeaAJwAHgAgAF8iAHlCpIBBDExLjSYAQCgAQGqAQd nd3Mtd2l6sAEA&sclient=psy-ab)

varoadking

24th July 2020, 23:43

Is the only option Jiffy Lube or DIY?

I’d look for a local independent shop that works on Mazda, or if all else fails a Mazda dealer.

You would be lucky if Jiffy Lube put the correct oil in your car, added the correct amount, put the oil filter on correctly (if they happened to use the right one), replaced the crush washer so your garage didn’t collect oil stains, and didn’t strip your oil drain plug.

They would be more likely screw up all of the above...

Yeah...friends don't let friends go to Jiffy Lube...

Bill W

25th July 2020, 00:43

Chombi

25th July 2020, 05:22

Krasnaya

25th July 2020, 11:32

What makes an ND Miat's oil change a bit different from other cars (I think the NC has this too) is an aluminum bottom engine cover that also acts as a structural stiffener for the front subframe, has to be unbolted from the subframe to access the oil filter and oil pan plug. The 9 bolts holding the bottom cover have to be properly torqued down to 24 ft/lbs when reinstalled. Not that tight, but who knows if the Jiffy Lube guy would even come close to the torque spec or way overtorque the bolts and damage them, or the cover........or even forget to put back in all 9 bolts.......
No guarantee that the Mazda dealership will do a better job, but if something does go wrong with that engine cover after an oil change, it will most likely be easier to have Mazda fix things.
Nothing beats changing the oil yourself, in this case, if only for peace of mind.....

Good points. I had not known about this. I agree that it probably sounds like a job for the dealer. I have neither the tools nor the aptitude/inclination to do that myself.

breckenridge

25th July 2020, 11:53

wolfgangdieter

25th July 2020, 12:08

varoadking

25th July 2020, 12:42

Good points. I had not known about this. I agree that it probably sounds like a job for the dealer. I have neither the tools nor the aptitude/inclination to do that myself.

Go to your dealer's website...they generally have printable coupons online in the service tab for oil change deals and other routine maintenance.

thirdmiata

25th July 2020, 13:07

RRRdstr

25th July 2020, 13:17

I don't think accurately torqueing the under panels to 24 ft/lbs is critical - I'm sure the dealer doesn't. The panels do add to body stiffness

I think you're contradicting yourself. That panel is to some extent structural. It needs to be tight enough to do its job. It will be on and off a lot over the life of the car and over torquing will shorten the life of the bolts, or worse the threads in the body structure. Some dealers care about such things and some don't That's why they only see my car when it's absolutely necessary.

GreyQuickCat

25th July 2020, 13:41

Jiffy Lube will overtorque your oil drain plug every time. It's just a CYA liability thing, like tire shops who torque your lug nuts to 200 ft-lb and air your tires up to 50 psi. They want to be on the high side, not the low side!

Heck, my DEALER has been accused of over-torquing oil drain plugs in their Yelp reviews! So much so that when one owner removed it to change his own oil later down the road, the pan threads came out with the plug and he couldn't reinstall it. Dealer wouldn't own up to it either and blamed the owner. I guess the dealer didn't want to pay for a new oil pan. :realmad:

Don't go to Walmart for an oil change either. :eek:

haggler

25th July 2020, 16:06

Keith Green

25th July 2020, 16:24

... going to Jiffy Lube for an oil change is like going to McDonald’s for open heart surgery.

That's funny! True, but still funny. I wouldn't let Jiffy Lube (or other similar places) change the oil in my push lawn mower.

On my '92 NA I did all the maintenance and didn't let anyone ever touch it. On my 2016 I've let the dealer do everything. Now, part of that is that I've reached the age where rolling around on a creeper just doesn't have the excitement it once did. The other reason is that the drain plug is on the front and the car needs to be level to drain all the oil. Rather difficult to do if you only have ramps. It would mean I'd have to jack up the car and support it on jack stands all around. That, and the fact that removing the under-shield I would consider to be a big PITA.

Having the oil changed at the Mazda dealer in Huntsville, where they put in a Mazda filter and 0-20 synthetic, was $70. Now, if you don't DIY you always take a chance that some doofus is going to work on it, but there's much less chance of that happening at a reputable dealer. By the time I bought the oil and filter to DIY I'd just as soon pay the $70 and let them do it all.

yankeemarko1

25th July 2020, 17:50

I don't think accurately torqueing the under panels to 24 ft/lbs is critical

You’re under the car. You’re probably putting the bolts back on with a ratchet. Why not just use the torque wrench? It’s just as easy.

Bill W

25th July 2020, 18:29

You’re under the car. You’re probably putting the bolts back on with a ratchet. Why not just use the torque wrench? It’s just as easy.

But my 1/4” impact torques at 25fp on low...

sg44

25th July 2020, 18:58

That's funny! True, but still funny. I wouldn't let Jiffy Lube (or other similar places) change the oil in my push lawn mower.

On my '92 NA I did all the maintenance and didn't let anyone ever touch it. On my 2016 I've let the dealer do everything. Now, part of that is that I've reached the age where rolling around on a creeper just doesn't have the excitement it once did. The other reason is that the drain plug is on the front and the car needs to be level to drain all the oil. Rather difficult to do if you only have ramps. It would mean I'd have to jack up the car and support it on jack stands all around. That, and the fact that removing the under-shield I would consider to be a big PITA.

Having the oil changed at the Mazda dealer in Huntsville, where they put in a Mazda filter and 0-20 synthetic, was $70. Now, if you don't DIY you always take a chance that some doofus is going to work on it, but there's much less chance of that happening at a reputable dealer. By the time I bought the oil and filter to DIY I'd just as soon pay the $70 and let them do it all.

+1 to everything. First oil change and tire rotation at Mall of Georgia Mazda. I didn’t get my Miata there, but they were delighted to service it. Double checked, was fine. While great to do it yourself, it’s good too to have a good relationship with a dealer for ambiguous warranty issues that may arise.

breckenridge

25th July 2020, 19:04

bill keksz

26th July 2020, 04:57

CR3999

29th July 2020, 13:01

Krasnaya

29th July 2020, 17:59

NEVER Jiffy Lube> I was lazy when I first got mine so I went to JL once. The way they used a battery impact on the screws holding the pan showed me to do it myself. THey stripped two bolts on the cover. One of the bolts broke the nut inside the frame. Terrible experience

Yeah, with the way things are underneath, I don't think I'd trust them on a Miata. The one near me is pretty good, I might say.

Bob_MX5

29th July 2020, 20:24

That's funny! True, but still funny. I wouldn't let Jiffy Lube (or other similar places) change the oil in my push lawn mower.

On my '92 NA I did all the maintenance and didn't let anyone ever touch it. On my 2016 I've let the dealer do everything. Now, part of that is that I've reached the age where rolling around on a creeper just doesn't have the excitement it once did. The other reason is that the drain plug is on the front and the car needs to be level to drain all the oil. Rather difficult to do if you only have ramps. It would mean I'd have to jack up the car and support it on jack stands all around. That, and the fact that removing the under-shield I would consider to be a big PITA.

Having the oil changed at the Mazda dealer in Huntsville, where they put in a Mazda filter and 0-20 synthetic, was $70. Now, if you don't DIY you always take a chance that some doofus is going to work on it, but there's much less chance of that happening at a reputable dealer. By the time I bought the oil and filter to DIY I'd just as soon pay the $70 and let them do it all.

This was me too for the past 3.5 years. I did the ol/filter (and other maintenance) for the 91, 92, & 94, and the dealer did it for the 2017.

b.

Bill W

30th July 2020, 18:01

339583

Here is a idea for the diff. Fill. The cap that comes with Mazda’s diff. Fluid here for example.

Cardinalsin

31st July 2020, 01:08

The synthetic shipped from Japan around the world is Mazda 0w-20 with moly made by Idemitsu.

When they change it they usually use 5w-30 around the world where longevity means more than economy. Read most of it.