The following are answers to most of the common questions that our clubmembers get asked about MX5s, Roadsters and Miatas. If you have a suggestion for a question and answer you would like to see here, please submit it via the feedback form. Thanks to the people who have provided input so far!
Latest update 14 June 2001

General Questions about MX5s

1. 1. What is the difference between an MX5, Eunos Roadster and Miata?
   
2. 2. What is a Gymkhana or Autocross?
   

Technical Questions about MX5s

1. I have heard of a problem with the MX5 Crank, or Crank Keyway. What is this?
   

1. What is the difference between an MX5, Eunos Roadster and Miata?
Not much. They are the same car with different names for different markets. There is a few notes on this on our MX5 history page, a bit on Roadsters in New Zealand here, and also useful info in the FAQ from the UK mailing list. If you have a Roadster, you can check out the various models here. NZ gets many Eunos Roadsters imported from Japan. In fact, over 80% of the cars in the MX5 club of NZ are Eunos roadster models.

2. What is a Gymkhana, Motokhana or Autocross?
Clubmember Peter Kite answered this question here. You can see pictures from a Tarmac Gymkhana here and a Grass Gymkhana here and here. There was also a good description in our Top Down Magazine, April 2001. Motorkhanas were renamed a while ago but are the same event. Autocross, or Solo II is a similar type of event, more common in the USA, but a bit more competitive.

1. I have heard of a problem with the MX5 Crank, or Crank Keyway. What is this?
This is a noted possible issue for earlier MX5s, usually 1989-91. A couple of people have made comments on this issue here. Another comment about replacing cam belts and crank problems is here, and a possible test for the problem was listed here. There are a few articles from around the world including a FAQ from the UK mailing list, Brian Bousman's cranky notes, Lance Schall's article, and some pictures of a broken crankshaft from Skip Cannon. A person in the US posted about the failure of their crank here, and a possible repair method from a guy who works for Loctite is here.