“Ongoing Issues with Approved Mazda Mx5
Diary of Events and Issues
This is a diary of the issues and distress I have experienced as a result of purchasing a Mazda approved Mx5 from TW White and Son.
In particular I highlight:
• The denial of a later agreed dangerous steering issue (I was misled by lies or incompetence)
• Emphasis on me to travel to Mazda to prove issues before a garage appointment can be made
• 2-3 week waits for aftersales appointments to fix obvious issues on an approved Mazda that should have been corrected prior to purchase
• Expired battery (leaving me stranded in the snow)
• Electrical fault
• Lack of interest from Mazda online support to help me resolve the issue
• The approved Mazda Mx5 has been in a Mazda repair garage for 25% of the time I’ve owned it
• 25% of my Mazda warranty has expired and the car has never worked properly
29 December 2017
Further to a test drive and visual inspection, I put a deposit on an approved used Mazda MX5 from TW White and Son. I thought the stone white interior leather was lovely so purchased the leather protect at an extra £250.
3 February 2018
I paid the balance and collected the car. I noted that the white interior leather had faded from the crisp ‘stone white’ to a ‘pale grey’ further to the treatment. I didn’t raise this as an issue as I didn’t want my purchase experience to become uncomfortable but I was very disappointed. A copy of the different in leather colour is shown in the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/y2xwbi0nylplzcp/Leather%20upholstery%20discoloured.pdf?dl=0&m=
3 – 7 February 2018
I immediately noticed that the car was lurching to the right on acceleration. I thought perhaps it was the wet road condition or me getting used to a rear wheel drive car. However I soon concluded the approved Mazda had an issue – I was surprised as I expected Mazda to be more thorough. Was given appointment with the Mazda\TW White aftersales centre to check wheel alignment (even though a lurch on acceleration is clearly not a wheel alignment issue).
14 February 2018 (I have to use half day of my holiday allowance)
The wheel alignment was checked and I was told it was correct. Furthermore, I was told that ‘there is nothing wrong with the car’, ‘all Mazda Mx5s do this lurch’ , ‘its torque steer and road camber’ and ‘one of the engineers has a near identical car and his does the same’. Furthermore, I was told to ‘simply steer against the drift on acceleration and straighten on release [on the gear changes]’! Even as a lay person relying on the advice of TW White\Mazda I felt this sounded wrong so I requested the specific engineer who owns the ‘near identical car’ drive my car to be sure. After 15 mins wait I was told ‘the engineer has driven the car and his behaves exactly the same way’. This still seemed wrong but at the time I believed in the Mazda\TW White brand and trusted him.
Driving back to my office I tried ‘steering into the lurch’ this on the slip road to the A3 when gaining speed – I almost lost control of the car as it twisted left and right. The Mazda\TW White engineer’s justification of the car’s fault almost caused me a high speed crash! I angry about that.
An example of the car lurching right on acceleration is shown in the video in this link. I highlight that at the time, this is TW White/Mazda’s definition of an approved car: https://www.dropbox.com/s/l2g9udkzp8k15ly/IMG_0992.MOV?dl=0
15 February 2018
I emailed the sales agent I purchased from to challenge Mazda\TW White conclusion that all Madza Mx5s dangerously lurch right on acceleration. I also highlighted that a colleague has near the same model without this issue. The agent responded that the garage are claiming the car has no issue and I would have to drive to the showroom and prove the Mx5 has a fault. A copy of the email I sent is at the link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dokzzgbw4ewv7hf/Email%20-%20Mazda%20Mx5%20lurching%20right.pdf?dl=0
19th February (approximately)
I tried contacting the Mazda help page via their website in an attempt to get additional support. I was given generic, disinterested, dismissive advice which made me feel that ‘they just want go away’. After a number of email exchanges, I concluded Mazda online support is not interested in supporting me.
A link to the email correspondence is at the link (notice how Mazda online support contradict the conclusion of the Mazda\TW White on wheel alignment and continue to insist a lurch only on acceleration is a wheel alignment issue (when even a layperson knows this cannot be the case): https://www.dropbox.com/s/m9wbpbdjxf35ljn/Email%20-%20MazdaUK%20support.pdf?dl=0
20 February 2018 (I have to use half day of my holiday allowance)
I travelled back to the showroom to prove the car issue to the sales staff I purchased the car from – they were helpful, understanding and proficient. Further to comparison with an equivalent model, they quickly agreed there was an issue. The next day the garage contacted me and informed me I will have to wait 3 weeks for an appointment. (In additional they were STILL not fully accepting the issue and thought ‘it might be due to a difference in specification of ‘rear axle diff’).
Further to my insistence, the garage agreed to collect the car rather than me drive it to them. Drive the approved car that have never properly worked to them. Note that Mazda\TW White are happy for me to drive a dangerous car for an additional 3 weeks.
(20 February 2018 – 5 March 2018)
I have to drive in busy, congested rush hour traffic whilst my approved Mazda lurches dangerously to right on acceleration then snakes a little as I straighten. At times on the A3 road (near Tolworth where the lanes are tight) I’m genuinely scared.
6 March 2018 – 8 March 2018
Mazda collects the car and returns it - they leave me a respectable, clean, new courtesy car in the interim. On return the driver tells me ‘the car was lethal’ on his collection drive back to the garage - he had a scary event on the M25. I am told the issue was simply incorrect wheel rotation. However, I note that on driving the car on return the entire car is ‘tighter’ - particularly the clutch, steering and rear of the car – undoubtedly more work had occurred than wheel rotation.
On test drive the lurch right has gone and now the car constantly drifts left! I contact the showroom to request the Mazda is returned a third time for repair and inspection. A video of the car drifting left is attached in this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/scvmvt7wrh8t6wy/Approved%20Mx5%20drifting%20left.mov?dl=0
The email I sent to Mazda\TW White is attached to link: https://www.dropbo.com/s/zuwcui4c65jx4ve/Email%20Car%20drifting%20left.pdf?dl=0
09th March 2018
I realise that a low ‘whooshing’ sound in the car is not wind noise when the car is moving but a low constant sound of static from the speakers. I realise that when I plug a 3.5mm jack into the AV socket the speaker making strange sounds demonstrating to me there is an electrical fault. A video of the speaker making odd noises is attached to this link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4pu61px22xcqs9p/Speakers%20whining.MOV?dl=0
10 March 2018
I re-contact the Mazda showroom and ask them to motivate the aftersales centre to contact me. The garage contacts me and offers an appointment in 2 weeks time.
(11 March – present)
I begin getting knotted stomach pains at the thought of my Mazda\TW White experience…
17 March 2018
During the snowy period I drive the approved Mazda 10 mins to my local shops. I return to the car and the battery has failed and I am stranded in the snow (wearing only a jumper). When Mazda roadside assistance arrives to jump start the car the engineer states the battery has expired. He also adds that the battery is ‘ancient’ and most likely the original car battery - so 8 years old. (I get ill for 2 weeks as a result of being in the snow with no heater for 1 hour)
18 March 2018 – Present
I purchase a portable jump start kit and keep in the boot in case the battery fails again during the 2 week wait for an appointment. (£50 more cost)
31th March 2018
I realise the ‘road noise’ of the car has significantly increased since purchase and seems to be making a rhythmic grinding sound. I report this to the Mazda\TW White aftersales to add to the list of issues – I’m told there might not be time to investigate.
4 April – present (currently 21st April)
On collection day I’m worried all the issues will not be addressed so I attach an A4 list of problems to the dash board. The list is available at this link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3h1jchu9tlc57ws/Current%20approved%20mazda%20issues%20list.pdf?dl=0
Mazda recollects car and leaves me a respectable, clean, new courtesy car.
16 April garage contacts me and reports they have not yet been able to fix the drifting problem but will be fitting new tyres to see if it corrects. They have not started any electric investigations and did not seem focussed on the electrical issues…
20 April – Summary to date:
• Mazda are still trying to repair the car.
• I placed a deposit on the Mazda almost 4 months ago (giving Mazda 1 month to service the car before collection). The car still does not work correctly.
• I had to drive an approved Mazda with a dangerous lurching sideways for 5 weeks. (The garage tried to mislead me that this was a feature of all mx5s. This was either malicious lying or componence – I’m very upset about that).
• 25% of my Mazda warranty has expired and the car has never functioned correctly in that time
• The car has been with Mazda for repair / inspection 23% of the time I’ve owned it (3 weeks of the 13 week period)
21 April - Present
I am exhausted and distressed by my Mazda\TW White experience. At the moment, I deeply regret purchasing a Mazda and dealing with TW White. I’ve concluded I was naive to believe in the Mazda brand. I think that the premium I paid to get a Mazda and the further premium to get an approved Mazda is worthless. In fact ironically, I have paid a premium to experience the most distressing car purchase of my life. I genuinely get physical pain thinking about the situation Mazda\TW White has placed me in!”
