Any MX-5 specialist recommendations?

A friend just got a 1991 MX-5 and had his local gas station check the
suspension and gave him a thumbs up. Unfortunately, his local mechanic
does not work on the Mazdas so I am asking if there are any Miata
specialists in the Greater Boston area that can be recommended. My
friend refuses to go to a dealership. Thanks!

Pat <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> A friend just got a 1991 MX-5 and had his local gas station check the
> suspension and gave him a thumbs up. Unfortunately, his local mechanic
> does not work on the Mazdas so I am asking if there are any Miata
> specialists in the Greater Boston area that can be recommended. My
> friend refuses to go to a dealership. Thanks!

The MkI is an incredibly simple little car - any local mechanic should
be able to work on it. You certainly don't need to take it to a
specialist.
--
SteveH

On 5/15/2011 10:20 AM, Pat wrote:
> A friend just got a 1991 MX-5 and had his local gas station check the
> suspension and gave him a thumbs up. Unfortunately, his local mechanic
> does not work on the Mazdas so I am asking if there are any Miata
> specialists in the Greater Boston area that can be recommended. My
> friend refuses to go to a dealership. Thanks!

Hey Pat, Good to see you back online. Perhaps your friend might try
asking for recomendations in the Mass Miata club forums...
http://forums.massmiata.net/
also, as you know the boots and bump stops are important to replace
along with the shocks. i got oem replacements from
http://finishlineperformance.com/sto...roductid=16622 and
recall them being cheaper than anyplace else. regards,

On May 16, 12:16*pm, Christopher Muto <m...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
> On 5/15/2011 10:20 AM, Pat wrote:
> Hey Pat, Good to see you back online. *Perhaps your friend might try
> asking for recomendations in the Mass Miata club forums...http://forums.massmiata.net/
> also, as you know the boots and bump stops are important to replace
> along with the shocks. *i got oem replacements fromhttp://finishlineperformance.com/store/product.php?productid=16622and
> recall them being cheaper than anyplace else. *regards,

I didn't know about that forum. I will forward your emails and let him
decide. Is it still a preference around here to not use a dealership
after your car's warranty has expired? Based on my experience, you get
a hit or miss. Virtually any mechanic in the shop might work on your
car and that could be gold or disaster!

On 5/16/2011 3:48 PM, Pat wrote:
> On May 16, 12:16 pm, Christopher Muto<m...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>> On 5/15/2011 10:20 AM, Pat wrote:
>> Hey Pat, Good to see you back online. Perhaps your friend might try
>> asking for recomendations in the Mass Miata club forums...http://forums.massmiata.net/
>> also, as you know the boots and bump stops are important to replace
>> along with the shocks. i got oem replacements fromhttp://finishlineperformance.com/store/product.php?productid=16622and
>> recall them being cheaper than anyplace else. regards,
>
> I didn't know about that forum. I will forward your emails and let him
> decide. Is it still a preference around here to not use a dealership
> after your car's warranty has expired? Based on my experience, you get
> a hit or miss. Virtually any mechanic in the shop might work on your
> car and that could be gold or disaster!
>

I would not go to a dealer. Have never known a dealer with a good
reputation. Finding a quality mechanic that knows the quirks of a
particular car like the Miata is definitely preferable to just any
mechanic that would most certainly overlook the obvious (ie spark plug
wires in the Miata, properly adjusting the e-brake, etc). Have had my
brakes done multiple tomes only to find the parking break not working...
so now I do the brakes myself. For what it is worth I found my mechanic
via www.cartalk.com (aka click and clack) when I had a problem in an
unfamiliar area. the user comments gave me confidence to try a unknown
shop vs a dealer and I had such a positive experience I keep going back
to them. But they are not in MA.

On 5/16/2011 4:45 PM, Christopher Muto wrote:
> On 5/16/2011 3:48 PM, Pat wrote:
>> On May 16, 12:16 pm, Christopher Muto<m...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>>> On 5/15/2011 10:20 AM, Pat wrote:
>>> Hey Pat, Good to see you back online. Perhaps your friend might try
>>> asking for recomendations in the Mass Miata club
>>> forums...http://forums.massmiata.net/
>>> also, as you know the boots and bump stops are important to replace
>>> along with the shocks. i got oem replacements
>>> fromhttp://finishlineperformance.com/store/product.php?productid=16622and
>>>
>>> recall them being cheaper than anyplace else. regards,
>>
>> I didn't know about that forum. I will forward your emails and let him
>> decide. Is it still a preference around here to not use a dealership
>> after your car's warranty has expired? Based on my experience, you get
>> a hit or miss. Virtually any mechanic in the shop might work on your
>> car and that could be gold or disaster!
>>
>
> I would not go to a dealer. Have never known a dealer with a good
> reputation. Finding a quality mechanic that knows the quirks of a
> particular car like the Miata is definitely preferable to just any
> mechanic that would most certainly overlook the obvious (ie spark plug
> wires in the Miata, properly adjusting the e-brake, etc). Have had my
> brakes done multiple tomes only to find the parking break not working...
> so now I do the brakes myself. For what it is worth I found my mechanic
> via www.cartalk.com (aka click and clack) when I had a problem in an
> unfamiliar area. the user comments gave me confidence to try a unknown
> shop vs a dealer and I had such a positive experience I keep going back
> to them. But they are not in MA.

ps. http://cartalk.com/content/mechx/