Mazda MX5 (1989 - 1998) - Eunos Roadster - Cat Required?

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Wed 11 Jun 2008 19:12
Eunos Roadster - Cat Required? - JonnyS
Hi,

I have just bought a 1992 Mazda Mx-5. The car is imported and on the V5, the only date of registration is 1992 i.e. no month specified. Underneath the car, the cat has rusted away, i think it's only the outer casing that's rusted.
I plan to get the car MOT'd and am unsure what date of registration voided the need for a cat. Does anyone here know? Ive heard there's a specific month in 1992 when the law for needing a cat changed but am not 100%.

Many thanks
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Wed 11 Jun 2008 20:15
Eunos Roadster - Cat Required? - oldnotbold
First used before 1 Aug 1992.

7faq.com/owbase/ow.asp?EmissionsAndTheMOT_Test
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Wed 11 Jun 2008 20:53
Eunos Roadster - Cat Required? - Screwloose
Jonny

Not quite as simple as that; there were '94 and even '95 reg'd cars running about that were cat-test exempt. [Metros were a particular nightmare.]

I think you need to establish the exact build date; if it weren't an import, then that would've been easy, as the dealer would have been able to tell from the chassis number.

Generally speaking; IIRC if you can prove that it was built before 01/01/93 then it may not need to have a cat.
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Thu 12 Jun 2008 13:37
Eunos Roadster - Cat Required? - martint123
It could well be just the heat shield that has rotted. Mine did and I've been running without it for the last three years. The only caution is not to park on ling dry grass in summer!
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Thu 12 Jun 2008 13:49
Eunos Roadster - Cat Required? - yorkiebar
Dealer should still be able to tell from the chassis number when the build date was!

May need to contact factory to do so though!

May not want to because its an import though, so ask them to supply you with a contact number ?
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Thu 12 Jun 2008 14:55
Eunos Roadster - Cat Required? - ianhadden
I have a '98 Almera GTi which I decatted. The car has passed 3 MoT's so far. So as long as it passes the emisions test and the lambda sensor test, it appears you don't need a cat.
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Thu 12 Jun 2008 15:11
Eunos Roadster - Cat Required? - Screwloose

There is no lambda sensor test - common misconception.
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