Hey guys,
I've been trying to find a "new" passenger headlight for my MSM for almost 2 years now. I've tried FM (Salvage now shut down for the moment), Planet Miata, Project-G (They came close... had a minty 05 headlight which i purchased, not knowing they were different), and i believe 2nd Chance Roadster.
Who else is out there? The only 04 passenger headlight on Ebay right now is $280 shipped, but it's been repaired so i'm not real confident that it's any better than what i've already got, and i'm sure as hell not paying $280 for it.
$280. you could probably almost buy new from the dealer
mad_machine wrote:
$280. you could probably almost buy new from the dealer
If that were the case, i would.... These things are obscenely expensive from the dealer.
About $650 each.
The MSM has unique headlights, and they are almost always broken when the car is crashed. So you're looking at supply and demand here. You're complaining that you can't find a "new" one for less than half of the dealer price, I'm thinking you're just running into reality.
It might be worth looking to see if you can find a pair of non-MSM 2001-05 lights. Greater supply, lower demand. Sure, they won't have the pimp blackout around the lights. But if that's not worth a few hundred bucks to you, then you can live without.
Those headlights are the worst thing about the NBs, convert to pop-ups!!
Not sure if they are the same as Ranger headlights (how different can they be structurally) but I put mine in the oven at 200 or so in intervals until the glue was soft enough to pry the lens off. Taped off the actual reflecty part, then painted the rest flat black and glued it all back together. No leaks so in 2 years, and you can get that pimp blackout look. Maybe get 2 new ones so they match.
disclaimer - never seen a MSM in person!
Keith Tanner wrote:
The MSM has unique headlights, and they are almost always broken when the car is crashed. So you're looking at supply and demand here. You're complaining that you can't find a "new" one for less than half of the dealer price, I'm thinking you're just running into reality.
It might be worth looking to see if you can find a pair of non-MSM 2001-05 lights. Greater supply, lower demand. Sure, they won't have the pimp blackout around the lights. But if that's not worth a few hundred bucks to you, then you can live without.
Well right now, i'm not really trying to complain... i'm just trying to find a used part. I'm aware that they aren't going to be common because there were what... 5000 of these made? And i'm trying to find either an 04 passenger side or an 05 driver's side, further cutting down my chances.
Right now i'm just simply trying to find out if i've deprived myself of any potential avenues to source the part from.
The places i've talked to so far will sell nice ones in the $200-$250 range, i'm cool with that. It's just a matter of finding it, which is all the thread is about at the moment. 
Wonkothesane wrote:
I've bought from Blake @ Isellmiataparts.com, they're spec miata-ers that race under the BTDT Racing banners..
Just an FYI, MazdaMotorsports lists them for $391.84, so don't buy from your dealer :)
Thanks! Sent them an email. Seems i may have sent them one in the past, they were saved, but that may have been from when i was trying to find A-Pillar plastics.
Brokeback wrote:
Those headlights are the worst thing about the NBs, convert to pop-ups!!
Not sure if they are the same as Ranger headlights (how different can they be structurally) but I put mine in the oven at 200 or so in intervals until the glue was soft enough to pry the lens off. Taped off the actual reflecty part, then painted the rest flat black and glued it all back together. No leaks so in 2 years, and you can get that pimp blackout look. Maybe get 2 new ones so they match.
disclaimer - never seen a MSM in person!
I like the NB headlights. I like being able to see at night. 
Swank Force One wrote:
Who else is out there?
You could try treasure coast miata. They had several NB parts cars when I was there a month or two ago. I didn't notice if they were MSMs though.
http://treasurecoastmiata.com/
Also try Mazmart. http://www.mazmart.com/
Swank Force One wrote:
I like the NB headlights. I like being able to see at night.
Sissy!!
I'll admit the NA headlights don't do as much lighting as I would prefer, but pop-up headlights were around before I could drive and for some reason they make me smile when you turn them on. I have issues.
http://partsgroup.com/
is another miata recycler. ive dealt with them a couple times several years ago, good customer service.
failboat wrote:
http://partsgroup.com/
is another miata recycler. ive dealt with them a couple times several years ago, good customer service.
Yes. I was trying to remember their name. I've purchased RX-8 parts from them and they were great. IIRC the owner races a lot and they could deliver parts to most major race tracks over the course of the season.
You can get better light out of the NA lights than you can from NB ones. All else being equal, you just can't beat reflector diameter. Add in a wide range of available upgrades and they're great. But that's not really an option.
What's different about the '05 lights vs the '04? I wasn't aware of a difference, although there certainly is a visual difference between MSM and non-MSM. Then again, I think we've got one of each in the shop so maybe I should just go look...
Keith Tanner wrote:
You can get better light out of the NA lights than you can from NB ones. All else being equal, you just can't beat reflector diameter. Add in a wide range of available upgrades and they're great. But that's not really an option.
What's different about the '05 lights vs the '04? I wasn't aware of a difference, although there certainly is a visual difference between MSM and non-MSM. Then again, I think we've got one of each in the shop so maybe I should just go look...
05 lights use H7 low beams, 04 uses 9006.
I'd be happiest if i didn't have to convert over to H7, but for reasons i can't fathom, there seems to be more 05 headlights floating around. (Or maybe it's perception? 
)
failboat wrote:
http://partsgroup.com/
is another miata recycler. ive dealt with them a couple times several years ago, good customer service.
I forgot about them as well.... Blake @ BTDT reminded me of them.
BTDT Racing. They do mostly earlier cars, but you might luck out:
http://isellmiataparts.com/
Alan Cesar wrote:
BTDT Racing. They do mostly earlier cars, but you might luck out:
http://isellmiataparts.com/
You're fired, Alan!
They were mentioned earlier, Blake pointed me to PartsGroup. (Who is getting an MSM in tomorrow. STAY AWAY IT'S MINE!)
Also there's Panic motorsports out of SC.
Swank Force One wrote:
failboat wrote:
http://partsgroup.com/
is another miata recycler. ive dealt with them a couple times several years ago, good customer service.
I forgot about them as well.... Blake @ BTDT reminded me of them.
Poop. The 04 MSM (Yay!) that's coming in has a good driver's side light, but not passenger side. (Boo!)
Seems to me it would be fairly easy to convert the pax side to the different bulb if that's a factor. It's just a matter of having the correct socket.
Keith Tanner wrote:
Seems to me it would be fairly easy to convert the pax side to the different bulb if that's a factor. It's just a matter of having the correct socket.
You mean convert the 05 headlight to use a 9006? I'm listening....
It's the one on the outside. (orange-ish plug.) Wouldn't i have to somehow figure out a way to jam the 9006 in there? (I don't actually know if the one shown is 9006 or H7) Or is it way easier than that and i can just cannibalize parts from my damaged 04 light to "convert" the 05 light to 04 specs?
Waitaminute...
Those 3 screws... do they hold in the thing that keeps the bulb in place? And that's all it is? Would i REALLY only need to swap that piece over that's held in by 3 screws?
I'm going to feel like a major idiot if that's all it takes...
Alan Cesar wrote:
BTDT Racing. They do mostly earlier cars, but you might luck out:
http://isellmiataparts.com/
Sorry for the thread jack, but holy cow reasonable prices on things!
You can either convince the light to take a different bulb, or you can change the connector on your wiring harness to let you plug in the different bulb. I see screws there, so that tells me disassembly is possible.
Never tried it, but that's what I'd be doing.
