Newshound charges to Mazda’s rescue
1990 MAZDA EUNOS ROADSTER
Never has a beige Rover 75 been such a welcome sight. It was a bitterly cold afternoon in a deserted bit of the Fens, and the Mazda decided to break down – for the first time in nearly three years.
It was my own fault, of course. After using up the last bit of sunshine that 2016 had to offer at the helm of H521 NRX ( CCW, 7 December) the Eunos has spent the past few weeks hiding away and only venturing out occasionally for very brief warm-ups. Clearly, it wasn’t enough. It may spend its down-time snuggling under a warm blanket alongside Nick Larkin’s classics these days, but it’d clearly had enough of being grounded. Cue one Rover 75-shaped defibrillator and a chunky set of jump leads.
It fired up first time after a few minutes, and seemed as eager to get going as ever once I’d backed it out of the garage. My mission was to move it 12 miles away to somewhere where it can escape the worst of the winter weather, and it fizzed with energy throughout the trip. If only we were all this excitable at this time of year!
But it didn’t last. At our destination – a sort of bunker where Nick keeps his Rover P4 and P6 – I made the mistake of flicking the Mazda’s ignition off for a moment. When I twisted it back on again there was a brief click from the starter motor – but nothing else.
I doubt that the alternator is to blame because I had it replaced shortly after buying the car in 2014 and there are no dashboard warning lights indicating a generator issue. I had jump leads, but nothing to attach them to – and it was a long walk to the nearest village. Then my unlikely saviour arrived – CCW newshound Nick Larkin had, for once, remembered to be somewhere on time. Another quick jump start and the Eunos fired up first time.
Time for a fresh battery, I reckon.