2006 Mazda MX-5

I HAVE A 2006 MAZDA MX 5 MIATA. IT IS AN EXCELLENT, SOLID AND GREAT HANDLING CAR. THE BRAKES ARE SUPERB. FIT AND FINISH ARE EXCELLENT. THERE IS ONE PROBLEM THAT COULD RESULT IS ACCIDENTS: THE SIX-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION, IT IS EASY TO ACCIDENTALLY ENGAGE FIRST GEAR WHEN REVERSE IS REQUIRED OR TO ENGAGE REVERSE WHEN FIRST IS REQUIRED. DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC; AT STOP SIGNS; TRAFFIC LIGHTS; PARALLEL PARKING; EXITING GARAGE/DRIVEWAYS - IT IS TOO EASY TO ENGAGE REVERSE OR FIRST BY MISTAKE. FIRST AND REVERSE GEARS ARE TOO CLOSE. TO ENGAGE REVERSE, ONE NEEDS TO PUSH-DOWN ON THE GEAR-LEVER, HOWEVER, THE DISTANCE DOWN IS TOO SHALLOW. I HAVE MISTAKENLY ENGAGED THE WRONG GEAR MANY TIMES IN THE THREE MONTHS THAT I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. ALTHOUGH, I AM AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, IF I AM NOT FOCUSED ON CHANGING GEARS (AS MOST PERSONS DRIVE AND CHANGE GEARS LIKE SECOND-NATURE) IT IS TOO EASY TO ENGAGE THE WRONG GEARS. FORTUNATELY, I HAVE NOT HIT OTHER CARS OR DRIVEN INTO MY GARAGE WALL. HOWEVER, IT IS A BIG CONCERN TO ME. I SENT A LETTER TO MAZDA AND TO CONSUMER REPORTS APPRISING THEM OF THE POTENTIAL DANGERS. *NM

THIS MX-5 HAS THE 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WITH APPROXIMATELY 1,200 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE CLUTCH FRICTION POINT (THE LOCATION IN PEDAL TRAVEL WHERE THE CLUTCH BEGINS TO ENGAGE) MOVED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE PEDAL (NEAR THE FLOOR) TO APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH FROM THE TOP (PEDAL NORMAL POSITION -- NOT DEPRESSED). SERVICING DEALER HELD THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT AND STATED "THEY ALL DO THAT". WHEN I REQUESTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE THEY COMPARED IT TO, I WAS TOLD THEY WERE TOO BUSY. I WALKED OVER TO THE SALES DEPARTMENT AND ASKED A SALESPERSON IF I COULD COMPARE MINE TO A SIMILARLY-EQUIPPED MODEL ON THE LOT. WE LOCATED THE ONLY OTHER 5 SPEED MANUAL IN THEIR INVENTORY AND I CONFIRMED THE CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT WAS TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF PEDAL TRAVEL, JUST AS MINE WAS WHEN IT WAS "NEW". THE FRICTION POINT ON THIS CLUTCH CONTINUES TO CREEP FORWARD. I'M ASSUMING THE PEDAL WILL HAVE NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER IN ABOUT 500 MILES. I'VE CHECKED THE CLUTCH FLUID (SHARED WITH THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR) AND THE LEVEL IS WITHIN NORMAL RANGE. MY DEALER REFUSES TO ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM. I INTEND TO TAKE THIS ISSUE DIRECTLY TO MAZDA AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE DEALERSHIP'S GENERAL MANAGER NEXT WEEK. I'VE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES MY WHOLE LIFE. I TYPICALLY GET AT LEAST 100,000 MILES PER CLUTCH. THIS IS NOT A DRIVER ERROR ISSUE. *NM