Rang the wife this afternoon whilst I was waiting for the little cherubs to come out from school.  She was not happy because she had got her feet wet driving her MX5 home as the carpet was wet through.  Like many other places it has been howling winds and rain most of yesterday and this morning. When she drove to work for 7am this morning all was fine apparently but I think it was more like the incoming tide had not reached the front footwell.

 

Got home tonight and saw straight away that there was water collected in the trough where the drain hole is under the hood on the driver's side.  Passenger side was fine.  So dug out a length of electrical wire that was thick enough and strong enough to rod out the tube and hey presto straight out the bottom and the water has gone.  Well apart from the gallons under the driver's side carpet.

 

So hands and knees, socket set and seat removed then try and lift the carpet as best I could without removing all of the centre console and transmission tunnel console.  All of the soundproofing is sodden so I have just ripped it off and it will have to be replaced when it dries out.  I managed to dry it out best I could but I think it will be days before it can be put back together as the water was wicking up the soundproofing on the transmission tunnel.

 

Main reason I am so pi$$ed off is that we know full well that MX5's have a problem with this as one of the other ones she owned was terrible yet I have not checked and happily pressure washed it the other day.  Should have checked before as we have a lot of tree blossom that has no doubt contributed to the blocking of the drainage pipe.  Lesson learned (too late as usual) and it will be checked on a very regular basis from now on.

 

So over the next few days I shall let it dry out slowly and properly before it is put back together and also check the sill and their drain holes as the previous car had water sloshing about in them as well.  Luckily the wife is off for a few days and as I do not use the car for work she can use the Octavia.

 

Can't blame the car really other than the bad design and it is my fault for not checking at all let alone more often but it has not endeared the car to me any more.

In fairness this is a common enough problem in lots of cars.

 

Plenty of Audis with issues around flooded plenium chambers

Well it is currently sat on the drive, roof down, doors opened and carpet up as much as I can hoping it will dry out.  I fear it may take some time as underneath the carpet is still sodden in places and whilst that is drying the top of the carpet is not getting the air to it.  Would like to take the carpet out completely but all the gubbins on the transmission tunnel looks like a real PITA to take out so it will have to do as it is.  Not needed until Saturday though so patience.

can you stuff anything under the carpet to soak it up?

Theres probably dozens of "help my footwells flooded" threads on mk1 octy section. Most due to leaves and crap down the scuttle drains and water getting in the bonnet release cable grommet..

Owned 3, current one a Mk3 never had problems as long as you rod the drains at regular intervals.

 

A trombone cleaner is the thing you need http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/371321274255?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&rlsatarget=&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

Pass it straight through from the top and out the bottom, should do the trick.

 

As you say lesson learned, they are great cars. even if some say they hate em.

can you stuff anything under the carpet to soak it up?

 

I will give it a couple of days as it is and then if all else fails then I will have to.  As it is warm sunny and windy here at the moment I am going for the natural cure.  Mind you I could stuff the cat under there as it would keep him off the roof!

Theres probably dozens of "help my footwells flooded" threads on mk1 octy section. Most due to leaves and crap down the scuttle drains and water getting in the bonnet release cable grommet..

 

That could be part of the problem here because we were having lots, and I do mean lots of tree blossom sitting on the roof where it meets the body and that was without doubt getting washed inside when it rained.  Alas we do not have a garage  but I am seriously thinking of a carport in the future but at the moment I keep the work mini bus here and that takes up the room where I would have a car port.  Only a couple of years until retirement though then no mini bus and room to move about.

Owned 3, current one a Mk3 never had problems as long as you rod the drains at regular intervals.

 

A trombone cleaner is the thing you need http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/371321274255?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&rlsatarget=&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

Pass it straight through from the top and out the bottom, should do the trick.

 

As you say lesson learned, they are great cars. even if some say they hate em.

Well I used an old piece of stiff electrical 3 core wire and it went straight through but obviously without a brush on the end it won't clean out the sides of the tube.  I had seen the bit about trombone cleaners elsewhere and will be getting one to use on a VERY regular basis.  I am mad with myself though because I know about it from before and just hadn't checked it.  Oh and I don't really hate them just can't get comfortable to drive it because I am too tall and my head sticks above the windscreen.  Wife loves it and that is the main thing.

Tall owners have taken some of the foam out of the base of the seat to get seated a little lower, anyways you can't go doing that to your wifes car :peek:

 

I had an VX Omega and that flooded in the footwell, something to do with the doorcard membrane not sealing correctly. What a pain to dry out all the carpet and foam, had to cut it out.

Well I am thinking as I get older I will shrink a bit!  Mind you I won't be able to bend to get in the bl00dy thing then as I struggle now.

 I don't really hate them just can't get comfortable to drive it because I am too tall and my head sticks above the windscreen.  Wife loves it and that is the main thing.

Lol, yeah my Dad's pal is 6' 5" and had an MR2 convertible.

 

He looked like this -

I am sure ChrisRs will s****** at that when he sees it.     He knows my feelings about the MX5.

I checked mine this morning and it's a clear as a bell

Trombone cleaner is on the list before winter that's for sure

As has already been said, many soft top cars have a similar issue

At least I'm not over 6' or it would be a snug fit

The whole idea of having a car like this it to feel part of it..if I was rattling around in it, it wouldn't be the same experience

Oh I don't rattle around in it Chris I fill the bl00dy thing!  Trombone cleaner just off for a look as I had forgot.

Just remember when you use the wire cleaner, that you should NOT pull it back the same way or you'll damage the one way valve

Don't think there is in ours Chris.  I read that you have to do it from the top down for that reason but really why would you lie on your back trying to do it up when you can stand up and do it from the top?  Did I read somewhere that the one way valves are only fitted to the Mk3 and they are to stop road noise from going up into the car?  In any event I think if ours had one it hasn't now but having said that the nearside one is more difficult so who knows?

Yes you do it from the top not from underneath the car

So it has dried out eventually but had to have the aid of a hair drier for 20 minutes underneath where it could not have the benefit of wind and sun.  All put back together and I (yes me) took it to the garage to fill with fuel with the top down!  Only because the wife can't turn it round in the yard whilst my mini bus is here.  Oh and yes I did enjoy the brief drive in the sun with the roof down but it still freaks me out having the top of my head above the windscreen.

 

So it is supposed to rain with thunder storms tomorrow so I will be checking it when it stops to see if my work has cured it and regular checks from now on.  Lesson learned.

You want some goggles for that MX-5

 

Brilliant!!

Watched that and thought what a giraffe!  Like the car though and would just like to say I am not against soft tops and have had two Saabs in the past.  I would love a Stag and I think I could convert the wife onto a Merc but I just don't fit the MX and that isn't going to change.  Not too fat (yet) but just too long.