Mk-3 CD/Radio

[DouglasH]

FYI...
As discussed at Pub Meet on Thursday... It would appear that most Mk-3 Owners with standard ICE can't play or support the MP3 format, despite the fact that it is clearly labelled on the face plate that it does. One of our members down south decided to pursue this legally, (sale of goods act etc..) coupled with black & white evidence in the handbook, he managed to get a new six disc player from Mazda.

quote Lyndon...

Having purchased a Mk3 in May of this year I was disappointed to find that the single CD player installed did not support MP3 although an MP3 sticker was attached to the unit.

Complaint was made to the dealer who argued the point. However, having provided legal argument and case law supporting my claim the dealer, agreed to install a six stack Bose system free of charge in order, that the MP3 sticker met with specific performance as, described in law.

The system is awesome containing something like 60 hours of music.

Some more discussion here:-
http://www.mx5ocforum.co.uk/viewtopic.p ... sc&start=0

[sbudge]

Douglas do you if this is still the case the Niseko has the MP3 marked on the cd player and the handbook refers to the files types.

When I raised the question with Richard Scott he said it was fine, and would play mp3.

Always found the OC very usefull especially when by a new car

[DouglasH]

Stephen...as far as I know it has changed and the latest versions can play mp3. Some of the members with newish cars may be able to confirm.

[sbudge]

B****Y **LL that was fast Douglas thx, just going through all the questions I should have asked to Richard, now trying to master the itunes to MP3 conversion, quite a few references on the ledas I have found.

Anyone on here got their recommendations for itunes to MP3 conversion?

[Hawkeye]

I'm puzzled by the quote from Lyndon when he says that the solution was that the dealer agreed to install a six stack Bose system free of charge The Bose head unit can't play MP3s (at least the one in my March 07 car can't).

[DouglasH]

I'm puzzled by the quote from Lyndon when he says that the solution was that the dealer agreed to install a six stack Bose system free of charge The Bose head unit can't play MP3s (at least the one in my March 07 car can't).

David...according to the Brochure (Oct 2005) for the 2.0L Sport, it mentions in several pages '6 Disc CD with MP3 compatibility'. (Bose sign clearly visible in 3 separate pictures.

The accessories brochure (Oct 2005) has the £399.99 '6CD with combined MP3 Disc Player' although this does not have the Bose sign on the front it looks identical, perhaps the small facia plate can be removed and the Bose one fitted.

The Icon Brochure (May 2007) lists the 2.0L (only) as having 'MP3-compatible single CD audio unit'.

The Vehicle Spec Brochure (Jan 2006) and the new combined Soft Top and Roadster CC Brochure (Aug 2006) does not use the terms MP3 anywhere and describes the Premium Bose sound system with 6CD autochanger (includes 7 speakers, a digital amplifier with four channels of customised equalisation switching automatically between top up and top down) as an option only available with the the 2.0L Sport as part of the Climate Control Option Pack.

Perhaps the Premium Bose system was what Lyndon had fitted.

Anyway will discuss further at Pub Meet tonight.

[Hawkeye]

Douglas,

I had a look at my manual and I think it's actually the reverse - the Bose doesn't play MP3s ('cos that's what I have) and nor does the standard single slot CD, but the optional non-Bose 6-disk in-dash CD changer (what a mouthful) does.

I think it's more likely that this is what was retro fitted as the Bose is fundamentally different - extra speaker, separate amp etc.

[DouglasH]

Douglas do you if this is still the case the Niseko has the MP3 marked on the cd player and the handbook refers to the files types.

When I raised the question with Richard Scott he said it was fine, and would play mp3.

Always found the OC very usefull especially when by a new car

Noticed the Niseko is quoted as having 'MP3-compatible Single CD player with 6 speakers' on both 1.8 and 2.0L models.

[Phil Phil Mitchell]

My March 2006 Mk3 had a head unit that was labelled MP3 but was not compatible, if you put an MP3 CD in, the screen just went blank. At first I didn't follow this up but after reading some posts on the National forum and a letter in the magazine I decided to do something about it.

I contacted the Main Dealer who denied all knowledge of any problem and suggested I contact Mazda UK, this I did. At first they seemed suprised that there was any problem, then admitted that some models were like this. They then said that just because the unit was labelled MP3 it didn't mean that it was compatible, it was just that a standard front fascia had been used.

I contacted the local Trading Standards office, their opinion was that as the brochure didn't state MP3 compatibility there wasn't much they could do!

I went back to the Main Dealer who contacted Mazda UK and agreed that there was an issue but nothing was going to be done to address the problem.

At that point I had to make a decision and either drop the issue or go for it. At that point I threw all my toys out of the pram and sent a 'Recordered Delivery' letter ('Signed For') to the Main Dealers General Manager stating I was preparing the documentation to take them to the small claims court.

It went very quiet for almost two weeks then I received a call saying that they would fit (FOC) an MP3 compatible 6CD changer audio unit. This was completed yesterday.

When I was at the dealers I picked up the latest MX-5 brochure and it now quite clearly states that all models are fitted as standard with a single CD MP3 compatible unit unless you specify the Bose unit etc.

Although the whole process took a number of letters and quite a period of time I did get the success I was looking for.