Mr. Mazda

The South Bay's Miata maintenance stop

Some Miata owners have been bringing their cars to Mr. Mazda for so long they've lost count. Peter had been coming for five years when he wrote about it, and Anthony first visited back in 1989, in a B2000 truck, before eventually trusting the shop with his garaged Miata. "My Miata spot. I do small and big fixes at this place and have never been disappointed," wrote Wassim B.

Timing belts, old cars and the details that matter

Timing belts and water pumps are a regular job here. Besar's 1993 came back running beautifully and on time. When Joby's 1990 lost its water pump, Tim fixed it, sorted out a few problems the previous owner had left behind, and took care of the preventive work for the early short-nose crankshaft (a known weak spot on the first 1.6-liter engines) without being asked.

The shop handles bigger jobs too. Britt had an engine swap done on a '96 and reported the car running great a month later. Eren's Miata failed its emissions test, and Mr. Mazda diagnosed it and got it passing the same day. Shiho brought in a 2007 that another mechanic couldn't figure out, and Tim sorted it out and flagged the brakes and tires that were due.

Is it right for your car?

On Miata.net, Mr. Mazda gets described as less performance-oriented than the Bay Area's tuning shops but more budget-friendly, and clearly knowledgeable about Miatas. That fits what Miata owners report: it's at its best keeping stock and lightly modified cars healthy. If your car is heavily modified, ask before you book. For hard-to-find problems, agree up front on how much diagnostic time you're approving. "I would recommend him to anyone with a Miata without hesitation," wrote Aaron C., who has brought in Mazdaspeed Miatas.

Last updated on October 21, 2026.