The final year for the 124 Spider in the UK saw the model quietly withdrawn from the market. These late models benefit from slightly improved standard equipment and represent a relatively rare, characterful alternative to the MX-5.
The "MultiAir" brick can fail if oil changes are missed or the wrong viscosity is used. This is a common and expensive failure.
Engine misfire, Limp mode, Severe loss of power
With production ceased and the Mazda-Fiat partnership ended, 124 Spider-specific parts are becoming scarce and expensive. Body panels (especially aluminium items), windscreens, key fobs and even the bonnet pedestrian-safety actuators can be on backorder for months. Some cars have been written off due to parts being unavailable for minor accident repairs.
Long wait times for replacement parts, Dealer unable to source 124-specific components, Very high quotes for bodywork repairs, Key fob replacement discontinued in some markets
If the 1.4 MultiAir engine sits unused for several months, oil can drain from the hydraulic MultiAir unit ("the brick"), affecting the valve train and preventing the engine from starting due to lack of compression. The fix is usually to crank it until the unit re-primes, but repeated occurrences can damage the unit.
Engine cranks but will not start after extended storage, Rough idle on first start-up, Misfire immediately after sitting unused