I am helping a friend look for a used miata. We have found one, the price is right for her, the only thing that I have noticed is that one of the frame rails has been compressed, it looks like by either hitting a rock or more likely by being jacked up by a scissor jack at the wrong point. The frame rail distorts about 1/2 inch upwards for a length of about 1 inch, this is just beyond the jacking point towards the rear. It hasn't broken through the rustproof coating, and is probably just more cosmetic than anything, but I wanted to see what you thought before giving a yes or no recommendation on taking it to a mechanic for a more complete inspection. The car is a fairly low-mileage 1995 with all service records, almost no dings, etc.
So, the question is, should I be concerned about this dent in the frame rail or is it probably not a problem?
Pat '96M
coming soon, pictures of a 1996 M edition minus the hood, fenders, headlight assemblies, radiator and A/C condensor. It appears that the deer did zero frame damage. Pretty cool looking, actually.