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Banjo
Yoda
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Get it. you won't regret it. Unless it's been beat to tar by the PO. Great little cars. It's the closest you'll get to a "modern MG". there's a huge support base, and a never ending variety of aftermarket parts available. Not to mention they are a great driving car.
Biggest con, you'll spend a bit less time with your MG.
Biggest con, you'll spend a bit less time with your MG.
Nunyas
Yoda
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Well, the new ones dubbed "MX-5" are a bit more butch than previous generations. The flared fenders help to shrug some of the girliness that previous generations suffered from.
On the other hand, first generation Miata's are sufficiently old that they're pushing for "classic" status and as such, the lady folk have mostly abandoned that ship.
The only reason I wouldn't own one of them (as a daily drive) is they have that 'girlie' stigma attached to them, but I can still see converting an older one into a racer.
If I were shopping for a "new" convertible, I think I'd look at a Honda S2000 first, and then a Saturn Sky Redline Edition. However, it appears that neither of these are still in production...
On the other hand, first generation Miata's are sufficiently old that they're pushing for "classic" status and as such, the lady folk have mostly abandoned that ship.
The only reason I wouldn't own one of them (as a daily drive) is they have that 'girlie' stigma attached to them, but I can still see converting an older one into a racer.
If I were shopping for a "new" convertible, I think I'd look at a Honda S2000 first, and then a Saturn Sky Redline Edition. However, it appears that neither of these are still in production...
AN5Sprite
Jedi Knight
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I've got a good friend whose a "Miata guy". I've driven most of the ones he's gone through in the last few years. (he doesn't tend to keep them long, but always has one or more...) Anyway the two things that stick with me the most from watching him are:
1. there's lots of variation among and within the different years/body styles and trim levels.
2. if you're patient you should be able to find a pristine, low milage car from any year.
Also, after watching him and his crowd, I'd be very carful purchasing anything other than a pristine, low milage car from one owner. I've seen lots of parts switching, swapping, removing etc. All the stuff that happens to cars that are viewed as cheap, nearly disposable fun. (sound familar?)
The ONE that I enjoyed the most was the Mazdaspeed factory turbo car that they made for 3 years. With modest upgrades that car was snappy and fun. The newest ones with the folding hard top are probably the nicest ones. Personally, I've never been tempted to buy one. I have found every one I've driven something between uncomfortable and crippling to my body. (couldn't be more comfortable in a Sprite-go figure)
1. there's lots of variation among and within the different years/body styles and trim levels.
2. if you're patient you should be able to find a pristine, low milage car from any year.
Also, after watching him and his crowd, I'd be very carful purchasing anything other than a pristine, low milage car from one owner. I've seen lots of parts switching, swapping, removing etc. All the stuff that happens to cars that are viewed as cheap, nearly disposable fun. (sound familar?)
The ONE that I enjoyed the most was the Mazdaspeed factory turbo car that they made for 3 years. With modest upgrades that car was snappy and fun. The newest ones with the folding hard top are probably the nicest ones. Personally, I've never been tempted to buy one. I have found every one I've driven something between uncomfortable and crippling to my body. (couldn't be more comfortable in a Sprite-go figure)
aeronca65t
Great Pumpkin
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I bought this one new in early '01. It has about 100,000 miles on it and has mostly lived outside with minimal maintenance. Still original top, belts, etc. One set of plugs. Oil change about every 6000 miles.
It's been to track days and has hit 7000 rpm in 5th gear at Pocono. A bone stock car (except for roll bar), it's got a few autocross and track day trophies and can turn 1:08 at Lime Rock on street tires (easily beating my "real" race car).
In between run sessions, I sit in it with the top up and the air conditioning on. No problem.
140 horsepower and weighs about 2375 lbs. Perfect trans and wonderful brakes. A nice overall balance. I drove it top down yesterday 225 miles.
Best car I've ever owned.
~In car video from Pocono~ (rear cam)
It's been to track days and has hit 7000 rpm in 5th gear at Pocono. A bone stock car (except for roll bar), it's got a few autocross and track day trophies and can turn 1:08 at Lime Rock on street tires (easily beating my "real" race car).
In between run sessions, I sit in it with the top up and the air conditioning on. No problem.
140 horsepower and weighs about 2375 lbs. Perfect trans and wonderful brakes. A nice overall balance. I drove it top down yesterday 225 miles.
Best car I've ever owned.
~In car video from Pocono~ (rear cam)
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When we sold MAry's 01' it had about 141k miles on it. I had been remiss in replacing the timing belt when it was due, so felt I needed to change it for teh new owner before he bought it. Anyway, when I pulled the original timing belt off, with 141k miles, it was still in very good condition. I was surprised, but I put in a new belt anyway.
The only real problms we had were when the fuel pump had to be replaced and then some wiring had to be replaced due to mice having lunch on it.
The only real problms we had were when the fuel pump had to be replaced and then some wiring had to be replaced due to mice having lunch on it.
A
aerog
Guest
Guest
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My daily driver is an '03 Miata. Except for tires and a timing-belt change nobody has worked on the car except me...not that its really needed anything. I've done brakes, a new top, re-upholstered the seats, new speakers, all the oils, plugs, filters - all very easy to deal with and not a challenge.
Mechanically there are some minor differences between the original "NA" Miata and the second-gen "NB"s but size-wise they're similar. If anything that's my only complaint: the NA/NB Miatas (perhaps the NB more so) are slightly small for the driver and the way you sit in the car is a little annoying. If the seat went back another inch and if the seats were made so it was more like MGB, then it would be a little better. Jumping out of an MGB into the Miata is like jumping out of a comfortable recliner into a high-back kitchen chair - sometimes it feels like you're sitting up on top of the car rather than "in" the car. That's just an observation, not really a complaint.
The current "NC" version (of which there are some good deals to be had if you want to get newer) is totally different. Where the NA and NB were very closely related, the NC is new. Mechanically the suspension is different, cast aluminum parts replaced stamped-steel/welded parts. The rear-end of the RX8 was taken and put on the MX5 which is supposedly more advanced and better. The earlier cars had an aluminum hood but steel trunk, the NC has both an aluminum hood and trunk. My complaint about sitting "on top" of the car was addressed too: you tend to sit down in the NC, more like the MGB is.
I've left the best part of this rambling for the end: I've never owned a vehicle that has put me into part of an owners "community" more than the Miata - and that includes my MG. When another Miata passes me the owner will almost always wave or flash his lights, and when I've been behind another Miata the owner will usually wave when he or I turn.
A couple of months ago a lady stopped me in a Disney World parking lot to ask me a bunch of questions about my Miata - turned out she just bought one just like mine and was excited as a little kid about it. On my trip to Maine in October the lady that runs the hotel owns an NA Miata and wouldn't have anything else - when a guest arrived in a red '07 NC she and I both looked it over really closely and we all talked about Miatas.
Point is - for a lot of owners these aren't a "cute little convertible", they're cars that the owners just love. Often that attitude shows and it adds to the fun. And that's the bottom line: they're fun.
Mechanically there are some minor differences between the original "NA" Miata and the second-gen "NB"s but size-wise they're similar. If anything that's my only complaint: the NA/NB Miatas (perhaps the NB more so) are slightly small for the driver and the way you sit in the car is a little annoying. If the seat went back another inch and if the seats were made so it was more like MGB, then it would be a little better. Jumping out of an MGB into the Miata is like jumping out of a comfortable recliner into a high-back kitchen chair - sometimes it feels like you're sitting up on top of the car rather than "in" the car. That's just an observation, not really a complaint.
The current "NC" version (of which there are some good deals to be had if you want to get newer) is totally different. Where the NA and NB were very closely related, the NC is new. Mechanically the suspension is different, cast aluminum parts replaced stamped-steel/welded parts. The rear-end of the RX8 was taken and put on the MX5 which is supposedly more advanced and better. The earlier cars had an aluminum hood but steel trunk, the NC has both an aluminum hood and trunk. My complaint about sitting "on top" of the car was addressed too: you tend to sit down in the NC, more like the MGB is.
I've left the best part of this rambling for the end: I've never owned a vehicle that has put me into part of an owners "community" more than the Miata - and that includes my MG. When another Miata passes me the owner will almost always wave or flash his lights, and when I've been behind another Miata the owner will usually wave when he or I turn.
A couple of months ago a lady stopped me in a Disney World parking lot to ask me a bunch of questions about my Miata - turned out she just bought one just like mine and was excited as a little kid about it. On my trip to Maine in October the lady that runs the hotel owns an NA Miata and wouldn't have anything else - when a guest arrived in a red '07 NC she and I both looked it over really closely and we all talked about Miatas.
Point is - for a lot of owners these aren't a "cute little convertible", they're cars that the owners just love. Often that attitude shows and it adds to the fun. And that's the bottom line: they're fun.