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I haven't obtained any service manuals yet - the one's I've come across only listed thru '99. They are probably still valid, but I would prefer the inclusion of the '00.
Jim M.
1)Funnel
2) ~ 3ft. of clear plastic tubing available at most hardware stores.
3) ~2" of 1/2" copper tubing, and a 1/2" copper elbow.
Slip copper tubing, with elbow attached, into one end of plastic tubing.
Put funnel in other end.
Under hood, snake plastic tubing, copper end first, down to tranny.
You can take it from there. '99 5-speed calls for 2.1 qts.
take care.
Joe W>
I'm purchasing jack stands to compliment my ramps. The Miata won't climb my current ramps due to the angle vs the car's air dam. I plan to jack the car up, then slide the ramps under the front end. I'll support the rear with the jack stands. I'm not real crazy about sliding under a vehicle supported solely by jack stands. The Miata might not weigh much, but it's definitely more than my chest can support should something fail. The ramps will give a measure of confidence.
I could have the dealer do all three oils for a quoted 1 hour of labor ($65) if I supply the oils. I'm not leaning that way, but it would help as to documentation should I find some particulates a bit too big stuck to the magnetic plugs.
Think I'll go with the Redline oil for the tranny and diff. I can purchase it for $7.99/qt. locally. It won't need to be replaced for quite a while, as the Miata is not my daily driver. I'm planning to use Mobil 1 in the engine and stay with 7.5K changes. Redline is a little too pricey ($8/qt) for that frequent a change.
Any recommendations on a filter? The Purolater book indicated they don't make a Pure One filter for the Miata, and I couldn't find a Mobil 1 book to determine if they make a filter.
Jim M.
while it may work okay, most people seem to agree that for the buck or so difference it makes sense to play it safe.
My local dealer charges $5.25 for filters, also available by mail order via the aftermarket suppliers.
RE: ramps -- check out the rhino ramps sold by Moss motors & other Miata suppliers. Their angle is such that the low clearance doesn't bother them and, obviously, would be less of a pain to use.
Take care.
Joe W.
Use ramps on rear axle, jacks in front, so parking brake is available to keep vehicle from rolling!!!
Duh.
Joe, Thanks for the advice on the filters.
Jim M.
The '94 ("R Pkg") was completely troublefree.
Both were a blast to drive, but no more so than my '65 MGB (which leaked oil & had generator "issues" regularly), or for that matter than my current Lincoln LS.
Fun is where you find it, and in this hellhole desert (Phoenix, AZ), the Miata doesn't realize its full potential.
Enjoy yours!
Blizzaks are excellent for Miata on snow AND ICE until the tread wears a modest amount. Then the little micro pores that grip the ice are gone and you're left with a reasonably good snow tire.
If you get them, treat them very gently to prolong their ice-gripping ability.
I suggest you visit Tirerack and Discount Tire websites for more info.
I drive a Subaru with Blizzaks on in the winter. They seem like a good tire. Not much wear after 2 winters.
I like the 200 HP engine in the Prelude, but my number one priority is how much fun a car is to drive -- and that means responsiveness and handling as well as acceleration. The Prelude definitely scores high in all of these areas, but you guys do seem to be having a lot of fun with your Miatas...
What I want to know is, how practical would it be to have a Miata as my only car in Boston? I don't care about cargo space, since I do my grocery shopping over the web. But I would want to be able to drive in snow/ice (with good snow tires). Will the Miata's heater keep the car reasonably warm, even in sub-zero temperatures?
Is it worth getting a Miata even if you're going to be driving it with the top up 6 months out of the year? Is it still fun-to-drive with the top up, or would I be better off with a Prelude?
A very much appreciated feature is the Glass heated backlight. With the plastic version that some others have, it would have been very unpleasant.
Heater performance is completely adequate.
In my opinion, the Miata provides more fun/$$ than anything else on the road.
I'm a Ford retiree, and at the time I bought the Miata, I could have bought a Mustang GT for essentially the same price. I went for the Miata & have no regrets.
I own both a Prelude (a pristine 1988 2.0Si with 116,000 blissful miles) and a Miata (brand-new 2000). The Miata is a blast, and I love it for top-down motoring, but if I had to have only one car, it would be a Prelude. It does more things exceedingly well than any other car I've ever owned.
I probably would not buy a Miata as my ONLY car. A two seater is a bit too limiting for me and I do have to carry largish things every once in a while (like a bicycle) But since I have the space and finance to pay for it, I am fortunate enough that I can keep another sedan around and I have the best of both worlds. If you don't have a passenger, you can carry some pretty big items around.
However, LOTS of people have their Miata as their only car. It's do-able and you may have to make some attitude adjustments to pull it off. Driving the car in the snow is NO problem as long as snow is not more than a few inches (around 5"?) deep and you have good snow tires. Check out tires like the Michelin Alpin, Nokian Hakkapellita, or Blizzaks. These are all tires that will allow the Miata to handle the slipperiest of conditions. The balance of the car is excellent and any sliding is fun and easy to control. The softtop will wear a bit over time but this is expected.
The Miata is easily the most fun car I've owned. I've driven faster coupes like Prelude, Corrado and Acura Integra Type R, and BMW 323ci etc. And none of them approach the back to basics sportscar feeling that a Miata offers. I tell everyone that "Everybody should own a Miata-like car sometime in their life" If you can pull it off now, then do it!!! Some people are in the perfect situation to buy a car like a Miata but opt for some more practical car instead. I think I should have bought a Miata 8 years ago but instead I opted for a Corrado. Now I wish I bought the Miata instead.
YES.
I actually store my Miata away for the winter and I do only get to drive it seven months. And the top is up at least 1 of those months.
It's is worth it, the Miata is fun to drive even with the top up (once you get used to its blind spots).
The oil filter cannot hold much oil due to it's size, and no oil was spilled outside the drain pan.
I had also failed to check my engine oil level prior to the oil change. Have I lost my mind?
So, just as a precautionary measure, if you've bought a new car, check the oil level before leaving the dealer's lot. Even if it's older, this should serve as a reminder for your routine car checkups.
Jim M.
That said, many people will tell you I hang around here way too much as Miatas are very special to me, but I doubt I'd want one as a sole ride. A Miata is a toy and I'd own one for that purpose. If I couldn't afford a nice "real" car, I'd buy a beater, maybe a big frontwheel drive, early 90s wagon. That's transportation, not fun, and it's cheap enough you can afford to replace it more often. Especially needed in Boston.
Anytime I want fun, I head for MX5s.
Take care.
Joe W>
Actually, I'm looking forward to driving it in the winter as well as in the summer.
Can't help you much with snow as I have another vehicle for winter condition, and living in RI, I don't think it is the same as in Michigan. But there are a lot of people who drive their Miatas year round, and the most important thing according to them, is get a set of good snow tires. Blizzaks is always brought up as one of the better ones, but certainly not the only good snow tires. But a set of matching snow tires will make a world of difference.
Yeah, snow tires are needed, unless you're beaching it for the winter ...
To store for the winter ... some tips also available with better detail in the FAQ section of Miata.net:
get an oil change.
top off the gas. Use Stabil or some such if you think it wise (I do.)
Put the car on jack stands.
Put mothballs in the engine compartment, trunk, interior.
Stuff steel wool in the exhaust pipe.
Stuff a rag wrapped around steel wool in the air intake (that way bits of steel wool won't get sucked into the engine).
Remove the battery or put it on a charger. (Record radio code if you remove battery.)
Prop the top open a crack, roll the windows down a crack, open hood and trunk just enough to take all pressure off the seals.
Lube all the seals you can find.
Cover the whole thing with a car cover.
Begin marking off days till spring.
Take care.
Joe W.
I just noticed that the zipper on my window has pulled apart. Rather than replace the rear window, I'm thinking I may get a new top ... I've always liked the cloth & covet a glass window ... but I've never owned one -- any downsides you know of?
Take care.
Joe W>
For the time I had it, I love the way cloth top looks. It looks very sophisticated, like on a Mercedes or a Porsche . And the quality of Robbins top is top notch, although you do pay (literally) when you buy it. Note that the cloth top with glass window will sit "taller" on the shelf than factory top, and may not sit totally folded if you don't put a boot on it.
The only downside that I can think of, is cloth, especially on black cloth, any lint will show up easily and the top can be a real lint magnet. I used one of those sticky roller thingy (for pet hair) to clean the top.
Did you run into any problems in the installation? I'm assuming that you had it done at an upholstery shop -- did they find any surprises or was it pretty straightforward?
Other than lint, any maintenance clues?
Take care.
Joe W>
And I didn't keep the car long enough to maintain it! *laugh* Shortly after I got the cloth top, I traded it for my 99.
But I have heard people going to mercedes or porsche dealers and getting their stuff for cloth tops. Sorry can;t help you much, but the short time I had it, I just wash it with regular soap... and it looked great.
check www.miataforum.com under maintenance and you can ask there.
But the point is, they didn't get any better 0-60 number than they have in the past. I believe it was 8.0 sec. I was hoping to see that drop into the low 7's. Anyone see any other review, or have an explanation? They attributed it to a weight gain. I thought the 2001's were going to be 30 lb lighter?
I am seriously considering a Z-28, instead of a Miata, because of these performance issues. Why is Toyota getting 180hp from the same size engine in the Celica? Honda's new Integra will have 200+hp. If it isn't producing the power, where's the greta mpg?
Bang for the buck, the Camaro will give you better acceleration, but it appeals to a different crowd.
A lot of people are disappointed in only 155hp from the 1.8L but remember, power costs, and remember Supra, RX-7, 300ZX? They are not here anymore because it costs way too much to buy them. Miata is an affordable sports car. And a lot of people are satisfied with it.
You know, you can always get yourself an earlier Miata (possibly 94 to 97) and put a turbo in it and get around 200rwhp. That's in a car weigh in at around 2400 to 2500 lbs.
Several times a year I also take trips of 400 - 550 miles. I would like to take my toy. How will a Miata be at 70 - 80 mph for most of a day? Those are some of my other "performance" qualms.
I'll check the 2001 out. Maybe it will be more than a "curve-cutter".
I have driven my '90 233,000 + km. including many sessions on a race track - virtually no brake fade! Can't say that for many cars in stock condition. Better braking can be had with a swap of pads and tires if you so wish - but first try one - you may find that they are better than you think.
Long distances? With the top down it can get quite noisy at speed - so you will have to keep the speed down in that case but otherwise I find the car quite comfortable - seats and all.
Basically, just take a looong test drive - it is a fun car - even after 10 years! I'm wanting to pick up another one these days in fact. ;^)
Reijo
Here is a link to one of the discussions on the forum. Someone has gone to his local Mazda dealer and picked up a copy of 2001 brochure. He has scanned it in and you probably can make out some of the deetails.
http://www.miataforum.com/ubb/Forum6/HTML/003658.html
As to the Miata on a long trip, door-to-door was 996 miles. TOP UP, sustained 80mph up I-95. 27-29mpg. Road noise was not bad at all, and she still had PLENTY of reserve left at that speed.
Now, as to the actual ride...... My 13 year old daughter told me somewhere in South Carolina, "Dad, this car is not for road trips". Guess she would have preferred the entire back seat of my LeSabre which she usually has on such trips.
Regardless, the trip was fun. We made sure we got out of the vehicle for each meal, instead of the usual drive while eating routine I do in the Buick. The breaks were appreciated, and I might add we weren't under the usual time constraints we normally are.
All in all, it was a great, fun trip. My toy now has 5K on it!!!
Jim M.
I came to the "B" from motorcycles (relatively small displacement & many 500+ mile days), so the notion of sitting comfortably while listening to the radio was a real step up. With the Miata, I also got independent rear suspension, no oil leaks, an electrical system that worked, and air conditioning. I drove both the '91 and the '94R across Nevada at 80 - 90+ for hours on end, and enjoyed it all, often with the top down. Oh yeah, I wore ear plugs. . .but think back to that motorcycle experience.
So, if you're used to some boulevard cruiser with great big soft seats and a soft suspension, you're probably not going to like 700 miles a day in a Miata. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a car that puts a smile on your face whenever the road curves, you'll love it.
By the way, I'm 6'2" and weigh too much, and still enjoyed the long days in the Miata. Either you're a roadster person. . .or you're not.
I love this car! Got it in July and have really enjoyed it this summer and Indian summer. Unfortunately, I discovered a pinhole puncture in the vinyl top on the passenger side toward the back. Has anyone else had such a problem? It appears to have been made by the folding mechanism when the top goes down.
I certainly haven't abused it and can't imagine any other way this could have happened.
Plan to take it back to the dealer on Wednesday. If anyone can help, I'd appreciate it.
Good luck
I have been very much impressed with other Mazda products I have owned in the past ('87 626 GT) and am excited about the possibility of having a nice used Mazda to drive in the non-wintery months here in Wisconsin. All I need is a little guidance from some of you. Thanks!