Don't know exactly how book value is determined, but I sold my 92 Miata over the weekend, and priced it at about 15% over book value, and I had buyers lined up wanting it.
If you are selling, disregard the prices Edmunds and Kelly Blue Book has for private party, and add 20%. Maybe it was due to being red and a 5 speed.
It was a fun car to drive for about 10 minutes, but after 6 years (bought it used) and driving it only 24,500 miles, it was too small, slow, not much fun on the freeway, hard to see out of in heavy traffic, terrible in snow (one try was enough for me), and still depreciating (though not terribly so, maybe $1,000 a year). It did get excellent gas mileage, and it did corner and handle wonderfully.
I'm putting the money for a weekend cruiser into something that will hold it's value, a restored 1966 Pontiac convertible. Obviously a different car, but not many canyons to drive through in the midwest, I can take my friends with me in that, and it sounds and accelerates scarily. That, and it can be maintained by the average Joe with a screwdriver and a wrench. It is far simpler than the admitively simple Miata.
I would skip getting the a/c, I almost never used it in 6 years.
#1538 was the number, no responses. It includes possibly every Miata from 1999 to 2000. It has something to do with improper machining of one of the cylinders. Correction requires replacing half of the engine. Anybody know or heard anything about this? Please post!
#4 thrust bearing, yes I've read a little bit about it on Miata.net. If your car is between the listed VIN numbers, and you hear the noise, you probably have that problem, according to the Mazda fax, the dealer should repair the problem. I didn't see any reference in the bulletin or the followup from Mazda regarding, "replacing half the engine." I also get the impression it is not all that common in the 1999-2000 cars.
In fairness, I think every complaint you had about the Miata should be obvious to anyone from the get-go. You don't even need to test drive it to come to those conclusions.
You should have kept it and just owned two vehicles. A restored classic is going to require more work than a Miata would. Don't let nostalgia clowd your judgement.
...I'm guessing you live in the snowbelt? Down here in steamy NC, no one buys a car without AC unless they like being saturated with sweat within one minute of walking out the front door. Even with the top down, I can't stay cool enough on a 95 degree day with 95% humidity without the AC on. Though I wish I could toss it to get rid of some weight, I couldn't live with the car as a daily driver without it!
Living in Toronto I haven't had to go a single day without having the hood down :-) until yesterday - I dropped the car of to have the fender fixed up.
I've borrowed a 300ZX until I get it back. It really carves the road amazingly well, but boy does it feel heavy.
I think that auto magazines have polluted the concept of the real sports cars with all their penciled it statistics and numbers that don't really affect most people. I'm sure this Nissan can do most things better then the Miata, but I've realized that I don't even care, because it's not nearly as much fun to drive (for me).
It also took me a hundred times longer to take off and store the T-tops, then it takes to throw down the hood, but that's a whole other issue. ;-)
Boy, did you say a mouthful! As I went to the curb to pick up the mail, a big, beautiful black BMW 740i came swinging down the street. 1st impression; what a great car! 2nd thought, as he pulled it down for the stop sign, and then pulled away; two darn big, heavy, and pounderous...On the highway from St. LO to LA., great. I drove a 540I Sport quite a bit in San Fran a year or so ago, and was really enjoying it..but not.. not for everyday. The Miata is indeed the greatest.I sent a note to Autoweek after their article in autofile;They used the term "Miata Stumbles" and I took them to task for that kind of cheap headline. This new 01 is just about perfect.....add the sport pkg, and you have a hell of a racer. Keep it basic and it is super also. Add the goodies for the leather edition, and it is handsome.
Just totally on a lark. I think I posted earlier an interest in wanting to pick up a used cheap MX5 one of these days, figured I'd try out a new one. What an awesome car. I've never been in a car that felt as lithe as the Miata. I was also surprised by little things like the paint job/gloss and snug seats. It was a little small for the 6'1" me, I was having trouble working the clutch without bumping my knee.
The size really bothered me. The car was a dream on the few stretches of smooth pavement I drove it on, but most of the road was pretty bump and the Miata didn't feel very stable, as though its light weight was holding it back. Has anyone noticed this, or is it not a problem? I felt as though the tires needed some glue on the rubber.
Anyway I really really like that car. I just need to find a halfway decent one for about $5k.
It is an especially light car. My car weight 2217 lbs. So if you are unaccustomed to it, bumps will throw you off at first, you do feel less connected in some ways. After a couple of days behind the wheel, you just factor this in. You can find a decent Miata for $5000, what part of the country do you live in.
I didn't read all of the old posts, WAY too many. Just wondering if anyone here had ever heard anything about Mazda putting an RX-7, or a different rotary, engine into a Miata. Those engines are small and VERY powerful.
sphinx99: It depends what you want the car to do of course, but I actually put on slightly less sticky Yokahoma's because I like to be able to slide the car around, it's a lot of fun. Good sticky tires will hold the road better and give more G forces, but they tend to loose traction much more abruptly when they reach their limit.
It's only been about 3 weeks since I bought my 2001 crystal blue mica and I can't say enough about this car. I love driving it. I drive on I-95 most of the time and it handles great on the interstate. I don't notice the bumps too much. I also really enjoy it on the back roads. Driving is fun again!! I don't mind the light weight of the car that's part of the fun of it. I get so many compliments on this car. I think the color catches people's eyes, but also because it's such a great looking car no matter what color. I don't miss my Acura CL at all. This car is perfect. I want to take it to Hilton Head in the fall, but my husband's golf bag/clubs won't fit. He didn't think it was amusing when I told him to just leave several clubs home. (I don't golf so I didn't see what the big deal was.Ha!) Well, enjoy your cars fellow miata owners and keep smiling!!
Consider a luggage rack. Some are even removable. A Miata at Hilton Head would be sweet.
Jeff: the next Miata is supposed to move to the new RX chassis, but not sure they'll use a rotary. If they did, I doubt it would be the affordable sports car it is now.
The rotary has never been seriously considered for the Miata due to the added cost/complexity. ateixeira's right though, the next Miata will share a platform with the RX-8 and the next RX-7. Speculation exists over whether or not Mazda will offer the Rotary in the Miata as a performance option. BUT, if they do it will most likely blow the doors off both of the "flagship" models (RX-7/8) since the Miata should stay smaller and lighter. I see the Miata sticking with a regular reciprocating engine in the near future.
The current issue of Road & Track offers a few insights into what may come of an "enhanced-performance" Miata. I, for one, hope Detroit's idea of what it should become doesn't come to pass (too much weight up front ruins the chassis). I'm not as optimistic as Mr. Sam Mitani that they could sort it all out with a few calibrations. Once you mess up the balance of a car, you can't get it back with simple adjustments. My $.02...
I agree with everybody else. Mazda has a formula that works, I'd hate to see them screw it up. The Miata has been a huge success because it knows what it wants to be. A simple, lightweight, straightforward, connected roadster that returns to the principles of the early English roadsters. They just decided to leave off the Lucas Electronics and oil leaks.
I just stuck my head in and see some excellent writing going on for the Miata; Dear Plurz; Get rid of your husband and his silly golf clubs; Just go to Hilton in that new CrCrystallue Mica and you will surely find another one! Only kidding of course!MrsbMrs.bjrich I are also loving our CBM 01. Went to a "drive in" (A Sonic) Had a coney dog, a malt and fries while everyone was admiring the car.car...... Love Regarding the changes in the upcoming Miata.Miata.. it to me that they were talking about going back to the 1.6 and making the basic car for about $15,000 or so, and then moving up the Miata with a bigger body and more power to reach a differdifferencet...My old 90 with the 1.6 was an "A" pkg with only air and PS. I loved it and it originally was about $15,000 or so. It was a great great car and I bet they could keep selling them for a long, long time.We are very pleased with the 01 CBM with all the toys and leather and I can not say I'd go back...Mayback... Maybeifference of about $7,500 I really might consider it!!!!!!
The new RENESIS rotary engine is planned to be produced in two forms: 250hp and 200hp. However, the RX-8 will only be offered with the 250hp version and I'm sure Mazda won't put the 200hp rotary in the new RX-7 when Nissan has near 300hp in the new Z. There is a lot of speculation that Mazda may very well offer the 200hp rotary as an option in the next generation Miata. Since the RENESIS is lighter than the 1.8L and has 10,000rpm to play with, I think it would be a terrific combination. Kind of like the super lightweight, agile 1st generation RX-7.
That's the thing. With the rotary engine a Miata could mainain the balance it has now. That means that I would think it would have the same driving characteristics but almost twice as much power to play with. Though of course it would cost more and there might be some problems with the engine. But it sure would be crazy fast.
I'll be interested to see how Mazda sorts out two key issues: emissions and fuel economy. The rotary was never known for either.
If the rotary proves to be reliable, at least, then its packaging could make it a good candidate. But it's risky - any teething problems would scar the Miata's nearly impeccable reliability record.
Sort of reminds me of our manufacturing group at work, one of the Engineers there has a saying: Better, Cheaper, Faster, you only get 2 out of 3, which 2 do you want. I'm all for improvement and change, just don't make the same mistake Datsun/Nissan did to the classic 240Z. Turn a nice sports car into a heavy touring GT car, in the name of improvement.
Actually, both renesis motors will be offered in the RX-8. The manual trans will be 250hp and the auto trans will be 205hp. Torque converters don't like that high HP, high RPM stuff. Who knows about a rotary Miata...seems that it get's to close to RX-8 and too costly.
I finally got out to the driving range since I got the new wheels, and my clubs fit in the trunk perfectly - I only had to take the driver out of the bag. Will this car ever fail to impress me???
20 years ago I owned and loved an MGB. Much life and responsibility later I'm able to go for the fun of a two seat convertible again. I'm very excited to be taking possession in about 3 weeks of a 2001 base model, emerald mica green Miata with a removable hard top and the convenience package, it is currently "at the port". It's wonderful to read these love letters about the car. I did much better hunting for the vehicle online than at the dealership, although in the end, the online service I used was located at the dealership!
Earlier I'd posted about my test drive, how the Miata really felt light. This was not a complaint because it seemed that the power delivered to the wheels was just right to give the light car some oomph without affecting its handling and traction characteristics too much. However if you put a 200hp engine in the Miata, I'd be real concerned about whether the car has the kind of traction necessary to not only transmit that power through the contact patch, but manage a stable ride at high speeds...?
I think the Miata is just fine as a 150hp (give or take) machine. If you want to give it S2000 acceleration, you'll probably have to give it S2000 tires and weight. Opinions?
My opinion, its apples and oranges, comparing a car that costs in the low 20s to one in the mid 30s, is sort of fruitless (a little pun). Maybe it is a fun little exercise to talk about how the Miata could be improved. No doubt the S2000 is a firebreathing little coupe. The Miata is not about fast launches, it is not about high speeds either. This is a great car to drive at 30 mph, that is a rare thing these days. I remember at one time wishing for a little more umph for freeway entrance ramps or generally those times you want to pull out quickly. I was wrong, it is there, just keep here at 5000-5500 rpms and this car has more than adequate power. My opinion on the first generation 1.6 liter engine.
I agree completely with the last two posts. Never shift a Miata before 4,000 rpm or you're doing yourself and the car a disservice! At that range the car's happy (been driving it this way for 112k miles and still have the original clutch), it'll keep a grin on your face, and you'll still run away from most people who are scared to use the "loud pedal" :O)
I have been holding back since it is pretty new. This morning, with about 7100 on the odometer, I got a bit courages.It does a nice 60 MPH in second at close to 6000 rpm and wants to go more. 6000 rpm is as high as I have had it, in both 2nd an 3rd. If is can do 60 in 2nd at 6000rpm it seems that I am getting to 60 in a very short time in seconds, and it is supposed to do 0 to 60 in about 8 seconds. I just took off without dropping the clutch at high rpm, but it seemed to me to get up to 60 in a blink of an eye. I wonder what it would feel like if I raised to 3500 rpm and dropped the clutch. I do not think I have the guts to do it, at this time.I wanted to see the new RSX at the Acura dealer this afternoon, as my wife has a CL. I went in and they hand washed my Crystal Blue Mica for me, no charge, while I looked over the RSX. I think I would not trade them for the RSX. We do love the CBM, and they did a great wash job.Take care all Miata PeoplePeople... seeon.
I'm considering sometime in the quasi-near future (probably early spring) buying a roadster . . . Have yet to decide which one. I'm considering the Miata (obviously), the BMW Z3, the S2000 and the Audi TT. My only concern is that I only ever see women driving the Miata, and myself only being 19, image is everything ;-).
Anyway, I plan on saving a large sum each month to put down on the car in March or April. Any feedback appreciated.
For image and attitude the S2000s appearance is bolder and more noticable. The S2000 is a sweet car, cudos to Honda on their first try at the roadster. It comes with a much stronger image, and it out out-performs the Miata in every possible way.
But on the other hand with the Miata you get a car that is more public street friendly, and while it's performance limits are more limited, the handling has exactly what you want in a sports car, like perfect balance and precise steering. The difference is that to push the Miata you don't have to travel at suicidal speeds. But then, I'm in it for the driving and not the image.
I attempted putting the clubs in the trunk with the dimmest of hopes, and to my delight (and relief) they snugged in just perfectly. As for a second set? Not a chance unless they're kids size.
It's been posted here time again, people who think or say that the Miata is a "chick car" have never driven one or think any car with less than 8 cylinders is feminine. Statiscally, more men drive Miatas than women (60% vs. 40% I think?). The Miata IS a sports car - it's not trying to be one like a Toyota Celica or a VW Golf.
A few months ago I purchased a 1995 miata, creme white w/ tan leather. it has been great. I am a female driver. At this time it has 81,000 miles on it w/ the original timing belt. How much longer can I go w/out replacing it? I have not seen other Miata's this color. I've only noticed pure whites. Was the color different for this year? Also there is a bar that goes across the car behind the seats. What is the purpose of this? One of my speakers is blown out (tweeter). Would I be able to easily replace it myself?
I assume you mean one of the headrest speakers is blown. It is a simple job. Above is a link for a replacement set. Max-5 headrest speakers at $70 for a set of four are quite good. No sense in replacing just one of the four, plus these are a big improvement over stock.
Yeah, time to change the timing belt. The Miata engine is a non-interference type. When it goes, it won't take any valves with it, the car will just stop without any engine damage. It is best to be in control of you own destiny and not get stranded. Find $350 and get it changed. My $0.02. Have fun shorty11, I can't wait till fall!
One, even if the Miata is a 'chick car' it's still a good thing for a guy. Sure you'll have to defend your choice to all the guys you know, but that's a small price to pay for drawing admiring glances from every woman on the road, no?
Two, based on what friends have told me, the Miata is far and away the most livable of the cars you mentioned, especially in terms of cost, reliability and peace of mind. I don't know what you're living conditions are like but keep in mind that the Miata is the kind of car you can park outdoors in an apartment complex, the kind you can take to a grocery store and not grab too much attention, that you can park downtown in Chicago and not worry too much about. Cars like the S2000 are much, much higher maintenance from this perspective.
Laura: I'd change the timing belt now. If you don't know the history, or the service has not been done, I'd also do a full 60k mile service.
I think Mazda has used two whites on the Miata. The first is Crystal White, as on my 1993 model, also with tan leather interior. Not sure when then 2nd white came along, or what it was called.
The bar behind the seats is a structural brace that ties the chassis together, to make it a little stiffer. I think it appeared for 1994, because mine does not have it.
Do you have tweeters in the doors, like mine? I haven't fiddled with them so no idea how hard they would be to change. I imagine they'd be easy.
The tweeters are in the door (i think). i also have the speakers in the headrest. Thanks for the 411. I'll get the timing belt done soon. The car is still under a warranty that the past owner purchased. The belt isn't covered however unless it breaks The tan and white is a great combo.
before I bought it I heard that so often it got annoying. Opinions usually change quickly after a closer look. Most people who say this haven't actually checked the car out, they are just offering a biased opinion. In the end all I get are compliments, surprisingly frequently.
...sure lots of women buy it because it's cute (that's the "C" word again). But lots more people (including me) buy it because it *DRIVES* like a dream. Anybody who knows cars understands. Anybody who doesn't....who do they know and who cares anyway? All I can say is: I've had a surprisingly large cross section of people complement the car.
Hi folks. Her's the short description of a very long story which I will mercifully spare you I traded in my dream car (Jeep Wrangler) for a 2001 Honda Civic coupe. I did this because the Jeep's reliability was horrendous. I just couldn't justify the price of repairs and gas. Every month something would break and this is on a 97. Even the new ones have a poor reliability rating. Anyway, as a direct result I bought what I thought was the most reliable vehicle I could find....but I am not having fun like I did in the Jeep. I was looking at Consumer Reports and, lo and behold, the Miata jumped out at me. CR stated it was very reliable and obviously it would be great fun to drive. So my question is this. Are they reliable? I'd just like to know what your experiences have been. I would be purchasing a used (99, 00) model and am always nervous that the minute I pull off the lot the tranny/engine would go. Thanks a ton for your input, Sonny
Comments
Sorted from the lightest (base models, per Edmunds):
2195 MR2
2387 Miata
- - -
2778 Boxster
2809 S2000
2899 Z3
2909 CLK
And keep in mind the MR2 resorted to struts at all four corners to keep weight down. Plus, no real trunk.
-juice
If you are selling, disregard the prices Edmunds and Kelly Blue Book has for private party, and add 20%. Maybe it was due to being red and a 5 speed.
It was a fun car to drive for about 10 minutes, but after 6 years (bought it used) and driving it only 24,500 miles, it was too small, slow, not much fun on the freeway, hard to see out of in heavy traffic, terrible in snow (one try was enough for me), and still depreciating (though not terribly so, maybe $1,000 a year). It did get excellent gas mileage, and it did corner and handle wonderfully.
I'm putting the money for a weekend cruiser into something that will hold it's value, a restored 1966 Pontiac convertible. Obviously a different car, but not many canyons to drive through in the midwest, I can take my friends with me in that, and it sounds and accelerates scarily. That, and it can be maintained by the average Joe with a screwdriver and a wrench. It is far simpler than the admitively simple Miata.
I would skip getting the a/c, I almost never used it in 6 years.
http://www.miata.net/garage/tsb/tsb014_00r.gif
I'd be more worried if Mazda denied problems, rather than acknowledging and fixing them.
In fairness, I think every complaint you had about the Miata should be obvious to anyone from the get-go. You don't even need to test drive it to come to those conclusions.
You should have kept it and just owned two vehicles. A restored classic is going to require more work than a Miata would. Don't let nostalgia clowd your judgement.
-juice
I have used the A/C a couple of times, even with the top down it can make a hot day bearable.
-juice
I've borrowed a 300ZX until I get it back. It really carves the road amazingly well, but boy does it feel heavy.
I think that auto magazines have polluted the concept of the real sports cars with all their penciled it statistics and numbers that don't really affect most people. I'm sure this Nissan can do most things better then the Miata, but I've realized that I don't even care, because it's not nearly as much fun to drive (for me).
It also took me a hundred times longer to take off and store the T-tops, then it takes to throw down the hood, but that's a whole other issue. ;-)
I want my car back!
Different type of fun, I guess.
-juice
The size really bothered me. The car was a dream on the few stretches of smooth pavement I drove it on, but most of the road was pretty bump and the Miata didn't feel very stable, as though its light weight was holding it back. Has anyone noticed this, or is it not a problem? I felt as though the tires needed some glue on the rubber.
Anyway I really really like that car. I just need to find a halfway decent one for about $5k.
I modified my seat tracks to change the angle of the chair, and some people even go as far as removing some of the padding on the seat.
You probably tried the 16" wheels and suspension package. Some folks find it stiff. You'd probably prefer the base suspension and 15" rims.
But honestly, I doubt you'll fit comfortably in an older one.
-juice
PS My tip: drive barefoot. Any shoes with heels and it's far less comfy.
'92 Brilliant Black LE
44k miles
sphinx99: It depends what you want the car to do of course, but I actually put on slightly less sticky Yokahoma's because I like to be able to slide the car around, it's a lot of fun. Good sticky tires will hold the road better and give more G forces, but they tend to loose traction much more abruptly when they reach their limit.
Jeff: the next Miata is supposed to move to the new RX chassis, but not sure they'll use a rotary. If they did, I doubt it would be the affordable sports car it is now.
-juice
The current issue of Road & Track offers a few insights into what may come of an "enhanced-performance" Miata. I, for one, hope Detroit's idea of what it should become doesn't come to pass (too much weight up front ruins the chassis). I'm not as optimistic as Mr. Sam Mitani that they could sort it all out with a few calibrations. Once you mess up the balance of a car, you can't get it back with simple adjustments. My $.02...
If the rotary proves to be reliable, at least, then its packaging could make it a good candidate. But it's risky - any teething problems would scar the Miata's nearly impeccable reliability record.
-juice
Also, can you also fit one of those rolling carts with the bag?
Paul: congrats and welcome back!
-juice
I think the Miata is just fine as a 150hp (give or take) machine. If you want to give it S2000 acceleration, you'll probably have to give it S2000 tires and weight. Opinions?
The power and price will put it in the big leagues where the name "Mazda" cannot (should not?) compete with BMW, Mercedes, and Porsche.
Don't believe me? Look at the Millenia. Like it or not, it was a huge dud in the market. Rebates hit a ridiculous $6 grand at one point.
The S2000 should probably have carried an Acura label. They could have priced it higher if it did.
-juice
-juice
Anyway, I plan on saving a large sum each month to put down on the car in March or April. Any feedback appreciated.
The S2000 is a sweet car, cudos to Honda on their first try at the roadster. It comes with a much stronger image, and it out out-performs the Miata in every possible way.
But on the other hand with the Miata you get a car that is more public street friendly, and while it's performance limits are more limited, the handling has exactly what you want in a sports car, like perfect balance and precise steering. The difference is that to push the Miata you don't have to travel at suicidal speeds. But then, I'm in it for the driving and not the image.
Joseph: most Miata owners are male, actually. 63% per Auto Pacific's data. You're thinking of the Cabrio, which is a whopping 69% female.
You'll love RWD. It rewards a skilled driver. FWD is for grandmas.
Freddy: thanks for trying.
-juice
Thanks for your input. This car is great fun.
I assume you mean one of the headrest speakers is blown. It is a simple job. Above is a link for a replacement set. Max-5 headrest speakers at $70 for a set of four are quite good. No sense in replacing just one of the four, plus these are a big improvement over stock.
Yeah, time to change the timing belt. The Miata engine is a non-interference type. When it goes, it won't take any valves with it, the car will just stop without any engine damage. It is best to be in control of you own destiny and not get stranded. Find $350 and get it changed. My $0.02. Have fun shorty11, I can't wait till fall!
One, even if the Miata is a 'chick car' it's still a good thing for a guy. Sure you'll have to defend your choice to all the guys you know, but that's a small price to pay for drawing admiring glances from every woman on the road, no?
Two, based on what friends have told me, the Miata is far and away the most livable of the cars you mentioned, especially in terms of cost, reliability and peace of mind. I don't know what you're living conditions are like but keep in mind that the Miata is the kind of car you can park outdoors in an apartment complex, the kind you can take to a grocery store and not grab too much attention, that you can park downtown in Chicago and not worry too much about. Cars like the S2000 are much, much higher maintenance from this perspective.
I think Mazda has used two whites on the Miata. The first is Crystal White, as on my 1993 model, also with tan leather interior. Not sure when then 2nd white came along, or what it was called.
The bar behind the seats is a structural brace that ties the chassis together, to make it a little stiffer. I think it appeared for 1994, because mine does not have it.
Do you have tweeters in the doors, like mine? I haven't fiddled with them so no idea how hard they would be to change. I imagine they'd be easy.
Enjoy it. White over tan is beautiful!
-juice
L.
In the end all I get are compliments, surprisingly frequently.
-juice
Sonny