By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
One thing I insist on adding to your observations about autoX: it's fun. Really fun.
Take care.
Joe W.
My Impreza has KYB AGX adjustable struts all around and an adjustable rear sway bar. I also have Goodridge braided steel brake lines and a 2.25" catback with a Borla turbo muffler. Mmm... boxer sound. On the way are a new set of tires (Yokohama AVS S1) and some EuroRotor kevlar semi-metallic brake pads. The car should be much fast, but there's a loose nut behind the wheel. I lost STS by about 2 seconds (over 2 days).
The course was about 800-900 feet out and then roughly the same coming back. The weekend's FTD was set by an A Modified car (huge wings, look like Hillclimbers) running 38s flat. My best in that direction was 52.xxx for comparison.
-Colin
I drove the car and both my wife & I loved it. And, I think I can get 2 golf bags in the trunk! I may go back Monday and sign the contract. I'm just concerned over the '01 specs for this car, and it's pricing. Anyone have any real word on what Mazda has in store? Opinions?
Shifty, have you heard anything?
I really had a Z3 in mind, but at almost 1/2 the cost, the badge is not worth the difference.
I'm new and don't have a Miata...yet. But I test drove a '97 yesterday. The one had 48K but I noticed that the bolster on the side of the drivers seat (fabric) was all frayed from where the driver rubs against it while getting in. Do they all do that? Also, has anyone driven one with an automatic tranny? Does the AT reduce the fun factor a great deal? Yes, I can shift.. but do a lot of fooling with the CD player/radio, drink coffee, etc. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Steve
Gaineville, Ga
Someday one of you is gonna sell the car and it would be nice to have the matching top to go with it. Better yet, maybe the car will stay in the family forever, in which case, ditto.
As far the Automatic vs. Manual, my husband uses our 5-speed Miata for daily driving in the Atlanta area, so he also uses the phone, sits in traffic, drinks coffee, coke, etc., and loves his CD player. But he also really loves the shifting part of the car. When he isn't sitting in traffic or drinking his coke, he is having a blast w/ the car. He says he would rather deal w/ the stop and go traffic and still have that "fun" factor of the manual. I also find the car very responsive w/ the 5 speed, and would rather have that for this type car. But, it still is your personal preference. They are nice cars, either way.
My parents own a 1990 Miata, bought in August 1989 (chosen over a Porsche 911, Alfa Spyder, and RX7). I'm 18 and drive it whenever I can (girls LOVE this car). It's a great car...my parents like it more than their two Mercedes (girls LOVE these too). But since the car is almost 11-years-old (69K miles), it's starting to show some wear.
The driver's seat has a small tear on the side. Does anyone have any recommendations for seats covers? One-size-fits-all covers look cheap, so I want ones specially designed for the Miata. Also, there are also some cracks on the front facia of the car, so I just want some input on where to get a bra for the car. Thanks.
Just some little stories about our Miata. It's had a rough life. It's been in numerous accidents, though not one ever our fault. When taken in for service, the dealership backed a Chrysler Town & Country into it. A few years later, a careless driver of a Honda Prelude hit the car head-on at about 15 mph. The Miata demolished that car...it ripped off it's front bumper, leaving a large red stripe across the hood. About a month after getting the car repaired, an idiot in a Nissan Pulsar decided to take out the front fender. And then about 6 months ago, a guy in a Dodge Caravan scraped the side of the car...luckily he owns an auto body shop. But thanks to Geiko, everything's mended up and the car looks good...maybe because half of the exterior panels are not original. It's a tough little car...hopefully it doesn't suffer the same fate the 1983 RX7 that proceded it did. That one was broadsided by a Buick in 1986.
About an automatic Miata...what's the point? It's a sports car, it needs a manual transmission. So put down your Coke and cellular phone (I do!), and just enjoy the ride. Enough said. Sorry about the long post guys...later.
-Todd
As for the front, maybe you want to consider getting a new front and put it on and repaint? I know this is a more expensive proposal, but it will look nicer.
Check out www.miata.net There is a classified section you can see if there is a bra for sale by individuals. Also various other thigns should be useful info for you.
The hardtop might be hard to store w/o a garage. But they sell them (as above: see www.miata.net classifieds) as well as a cart to store them (on end). For those who have a garage with some roof clearance, there is a handy dandy harness and winch arrangement that makes it possible to put it on/off w/just one person, although always easier with two.
Take care.
Joe W.
As far as alarms, there are many good ones on the market. Ones that disable the immobolize the ignition or some other vital circuit is mandatory, otherwise it's just a fancy noisemaker. I've used Clifford alarms and I was happy. Many have an option for remote entry at extra incremental cost. Also, many people opt for the proximity ones where it will go off if somebody sticks their arm into the topless car. But false alarms for that type may prove more annoying than useful....just don't leave anything in the car that's valuable and use the remote trunk disable feature to keep your trunk valuables safe. As for installers, you'll have to ask around locally. Have them explain to you exactly where they are mounting things and drilling. A quality installer will consult with you before doing the actual work. I always use a Club as a visual deterent if I am parking in a higher risk area.
Check out Miata.net's forum at www.miataforum.com That's where the majority of Miata owners hang out.
Otherwise I'd look at something in $250-$300 range, like a Viper 500+.
-Colin
Cyberjen
Here's a link to the alarm.
http://www.alpine1.com/html/De_n_282_n_n.html
Check your local car audio and security shops. If you are not familiar with the shops but there are multiple ones that sell it, absolutely pick the one with the best service and cleanest store. If they are the least bit unprofessional, that's usually a good clue to not allow them to work on your car. Just MHO.
-Colin
Jenn
Tkae care.
Joe W.
"Que cera cera" would be a hybrid Spanish/Italian way of saying "What there was, there was", or "What used to be, used to be."
Or in standard Spanish it would mean "What wax, wax".
I figured you'd all want to know.
I won't speculate on that, but one reason for sure is that a LOT of older folks purchase them after all their children have left the nest and they can get by with 'only' a 2 seater.
-Colin
24 and enjoying low rates thanks to my elder and wiser fellow miata owners
We were pleasantly surprised at the low rate. The insurance guy said it was because of the
4-cylinder engine. It wasn't classified as a "Sports" car, just a small car w/ a
4-cylinder.
Fine w/ me, as long as rates stay down. :-)
I bought through a broker who has ties to 400+ car dealers in FL. I had migrated to the LS (emerald green) and went to a dealer in Broward Cnty. to look at the color combination. Personally, the beige top did not did do the color justice. Black looks a lot better, but, well, we all know how Mazda limits selection..... They had 2 SE units on the lot, one was in the showroom. After seeing one "in person", I decided the extra $$ for the SE was worth it.
So, tomorrow at noon I'll join the ranks. My wife and siblings think I've succumbed to the mid-life crisis - first the watch, then the car. I say it's better a car than another woman - huh? & please, no offense to others! My wife and I will be taking the car up to Jacksonville this weekend for it's first road trip.
Speaking of which, any tips for the initial break-in? RPM's, and when do you begin protecting the top, and with what product to keep the "parchment" color from turning?
I'll review posts tomorrow night after our neighborhood cruise and the clearing out of the garage!
Jim M.
Pinecrest (Miami) FL
Most of your questions will be answered there (check faq and garage section, but stay away from reviews and marketplace, your wallet will thank you
Anyway, also check the forum www.miataforum.com You can post questions there and many many many people will answered. Almost all the forum members are Miata enthusiasts (there are a few who were and now drive other roadsters.)
Good luck, and welcome to the Miata community
b) The insurance is partially determined by engine size and, according to legend (again), is one of the reasons it was/is important to design the car so it stayed under the 2 liter designation.
c) glad you finally got the car, pinecrestjim. You sure do shop! As above, you'll find the Miata.net to be a wealth of handy tips, one of which will advise you to use nothing stronger than a car wash soap and a soft brush (and that, rarely) on your top. Be especially wary of things like Armorall. I don't think it does any harm but it washes down on your paint and makes a mess.
Take care.
Joe W.
Woke up early this a.m., couldn't go back to sleep, so the garage is now cleaned out. Plenty of room for the new mid-life crisis car.
I'll check out the websites for answers to all the questions. Thanks again.
Jim M.
French is it?! Thought you could retreat over the Alps, eh?
Non ci penso.
Wouldn't it have to be 'Que seras, seras'?
Have a great 4th. Great fun around here (NE) this weekend: the Grand Nationals are in Worcester (MA) and they predict around 4,000 hotrods, classics, and specialties will be on display. And in Newport (RI), then Boston the "tall ships" will be sailing.
Time to go play!
Take care.
Joe W.
All of you who are absolutely DYING of boredom will pleased to know that I'm having lots of fun.
The Miatas target design was 4 cyl. British roadsters. Helps to have a similar sized engine.
Mazda already had the two engines, and they'd fit in a lateral engine compartment. (Which is one reason why the Miata never has had the 626 and 323 V-6)
In Japan and much of Europe, taxes on displacement exsist, and sub 2 liter cars are a lot more popular there. Additionally, smaller engines will use less fuel, again, not a US issue but the Miata is a world market car.
And, the #1 reason:
Balance.
If you're really curious I'm sure you could fire a question off to Bob W. (Miata designer) over at Miata.net and get a better answer than this.
-Zaq
Tom Matano designed the car, or at least headed the team that did it.
Mr. Hall's great contribution was, when asked to suggest new models, he advised them to build a roadster. All the magazines had been saying that in print for years. Hell when I was in design school I designed a generic RWD roadster myself, also attempting to borrow the best from old designs and new technology, and I even presented a case that Mazda ought to be the firm to produce it. I oughta be at least the 2nd cousin or the brother-in-law of the Miata.
Everybody back then was suggesting the same thing and drawing thumbnails.
Here's an interview with the guy who actually did the work:
http://www.miata.net/misc/matano.html
Tom Matano is my idea of a genius. But when you've got a success there will be lots of people who want to share the credit, and indeed Mazda had a team that involved a number of folk. But the actual design of the car was the result of the smaller group headed by Matano. It took a lot more, however, to convince Mazda that the car should in fact be built. There are some excellent articles in back issues of Miata magazine on the history and giving some of the background, available through MCA & the magazine.
Take care.
Joe W.
Its summer and I don't have a car for some simple transportation (I am 16 and my parents take both cars to work). Considering my budget is rather low, I was looking for a car that was around 4k. I noticed in recent Recycler ads that a 1990-1991 Miata with decent mileage is going for about that amount. Since I am only using the car for going to work and back, well maybe a trip to the beach through PCH
Of course, that was the end of June. You may not get the extra discount now, as dealers ALWAYS lower their offers at the end of the month.
If you're a member of a credit union, they may be able to refer you to a local auto broker. They work with dealer fleet departments and can usually obtain the best deals.
Yeah, good choice, but I suspect that for $4,000 that Miata is a bit of a "beater". I'd suggest saving up some more money and buying a nice clean one, 1991 or up, for around $5,500. The tops are expensive to replace, the shocks wear quickly, as do the spark plug wires, and the earlier 1990s do have a few problems. So if you buy a $4K car with a bad top, bad shocks and bad plug wires, it's really a $5,500 car anyway. See my point?
Question - on my road trip to Jacksonville, I had considerable vibration at 62+mph. I took the car to a dealer for a rebalance of the tires, as vibration at that speed usually indicates an out of balance wheel. The dealer reported the wheels were all in balance, but the air pressure was off between the tires.
I've never heard of air pressure causing high speed vibration. And I had checked the pressures 2 days before going to the dealer. They said that with a car this light, air pressure would cause the vibs.
Anyone have similar experience or thoughts?
Jim M.
Basically, anything throwing the wheels off balance even just tiny bit causes vibrations due to the small size and light weight of the vehicle. I've even been told that those locking nuts on the wheels can cause vibrations since they are a few ounces heavier than the other regular wheel nuts.
All I can say is great job to Mazda for keeping the light weight affordable roadster alive. Now living in South Florida is more fun than it already is.
I just bought my '00 SE (hey, that could be her new name - "oose") two weeks ago, and would never have dreamed a car could provide such fun and exhilaration. BTW, I'm in your age bracket.
VROOM - VROOM - VROOM
Enjoy the ride.
Jim M.
Topic....2001 Miata.
Taken directly from Mazda Canada literature distributed to the dealers......
Base Vehicle....
Sequential Valve Timing w/ 155 HP and 125 lb-ft.
Improved ABS system and strengthened brake performance.
Improved engine noise.
Standard Immobilizer.
Exterior.....
New Front Bumper.
New Headlights.
New rear combination lamps.
15" wheels standard on base model.
Interior....
Driver side auto-down function added to power windows.
Newly shaped seats.
New black seat fabric.
New door trim.
Improved foot rest location.
Standard chrome meter rings.
Standard leather wrapped steering wheel.
Standard white gauges.
Improved console compartment.
Improved cupholders location.
Adoption of power door lock switch.
Adoption of seatbelt pretensioners with force limiter.
Colour and Trim....
Classic Red now available with Tan Leather interior.
(Previously unavailable in Canada)
New Exterior Colours....
Crystal Blue Metallic.
Midnight Blue.
Pure White.
Sunlight Silver Metallic.
New Leather Package Content....
Tan Leather (new material appearance)
Tan Top.
Nardi Leather shift knob.
Cruise Control.
Windblocker.
Bose Audio system.
ABS
LSD
6 speed manual transmission (new)
16" wheels with 205/45R16W tires. (new)
Factory installed foglights. (new)
Keyless entry (new)
Chrome inner door handles.
Strut tower bar (new)
Options.....
Factory installed AC
Automatic Transmission available with Leather Package.
Newly Available Sports Package....
Aero Sport package.
6 speed manual transmission.
16" wheels and tires.
Factory installed foglights.
Sport suspension including Bilstein shocks.
Strut tower bar.
LSD.
Colours Available.....
Pure White *
Brilliant Black
Classic Red
Midnight Blue *
Sunlight Silver Metallic *
Grace Green Mica (known as Emerald Mica in the US)
Crystal Blue Metallic *
* new for 2001 Miata.
WOOHOO!
Controls for loudness, bass, treble, and you can switch among 11 different aftermarket exhaust system samples.