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1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata Long Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,316
edited September 2014 in Mazda

image1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata Long Term Road Test

Driving and enjoying our Long Term 1997 Mazda Miata

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  • s197gts197gt Member Posts: 486
    wonder how it compares to our 2000 Z3 2.3?

    couldn't bring myself to (and wife wouldn't) buy a miata so we picked up a lightly used Z3 for her 40th. we have been loving it.

    ever since watching "funny farm" with chevy chase years upon years ago i had wanted a roadster. (also got the idea to name my dog "brown dog" from the movie.) our last great road trip before becoming parents a few years ago was hitting all the new england states in fall. i hope to do it again some day in our Z3.
  • s197gts197gt Member Posts: 486
    wonder how it compares to our 2000 Z3 2.3?

    couldn't bring myself to (and wife wouldn't) buy a miata so we picked up a lightly used Z3 for her 40th. we have been loving it.

    ever since watching "funny farm" with chevy chase years upon years ago i had wanted a roadster. (also got the idea to name my dog "brown dog" from the movie.) our last great road trip before becoming parents a few years ago was hitting all the new england states in fall. i hope to do it again some day in our Z3.
  • abuddy82abuddy82 Member Posts: 1
    I bought a 1997 Miata about a year ago. I've driven it 9,000 miles and it's not my daily driver. After about a week of ownership and 1,000 miles I decided it will always have a space in my garage. I never really thought I would want one until had to test drive one for a friend that didn't know how to drive stick. At about mile number 6 I swore I'd find a good clean first generation Miata (NA) for myself. You can mock the car all you want, for it being girly and slow but it really is something special that's hard to find today.
  • abuddy82abuddy82 Member Posts: 1
    I bought a 1997 Miata about a year ago. I've driven it 9,000 miles and it's not my daily driver. After about a week of ownership and 1,000 miles I decided it will always have a space in my garage. I never really thought I would want one until had to test drive one for a friend that didn't know how to drive stick. At about mile number 6 I swore I'd find a good clean first generation Miata (NA) for myself. You can mock the car all you want, for it being girly and slow but it really is something special that's hard to find today.
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    Holy smokes a post after 3 months! 650 whole miles during that time. How's the new engine? How about some real news?
    I washed all the salt off mine today and tore up the back roads for about an hour. It's like therapy for $4 worth of gas.
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    Holy smokes a post after 3 months! 650 whole miles during that time. How's the new engine? How about some real news?
    I washed all the salt off mine today and tore up the back roads for about an hour. It's like therapy for $4 worth of gas.
  • hybrishybris Member Posts: 365
    I want dyno runs and road test results!
  • hybrishybris Member Posts: 365
    I want dyno runs and road test results!
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    @abuddy82 my son's friends call it a girly car too. I couldn't care less. Their loss. As long as it's not snowing, I'm going.
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    @abuddy82 my son's friends call it a girly car too. I couldn't care less. Their loss. As long as it's not snowing, I'm going.
  • flapsmcgeeflapsmcgee Member Posts: 0
    When is the new engine going in it?
  • flapsmcgeeflapsmcgee Member Posts: 0
    When is the new engine going in it?
  • cjasiscjasis Member Posts: 274
    I've said this a thousand times but anyone who foolishly dismisses the Miata is missing out. I'm not even sure what the term "girls car" means as I know some women who can and do routinely outdrive many men. The simplicity and honesty of the Miata isn't to be missed. And if I'm being honest, a Miata provides just about as much real world sports car as most drivers can safely and legally use on public roads. Great cars. I hope Mazda is able to actually provide a lighter, more simple car with the next gen as has been rumored.
  • cjasiscjasis Member Posts: 274
    I've said this a thousand times but anyone who foolishly dismisses the Miata is missing out. I'm not even sure what the term "girls car" means as I know some women who can and do routinely outdrive many men. The simplicity and honesty of the Miata isn't to be missed. And if I'm being honest, a Miata provides just about as much real world sports car as most drivers can safely and legally use on public roads. Great cars. I hope Mazda is able to actually provide a lighter, more simple car with the next gen as has been rumored.
  • maramaralulamaramaralula Member Posts: 1
    Would you mind sharing what seat the project miata has? I have the same year miata as well and am now shopping for a new seat. Stock seats just doesn't do it for R-comp tires anymore. I was very sore trying to keep myself on the seat.
  • maramaralulamaramaralula Member Posts: 1
    Would you mind sharing what seat the project miata has? I have the same year miata as well and am now shopping for a new seat. Stock seats just doesn't do it for R-comp tires anymore. I was very sore trying to keep myself on the seat.
  • kirkhilles1kirkhilles1 Member Posts: 863
    Yeah, I have a 2000 LS and find it amusing that its referred to as a girly car (of course, there's the Cars reference "Mia" and "T-a" which didn't help). My car has an aggressive masculine look and certainly does NOT have a soft, smooth ride and doesn't have other attributes that would appeal to women in general. My wife sometimes likes driving it, but certainly not at night. In terms of my seats, I did the "foamectomy" which was a big help, but it still feels somewhat cramped for a 5' 11" guy. Fun car though and is a great car to do maintenance on (my first that I've done ANY maintenance on). Plugs/wires, fluids, all very easy with great support from fellow owners.
  • kirkhilles1kirkhilles1 Member Posts: 863
    Yeah, I have a 2000 LS and find it amusing that its referred to as a girly car (of course, there's the Cars reference "Mia" and "T-a" which didn't help). My car has an aggressive masculine look and certainly does NOT have a soft, smooth ride and doesn't have other attributes that would appeal to women in general. My wife sometimes likes driving it, but certainly not at night. In terms of my seats, I did the "foamectomy" which was a big help, but it still feels somewhat cramped for a 5' 11" guy. Fun car though and is a great car to do maintenance on (my first that I've done ANY maintenance on). Plugs/wires, fluids, all very easy with great support from fellow owners.
  • desmoliciousdesmolicious Member Posts: 671
    My Miata is the only car I've ever driven that I heel and toe shift in heavy LA traffic because it is so fun.
  • desmoliciousdesmolicious Member Posts: 671
    My Miata is the only car I've ever driven that I heel and toe shift in heavy LA traffic because it is so fun.
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    Oh yeah, I forgot to ask if you fixed the A/C yet, or the wonky door speaker?
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    Oh yeah, I forgot to ask if you fixed the A/C yet, or the wonky door speaker?
  • dharbindharbin Member Posts: 0
    I like reading about this car, but why don't the other Edmunds staff drive the car more often? (I thought they were supposed to be car people....) Look forward to hearing more about the new engine. I may be in the minority for thinking it should still be a roadster.
  • dharbindharbin Member Posts: 0
    I like reading about this car, but why don't the other Edmunds staff drive the car more often? (I thought they were supposed to be car people....) Look forward to hearing more about the new engine. I may be in the minority for thinking it should still be a roadster.
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    yesterday there were ten comments, today: 0
    this is not the only blog post that comments are being deleted from. Nothing objectionable in any of them. Are you having more technical issues with the site?

    deleting posts really cuts down on credibility unless they are objectionable to the readers. Plus, a good way to lose the rest of the readers after the transition nonsense and inability to post for a week that happened last month
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    yesterday there were ten comments, today: 0
    this is not the only blog post that comments are being deleted from. Nothing objectionable in any of them. Are you having more technical issues with the site?

    deleting posts really cuts down on credibility unless they are objectionable to the readers. Plus, a good way to lose the rest of the readers after the transition nonsense and inability to post for a week that happened last month
  • hybrishybris Member Posts: 365
    +1 noburgers Agreed I know that a lot of these issues are not from the editors but good grief I can't say that I have seen any changes from the initial transition and we ARE seeing a lot of bugs like this that go on sometimes for a day sometimes for a wee
  • hybrishybris Member Posts: 365
    +1 noburgers Agreed I know that a lot of these issues are not from the editors but good grief I can't say that I have seen any changes from the initial transition and we ARE seeing a lot of bugs like this that go on sometimes for a day sometimes for a wee
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    holy crummuolly 5 minutes ago there were just the prev 2 posts complaining about the deleted old posts, , I hit the back arrow and now all the comments have returned. looks like we might be fixed, at least for 5 minutes
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    oh and the last post was not there doubled 5 minutes ago. they had that new bug yesterday too
  • gibbpgibbp Member Posts: 1
    Somewhere Collin Chapman has a wry smile on his face. There's something to be said for 35 years and still going strong.
  • noburgersnoburgers Member Posts: 500
    only 6 more weeks before the next expected blog post......
  • hybrishybris Member Posts: 365
    Spring is upon us now drive the Miata and give us reports or at least put it on track with the V12 MB and see what happens.
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