I will suggest an alternative - try one of those folding camping chairs. They fold away very small, and my friend uses them at the beach, and they sink a little but basically work OK.
On a different note, I found that my tire air pressure was up to 45psi, the dealer forgot to air down during the PDI. Ride quality is much better now. Tolerable for sure.
..........IIRC, I am sure a dealer told me 'no 2009 models - next is 2010' . Using some windage and the ESL factor, there appears to be an accuracy/authenticity concern here.
I guess I'm asking the question: 'is there an "09" MX-5 model?"
I recently bought an '08 Touring and noticed the other night that the power window switches had small red lights that make it easy to find at night, but the power door lock buttons and mirror adjustments do not light up though there seems to be the same little "bumps" that are lights on the window controls. Are these supposed to light up or not? Also, the knob that you push in to switch to recirculating air does not light up, but the knobs that show a/c on and rear defogger do light when activated. Am I needing a trip to the dealer or is this "normal?"
I have an 08 , and the window buttons in mine light-up red....as does every knob and button on the dash. It looks like an F-18 cockpit at night....less the landing gear. (LOL)
I now have the recirculating light working.... but do your POWER LOCKS and POWER MIRRORS switches in the door light up???? Mine do not, yet still have those little "bumps" that illuminate on other switches.
Ah-hah... thanks destry... I wasn't sure if it was supposed to or not. Odd that the switches on the doors of my Nissan all lit up at night. Would be nice if they did in the Miata. Oh well, at least all is working as it is supposed to.
Can anyone enlighten me as to what engine choices (if any) were available in 2006 and newer Miata's? How would I then identify which is in the Miata I'm looking to buy?
ateixeira is correct on all points, for the US market at least. I seem to recall there was a change in how the hp was calculated a few years ago, so you may come across older reviews in which a slightly higher number is quoted, like 170hp. It's been the same engine all along, though. I forget what the torque is, but it's certainly adequate for such a light car, especially with a manual transmission.
Thanks, I'm slightly embarrased. I should have done more research before I posted this question. I am looking to buy an '06 and appreciate the input of those on this forum.
I have a 2007 and it's the 6 speed auto with paddle shifters. The window sticker says I have 163hp. The 6 speed manual has 166hp. It's the same for the 2006 models. I hope this helps! :shades:
Correct, it was 170hp before they were forced to state SAE hp (basically the output with all the accessories attached). That's why the rating dropped to 166hp. The actual output was unchanged.
Don't be embarrased, it's a fair question. Every question about these cars has probably been asked and answered in the miata.net forums. Let me save you some trouble and tell you just to go ahead and buy one of these cars, because you won't regret it. It's the perfect small caliber sports car.
I don't know if this falls into the same area, but i was also upset at rattling when my wife was in the car (no puns please) turns out that if the seatback is all the way back i hear rattling. I asked her to position the seatback one click forward and viola, problem solved. (Also '06 GT)
I too had been looking for a Miata NC (third/current generation) preferably Grand Touring. and came across an '06 Copper Red, Saddle leather, Bose, sattelite radio, automatic w/paddle shifters with only 5,600 miles. full warranty thru 8/2013,This car is absolutely MINT. Even a local dealer I took it to for an oil change asked if I wanted to look at the undercarraige (rare that they want you in the service area) they and I were amazed to see that this car may not have ever even been in the RAIN. Perfect interior, perfect paint, etc. We could not be happier. Paid $18K
i just bought a 2007 grand touring mx-5 with auto trans. with 13,000 miles. The original factory warranty is due to expire 3-8-10 and the dealer is offering a"Total Care" extended warranty through EasyCare for 5 yrs/60k miles for $895. From everything I've read, these cars are so reliable that I am leaning away from buying it. On the other hand, i'd kick myself if i hit a big expense in the next five years. should I or shouldn't I ??
the warranty extends from now until 60 months or 60,000 miles total (47k plus existing 13k) the Total Care pkg. seems very comprehensive. according to the brochure the only things it does NOT cover are "normal maintenance items,squeaks,rattles, water leaks, windnoise, non-factory installed radios and speakers, exterior metal, upholstery, trim, and convertible tops, glass, plastic or assembly." are there any 3rd gen. owners out there (2006 & newer) who have had any BIG problems ($800.00 or more in total repairs) i keep reading that mx5s are almost bullet-proof.
A 6/60 warranty doesn't seem all that long anymore, with today's cars having pretty good reliability right out of the box for the first 4-5 years at least. I bought my 06 at the end of 2008, with 17k miles on it, and it's now at 30k with nothing but fluid changes.
If it were me, I'd skip the extra warranty and take my chances. The odds are pretty good you won't have any big problems for 60,000 miles if you aren't racing it or anything, but you might want to poke around the forums at miata net and see if there are any problem areas starting to develop on these cars. I could be wrong, but I don't see anything about the MX-5 that seems like especially radical, unproven technology. The engine is shared with the Mazda3. Being made in Japan doesn't hurt either.
just bought a 2007 gt and could swear that it revved up as i was braking for a red light. i had to make a flustered panic stop and almost hit the car in front of me. i have the 6 speed auto trans. and i was in the manual shift mode. maybe i've been seeing too much lately about toyota's pedal problem and my foot may have just slipped from the brake to the gas at the wrong moment although this has never happened before. has anyone else had this problem?
i've only experienced that ONCE. Then i realized i was stepping on both petals. the pedals are very tight down there. (check you floor mats, they can curl too) Other than that, i think your listening to too many TOyota complaints. Enjoy you new car and relax.
I haven't had anything like an unintended acceleration problem yet. I'm not sure if the current generation MX-5 uses a throttle sensor system instead of a cable, but I beleive it does.
I don't worry about this issue at all because all my cars have manual transmissions, including my Toyota Celica. A good thing about having a clutch is that you can always disconnect the engine from the rest of the car almost immediately by pushing in the clutch pedal.
:shades: In my younger days, trying my best to be practical, I bought a new 1982 Honda Civic GL Sport, a zippy little hatchback with lots of umph from the 1.5 litre 4 cyl and 5 spd manual. Great little car.
Always, what I really wanted was a roadster. I ogled every MGB and Triumph TR6 that drove past me but heard they were finicky to maintain.
No MGB's or Triumph's have made it to my garage but we are on Miata / MX5 number 5!
1990 Classic Red 5 speed 1996 British Racing Green 5 speed 2004 GS 6 spd 2006 GT 6 spd and now we have a 2007 GS 6spd.
No problems........ buy one, you'll love it!
If its a used model, its still wise to have a mechanic check it for you though.
You will always have a smile on your face driving to work. If you are anything like me, arriving at work happens far to soon.
Deja vu! My first car, when I was young and practical, was a 1984 Civic S (in 1984). I learned to love shifting gears on that car, and I never bought anything with an automatic since. I remember getting 40 mpg pretty easily on the Civic, which weighed a bit under 2000 lbs as I recall (and 76 hp).
The current MX-5/Miata is vastly superior in every way, except for price and fuel economy. I think of that 84 Civic whenever I see a first generation (NA) Miata. If I had a bigger garage, I'd get one to park next to my 06. It's hard to beat the road feel from manual steering.
Have an 09 Scion Xb whose engine is shared with Camrys. This engine is rated at 158 HP. It runs very well on 87 octane gas ( 4 warnings, 1 ticket). So what is so different with the Miata engine that it requires premium gas? Please don't tell me about "race car performance" as I've beat several Miatas off the line and over distance with a box shaped vehicle that weights 300-400 lbs. more than the Miata. I'm looking to buy a Miata even though my "Toaster", "Refrigerator", "Box", "Ugly POS" has "won" more than once. By the way, I'm 63 yrs old so perhaps the combination of car and my appearance gave me the edge of surprise...but I kinda doubt it. Any replies will be appreciated...especially if they address the octance issue.
Well, that engine is making 158hp from 2.4 liters of displacement.
The 2.0l is making 166hp from 2.0 liters of displacement. It does that using higher compression, basically. The same engine, without this tuning, is sold in the Mazda3i models and makes only 148hp.
So basically we have to look at the compression ratio and octane. Octane is a measure of a fuel's resistance to pre-ignition, which occurs at (you guessed it) high compression.
Modern engines can compensate for the knocking by retarding the spark timing, basically. Doing so may reduce output slightly, but it will protect the engine.
Mazda recommends premium on the Miata for best performance, but it is not required. It may dial back the timing a bit and not produce the full 166hp, but it will preserve the engine and prevent pre-ignition, or knock.
I run 87 octane in my Miata and it performs just fine.
Miata was never about going fast in a straight line, anyway.
I added a new Kenwood in-dash stereo to my 2007 Touring, along with new 5X7 Boston Acoustic speakers in the doors and a SWI-Jack steering wheel control interface. It was a great upgrade! :shades:
But I would also like to replace the two small rear speakers that are right above the storage compartment between the seats. Does anyone know how to get to them? I don't want to start pulling off plastic parts not knowing if they should really be disassembled; I don't want any rattles, Thanks for the info!
Let me see now, it sounds like the added cost of premium fuel is taking away from your enjoyment of this fine car. let's put it in perspective. On average (city and highway)I would guess you are getting 25 mpg (maybe more, maybe less). At a 20 cent upgrade to the cost for premium gas, that amounts to a 0.8 cents per mile additional cost over regular fuel. In MHO the enjoyment of driving the MX-5 far outweights the additional cost. I am in my 70's and my GrandTouring Miata gives me more pleasure than riding my touring motorcycle.
Thanks, but I am not trying to install a sub. I need to figure out how to replace the two speakers behind the driver's head. I do not see a wayto get to them. Please let me know if anyone has done this. I may check with the dealer on my next service visit.
I have a 2007 Touring with 27200 miles on. It looks like my tires need to be replaced already. I am just wondering if other Miata owners have the same experience. I thought tires last longer. But then I also heard that Michellin tires wear out faster.
You might be driving your Miata the way it was intended, for maximum enjoyment. If so, I salute you.
If you have the run flat tires, I would advise replacing them with ordinary summer performance tires, assuming you don't drive much in the snow. The RFTs are very expensive and you *will* get just as many nails and screws in the treads as with any other tire--the main drawback being, it seems no tire shop will agree to patch them. Avoid!
You don't want to put cheap, hard economy tires on this car. It will never be as economical as a Corolla, but it will always be infinitely more fun to drive. If you need new tires every two years, you are doing okay.
I have 24,400 miles on my 2007 touring and the tires are still in very good condition, but I rotate them about every 6,000 miles. They are Falken with a Z speed rating and were judged Very Good by Consumer Reports several years ago. I wind my little baby out and get great traction on dry pavement. But I have to be careful when the road is wet or I'll fish-tail all over the road.
Comments
On a different note, I found that my tire air pressure was up to 45psi, the dealer forgot to air down during the PDI. Ride quality is much better now. Tolerable for sure.
I guess I'm asking the question: 'is there an "09" MX-5 model?"
all the best.............ez
http://fitzmall.com/
The 09s came late so I guess they could have skipped a model year, but they didn't.
Here is the odd part - my new 2008 was selling side-by-side with a 2010 Mazda3.
I keep cars for a long time so the model year isn't that important to me. Not to mention they knocked about $7000 off the MSRP.
..appreciate the link (and the response)
best, ez...
Automatics make a tad less output, 158hp vs. the 166hp in the manuals.
2009 models got very, very subtle improvements but it's hardly worth mentioning. I think power went up by 1hp.
The original owner probably paid, oh, $10 grand to break in that car for you. :shades:
If it's the latter is seems overpriced.
If it were me, I'd skip the extra warranty and take my chances. The odds are pretty good you won't have any big problems for 60,000 miles if you aren't racing it or anything, but you might want to poke around the forums at miata net and see if there are any problem areas starting to develop on these cars. I could be wrong, but I don't see anything about the MX-5 that seems like especially radical, unproven technology. The engine is shared with the Mazda3. Being made in Japan doesn't hurt either.
the pedals are very tight down there. (check you floor mats, they can curl too) Other than that, i think your listening to too many TOyota complaints.
Enjoy you new car and relax.
I don't worry about this issue at all because all my cars have manual transmissions, including my Toyota Celica. A good thing about having a clutch is that you can always disconnect the engine from the rest of the car almost immediately by pushing in the clutch pedal.
I tend to prefer driving mocs, nice and small.
Always, what I really wanted was a roadster. I ogled every MGB and Triumph TR6 that drove past me but heard they were finicky to maintain.
No MGB's or Triumph's have made it to my garage but we are on Miata / MX5 number 5!
1990 Classic Red 5 speed
1996 British Racing Green 5 speed
2004 GS 6 spd
2006 GT 6 spd
and now we have a 2007 GS 6spd.
No problems........ buy one, you'll love it!
If its a used model, its still wise to have a mechanic check it for you though.
You will always have a smile on your face driving to work. If you are anything like me, arriving at work happens far to soon.
The current MX-5/Miata is vastly superior in every way, except for price and fuel economy. I think of that 84 Civic whenever I see a first generation (NA) Miata. If I had a bigger garage, I'd get one to park next to my 06. It's hard to beat the road feel from manual steering.
The 2.0l is making 166hp from 2.0 liters of displacement. It does that using higher compression, basically. The same engine, without this tuning, is sold in the Mazda3i models and makes only 148hp.
So basically we have to look at the compression ratio and octane. Octane is a measure of a fuel's resistance to pre-ignition, which occurs at (you guessed it) high compression.
Modern engines can compensate for the knocking by retarding the spark timing, basically. Doing so may reduce output slightly, but it will protect the engine.
Mazda recommends premium on the Miata for best performance, but it is not required. It may dial back the timing a bit and not produce the full 166hp, but it will preserve the engine and prevent pre-ignition, or knock.
I run 87 octane in my Miata and it performs just fine.
Miata was never about going fast in a straight line, anyway.
The clamps on the windshield changed when the 1999 model came out, one in the middle instead of two on the sides.
The 2009 got a face-lift but it didn't affect the top.
But I would also like to replace the two small rear speakers that are right above the storage compartment between the seats. Does anyone know how to get to them? I don't want to start pulling off plastic parts not knowing if they should really be disassembled; I don't want any rattles,
I read the owner's manual and I couldn't find it in there.
Any help appreciated! I'm sure it is in an obvious place.
Extra helpful if you have a linky to a pic somewhere.
Thanks!
To be honest I have not located the one on my Miata, but I own an ODBII scanner and have helped many friends, and every time it's in the same place.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2013/1559522959_099ca76cf7.jpg
http://home.blarg.net/~sesmith/black%20supra/obd2_016.jpg
http://www.vehicle-tracking-gps.com/img/VT400-PNP-Install.jpg
I have a 2007 Touring with 27200 miles on. It looks like my tires need to be replaced already. I am just wondering if other Miata owners have the same experience. I thought tires last longer. But then I also heard that Michellin tires wear out faster.
Thanks.
Ray
If you have the run flat tires, I would advise replacing them with ordinary summer performance tires, assuming you don't drive much in the snow. The RFTs are very expensive and you *will* get just as many nails and screws in the treads as with any other tire--the main drawback being, it seems no tire shop will agree to patch them. Avoid!
You don't want to put cheap, hard economy tires on this car. It will never be as economical as a Corolla, but it will always be infinitely more fun to drive. If you need new tires every two years, you are doing okay.
I'm hoping for 20k.