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Comments
You should join up with the Trillium Club...they are a big club and wounld participate in lots of these events/tours
rs_petty
Look at it this way, I agree with your thoughts, plus:
1) They have a reputation of solid reliability
2) Not much horsepower for a new driver to get out of hand with
3) With only 2 seats there won't be the distraction of several passengers
4) In my experience the Miata, probably due to it's small engine and lack of attitude, is only marginally higher then a compact coupe. I pay about $120 more each year on my Miata then I did on my Escort ZX2.
http://www.miata.net/clubs/canada.html
If you can, get on the list for the Vermont weekend tour. 100 Miata's are expected at least. Supposed to be a blast.
Many owners have had good luck improving shifting with Redline MTL or MT-90 synthetic transmission oil. I've used both and the MT-90 works better for everyday use (less heat).
I don't have air horns, but sounds like the relay's shot.
Check out miata.net for more detailed answers.
I brought the car in today and took the closest thing they had to a Miata at the rental place - a Hyundai Accent. Well - at least it is small and light.
I also got them to do some small additional work under insurance, like removing the tow hooks and aftermarket fog lights that came with the car and installing the front grill I've had in the trunk since the end of the summer. It'll be a long week to two weeks for me!
Gotta agree about the relay gone bad on the horn.
ace
Do the tranny oil and the turret oil, too. The shifter is so smooth because it basically resides in a pool of gear oil (in the turret). Check out Miata.net, go to the Garage section, the have great photos of everything. It was the first time I did a tranny oil or turret service.
BTW, use 75w90 gear oil. If you want, go synthetic. I used Mobil 1, which is available locally. Red line you have to mail order.
Get a new horn. I changed mine because I didn't like the wimpy beep-beep anyway.
Miata for a teen? I dunno. I am teaching my much younger brother to drive stick in it, because it's easy to drive, but I'm not sure it's the ideal car for every day, because it is so small and leaves little room for error (RWD, light). But buy it, because you'll want to keep it. :-)
-juice
-juice
Is there a year or years of used Miatas that should be avoided when shopping used Miatas? Also, I see plenty of used Miatas at Carmax, the older ones with the excellent pop-up headlights, but those models also have the plastic rear window. These plastic windows are almost always yellowed and wrinkled. Is it possible and inexpensive to just replace the window, and not the entire top?
Any specific Miata issues that one should look at when looking at used ones?
I don't expect everyone to give a long list of items, but if there is anything especially important, if someone would speak up, I would appreciate it.
Thanks!
Justin, go to www.miata.net, click on the FAQ link, then the Buying a Miata link. Everything you could want to know about buying a used Miata. As far as the plastic windows, yes they can be replaced separately from the top but it is usually not much less expensive than replacing the entire top.
BTW- I'd go for a nice, '94 or '95 with higher miles. Should be doable for $6 to $8K.
just my opinion.
ace
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Justin, I agree w/ ace, you would be better off buying a Miata from a private owner. I just bought my 1997 w/ 68K miles. The seller was a 2nd owner, but its in good shape because he babied it. I just took advantage of the warm weather in NY (65F)and put the top down. Man, it feels great. The price of the car is flexible and negotiable, especially if you are in the Northeast region of the country. In fact, there are a couple of them in the classify section of the NY Newsday. I am sure J2kbarlow, ace and juice would concur that it also depends on the conditions of the car. People who want to sell their convertible this time of the year really want to get rid of it. So you may be able to get one for a very reasonable price. I don't have actual experience w/ 1994 Miatas, but consumer report indicates that the 1994 engine has more than usual problems. Good luck!
Of course, classifieds are good too. The more Miatas I see, the better choice I can make, right?
I can't decide....pop-up headlights or glass rear window......;)
I used Mobil 1 75w90 for all three places (turret, diffy, tranny). It's been fine for me, shifts are actually a little easier when it's cold.
Justin: avoid early 1990 models, but by now even those issues have likely been fixed.
The 1991-1993 have the 1.6l engine and one airbag, 116hp and 25/30 mpg. The 1994 models got the 128hp 1.8l engine and bigger brakes, plus a bigger gas tank for the 22/27 mpg rating. Power crept up slowly after that, as did weight (a little).
There was no 1998 model, and 1999 was when they got glass rear windows (and 140hp, very nice). I test drove one a while back and it certainly felt quicker than my 1.6l. Zoom zoom! I'd understand if you stretched the budget.
Each of them has their own appeal, so look for one that was well taken care of (bingo, kid). My 1993 had 27k miles and a very clear plastic window when I bought it. Maybe I was lucky. The owner was the proverbial "little old lady", a school teacher, with a 3 mile commute and rarely even bothered to take the top down. It passed inspection without even needing the headlights re-aimed, and has not give me a problem in the year and a half I've owned it. They are ultra-reliable, it's almost ridiculous.
I enjoy working on it, so I tend to "make-up" things to do. I did all the service, removed the tow hooks, modified the front seat track for more thigh support, removed the sun visors that blocked my view, and lined the inside of the glove box and center console with felt-like contact paper (velour, actually). Next project is a rear view mirror with lights on the bottom. That gives you an idea of how reliable they are - you have to go out of your way to find projects on your Miata.
I like pop-ups. Join the "Barn Door Fan Club" at Miata.net.
-juice
Justin, to add to (or perhaps solve) your dilemma, you can add a glass window to a pop-up (i.e. Mark I) Miata. Makes even more sense if the plastic window is shot. That's what I've done with my '93. Bottom line, figure out your price range and buy the best you can afford. Used to be there were more aftermarket accessories for the 1.6L but I think that's changed over the past couple of years.
-juice
I dropped the wife's car off for service this morning and took a 2001 Miata 6sp rental with me to work. I can't help but want to take the on/off ramps at tire squeal speeds. I think that's the reason I don't have one(other than the practicality).
Anyway, I need to find a good driving spot at lunch time...
Cheers!
Most importantly, Miatas have timing belts not chains. These belts should be replaced every 60K miles. Dealerships around here (DFW, TX) typically charge $350-$400 for the pleasure. It's real important to either get a service history to see if this has been done, or negotiate for the work in your deal. If the belt goes, you're looking at a mess of valves and a $1,500 bill to fix it.
Electrics can be weak. If the car you're looking at has electric windows make sure that they open and close smoothly. Also, make sure you check the headlamp up/down operation.
Gearboxes are usually strong, but don't be surprised if it baulks a little, particularly on 1st-to-2nd shifts - to my knowledge this is a trait.
Plug wires can give up after a while. I'd recommend that you upgrade to a Bosch Premium set when you have the car of your dreams.
If you hear a rattling from behind the passenger seat on your test drive it's likely that the battery brace has not been tightened all the way. Simple application of a wrench will fix the problem.
Door speakers are vulnerable to a) getting blown out and b) getting kicked out.
Don't be surprised to see carpet coming loose on the outerside of the footwells. This problem is recognized by Mazda (they have a technical service bulletin for it). If you buy from a dealer, see if they'll fix it for you before you take delivery.
On 90-97 models, as you mention, you get a plastic rear window. These are subject to the ravages of U.V. light, weather and carelessness when putting the top down. It is possible, either through the dealer, or via the aftermarket, to replace just the window instead of the whole top. If you find a car that you have to replace the window on, it might be worth investing in a protector (try miata.net) to use to cover the window when the roof is down.
For some reason, Miatas tend to collect door dings more than other cars. Door sills tend to get scuffed real easy, esp. if the previous owner liked to wear heels!
Budget allowing, consider looking at 96 or 97 models. These have the side intrusion bars fitted in the doors and 5 more hp to account for the added weight.
My only other advice would be to a) be sure to shop around - this time of year brings a lot of used Miatas to the marketplace. With all the free financing offers of late, there's a glut of used cars on the market and prices are tumbling. I just bought my second Miata, a fully loaded (but not "M") 96 from a dealer, 59K on the clock for $8,950 which is about $1K less than Edmunds TMV.b) GET A CARFAX report. A reputable dealer will get one for you for nothing. If you're shopping privately, it's worth the few bucks to check out the vehicle.
1) The synthetic tranny fluid mentioned in earlier posts helps immensely with curing the 1-2 shift balkiness.
2) It's my understanding that the Miata engines are non-interference types. Meaning that if the timing belt breaks, it won't start but nothing gets damaged internally. Still his advice stands with checking the records and getting the service done if it's needed. Even if no damage is done, it would be a royal pain to get everything lined back up and in working order.
Not true but worth a laugh.
-juice
I am actually going to look for a 99 base model in blue with the steel wheels - no options except A/C. I think when the Miatas offered the steel wheels on base models, it actually made the car resemble the older Alfa's and Triumphs more. I know that performance will suffer, but even a base model Miata handles better than 90% of other cars out there
-juice
Keith Richmond
(technical contributor to the miata.net garage)
A good aftermarket top from Robbins without a glass window would probably cost $500-$700 installed - replacing just the windowed section $300-$500 (make sure if you go this route they replace the zipper while they're at it). Another really cheap option is to have an upholstery shop cut the clear plastic out and sew in new clear plastic - usually ~$200 or less. Don't laugh I've seen it done a lot. It not only looks bad, it leaks like crazy. Still it's more watertight than a big crack and you can see through it better than a brown sunburned window!
My previous statement about the dangers of timing belts included, don't go cheap on who does a timing belt for this car - go to someone with LOTS of experience on 1990 engines. The dealer is not always the one with the most experience either...
Keith Richmond
That one is the oldest model year, one that had the crank issue, not from the original owner, and not one that was kept to the recommended maintenance schedule for the timing belt. I wonder what else they skipped?
Unless it's a major bargain, even after you fix the things he skipped doing, I'd walk.
-juice
I love this car! :-)
Also, don't feel like you have to buy THIS car THIS day. In February, roadsters don't exactly sell real strong. There are lots of used Miatas out there so you need to be patient. The price of getting your heart set on something and getting burned can be VERY high. Trust me, I know.
Two questions:
manual says fuel with research octane number 91 or (R+M)/2 method, 87. Huh?
Also, there's a minor squeak/rub sound coming from the front driver's side roof latch. It goes away when I push up on the roof at that spot. Any solutions?
thanks.
What a car.
ace
www.miata.net
Happy motoring!