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I'm not nearly as concerned about the window. It's probably a weekend project for you to fix it, and you could get whatever parts you need from a wholesaler like Trussville Mazda (follow vendors link on Miata.net) or from a junk yard.
I have the valve noise on my car (33k miles), and it's fine as long as it quiets down after the oil circulates.
Texas? I would not get a hard top. It's a pain to put on/take off, and you don't get a long period of consistently cold weather.
-juice
Did you get the hard top for the winter? It looks great, and will help prolong the life of the ragtop.
Yes, the hard top came with the car, which was one reason we got this particular one.
Any tips for removing it, when the time comes?
Some other high performance cars and sportier cars require premium gas.
"How much have people paid to redo the top on their Miata, both with and without a glass window?"
We do quite a few of these. Prices for most RObbins tops with a 3 year warranty runs about $200-$300 in labor for install. Robbins tops range from $399-$1000. I highly recommend that you get a new rain rail (they come with most Robbins tops) when you re-do your top or risk leakage in yoru car. Glass windows are nice, but for your year you still need to unzip them. Also, make sure you go with a brand name top, like Robbins so that you can have the proper zipper match should you ever have to replace the window.
"I was also wondering about the shocks. The car crashes quite severely over bumps but the shocks seem to control the ride fine. Is this just characteristic of an old high mileage convertible or are my shocks worn out?"
This could be two things - your shocks and your bump stops. Mazda makes a rubber boot that protects your shocks - take a peek now at your Miata to see what I am talking about. These always seem to disintegrate over time - part of the boot is an incorporated bump stop that the car's suspension rides on. If these are old, they need to be replaced at the time you do your shocks. Shocks run about $60-$120 each in a variety of settings (Koni, KYB, etc) - and the new boots run $27 from Mazda. Shock install typically runs about $75 a corner on your car (it varies).
"I also hear a clunk on the driver's side front when hitting potholes. Could this be the same weak shock problem or is this a worn out ball joint or control arm bushing?"
Not likely - again, may be the shocks. Possibly springs here as well. Start with shocks first as you need those at the start. Bad bushings just make the car feel loose.
"Lastly, the rear brakes don't seem to be working properly. The rotors don't swipe clean and shiny like normal. The rotors get warm, but not hot. It's as if they work slightly, but not completely. Are the calipers just partially frozen or is there something wrong with the brake proportioning valve?"
This is someting that most "brake places" really screw up the Miata. If you are sure that the pads are not connecting correctly, I am almost $100 sure that someone did not grease up the slider pin on your caliper. You can easily do this yourself or just have it done somewhere else. I also recommmend that you stick with Mazda OEM pads for now as they fit the bast and have no chatter. See www.miata.net/garage for the brakes and how to do it your self.
"Oh, can anyone direct me to good websites where I can look up strut tower braces and other such performance products? Any help would be much appreciated!"
Absolutely, try these:
www.miata.net (look under Market Place)
www.rspeed.net (this is where I work)
www.miataforum.com (this is where we ALL hang out)
Hope this helops - let me know if you have any other questions - I'll be sure to chime in more often.
-Peter/Atlanta
www.rspeed.net
www.thebluepotato.net
For the guys (like me) who have a supercharged or turbo'd Miata, we always use 93+ octane gas as we are prone to detonation due to our forced induction systems. We also use timing controlers to pull out some timing to get rid of the pinging, etc.
Pinging is always a fuel and spark issue. Changing out your plugs and wires as well as using good gas (name brand, etc) will most likely solve any problems.
-Peter/Atlanta
www.rspeed.net
www.thebluepotato.net
Just kidding, your post was very helpful. :-)
-juice
With decent results - not likely. This is a risk that I kind of steer away from - sewing in a OEM plastic window will not hold up in the long run. Now, You may be able to buy a replacement window for your top (this is not a sewn in option, but the entire rear of the top). The zipper matching may be an issue. Look here:
http://www.miatamania.com/cgi-bin/db2www/mossmotors/miatamania/shop/ViewProducts.mac/report?PlateID=4367
Also keep in mind what when you have a replacement window installed, the labor alone will be the same as having a new top installed - just get a new top and save some $$$.
"The rest of the top is fine except for one small hole that I thought I could just put a patch on. Think that could work?"
Possibly - check with your local auto shop for small vinyl patch kits. Keep in mind that vinyl stress is the enemy here. Over time it will come off or continue to grow.
See next thread for part II:
-Peter/Atlanta
www.rspeed.net
"Curiously, why does the window need to be zipped down for it to fold? I would think plastic could bend anyway it wants."
Because when you try this - you will see the window make a kink sometimes - this is not good. Especially in REALLY cold weather - I cannot tell you how many times a customer has called to say "OH MY GOD! I just barely hit the rear plastic window and it split!" This material does not like cold weather. Be careful. This plastic has limitations and we recommend that you first undo the 2 latches first, unzip the window and use a nice soft towel to protect it as you lower the top. I have been doing this now for ouver 10 years on all the Miatas I have owned. But for you (since you top is old and may be replaced), you can do whatever you like
"Also, where is this "rain rail" located exactly?"
Get in your car and look towards the back. At the base of the top (on the inside), you will see a curved black metal strip that attaches the plastic window piece to the car. This is the rain rail and collects the rain as it runs down the back of your top and exits under your car. Rain rails tend to fail over the years - I *HIGHLY* recommend having these replaced with a new top. If you get that "sloshing" noise in your car - like water is trapped - then this is why - yoru rain rail is leaking or your drains under your car is clogged (although unclogging your drains is a real easy fix). Robbins vinyl top with plastic windows do come with a new rain rail for about $399. The economy top does not ($299).
Congrats on the Miata!
-Peter/Atlanta
www.rspeed.net
I should be getting my car back this week. I love hopping back into it after driving a lousy rental for a while.
Then again, who cares? I almost never use them.
-juice
I have never owned a Miata so I have questions: Is it common for the FRONT brakes to go this local without replacement? From you experiences with the 1.6 liter engine, is it too late to switch to synthetic motor, gear and differential oil? What premium oil filters work and fit best?
Where is the best place to find a cup holder for this car that will replace the ash tray? Also, where can I find new center hub cap covers for the seven spoke factory aluminum wheels? I'm sure there will be more questions later, but that's enough for now. By the way, the car has had routine oil changes and service at the dealership every 4000 miles since purchased new. I probably paid a premium price ($4700.), but compared with other Miatas I've been looking at, it was in much better shape. Today, it gets a good stripping with Dawn detergent and then the Zaino treatment with as many finish coats as I can stand to put on!
http://seriousauto.zoovy.com/Interior_Accessories/
It only cost $20. I should get mine on Monday and will let you know how it looks.
As a sidenote, if anyone has an older Miata in bright red that looks faded, let me tell you of a wonderful product that returned most of the luster to my paint! I waxed my car with Turtle Wax Color Cure car polish and the difference is amazing. It comes in different colors (black, blue, white, red) and somehow returns your original color. My back bumper and the panel in between the trunk and bumper had turned pink, but after the wax it looks red again, though not quite as bright as the rest of the car. I thought I was going to have to repaint those panels, but now it looks just fine. The rest of the car has a deep gloss to the red that really makes it look sharp and almost new! I highly recommend this product.
How much were those front shocks?
-juice
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2022 Wrangler Sahara 4Xe, 2023 Toyota Tacoma SR 4WD
-juice
I'm wondering how mine are. They aren't noisy, at least.
-juice
did you check the reservoir, is it filled to the appropriate level???
as i recall, my '93 did not have ABS, yet it stopped like a champ (i only had it for one year though!). i don't think that any of the possible solutions are inexpensive... you could replace the brake lines. either with oem, or perhaps some snappy braided ss lines from an aftermarket source. another problem could be with the master cylinder. don't really know for sure. i seppose that really old brake fluid could be the cause, but that sounds unlikely...
just my thoughts,
ace
Let's see, floaty? Not really. Maybe just a tad. Rough? Yes, a little. Hard bumps make the CD skip. Nervous steering? Definitely not. It has near telepathic steering, tracks wonderfully.
Is the rough ride just a characteristic of my (base) suspension? Or do you think it's time for new shocks?
My 1993 has the smaller brakes of the original (94 and later got bigger discs), and no ABS, but it stops well. I'd at least bleed your brakes, maybe get better pads while you're at it. If you autocross I'd consider a brake kit.
-juice
Shocks - juice, your shocks sound like mine were when I replaced mine. New ones will definitely help the harshness over bumps. Miata's don't tend to get "floaty" as their shocks age due to their light weight. I went with Koni's because I wanted to lower the car without changing springs. I had tried the non-adjustable Tokico HP's and HATED them on my car. Sold them to a friend who had a '91 BRG and they were GREAT on his car. I think the big difference was the springs were changed between those years (I don't think it was age, because I put more miles on my car). Just some random thoughts....
I'm not looking for anything sportier than stock. The same sportiness with a bit more bump tolerance would be fine.
-juice
I'll probably stick to Mazda parts when it comes down to replacing them. I find the stock suspension very nice, giving decent performance without the expense of a rough ride, or lowering a car which already rides low enough to be dangerous with so many monster SUV's on the road.
For the muffler I really like the note the facory one produces, and wouldn't change it, especially for one of those whiney tin can ones.
That's what I love most about the car - it's perfect (for me) right out of the box!
Trussville has them for about $90 each front, $65 each rear. $310 seems a bit steep for a stock swap, no?
-juice
All that said, the KYB's were reviewed by the Miata Club Magazine a few years back and they give a stock ride with better longevity than the stockers.
The bump stops are also an integral part of the suspension system (I've read that you are actually riding on the bump stops most of the time during hard cornering), and you may want to consider changing them out at the same time as the shocks. If your car has any age on it, the boots are probably already shredded. After researching the subject, I decided to replace all 4 corners with "newer" style. The bump stop itself is a little thicker than the old style, but supposedly the "spring rate" is a little softer when it first starts compressing.
I will be driving my Miata on its first long distance highway trip tomorrow. I might drive the whole way (300 miles one way) with the top down. Oh the joys of living in sunny Florida in winter time, hehe I can't wait to see how comfortable and tolerable it is to live with on a long distance trip. I also can't wait to make my friend jealous. Wish me luck.
-juice
Sounds to me like you should look into Autocrossing your Miata. Wouldn't it be nice to practice manuvers like these in a controlled environment where the most harmful thing you could do is run over a traffic cone?
From all the reports I have seen the Miata fares pretty well in a wreck. If you are worried about rollovers you may want to consider a roll bar. I put one in my Miata in an afternoon. It really stiffens up the rear of the car and gives you some peace of mind... Good luck, oh, here's a link to a good source for rollbars.
http://www.bethania-garage.com/rollbar.htm
During my swap, I had one E-code + H4 on one side, and the sealed beam on the other, and when you turn both on, it looks like the sealed beam is OFF! I have a photo, but PhotoPoint went under so if you want to see it e-mail me (it's in my profile).
Also, get a louder horn. The stock horn is wimpy and you want an authoritative "honk" should you need it.
Besides that, drive defensively and always give yourself an "out". It's true, Miatas are tiny and big SUVs often just don't see you. Help them out.
Dave: did your roll bar eat up any leg room? I'm tight as it is.
-juice
Also, a friend was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer full of rebar on an off ramp and he walked away AND the car wasn't totalled. I'd say the Miata is pretty stout in a crash.
It's time for me to change out my clutch on my '93. I've got the Racing Beat Intake, JR Cat and Exhaust, and I running the timing at 14 degrees BTDC. So more HP than stock, but not outside the limits of the stock clutch. However, I'm pretty hard on a clutch - lots of downshifting and engine braking. So, any thoughts on what I should be looking at? I've read the reviews on Miata.net but most of the performance clutches are being installed on boosted cars. Is it overkill to go the performance route for me? Or would they give me better longevity than the stock? The stock hasn't been bad (it's gone almost 120K miles), but it's seemed to be a little "lazy" with it's grip for at least the last 30K.
Thanks for your thoughts!
If he walked away from a collision with a semi, he was lucky, pure and simple. That could have crushed any car.
Clutch? I'm still on the original, but I'll be listening for the answers.
-juice