Mazda MX-5 Miata (2005 and earlier)

maltb · June 2002

I find that the windblocker is only for keeping a lot of turbulence out of the lower part of the cabin. Kinda nice when you don't want your things blowing away. I enjoy wind in the hair, so for me it's ideal.

olyeller1 · June 2002

Wind through the hair, yes. Wind rip the hair, no.

  Like I said, the only objectionable part is the blast directly over the header. My scalp hurt after the test drive. A header air deflector would be great. Otherwise, the breezes were just right, even at 70.

  When looking the other day, this board wasn't in either miata group. Now it's in one. Didn't think there was a main miata board until i hit the All Mazda Discussions link.

  The dealer also has a 99 with the sport pack. Think I'll try that tomorrow. The first one had the leather pack, not an LS.

  Anybody have any experience with the Jackson supercharger? Here's Car and Driver's install back in 2000:

  http://caranddriver.com

/xp/Caranddriver

/features/2000/April/

200004_feature_mazda_mx-5miata.xml?

&keywords=miata&page=1

You'll have to eliminate the spaces in the above link. Too many characters for one word, Edmunds says.

freddy_k · June 2002

I like the car NA. I findit has plenty of power for fun and safe street driving, and FI certainly doesn't help at autox.
You have found Miata.net, right? (Lots of FI fanatics there)

shorty11 · July 2002

Hi. I own a 95 miata, leather package. Water from the A/C is leaking into my car (under the glove box) when it is very humid out and i use the a/c. A mechanic friend told me to try squeezing the end of hose (which he thinks is clogged) that leads from the component to somewhere under the hood. Has anyone had this problem. Any idea how to find this hose.

Also my windows go down and up slowly and it makes a squeaking noise. I think they may be messed up from using the window to push the doors closed. Has anyone experienced this. Is there anything I can do to fix it.
Thanking all replys in advance.

lngtonge18 · July 2002

This is taking into account that the evaporator core box wasn't moved for the passenger airbag components (I have a 92 Miata). Look for the evaporator core cover (its black) right at the bottom of the dash behind the govebox. It's right at the corner where the bottom of the dash by the passenger's feet meets the center stack. You should be able to see a black rubber hose that goes through the firewall towards the front of the car. Follow the hose to where it comes out on the other side of the firewall and try sticking a long wire into the hose and dig around. When the blockage is removed, a large amount of water should come pouring out. If that doesn't work, there is a possibility something is clogging the entrance to the hose. Disconnect the hose from the black cover and push the wire up into the hole in the black cover where the hose connects, but not too far as you don't want to damage the evaporator. Have a pan ready to collect the water if you take the hose off inside your car. My 84 VW GTI poured out over a gallon of water when I unclogged it. You might want to also blow into the hose from inside the car as hard as you can to clear out any debris you didn't dig out with the wire. One of the two should fix your problem. Don't worry though, as it's a common problem on all cars. After getting rid of the blockage, turn on your AC and watch the hose under the hood to make sure it is dripping steadily after running for a few minutes. Hope this helps. Let me know which one fixes your problem.

If you find the cure to the window problem let me know. My driver side window squeaks and moves very slowly as well. Lubricating the tracks hasn't helped much. My guess is our window motors are just worn out.

karl1973 · July 2002

Again, I strongly suggest everyone who wants to know, or just have problems, or whatever with their Miata, go visit http://www.miata.net Our little car has been out for over ten years and almost anything you can throw at someone has been asked before and has been solved!!! Visit the garage section, FAQs section. You will be pleasantly surprised.

shorty11 · July 2002

thanks for the info. i ended up going on miata.net and found info re: the window in the garage section. the probem is common on older models and hopefully can be fixed by lubricating the window mechanism w/ lithium grease. the whole process is fully explained.

windy6 · July 2002

Hi, we've been lurking here for awhile trying to decide on a sport (y) car. So far we've looked at Acura TL, the wife squeeked when I stuck my foot into the type S real hard. Subaru WRX, we both like subies but can see that I would spend a lot of time buying tickets to the policeman's ball.

And now consisdering a miata. We both like the car but she really wants the auto. Since she will be the 60% driver I can live with that since i wont be autoXing and we are in our 50's. Any inherent problems with those. I've seen a 95 locally with 100,000 miles the owners wants 8,000 which i think is high because most people don't want autos. I guess I could just go ahead and retire, get a WRX stick and let her get the miata of her dreams.
I would appreciate any suggestions from fellow posters. I have looked at miat.net checklist
windy6

mellis · July 2002

I own a 95 M Edition Miata w/64,000 miles and it is a wonderful drivers car. Keep looking because the owner is insane at $8k. I bought mine with hardtop ($1,000) 64,000 miles, all service complete for $9,000. The M Edition is loaded with every option you can get including leather.

That is a $5-$6k car.

Mark

isellhondas · July 2002

Heck, I would buy it for 5-6K if it's decent!

It's a '95 !

revdrluv · July 2002

Yeah I've been watching 95 M editions on Ebay going for more like 7k-9k (weird how all miata's sell for such a broad range of prices which seems to have nothing to do with cleanliness)

ateixeira · July 2002

It's summer - prices may be high right now. Buy in October, they'll plummet. February is even better.

-juice

mellis · July 2002

Keep in mind the the car he is talking about is is not an M edition, it is base with 80,000 miles.

andrewdna · July 2002

I test drove the 99 miata but found myself wanting more horsepower and more responsive handling. Anyone driven a pre/post 00 model? Any thoughts?

freddy_k · July 2002

For the price of a '99 Miata? You're out of your mind!

The '99 has the best power to weight ratio. They started gaining weight after that without gaining power, or at least miniscule amounts of power. They all have the same handling, which I believe most people find has the most responsive handling for this kind of money. I think you will find driving the '00 model exactly the same as driving th e '99. The '01 and '02 models, at the sacrifice of that extra weight, are a little bit stiffer and solid of a ride.

Maybe there was something wrong with the car you drove. I've heard complaints about the Miata, but that's the first time I've heard somebody complained about one of the cars best features!

locke2c · July 2002

actually, while nimble I've always felt the base Miata's suspension tuning to be a bit on the soft side. there's quite a lot of body roll... the "sport" packages from various years with bilstein monotube struts and slightly uprated springs helped some.

more horsepower, aye to that. I still am confused about 2 things:

1) other Mazdas have moved on to aluminum block inline fours (yes, mostly Ford sourced) yet the Miata keeps a heavy iron block, and it would have the most to gain from weight loss

2) how exactly the variable valve timing engine makes only 142HP, 2 peak HP more than non-vvt and let's be honest-- the midrange torque is not significantly improved because it already was tuned for midrange! (low rev limit, etc.)

-Colin

ateixeira · July 2002

Colin: that's why I'd actually prefer a '99. Plus I think the compression ratio is higher on the 2000 and later models, so premium fuel is recommended.

All that for 2 hp?

-juice

freddy_k · July 2002

By keeping an old iron block engine in the car they are able to keep giving us an absolutely remarkable car for a reasonable price. If you think about it the engine is the only mechanical part of the car not very well thought out... something has to be sacrificed for such an amazing handling and well built sports car.

If you want more speed, many dependable superchargers and turbochargers are available.

I'm very content with my 140 hp, because the car has so much else to offer. Look at the price and consider the options. As cars gain power, they lose other attributes. The Miata is one end of the spectrum, best handling for the money, not much engine performance. The Mustange is the other end, gobs of power, handling leaves a lot to be desired.

If you want it all, it is available and possible, but be prepared to dish out the cash.

freddy_k · July 2002

THe base suspension is softer for street comfort, does have more rollover then the sport, but even still it is not terribly excessive.

Either way, when I think of "Responsive Handling, I'm think more about how well the car responds to even the most minute steering inputs, and how just a little bit of playing with the throttle can do so much with the car when near its limits. These things even the base suspension does very, very well, and how it can not be 'responsive' enough is beyond me.

What comes to other peoples minds when you hear "responsive handling"?

locke2c · July 2002

to me responsive = instantaneous response. very little body roll, quick steering, firm and supportive tires.

-Colin

freddy_k · July 2002

That sounds like a Miata to me!

locke2c · July 2002

nope, sorry there's quite a lot of body roll in my opinion. mind you I don't come from buicks or SUVs, so those types of folks probably do think the stock miata is as crisp as can be.

-Colin

panamaltd2 · July 2002

Hey everyone! I just thought I would share with you some information I have on the next Miata. Just the other day I was able to see some pictures of the next Miata's interior and a possible exterior design. The interior that I saw was absoultly incredible. Watch out BMW! It consisted of a two tone interior design (black and tan) with traditional round vents seen in the new Mazda6. It also has the Mazda information center sandwiched between the center vents. It has a three spoke steering wheel with audio/cruise controls. The gauge cluster is much like the one seen in the RX-8. The dash is now a waterfall layout sandwiched between two enormous chrome strips running from the back of the interior right up to the front and ends inbedded in the dash board right bellow the information center. It was stunning! The exterior was much less finalized but it seemed to be a mix of RX-8 and Mazda6 design cues. Just thought I would share it with you guys, happy zooming!

lngtonge18 · July 2002

Does anyone else seem to notice that the 1st gen Miata tends to peel out easily when doing a u-turn? It just seems that my 92 Miata likes to get skittish when doing a u-turn. I'm not flooring it, just trying to accelerate at a moderate pace to get up to speed without getting run over. In the middle of the turn at full steering lock, it peels out and gets skittish, wasting valuable acceleration time. Is this just normal rear wheel drive behavior? I just find it a little odd since my tires are new and the car only has 116 horses. Another thing I notice is the Miata doesn't exactly instill confidence to push the car real hard in turns. The body leans quite a bit and it just feels like I'm going to be spit into the weeds at a slower speed then some of my other cars. Granted, it seems to cling to the road good enough considering its small 14" wheels, but the tires don't give much warning of the break-away point. Once they start to squeal, you aren't too far away from fighting a slide. I know people are going to think I'm crazy, but I have more confidence in the handling of my front-wheel drive 84 GTI and even enjoy the handling feel of the 02 Cabrio (less lean, direct steering but not overly quick, and brought a smile to my face). I do like the quick steering response of the Miata (though it can be a bit too darty) and it is fun sliding the car on dirt roads. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I think the older Miatas could use a little more refinement in their handling (it needs a less skittish, more planted-to-the-road feel). I wonder if the 99-02 Miatas are better in this regard? I guess this is what happens when you grow up on front-wheel drive cars. You just don't feel completely comfortable with rear-wheel drive handling. I still find the Miata fun to drive, just not as secure in more severe situations.

freddy_k · July 2002

Some questions for you.

What tires are you running on?
What shocks are you running on?
When was the last time your shocks were replaced?

Miatas are actually supposed to be friendly at the limit, and easy to drive fast. Since I've taken up autocrossing I'ver realized how opposite I've found the car compared to your findings. The car whips around corners, when the tail end strays it is quickly checked with slight adjustments, and I can do U turns faster then I ever have before. If you are giving it gas while the wheel is still turned, then obviously the rear of the car will go in a different direction then the front of the car, that is the nature of rwd. I typically go into the U turn fast, coast around until the car and wheel are straight, and then hammer on the gas.

If you ask me, I'd say you need to get your car checked out by somebody who knows Miatas. You'd be amazed at the difference even just a proper alignment can make.

Also, consider a performance driving school. It doen't matter if you do performance driving or not, you'll learn to drive the car properly, and probably find limits higher then you would have expected.

locke2c · July 2002

freddy addressed the suspension questions fairly well but I think he's overlooking something about the U-turn:

you probably are spinning just the inside rear wheel. a '92 miata has either an open rear differential, or given sufficient mileage a worn-out viscous coupling limited slip. the VC rear end wasn't "grabby" when new, so after the miles go on they do practically nothing.

when I did an aggressive U-turn in my ex-wife's Miata I'd approach fast, stand on the brakes, lift, rotate and stomp the gas. the torsen rear end digs in pretty good and after a brief chirp you're gone.

-Colin

freddy_k · July 2002

Thank you for the frightening post

It looks like the whole point of the Miata is soon going to go to hell. Everybody knows what happened to the once great Z car as they tried to fancy it up with garbage? The car gained weight, lost sportiness, got expensive, lost sales, and died. even the model name grew (240, 280, 300)
Chrome trim? Mazda information center? Controls on the steering wheel? I think we' might be seeing the final days of the Miata as we know it.

The fancier, more technological, and the bigger and heavier the car gets, the less interest I have in it. As it stands now I wouldn't purchase any model past '00.

lngtonge18 · July 2002

Hmm..thanks for the insight. Maybe I will try going into the u-turn faster and not apply the gas till after the car is str8. I have just been surprised by it a few times because I wasn't flooring it; the gas pedal was about 1/4 of the way down 3/4 of way through the turn. I didn't expect it to be that sensitive. When I first got the car, the rear tires were showing heavy wear on the inside edges, so the alignment was off (Are the rear tires toed out more by design like some cars?). I have since had the car re-aligned 3 times: once when I got 4 new tires, once when I had the front shocks replaced, and once to correct the pull caused by the second one. By the way, I'm running Fulda Assuro 185/60HR14s, KYB XR2 gas front shocks, and original rear shocks. I wanted better tires but was limited in my choices. The ones shown in the tire store had an aggressive pattern and looked like good performance tires, but the ones put on my car had a less aggressive pattern (I was a little ticked because they told me it would be just like the one I was looking at). They seem to grip good and are quiet. I know the rear shocks are old, but surprisingly, the new ones seem to lean more in turns then the old ones. Anyway, the Miata is now my daily driver so I plan on doing some upgrading, like lower front stressbar and rear bulkhead stressbar. Eventually, I will get the new rear shocks as well. I also want to dress up the interior a little.

panamaltd2 · July 2002

That is the question I asked the man who showed me this pictures. His reply was..."The Miata is the single most important car to Mazda. If Mazda could only going to make one vehicle it would be the Miata. The original Miata formula will remain through the progression of the MX-5 Miata's lifetime." Actually my post was not meant to scare anyone. Obviously Mazda is not moving in the wrong direction right now (Mazda6, RX-8). In the process things are going to move up scale but the drawings I saw reeked of original Miata DNA. It looks to be absoultly gorgeous. That chrome trim you are so afraid of can be seen in the upcoming RX-8, sure as heck doesn't look bad there. And the Mazda information center is there so that there will be less eye travel and you can focus on the road more, ditto the steering wheel controls. You have to be open for change especially if Mazda is trying to become the "Japanese BMW." Looks like things are only getting better for Mazda. In this important "turn around" time for Mazda I doubt they will make any mistakes. Proof of this can already be seen in the 6 and RX-8. My informant also told me that the bosses at Mazda are being extra picky about what the next Miata will be like, their main goal is to stick to the original formula. Change isn't always bad.

freddy_k · July 2002

panamalt: Change isn't bad, but one of the things I like about the car is simplicity. Right now it is a simple car that is easy to modify to the drivers tastes. As if the airbag isn't enough, steering wheel controls will make it even harder to swap out the wheel. The plain plastic used now let's the driver decide what he'd like to trim his car with, chrome, aluminum, carbon, wood... Also, it's old and simple engine without this valve technology BS is relatively cheap and easy to modify with F/I for those who like it, and there are many. If Mazda wants to be the 'BMW' that's fine, but leave the Miata out of it! (just look at the Z3!)

Ingtonge: Maybe somebody with more mechanical knowledge then me can verify, but I'd say running on custom shocks replaced within the cars lifetime on half the car, and original factory shocks could be a big part of the cause of the problem. You might consider something like KYB AGX 8 way adjustables on all four corners. They're cheap, effective, and you can play with settings to a get suitable ride vs handling compromise.

panamaltd2 · July 2002

I didn't think of the whole customizing thing but really how many BMWs do you see customized. Mazda is trying to make this car so perfect that you won't feel compelled to modify it. Mazda is moving up and I doubt if it will leave the Miata behind. (Valve timing makes for a better engine too.)

kymike · July 2002

You will find that your handling is a direct function of tires, shocks and alignment. I would recommend visiting the http://www.miata.net/ forum and follow some of the messages under the handling section. I have the KYB AGX shocks on my 1991 and hold them in very high regard. I replaced shocks that had about 58,000 miles on them and could immediately tell a great difference. I would also recommend an alignment to the specs found at http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html . These fall within Mazda's recommendations. You will notice a big difference in your handling once you have your car aligned to these specs.

Since you want to upgrade your car somewhat, I would recommend adding the front and rear subframe braces and the cockpit brace found on 1994 and later models. These will take a lot of the "looseness" out of your ride and make the car feel more solid. You can actually make your own front brace out of "C" channel iron for under $10.

The most expensive of all of the above mods will be the shocks. At a minimum, I would recommend replacing the factory rear shocks as they are probably well worn by now. The other mods can all be done fairly cheaply if you buy used braces on http://www.miata.net/ or http://www.ebay.com/.

These are wonderful little cars. Happy motoring!

lngtonge18 · July 2002

I'm sure others have noticed how inadequate the wipers are on high speed, at least on the older Miatas (my 84 RX7 had the same flaw). I drove through the worst downpour today and for the first time truly wanted to pull over. I was going 25 mph and couldn't see anything more then a couple of feet in front of my car. I couldn't even see the side of the road to find a safe spot to pull over! I literally had my chest pressed against the steering wheel, trying to see the road better. All I could think of as water sheeted down my windshield was, "I sure hope some SUV isnt gonna come flying up on me and plow right over top of me". The wipers were going about the same speed as low on other cars. Has anyone found a solution to this?? Is there a way to add a higher powered motor or something to make the wipers go faster? In Florida, it just won't work to have such pathetic wipers. Give me some ideas guys!

karl1973 · July 2002

Keep your windshield clean.
Use rain-X. It really works.
Replace your wiper inserts. They at most last a year. But in the Florida sun, the UV may shortens their lives.

WarpDrive · July 2002

RainX your windows. It is possible to drive through a torrential downpour WITHOUT your wipers using RainX.

verozahl · July 2002

My dad used RainX on his Miata and I'm going to do the same with my Integra later today! Lots of crazy downpours recently.

crashton6 · July 2002

I haven't been caught in any torrential down pours. I guess I've been lucky so far. The wipers on my 95 are slow too. Just like you said high speed is the same as other cars slow speed. They are however much better than the ones on my old MG. Rain X works well, but doesn't last long. Also sometimes it makes the wipers chatter. Best bet is new blades every 6 months or so.

lngtonge18 · July 2002

My wiper blades are only a month old at the most. Though RainX works good, it has always caused my blades to squeal, chatter, wipe sporadically, and generally drive me crazy. Has anyone tried to put in a better motor? Why is the motor so slow?

audia8q · August 2002

Mazda has just announced 0% financing for 60 months on the Miata!!

Rich

maltb · August 2002

the same day they released sales figures for July that show Miata was the only lagger of the bunch.

thel · August 2002

Hello all! The local dealer has a white base 2001 Miata with the convenience package and the "small" ground effects package. It has been on his lot for months and months. It is not used, it just seems that nobody wants it. What would be a reasonable offer? Is there any special incentives on these (I live in Mid-Missouri).

I would think that after awhile the dealer would simply sell it at auction, but I don't know for sure. I guess that Mazda is trying to move out the 2002's for the 2003's in September or so, but what do you do with an 01, treat it like a used car? Thanks in advance for any help.

b10609 · August 2002

My buddy just let me drive his 2001 Crystal Blue Miata (base 5 speed) bought this past March. Dealer sold it at his cost CDN $24,750 - $1000 to hold and balance in 90 days. Financing was around 4 % but I'm not sure what U.S. dealer would do dollar wise. Agree with other owners/buyers it's a bit tight. But...at 6'2" I almost wished I'd been born shorter because this is a beautiful driver & huge bang for the buck. White is a negative but okay for dust. Nice and cool on a hot sunny day, too. Go for it ! -Waterloo, Ontario

WarpDrive · August 2002

You should be able to deal very aggressively on its price. I'd shoot for a fair bit below invoice. Just find the typical market price of a 1 yr old Miata and split the difference.

I bought my '99 10th Anniversary for basically dealer cost at the end of 99 model year. You should be able to do far better for a 2001.

lngtonge18 · August 2002

I got my Brainstorm stress bars in the mail today. I got the lower front brace and cockpit brace as a $105 package deal. I installed the cockpit brace in about 15 minutes. The lower brace will be installed this weekend. Let me tell you that so far I have noticed a huge difference! I have been impressed as a whole in the rigidity of my 92 Miata (made readily apparent now that I live off of a washboard dirt road; the body doesn't creak, rattle, and flex like you would expect of a convertible with 142k), but the passenger seat has always bothered me with how much it visibly shakes and squeaks on certain bumps. After installing the cockpit brace, the difference was immediately noticeable. The passenger seat no longer shakes or squeaks. Engine vibration felt through the seats seems to have been reduced considerably. The rear end feels a lot more solid and the hardtop doesn't shake as much when hitting bumps. The quality and finish of the brace is excellent. I can't wait to see what the lower brace will do.

ateixeira · August 2002

142k, wow. I have just 37k on my '93.

A good friend at work just bought a '96, and I drove it. I like the 1.8l, it feels entirely different, even sounds different. The torque is nicer, but I actually prefer the sound of my 1.6l.

His tires were bald and it was raining, so the rears would spin pretty easily. No LSD. I told him to get new tires ASAP.

Didn't get to push because of the rain, but it seemed pretty nice.

I still think my favorite model year is the '99, because it has the glass window and an airbag off switch, plus it runs on regular.

-juice

freddy_k · August 2002

It is also stiffer, handles better, and came with a noticable hp boost. After '99 they started to gain weight without gaining power.
On a more subjective note, I also like the styling of the '99/'00 more then those both before and after. The barn door headlamps never did a thing for me, and only did bad things for the car (more drag, more weight). I'm not big on the newer integrated fog lights either, but I am definently alone in the world on that one!

ateixeira · August 2002

That's where we disagree. The cat's eye headlamps aren't as clean as the closed barn doors. The hump on the rear also looks out of place. The original was cleaner (I drive mostly during the day).

-juice

alexhho · August 2002

I just love this car more and more from reading all the post you guys put up here. I have checked with Edmunds and it stated a Trade-in price of around $9700. I have been offering people $10,000 but everyone says it's way too low. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Take care.

ateixeira · August 2002

That's my target price, too. I'm patient so I'll wait until they hit that target.

-juice

WarpDrive · August 2002

I have to side with freddy. It took me 10 years to buy a Miata. Guess why?

Not to offend any M1 owners, but I would have bought a Miata years ago if they had changed the front end earlier. Some people can say the M1 is cleaner looking, I just think it lacks visual features.

Mazda MX-5 Miata (2005 and earlier)

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