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Mazda MX-5 Miata 2008

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Comments

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Congrats.

    I will be looking for a similar vehicle later this year. Maybe a few more miles for less cash.
  • white_miata06white_miata06 Member Posts: 15
    miatamama,

    As inpractical as the Miata is I think in many ways it IS the practical sports car. This might sound crazy.. but let me explain.

    I shopped around for different type of sports cars. For example, I looked at a Lancer Evolution X and a Subaru WRX. The Lancer was very fast when you keep the revs up. I wasn't impressed with its interior at all! It said to me, for $35k -- the interior screams you got ripped off. Ironically, I felt it was underpowered when driving it in a more relaxed style around town (i.e. not reving the engine up to get the turbo to engage). It is a quite a heavy car, I had a hard time believing the dealer when he said the car weighed around 3500lbs!!!

    The Subaru WRX felt more reasonable and familiar. It has a larger engine displacement 2.5 vs the Lancer's 2.0 and felt very comfortable around town. I guess quite similar to my Subaru Legacy as it's the same engine (when the turbo is not engaged) and about the same weight and it felt like home.

    In the end, I came to the following conclusion:

    When the turbo is engaged the Lancer and the WRX are very fast cars. For me to get a thrill out of both cars they have to be driven fast at high RPMs all the time. If you dont drive them that way, then the Lancer feels like an underpowered cheap compact car. The WRX felt better due to its larger displacement engine. Again, we are talking comparing both cars tooling around town at reasonable (close to posted) speeds. I decided that knowing myself, I would not want to drive either one of the turbo charged cars in a way they need to be driven to get a thrilll.. and at those excessive speeds the thrill would quickly get me into trouble.... and most importantly, and as much as I was paying a lot of money for speed there would always be something faster. I didn't see a point in investing my money into a car I could not enjoy the majority of the time. Those cars would only really bring me joy if I were to take it to the track, where I could open it up and still feel safe and not worry about watching my speed.

    The Miata on the other hand, was a completely different type of car. It feels like you are going faster then you really are. I am not sure how many other people feel this..but my wife agreed. It feels like you are going about 20 mph faster then you really are. In the same way you would feel in a go cart going highway speeds. You dont have to be going fast to be getting a thrill. The handling is something you feel all the time, even cruising around town. I dont feel like I have to push the car and get myself into trouble going at excessive speeds to get a thrill out of it. As an added bonus its a convertible and neither the Lancer or the WRX give you that.

    So as impractical as the Miata is for a REGULAR car. It is the most practical SPORTS car for me and the best value for the money.

    -ALWAYS Fun at reasonable speeds
    -Good looking
    -Convertible
    -Reliable
    -Reasonable gas mileage
    -Affordable

    I already own practical cars which haul the kids, dogs, and can make a trip to home depot (my Subaru Legacy Wagon and my Pickup). This is a secondary vehicle purely for pleasure. I dont attempt to make it into a practical car by adding two more doors, a backseat, and a large trunk. As a result, this is far from practical, I dont pretend that it is, and as a result it is best at what is designed to do without compromises. Pure joy at reasonable speeds.
  • manybmwsmanybmws Member Posts: 347
    I am not sure about feeling you are going faster but I would agree that the handling and feel of the 6MT car can be enjoyed at any speed because of the short shifts, responsive engine, and incredibly responsive steering. The lower weight surely adds to the driving dynamic as well. Not many other cars, especially at this price match this experience IMO.
  • milkeymilkey Member Posts: 66
    Just spoke with my salesman and was told that my MX-5 (ordered last Nov.17) was built last week and is now "on the water." Should be in port (Tacoma) in a week or so and I should be able to take delivery first or second week of April. That works out to just over 4 months delivery time. At the time of order, Mazda was offering a $700 incentive, but according to the salesman, it's now at $1500 so that's a bit of good news. It works out to me paying around $400 over invoice, so I'm not going to complain. My dealer in the Twin Cities currently has 3 PRHT's in stock, and the guy said that even with slow sales on most other models, they expect to sell the Miata's once the weather warms up. Looking forward to summer driving in our new toy! :shades:
  • wilzapwilzap Member Posts: 107
    Sounds great! bet ya can't wait.. and sooner or later it will be Top Down weather..I'm hearing 40's finally next week around here. :shades:
  • milkeymilkey Member Posts: 66
    Yeah, it's around 45 here today, sun is warm, snow is melting... getting a little bit of spring fever myself! One of the main reasons that I KNOW this car is special is that my wife, known for her extremely practical and frugal ways, is getting excited in anticipation of it! For her, cars have always been only about transportation, but she's been talking for months now about taking a girlfriend on a "shopping roadtrip" with the Miata. I'll be lucky to be able to drive the thing on weekends, but hey, I'm not complaining! She was never this excited about the '66 Mustang that we owned for 13 years (that I sold last fall to help finance the Miata) so I'm happy that she's happy. :) When you say it will be top down weather, I take it to mean you've managed to keep yours on the road as much as possible thru the winter?
  • wilzapwilzap Member Posts: 107
    I have been driving it all winter so far,actual driving in the snow maybe 4 times but this thing is a blast in the snow(I have some good snow tires on it) I just turn off the LSD an go, it probably makes it a little better that I don't drive in Rush hour times,Just passed 6000 miles on mine and have had no problems ..you/your wife will have yours before ya know it.. :D
  • miatamama1miatamama1 Member Posts: 41
    I live in Kentucky, and we don't get much snow. I sold my Honda, and now this new PRHT is the only car I drive! We get lots of rain here, and it handles great on wet roads. As far as top down weather, I take my friends out when they say it's too cool for the top down, and I just turn on the bum warmers and blast on the heat. I say it's like being in a hot tub in cool weather....how good can it get!

    This car is like a hobby for me. I am always looks for new places to take it. It's a real joy! But I can say it's been a long winter, and I am tiring of having to have the top up all of the time.
  • milkeymilkey Member Posts: 66
    It's encouraging to hear these reports about the MX-5 handling well in the rain & snow. It's been awhile since I drove a rear-wheel-drive in either. The Mustang I owned never saw rain, and all my other vehicles have been front-wheel. We plan to drive the Miata as far into the fall season as possible, so I'm glad to hear owners are okay with the traction. I like the comment about the ''hot tub!'' Sounds like a plan to me! :shades: Concerning driving w/ the top UP, what can anyone tell me about feelings of claustrophobia? In such a small cockpit, I've actually read some blogs about that.
  • tiff_ctiff_c Member Posts: 531
    I had a 1999 Miata and sold it due to needing a larger car at the time. I used Nokian snow tires on it. Hakka Q's (now called RSi's) and it went through a Blizzard in Quebec City on a Trip up there. Driving through snow believe me the tires make all the difference.
    My wife is interested in a Miata or a MINI Cooper S and as I recall my Miata had a spare tire. Is it really no spare available in the Miata or is it an extra cost item?
    I know the MINI has run flats.
    Thanks
  • wilzapwilzap Member Posts: 107
    never been a problem (claustrophobia) in mine, but I have owned an '86 MR-2 for years and I have had pickup trucks also..
  • miatamama1miatamama1 Member Posts: 41
    About the claustraphobia....I had never driven a roadster before, and when I drove it the first couple of times, I did feel pretty shut in. That soon went away...because the car is such fun! However, I can also say that after driving it for MONTHS with the top up, I am really wanting to get that feeling of wanting the "air" space. It's like cabin fever in a MIATA!
  • destrydestry Member Posts: 58
    Mine came with Run Flat Tires and has a kit in the trunk..I hear they are expensive to replace? I'm glad I have a trunk that's usable!
  • tiff_ctiff_c Member Posts: 531
    Mine came with Run Flat Tires and has a kit in the trunk..I hear they are expensive to replace? I'm glad I have a trunk that's usable!

    Thanks, my 1999 has a spare in the trunk and plenty of trunk space for anything else I needed. RFT's are a nightmare, but sadly the most active forum is the BMW one. Still RFT's are not ready for prime time. On a BMW it's even worse! Plus if you are in the boonies like I am you could very well get stuck with no way to replace the tire! :sick: That's why I haven't bought a BMW and I wanted a 335i and could have squeezed the price, but RFT's killed the deal and probably will squash the MINI except the Clubman S does have room for a Spare tire so maybe....
  • milkeymilkey Member Posts: 66
    I had heard about the rough-riding and expensive RFT's as well, so we didn't even consider them on our Miata. What we did do is sign up for AAA Auto Club. We always thought that TripleA would be a good idea, but even more so now that we'll be driving w/o a spare tire. Sure, it's not as good as having a spare with you, but at least it's some piece of mind if you get into trouble. I've read other blogs where people have gone to salvage yards and purchased a 'donut' spare that fit the MX-5, so that's another option.
  • milkeymilkey Member Posts: 66
    Yeah, I don't think I'll have the problem either, but not having a back seat might take some getting used to. I'm 5'-10'' and didn't notice anything during the test drive, but I did read that some people felt a little "closed in."
  • wilzapwilzap Member Posts: 107
    Did Mazda give you the 3 year roadside assistance with your new toy? I got it from my dealer and thought that it was a given with these cars, I also have AAA and my insurance co has it in my plan also, but I am going to get a donut spare just for piece of mind...
  • tiff_ctiff_c Member Posts: 531
    I had heard about the rough-riding and expensive RFT's as well, so we didn't even consider them on our Miata. What we did do is sign up for AAA Auto Club.

    Up here if it's late at night and you don't have a cell you might walk 10+ miles to get to a phone. I don't use cell phones. No need for them. But if I had RFT's I have to add the monthly cost to the car.
    Best off buying a Spare tire but it's a shame the car makers have stopped putting donut spares in so many cars.
    I think I'll give the Mazda dealer a call tomorrow and check it out.
    I know for a fact that the Honda S2000 has a spare tire. I saw it in the trunk when I bought my 2008 Civic Si.
    Shame the S2000 is over $30K!
  • milkeymilkey Member Posts: 66
    I hadn't heard of the roadside assistance before you mentioned it so I looked in my '08 MX-5 brochure, and sure enough, there it is. It's listed under ''standard features'' as the ''24 Hour Roadside Assistance'' but makes no mention about 3 years. What else can you tell me about it?
  • milkeymilkey Member Posts: 66
    The utter lack of trunk space is what kept us away from Solstice, and the price of the S2000 was a little high (don't know about it's trunk space). Having a usable trunk, coupled with the PRHT was all I needed to know in going with the MX-5. We plan on taking weekend trips with our convertible, and we really wanted something that was practical, as well as fun. I really can't imagine taking the Solstice on a roadtrip, without any kind of storage. Sure, having a small suitcase or two in the MX-5 negates the option of a spare tire, but I had to ask myself... how many times in my 35 years of driving have I actually had a flat tire, anyway? Knock on wood! :D
    We live in North Dakota, so we're pretty remote at times, too, but most of my roadtripping will be on interstate highways, so I'm banking on AAA to bail me out.
  • tiff_ctiff_c Member Posts: 531
    how many times in my 35 years of driving have I actually had a flat tire, anyway? Knock on wood!
    We live in North Dakota, so we're pretty remote at times, too, but most of my roadtripping will be on interstate highways, so I'm banking on AAA to bail me out.


    As long as it works out for you. I can't justify the price of a Honda S2000 for $35K MSRP but it has a decent trunk and a spare tire. Very sweet to drive. Like my Civic Si but a lot more power.
    Shame the price is like $15K more! :sick:
    I blew a rim and a tire on my 1999 Miata in the rain. The rain filled a 14 inch deep pothole. Bye bye rim and tire, really bent it! :sick: If hadn't had a spare it would have been a 3 mile walk to a pay phone and no idea how long for a tow truck to show up. I did have AAA, but it was around 9pm and pouring pouring rain!
    I just don't see the original spare taking up all that much room in the car I had. I wonder why they changed it?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You may not even have to pay for a donut spare.

    I went to the county recylcing center to drop off some old metal, and saw a large pile of donut spares right there in the open, up for grabs.

    Just make sure you know the size you need, and the bolt pattern. I think it's 4x100mm for mine, but other model years may be different.
  • wilzapwilzap Member Posts: 107
    With the purchase they gave me the 3 year roadside and my wife just told me that with the extended warranty I purchased it got extended also. Still gonna go out and get a donut for the trunk, I might not carry it all the time but my trips to northern Wisc, Minneapolis and Colorado I will feel much better and I think I should be able to get my fishing poles in the trunk with it :)
  • miatamama1miatamama1 Member Posts: 41
    There is a brochure in the car papers when you buy the car. I remember it being 3 years. Hope I never have to use it.
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    Yeah, the 2006+ MX-5's don't come with a spare, however, it does come with a tire inflation kit. As long as you do not blow out your side wall, you can re inflate it. If you happen to blow out your side wall, and destroy your tire, call 24/7 roadside assistance that Mazda gives you with your purchase, and you get free towing to the nearest Mazda dealer.
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    I remember a few of people here have expressed interest in looking for pre owned NC Miatas. I want to let you know that there have been a lot of lease turn ins that Mazda is taking back. Back in 2006, Mazda did an abundance of 24 month leases. Check with your local Mazda dealer, and ask them about any lease turn ins.

    Mazda has an online auction, like eBay, for all it's dealers for lease turn ins. I have noticed an abundance of MX-5's pop up as of late. We just purchased a few ourselves.
  • destrydestry Member Posts: 58
    That's exactly what came on mine and I have the kit in the trunk. I like them, but hear they are expensive to replace?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Thanks. I am looking, though probably not until July or so.

    I'll do another search.

    I've seen the 06s dip to about $17k. I did find one gem a couple of weeks ago, it was a leather-lined loaded up model with something like 8k miles. I should have jumped on it. I just wasn't planning on buying until later this year.

    I'm keeping my eye out for bargains like that.

    Where is your dealer? You're up in New England, right?
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    Yeah, I'm in CT, about 40 minutes from NYC.

    Just to give you an idea of where they are price wise, we bought a 2006 MX-5 Touring (cloth interior, power options, 16" wheels) 5-speed tranny with 9,500 miles for. We are asking $17,990 with a Certified Pre-Owned Mazda warranty (8yr-100,000K)

    This should be the price according to Edmunds.

    link title
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Fair price since it's CPO.

    Not sure when we're heading up to CT to visit the in-laws, but maybe I'll drop by your dealership if it's on my way. We may go this summer.

    They are in Norwalk. My brother-in-law is in Milford. Is either place close?
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    Milford and Norwalk are about 30 minutes from me. I'm located in Danbury.
  • milkeymilkey Member Posts: 66
    Thanks for the info on Mazda Roadside...it sounds like a nice plan. Between that, the repair kit and AAA I'll feel okay on those roadtrips. :)
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    No problem.

    Lets be real here, how often do you encounter a blown tire? That's what I thought. That is exactly why Mazda does not include a spare tire. Not to mention the fact that the MX-5 is a seasonal car to begin with, and they are usually driven UNDER 10,000 miles per year. Less weight, and less cost. Really not a bad decision on Mazda's part, if you think about it.
  • irnmdnirnmdn Member Posts: 245
    Has anyone tired to fit full size 15 or 16 inch rim and tires from Mazda3 in NC MX-5 trunck?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I have to agree. Never used my spare.

    In fact one time I checked and my spare was flat. Oops. Wouldn't even had been useful if I did get a flat.

    I've only taken it out of town twice, to the beach, about 150 miles away. I doubt I'll do that again. It's cramped for long trips like that.
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    Yesterday, our dealership participated in an auction simulcast over the internet. It was held by Mazda for Mazda dealers only. These were Mazda exec. cars. We targeted numerous vehicle, including MX-5's, and they were going to STUPID money. We are talking about $3,000 to $4,000 OVER Glaves value, which is over retail!! Needless to say, we could not buy any.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Bummer, so no price drop on used 2006s.

    It's OK, my 93 is still running great. I can wait.
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    Best bet is still lease turn ins. They are popping up. These Mazda program vehicles, like what we tried to get yesterday, go for too much.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Are those from Manheim? They get the cream of the crop.
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    Yeah, the auction was held at Manheim for Mazda, out in CA. All were top line merchandise, in basically pristine condition.
  • redmxredmx Member Posts: 1
    Be glad that you didn't get run flats. I test drove one at the dealer the day I bought my MX-5. They are VERY noisy and feels like you are riding on solid rubber tires. I had Goodyear runflats on my Vette. They came O.E. and I couldn't wait to get them off.
  • robger99robger99 Member Posts: 42
    I know what you mean about the car feeling like it is going faster than it is.I have a speed 6 that really flies and im constantly exceeding the speed limit-I just bought an 08 touring with 6 speed and i find myself going slightly under the speed limit quite a bit of the time. This could be a good thing if it avoids some tickets. The car is a blast so far-had the top down a few times and it is really fun to drive.Enjoy your car!
  • robger99robger99 Member Posts: 42
    Just got an 08 touring with 17" run flats. Have a buddy at work who will sell me a set of four 16" winter tires on rims for $100.00- only used one season on his bmw. Im assuming these should fit because the base tires are 16" right? Any input appreciated.
  • bdkinnhbdkinnh Member Posts: 292
    Maybe, maybe not. I'm not familiar with the MX-5, but I know that BMW's are what is known as 'hub centric'. Miata & hub centric. You may need a hub ring.

    Even if they do match, you would also need to make sure the bolt pattern is the same. If you're going up a size then the brake clearance shouldn't be a problem, but you should check it to make sure.
  • white_miata06white_miata06 Member Posts: 15
    I would also check the offset of the bmw wheel vs the offset required for the miata to clear the brake calipers.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    My guess is no, probably not.

    My '93 Miata has a 4x100mm, not sure about the newer ones, but I doubt it matches BMW's bolt pattern.
  • fivestar2fivestar2 Member Posts: 2
    I am thinking of buying a 2008 Miata. On my current vehicle, not a Miata, I rotate my tires (front to back) every 5000 miles for optimal tire wear. I noticed that on the new mx-5 the rear tires are slightly wider. Can I rotate the tires on this car? What do others do? Thanks for your input.
  • milkeymilkey Member Posts: 66
    Just took delivery 4/26 of our '08 MX-5, drove it 500+ miles from the dealer in MN to our home in ND, and we couldn't be happier! (Nothing like taking care of that 600 mile break-in period in short order!) We waited a little over 5 months from our order date last November... just in time for summer fun!
    Here's how the deal breaks down-
    Copper Red Mica GT, 6-speed manual PRHT, only options wheel locks and splash guards. Dealer Invoice: $25,778. Sticker: $27,645. Dealer knocked $1500 off sticker, plus they honored a $500 Mazda rebate certificate we had gotten in the mail several weeks ago. Bottom line: $25,645. We're very grateful to Walser Mazda in Burnsville, MN for a pleasant buying experience and what we think is a heckuva deal. I'd recommend them to anybody out there looking to buy a PRHT. They are the largest Mazda dealer in Minnesota and usually have several in stock.
    After my first 36 hours with the car, a couple of things immediately come to mind. 1).All the comments I've read about the door cupholders intruding into the driver's knee: Hogwash! Not even CLOSE! I seriously have no idea what those people are talking about. My cupholders -and my knees- are just fine, thank you! 2).All the comments I've read about the car needing taller gears: Absolutely true! I agree 100%! I was running at 3100 rpm at 62 mph, 3500 at 70, and 3800 at 80. I understand it's a roadster and low-end torque is desirable, but I'd sure like to see those rpm's drop to 25-2800 at 75mph or so. 3).All those comments about how driving this car is impossible without a smile on one's face: 100% absolutely TRUE! The sound at idle and the exhaust note alone are worth the price of admission. And I haven't even squeaked the tires yet (the first time the wife's not in the car with me I'm boilin' the skins! - hey, it's HER car and I don't want her to take the keys away ;) )
  • white_miata06white_miata06 Member Posts: 15
    you will need to disable the DSC to squeak the tires. Enjoy your new car.
  • wdukewduke Member Posts: 17
    Have you found one yet, I just bought a 2008 PRHT GT, copper mica 6 speed auto in southern California. They also had a couple of 2007 as well on the lot. Had mine shipped to Washington State, and imported it to Canada. Asking was $29, 700 and got it for $27,450
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