Mazda MX-5 Miata (2005 and earlier)

thel · February 2004

would simply get me into trouble. I like that fact that you can push the Miata towards its limits and still avoid trouble with the local law enforcement.

Driving around in a Corvette is fun...but frustrating. You shift into second, hit the gas and low and behold, you have to slow down for the 70 mph zone! Arrghh.

ateixeira · February 2004

You're right, I can redline 1st and 2nd without even thinking about it. Usually I'll ease off in 3rd.

But it's nice to wind out the engine like that.

-juice

lngtonge18 · February 2004

Well, I went ahead and bought it. I won it on ebay for $3550. The car is 4 hours away so I haven't driven it or seen it in person. It was weird to buy a car this way but the owner seemed pretty honest and answered all my questions. He lowered my bid price after discovering the passenger window needs a new regulator. Other then that, everything appears to work. It seems like a good deal considering how rare the car is (my collectible book lists US sales at 6000, which seems low for 4 years so I dont know how accurate it is, but if it is, woo hoo!). I don't think any engine work has been done but non turbo rotary engines seem to last quite long before needing new apex seals as long as the oil was changed frequently enough. Check out the pics of my new baby and tell me what you think:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1- - &category=6327&item=2459657050&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBW- - A%3AIT

ateixeira · February 2004

They're beauties, IMO.

IIRC, that's the one that you can use like a targa, or as a full convertible. That was a cool feature.

She's VERY clean, too. Wow. 108k miles, hard to believe.

Gotta love a full set of gauges, too.

-juice

thel · February 2004

Looks nice Ingtonge18. 8k RPM redline...that ought to be fun!

I hope it all works out for you, the seller sounds like an honest person, but he should've posted some photos with the top down!

markinatl · February 2004

Nice looking RX-7.

BTW, I've got the same BBS Honeycomb wheels on my '92 LE.

)

lngtonge18 · February 2004

ateixeira: Yep, you are correct! The top has a removeable center piece so you can use it as a targa or drop the top fully. I didn't know it had this feature until I saw it on another RX7 on ebay. I'm slightly concerned this may lead to more leaks but it is a very unique top nonetheless. I love the fact it has a true glass rear window with defroster instead of the non defroster glass on my Miata. The rear glass also looks significantly larger which should help rearward visibility. Oh yeah, the full gauges is definitely nice. I can tell already by the pic that the alternator is strong and oil pressure is good.

Thel: That 8k redline is pretty cool isn't it? The 89-91 convertibles had a high output rotary with more power (160 instead of 147). Torque is 140 instead of 100 in the Miata. So even though the car is heavier, it should have pretty good spunk. The sound of a rotary firing up is definitely unique and their smoothness is untouchable. I can't wait to drive it home on Saturday!

Thanks guys for all the kind words about my new car. This helps me feel better about making such a frivolous purchase

ateixeira · February 2004

You only live once.

Do you think, when you're 80, and telling your grandkids about cars you've owned, that you'll regret such a fun purchase?

I doubt it.

-juice

thel · February 2004

I wouldn't worry about leaks...of course, I wouldn't have the top up either but.....

bigbozer · February 2004

When I was looking at RX7 (I had a 2-door Mazda 929 Coupe sports car in the Near East when I was on a UN posting, lovely car with twin pop-up head lights and unique alloy wheels plus all the other bells and whistles) on return to Calif. in 1999, it was difficult to find RX7 convertibles with manual shift and mileage below 100K (I was told by an RX7 guru that Mazda rotary engine needs a major overhaul after they cross 100K miles). I found a white manual shift 1991 RX7 with 70K miles at a major dealer. It looked/drove beautifully and the throttle response was instantaneous (like my 1967 Honda "superhawk" CB77 motorbike). However the dealership in Santa Rosa, CA wanted $9000 and I went up to $8000. They would not budge. Later I got hooked on Miatas and got a 1994 "C" leather package/tan top with only 54K miles for $7.5K. Vandals did it in one night when it was parked in the car-port and th epolice were not encouraging at all. So after my insurance replaced everything I reluctantly sold it for the same money I paid after nearly 16 months and 10K miles of use. Later, when I had the use of a closed garage, I won a 1995 "M" Edition Miata on eBay with a hard top, 50K miles for $7K. Unfortunately just 6 months later I lost it on a curve on Hwy 49 that was not well-posted. My insurers were once again extremely nice and compensated me generously enough for me to get a 1999 10th anniversary (6-speed) Miata which I now have and love. It also has a hard top and 72K miles. And yes it does exactly 60 mph at 3000 RPM in 6th. I got a very bad catch in my back trying to get at the lever (inside the arm rest) that flips the trunk and gas cap open (I am shocked at this very bad design by Mazda). Now I get out of the car first bend down and then work these two levers, if I must.

To answer your Qs. The RX7, in my opinion, is larger and more comfortable than a Miata. The rotary engine revs freely and you will just enjoy tweaking the throttle like a GP racer and impress your gf/neigbors if you get the manual shift. (I cannot understand people who get an automatic Miata, RX7 or a Porsche Boxter!!) Yes, the rotary may require more visits to the mechanic than the Miata (none of my Miatas needed anything more than the normal oil and filter change). You will also need a mechanic who SPECIALIZES in RX7s. Your ordinary "Japanese Cars Garage" will ruin your RX7. If I lose my current Miata I will look out for a low mileage 1990 or 1991 RX7 convertible..... BTW my 1995 "M" Miata had BBS wheels. I did not particularly like them....they are difficult to keep clean.

thel · February 2004

I share your opinion, but I'm "young" and not into wire wheels, etc. I do like the poliched ones on you 99 10AE however!

lngtonge18 · February 2004

Thanks for your insight on the car. I'm driving down to pick the car up tomorrow, so wish me luck! I'll have a nice long 4 hour drive home to get accustomed to my new baby. After speaking with the owner over the phone, I feel more confident that this should be a good car. He informed me the previous owner replaced the oil injection pump around 85k (THE second most expensive repair on this car; $1500 according to him!!) and he just replaced the water pump in January. The AC clutch and possibly the condenser were replaced last year, as well as the exhaust from cat back. So, in essence, I'm getting a good running car that has had most of the expensive high mileage repairs already completed. This car should provide me with at least 50k miles before running into possible engine rebuild. I just hope the previous owners were religious with changing the oil every 3k!

I keep looking at the pics on ebay and just can't believe it's actually my car. I have now bought 2 of the dream cars from my childhood. I always looked at the RX7 convertible and thought to myself, "man, I'd love to be seen driving that car". It's just so sporty and exclusive. I've only seen maybe 3 on the road.

As for the BBS wheels, I know they will be a big annoyance to clean, but I must admit, they look hot on this car. They kind of give the car an aggressive, yet refined and elegant look. I don't think regular spoke wheels would look as good.

Anyway, I'll let you guys know my impressions once I get it home and compare it to my 92 Miata.

thel · February 2004

Those of you with 89-97's, can you unzip the rear window while sitting in the driver's seat in traffic? I'm curious to know how much more of a pain it is than the glass tops.

ateixeira · February 2004

Absolutely, yes. I can still get the top down in 15 seconds from my seat, 10 if I hurry.

HOWEVER, I just found a tear in my vinyl window, the top was already old and cracking, so that's the final straw. It'll be replaced soon.

-juice

lngtonge18 · February 2004

I'm short (5'6") and before replacing the top with a non-zipper glass window, I was unable to unzip the plastic window unless I unbuckled and completely turned around in the seat. It was such a pain in the butt that I just threw the top back and said to hell with messin up the plastic window (it was already cracked and torn). Maybe for tall people with long arms its easier, but definitely not for me! When I replaced the top, I made sure I got one that had no zippers to mess with! Now, all I do is manually pull the third crossbar forward as I throw the top back (this is required in order to give the space needed for the glass window to fold down). This is easily accomplished from the driver's seat with no twisting and turning.

ateixeira · February 2004

Yeah, I'm 6' with a pretty good wing span. :-)

Mine is a 1993, so I can't really complain, that's 11-12 years or so of life from the original top. The previous owner didn't really take good care of it, the tan top was badly stained when I got it.

The new one will have a glass window with a defroster.

-juice

thel · February 2004

It has been decent Miata weather around here the last few days and being Miataless is just torture! I'm contemplating an NA just for the cheapness of it and getting an older pickup as an OTM. There is a 78 Chevy that looks to be in good shape from the puny black and white photo in the local paper that could be kind of cool, but it's not 4WD...

ateixeira · February 2004

If it at least has a rear LSD, it might get by. Probably not back in '78 tho.

-juice

thel · February 2004

If you're referring to snow traction, I'd probably put snow tires on it and some weight in the back and give that a go.

ateixeira · February 2004

Bags o' sand.

Hey, just called Performance Buyers Club to order a new top. They install Robbins tops, and most of the feedback on those is good.

A new vinyl top, glass window, tan color, plus installation, will run $799. I just don't have the time with two little kids running around, or the patience. If we still had an empty nest, then maybe.

Any how, price seems decent, I think the MSRP on the OE top is about that much by itself, before install.

No rear defrost, though. That made it pricey, he'd have to run wires, install relays, etc. I think it'll be fine without it because I don't drive it in rain or snow, for that I use my Subie.

-juice

thel · February 2004

Never used mine. You have an OTM so I don't think you'll miss it at all. Besides, you'll have a nice clear window with no stripes!!

ateixeira · February 2004

Glad to hear that.

They ordered the top, and will call me when it comes in. I'll drop it off, probably Wednesday, to get the new top installed.

-juice

thel · February 2004

ateixeira · February 2004

Will do.

Can't complain, I've spent next to nothing on this car in 3 years, and it's a 1993. Even after the $800 it may be the least costly car (in terms of repairs) I've owned that was that old.

-juice

keithrichmond · February 2004

In case no one has told you, rotaries let some oil through on the apex seals as part of their nature. I've always been told NEVER to use synthetic oils in the rotary engine. I'm wondering if that's why so many people complain about engine work at 100K...

From my experiences with friends the non-turbo rotary engines are very durable. It was the added heat that killed the 13B rotaries at 60K in the 3rd gen cars.

Keith R.

lngtonge18 · February 2004

Well, it looks like my membership to the Miata club may be ending a lot faster then I had hoped. My friend is possibly buying the car this weekend. It's good in that I need the money for the RX7, but bad in that I wanted to drive it around a little longer before selling it. I won't be able to put it off due to a dealer snafu that will leave him carless (very long story, but in short, the finance manager lied about my friend's income on the app and Mitsu finance bounced the app back. Now they won't finance him with his true income so the dealer has to either eat a loss or take the truck back after 2 months and 4k. 2 people were fired over this and 9 other loans that are in la-la land. It's a good story for dateline.).

Anyway, I will now proceed with my comparison of these 2 convertibles. The RX7 blows the Miata away in the looks department. My car is absolutely stunning in person. I was asked about the car the first day I had it as I went into an auto parts store. I noticed people craning their necks to take a gander and a few people have compared it to an older Ferrari (I think the car is very similar in the front to the Lotus Elan and Esprit). The attention the car gets is having 2 effects on me: 1. I'm beaming with pride 2. I'm scared it will attract the wrong kind of attention. The RX7 also feels more grown up and buttoned down then the Miata, especially on the highway. This car impressed me so much while riding on the highway at 80-100 mph. 5th gear on this car is what the Miata should have. At an indicated 100mph, the car revs at 4k (at 80 it revs at 3300). This leads to a wonderfully relaxed highway cruising machine. It felt just as tight and solid as a coupe and it held the road extremely well (hydroplaning resistance is also better). It wasn't attracted to semis, the steering was firm, the ride was comfortable yet very tightly controlled, and no shaking was evident. I'm sure all this is due in part to the heavier weight and stronger frame. And the Rx7 is a good bit heavier (it weighs about 2880). This car feels so stout that I don't see the need in adding any extra braces, like I did in the Miata. You can see where the weight went: the body panels are thick and look substantial; the trunk lid is heavy, so heavy it required the use of 2 gas struts to hold it up. The Miata feels like a flimsy, nervous, ultra light toy with thin dent prone panels and a shaky structure compared to the RX7. The Rx7 is roomier and doesn't feel near as confining as the Miata and the trunk is deeper, luxuriously lined, has a light, and no obstructions (the battery is up front where God intended and the spare tire is cleverly located behind the front seats) which makes it much more useful. The top is a high quality cloth, no bars are exposed inside, wind noise is well muted, and there is a standard flip up windblocker. The windshield cross bar has a padded vinyl covering. The sun visors are twice the size of the Miata's. The brakes have 4 pistons up front and the rotors are plenty big. The interior lights up better at night (by golly a real dome light!!) and nighttime illumination is clearly superior thanks to the brighter square headlights (the barndoors are smaller so they stay out of your line of sight better) and fog lamps. The seats are more cushy and comfortable to me, but the other half thinks the Miata is better. That pretty much sums up the pluses for the RX7.

Now lets discuss where the Miata excels. The Miata feels more tossable and spunky, although the RX7 still has a nice tight turning radius and grips the road better thanks to the bigger tires, firmer shocks, and wider stance. The 1.6 engine is quick to rev and feels fast thanks to the ultra short gearing. The RX7, on the other hand, is deceptively quick. It feels slow off the line, doesn't rev as quick (I'm still investigating whether the throttle cable is adjusted right), and never gives you the feeling of thrust. In reality, it goes pretty quick because when you think you are going 40, you are really going 60. The Miata's doors are much smaller, making it easier to get out of tight spots whereas the RX7's are real long, open wide, and the windshiled is more steeply raked, making egress more difficult. The Miata's dash is more modern, simplistic, and less imposing. However, the RX7 has more gauges, no droopy eyeball vents, and no flashing airbag light. Now, for the clincher....Mazda appears to have dropped the ball with electronic reliability in the RX7. Not only does my car need a new power passenger window regulator, but also a new wiper switch (the wiper only works on low speed) and the idle is a bit wacky (it bounces around sometimes exactly like my Miata did that one time). The headlight switch and logicon AC control panel are other common failures on these cars. These parts are exotic car expensive too!!! A new regulator will cost me $343, but get this: the wiper switch costs a whopping $424 from Mazdatrix and $522 from the dealer. It is one big switch that controls the wiper/washer, hazard, and main cruise control button. How on earth they think this is worth that much money is beyond me. The Logicon unit costs over $500 and the headlight switch costs about the same as the window regulator. I'm shocked at how expensive these parts are and that they are common problems considering the Miata didn't run into any of this (though the Miata has airbag problems). The good thing is, the previous owner already ran into the headlight switch problem so its been replaced. I just can't believe Japanese electronics were so badly designed that they fail at a measly 100k. Besides the eletrical issues, my RX7 runs great. It fires right up and runs smooth. It looks like it will be a reliable running car.

You might ask, knowing what I know now, would I still buy the RX7 over the Miata. I think the answer is still hell yea! I get excited everytime I look at the car and part of the fun of owning a weekend car is fixing it up. And driving a unique car is very intoxicating. But this car is definitely not gonna be as worry free and cheap to own as my Miata.

p.s. The 2nd gen RX7s were definitely high tech cars for their day. Can you believe my car has a "heat hazard" warning light that reads "overheat exh system". This light is to warn you when the catalytic converters are overheating. I've never heard of any other car having such a warning system. The headrest speakers also have separate lit controls in the center console. Each passenger could vary the volume of the speakers independently of the other person. It also had a "surround" sound button. Sadly, my speakers aren't hooked up to the new stereo although the wires are waiting to run into the seats. Last but not least, the guy kept the original sticker for my car. It was badly tattered, but can you believe how much this car stickered for in 1990?? Over $27,000!!! Wow! No wonder not very many were sold

thel · February 2004

Your comparison between the RX7 and your NA sound just like the comparisons between the NA and the NB. I'm glad you like your 7 so much.

BTW, how does the top work on the RX7?

ateixeira · February 2004

I really like the styling, to me it looks sorta Porsche 944-ish. More masculine than the Miata.

I should whisper so Blanca doesn't hear me and get jealous. ;-)

-juice

lngtonge18 · February 2004

It's actually a little more complicated then the Miata. You can drop the top in the Miata while sitting in the car; the RX7 has an extra step that requires you to get out of the car. You first pull down the nifty latch covers, then unlatch the 2 latches. You then press the top button and listen to the beeping. The top stops 1/3 of the way and requires you to release the button and press it again (you are supposed to check to make sure nothing is obstructing the top from dropping). Once the top is done moving, the topmost panel is sticking straight up in the air. This is the portion that requires you to get out of the car. The release latch is on the passenger side; you push up on it and the top panel folds forward into the well. It makes for a strange looking fold. The Miata folds all in one direction. This top folds 2/3 of the way one direction and 1/3 of the way the opposite direction, which gives it a mountain peak towards the rear of the car, restricting rearward vision some.

muffin_man · February 2004

Fantastic write up.

thel · February 2004

When it comes to easy-fast manual top manipulation anyway! Man do I miss mine! I go to the local Carmax website and stare at it from time to time. They gave me $14,500 for it back in early January and they still have it but have already reduced to price by $1k to $16,998. It's still too much for an 02 LS with 25,000 miles but they did give me just about retail for it to begin with LOL. Oh well, someone will get a really nice car some day.

ateixeira · February 2004

The '99 and later Miatas don't even require you unzip the window. Newer MR2s are the same way, you can do it all in seconds from the driver's seat. Those two are the simplest and the best tops, IMO.

-juice

audia8q · February 2004

Did anyone see the MazdaSpeed Miata that was given away on Fear Factory this week? the guy who won was so excited he could hardly control himself.

ateixeira · February 2004

Did he have to eat 55 lbs of pigs intestines?

Still, is was worth it!

)

-juice

thel · February 2004

I don't do the reality show thing...unless you count Trading Spaces

, but I had heard that the show was giving away a Velocity Red MSM.

Anyone see the front-mount intercooler on the MSM? The thing is tiny! Kind of funny looking if you ask me, but I'd cover it up with a Buck's Diamond Grille anyway...

lngtonge18 · February 2004

Car and Driver tested one in their April issue. They called it a "fantastic bargain" and the best reason ever for buying a Miata. The amazing thing is how cheap the car is. The Mazdaspeed lists at $26,020, which is only $827 more then the LS without a 6 speed, turbo, or suspension upgrades! Horsepower is 178 at 6k rpms and torque is 166 at 4.5k rpms. Redline is 6.5k. 0-60 was acheived in 6.7 seconds, top speed is 127, and it pulled .90g on the skidpad! Fuel economy isn't too bad at 20/26. Sounds like this car ought to be quite popular.

lngtonge18 · February 2004

Back to my 92 Miata....My tranny is making some funky noises. If you push the clutch down and push the shifter into gear, you immediately start hearing a humming bearing like noise and the idle on the car jumps up a few hundred rpms. Put the shifter back in neutral but keep the clutch down and the idle drops back down and the noise stops. It almost sounds like the noise a bad throwout release bearing makes, except those make noise with the clutch up and the shifter in neutral. This is the complete opposite. The car still shifts fine and I had the tranny fluid replaced 2 years and 6k ago. No leaks under the car so the fluid level should be fine. Are these signs of the synchros or pilot bearing wearing out? Would draining the fluid and putting redline oil in it help? Any other ideas of what could be wrong? I still don't get why the idle is being affected. It's not like the idle has any ties to the shifter and clutch. The really weird thing is my RX7 sometimes exibits the same weird fluctuating idle tied to putting the car in gear. The Rx7's idle also has on a few occassions gone up and down a few hundred rpms in quick succession when the clutch is down and the car is in gear. Put it in neutral and the fluctuation stops. Does Mazda have some funky idle controls I don't know about?? I think both of my cars are slightly possessed! LOL

thel · February 2004

it'll be even sweeter in the fall when the huge incentives roll out before the NC debuts. If I'm still Miataless by then I may just take the FI plunge.

Then again, if I find a resonably priced NB sport package or PEP that may change....

keithrichmond · March 2004

Sounds like a bad slave cylinder! I've been through that a few times. It's a pretty common failure on transmissions and gives the symptoms you describe, especially at the early stages of failure. It is an easy fix and relatively cheap. You can buy rebuild kits or the entire cylinder.

Keith R.

ateixeira · March 2004

Is your clutch pedal soft? That was the symptom I felt when my clutch slave cylinder went out. Also check the fluid level (it uses brake fluid).

Good news is it's an easy fix and costs $10 or so for a rebuild kit. I took detailed photos so if that's it you're in luck, I can e-mail them to you.

Let me know if you want those pics.

That Mazdaspeed Miata sounds impressive.

-juice

lngtonge18 · March 2004

So a failing slave cylinder can cause the bearing noise and the idle fluctuation? How does it affect the idle? I'm just real curious. The Miata has a high chance of needing this fixed since 5 months back I did notice the clutch fluid had dropped a little. So it probably does have a slight leak. I'll check the fluid again and see what's up. I just want to make sure nothing is wrong with the tranny itself before selling it to my friend. I don't want to sell him the car and then the tranny give out 6 months down the road and run into any bad feelings..ya know? If I sell it to someone else, it's not as big of a deal but I will probably fix it anyway.

ateixeira, could you please email me those pics? I want to see how bad of a location the cylinder is in. Look below for the email. Thanks a bunch!

By chance is anyone interested in buying a brand new tan softtop with glass window or a red hardtop without the rear defroster lines? The softtop is still in its box. They sent it as a warranty replacement for the faulty first one but I don't need the top now. The hardtop is faded to a dull red/pink hue and has a minor scratch on the rear glass (bottom left corner). Otherwise, the weatherstripping and latches are in good shape. Email me at walk2camp@aol.com if you have any interest in these items.

ateixeira · March 2004

It did affect my idle, now that I think about it. I don't recall a bearing noise, but mine was leaky, not completely failed. I topped off the fluid and it worked until I could get to it (weather).

OH MAN, my new top just arrived *today* at Performance Buyers Club. Tan top with glass! I'm dropping the car off tonight or tomorrow to get it put in.

Not sure about a hard top, I tend to drive my Subaru when the weather is bad, so I'm pretty much always top-down in the Miata.

E-mailing you right now...

-juice

Mr_Shiftright · March 2004

I think you may have a bad throwout bearing or a bad clutch/pressure plate actually. I think you had the symtoms backwards. With the clutch IN (down) you'll get the throwout bearing noise and with the clutch OUT (up) if you had a noise it would be a transmission bearing. The throwout bearing is only engaged with the clutch IN, so that's when it will protest. And if your clutch disk is worn, when you engage it, it will have a slight application even though your clutch is still down. So that explains the idle. The clutch is "dragging" or sticking to the flywheel because the pressure plate is worn and it cannot pull the clutch disk back far enough from the flywheel.

You might test the clutch by lugging the engine in 4th or 5th gear under a load (slight incline). It might slip then and show itself. But if it's a worn pressure plate it may not slip. Otherwise, you'll just have to wait and see what develops.

BUT...BUT...no harm in checking the slave cylinder. IT could screw up the clutch application enough to create weirdness. You could get lucky and cure the symptoms by replacing it. Hard for me to say without hearing it firsthand.

ateixeira · March 2004

For the $10 or so it's worth a try. My symptoms were a soft clutch pedal and the whacky idle, though it wasn't slipping at all (never has).

-juice

ateixeira · March 2004

I forgot I had already uploaded it to ImageStation:

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4289876491

You have to register, I think.

Pics show the area with the front passenger wheel removed, the car jacked up for space to work. I used a rebuild kit I got from NAPA autoparts, it was $10.74.

It's held in place with two bolts IIRC. Removing it is not hard, access is just a little tight.

Once it's out, you'll see a pic with the old one and new one next to each other, the old one was absolutely spent, rubber basically rotting. The fluid was dark and clowdy, should probably have been bled before (it was 10 years old but with just 40k miles or so).

I used acquarium tubing, the stuff you use to connect aerators. I had some extra lying around but any hardware store or fish store would have it. I used a baby food jar to keep the tip under brake fluid so it would not suck air back up into the system.

Once that is setup, I used a turkey baster (hint: do NOT use your wife's!) to remove the old fluid from the reservoir, as you see in the last pic. Then fill it up with new, light, clear, wonderful brake fluid. Then get someone to pump the clutch pedal slowly, you'll see the level go down, you gotta keep topping it off.

The air and old fluid will drain into that cup. I think a bigger jar would help, mine filled up. But you do see the dark/old fluid draining and the new, clear fluid replacing it, it's kind of cool actually.

Well, to me, my wife was not impressed.

)

-juice

jontyrees · March 2004

Dude - how many cars do you have?? I can't keep up - although they largely seem to be cars that interest me enough to lure me to their boards.

I know you got rid of the Aerio SX you had, (which is what I still have and still enjoy), and replaced it with a Tiburon V6. I think you still have the Lancer you preferred to the Aerio. Apparently you also have a Diamante, (I occasionally lurk around over there as I used to own a '93 Diamante wagon - great car), and according to this forum, you have a Miata and an RX7.

Nothing wrong with all this, of course, I'm just curious if you are more than one person.

ateixeira · March 2004

Yes, he represents the country of New Zealand. He's the one that kept getting thanked on Oscar night. ;-)

-juice

lngtonge18 · March 2004

LOL. You almost got it right. I traded in my 2002 Lancer for the 2003 Diamante. I currently have 5 cars in my possession, but the Miata is close to being sold. The 5th car is an 84 VW Rabbit GTI. I've owned this car since I was 15 and it was my first. I refuse to get rid of her but she runs great and looks good so I have no real reason to.

It's just me and the other half to enjoy all these cars. The Tiburon is my main ride. The Miata is my fun open-air cruiser, but the RX7 convertible will take her place. The Diamante is the other half's main car, though we do switch often. The GTI is just my "classic" car (I put maybe 1k a year on her). What can I say...I love cars and have a difficult time parting with them. Since I have no kids, I feel I should enjoy my favorite hobby while its financially possible and I'm young enough to have fun.

p.s. I've also owned an 84 Mazda RX7, 85 Audi 5000, 85 Honda Civic Wagon, 87 VW Fox, 92 Nissan Stanza, 93 Diamante, 97.5 Nissan Altima Limited, and a 2000 Hyundai Accent, not to mention the 02 Lancer and 03 Suzuki Aerio SX (all of these were owned in a 6 year time frame). Without question, the worst car durability-wise was the Civic, with the Audi a close second. I had the best luck with the Fox, RX7, and Lancer, although the Diamante, Altima, and Accent were all very good cars.

primapixie · March 2004

You sure own a lot of cars! I'm on my first.

ateixeira · March 2004

I also have more cars in my fleet than drivers (3 cars for the 2 of us), but it's great to have a spare car.

The Miata is at Performance Buyers Club right now getting a new top, yet I have the Forester and didn't have to rent a car. Happens all the time, I use them all quite often. Last year the Forester got 9k miles and the Miata about 6k miles.

-juice

Mazda MX-5 Miata (2005 and earlier)

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