The $2500 Miata? - Page 2

71T Targa · 03-02-2009, 02:15 PM

Endat, Looks good, too bad "Miatas suck"...

Maybe I should be looking for a 944 instead...

Endat · Endat's Garage

ah you're the one

yes, this is my last Miata... I'm not happy with the build quality at all, moving on and away from it and that crowd

i thought it was bad when m.net users quote me across different categories and different topics, now they're following me to the Porsche forum

71T Targa · 03:09 PM

It's all good.

Endat · Endat's Garage

yeah, I just dont want this car anymore... besides, it's too nice for me.. I would only ruin it further

Endat · Endat's Garage

these are the actual miles taken about a week ago.. i have driven it once since then. the engine bay still looks perfect

fxeditor · fxeditor's Garage

My 1992 1.6 liter car has almost 180,000 miles on it. In the 17 years I've had it the only things to go wrong were the radiator went bad about 4 years ago ($300 for a really cool new aluminum one) and the differential died about 8 years ago which was okay because I was planning on upgrading to a Torsen anyways! I am even on the original clutch!

rammstein · 03-02-2009, 10:44 PM

parts are uber plentiful and cheap too- if I didn't need a back seat, I would own one.

ZOO · 03-03-2009, 02:08 AM

There's so much support, and so many around, that you can't really go wrong. The only thing I'd avoid is a rusty one. Also, all NAs and NBs should have an aluminum hood. Some replacement hoods are steel. I'd want the aluminum hood, given that it only weighs 9 or 10 pounds.

maxnine11 · maxnine11's Garage

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/1054367054.html

more to look through: http://www.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi?itm=mazda%20miata&cat=cp&fil=&pg=100&loc=&ys=1990&ye=1997

Tim Walsh · Tim Walsh's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxnine11

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/cto/1054367054.html

more to look through: http://www.jaxed.com/cgi-bin/mash.cgi?itm=mazda%20miata&cat=cp&fil=&pg=100&loc=&ys=1990&ye=1997

ON that seatle on, sell the hard top for about a grand(or to me for $500) and you've got yourself a $2500 miata.

masraum · 03-03-2009, 03:34 AM

Yeah, the factory hardtop is an $800-1500 option.

I looked at a white '91 with a hardtop that had something like 23k miles a few years back, but the guy wanted $6k despite the fact that the airbag light was on. For a premium price, the thing needs to be perfect, not needing $1000 worth of electronics.

71T Targa · 03-03-2009, 05:32 AM

Great information! The white one has promise, and I have in-laws there so it'd be a fun trip to go and pick up.

I'm going to look at this one this week:

High miles, but I've talked to the owner and it seems to have been well maintained.

71T Targa · 03-17-2009, 05:48 AM

OK Miata guru's, what kind of story do these pictures tell?

71T Targa · 03-17-2009, 05:49 AM

masraum · 03-17-2009, 07:05 AM

lowered, aftermarket wheels, intake (questionable value), hardtop, style bar (looks cool, but...)

I think it's been painted. Normally, an NA miata's got a black area on the bottom 4 inches of the area between the front and rear tires. The early cars get paint issues, so that may have been why.

You can easily fix the alignment of the headlights to hood. That misalignment is a common problem. Just pop the hood and pull up on the back of the headlight covers until they line up with the hood.

Potentially looks like a decent car. How much?

masraum · 03-17-2009, 07:09 AM

Is there a chunk taken out of the bottom of the back bumper in the middle?

Also, it seems to be missing the lower engine cover. Thin plastic cover that keeps crap from getting up into the engine area in the front. Probably not a big deal.

Pazuzu · 03-17-2009, 07:15 AM

Is that a dent on the front left corner, or just a weird reflection?

masraum · 03-17-2009, 07:23 AM

I [i] think it's a weird reflection. The Euro style side markers are added on.

Here's the normal black bottom

71T Targa · 03-17-2009, 07:30 AM

4k obo, I don't think it's a dent as both sides look the same.

Here's some if 'the rest of the story'

1990 Miata
1.8 liter drivetrain swap w/ 30k documented miles
1.8 liter NB close ratio transmission
1.8 liter LSD rear end
Factory hardtop
New softtop with glass window
Flyin' Miata stage II suspension
Racing Beat intake
Racing Beat header
Custom exhaust (full header back)
High-flow catalytic converter
A-pillar gauge pod setup w/ AF ratio and boost (no boost yet)
Hard-dog roll bar
New A/C system
New Konig Helium wheels
New Falken tires
2001+ brake system upgrade (hubs, rotors, calipers, pads)

masraum · 03-17-2009, 08:12 AM

Sounds decent. The later model engine, rear and brakes are good things. The earlier body means it's lighter (but less stiff because it doesn't have the bracing that the later years had - you can add that). It's got lots of upgrades that are potentially desirable (exhaust and suspension). The roll bar is a pricey nice option. The wheels are nice (almost identical to mine which are also Konig Heliums, but look a little different).

Why'd they do all of that swapping instead of just buying a later model is what I'd wonder. If the work was done well, then that would probably be a decent price.