Bought a Miata
 

Just to say thanks to all of you who helped me in my car search...

As if the Miata doesn't have enough of a stigma... because my wife will be driving the car sometimes AND it will be my commuter car on Lost Angeles famous rush hour freeways... wait for it... it has an automatic transmission!

It is 1996 and came it a hard top, it passed smog and looks good but still need to do all the maintenance (check fluids, belts, hoses, crawl over it with a fine tooth comb) already ordered a few OEM interior pieces that are a little worn.

Been wasting time surfing the Internet and looking for upgrade parts... and chatting with the good folks over on Miata.net.

I am having a bit of difficulty getting over the irony that a bunch of gear heads on a Porsche/BMW from talked me into a Miata!

Thanks again guys!

Now just have to pick out the perfect rainbow sicker ;)

Congrats... The hard top is a sought after item. Go to GRM with your miata questions. The answer is always miata over there. Good place for info and upgrades. They also had an article on restoration on a budget. Might find some parts there as well. Enjoy...

Congrats! When are you converting to a manual?:p

If I recall correctly, the autos only came in pink right?

Even my 72 year old Mother-in-law has a manual Miata.

So...there is that...

What is it about the Miata that folks like?
Are they your basic fun car?...handling, easy keeper, etc?

It's a fun car in the old british motoring style. They handle well. They last forever when cared for. They are cheap and easy to fix. They have a stigma of being a "hairdressers car" but that is unwarranted. Lots of guys drive them in autocross and spec racing classes.

Is it that blue one that was in Redondo that Eric linked?

Not just yeah but heck yeah!

There may be a Boxster or 996 in my future but it just isn't in the budget for a few years. I'm turning 56 this week and life is too short to drive boring cars. Wife was lobbying for a Prius...not a bad car but way over our budget of $5000... she finally gave in to the Miata (the AT helped).

:p

But seriously, I think someone said (Eric?) only %10 of the Miata's were built with autos... I also think they are not available on the new cars... So I like to think I have a rare collectible model

The car rides like a sports car, low to the ground and you can feel every bump in the road. When my wife first saw it she said "it is kinda cute, maybe I should drive it and you continue taking the Hyundai to work."
Then she drove it... "um... I don't see me driving this car a lot." ;)

On a funny note, wife knows nothing of car guy culture and the ribbing Miata guys have to endure.

To attempt to be supportive of her motorhead hubby she suggest we get a personalized license plates (I'm thinking more along the lines of 16" wheels)... anyway... she is a fan of the Gieco pig (weeeeee weeeee)...

So she suggests...

"WEWEFUN"

Yes, I believe so, the car has low miles (90K) but the paint and trim are a little rough (it sat outside for a long time).

Important thing is it runs strong, I can change out the trim (already ordered a leather steering wheel for $60, new bushings for the shifter $10).

And the hard top, no kidding a $1000 part...

I had a 2000 miata that I wish I had never sold. It was simply perfect but I was ribbed nonstop.

I remember a few of the guys were standing outside of work once while I was driving up in it. They were having a smoke as was the new receptionist. She heard them mumbling something about me being gay and she said 'him? Oh, he's not gay.'

FOR THE WIN!

It was awesome - buddies were unable to deny my superiority to them at that point in life. Unfortunately the ribbing continued...

There is a '94 in my driveway at the moment but it is my mother in laws. The older models are just too small inside for me to be comfortable in.

Not too worried about the ribbing... I park in a parking structure and walk into the building... besides that I work at a science museum... not exactly the bastion of macho manly men...

And most of my friends are musicians... all they will see is a sports car.

Not that I even care... at the end of the day a car (any car) is just a tool for me... I bought what works for me... If I cared I would have bought a Mustang :p

YMMV

Good for her, and good for you too, if you start doing some gigolo-ing on the side. So a win-win!

fixn up die Miatas
 

Was in Barnes & Noble this past Saturday (obligatory w/wife). In the car section was a book for tuning Miatas similar to the Porsche book for tuning. Looked pretty interesting.

The local PCA (Roadrunner Region) has a DE where Corvettes are invited to test straight line speed v. turns. Porsche and Corvettes usually have similar times. However, Miatas consistently run a little better at every DE but aren't classed w/Porsches (Porsche only rule).

The older Miatas, like yours, are light and well sorted, good torque, good power to weight. Add a $1,000 of aftermarket and you've got a fun commuter ride and a nice w/e DE car. I've talked to Mazda DE drivers and some'll say the auto is almost preferred.

SCCA has a Miata class, I think.

Congratulations on your purchase. I understand the rationale behind he "auto" decision, but I do think you are missing an important aspect of Miata ownership. A manual Miata transmission is a thing of joy (at least the five speeds . . .).

Nice pickup, good luck with the auto.

If I fit in one I'd own one, lots of car for the $$.

Scott, I posted this in your last Miata thread but it had already died. Worth reading if you haven't already. 1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata Long Term Road Test - Introduction

Edmunds.com bought a 100k+ 1997 Miata as a long term tester and has modified it into a dual purpose driver and autocross car. With coilovers, +1 wheel/tire setup, and a roll cage it pulled 1.03 g on a skidpad, the second highest result of all cars that Edmunds has tested for the last four years. It was second to a Corvette ZR1, not bad company. Despite the suspension most of the reviewers report that it is stiff but not rough on the street, with several comments that it rode better than their long-term 1985 Carrera turbo-look. There's lots of good posts about the car, it made me want to find a solid Miata and start modding.

My edit ;)

I need to spend a year getting the car sorted and cleaned up in general before even thinking of any mods.

However 16x7 Konig's are at the top of the list...
Followed by Flying Miata shock/coilover's...

Not sure if it even needs bigger brakes... but there are kits out there...

Speaking of cleaning the car up, the pain is pretty sad, a little buffing and touch up is all it needs... and one of dad's rentals is a paint shop so I get the Jefe discount.

Nah, all you need is a turbo kit.:)

GRM= Grass Roots Motorsports?

Even at 5'10 and 200 lbs (20 lbs over weight) it is kinda tight for me. I'm used to pulling my left knee up while cruising the interstate, not happening on this car! (Incentive to lose some blubber? :D)

Turbo's are for... uh... that supercharger kit looks interesting... ;)

It is like a Lotus Elan but reliable - I did a thread on the Elan - some Miata comparisons at bottom of it

GRM has a great article entitled "Trash to Treasure" (June 2007, also on their website) where they show how to restore on a budget and cheap fixes. They also have a few other articles under Mazda for the miata. Good source for information.

If I remember correctly, the flying miata was able to pull around 1g on street tires.

I read the ad that Eric linked in your earlier post and thought 'If only my SC were sold', but then reality hit me. That looked like the ideal car for you in the ad, glad you got it.

I'd go (actually, I have, twice) with 15" wheels instead of 16" wheels. The 15" wheels will be lighter, handle as well, and give you a slightly better ride than 16" wheels.

Miata's really do best with smaller wheels. These days it's next to impossible to find a good tire for 14" wheels on a miata, but there are still plenty of 15" tires. 15x7, 15x7.5 or even 15x8. I'd run a 205 50 15 on all of them, but you could run a 195 50 on the 7".

You may want to look into a foamectomy. You take the driver's seat out, remove the upholstery and do some carving on the foam in the seat back and bottom. It'll give you a lower seating position and a bit more lateral support. You don't need or want to take too much out of the back. Actually, there's a very easy piece that you can take right out of the center that's not even attached. You can take A LOT of foam out of the seat bottom and still be comfy. I'd suggest that you remove the foam from the bottom of the pad. That way the foam still holds the upholstery up when you get out. You can also put some less dense foam back in if you want.

I performed a foamectomy on my old '97 miata and a more mild one on my current '04 (different seats, harder to work on) and it makes a big difference in comfort and support (at least it did to me)

I'm on my second miata, and have had 3 in the family (wife has one). All three have or did have 15" wheels.

Here's mine
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1283996773.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1308622351.jpg

My previous miata (black) before I lowered it and took of the spoiler, and the wifey's car (green)
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1308622223.jpg

This is a good place to get wheels for your miata no matter which size you get. I've done business with this place a few times. They have a large selection of wheels, tires, and lugnets that are miata specific (size, bolt pattern and offset).
http://www.good-win-racing.com/

Damn I didn't even know the Miata came with an automatic.

Truly a rare collectable! :D

+1 on the wheel choice. No need for 16s. You are much better with a 205/50/15 -- or a 195/50/15. Miatas are really susceptible to unsprung weight.

Thanks for the wheel info!

Although new wheels/tires are just a gleam in my eye for now.

Figure I have a year of work to get the car fixed up before I can get into any upgrades.

I was with a handfull of car guys at a party and a few non car guys.

A guy just bought a TR3. A non car guy who owned a miata asked what was a TR3?

"A miata for a straight guy" came out of 3 mouths at the same time.


Small Block fords fit better in them.

"A Miata that you will be working on every weekend" would have been my answer.

SmileWavy

Yes, I am familair with the Miata Monster.

What's this "automatic" thing you speak of? ;)

Hence fort lets refer to it as a "AT" to avoid my embarrassment. :D

It used to be that the hot swap was a Ford 5.0L, but these days the hot swap is a Chevy LSx motor, new trans and Cadillac rear.

This one just popped locally today. It is one of those rare automatics. :)

Mazda Miata M - 1995 Merlot

Shame about the "AT".:)

M edition means it has an LSD, good color, low miles, and a hardtop.

I think the early Miata will lose the gay'ness factor soon. Those things are trendy and fleeting. The early cars with some mods will eventually get the respect it began life with. I wouldn't mind owning one.

I rented a Miata with the 6 speed AT, paddle shifters on the wheel, a few years ago. The wife and I drove it all around the West Coast, Yosemite, Tahoe, Big Sur. Great Trip, great car.

I kinda like this blk/green scheme.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1360161508.jpg

People that get it, get it. People that don't - f- 'em! I've owned several "gay" cars (Mini Cooper & Boxster), both were a blast and I'd do it again. If I didn't need a daily driver that had seating for 5, I would own a Boxster tomorrow. My Mini didn't seem so gay when the owner of a fully built LS1 swapped 240Z autocross car couldn't shake me on a BMW club fun run. Fortunately there were lots of corners on that road, he had an ever so slight power advantage.:cool:

If I changed jobs and suddenly had a real commute, I'd pick up a cheap Miata in a heartbeat for use as a fun commuter.

Sorry, didn't make it past the AT :-) What? Really? Very sad, I think the Miata has one of the best shifting trannys out there. I've raced one and driven a friends 92 quite a bit. Anybody who thinks they are gay or a chicks car needs to check their self esteem meter. If I didn't need more storage (therefore bought a GTI) I'd own and track a Miata in a heartbeat.

You boyz are aware that they have been selling 911's and Ferrari's with automatic transmissions for years right? ;)

As Matt said, "either you get it or you don't."

Some people waste a lot of time and energy worrying about what other people think about where they live, the cloths they wear, the car they drive... Me? Not so much! :cool: