911's gone, got replacement (non-P :( ) tonight

masraum · 09:23 PM

Well, picked up my new (to me) miata tonight. It's a pretty cool little car, but obviously not as cool as my late '88 911.

It's a black '97 with the optional hardtop. An older couple traded it in at a local VW dealer. It's only got 45K miles and is extremely clean with only one very tiny ding on the body and only a couple scratches or rock chips. It drives and runs like a new car. I'm pretty happy with it, if I have to be without a Porsche this is a decent (cheap) replacement.

One thing that I've noticed with the miatas that I've driven, they are a tad softer than our 911's and the rear end feels like it's under damped, maybe the front end too. I figure I'll drop a set of Bilsteins or possibly adjustable Koni's on the thing and fix that. They do seem very tossable, very fast to change directions, responsive and communacative. I guess that's due to the 50/50 weight distribution and low weight with double wishbone suspension. One thing that amazes me is that the stock wheels weigh 10.3 lbs each. Man is that light. Of course they are 14x6's, but that's still incredibly light even for a 14x6. Something that I am looking forward to is the cost of upgrades. I will actually be able to afford to upgrade this car as opposed to my old 911.

Fortunately there's a miata forum that's pretty comparable to Pelican, but a notch or two lower in quality, but still, not much ricer stuff, mostly DIYer's, drivers and enthusiasts. I've already begun to educate them about 911s. This place is great though, so I won't be leaving.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Steve, how tall are you? I'm 6'1" and felt really cramped in the one or two Miatas I drove.

masraum · 05-11-2004, 09:22 PM

I'm a tad more than 6'1". I've been saying 6'2" for years, but probably more like 6' 1 1/2". I feel fine, I can sit pretty upright (any more would be uncomfortable) and still have some space between my hair and the top, my legs are bent, but I actually have the seat forward a little to keep them that way. I feel good. The seat in my '88 would go back much father, but this one has more than enough leg room. The windshield header seems really low, but then again 911s are taller than miata's (but weirdly not any or very little more headroom).

I have read that the NB body style that started in '99 was less roomy, and I did feel like the '99 that I drove had less room than the earlier models.

cantdrv55 · 05-11-2004, 09:24 PM

Nice car, Steve. I've looked at a couple of NA Miatas but haven't found THE one yet. Hopefully, though, I'll own an MX5 soon. I look forward to reading your posts on Miata.net as well.

GrindingGears · 05-11-2004, 09:37 PM

Cool dude, you may be interested in this thread....

Spec Miata Sears Point race video

dd74 · 05-11-2004, 10:04 PM

Nice move, Steve. I'm a big Miata fan. There's a couple modded Miata's up the street from my house and a Spec racer around the corner at my work.

I'm sure you've checked out Jackson Racing's supercharger and Racing Beat's stuff. Monster Miata is a lot of fun, too. Sort of what Renegade Hybrid is to the Porsche, but they stuff 5.0 Mustang engines in Miatas.

BTW: any MR2 Spyder fans out there?

ZAMIRZ · ZAMIRZ's Garage

Steve, nice move. I really like the Miata as well, we used to have one that was upgraded when I worked for a used car lot a long time ago. The car was on rails and responded to input immediately, never tried it with the top up but with the top down it was an absolute blast. Anyway, modding these cars is infinitely more fun than modding a 911 IMHO because the parts are so cheap, you're gonna love it.

bigrubberjeep · 05-11-2004, 10:52 PM

Miatas are great roadsters, you can get a crate motor for around $500-$700 and build them to be SPEC MIATA racers and still street legal.

It's my next car if I can somehow affor another toy

Good luck with it!

poorb0yw · 05-11-2004, 11:51 PM

Awesome. Gimme a call when you want to turbocharge her

.

ThePuf · 05-12-2004, 12:17 AM

You are simply going to love it. Huge fun, these cars are. I really miss mine a lot.

If you are going to mod the car, which you will because it is somewhat underpowered, forget about all the supercharger stuff and spec miata ideas, good as they are.

Just go to Flyin' Miata

These guys really know their stuff. I ran their Link programmable ECU in my MX5 and it worked a treat. Data logging and all - hugely amusing.

Enjoy
Puf

masraum · 05-12-2004, 04:20 AM

Thanks guys, it's definitely not a 911, but it should somewhat hold me over until I can get back into one. The speed is definitely not there, but in a way that might be good. I found that my normal cruising speed was often 80-95 on the highways around here. I'd look down and think, "I should slow down," but it generally didn't happen (no willpower). Hopefully this thing won't cruise as easily. I gunned it last night on the way home and ran through a gear or two. When I looked down I was only going about 95. I almost laughed out loud. In the 911 I'd have been going 120 or 125 at least, hahahah.

TerryBPP · 05-12-2004, 05:12 AM

Congrats on the new ride. A guy that lives in my subdivision has a 5.0 liter mustang motor in his miata. He had the conversion done by a place called Monster Miata's. Its very fast (12 sec 1/4 mile) and still very nimble. It would be a killer at the track.

masraum · 05-12-2004, 05:40 AM

Aww, come on guys, thanks for all of the positives, but i had expected at least one of these. I guess if you guys won't do it I'll have to. Nostatic, you especially, very dissappointing!!

So do you think they'll make room for a 6th??

And here's the photo that I'm going to use on my resume to break into my new career

Do you think the black is too much?? Or should I go with something bright and frilly??

There must be a bunch of you closet miata fans out there. at least Terry's fantasy is for a V-8 miata, I guess he's more butch than most of us.

JK-81SC · 05-12-2004, 05:54 AM

The forum is cutting you some slack because of all of your good input over the years. Just wondering why you sold '88? Too many tickets?

masraum · 05-12-2004, 05:57 AM

Money, I needed the money. I was laid off a couple of years ago, and am tired of making little headway paying stuff off every month. I'll be using the extra cash to pay stuff off. Once things are paid off I'll be back in a 911 or maybe since I'll be a hairdresser I'll have to get a Boxster

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Get a poofy personalized plate....

masraum · 05-12-2004, 06:11 AM

What, you mean like "Boytoy"??

Hahaha

Hmm, how about "911kllr"? Yeah, that one sounds good.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Bnghole
???

masraum · 05-12-2004, 06:49 AM

Ouch that hurts! no really that hurts, hahaha. After working at my previous job I don't even notice anymore.

Porsche virgin · 05-12-2004, 07:09 AM

I am currently on my second Miata and am looking to move into the 911 world. No, the Miatas aren't fast, but they have lots of other advantages. 1) You can beat the hell out of them and they don't break. 2) As mentioned, performance parts are cheap. 3) As a wise man once said, "It is more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow." I can drive my car like I stole it around town and I rarely get past 45 mph!

I hope to keep my '94 R package (set up for autox) and buy a 911 coupe.

P.S. NOT ALL MIATA DRIVERS ARE HAIRDRESSERS!!!