Coredump posted:

I haven't had a chance to read all this thread yet, only halfway through. BUT, how the hell are you 6+ footers fitting in these drat cars? I went to find a NB yesterday to sit in at a couple of dealerships. They all jerked me around because I guess I don't look like a serious car buyer. I finally got frustrated and went to a Mazda dealership to see if they had any older NB's in stock.

When I got there of course they didn't have any. I still decided to take the opportunity to sit in an NC even though I know they are a lot roomier inside than an NB. Now I'm only 5'10" on the best of days and I had the seat all the way back and leaned back as far as it would go. If I slouched in the seat I was okay but I sat up straight I was in the roof. This was a soft top also.

Is there really that much room to be gain with a NB and foamectomy? Does anyone here have aftermarket seats in their car? Does it give you a lot more room? I admit I'm a fat fucker but I have room around the steering wheel and all the other places being a fat fucker would cause problems. I just can't believe how hard my head is in the roof of this thing.

If only 240's were not impossible to find.

Phone posted:

Most of the noises are new, and in the back of my mind catastrophic engine failure is just looming around the corner at every possible minute. I know I'm being a paranoid little bitch, but poo poo tends to roll downhill.

brosef deluxe posted:

Oh god, I know this feeling. I am a bundle of neurosis about my car. The lifter noise in my NA on a cold morning makes me wonder when one of my connecting rods is going to exit the block, or whether the heater hose is going to burst and allow me to cook my engine without even knowing it. My transmission whines, so it's obviously going to fall out, blow up, kill a child, and leave me stranded.

There has to be a therapist for car hypochondriacs.

Vitamin J posted:

They are awesome motors. You can pull apart a 150k mile Miata motor, and still see the honing marks on the piston walls. 150k is just break in on these cars.

Coredump posted:

I don't get it. Maybe I grew since my last physical but I'm all of 5'10" on a good day and my head was IN that NC's roof. I had the spreader bars for the top resting on my scalp. I had to slouch to the point that I could tell it wouldn't be comfortable for a long drive before I could get out of the roof.

brosef deluxe posted:

Oh god, I know this feeling. I am a bundle of neurosis about my car. The lifter noise in my NA on a cold morning makes me wonder when one of my connecting rods is going to exit the block, or whether the heater hose is going to burst and allow me to cook my engine without even knowing it. My transmission whines, so it's obviously going to fall out, blow up, kill a child, and leave me stranded.

There has to be a therapist for car hypochondriacs.

mobn posted:

I am 6'3.25" and I fit in my NA just fine. It all has to do with your proportions. If you have too much leg or too much torso you will not fit, but if you're pretty evenly distributed you'll be fine.

Schwack posted:

I dunno how you guys are barely fitting in. Im 6'3 and fit without ANY modification to the seats at all. Its almost all the way back and slightly tilted. Perfect fit for me. Although, I'll probably have to do a foamectomy if I want to fit in there with a helmet on and the top up.

chem42 posted:

Miata engines are pretty much unblowupable. Big forged rods, oil squirters, iron block, etc. It's a non-interferance motor (which is rare for a high strung DOHC motor) so even a timing belt failure is no biggie.

destructo posted:

Just posting to say that grinder from Autokonexion is making some progress.. evidently this will be available sometime in March 2008 -- Link.

JDM posted:

For the last time, yes the trunk will still be functional.

Ziploc posted:

How do they do that? A hatch then a trunk? I've never seen now the S2k ones work either.

chem42 posted:

It's a non-interferance motor (which is rare for a high strung DOHC motor) so even a timing belt failure is no biggie.

willd58 posted:

Does this mean if my cambelt snaps the car should be ok?

Vitamin J posted:

They are awesome motors. You can pull apart a 150k mile Miata motor, and still see the honing marks on the piston walls. 150k is just break in on these cars.

Mo Hawk posted:

I love it when people look at my mileage counter and go: "Wow, 170.000 kilometers, and it still runs! How much does it cost in repairs every year?"
Then I tell them I do all the work myself. To some of them it is surprising, they don't even know how to change their tires, so they go like
Then I tell them that it's not, as they assumed, 170.000 kilometers (Germany), but it's over 270.000 kilometers (170.000 miles, US model).

Schwack posted:

MIATA MEGATHREAD: Not For Fat-Asses

Coredump posted:

I'll see what happens on Miata.net then. How friendly are they to new people just jumping in and saying "I need to sit in your car!"? I know a lot of automotive forums have a newbie area they make you post in 10 times or more.

Guinness posted:

170,000 km is like just over 100,000 miles, right? Any car I buy better drat well still be running fine after 100,000 miles. It really makes you wonder how people treat their cars if they're amazed at a well-running 100k+ mile car made in the past 20 years. Even 170k miles isn't a lot if taken care of. It's up there, but it's far from death and/or money pit status (especially for a Miata).

willd58 posted:

Wait what? I love my miata because of the exact opposite, when compared with expensive higher strung cars like my old one where every noise means £1000 bill, the same would cost for a whole new engine in a Miata, and a weird noise normally doesn't meant anything anyway!

destructo posted:

Yeah.

destructo posted:

Yeah.

destructo posted:

edit: goddammit, had no idea it was a RX-7 hood.

destructo posted:

Yeah.

edit: goddammit, had no idea it was a RX-7 hood.

Slopehead posted:

Trans Ferdinand posted:

I can tell you for certain that that isn't an M-Edition. The M was never offered in black, among other reasons.

Slopehead posted:

Hey gentlemen I am considering purchasing my first Mazda Miata. I have always had good luck with Mazdas, my Protege just went past 180 K but I am in need of something with a little bit more pep. a local dealership has a rather fetching 1996 Miata . I ran a carfax which comes up clean. It's been driven at an average of 10K a year and has no reported body damage.

I spoke to the dealer briefly who stated that as it is an auction vehicle there are no service records. Despite this I will still be taking a look at the vehicle tomorrow.

Am I out of my mind here? Edmunds posts the dealer TMV (base) at #3581, but the M Edition (leather seats) at $4,356. If this is indeed the M and has leather seats it would be right in the TMV and a great deal, right?

I believe that it is the M-Edition, as it has an AC which does not come standard on the base model. Also if you look carefully the seats appear to be leather which would be another indicator of an M-Edition.


On a side note, are there any problems that I should know about a Miata? Things breaking around 100K? Issues with electrical demons or motor problems? I've heard that the 5 speed is awesome on Miatas. I would be learning to drive stick in this car, are there any quirks I should know about beforehand?


Pretty much, any and all information you can sling my way as a first time car buyer would be appreciated.

Slopehead posted:

If this is indeed the M and has leather seats it would be right in the TMV and a great deal, right?

I believe that it is the M-Edition, as it has an AC which does not come standard on the base model. Also if you look carefully the seats appear to be leather which would be another indicator of an M-Edition.

Slopehead posted:

Alright I stand overwhelmingly corrected.

That being said is this still a decent enough deal if I am able to talk the guy down towards the TMV?

Edit: I am on a budget and don't really want to spend more than $5K on a vehicle, TT&L included.