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destructo posted:A good portion of Miatas have cruise control, even my 1990. I wouldn't be surprised if it was standard equipment in 2003. I'm not completely sure this car doesn't have it, either. It just wasn't listed in the features on the Autotrader page. This fear is mostly due to me making excuses to not be out some money on a car I just bought a couple of months ago.
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Feb 2, 2009 03:50
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Previa_fun posted:Edit: As much of a pussy as this reveals me as I guess I should mention that one of the few things holding me back from making this happen is the more rational part of my brain telling me that driving for hours on the highway without cruise control will be tiring. Confirm/deny? My 95 has cruise control and I think I've used it... once, maybe? I don't really do long road trips, but even when I am on the freeway for extended periods of time I'm always having to slow down and speed up and pass people and yeah cruise control is pretty worthless unless you're driving across the flyover states. Are you sure you'll be comfortable with a Miata if cruise control is a hang up for you? They're lacking in a lot of other comfort areas, too. Like road noise, top noise, vibration, rattles, stiff suspension, etc. Of course, that's exactly why AI (myself included) love them. But they're certainly not for everyone. If it helps though, I originally talked myself out of a Miata several years ago when I was looking for cars for kind of similar reasons - practicality and comfort. I wound up buying a 535i, and while I loved that car for what it was (a big, powerful, well-handling sedan), it just really wasn't what I was looking for. It only took me 9 months to break down and buy the Miata I originally wanted (and at a loss). But now I'm infinitely happier knowing I have exactly the car I want (given my budget). Now that I've owned my Miata for 2+ years I have confirmed that I do indeed have roadster fever, and will continue to buy roadsters for as long as possible. When I can afford it, I'll without a doubt be cross-shopping the S2000/Z4/Boxster/Elise! Guinness fucked around with this message at 06:54 on Feb 2, 2009 |
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Feb 2, 2009 06:45
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Miata stupid question: how do you adjust the side mirrors on an NA?
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Feb 2, 2009 07:11
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kimbo305 posted:Miata stupid question: how do you adjust the side mirrors on an NA?
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Feb 2, 2009 07:17
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destructo posted:Move them with your hand, they should be a bit stiff. They're certainly very stiff. How would I know I've reached a limit? Is spraying some WD-40 in there a bad idea / ineffective?
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Feb 2, 2009 07:24
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kimbo305 posted:They're certainly very stiff. How would I know I've reached a limit? Is spraying some WD-40 in there a bad idea / ineffective? They're pretty stiff, but they'll move. It's always fun when people brush up against them. The passenger side is a bitch to adjust for.
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Feb 2, 2009 07:41
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kimbo305 posted:They're certainly very stiff. How would I know I've reached a limit? Is spraying some WD-40 in there a bad idea / ineffective? There isn't much of a limit, its a ball/socket and a large spring or something similar, can't remember the specifics. I had mine apart to paint them about a year ago and didn't tighten the tension nut enough so my passenger gets knock by the slightest bump
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Feb 2, 2009 08:26
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destructo posted:A good portion of Miatas have cruise control, even my 1990. I wouldn't be surprised if it was standard equipment in 2003. It certainly was not - it's the one option missing from the '04/'05 Mazdaspeed Miata, and in fact was not even available as an option on those cars. I have to hand it to Mazda, they did a drat fine job of letting you order a bare-bones Miata for an awful long time...I'm fairly sure you could still get some NBs without air or power steering.
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Feb 3, 2009 05:15
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I've only wanted cruise once. It was my 6th straight hour of highway driving. My throttle foot really hurt. Otherwise crowded highways will rarely have you at a constant speed.
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Feb 3, 2009 05:21
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I bit the bullet so to speak today and purchased the 2003 Miata. I'm usually not this impulsive but when I saw a 2003 in what I'd consider above average condition with only 25,600 miles I had to grab it. One previous owner, whom the dealer said was a 62 year old doctor who traded it in for a GT500.  The price was right, too. So far the car has been amazing, and if it weren't this late and I didn't have class tomorrow I'd be out driving it right now. Pictures coming soon. I'm definitely going to replace all the fluids, spark plugs, and plug wires as per the Miata.net maitenance guide. What else should I expect to have to do around this mileage? Do all Miata speedometers read about 5mph fast at interstate speeds?
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Feb 3, 2009 07:59
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Previa_fun posted:Do all Yes, by law.
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Feb 3, 2009 09:01
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I only ask because compared to my GPS the speedometer in my Civic seemed to be really accurate, within 1 to 2 mph most of the time. I know most speedometers will read fast, I just wasn't sure if such a large discrepancy was normal. In other news, here are some (crappy cellphone) pictures:  
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Feb 4, 2009 05:30
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My 95 Miata has been making a funny whirring/whistling sound between 1000 and 1500 rpm regardless of load. I haven't been able to figure it out, but so far it seems like it's been benign. Any ideas?
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Feb 4, 2009 09:14
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Could be a loose heat shield somewhere. It seems like that's the culprit more often than not when it comes to weird noises with these cars. I'm pretty positive that's what the kind of rattling/whirring sound I get a little bit of at higher drivetrain loads is. I've been slowly narrowing it down, and once the weather warms up a bit I'll be crawling under the car to check it out. It's been going on for a long time and hasn't seemed to have hurt anything or have gotten any worse, so I've filed it under "benign, but mildly annoying".
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Feb 4, 2009 09:27
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Hog Obituary posted:My 95 Miata has been making a funny whirring/whistling sound between 1000 and 1500 rpm regardless of load. I haven't been able to figure it out, but so far it seems like it's been benign. Any ideas? Mine does the same. Not all the time, but it definitely sounds like a bearing going out. Its not the throwout, I don't think, because it doesn't change with clutch position. I'm leaning towards water pump or t-belt tensioner bearings going out. I know mines about 40k overdue for the belt to be replaced. It had it done at like 65k, and now its got 158k on it. 
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Feb 4, 2009 19:58
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http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/1020823989.html 96 NA with 106k miles with $3k asking price. Claims timing belt / waterpump done recently. I seem to have found an amazing price on a Miata, I'm going to go check it out although if any goons in Austin want to beat me to it you can. What big things should I look for on a Miata compared to other cars? Its a 1.8L so the shortnose crank shouldn't be an issue. This price seems a little too good to be true, so I'm wary.
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Feb 5, 2009 06:37
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Weinertron posted:http://austin.craigslist.org/cto/1020823989.html 
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Feb 5, 2009 06:42
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destructo posted:It's probably gone already Its THAT good a price? He put it up today and I was going to look at it tomorrow!
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Feb 5, 2009 06:54
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Weinertron posted:Its THAT good a price? He put it up today and I was going to look at it tomorrow! Consider that many people would buy the hardtop alone for ~$500.
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Feb 5, 2009 06:56
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Weinertron posted:Its THAT good a price? He put it up today and I was going to look at it tomorrow! When I bought my NA up in WI, it was listed at $5000. 1990, 68k miles, hardtop. I called immediately after the ad went up and the people selling were nice enough to give me dibs, but they told me when I did buy it the next day that they had 15 people in line after me. Ended up paying $4700. kimbo305 posted:Consider that many people would buy the hardtop alone for ~$500. destructo fucked around with this message at 06:59 on Feb 5, 2009 |
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Feb 5, 2009 06:57
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destructo posted:I'd say 800-$1000+ for a good condition top depending on color is more accurate. I sold my non-defrost, non-headliner top for $1200 with imperfect, non-OEM paint. In twelve hours.
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Feb 5, 2009 10:52
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Well, I'm thinking of joining the Miata hoard. I'm looking at NB Miatas. I'd like the final purchase price of the car to be around $8000. Less would be nice, however, and I'm looking at Miatas with up to 100,000 miles. Considering their reliability, this seems reasonable. I haven't heard a single bad word about the major parts, like engine, transmission, or chassis. Are there any other little things I should be careful to watch for, however?
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Feb 9, 2009 03:24
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Make sure the top is in absolute top shape, especially for that price. Also, that the timing belt has been changed if it's anywhere near 60,000 or above. For $8k you should be able to get a cherry NB. And I paid $6000 for a '99 with 45k, so shoot lower on the mileage. Unless you're in LA or some other place where prices are inflated.
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Feb 9, 2009 04:25
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Just wanted to pop in and mention that Miatas are the unluckiest cars ever. Both of these accidents happened within 4 months - one two days after my birthday, and the other the on Christmas Eve. Rear ended by a motorcycle, dude took off on the back of his buddies bike and left his wrecked brand-new Harley on the side of the road:  Drove 400 miles from Minnesota to Upper Michigan for christmas, then got hit by a Suburban that spun out across 3 lanes of traffic about 3 miles from my parent's place:   It's fixed now, but god drat. Elder Postsman fucked around with this message at 05:02 on Feb 9, 2009 |
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Feb 9, 2009 04:59
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I finally finished reading this whole thread. Basically I'm in the market for an NA. My ideal car would be a 95M edition, or as close to that as possible, so probably a 94-95 C package car (I want torsen, and I like leather) if I can't find an M edition. I actually found a 95 M edition at a dealer in Carlsbad, called them up arranged price and they sold it as i was driving there to pick it up. I primarily want 94-95 because I want to go turbo, and I'm thinking it's easier than on the obd2 cars? Am I wrong on this? Is there a really good place to look for these cars for sale in socal? Right now i'm checking ebay, cars.com, autotrader, miata.net, miataturbo.net and clubroadster. Is there any other good place to look? If anyone has a lead on something that sounds like what I'm looking for feel free to hit me up. There's 2 that I'm kind of considering checking out right now: http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/cto/1027009770.html quote:1994 Mazda MX-5 Miata - $2200 (Garden Grove) I wouldn't mind changing the o2 and or maf sensor, but I'm a little worried if it could be anything else. Anyone have any suggestions? second one: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/1026084583.html quote:1995 Miata "M" Edition - $3900 (Studio City) I actually talked to this guy, and it has 180k miles, so that and the repaint worries me. Any suggestions on this? I've been looking for a few months and aside from the one that got sold from under me as I was driving there, I didn't have very many promising leads.
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Feb 9, 2009 21:28
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mars posted:I finally finished reading this whole thread. Nice... I like those later NAs... I have a pair of 91's. You can FI those as well, but I think there are far more options in the go-fast upgrade dept. for the 1.8L motors than the 1.6. quote:I actually found a 95 M edition at a dealer in Carlsbad, called them up arranged price and they sold it as i was driving there to pick it up. Any decently priced Miata will go quickly. Sometimes within hours of being listed or showing up on a dealer lot. The one's that don't sell are usually A: over priced, B: torn up, or a combination of both. quote:I primarily want 94-95 because I want to go turbo, and I'm thinking it's easier than on the obd2 cars? Am I wrong on this? Not sure... As I said, you can turbo/supercharge both 1.6 and 1.8 engines. The difference is in the fact that there are more options in that area for 1.8L than 1.6. Otherwise, the performance difference isn't THAT much, unless you are serious about racing. I haven't owned a 1.8L but from what I've heard from people who have had both, the 1.6 seems a bit better at high RPMs than the 1.8L with the 1.8 being better off the line. But that's all hearsay and nothing I've seen myself. I'd be wary just because they guy said "I wanted to turn it into a race car and then let it sit for a year or more". It may be in great shape, but the other thing you have to contend with is that if the guy just let the car sit for a year, what condition are the seals and such in? I would really be afraid to do much with that car without replacing all the hoses, seals and gaskets prior to any serious driving, just because they tend to shrink and dry out of not used. The milage seemed to be OK there, I have one that's pushing 200K and only now starting to leak oil, and one that's only at 66K and runs like a dream (and is the one I want to put a supercharger on at some point in the future). Mostly, I'd be concerned with timing belt, water pump, all the oil seals, gaskets, hoses, fuel filter, rust in the fuel tank, brake lines, leaking calipers, etc with one that's been left sitting that long. Of course, it may well have at least been minimally cared for, and that changes things a bit, but from what he says in the ad, I'd be wary, and depending on what a visual inspection showed, maybe offer 1800 for it if it looks like it's going to need a lot of work. quote:second one:http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto1026084583.html I'd be wary of the miles and especially wary of all the things I mentioned before. If he can prove the timing belt/waterpump/oil seal work, it leaks NO fluid, has a good top on it (no wear spots, tears or scratched up/foggy rear window if plastic) then maybe it's worth 3000-3500. If he can't verify the maintenance on the car, then 2500 is it. While breaking the TB won't hurt you (non-interference engine) if it's been left that long, you never know what other routine maintenance the owner has neglected. HOWEVER, it sounds at least like it's been cared for far better than the first one you listed. Ultimately, what you pay will depend on you. How much do you want to spend, realistically, and how badly do you want a Miata? Especially in somewhere warm and sunny like SoCal. Here on the East Coast, prices can vary widely, and any reasonably priced NA will disappear faster than you'd believe. The 91 BRG I picked up last year was sold within hours of the post being made. The ONLY reason I ended up with it was that the first guy who offered to buy it backed out. The seller was a pretty cool guy and called me because I had expressed interest, and already owned one NA Miata (he said he preferred to sell it to someone who knew Miatas) and I think I was probably in the first 5 calls he got anyway. As for the Turbo options, call the people at Flyin' Miata (https://www.flyinmiata.com) and they can tell you just about anything you want to know about beefing up a Miata, especially with turbo or SC. You can also check local Miata clubs in case any of their members know of Miata's for sale, check the Miata.net classifieds, Craigslist (a lot of them get sold on CL) and places like that.
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Feb 9, 2009 22:05
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Thanks for the thorough answer. I really just wanted a sanity check because I've been getting frustrated trying to find an ideal car, so I'm trying to think if I can just get one that I can get it up to what I want. I'm really not afraid of working on the car, but I just want to know what I'm getting myself into. That's why I was thinking about the first one anyway. It looks neglected, but I wouldn't mind changing all the wear parts if I can get it for under 2k. I just wanted more feedback on whether his "it's just the o2 sensor or the maf sensor" is bullshit or not. I imagine that car probably has shot suspension too, which I also don't mind if I can subtract it from the price, because I will probably redo the suspension anyway. The second one I was thinking more along the lines of I can get a 180k M edition that might need a new engine soon. I really would like an M edition and if i can get it for around 3k I can deal with an engine replacement. The main thing that worries me here is the respray. It looks OK in the pictures, but I don't think resprays usually ever look as good as factory paint. I'm probably willing to pay up to around 6k for a really clean example of what I'm looking for, I think anything more than that for an NA is getting a big too much. But if I can't find one in the condition I want I'll probably just go for one that ends up being cheap if I do a lo of work.
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Feb 9, 2009 22:59
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Tell me if this is a retarded idea: Click here for the full 1280x960 image. That is the new Autokonexion trunk lid. Details about that here: http://clubroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=301253&sid=d4925a657907a8a2cc0134822aef7197&no=1#301253 Anyway, see how the reflectors are lit up in this picture? I'm thinking about taking my tail lights out, drilling a ring of LED's into the reflectors as the driving lights, and having the middle bits (the usual driving light) come on during braking instead. Stupid idea? I think it'd look pretty sweet.
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Feb 9, 2009 23:34
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Wouldn't you lose reflectors though? How are cars going to see yours at night when the lights are off? For some reason that picture creeps the hell out of me when its fullsize.
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Feb 9, 2009 23:39
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Yes its a retarded idea but then I don't like most of their products. There was a big thread on miata.net where a guy basically cut his whole taillight up and made a custom LED setup for everything. I'll see if I can find it again. edit:http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=284518 They are... interesting. There is also a company that modifies the stock tails and puts a ton of LEDs in the thing. The picture they have look great. But they want like a grand for them and I can't remember what their name was. FireTora fucked around with this message at 23:52 on Feb 9, 2009 |
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Feb 9, 2009 23:48
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Ziploc posted:Wouldn't you lose reflectors though? How are cars going to see yours at night when the lights are off? edit: I am not planning on buying the trunklid.. the only replacement I like is the Hayashi and that's not gonna happen. edit2: ah, thanks for that link.. I recall that guy. The lights he made are ugly as sin but I think I can use some of his work for what I plan to do. destructo fucked around with this message at 00:12 on Feb 10, 2009 |
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Feb 9, 2009 23:48
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So it turns out my car is plagued with the '01-'03 cold clutch chatter. While from all I've heard it isn't immediate cause for concern, I imagine it can in no way be good for the engine or tranny mounts. Furthermore, having the whole car shuddering when I take off in the morning is already getting old. There is a TSB out for this problem. http://www.miata.net/garage/tsb/sb05-001.03.html Does anyone know precisely what component is responsible for the chatter? I'm really wanting to get FlyingMiata's "happy meal" clutch and flywheel kit to solve this problem. Only problem is finding a shop to install in new components. Any guesses on how much it will cost me? A local Mazda dealer quoted me 488 dollars for labor. From what I've read it sounds like a pretty involved job, but I'm wondering if I could get it done any cheaper. Edit: Although the Miata is a slow car, my past three vehicles have been a Toyota Previa minivan, a Honda Fit, and a Honda Civic. Planting the throttle in the MX-5 makes the car feel positively quick!. Previa_fun fucked around with this message at 04:25 on Feb 10, 2009 |
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Feb 10, 2009 03:12
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mars posted:Thanks for the thorough answer. I really just wanted a sanity check because I've been getting frustrated trying to find an ideal car, so I'm trying to think if I can just get one that I can get it up to what I want. I'm really not afraid of working on the car, but I just want to know what I'm getting myself into. That's different then. Sorry... maybe I misread but most of the questions I've seen like that, both here and on Miata.net and my local club forum are asked by people who A: know nothing or very little about Miatas (which is fine) and/or B: have no mechanical inclination at all and are running under the assumption that since the car is Japanese, it will run forever with no work being done at all. If you have no problem turning a wrench, then go for either one, really. I'd still consider the second one over the first one, if for not other reason than because the second one at least appears to have been cared for far better than the first one. Still, maybe not 4K worth of better cared for, but still, probably going to be less work intensive. In any case, those cars are both fairly old, so you should, if you want to make it nice and tight again, expect a fair amount of work. If needed, the TB/WP/Pulley/Seals job can be done in a few hours. The first one I did took a whole weekend, the second one took me about 6 hours. Suspension - expect them to be shot, or at least softer than what you're going to want, especially on the one that has 180K on it. BUT, you'd probably be happier, if you don't mind spending the money, buying a good set of shocks and springs anyway. There are plenty of options there. The first car I wouldn't buy other than with maybe the expectation of turning it into a beater/daily driver/occasional auto-x car. No, I dont auto-x, but that's because my beater red 91 is an automatic with nearly 200K on it, and my nice, tight one is a BRG that I'm terrified of tearing up on a track. The point is, if your intention is to just get any old Miata, fix it up for performance, not looks, then the first one may be a better deal. However, if you want it to look nice, and probably last a lot longer, the second one is the way to go, just from those two options, IMHO. The real question is still how much can you or will you pay for one. That alone will determine a LOT about what choices you'll have. quote:That's why I was thinking about the first one anyway. It looks neglected, but I wouldn't mind changing all the wear parts if I can get it for under 2k. I just wanted more feedback on whether his "it's just the o2 sensor or the maf sensor" is bullshit or not. I imagine that car probably has shot suspension too, which I also don't mind if I can subtract it from the price, because I will probably redo the suspension anyway. The one thing you need to think about here, though, is that you can easily spend more than you paid for the car if it's really worn out. Of course, it still could be in pretty good shape, just neglected. You'd really have to check it out to see. As for the Emissions though, no idea what to tell you. Both those things are fairly easy to change out, though a MAF is a lot more expensive than an O2 sensor, so I'd start with the O2 sensor first. But I live on the east coast and don't have to worry about CA Emissions standards, thankfully... from what I hear from people over there, it can be a bitch getting a car to pass once it starts failing... quote:It looks OK in the pictures, but I don't think resprays usually ever look as good as factory paint. But if it's a good paint job, I see no problem with a repaint, as long as the repaint was only covering bad paint, and not covering something else, like a pulled and bondo'd quarter panel or some other damage. quote:I'm probably willing to pay up to around 6k for a really clean example of what I'm looking for, I think anything more than that for an NA is getting a big too much. But if I can't find one in the condition I want I'll probably just go for one that ends up being cheap if I do a lo of work. This for example: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/cto/1028289866.htmlt I'd be all over that. A 92 Black and Tan with BBS wheels? Hell, the wheels alone could get you 800 - 1200 dollars if you didn't want them... Or this: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/1026215539.html Red '97 with only 90K on it... hell, that's just barely broken in.. probably has at least another 150K to go before it'll need major work. Or if you don't mind heading out to Carlsbad: http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/1025250452.html 1500 bucks for a 96 with a salvage title (depending on why it was salvaged, this could be a gem or a nightmare.. but for 1500 bucks? You could probably make that all back in parts if it came to it ;-) Good luck!
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Feb 10, 2009 18:18
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destructo posted:You're right.. but I usually at least turn on my driving lights once dusk hits. But when your parked?
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Feb 10, 2009 18:23
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-1 from the Miata Army. For the first time since 1997 I'll be without at least one Miata... I was getting "Max" ready for sale this morning and found the source of the gas smell that had been in the garage for a few weeks -- apparently the previous owner patched a gash in the gas tank with putty... the gas found its way out. I had no inclination of fixing it, so I got it all ready and did a full-disclosure auction on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___1990-Mazda-Miata-Max-Turbo-Project-Car_W0QQitemZ160315240065 and it was gone in less than 6 hours. I'm a little surprised, but it is a unique car...
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Feb 11, 2009 04:18
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EVERYWHERE 
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meatpimp posted:-1 from the Miata Army. For the first time since 1997 I'll be without at least one Miata... Holy poo poo you sold it. I sorta wanted to buy it, but lack the funds currently. I was going to get to offering you money eventually 
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Feb 11, 2009 05:51
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Hypnolobster posted:Holy poo poo you sold it. I was going to more widely advertise it, but the gas leak took it to a different place for me. Until yesterday I didn't know there was a putty repair to the gas tank. With that, I really had to do it as an "as is" sale so I just wrote it all up and put it on eBay... I had no idea of its value, but drat it sold quickly.
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Feb 11, 2009 11:29
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I have a request. I have a 92 and when the weather gets better I plan on replacing my front upper and lower control arm bolts and the degree'd washers on the passenger side. The reason for this is I bent the lower control arm and when I took apart the suspension to replace it, the adjusting washers were bent way out of shape and now my alignment is all hosed. When I did my 97's control arms, I found a set of washers/bolts on ebay. I cannot find anything out there from a retailer right now. If anyone knows where I could go to get these upper and lower control arm bolts and adjusting washers(?), it would be appreciated.
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Feb 11, 2009 18:57
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Chauncey posted:I have a request. I have a 92 and when the weather gets better I plan on replacing my front upper and lower control arm bolts and the degree'd washers on the passenger side. The reason for this is I bent the lower control arm and when I took apart the suspension to replace it, the adjusting washers were bent way out of shape and now my alignment is all hosed. http://www.finishlineperformance.com/store/product.php?productid=16621&cat=328&page=1 ?
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Feb 11, 2009 19:09
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That's exactly what I was looking for thanks. I guess instead of googling for it, I should have done the common sense thing and checked out a dealership.
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Feb 12, 2009 05:40
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