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vex posted:I love how there's a pack of Miata driving faggots in that thread trying to defend the car. Do you morons not understand the internet? Mad props to meatpimp for defending the Miata's honor in helldump. Kind of pointless, but he tried. 
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Oct 11, 2007 22:29
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n8r posted:Can we have a little chat about tops for the Miata? Do you have an NA? If so, an NB top swap is the easiest/most affordable/best quality. I did it to my '91. I put in a request for a NB top WITH FRAME at a local import used parts place. Within a week they had one, and after an inspection, I paid $400 for a like new '99 black NB top and frame. It took me literally an hour and a half to do the swap, and I had a Mazda OEM quality top that goes down in one motion (no more zipping the window down!) and a glass window. It was hands down the best thing I ever did to my '91. And if you have a NB already, at least NA owners can use this info.
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Oct 12, 2007 14:57
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IOwnCalculus posted:That cheap? I may need to get two of those, then - our '99 top has two holes in it (one in each corner) and the plastic window on my sister-in-law's '95M has gone completely opaque. I can't justify $1k right now to fix the '99, and it will be a cold day in hell by the time my sister-in-law has $1k to put into her car. To be fair, it was about four years ago, and I'm sure places vary all over the country. I'd call around and see what you can come up with. Just make sure it's a local place so you can inspect it before you buy it. Swapping out the whole frame/top is a hell of a lot easier. I've done tons of top replacements on Miatas, and although I had the hang of it, it still took a good part of the day doing it the "traditional" way. You also may be able to sell the old frame on ebay or something....The frame on my '91 was trashed so I just chucked it.
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Oct 12, 2007 19:33
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IOwnCalculus posted:That's what I was thinking too - the frame on ours is fine and would probably be worth something to someone with an NA willing to either put a new NB top on it, or perhaps patch up the holes and live with them. My only worry with local is that tops don't live well in AZ anyway thanks to all the sun and heat. Try planetmiata.com, they are showing $350-$400 for tops with frame. http://www.planetmiata.com/01-05_pricing.htm If they have any kind of gaurantee against holes or tears you'll be fine. Just try to get an '04 top or the newest you can get and it should be like new after a good conditioner is applied.
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Oct 12, 2007 22:40
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You generally get what you pay for with cheap replacement tops. The Ebay top will last a few years if you're lucky, where a used OEM NB top would last another ten years easy. IMO you'd be better off with an NB swap and just pay the extra for the rollbar, especially if you plan on keeping it for awhile. Putting the top down with an NB top and rollbar is a hell of a lot easier also. Once you have had a NB top, messing with the rear window on a NA top every time you want the top down is just a pain in the rear end.
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Oct 13, 2007 15:06
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Tai-Pan posted:How do you know if a tranny is any good online? You can try planet Miata, I think they have some sort of guarantee. And 45 minutes is no stretch if you have done it a few times, the Miata trans is probably one of the easiest in existence to remove/replace. The NB gets to be a pain though with all the bracing underneath.
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Oct 19, 2007 21:20
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Schwack posted:Thats what I did. Basically told him I wouldnt be able to buy his car at that price, but if he decides to move down in the future he knows where to find me, haha. That's a fair price for sure. 94's are coveted because the are the only Miata with a 1.8 and OBD-1. In 95 they went to OBDII.
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Oct 20, 2007 02:05
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Schwack posted:Oh god damnit. I listed the wrong one. Yeah, that one is about 1k overpriced for the mileage. I'd go for the red one if I were you.
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Oct 20, 2007 17:32
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Schwack posted:Was beat to poo poo Just be patient until you find the right one for you. There are tons of Miatas out there, so you can afford to be patient. Check out the Miata.net classifieds, they are mostly enthusiast sellers that take good care of their cars. California, right? http://tinyurl.com/2r3emd nice project, could be an easy fix: http://tinyurl.com/2qz6tx A sunburst yellow (rare color) http://tinyurl.com/2nrsyw Applebees Appetizer fucked around with this message at 15:57 on Oct 21, 2007 |
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Oct 21, 2007 15:48
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mobn posted:I'm glad you prefer a high-power heavy sedan over a lightweight capably-handling roadster. Apples and oranges, eh? Sounds like you had no idea what kind of car you were loving getting into before you actually tried it out. Of course it's not going to go like your Bimmer, but a capable driver in a Miata will embarrass you on the track, and that's what this car is all about. RAAARRRR MIATA RAGE RAAARRR Relax dude, not everyone is into Miatas, there's no need to defend it so drat viciously. This applies to your RX-7 obsession also. 
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Oct 22, 2007 15:10
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IOwnCalculus posted:Just don't tell them you have a '91 and ask for a NB frame and top Yeah, don't get into details, it will just confuse people. Tons of people have done the swap, it's legitimate, but your average joe used parts guy will freak out because they don't want to be responsible for poo poo not working. Just tell them what you need, not what you're doing, it's none of their business anyway.
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Oct 23, 2007 19:47
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Schwack posted:It bluebooks out to $5,000, but with the glass soft top window I suppose something like $5,500-$5,600 is more in order? Any suggestions on what I should offer? Eh, bluebook doesn't help much with Miatas. I sold my 95 M for 10k and the bluebook value was 5k. If you want some good pricing advice, post in the Pricing and Dealer Discussion subforum at Miata.net. Those guys are pricing pros and can tell you pretty much exactly what any Miata is worth, but ultimately it comes down to what it's worth to you. Especially when it comes to mods, like this one has. It has a stayfast cloth top which is the best you can possibly get, not to mention Enkei RPF1's which IMO are probably the best wheels for the money you can get. Racing Beat exhaust is a plus as well as the roll bar. KYB shocks are no big deal, unless they are fairly new......It all depends what the mods are worth to you, but I'd offer him $500-$700 less and go from there. If it's exceptional like he says it is, it's probably worth near what he's asking, but you never know until you look at it.
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Oct 25, 2007 02:31
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goml23 posted:Jesus dude, you can't fault the tires for that. Get an alignment when you get new tires.
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Oct 27, 2007 02:38
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All NA and NB Miatas use belts. The new NC uses a chain.
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Oct 27, 2007 21:04
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grover posted:I'm seriously considering a Miata as my next car; probably a 2003 or 2004. But before I go out of my way to test-drive a miata... When people talk of tall men fitting comfortably, do you mean "plenty of room, not knocking knees against the column, etc" or "legs splayed sideways around the wheel with about an inch clearance to the door" comfortable? Because I don't really consider the latter comfortable. You need to sit in one to figure out weather you like it or not. I know tall guys that get cramped up in there but don't seem to mind. quote:How are the other cars in this class? Do any have as much room as the Porsche Boxster? Again, you'd have to sit in other roadsters to compare, it's pretty subjective. Besides, you're going to spend a hell of a lot more money on Boxster, so it depends on your budget. Miatas are the way to go on a tight budget. quote:Also, dumb question- are NA, NB and NC actually different cars, or just different option packages? Does that apply to all model years? I haven't noticed any references to them outside of chat forums. NA (1990-1997), NB (1999-2005), and NC (2006+) pertain to generations, NA being the first. NA and NB are very similar mechanically but different cosmetically, while the NC is a complete re design.
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Oct 27, 2007 21:39
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I liked the KYB AGX for an affordable shock. Lots of people like the Konis too. As long as you get adjustables, you can set them to your liking, then reliability becomes the only issue really. Stay away from Tokicos, in my experience (at least with Miatas) they wear out WAY too quickly. If you want to go all out, you could get TEIN coilovers, but it will cost you.
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Oct 28, 2007 03:20
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Savington posted:If you are staying with stock springs, do Tokico Illuminas. If not, do Koni Sports or revalved Bilsteins. The KYB is a mediocre bargain-bin shock. Sorry, but Tokicos are poo poo. They have a rep for leaking and failing for no apparent reason, and I've seen it first hand on more than one car. Not to mention they RAISE the ride height of a Miata with stock springs. If you don't believe me, just read the reviews at Miata.net. KYB AGX are a MUCH better value Than Tokico Illuminas.
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Oct 28, 2007 14:02
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The Miata will be cheaper in the long run. The NC has a timing chain now instead of a belt which was a significant job every 60k for the NA and NB. Not only will maintenance alone cost more on a used Boxster, but if anything breaks, you will be paying out the rear end for labor and parts. I really don't see how a used Boxster can cost under a grand less to own over five years than a brand new Miata. Don't forget, the Boxster will be out of factory warranty. If you plan on buying a warranty, you need to add that to the bottom line.
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Oct 30, 2007 00:54
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Well poo poo, I guess the Boxster is the way to go, especially if you plan on selling it after a few years to take advantage of the resale. BUT.....Have you tried sitting in a NA Miata? They have more room than a NB, not to mention a "foamectomy" helps a lot too. Don't get me wrong, the Boxster is a great roadster, but I saw the thread of your home addition and you seem like a frugal guy. You could get a low mileage NA, put a turbo on it, and you'd still be at a third of the cost of the Boxster. Just throwing that out there. 
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Oct 30, 2007 02:34
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AkrisD posted:HAHAHAHA. Just caught this little tidbit in GBS thread where girl thinks boyfriend is gay. Link? [edit] Found it: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2670024 grover posted:Edmunds also says a 2003 Miata will cost $5923 in maint costs and $2447 in repair costs over those 5 years- that in line with you guys? (lol) $6k is an awful lot of oil changes and tires- I'm not sure how they're computing those numbers. Yeah, that sounds ridiculous, I don't know where they get their numbers. The only major maintenance on NB's (and NA's) is the timing belt which is about a $600 job at a dealer. Other than that, oil changes and tires, maybe a clutch at the most and that's an easy job if you can work on a car. I'm thinking a used NC would be your best bet. Applebees Appetizer fucked around with this message at 14:09 on Oct 30, 2007 |
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Oct 30, 2007 13:51
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grover posted:Blue book for that mileage is only $2300 or so. $5k seems awfully high. Have you been paying attention to this thread?  As I stated earlier, I sold a 95M for 10k, blue book on it was 5k. Blue book > Miatas > irrelevant
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Oct 31, 2007 03:05
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vex posted:Tromping the gas doesn't mean you stayed on throttle all the way to power peak. Being used to something with more torque is probably going to give you the habit of shifting well before 7,000 rpm, as well as being used to low end torque. Test drive it again and make sure you shift just before redline. Well if he's looking to get an auotmatic it won't make any difference because the car will never see anywhere near the redline. In other words it will be extremely boring. Grover, if you want an automatic with decent power, you should probably stay away from Miatas. Hell, I don't know of any roadster that is powerful and fun to drive with an automatic, maybe a BMW M roadster. You can't expect a Miata to have anywhere near the torque of a Camaro. Maybe you should look into a convertible Mustang or something.
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Nov 3, 2007 20:44
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grover posted:The Miata has way better cupholders, though. I'm not being sarcastic, either- it's little things like these that make or break a car as a daily driver for me. This is going to be a fun car for me, but must be practical for commuting, too. BTW, I'm well used to near-redlining my Camaro to eke maximum power from the little V6, so revving the engine doesn't bother me. Then you really should get a manual Miata if you want to be able to have fun with it. You can't keep the motor in it's "sweet spot" with an auto. Automatic Miatas are for old people that just like to cruise around at 1500 rpm all day long with the top down. If you are set on an automatic, you should get the Boxster if it has enough power for you.
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Nov 3, 2007 21:44
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grover posted:I just can't peg your miata guys. I made a comment a few months ago about miatas being underpowered cars and was jumped on about how wrong I was, how fast they were, etc. Now I'm hearing the exact opposite? LOL! And no, it's not a dealbreaker. It's less power than I had expected, but there's still an engine under the hood.  That's weird. I've never heard anyone argue about the lack of power, it's pretty much a given. Unless people were talking about putting turbos on them. The Miata is a momentum car, and it was never meant to be fast off the line. You won't get blown away by minivans, but don't expect to keep up with even a V6 Mustang. And Hagetaka is right, being able to "drive a slow car fast" is one of the endearing qualities of the Miata. You can push it really hard and not worry about it biting you in the rear end.
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Nov 3, 2007 23:46
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grover posted:I noticed in the NC documentation that it require premium fuel. That's odd. I used to work at a Mazda dealer not too long ago, and the only cars that we put premium in were the turbo cars.
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Nov 5, 2007 14:18
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TooLShack posted:Some interesting news for the NC owners. Looks nice, but 5 grand for 60 horse power? Jesus Christ.
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Nov 6, 2007 02:08
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Hell, why not a C5 Corvette? That's one car I wouldn't mind with an automatic. It would also be a great daily driver.
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Nov 6, 2007 03:34
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Aftermarket sways just make Miatas understeer. So what it the car has a bit of body roll.
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Nov 6, 2007 13:29
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vex posted:Stiffer sways are just silly solid axle conversion kits, unless you're trying to meet competition rules and can't change other suspension components. Why add sways to reduce the independence of your suspension? I know people that remove the rear bar to help the car steer better for autoX. Never had the chance to try it myself though, it could be an interesting experiment. I put a set of used Racing Beat sways that my buddy had lying around on my '91 just to see how it would feel. He warned me about them, but I had to find out the hard way. I was taking an on ramp at the usual speed I was used to, and almost went off the road because the car was pushing so bad. I took them off the next day.
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Nov 6, 2007 19:15
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brosef deluxe posted:So tell me, is there a way recommended way to sew/shoe-goo the top so that it doesn't shred over the winter, or am I pretty much doomed to paying for a new softtop? If you plan on eventually chucking it for a hard top, just duct tape the drat thing.
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Nov 9, 2007 15:14
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Jesus people, saying a car has been wrecked by looking at a picture is pretty dumb. The miles are a bit high though for 6k.
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Nov 15, 2007 19:55
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Well, it ultimately comes down to what it's worth to you. If you've had a hard time finding a decent Miata then this one is probably worth it. Haggle with the guy a bit then buy it. It looks really nice and well taken care of.
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Nov 15, 2007 21:49
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Gear Head posted:I need to replace my soft top on my '93. I was thinking about ordering this: That's about average price. Don't forget to add labor if you're having someone do the install. If you're doing it yourself for the first time, good luck to you. Set a full day aside. Doing a NB top conversion is the easiest and best value for the money IMO.
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Nov 16, 2007 01:11
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Psylocibe posted:
That's a common problem with Miatas on the rear fascia, it happened to my 95 M. It's super easy to take that piece off and have it sprayed at a body shop. It cost me 75 bucks and was a perfect match to the Merlot paint. Amir posted:Anyone know a good mechanic in the Bay Area where I can take the car for an inspection? Nothing too involved -- just put it on the lift and give it a good look. I wouldn't bother, Psylocibe didn't notice anything odd when he drove it, and the pictures tell the story. It's really clean. Especially if the guy has documented maintenance and receipts, I wouldn't worry about it honestly. You really have to neglect a Miata for it to have any major mechanical issues. The only issues this one has is cosmetic and that can be fixed fairly cheap.
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Nov 16, 2007 15:46
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duep posted:I am experiencing a little trouble with the shifting. What year is your Miata? You more than likely need a new clutch master and slave cylinder. It doesn't need to be leaking, the internal seals go bad. It's a cheap and easy fix if you do the labor yourself.
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Nov 17, 2007 16:19
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duep posted:It's a '92 with 92k on the clock. Change the trans and turret fluid with a quality synthetic like Redline. Also do the rear diff while you're at it. If you're still having issues, it's probably the Master and/or slave cylinders.
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Nov 17, 2007 18:02
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goku chewbacca posted:108,000 miles, original owner, "garaged since new, the paint looks like new-w/no dents or scratches..Top looks new, with real glass" All the pictures look great. Flawless tan leather interior. All adds say that, and cars usually never look as good in person as they do in the pictures. I'd reserve judgement until you see and drive it in person, find out it's maintenance history i.e. has the timing belt been done, does it have records? Then make an offer based on the condition of the car.
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Nov 20, 2007 05:26
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Phone posted:What would cause a rough idle out of nowhere? It used to just be silent at like 800rpm, now it sits and drops to like 600 and the car rumbles like one of those vibrating mattresses. Could be the air flow meter, the spring that controls the "door" inside it wears out over time. Or it could be the plug wires, when is the last time you replaced them?
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Nov 22, 2007 04:12
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Etrips posted:So... anyone have any suggestions for some first mod(s)? Perhaps in the $500 range or so? I really have no idea what to do first... Just get a good set of tires, that's the best thing you can do for your Miata. Falken Azenis are an excellent tire for the price. There's nothing you can really do for the motor for $500 that's going to be worth it. Maybe a header and/or exhaust, that's about it. Intakes are a waste of money. Get tires.
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Nov 22, 2007 05:15
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Phone posted:The wires look fairly new. I bought it with 71k on the clock back in April and it's sitting at 80k right now (jesus i drive lot D: ). It doesn't matter if they look new. Miatas are notorious for deteriorating plug wires, and you can't tell by looking at them. If I were you I'd order a set of NGK blues, it's only 35 bucks. It more than likely will solve the problem. If not, at least you have eliminated a possibility and you'll know how old the wires are.
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Nov 22, 2007 14:58
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