The MX-5...and you., Dig into your inner auto enthusiast. Options

[SwissFerdi]

So, as we are all Celica owners, we all have the same baseline perspective to build on. What do you as 6GCers think about the Mazda MX-5? Would you consider trading your Celica for an MX-5 (specifically the NB - 2nd gen), and if you did, what would you consider to be the pros and cons of trading to an MX-5?

Thanks for the input.

[RockyMountainCel...]

Why are you considering an MX-5? Will you auto-x with it?

[SwissFerdi]

I'm merely just asking for purposes of discussion.

[Johnnyny]

ha u effed up ur alignment !

[95CelicaST]

2nd gen, no.

1st gen hardtop with coilovers and watanabe's - yes

Would I trade my mr2 for either - not a chance.

[richee3]

I feel that they look girly, but they are fun enough to not care. When I test drove an RX8 last summer, I was informed by the salesman that Mazda's are notorious for needing to be warmed up before being driven. Other than that, they are golden.

Let's do this.

[Hanyo]

I love the mx5 miata.


Pro:

so light
such great handleing

cons:

convertable
low horsepower
small


One of the main reason I would never own a miata is simply because i don't like convertibles. Convertibles have more road noise, require extra maintenance, does not seal out the weather as well as a hard top, less roll over protection, security problem (slashing convertable fabric is easy), and less structural strength.

[manphibian]

The 1st gen still looks superb today.... the rest are a bit meh.

and if you're looking to pick up guys, which i suspect you are, there is no finer car

[whatthe]

I love mx5s espically the 1st gen. I would buy one, i would even trade my celica for one. But i would never do i since i enjoy the company of my celica much more.

[yarik83]

Sometimes you have to look at a bigger picture. Captain pessimist here has a few words sir. You are on limited income and a student. You are driving an aging car that may only fetch what you want in a private sale. Except that we are on verge of double dip recession so not that many people will want to pay what you think the car is worth. Likewise dealers hate to trade an old car on their lot for an older car because they will not make much profit on 10+ year cars.

So... you are looking to get an impractical but very very fun car. I dont know what to tell you sir because from my experience miata is a car that you take to the movies or grab your wife and drive to your friend's house. In a practical scheme of things storage space is quite limited in that little car.

If you can get the money or get a straight up trade you can try your luck but you will be back to tell us how much you miss a celica. Just ask richee.

[95CelicaST]

The 1st gen still looks superb today.... the rest are a bit meh.

and if you're looking to pick up guys, which i suspect you are, there is no finer car

Excellent.

[SwissFerdi]

2nd gen, no.

1st gen hardtop with coilovers and watanabe's - yes

Would I trade my mr2 for either - not a chance.

What's your reasoning for saying so? Actually, somebody suggested an MR2 to me yesterday, so I'm researching into those today. I wouldn't mind staying Toyota, although I suspect that an SW20 would be harder to work on than an NB (or NA) and maybe a little less reliable? I do like the looks of the SW20 a lot though.

Let's do this.

Do it to it, VB.

and if you're looking to pick up guys, which i suspect you are, there is no finer car

I might agree with you on that...the first gen looks good when it's really, really slammed. Coilovers are definitely a must, if I get an MX-5 I want a go-kart. The second gen is a little more girly, but more modern as well. I think they look pretty good in MazdaSpeed kit. As for that last comment, I'm going to keep my mouth shut since you are such a good, good, good moderator.

Prepare for ass-rape via PM though.

Sometimes you have to look at a bigger picture. Captain pessimist here has a few words sir. You are on limited income and a student. You are driving an aging car that may only fetch what you want in a private sale. Except that we are on verge of double dip recession so not that many people will want to pay what you think the car is worth. Likewise dealers hate to trade an old car on their lot for an older car because they will not make much profit on 10+ year cars.

So... you are looking to get an impractical but very very fun car. I dont know what to tell you sir because from my experience miata is a car that you take to the movies or grab your wife and drive to your friend's house. In a practical scheme of things storage space is quite limited in that little car.

If you can get the money or get a straight up trade you can try your luck but you will be back to tell us how much you miss a celica. Just ask richee.

Well, I rarely have more than one passenger, so that's not an issue. The only regular cargo I have is a backpack (and a subwoofer, but that's probably going with the Celica), so that's not an issue either. It's more of a loss of luxury in space than it is a loss of necessary space. Funny you should mention JD though. As far as the cash, yeah, that's an issue...but that's why I'm researching right now versus when I want to buy, I want to give myself ample time to make a decision. And yes, I probably will miss the Celica, but I am stuck with an auto ST and that's not doing it for me anymore. I would trade for another Celica, but I see that as pointless because I'll never get one like mine, so I might as well go to another car.

So, the general consensus of this forum is 1st gen (NA) over 2nd gen (NB)?

And in a nutshell, my reasoning for possibly trading is this: I have an auto and I can't change that. The Celica right now is problem-free, so if I were to trade for a manual ST, I'd have the same car but with issues, and that just seems like a counter-productive move to me.. If I were to keep the Celica, I'd want to keep focusing on handling, but in the end it'd still be FWD. But, if I were to want a manual anyway, why not start with a fresh car that has better intrinsic handling qualities? With an SW20 or NB (or NA), I'd get all of that. Manual, RWD, better handling.

Guys, don't get me wrong, I still love my car and I think this is a great community. I still love being in the Celica and I think it's still fantastic to drive and a fantastic car to be in. It looks good and it definitely has a soul. But maybe it's time to explore other horizons...

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 29, 2010 - 12:39 PM

[Random_Stranger]

So, as we are all Celica owners, we all have the same baseline perspective to build on. What do you as 6GCers think about the Mazda MX-5? Would you consider trading your Celica for an MX-5 (specifically the NB - 2nd gen), and if you did, what would you consider to be the pros and cons of trading to an MX-5?

Thanks for the input.

MX-5, totally Ghey to be seen driving it on the streets, yet it is a total track car to take to... the track as it has superior handling. The latest model doesn't look so bad, and even though I see more men drive them than females, they still look too small for a man to be driving, plus it is a convertible in regards to the "masculinity" of it all. But they are very good cars.

[SwissFerdi]

^ Yeah, you're right, it does seem like it's a little conflicted, but they're just such good cars. And at the end of the day, I think the relationship between car and driver (and the drive) is more important than what people see when one drives by.

On a side note, I saw this NA a few months ago and took a crappy picture...but I think it looks pretty good on those RPF-1 wheels. And I don't even think it's lowered...



And I like these wheels as well. I'd rock an NA like that, in silver with the wheels in flat black and red. MMM.



This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 29, 2010 - 1:23 PM

[Random_Stranger]

No, it is a very fine car to participate in motorsports, Touge and such.. Just saying on the road... Well I see older men driving them and they look like they are car enthusiasts, but just saying... I dunno... Maybe it's just me and that scene in Corky Romano when he is driving a yellow one and singing maybe kind of ruined the ideal of daily driving one in the streets for me or something. I dunno. They are damn fine cars though.

[SwissFerdi]

^ I still agree with you, and it is a perfect project car. My budget doesn't allow for two cars though, so this would HAVE to be my DD as well.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 29, 2010 - 2:17 PM

[95CelicaST]

SW20 is a lot harder to work on mechanically, because there isn't really a good way to get to the motor. Case in point - my thread about dropping the motor to replace my water pump. The only GOOD part of that is now I know the ins and outs of my car, I know what work has been done, I know how to do it all again if need be, and most importantly it is still a Toyota. The handling characteristics of the MR2 are very predictable. Think of it as an oversized go-kart.

And a V6 swap into a MR2 makes it sound like the exotic it is



The Miata, when set up with a nice set of coilovers (no Megan coilovers aren't nice) and good set of wheels, they look incredible, and a lot of fun to drive. I think the MR2 has more cabin space, but I could be wrong. Its been a while since I've driven a Miata.

[SwissFerdi]

Fawk it, I'm going NA if anything. You're right, they do look incredible. It might be a better move budget-wise (versus an NB) as well...3-4k for the car should leave me a grand for maintenance, which I definitely would want to do to start the car off right.

As for the SW20, I'll heed your advice. I love how they look and it sounds like an amazing car, but I think that's something for when I'm 30 and know a bit more about cars and have more resources to work on them, not when I'm a college punk. I'll wait 'till I'm a big boy.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 29, 2010 - 4:13 PM

[yarik83]

Ferdi. Stop floating in the sea of clouds where everything is wonderful. You are concerned about reliability so old car is a MUST NOT for you. You also, somehow, want a "regular" version even though that is what you are trying to get away from a "regular version". Do yourself a favor and buy yourself a brand new 15000 car. Well you can actually buy a 3 year old car and avoid the 40% price plunge.

But having seen you giggle like a little girl getting a kick out of my swapped car I think you need to get yourself a sport car. In which case you need to stop looking at "normal cars". I cant tell you to go out there and just find something because it is likely that you will be involving your folks in the buying process. So. To make them happy and to make you happy let me give you a list of "reasonably priced" cars that do not cost a ton and will make you a very happy and fast panda.

Sport Sport cars cost a pretty penny and insurance is an arm and a leg so you need something like:
subaru (insert name of all the quick non wrx models they have).
VW GTI and all them rabbit like versions
Mazda miata sport version
Mini Cooper Sport
Yes a Scion
Mitsubishi something
Honda something

The list could go on. I think you need to target 2000-2005 cars that have some kick and are affordable.

[Random_Stranger]

^That's kinda true too. I know when our Xa's (Scion/Toyota) went on sale for the first time, they were like $10k for a new car. It might be like that again when some new cars hit the lots.

[SwissFerdi]

Ferdi. Stop floating in the sea of clouds where everything is wonderful. You are concerned about reliability so old car is a MUST NOT for you. You also, somehow, want a "regular" version even though that is what you are trying to get away from a "regular version". Do yourself a favor and buy yourself a brand new 15000 car. Well you can actually buy a 3 year old car and avoid the 40% price plunge.

But having seen you giggle like a little girl getting a kick out of my swapped car I think you need to get yourself a sport car. In which case you need to stop looking at "normal cars". I cant tell you to go out there and just find something because it is likely that you will be involving your folks in the buying process. So. To make them happy and to make you happy let me give you a list of "reasonably priced" cars that do not cost a ton and will make you a very happy and fast panda.

Sport Sport cars cost a pretty penny and insurance is an arm and a leg so you need something like:
subaru (insert name of all the quick non wrx models they have).
VW GTI and all them rabbit like versions
Mazda miata sport version
Mini Cooper Sport
Yes a Scion
Mitsubishi something
Honda something

The list could go on. I think you need to target 2000-2005 cars that have some kick and are affordable.

You're spot on in that first sentence, but I drive an "old" car now with no issues. Now, I realize that my Celica's condition is probably a bit of an outlier and therefore, I should expect issues with another car of this age, so I'm planning on having cash left over to put into maintenance as soon as I get the car. The NA goes up to 1997, so if anything, I'd only be going back a few years. And yes, you are right, I do like speed. But tell me, where is that usable in FL? Nowhere. So, might as well get something that handles well but is relatively slow. Also, I like that list you've compiled but keep in mind that as of right now, I'd be buying a replacement with the value of my current car, so that puts all of those options out of range. Also, the only FWD I'd consider is a GTI.

But you're most likely right, I could be thinking too optimistically. But this is why I started this thread at this point, so I have plenty of time to research and plan. And, as aforementioned, I'd say I'm too young for big power. I'd rather get something that will enable me too learn without being overly complicated, and then step up to something different later in life.

I thank all of you for your input.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 29, 2010 - 5:58 PM

[yarik83]

I dont know about the rest of the kids here in florida but I exercise my right to have fun when necessary ;-p

[HectortheRican]

I feel that they look girly, but they are fun enough to not care. When I test drove an RX8 last summer, I was informed by the salesman that Mazda's are notorious for needing to be warmed up before being driven. Other than that, they are golden.

Let's do this.

Only the Rotary powered ones. Seeing as how they have a huge seal, warming up would be a good idea. Same with any piston motor.

[epocsirhc]

If I wasn't 6 3or4 I would own a miata right now! They are fairly easy to work on(I work on my knees and can reach all around the engine compartment). They are dirt cheap, good looking imo, and great to learn to drive fast(on the track I mean). When I was at a local roadtrack I had the opportunity to go for a ride along at racepace in a spec miata, and it was pretty cool however I had my head cocked at a terrible angle with my helmet on and I still hit the hardtop. I say go for it!

[darksecret]

I would go for it. I'll always think the Celica has a better style but it's hard to beat a RWD 2 seater in sheer fun, but that's exactly what they are built for.

[richee3]

I agree with the post above mine. The Celica has more curb appeal, but less fun. NA's are good little cars. You know the rules of thumb of used car buying- check the tires, check the pedals, check the oil before you let anyone start the motor, blah blah blah.

[Johnnyny]

MR2 is all this and better and dont give me the i cant do the maintenance crap...

[darksecret]

IMO the 2 is a great car with a lot of potential but you can go as far as shoving an LS motor into the MX-5. The aftermarket following will be around for much longer on the 5 which comes in handy if you need to replace things or upgrade.

Another good option in a similar league as the MX-5 is the first gen RX-7. They're cheap (I got mine for $400), easily modded, have a similar power/weight ratio, and have a decent aftermarket (nothing like the MX-5 though).

[Hanyo]

Excellent.

that is so wrong. I actually really like the new mx5.

[Supersprynt]

I wouldn't daily it.

This post has been edited by Supersprynt: Aug 30, 2010 - 9:40 AM

[saleeka]

The best looking Miata ever- the 1996 M coupe concept. Such a shame they didn't put this one into production.

[mak5603]

I like a slammed miata, even seen a couple boosted ones that got my attention. But the convertibles are way too girly imo. Make me think of

[azian_advanced]

they look like chick cars when stock, but look great when they're nicely done up.



it's like a bad-ass chick car

[yarik83]

Unleash the inner girl within you

[SwissFerdi]

MR2 is all this and better and dont give me the i cant do the maintenance crap...

You saw Matt's thread here about changing the water pump? That's not something I can do. It's out of the question. I cannot risk having the car out of commission when it's my daily.

IMO the 2 is a great car with a lot of potential but you can go as far as shoving an LS motor into the MX-5. The aftermarket following will be around for much longer on the 5 which comes in handy if you need to replace things or upgrade.

Another good option in a similar league as the MX-5 is the first gen RX-7. They're cheap (I got mine for $400), easily modded, have a similar power/weight ratio, and have a decent aftermarket (nothing like the MX-5 though).

Aftermarket concerns me less...I want a good DD, so I'm not shoving an LSx in there at any point. What I will do is gradually build the car from a handling standpoint. Main thing is to get one in reliable state first. Concerning the RX-7, from what I've heard and read, that 1.3 is not very reliable, and expensive to work on. Not an option whatsoever.

I wouldn't daily it.

Reasoning for this? If it's comfort, that doesn't really matter...I'd want to go for coilovers eventually. Wind noise is just to be expected. My commute consists only of about three miles to school and thirty miles of highway driving between my parents.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 30, 2010 - 4:14 PM

[richee3]

So convertibles are girly? I have to disagree. Yes, I think Miata's are girly, but to say all roadsters are girly is silly.






I could go on. But you get the idea. Just a stock Miata is girly, MR2 Sypder and the Pontiac Solstice are super gay and girly.

This post has been edited by richee3: Aug 30, 2010 - 10:43 PM

[Chhaos]

To Ferdi, I actually test drove a 2nd gen Miata when I was looking for a new car. To me, it felt like nothing I had ever driven before. Personally I have always loved the Miatas and have always wanted one so I am kind of biased on this topic. The only reason I went with the Celica was because it came down to $2.5k vs almost $10k. I know, it was ridiculous. Personally, since you are in college and have a perfectly running car, I would say DO NOT get rid of it while you are still attending. It makes life so much easier when you don't have to worry about your car. I have actually been in the market for a new car lately, my Celica is having way too many problems right now for me to rely on it much longer without a lot of work. And it sucks because I have a 60 mile drive each way to campus. Anyway, some other touched on the scariness of older cars. I thought about getting a mid 90's vehicle but don't know if I want to go through all the bs I am going through again. Like my friend said, "It's a 94, in perfect condition. Yeah, when it is sitting still not being driven." And as others suggested, MR2's. I thought this too. I also found out that MR2's can actually be quite hard to come by in good condition in Florida. As for the pros and cons of Miatas,

Pros:
Two seater (I had a 1987 Honda CRX Si as my first car and I really honestly miss having only two seats)
Convertible
RWD
Not too pricey
Easy to park (I know this is picky, but my Celi barely fits in some of the spots at USF)
Look damn good if done right
Handle well

Cons:
Older car

Sorry if this was a bit scatter brained, woke up way too early today. Anyway, just my .02

[SwissFerdi]

^ Nope, all valid points. I'm going to try to find one in close to excellent condition for its age, and if I don't, with the Celica I stay.

[SwissFerdi]

Okay, I drove this example. Now, I was going to copy and paste the review I wrote somewhere else saying that I was slightly underwhelmed and blahblahblah, but it's since hit me that I really want to drive it again, and I really really really want to drive the piss out of it this time.

The shifter is just perfection...I don't regularly drive a manual and I was used to this thing within minutes. It doesn't even need a short shifter kit, it's perfect in OEM form. Clutch pick-up is predictable, travel is fine, although it could be a bit stiffer. But the throws are short yet perfect, and the whole thing just goes snick-snick-snick. It's awesome. The only slight disappointment is the body roll, but I do drive a lowered Celica after all, so I think some nice coilovers, light wheels, and sticky tires would fix that issue. It was comfortable in town, but nothing necessarily special until I took it in the turns. The steering isn't much more special than the Celica's, but the chassis is ultra-communicative. I'm not a pro driver by any means and I was able to wheel it around fairly well, mostly because the tires pretty much speak directly to the driver.

I'm going to try to drive as many as possible and look for a good example in the meantime. I liked this one for its new-looking top, clean interior, and mostly clean body. Dislikes were a faded rear bumper, peeling steering wheel, a few miscellaneous dings, and a missing cupholder piece.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 31, 2010 - 4:03 PM

[blu94gt]

Glad you liked the one you drove.

I used to have a 90 Miata and loved it, even my friends who knew nothing about cars loved to ride in it. I put Tokico springs and struts on it and that made a HUGE difference in how it handled. It was a great car, even though it was that old it only had 90k on it. The previous owner wouldn't admit it but the car had been tracked, you could see under it where there used to be a straight thru exhaust, and the car had a brand new top and frame on it because they had removed it when the car was new. It only gave me trouble once when the ECU went bad, but that's because the car had sat outside with no top on it and the ECU had gotten wet multiple times. I DD'd it, even in 6 inches of snow it got around like a champ. Very easy to work on, and there is a ton of aftermarket support out for them.

Got rid of it for the Celica and wish I hadn't. I'm actually looking at selling my Celica pretty soon and picking up another Miata and maybe an old 4x4 4runner or truck. There's a 93 Miata for sale in town here with 83k on it and a few mods such as a roll bar and de-powered steering, I may have to go test drive it this week.

[richee3]

Always a favorite site of mine when I am looking into Miata's.

Good-Win Racing

[Chhaos]

Okay, I drove this example. Now, I was going to copy and paste the review I wrote somewhere else saying that I was slightly underwhelmed and blahblahblah, but it's since hit me that I really want to drive it again, and I really really really want to drive the piss out of it this time.

The shifter is just perfection...I don't regularly drive a manual and I was used to this thing within minutes. It doesn't even need a short shifter kit, it's perfect in OEM form. Clutch pick-up is predictable, travel is fine, although it could be a bit stiffer. But the throws are short yet perfect, and the whole thing just goes snick-snick-snick. It's awesome. The only slight disappointment is the body roll, but I do drive a lowered Celica after all, so I think some nice coilovers, light wheels, and sticky tires would fix that issue. It was comfortable in town, but nothing necessarily special until I took it in the turns. The steering isn't much more special than the Celica's, but the chassis is ultra-communicative. I'm not a pro driver by any means and I was able to wheel it around fairly well, mostly because the tires pretty much speak directly to the driver.

I'm going to try to drive as many as possible and look for a good example in the meantime. I liked this one for its new-looking top, clean interior, and mostly clean body. Dislikes were a faded rear bumper, peeling steering wheel, a few miscellaneous dings, and a missing cupholder piece.

I agree with about the shifter. I've seen ones with short throws and it just looks ridiculous. They are very fun cars. When I test drove one I had the exact same response as you. It didn't stick on me much at first but I kept thinking about the car for like two weeks straight. I still wish I could have gotten it. I didn't really get to take it on the roads though so I didn't get too good of a feel of the handling. As for the steering wheel, my CRX's steering wheel had huge chunks missing out of it (weight reduction, not on purpose though). That and the fading seem like they can be kind of normal wear for a 20 year old Florida car. I'm honestly expecting to go outside one day soon and just see all the cars melted from the heat.

[Chhaos]

http://monstermiata.webs.com/

You could always do that. I saw one in Winter Haven (no idea if you know where that is) and it was very nice. That's all I'm going to say.

[SwissFerdi]

Glad you liked the one you drove.

I used to have a 90 Miata and loved it, even my friends who knew nothing about cars loved to ride in it. I put Tokico springs and struts on it and that made a HUGE difference in how it handled. It was a great car, even though it was that old it only had 90k on it. The previous owner wouldn't admit it but the car had been tracked, you could see under it where there used to be a straight thru exhaust, and the car had a brand new top and frame on it because they had removed it when the car was new. It only gave me trouble once when the ECU went bad, but that's because the car had sat outside with no top on it and the ECU had gotten wet multiple times. I DD'd it, even in 6 inches of snow it got around like a champ. Very easy to work on, and there is a ton of aftermarket support out for them.

They are indeed easy on maintenance from what I've read. They seem like a decently simple platform to learn on as well. How much of a drop did the Tokico springs provide, and how much body roll was left (if you could verbally illustrate) after the drop?

And I say go for that one, I know what owners are on about now.

I agree with about the shifter. I've seen ones with short throws and it just looks ridiculous. They are very fun cars. When I test drove one I had the exact same response as you. It didn't stick on me much at first but I kept thinking about the car for like two weeks straight. I still wish I could have gotten it. I didn't really get to take it on the roads though so I didn't get too good of a feel of the handling. As for the steering wheel, my CRX's steering wheel had huge chunks missing out of it (weight reduction, not on purpose though). That and the fading seem like they can be kind of normal wear for a 20 year old Florida car. I'm honestly expecting to go outside one day soon and just see all the cars melted from the heat.

You're exactly right, I can't stop thinking about the stupid thing now. And yes, the FL heat does suck.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Aug 31, 2010 - 5:16 PM

[epocsirhc]

http://monstermiata.webs.com/

You could always do that. I saw one in Winter Haven (no idea if you know where that is) and it was very nice. That's all I'm going to say.

Pretty cool except for the 4g's for the conversion kit!

[Chhaos]

http://monstermiata.webs.com/

You could always do that. I saw one in Winter Haven (no idea if you know where that is) and it was very nice. That's all I'm going to say.

Pretty cool except for the 4g's for the conversion kit!

I agree but don't some people pay that much for a ST205 clip after shipping and everything? Like I said, I think it is a lot of money too. Honestly, I could find a used car for that price. Anyway, Ferdi, if I were in your position and had the money to get the Miata I would.

[97celiman]

GotToyota now has a 90 NA...I'll see if I can get him to chip in...I think he will def sway you in the right direction. Just from my brief exp. driving it, wow is all I can say. The car is incredibly tight on the stock suspension with 14in wheels, so light and so ergonomically (sp?) simple. The shifter is s@x. Sure it has 90 whp (now...) but it weighs nothing, even with power windows. Read the review in the newest issue of modified on the top ten track cars...guess who got #1?

The car is a true roadster and just a drivers car. The great thing with NA's is you can find them (easily) with sub 100k orig miles for easily under 4k even after TTL.

And oh ya, mpg. Even with messing around pushing the new car I believe he got 32mpg.

50/50 balance, rwd, I challenge anyone who claims "girl" status to go drive one...hard. Plus you already drive a celica which is apparently "girly" to any V-8 fox body loving drag racer with 7 teeth (not that their is anything wrong with having 7 teeth...respect).

Just don't hellaflush it. Lower it, get some respectable wheels, and save for the tiny turbo and engine rebuild after you put 50-100k carefree miles on it, are through your higher education, and have the time and resources to garage it, pull the motor, and make it a track whore to fall in love with it again.

.02

/end

[GotToyota]

There are a lot of misconceptions in this thread about Miatas.

I've owned a 1989 Supra, the Celica, a 2002 Mazda Protege5, and now I own a 1990 Miata.

First off, let me tell you that after owning a RWD sports car, it was tough getting into a FWD girls car (and YES, I've owned a Celica so I can say that without being stabbed). It's never the same, FWD cars are a COMPLETELY different animal when it comes to road feel and how the car drives in general. Ever since I ditched the Supra, I was missing the feeling of a RWD car. Being a Mazda fan now and always wanting a Miata, I finally decided to get one when a good opportunity arose to do so. I picked up a gem, a 1990 Mazda Miata with 94k (no typo) ORIGINAL miles and 2 previous owners. These cars are crazy easy to find with that kind of mileage, since this car is mostly a weekend car for older people. The car was repainted a pearl white, also had the timing belt done. The car is crazy clean for the year, has a few things but nothing to stop it from driving everyday like it should. I get 30 MPG while using A/C, driving with the top down, hauling ass! This thing is the funnest car I've ever owned to date, it hugs the curves like a go kart (literally) and pulls like hell to boot. It took a little while to get used to the size but once you drive it for a few days that goes away. For the people who say this is a homos car, you've never driven one. Ask any Miata owner and they'll tell you why they love this car! 50/50 weight balance, RWD, limited slip differential (some models) and extremely light weight (2100lbs in my trim). I do daily drive it and I don't regret it at all. I got some 15" wheels from a newer generation Miata to make it look a little more modern, I've got a huge list of mods planned for it. I've also painted the valve cover with red engine enamel. Here are some pics of the car:







Paid $3700 with TTL for those interested.

This post has been edited by GotToyota: Sep 1, 2010 - 12:43 AM

[SwissFerdi]

^ Holy crap that thing is clean. See, something like that is what I need to find. Good for you guy, good for you.

And regarding the gay stigma...my girlfriend told me she won't ride in it with me if I get one. She'll have to get over that.

GotToyota now has a 90 NA...I'll see if I can get him to chip in...I think he will def sway you in the right direction. Just from my brief exp. driving it, wow is all I can say. The car is incredibly tight on the stock suspension with 14in wheels, so light and so ergonomically (sp?) simple. The shifter is s@x. Sure it has 90 whp (now...) but it weighs nothing, even with power windows. Read the review in the newest issue of modified on the top ten track cars...guess who got #1?

The car is a true roadster and just a drivers car. The great thing with NA's is you can find them (easily) with sub 100k orig miles for easily under 4k even after TTL.

And oh ya, mpg. Even with messing around pushing the new car I believe he got 32mpg.

50/50 balance, rwd, I challenge anyone who claims "girl" status to go drive one...hard. Plus you already drive a celica which is apparently "girly" to any V-8 fox body loving drag racer with 7 teeth (not that their is anything wrong with having 7 teeth...respect).

Just don't hellaflush it. Lower it, get some respectable wheels, and save for the tiny turbo and engine rebuild after you put 50-100k carefree miles on it, are through your higher education, and have the time and resources to garage it, pull the motor, and make it a track whore to fall in love with it again.

.02

/end

I agree with everything you said. If I tried, I probably couldn't mis-shift...that's how precise the shifter felt to me. The clutch felt great as well. Steering was less amazing, but I think that's due to me being used to less body roll. It did feel accurate and precise, it just seemed like there was a slight sag to it. Could be an aging steering rack as well though. Slapping on a turbo sounds very much appealing, but that would be for later on down the road. First focus will be maintenance, and then tires and suspension after the car is well serviced. I/H/E will be later on down the road.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Sep 1, 2010 - 1:55 AM

[SupraKid]

^^^she wont be around long if thats how your gonna treat her...



miatas are girly cars but are awesome to drive




/thread

[Chhaos]

There are a lot of misconceptions in this thread about Miatas.

I've owned a 1989 Supra, the Celica, a 2002 Mazda Protege5, and now I own a 1990 Miata.

First off, let me tell you that after owning a RWD sports car, it was tough getting into a FWD girls car (and YES, I've owned a Celica so I can say that without being stabbed). It's never the same, FWD cars are a COMPLETELY different animal when it comes to road feel and how the car drives in general. Ever since I ditched the Supra, I was missing the feeling of a RWD car. Being a Mazda fan now and always wanting a Miata, I finally decided to get one when a good opportunity arose to do so. I picked up a gem, a 1990 Mazda Miata with 94k (no typo) ORIGINAL miles and 2 previous owners. These cars are crazy easy to find with that kind of mileage, since this car is mostly a weekend car for older people. The car was repainted a pearl white, also had the timing belt done. The car is crazy clean for the year, has a few things but nothing to stop it from driving everyday like it should. I get 30 MPG while using A/C, driving with the top down, hauling ass! This thing is the funnest car I've ever owned to date, it hugs the curves like a go kart (literally) and pulls like hell to boot. It took a little while to get used to the size but once you drive it for a few days that goes away. For the people who say this is a homos car, you've never driven one. Ask any Miata owner and they'll tell you why they love this car! 50/50 weight balance, RWD, limited slip differential (some models) and extremely light weight (2100lbs in my trim). I do daily drive it and I don't regret it at all. I got some 15" wheels from a newer generation Miata to make it look a little more modern, I've got a huge list of mods planned for it. I've also painted the valve cover with red engine enamel. Here are some pics of the car:

I think you just swayed me towards my next car. That car is very clean. Damn. To further your point about FWD being completely different. My friend actually has a harder time controlling his GTI than he did his Thunderbird when he would break the back end loose. He said torque steer is so much worse than sliding the back around. Anyway, you and Ferdi have rekindled my love for the Miata.

[SwissFerdi]

SupraKid - I treat her well enough. She was mostly just trying to bug me, I think...if not, it still sucks for her, because a car shouldn't affect her that deeply. It's my job to deeply affect her.

Chhaos - Good. Go get one. I'll be trying the same.

[Keiri]

SupraKid - I treat her well enough. She was mostly just trying to bug me, I think...if not, it still sucks for her, because a car shouldn't affect her that deeply. It's my job to deeply infect her.

Edited for correctness.

J/k

Personally, I think the Miata is a good choice for you Ferdi as you're young and don't have that much to be hauling around plus there's room for modification down the road is you see ift. I'll hate seeing you sell the Celica but if it's to get a Miata I think that's a good idea.

This post has been edited by Keiri: Sep 1, 2010 - 10:27 AM

[Chhaos]

SupraKid - I treat her well enough. She was mostly just trying to bug me, I think...if not, it still sucks for her, because a car shouldn't affect her that deeply. It's my job to deeply affect her.

Chhaos - Good. Go get one. I'll be trying the same.

I am trying to find one that is decent enough for not too bad of a price right now. I just hate when one looks really good but then it is an automatic. That is serious buzzkill.

[SwissFerdi]

Personally, I think the Miata is a good choice for you Ferdi as you're young and don't have that much to be hauling around plus there's room for modification down the road is you see ift. I'll hate seeing you sell the Celica but if it's to get a Miata I think that's a good idea.

I'm so deleting you from my Facebook friends. Serious interweb slap right there, bruhh bruhh.

Well, I wish I could keep the Celica and have both, but that's not possible. Unless I buy a beater NA for $500 and use it just for auto-cross.

I am trying to find one that is decent enough for not too bad of a price right now. I just hate when one looks really good but then it is an automatic. That is serious buzzkill.

Yarly, I see that enough as well. On top of that, seems like most NA's for sale are either red, green, and sometimes black or white. I've yet to see a single silver one for sale.

This one looks good though:

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?t...mp;aff=national

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Sep 1, 2010 - 10:51 AM

[samir0189]

all this talk of go-kart-esque handling, 50/50 weight distribution and 90 hp makes me want to give up my heterosexuality for one.


no really, i saw one today and the guy was actually "driving" it, looks like fun.

[GotToyota]

Ferdi - You said the steering was vague, it's probably because of the age of the suspension rather than mileage. My suspension is the original with 94k miles and being 20 years old, of course parts are gonna be gone by then. You can get some KYB GR2's for less than $300 to fix that and get it back to factory handling. When everything is in good condition, the car handles like a dream even with factory spec parts.

Also, I'd like for a 94+ so you can get the 1.8L. And if you find one with slightly higher mileage but it's more clean, I would do that. These drivetrains are bulletproof and the motor is even moreso, condition trumps mileage every time.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

This post has been edited by GotToyota: Sep 1, 2010 - 12:41 PM

[SwissFerdi]

^ Sweet, you're the man. I've already raped half of the Miata.com forum for info, so I've got that covered. I'm actually not even quite sure if I drove a 1.6 or 1.8 yesterday though. I've read that there's no difference in the valve covers (besides measurements) and that there are no stampings, so I've not really a way to tell...

Concerning the handling, I bet most of that vagueness came from the fact that I'm not used to that much body roll. I want coilovers or at least a well-known and liked shock (strut?) and spring combination, so if there is any age in the suspension, that'll be taken care of. End links would also get replaced at that point, and possibly bushings.

Either way, I plan on driving a few more, so I'm sure I'll get to both.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Sep 1, 2010 - 1:16 PM

[blu94gt]

The Tokico's I put on mine greatly reduced the body roll, but I also agree that the factory suspension just gets squishy after a while so even OEM replacements would have been an improvement. The drop was about 1.5" which was almost too far IMO since I could barely get over speed bumps and big curbs.

Look up the Randall style intake, that was the next thing I would have done to mine.

I'll upload some pics of mine when I get home so you can see the drop and all that.

[SwissFerdi]

I think that definitely was a factor. I'm having a bit of a weird time figuring out the suspension...from Celicas, I've always assumed that coilovers are best. The more I'm reading though, the more I'm learning. Seems that suspension travel is already short and with a proper spring and height-adjustable shock, you can actually do pretty well, making coilovers unnecessary.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Sep 2, 2010 - 9:37 AM

[blu94gt]

I already had the bug before you started this thread, but tomorrow I'm going to look at this Miata. Probably going to end up selling the Celica to get back in another one.

Saw you on the Miata forums Swiss, I added a question to your thread.

This post has been edited by blu94gt: Sep 2, 2010 - 1:53 PM

[SwissFerdi]

^ That's a great deal. Low on mileage, up to date on maintenance, and just the right price.

And thanks for stalking my thread, bro.

[GotToyota]

I already had the bug before you started this thread, but tomorrow I'm going to look at this Miata. Probably going to end up selling the Celica to get back in another one.

Saw you on the Miata forums Swiss, I added a question to your thread.

That looks like a great deal. Be sure to ask about the timing belt and when it was changed, also ask for paper work. If they don't know or don't have paper work, I would consider looking at another one. The 1.6L's had some short crank issues and if the timing belt was improperly done it can ruin the motor.

[blu94gt]

I already had the bug before you started this thread, but tomorrow I'm going to look at this Miata. Probably going to end up selling the Celica to get back in another one.

Saw you on the Miata forums Swiss, I added a question to your thread.

That looks like a great deal. Be sure to ask about the timing belt and when it was changed, also ask for paper work. If they don't know or don't have paper work, I would consider looking at another one. The 1.6L's had some short crank issues and if the timing belt was improperly done it can ruin the motor.

Thanks, I remember having to worry about that doing the timing belt on my 90. I found a couple articles that say in mid-1991 they updated the crankshaft so all the 92 and later model years are fine.

I called and am going to look at it tomorrow evening around 7. It's a gentleman and his father sharing it as a recreational vehicle and decided they would rather spend their fun-money on dirt bikes. Hopefully it's in as good of shape as the ad makes it look, I'm going to finish cleaning up the Celica tonight and tomorrow morning and post it for sale on Craigslist.

[SwissFerdi]

How much are you asking for the Celica?

I'm debating whether to sell mine as-is with two sets of wheels, or selling all of my mods separately.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Sep 2, 2010 - 4:33 PM

[blu94gt]

I'm not entirely sure how much I'll ask. I'm thinking asking $4500 but I don't want to go too much lower than that. I'd thought about asking $5,000 but I'm taking into consideration the couple of rust spots on the hatch and the fact that the tires are worn and a little noisy from the car the wheels came off of. Otherwise it's all stock so I have nothing to part out. Maybe something like $4800 and see if anyone is interested.

All I know is when I search Craigslist there are 6gc's going from $3,000 to $10,000. There's another 99 with 122k for $3900 but it's in rough shape and has a salvage title.

[SwissFerdi]

^ Good luck.

If I can talk this down to 2750 or 3000, I think this might be a good deal. One of the only silver ones I've seen.

http://fortmyers.craigslist.org/chl/ctd/1924445568.html

[blu94gt]

^very nice, sounds like a nice car if you can get it for that

I just got back from looking at that 93, and I'll tell you what it wasn't nearly as nice as the ad portrayed. Yes, it did have that maintenance done, but nearly everything else was wrong. Interior worn, dash had weird bubbles, scrapes and dents all over the place like they ran into everything they drove by. Car pulled hard to the left and the wheels were visibly toed-out. Transmission was very sloppy, not the tight-precise shifter a Miata normally has, plus it made a lot of grinding on deceleration. Also was DRIPPING gear oil as it sat idling.

On the plus side, the roll bar was a very nice leather wrapped Racing Beat, and the de-powered steering rack was awesome, I would definitely recommend looking up how to de-power it, made the car feel like a go-kart.

Basically, I'll keep looking. Few others on craigslist around here:
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/1934652383.html
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/1933829834.html
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/1908612816.html

I'm not a huge fan of red, but those could be winners. Wish they had less miles but meh, better if they're in good shape than just having low miles.

Also this one, has BBS's and looks decent:
http://kansascity.craigslist.org/ctd/1922775107.html

[SwissFerdi]

^ I like the black paint and BBS wheels, I've seen one here for sale with a red leather seats as well, it looked really nice. Too bad it was ripped up. I like the first one though, seems like a solid car, and the owner seems to know a bit about it.

As for me, I can't trade the Celica. So what I'm going to do is build up a budget of about 750 and buy an MX-5 that needs a bit of mechanical TLC and otherwise has a beat-up exterior. My plan is to service the engine to make it run perfectly and also make sure that the tranny and brakes are in perfect order and that I have some good, grippy tires. Then I'll invest into suspension, probably a strut-and-spring setup since I'm not going to dump massive money into this car. I'll be driving it for auto-cross only, so exterior damage isn't an issue and I'm toying around with the idea of just ripping the entire interior out, so I don't need to worry about the condition of that either. Eventually, I'd like to get around to replacing any severely damaged panels and giving 'er a budget rattle-can paint. All in all...it'll be a project car which will allow me to learn my way with mechanics and also let me experiment with body work.

So basically, I'm still looking to get an MX-5, it just won't be a DD and it won't look glamorous, in the beginning. I'll call it my track slut.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Sep 6, 2010 - 11:15 AM

[SwissFerdi]

Bump for ideas, input, encouragement? Any thoughts are appreciated.

[saleeka]

My sister's good friend drove around a stripped out 1991 red miata for her first car. The rear window eventually went opaque and the top leaked now and then, so she had the top replaced last summer. It set her back almost $800, so I’d recommend finding one with a top in really good condition.

This one in your area seems like it could be a good buy:
Red 91

Some things I know about the NA series cars:

The 89-93 NA's have the 1.6, and the 94 and up NA's have the 1.8 (with an extra 18-20HP)

Factory LSD was viscous type pre 96, and 96 on cars carry a Torsen LSD setup (more reliable)

R cars have standard Bilstein shocks and no power steering

94 and newer cars have strengthened chassis braces for better side impact protection.

[SwissFerdi]

Yeah, I've seen that red '91 as well, I test drove it actually. The drivetrain was too shaky for me to even consider purchasing it.

But if you look up there, I've narrowed my budget down to under 1 grand...this will be a project car. Thanks for the other info!

[njccmd2002]

Im too big for the miata, they are nice, plus it makes no sense if i already have a vert, with 200 hp n/a well 197.

I see a lot of old men driving these, makes me wonder midlife crisis. They look fun, but i went with the celica back when i was looking..

[SwissFerdi]

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/1880457592.html

This one could be worth looking at, it's about two hours away from me.

[njccmd2002]

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/cto/1880457592.html

This one could be worth looking at, it's about two hours away from me.

fixing the top is going to cost ya

[SwissFerdi]

No it's not. See the part up there where I said I wanted a project? I'm doing everything on the car myself, so no cost except for time...and money spent on tools and parts. Don't think I want one with the top broken from the start as this car will sit outside...unless I can park it in my mom's garage (and no Your Mom jokes, assholes).

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Sep 10, 2010 - 7:36 PM

[richee3]

Your mom's garage is so big- nah, never mind.

That one looks good. Like Noberto said, the top could set you back some. But it gives you an opportunity to buy a new top with a glass window so it doesn't get fogged up and you can't see through it. For the price though, you can't go wrong.

This post has been edited by richee3: Sep 10, 2010 - 9:29 PM

[SwissFerdi]

If it drives well, the top is OEM (or as good as) and not damaged, and if he's willing to take 500 for it, I might just jump on it once I has the cash.

[azian_advanced]

just put a tarp or car cover over it.

[SwissFerdi]

So you'd go for it?

[njccmd2002]

you cant go wrong. I spent 700 on my rusted 1st gen.

[SwissFerdi]

Alright, I'll give the guy a call today. A tarp wouldn't work as the car will be stored outside, and in a gated community at that...so the residents wouldn't appreciate that too much.

[Culpable04]

water proof car cover

[njccmd2002]

Alright, I'll give the guy a call today. A tarp wouldn't work as the car will be stored outside, and in a gated community at that...so the residents wouldn't appreciate that too much.

Your neighbors will love it, especially if you take the wheels and park it on jackstands.

Mine loved my 1st gen.

[SwissFerdi]

I know, that's my only reservation, bitching neighbors. I can always take it to my mom's and work on it in the garage, but that's 45 minutes away...I still need to figure out the logistics of this whole deal. I just know I want one.

[SwissFerdi]

Woo, so, I stopped looking for a while. Now that I have some cash amassed (until christmas came along, that is), I took a look at the market. This came up:

1993 Miata

Cheap, could maybe be talked down to 1250...bare-bones, but in good condition. The cosmetic damage doesn't interest me, but is easily fixable with a can of paint - a huge plus. Also, it being a '93 means it's a 1.6, the engine I like more because of it's character. But it's not a '90 or '91 model, so it doesn't suffer from short nose crank. It's almost perfect.

Hmm...

The car would be stored on my friend's driveway under a tarp, because I have no other means of storage at either of my parents' houses.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Dec 24, 2010 - 10:35 AM

[Zake]

So, as we are all Celica owners, we all have the same baseline perspective to build on. What do you as 6GCers think about the Mazda MX-5? Would you consider trading your Celica for an MX-5 (specifically the NB - 2nd gen), and if you did, what would you consider to be the pros and cons of trading to an MX-5?

Thanks for the input.

the only way i would trade my celica for a mx5 is if it had an LS1 in it with a 6 speed trans. <-- those things are BEASTS! but BUYING one as a side project on the other hand.. i think i could do that. i would like to buy a early 90's miata and do the LS1 swap in it, it's like the modern version of the cobra. little car HUGE engine.

This post has been edited by Zake: Dec 24, 2010 - 10:56 AM

[SwissFerdi]

^ That's exactly the plan, keep the Celica as a DD and have the Miata as a fun car that'll see autocross and maybe track time, and will also allow me to learn mechanics.
It'd see a turbo kit instead of an LSx conversion.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Dec 24, 2010 - 2:09 PM

[HectortheRican]

^ That's exactly the plan, keep the Celica as a DD and have the Miata as a fun car that'll see autocross and maybe track time, and will also allow me to learn mechanics.
It'd see a turbo kit instead of an LSx conversion.

American into Japanese is pure bs. I'd do the turbo like you, Ferdi. Or I would actually spend the time/money and get an SR20 in there.

[SwissFerdi]

American into Japanese is pure bs. I'd do the turbo like you, Ferdi. Or I would actually spend the time/money and get an SR20 in there.

Flyin' Miata Voodoo II kit

If anything...

But I'm going to crunch my finance numbers and see if this is feasible once and for all, so I can stop changing my mind and reconsidering so damn much. You'll be hearing from me soon.

[HectortheRican]

$3,400 for not even 70 hp???? That turbo kit better give it perfect 50/50 weight dist., and make me toast and jelly too for that much. Does the kit at least come with everything you need for the install?

[mak5603]

I'd want a turbo too. LS1's are only necessary if you're doin like Formula D.

[richee3]

That turbo kit better give it perfect 50/50 weight dist.

Mazda did that already. Lol.

[SwissFerdi]

$3,400 for not even 70 hp???? That turbo kit better give it perfect 50/50 weight dist., and make me toast and jelly too for that much. Does the kit at least come with everything you need for the install?

Yes, actually. Everything. As far as I know. Even a detailed instruction manual and online support. I mean, it's really expensive, but for a mother****er like me who wouldn't know half of what he'd be into, it's a purchase I'd make.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Dec 24, 2010 - 9:19 PM

[epocsirhc]

Stop pussy footing, and buy one already! You won't regret it. Save your money, and do a couple track days, and then make start slowly developing a good car as well as driving skill!!!

[Chhaos]

Ferdi, if you have the money and the car is good jump on it. I know earlier I said stuff about waiting for later in life, but you are only young once. The only reason I am encouraging you to do this is because I already spent over $1k on Christmas stuff. If I still had the money I would most likely be in the same position you are in right now.

[mak5603]

From one young person with multiple cars to another young person seeking multiple cars, do it! You won't regret it, a car is way more to show for your money and will satisfy you more than anything else you will buy at this age, haha.

[Zake]

^ That's exactly the plan, keep the Celica as a DD and have the Miata as a fun car that'll see autocross and maybe track time, and will also allow me to learn mechanics.
It'd see a turbo kit instead of an LSx conversion.

American into Japanese is pure bs. I'd do the turbo like you, Ferdi. Or I would actually spend the time/money and get an SR20 in there.

what do you think the ac cobra was?? it was a little British car with an American V8. same concept here. small Japanese car, with a monster V8. those LS1's can be built NA 400hp with not much more than a good set of heads and a tune. think about how that miata would fly! and since the LS1 is an aluminum block, it doesn't throw the weight distribution off too much. back when i was looking into doing this about 2 years back, I read that the dist was 52/48 or something like that. sure its not 50/50, but still.

[Chhaos]

^ That's exactly the plan, keep the Celica as a DD and have the Miata as a fun car that'll see autocross and maybe track time, and will also allow me to learn mechanics.
It'd see a turbo kit instead of an LSx conversion.

American into Japanese is pure bs. I'd do the turbo like you, Ferdi. Or I would actually spend the time/money and get an SR20 in there.

what do you think the ac cobra was?? it was a little British car with an American V8. same concept here. small Japanese car, with a monster V8. those LS1's can be built NA 400hp with not much more than a good set of heads and a tune. think about how that miata would fly! and since the LS1 is an aluminum block, it doesn't throw the weight distribution off too much. back when i was looking into doing this about 2 years back, I read that the dist was 52/48 or something like that. sure its not 50/50, but still.

I agree with both options. A turbo would be good and if you had about 200 hp in a Miata, that would definitely move you around quickly. On the other hand, after seeing a Monster Miata (4.6 from Ford) at a car show I have wanted one of those too. Ferdi, you should get 2 Miatas and do both routes.

[95CelicaST]

Ferdi WOULD drive a Miata..



(I Keed!!)