300zx vs Miata for first car

E34lover

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I'm looking for my first car and I've narrowed it down to two cars. The 300zx and the Miata, but I can't decide.The Miatas I've found are lower millage than the 300s but the 300zx is more of a car. I've looked on craiglist mostly and here are what I found.

Miata:

2000 Miata with 89,000 - $5988
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/ctd/919494863.html (looks like good deal)

1997 Miata with 94,100 - $4000
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/917306654.html

1994 Miata M with 60,000 - $4350
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/916776224.html (seems fake)

1999 Miata with 99,000 - $5525
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lgb/ctd/916656194.html

300zx:

1992 300zx Twin Turbo with 125,000 - $4990
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/918054149.html

1990 300zx N/A with 113,500 - $3500
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/915542213.html

1990 300zx N/A with 123,000 - $4700 (OBO)
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/cto/911377155.html (looks really clean)
 
Mazda no doubt - why buy a Datsun FCS.

/EDIT Seriously better bet for a first car is the MX-5 (Miata) light, fun and easy to drive - get a good 'un. Teach you a stick too.
 
The miata, just for the simple fact that it's your first car and it's much newer and hopefully less likely to go wrong.
 
300ZX > MX5


MX5 is fun to drive, but it's seriously under powered. You will be better off with the 300ZX.
 
300ZX if it's TT with a manual. Otherwise the Mazda.
 
300ZX > MX5


MX5 is fun to drive, but it's seriously under powered. You will be better off with the 300ZX.

I would point out that 300ZX twin turbos routinely get 18mpg on the highway which is fucking shitty no matter how you try and spin it. Yes the N/A gets better mileage but then you have an under powered heavy car vs. the miata which is an under powered light car. Also 300ZX is harder to work on WAY more complex (more stuff to break) and the parts are more expensive as well and i am willing to bet that the miata is going to be significantly cheaper to insure than a 300zx

TL : DR
300ZXtt : if you don't care about MPG Insurance or Maintanence Costs
Miata: if you want an slightly underpowered Fun to drive Easy to maintain cheapish to run car
300ZXna: no good reason*

*unless you plan to buy a 300ZXna for cheap pull and sell the motor and transmission then shoe horn a Titan V8 + 300zx turbo trans into it
 
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The Miata. I'm a huge fan of the 300ZX, but the Miata's going to offer the more enjoyable, laugh-out-loud driving experience, and will teach you more about driving. It's also likely to be more reliable & easier to fix when things go wrong (there's no physical room to move in a 300ZX engine bay).

I'm sorry BlaRo...
 
300zx = going to equal you a lot of problems - do your research
miata/mx5 = going to be a lot of fun, no issues, cheap to run and maintain

A mate was going through the same decision process a while back and he went with a 90s miata over a 300zx
 
says the kid with the legacy wagon... :rolleyes:
 
Miata is perfect for a first car and not much slower than the TT 300ZX...

131. Nissan 300 ZX Turbo 1:11.42 104 ?90 286 / 1620 Best Motoring
132. Audi TT 3.2 quattro (8N) 1:11.81 104 ?03 250 / 1520 Best-Motoring
133. Mazda MX-5 2.0 MZR 1:11.85 104 ?05 160 / 1140 best motoring

Tsukuba lat times.
 
to be fair that is the 2.0L miata vs. the 1.8 found that cars that OP linked to
 
For your first car i would definately say go for the mx5. just because, it's your first car and you'll be learning how to drive. The zx is awesome (i own one) but yes, they are a bitch under the bonnet, and a lot can go wrong (more so the tt then the na). And yes, you will save a lot more money on an mx5 then a z.

If you want to kill yourself then go for the zx. They can be seriously quick and are pretty scary to drive in the wet if your in a hurry!

Just save yourself some money and get the mx-5. When your bored of it find a tt z! You'll be happy as :)

Although you better be quick! Good examples of a manual 300zx tt are getting harder to find!

Good luck :)
 
to be fair that is the 2.0L miata vs. the 1.8 found that cars that OP linked to

True, but it was also the TT ZX.

Just saying that it won't get you (m)any unwanted speeding tickets, but if you want to have fun in the twisties you can. The NA 300ZX might be better comfort-wise for long distance cruising.

As others have mentioned, also easier to work on, cheaper to maintain, insure etc.
 
Miata - because you're probably going to trash it, and I'd rather not see yet another trashed Z32. :D Miatas are disposable, essentially.

The Z32 300ZX still has the best cockpit EVER from a driver's control viewpoint, though.
 
Mazda no doubt - why buy a Datsun FCS.

/EDIT Seriously better bet for a first car is the MX-5 (Miata) light, fun and easy to drive - get a good 'un. Teach you a stick too.

Yep. The 300ZX looks cool, but the Miata is a better drive.

That gated gearbox will also do wonders for learning a manual. You won't be fishing around for gears and hurting things. Just be nice with it.
 
Yea I'm like trying not to fap to the TT 300zx but even I know that being 16 there will be a time (ok every time I drive) where I will have an extreme erg to just floor it especially when I first get it. I'm thinking getting the 2000 Miata with 89,000 miles and saving up for an engine swap and turbo charge it. I think that with suspension and exhaust upgrades will make for a pretty kick ass car. And even if I don't do that my Aunt says she will get me something nice like a BMW when I graduate College.
 
why swap it? the 1.8L can take the boost just fine no need to add complexity for no reason.
 
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