MX5/Miata Thread

MX5/Miata Thread


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Not for that price. Also, I don't think that is a very good looking car.
 
So I was offered a 1993 NA today. So far all I know about it is that it has 130k miles, is rollbared, and has been well cared for by the current owner. It runs and drivers with no problem.
The owner is selling it for $2k to friends and friends of friends, and won't be totally ready to sell it for another 2 weeks.

Now I did tell myself I wouldn't buy a 2nd car until February 2014 because I'll be at and out of town assignment from August 2013-Jan/Feb 2014 and I don't want to spend the money to store 2 cars, but this has got be seriously intrigued. I'm gonna go check it out when the seller is ready, and might be $2k short in a few weeks if it all checks out.
 
130k is really nothing to worry about on a Miata as long as it's been taken care of (just like any other car, I suppose.) Miatas frequently see 200k+ with nothing but basic maintenance. Plus, parts are dirt cheap and the car is extremely easy to work on.

Rollbar alone is worth $500+ probably. Mine was closer to $800.

Any other mods? This is going to be a 1.6L 116hp car btw. My car has 140hp and below 80-100mph it really doesn't feel slow, so 116hp will still be an absolute blast.

Make sure the timing belt was done around 60k and again around 120k. That said, mine wasn't done until 80k and, needless to say, the car still runs to this day, even given the 20k extra. I won't wait that long when its my turn to change it though.

The number one rust spot is the underside where the doors are (I've been drinking and can't remember what they're called :p) Stay away from rusty cars. The shifter should feel nice and notchy and not have any issues going into gear. The pedals should feel somewhat firm too (at least compared to LCG's MRS.)

tl;dr BUY THE DAMN THING!
 
Make sure the timing belt was done around 60k and again around 120k. That said, mine wasn't done until 80k and, needless to say, the car still runs to this day, even given the 20k extra. I won't wait that long when its my turn to change it though.
Past timing belt changes being late aren't significant (even if they failed). The NA and NB are non-interference engines (assuming the internals aren't modified), so even if the timing belt snaps, it doesn't cause long term damage. You don't want it to snap because you don't want to be stranded and have to have it repaired, so change it on schedule... But past changes only matter so you know when to change it this time.

(Sorry if I'm a bit rambly, a bit distracted)
 
So I was offered a 1993 NA today. So far all I know about it is that it has 130k miles, is rollbared, and has been well cared for by the current owner. It runs and drivers with no problem.
The owner is selling it for $2k to friends and friends of friends, and won't be totally ready to sell it for another 2 weeks.

Now I did tell myself I wouldn't buy a 2nd car until February 2014 because I'll be at and out of town assignment from August 2013-Jan/Feb 2014 and I don't want to spend the money to store 2 cars, but this has got be seriously intrigued. I'm gonna go check it out when the seller is ready, and might be $2k short in a few weeks if it all checks out.

For once, someone's actually offered a fair price on a Miata! Being in California, I've completely forgotten what that's like.

By the way, my car is coming up to $60k miles. Given the mods and the condition and the mileage, I could conceivably sell it for $10,000, and still have people knocking on my door.

I know. I know. Must be the heat or something.
 
For once, someone's actually offered a fair price on a Miata! Being in California, I've completely forgotten what that's like.

By the way, my car is coming up to $60k miles. Given the mods and the condition and the mileage, I could conceivably sell it for $10,000, and still have people knocking on my door.

I know. I know. Must be the heat or something.
Mods decrease the value of a car :p
 
The Miata I'll be looking at towards summer is going to be more like $4k, but it had 50k miles, is completely stock and has never seen winter....
 
The number one rust spot is the underside where the doors are (I've been drinking and can't remember what they're called :p) Stay away from rusty cars. The shifter should feel nice and notchy and not have any issues going into gear. The pedals should feel somewhat firm too (at least compared to LCG's MRS.)

rockers, and rear fenders clog way too easily. rust would be good to avoid in back. If only the rear fenders bolted on as nicely as the fronts...

tl;dr BUY THE DAMN THING!
QFT. If I didn't have everything indicated over there
<==, I'd totally call you for that friends of friends discount. As it is, I'll be calling you to steal the keys... :p
 
Mods decrease the value of a car :p

Unless you're selling to a bunch of idiots.
Hey man, this thing has race car mods! There it must be super special and super fast around a track, so it must be worth a ton more!
 
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rockers, and rear fenders clog way too easily. rust would be good to avoid in back. If only the rear fenders bolted on as nicely as the fronts...

Which is why after you get the damned thing locate the little rubber drain and blow it out with compressed air. All kinds of leaves and other debris shot out of mine and into the interior. Also my front fenders were full of debris as well. I guess the PO parked it constantly under some trees.
 
Which is why after you get the damned thing locate the little rubber drain and blow it out with compressed air. All kinds of leaves and other debris shot out of mine and into the interior. Also my front fenders were full of debris as well. I guess the PO parked it constantly under some trees.

Oh god not this again. I had this problem with my TT and it took me and Victor 3 hours of cursing and yelling to figure that shit out.
http://forums.finalgear.com/post-yo...f-a-german-soft-top-53721/page-4/#post1958180
 
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Which is why after you get the damned thing locate the little rubber drain and blow it out with compressed air. All kinds of leaves and other debris shot out of mine and into the interior. Also my front fenders were full of debris as well. I guess the PO parked it constantly under some trees.

Any reason to not just rip the thing out? I imagine a big hole will let things in, but also back out better than a little mesh screen that's clogged with silt and leaves.

(assuming you're talking about a drain cover, and not the tube that routes the soft top drain to the fender)
 
I had a leaking plug as well, at the hole right behind the 2 seat belt towers. Used a hose and 2 pairs of chopsticks :D 20 odd years of eww came out. Luckily in Adelaide the weather's not so humid, and there's no snow, so rust and compost stuff isn't much of an issue.
 
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Which is why after you get the damned thing locate the little rubber drain and blow it out with compressed air. All kinds of leaves and other debris shot out of mine and into the interior. Also my front fenders were full of debris as well. I guess the PO parked it constantly under some trees.

It must be a common affliction across the roadster kingdom. I could've potted a plant with the quantity and quality of crap that came out of my clogged drain.
 
Oh god not this again. I had this problem with my TT and it took me and Victor 3 hours of cursing and yelling to figure that shit out.
http://forums.finalgear.com/post-yo...f-a-german-soft-top-53721/page-4/#post1958180

This isn't a problem. With the top down you can see the drain hole, just stick the appropriate compressor nozzle in it and blow. If that doesn't work or you want to have fun cleaning your interior do it from the bottom, there is a little piece of rubber hose that comes out next to the body rail. Either way after you blow it out run some water down to make sure you got everything.

While I have no pictures of that adventure I do have some of when I decided to clean out my front fenders.

0423111348-02.jpg


No rust that I could spot. Thankfully.

Any reason to not just rip the thing out? I imagine a big hole will let things in, but also back out better than a little mesh screen that's clogged with silt and leaves.

(assuming you're talking about a drain cover, and not the tube that routes the soft top drain to the fender)

No not a drain cover. The tube has a problem with getting clogged with debris over the years and water then drains into the side rockers where it cannot properly drain out.

It must be a common affliction across the roadster kingdom. I could've potted a plant with the quantity and quality of crap that came out of my clogged drain.

The Mazda MX-5, great for composting!
 
When I finished driving across the country I looked at the bottom of my car and found a dead bird that had fossilized itself in the radiator.
 
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