Why do so many people consider the Mazda MX-5 "Gay"?

[Redliner]

Who cares what someone other than you thinks of it?

Did they buy it?
Do they insure it?
Do they maintain it?
Do they hold the title?

No? Then get over it, and enjoy one of the last true sports cars out there! Yeesh...some of you, who may like the car but are afraid to admit it, need to get over being self conscious, it will only hinder your entitled happiness you deserve throughout your life time.

Very well put. My thoughts exactly. I wish I could buy one of those for less than USD30,000! I would simply NOT CARE if it's gay or emo or metrossexual.

 

[DTMracer]

I think the MX5 is a great car, and don't really care about the "girly" image too much, especially when its like my friend's MX5 which has a fully built rotary under the hood...

 

[Momentum57]

A guy that used to buy weed from a friend of mine was gay and owned one. He was a cool guy and comfortable in his own skin.

It's not about the car its great it is the design it is just not aggressive enough for your average male. Look at the Saturn Sky it was recognized by the gays on some list sometime ago but the average male feels comfortable in it as well. It really comes down to what you feel comfortable with.

That said my fathers neighbor drives one and has a little hat and little driving gloves hes (hes only small) not gay (that we know of) just looks like an idiot. Its that delicate look that makes it attractive to people who are gay or just like to play dress up.

 

[MattD1zzl3]

I just cant think of another cool dirt cheap 4 cyl lightweight rwd car like it, i want something like that as my new daily driver, but the stigma (this coming from someone who puts up with a camaro with T TOPS!) just makes me a little uncomfortable.

I know i shouldn't be concerned with what other people think and know that its a badass car, but when it comes right down to it, i dont want to spend thousands on something i'll be embarrassed to drive around in.

 

[MadCow809]

I just cant think of another cool dirt cheap 4 cyl lightweight rwd car like it, i want something like that as my new daily driver, but the stigma (this coming from someone who puts up with a camaro with T TOPS!) just makes me a little uncomfortable.

I know i shouldn't be concerned with what other people think and know that its a badass car, but when it comes right down to it, i dont want to spend thousands on something i'll be embarrassed to drive around in.

Get an S2000, you know you want one

 

[Lambos r4ever]

Does anyone know how slotting in a big V8 affects it's handling and it's ability to put the power down?

 

[MattD1zzl3]

Get an S2000, you know you want one

Oh god do i, but for me 8 thousand dollars is a ludacris sum of money, much less $17,000 to $25,000.

Does anyone know how slotting in a big V8 affects it's handling and it's ability to put the power down?

[youtube=TNYLUc9BMvk]Its not called a chevrolet GIANT OMFG block[/youtube]

 

[Twerp128]

I absolutely love the car. It only needs to have a V8 or at least it's one little engine seriously blown in order for it to be decent I would honestly take either one of the Beemer Z's or the S2000 if you want a nice little roadster mostly because of the power difference.

Power is completely not the point of the MX-5. It's supposed to be fun to drive, it is not intended to race Civics from a roll down the interstate. Or run 11's at the drag strip.

 

[nist7]

Does anyone know how slotting in a big V8 affects it's handling and it's ability to put the power down?

If I remember right, the all-aluminum LS 1/2/7/etc. are actually LIGHTER than the iron 4 bangers in the earlier MX-5s. So handling and weight distribution may even improve a little.

Not sure about the older Ford 302s and the 4.6 Modulars though.....but those are popular V8 swaps as well.

 

[Momentum57]

I just cant think of another cool dirt cheap 4 cyl lightweight rwd car like it, i want something like that as my new daily driver, but the stigma (this coming from someone who puts up with a camaro with T TOPS!) just makes me a little uncomfortable.

I know i shouldn't be concerned with what other people think and know that its a badass car, but when it comes right down to it, i dont want to spend thousands on something i'll be embarrassed to drive around in.

Pontiac Solstice and the Saturn Sky both are in the same price range with the exception of the sky that can get a mark up because there are not enough to meet the demand. Besides what your looking at is a car that is vastly impractical and is to tickle your fancy. Don't buy because its a good car, buy because you think its a good car for you.

 

[thedguy]

I can't vouche for the new one MX5, but the old miata (na/nb's) were called gay because they looked like a girls car. It was small, it looked happy (the grill appears to be smiling), and it seemed "cute." The moment women run around saying a car is "cute" it loses nearly every bit of manliness it could ever have.

Short and simple, it lacks ANY kind of body line on it that says "aggressive." They've always been associated with either A) women B) effeminate gay men C) hardcore racers.

If I remember right, the all-aluminum LS 1/2/7/etc. are actually LIGHTER than the iron 4 bangers in the earlier MX-5s. So handling and weight distribution may even improve a little.

Not sure about the older Ford 302s and the 4.6 Modulars though.....but those are popular V8 swaps as well.

Mod motors AFAIK don't even fit (they are very tall and wide engines). The LS series of engines WILL add nearly 200lbs to the car. The Miata's iron block 4 is quite light, very competitive with the 4age from my understanding.

I've heard they don't seem to affect the handling, but I think that mostly has to do with the fact that the excessive power makes the car a bit rear happy regardless. Also doing a turbo setup will make the car just about as heavy and especially on the front end. I've talked to people that bitch about the extra understeer noticeable from the slightly bigger radiators in the automatic cars.

 

[prizrak]

Power is completely not the point of the MX-5. It's supposed to be fun to drive, it is not intended to race Civics from a roll down the interstate. Or run 11's at the drag strip.

When was power not fun? There are other cars of the same type in the same price range with more power and that makes MX-5 a bit wanting. Besides you can tell yourself that your car was never meant to be powerful but when it comes down to it, the ability to give you whiplash everytime you hit the LOL pedal is a big part of the driving experience.

Hell I tend to accelerate like a maniac even if I'm not intending to speed just so that I can feel the torque doing it's magic

 

[prizrak]

Mod motors AFAIK don't even fit (they are very tall and wide engines). The LS series of engines WILL add nearly 200lbs to the car. The Miata's iron block 4 is quite light, very competitive with the 4age from my understanding.

I've heard they don't seem to affect the handling, but I think that mostly has to do with the fact that the excessive power makes the car a bit rear happy regardless. Also doing a turbo setup will make the car just about as heavy and especially on the front end. I've talked to people that bitch about the extra understeer noticeable from the slightly bigger radiators in the automatic cars.

Handling is not affected much mostly due to the fact that the engine is sitting further back. Because of the size of the engine in relation to the size of the car itself it's basically almost a front midship just because it ends pretty much in the driver compartment so the center of gravity isn't really moved much. With the right diffs and tires it wouldn't make a difference either way.

 

[MattD1zzl3]

Sure you're not thinking of the Datsun 240 series? I know in that car replacing the little japanese motor with the big american one actually improves weight distribution and handling, but i hadnt heard that about the miata.

 

[thedguy]

Handling is not affected much mostly due to the fact that the engine is sitting further back. Because of the size of the engine in relation to the size of the car itself it's basically almost a front midship just because it ends pretty much in the driver compartment so the center of gravity isn't really moved much. With the right diffs and tires it wouldn't make a difference either way.

Might want to take a look in a Miata engine bay. Unless these guys are cutting the firewall and pushing the engine back, it can't go further back. Most of the kits out there make the car a 53/47 weight distribution.

Sure you're not thinking of the Datsun 240 series? I know in that car replacing the little japanese motor with the big american one actually improves weight distribution and handling, but i hadnt heard that about the miata.

240's are improved (straight 6 engines are far from lightweight) and RX-7's don't show much of a penalty some get a rear weight bias.

 

[The_Finn]

best engine swap for a miata is KL series V6

honestly do people really care this much about what people think of their cars? I mean i drive (when the poor girl is running) what appears to be a POS 80's hatchback. I could care less what people think of the GTX they either see it and recognise it or they don't. If people are gonna bag on the Miata for being a chick car it just goes to show how little they know about MX-5 and what an amazing little car it is.

 

[hansvonaxion]

Because most people are not car enthusiasts.

Well said.

The only problem is that it has always been a little overpriced (at least in Oz) and not the easiest to tune.

 

[thedguy]

best engine swap for a miata is KL series V6

From a musical exhaust stand point, I'd agree. From a pure performance stand point on the other hand, converting it to RWD and keeping the oil under control is a bit of an issue.

The engine that swap that has my interest is the new MZR/Duratec-4. Weighs less than the current 4, goes to 2.3 liters and with bolt on mods from cosworth it'll put out 175whp n/a.

honestly do people really care this much about what people think of their cars? I mean i drive (when the poor girl is running) what appears to be a POS 80's hatchback. I could care less what people think of the GTX they either see it and recognise it or they don't. If people are gonna bag on the Miata for being a chick car it just goes to show how little they know about MX-5 and what an amazing little car it is.

This is exactly why I have no problems owning and proclaiming my ownership of a Miata to anyone I talk to. I don't give a damn what they think and when it gets brought up I've already made it clear I enjoy cars a bit to much for my own health.

The only problem is that it has always been a little overpriced (at least in Oz) and not the easiest to tune.

Miata/MX-5's (in the US anyway) are some of the cheapest cars to tune/modify on the market. Check out ebay, and then go look at the parts interchangeability of the car. Mazda parts binned the crap out of their designs, and licensed many of their setups to Kia (making the parts even less expensive).

 

[Spectre]

Considering one, just wondering why this cool roadster is considered so effite? Its not like it has goofy styling like the new beetle, or is even remotely practical for families, those two things being the primary things that make a car "gay".

Why do they have such a reputation? Do you think a respectable heterosexual male could drive around miami in one and not get laughed at as he drove by?

Because Mazda initially marketed them to women (and by extension effeminate and gay males). Actual Mazda ad:

And why did they do this? Because women are more likely to buy a small convertible than men are.

 

[thedguy]

Because Mazda initially marketed them to women (and by extension effeminate and gay males). Actual Mazda ad:

And why did they do this? Because women are more likely to buy a small convertible than men are.

How many men could actually fit on them anyway?