how can you guys love the miata????

the past week i bought two miatas and sold two miatas. i use to walk right by these things you guys call cars. i thought they were cars built for girls and for those who could not afford a real two seat sports car. in my mind i could not figure out how a company like Mazda who gave us the RX7 at a time when nissan was killing the Z slowly with the ZX. could built the miata. i vowed to myself to never own one or drive one which i have kept since 1989 till this week.

the only reason i bought these cars was because of this forum and the idea of making money on them fast which worked out better than i could have hoped for. now being a older fat guy i cant just jump in and drive one of these cars it is a slow process of grunting and cursing but it does draw smiles and chuckles from standbyers.

once i have the miata on it feels pretty good and then i turn the key and she comes to life and i am looking a gages in the right spots and shifter that is perfect and the best part is i dont feel like i am in a tiny car now and as i pull away i say to myself this is how i wanted all the MG's i had to behave for the next hour i had a lot of fun in every type of driving from traffic to twisty's to highway.

now i get it why this little inexpensive sportscar is so beloved here and other places because it is a blast to drive. now if it came with a shoehorn to get old fat guys in it.... it would be perfect

BTW Mike and Allen if you are reading this and want to back out of buying the miata it is 100% ok with me

you have been assimilated

ONE OF US

Make sure you brush your teeth after you drink the kool-aide. There's lots of sugar in it.

In 24 years nobody managed to explain to you that the Miata is a British sports car with the reliability of something Japanese?

the only problem with a Miata ( for me ) is I hate convertibles ... but that's not the Miata's problem ...it's mine

That's why I've been daily driving one for 17 years. Darn fun cars, and really awesome when boosted.

-Hamid

cutter67: Here's a story for ya.

I drove SCCA Improved Touring in the early '90s. We hated the damn Miatas because the guys in SSC (same race group at Regionals as ITB &C) were so berkelelying aggressive.

After I got divorced (sold off all my own stuff), I rented cars for a year, trying to keep my license. One weekend, it was a Miata.

I couldn't believe it. So balanced, so competent. I'll admit that I didn't race for very long, but I swear it was the only time that the car itself gave me the Red Mist. After a few laps, you really felt like you could do anything in one of the damn things.

I'd love to try an SM car sometime, I'll bet they're even better with a little suspension work!

I've had mine for 7 years and I'll replace it with another when the time comes. Fun, basic motoring without a bunch of gadgets and electronic nannies. Love it.

friedgreencorrado wrote: cutter67: Here's a story for ya. I drove SCCA Improved Touring in the early '90s. We hated the damn Miatas because the guys in SSC (same race group at Regionals as ITB &C) were so berkelelying aggressive. After I got divorced (sold off all my own stuff), I rented cars for a year, trying to keep my license. One weekend, it was a Miata. I couldn't believe it. So balanced, so competent. I'll admit that I didn't race for very long, but I swear it was the only time that **the car itself** gave me the Red Mist. After a few laps, you really felt like you could do *anything* in one of the damn things. I'd love to try an SM car sometime, I'll bet they're even better with a little suspension work!

if you like body work, SM is the place for you ... you do know that their nickname is Spec PIÑATA don't you ?

Kenny_McCormic wrote: In 24 years nobody managed to explain to you that the Miata is a British sports car with the reliability of something Japanese?

yes.....i heard that all the time but unlike the RX7 bringing back the feeling of a 240z a Japanese sports car. the Miata was going after the icons of a two seat roadsters in many minds they were going where the Japanese should not go. i always thought it was a cheap copy of what a true 2 seat vert sports car is all about even if it did it better in every aspect. growing up with midgets and spitfires (spitfire the name alone is awesome) it just didnt sit right with me. dont get me wrong either i love japanese cars i raced 510's in the late 70's and 80's. at my age right now cars that i drive i want to turn the key go have fun in it and put it back in the garage and forget about it till i need it again and the reason i dont own a british roadster as a driver anymore is because you cant do that with them they always need love. well that isnt totally true i do have a austin healey 3000 sitting in a sea container that i have owned for 30years waiting for me to retire and restore her for the 4th time

I used to roll my eyes at every Miata loving post on here. Then I drove one. Mazda has some magic dust that attaches the car directly to your heart. Of course I think I want v8 power but can't imagine a car feeling more directly connected.

wbjones wrote: if you like body work, SM is the place for you ... you do know that their nickname is Spec PIÑATA don't you ?

ROFL! True, that. One of my old buddies actually runs SM these days..he owns Sentry Body & Paint in Lilburn, GA. His dad also still runs one of those old road racing minitrucks. We may be the last Region that allows those things to run (Improved Touring Truck).

http://www.atlantascca.com/Files/2012-10-04-arrc-class-rules.pdf

My name is Brian and I have a problem. I just bought my 28th miata..............though I only have 3 at the moment. Awesome cars and even better with a LS under the hood

In reply to unk577:

Obviously nobody signed you up for rehab.

But the old SHO's do that for me, they're far worse than an addiction or lifestyle, they're just right.

I fought it for a long time myself. You know "Barbie Dream Car" jokes and the whole 9 yards. In my defense, the British sports cars predate me by about a decade, so I had no real frame of reference. I even fought off the groupthink here for . . . for a while at least. Then there was that fateful day SWMBO says "You know, instead of autocrossing your "regular car", you ought to just look for a cheap, older sports car." Looked at E30's, 240/260/280Z's, 240SX's, etc, but here in MI, most of those have at least partially returned to the earth. But I kept finding low mileage, decent condition Miatas which, since they get 4 to 5 months a year off in these parts, had a lot less mileage and associated wear and tear on them. I finally drove one. Despite the fact that it was a terrible example (blown shocks, overheating, didn't track straight, broken bits and pieces just about everywhere), I was hooked. I didn't buy that one, but it wasn't long.

As far as I'm concerned, Mazda only messed up two things: 1. It needs about 30 to 40 hp. 2. It needs tilt steering and a smaller wheel.

I don't. Honda S2000 is where it's at.

wbjones wrote: the only problem with a Miata ( for me ) is I hate convertibles ... but that's not the Miata's problem ...it's mine

Hardtop.

kazoospec wrote: As far as I'm concerned, Mazda only messed up two things: 1. It needs about 30 to 40 hp. 2. It needs tilt steering and a smaller wheel.

My solution: a quick release and a new wheel. I use a very deep dish Sparco on account of my short arms, but if there is a well stocked speed shop anywhere near you, they will likely let you pull up, take the factory wheel off, bolt up the adaptor and QR, then match wheels up to know what will work for you. Of course, friends complain hat the wheel is too close, so they rarely drive the car now. And if you only want 30-40 more up, that's easy with an entry level turbo or used M45 supercharger (though the turbo will likely have a better upgrade path).

kazoospec wrote: As far as I'm concerned, Mazda only messed up two things: 1. It needs about 30 to 40 more hp. 2. It needs tilt steering and a smaller wheel.

Agree!!! Especially about the tilt steering. Would help some of us get in & out of the car along with those with more bulk or taller get in and drive it.

I don't own one, but I perfectly understand.
Perfectly.

I just went and searched for Miatas on Craigslist...

...and holy crap they're expensive around here!

friedgreencorrado wrote:

wbjones wrote: if you like body work, SM is the place for you ... you do know that their nickname is Spec PIÑATA don't you ?

ROFL! True, that. One of my old buddies actually runs SM these days..he owns Sentry Body & Paint in Lilburn, GA. His dad also still runs one of those old road racing minitrucks. We may be the last Region that allows those things to run (Improved Touring Truck). http://www.atlantascca.com/Files/2012-10-04-arrc-class-rules.pdf

friend of mine just finished a race weekend at CMP in a rented SM ... his comment was that he had never ever been involved in the cluster flop that was T1 first lap ... ( both days) said he never knew that you could go through turns 1,2,&3 three and four wide ... there were cars that didn't see pavement from the start/finish line to the straight between 3 and 4 on the opening lap LOL

DavidinDurango wrote:

wbjones wrote: the only problem with a Miata ( for me ) is I hate convertibles ... but that's not the Miata's problem ...it's mine

Hardtop.

forgot to mention ... I'm 6'2" ... (doesn't fit so well in a Miata )

FWIW my first car was a convertible ... ( Sunbeam Alpine)