If you were going to buy one limited/special edition Miata and keep it stock?

tomtomgt356 (Tommy) said:

Keep it stock? 

*Eye starts twitching*

*Smoke comes out ears*

*Head explodes*

Yeah, I've done just about every upgrade that can be done short of an LS swap.  But if I were going to use it strictly for street driving, car shows, etc. I would have no hesitation putting a Miata back to showroom condition with original parts and driving it the way the designers intended.  All those upgrades make for a better -performing- car but not necessarily a -better- car.

I regret selling my 1997 Canadian market "Speedster" edition.  It had been in the family for many years, and we sold it when we relocated to Aus.  Great car, great colour, bone stock. 

"The 1997 "Speedster Edition" Miata Limited Edition, in Marina Green Mica, was basically a non-leather equipped US market 1997 M-Edition...with the wheels used on the US market 1997 STO Edition. It had wooden hand-brake handle and shift knob, 15" x 6" Enkei wheels, Torsen LSD, rear lip spoiler, and "Speedster Edition" stickers on the fenders and rear valence. There were only 150 made."

Not my pic: 

In reply to Nathan JansenvanDoorn :

I've got the brochure for that one. 

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to WonkoTheSane :

IIRC those weren't on the car at delivery, you could order one from Mazda. The owner would put it where they wanted - or not. All 10AEs came with a number on the fender from the factory.

Huh, neat.   I've owned two BRGs, and both had it on the ashtray which I thought was bloody stupid since the ashtray was worthless and everyone wanted the cup holders anyway...

I've never had any interest in special editions or keeping a Miata stock.  So I'd say whatever sporty ND limited edition there is.

In reply to Nathan JansenvanDoorn :

Love it. My brother has those wheels on his non-M Montego Blue Mica Miata. 

Clearly one of the miata cup cars.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/video/built-the-ultimate-race-car-with-its-mx-5-cup-car/

TravisTheHuman said:

I've never had any interest in special editions or keeping a Miata stock.  So I'd say whatever sporty ND limited edition there is.

That's why you and I would make bad collectors.

I'm a bit bias too. 10 AE 5301/7500 w/ABSThe OE polished alloys are what the winter tires are on. Swapped the teeth jarring hard asS Bilsteins and blown bump stops for much more livable Koni SRTs and new bump stops. No other mods and it's a lovely run about.

Rodan said:

As much as I like NAs, I think the special edition Miatas I might actually buy would be the 25AE or 30AE....

My brother has one of these. It's a garage queen that just turned 5,000 miles. It sure is a good looking car. 

I'd opt for the 1991 British Racing Green special edition.  I bought the beige leather seats from one of those to use in my Jamaican bodied MGA - comes across as quintessentially British even though I didn't paint that car green.

A friend owns one of those and driving it always reminds me of early days in a Bugeye....

Keith Tanner said:

TravisTheHuman said:

I've never had any interest in special editions or keeping a Miata stock.  So I'd say whatever sporty ND limited edition there is.

That's why you and I would make bad collectors.

I think the primary reason I would be a bad collector is I just can't justify holding onto a non-appreciating asset unless I'm actively using it.

TravisTheHuman said:

Keith Tanner said:

TravisTheHuman said:

I've never had any interest in special editions or keeping a Miata stock.  So I'd say whatever sporty ND limited edition there is.

That's why you and I would make bad collectors.

I think the primary reason I would be a bad collector is I just can't justify holding onto a non-appreciating asset unless I'm actively using it.

To be fair, if I had put all my money into air cooled Porsches and pre-war Martin guitars 25 years ago, today I would be pretty happy with that decision from a financial standpoint.  And that's true of many collector markets, as long as you're buying the rarest and best condition examples.

In reply to ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) :

A second for condition and rarity. 

Also, one day I’m sure we’ll do a piece for Classic Motorsports about someone who has a collection containing mint examples of every special Miata ever offered.

In reply to Driven5 :

I personally like this opinion. The burnt orange copper color itches a part of my brain and makes me very happy. 

Something else to add to the conversation: factory NB Roadster hardtop. (Although is it still a roadster?) 

We’ve discussed them before: Have you met the Roadster Coupe, Mazda’s Japan-only hardtop NB Miata?

tomtomgt356 (Tommy) said:

Keep it stock? 

*Eye starts twitching*

*Smoke comes out ears*

*Head explodes*

Does an ND Cup count? I think I could keep one of those stock

David S. Wallens said:

Something else to add to the conversation: factory NB Roadster hardtop. (Although is it still a roadster?) 

We’ve discussed them before: Have you met the Roadster Coupe, Mazda’s Japan-only hardtop NB Miata?

I still think this is the most beautiful, desireable car that Mazda has ever made.

David S. Wallens said:

Something else to add to the conversation: factory NB Roadster hardtop. (Although is it still a roadster?) 

We’ve discussed them before: Have you met the Roadster Coupe, Mazda’s Japan-only hardtop NB Miata?

If we're going to go overseas, the 24 BBr turbo cars from...1992?...are unique and very scarce. 

ShinnyGroove (Forum Supporter) said:

David S. Wallens said:

Something else to add to the conversation: factory NB Roadster hardtop. (Although is it still a roadster?) 

We’ve discussed them before: Have you met the Roadster Coupe, Mazda’s Japan-only hardtop NB Miata?

I still think this is the most beautiful, desireable car that Mazda has ever made.

I would second that emotion. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

3rd it. That car is gorgeous.

As much as i love the Lava Orange MSM and how rare it is, I'd still throw the entire FM Big Enchilada kit on it.

The 10AE Miata is the one I'd like to have to cherish.

I've owned a 1999 Hard S/Sport and a 2004 MSM (along with a several NA's, an NC and my wife's old ND1). 
 

If I had to just leave it alone, likely either another 1999 S, another MSM or a 10AE. Although on the MSM I would have a hard time not swapping out the OEM 17's for a set of 15's. I also never cared for the surfboard seats in the NB2 cars. 
 

The 10AE is a good looking car in my eyes- it already has a Torsen, Hard S suspension, all the chassis bracing, ABS (optional IIRC) and all the interior goodies. It would be easy to keep stock. 
 

On the other hand, the 1999 S is a good bit lighter, making for a slightly quicker/more fun car and can still be had with AC and power steering, which is really all I would want... plus in that generation, I prefer the 5MT over the 6MT. I might go with the 1999 S just for the 5MT alone (over the 10AE and MSM). 
 

I liked my old NA's, but for whatever reason, I have more fond memories of having fun in my 1999 S and MSM. After scouring my memories, probably a 1999 S. 
 

Although I did have a ton of fun in the last NC3 Club I drove... never a bad thing to have options! I think the NC is a much better, more usable street car- probably my favorite Miata to drive... but when I think "keep it stock", I think "collectors car" and long term, I think NA's and NB's will be more collectible. 

The 1991 BRG is just the quintessential Miata.  The first special edition, and there are a bunch of them left in collector's condition.  The '93 Black/Red is more rare and does seem to fetch quite the premium.  But, don't do it.  Buy one and drive it.

I've got a 1991 BRG that I always planned to keep stock except for the suspension.  It got FM Vmaxx coilovers and sway bars right after I bought it because all NA Miata shocks are toast by now and they all should have better sway bars.  That was 15 years ago and it had 90,000 miles on it then.  I've avoided going crazy, but it obviously needed an exhaust because stock Miata exhaust is so quiet. And FM frame rails.  But it's *pretty* stock.

And... I think I'm done pretending it's going to stay stock-ish.  It's never going to be a collector's car with 215,000 miles on it.  Once FM manages to keep turbos in stock, it's getting a 1.8 swap with a turbo because I literally can't keep up with traffic at 9,000ft.  I've managed 30 years of driving a stock powered Miata, I think it's time to try driving a fast one.

Still surprised BRG didn’t become a standard NA color for the U.S. market since it did so overseas.