LM: NC Miata with retractable hardtop

Thinking about an NC PRHT(?) with a stick as a short distance commuter for a kid. I know approximately nothing about NCs. Enlighten me please. 

I want one. That's all I've got. 

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

Thinking about an NC PRHT(?) with a stick as a short distance commuter for a kid. I know approximately nothing about NCs. Enlighten me please. 

Well I've just bought the soft top a month ago so I don't know much specifically about that model, but for NC's in general, NC2's and NC3's seem to be the models to have because they fix a lot of stuff NC1's didn't and the plastic coolant tank is a problem for all of them and you should check that (or just change it, its cheap) so it doesn't explode and your motor is toast. Upon my research with these cars, there really isn't much that goes wrong with them.

I have a 2008 PRHT that I purchased new. I DD'ed it for four years including 4 Michigan winters with snow tires. The last ten years it's a fair weather vehicle but that includes autoX's and some light track action. I keep up on all maintenance and replace things as required. Lightly modified now. Nothing to report really. Completely reliable, no issues. Just recently purchased the aluminum coolant tank but have yet to put it on. The NC platform seems to have turned the corner.........every where I go I get compliments on it now. For years it was under the radar. Now is the time to buy as they likely will be going up in price. Just recently upped my value on it with Hagerty. It's my forever car...........I'll never sell it. I am actually thinking of getting a second NC for more dedicated track use.

Obligatory pic:

I have a 2009 NC, it's a great car for me. I think it provides a good blend of comfort and handling. Replaced an NB Miata and an RX8, both of which I miss, but not enough to regret the NC.

We've had NA, NB and NC Miatas, and I've driven the ND.  Our NC PRHT Club was my wife's DD for four years.  It was my favorite for a street/daily Miata, and I'm seriously considering selling our NB in the spring to buy another one.

The NC is a more 'modern' car than NA/NB, though still pretty basic in terms of 'infotainment' compared to new cars.  The suspension is a bit on the soft side from the factory, but the chassis is excellent.  Mild suspension, tires and a good alignment do wonders.  They are a little roomier than NA/NB/ND, though still a small car.

The power hard top is what really sets the car apart for a daily.  You have a coupe, until you want a convertible... just a 10 second button press.  Better security than a soft top, and quieter, though it's still not a 'quiet' car.  Slightly better insulation for cold/hot weather as well.

NCs got a facelift in 2009 ('NC2) that included different (more aggressive) bumper covers, some interior changes, and a forged crankshaft with a slightly higher redline.  Looks are subjective, but the forged crank is nice, and the door panel redesign gave a little more knee room.  They got another facelift in 2013 ('NC3') that was mostly cosmetic and the 'Club' models were introduced. 

As noted above, the plastic coolant expansion tank is a failure point, but easy to replace.  IMHO the sweet spot for a street car is FM springs, Koni shocks, performance brake pads and a good alignment.

Biggest weakness of the PRHT is the difficulty of adding a rollbar if you have any intentions of motorsport.  We only tracked ours very casually, and only with those organizations that accepted the factory rollover protection or allowed it to run with the top up.  Wasn't a big deal for us as the track was never the focus for our NC.  Beyond casual HPDE, or AutoX I would definitely recommend a soft top car, but for a street car the PRHT is king.  

Our '13 Club PRHT:

Rodan covered most of it.

They're likely at the bottom of the depreciation curve. Mod for mod, they're significantly faster on track than an NA/NB, despite the weight penalty

Does the PRHT command a premium?

This will not be a track car.

What is the tipping point, mileage wise, where upkeep begins to get expensive?

NC 2/3 PRHTs are bringing very strong money right now, and the PRHT will bring a premium over a soft top.  I've seen some sell for nearly what we paid for our 2013 as a one year old car in 2014!  NC1s are bringing a little less and are a better bargain.  There's a really nice '08 on C&B right now that is local to me (I looked at it yesterday), and there's an '08 in PA on BAT.  I would expect a clean NC1 PRHT with under 80k miles to bring ~$13-15k in the current market.  Anything less I would consider a bargain.

They're Miatas, so I wouldn't worry too much about mileage, but obviously more stuff is going to need attention once you get over 150k.  I can't speak personally to a higher mileage NC, as we sold ours at ~45k, but our NB is over 160k and going strong.  Our NA is over 170k, but nothing original remains at this point... 

Got an NC1 prht for the kid. Had it 4 years. Great car. Did nothing but oil, tires and brakes. It already had Bilsteins and springs. 

Woody (Forum Supportum) said:

What is the tipping point, mileage wise, where upkeep begins to get expensive?

There isn't really one. NCs use a lot of common Ford/Mazda commodity car bits. It's the same 2.0 MZR/Duratec engine as the period Mazda 3/Ford Focus, timing chain so no belts to worry about, port injection, just a very simple and reliable mill. Parts availability is excellent and they are pretty easy to work on except for a few specific jobs (radiator replacement comes to mind). Just make sure basic maintenance has been done and replace the coolant tank before it explodes and you will go for a while. Even the autos hold up well if you stay on top of fluid changes. There are a few original drivetrain 300k+ cars on the NC Facebook group.

The one thing I would say is that they DO rust like the older Miatas so I would absolutely not buy one that has ever seen salt.

I bought this '06 NC1 a couple years back with 125k, did some basic mods, and have been caning it around Sonoma and the SF Bay ever since. It is rock solid reliable and I would recommend the platform to anyone.

They are really nice with a LS3 in them. That's all I have to add to this conversation. 

But seriously, As a DD miata, They are the best IMHO. They drive nice, are a modernish car that can get you all of the little things. On the heavier side of the miata world but they are pretty roomy inside and I had no issues taking mine on 1000 mile road trips. It gobbled up the miles. 

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

I bought mine with over 200k on the odometer, and I've had to do nothing to it, as the previous owner took care of everything.

Maintenance records are your friend.

FWIW, I have very much enjoyed the ones that I have driven. 

Rodan said:

That NC3 Club model is perfect! What a great looking car. :)

In reply to dyintorace :

Yup. We had that same setup as a press car and totally loved it. Sadly, though, we had to give it back.