Miata I drove this Miata last weekend. The dealer is a fixed price dealer and wanted $6999 (plus a $500 doc fee) at the time. I said I had no interest at that price. It is a plain jane model. The interior is very good. The top is excellent. The exterior is average, probably very good with a little buffing. It has one little boo boo on the Carfax. Out the door with taxes and all their stupid fees, I probably be right at about $5,700.
Anybody want to pass a verdict?
EDIT - It is a manual, regardless of what the ad says. And there is nothing wrong with the front end; the hood is just cracked open.
I've got a '99 and love it. If the top is in good shape and there aren't any mechanical or handling issues, go for it. Before you buy, though, decide whether you plan to keep it pretty much stock or if you want to get into modifying it. Cars of similar vintage can be had for the same money but with go-fast parts already installed. Oh, and I'm willing to bet there's a little more wiggle room in the price for this one, if you're ready to haggle...
In reply to nderwater:
They wouldn't haggle at all last weekend when it was $6999, so I doubt there is any room to wiggle. As for modifications, the wheels have to go but I doubt I will do much more than that.
Is an LS worth the extra money? Is the Bose in it that much better than stock?
Correct me if i'm wrong but the add you linked says 4995?
Otherwise join the club. I did.
In reply to nocones:
Yeah, they dropped it $1000 Monday morning and another $1000 today. It is probably off to auction if they don't sell it at this price. They've had it for a few months. They originally started out at $8995. I hate no haggling.
In reply to nocones:
The price he quoted was OTD with tax, tag, title transfer, and dealer fees.
Otto_Maddox wrote:
I hate no haggling.
Then haggle. They want it sold. Throw a number at them, obviously their current system is not working if they still have the car.
car39
Reader
7/9/10 5:03 p.m.
Don't buy it, Miata's are terrible! You start with one, end up with a yard full. You annoy everyone around you with how much fun it is to drive one. You have to figure out what to do with the cash you save not buying brakes and tires and gas like it's going out of style when you go to the track. Stay away! You've been warned!
It's not a screaming deal but it's not a bad one either. Looks like it has a Nardi wheel and shift knob but doesn't look like a M-edition. If all it needs is a good buff I say get it. I don't think that it'll get any cheaper. Somebody will bite at that price.
Tell them you want a years worth of oil changes and you'll take it. Gotta make them work a little. 
Edit: As soon as you get it, immediately get on the Flyin' Miata mailing list then say good bye to your credit cards. 
Also 949racing 6UL wheels are the cats ass on a Miata.
Buy it! After owning 14 miata, I think that I can state that you will never regret purchase of any miata. $5700 otd is good price for base car imo. You could argue that their ad is misleading and deceitful ie advertising it as an auto but you will get further just by offering a realistic purchase price.
OK, I drove my new (to me) Miata to work today.
I saw that the timing belt service had been done and it had a receipt for a new top last November, so that sealed the deal.
So what did you make out for?
I just joined the club with a 1996 M with 150K miles. It had decent maintenance, but light damage front and rear, aftermarket hood, and rough paint/seats. The good was 0 rust (in Wisconsin), the rest of the interior is minty, new top, and Lighweight flywheel. I gave $2500, which is highish, but every other one I looked at was $4.5K-5K+
Yours looks like it was nicer than the 5K ones I looked at. Way better than any low dollar NB I've seen. We had a 2000 Base for a while and I really liked it.
In reply to nocones:
I bent over and paid $4995 plus a doc fee of $489. It was a nicer car and a better deal than I had found anywhere else after a couple of months of looking. Plus, my little lady was losing patience with me.
I actually think you got a pretty good deal. In my area I couldn't touch that car for <$7k. These little buggers hold their value well. Clean cars, with decent maintenance history aren't easy to come by. Good score!
I've been looking off and on for one for a while, as the MG project is just taking to long and I wanted something I could just drive. The kool-aid is as delicious as it is refreshing.
