The invasive miata mental root has taken hold

One quick test drive and I've suddenly realized all I ever wanted was a NB Miata. Thanks GRM

Hold out for an '01+ and 6 spd if any serious track work is in your future.

In reply to z31maniac:

Is the 6-speed more stout? Did they get an LSD at that point?

I am only vaguely interested in purchasing the 2000 with a 5 speed I drove. I really was just trying to see what the fuss was about, but for such a cheap/simple car I was blown away.

I will likely wait a while to pick one up (6-8 months). I need to unload a few cars and I'd rather skip driving it in the winter anyway.

Looking to spend a max of 7k, will this find me a decent example? I realize that would buy a NA and a ton of parts for it but I'd really prefer to start with an NB, if simply because its easier to find a really well kept one.

The 6 spd is more stout, but if you aren't planning on FI or really beating on it, the 5 spd should be more than sufficient. And the VVT engine in the 01+ got a 0.5 compression bump and will make more under the curve.

An LSD will depend on what trim/option level the car is at, and if it's ever been swapped etc. The NB's have a slightly better suspension geometry than the NA due to the front subframe, and the 99+ head flows much better than the earlier 1.8

An I/H/E + Megasquirt and good tune should get you around 140whp.

But you're modification path would really determine what you would want to do. Nice DD, HPDE toy, cone killer................in fact, if you can bump that budget up another few thousand you can find nice, higher mileage '06-07 Miata's. And you can build a competitive STR car with those.

If you are both patient and, at the same time, ready to pull the trigger at a moment's notice, $7K should be enough to get you a pretty decent NB. Oddly enough, at least locally, NA prices seem to be creeping up, while NB prices are still sliding down, to the point where there are only a grand or two price difference between them.

The six speed is cool, but for daily driving a five speed is more enjoyable. I didn't like the six speed on my 01 and skipped 4th gear all the time.

I recently swapped from a 5-speed to a 6 (after stripping all the teeth off 3rd at Laguna last year), and the 6-speed's shift quality is a significant step down.

The VVT head has more upside potential if you're going to do a lot of engine mods (either FI or with some significant naturally aspirated mods), but stock vs stock there's not much difference vs the BP-4W in the 99/00. The 99/00 is a bit lighter as well.

IMHO 140rwhp with I/H/E + MS2 is ambitious, 130 is probably more realistic.

For LSD, you want to make sure that whatever car you buy has the Torsen. This can be tricky (they are externally visually identical to the open diff), but there are various buyer's guides out there to tell you what other option packages they came with.

99s can dyno ~125 rwhp w/ a Fuel Pressure Regulator to lean the mixture out a bit, downpipe back exhaust, SM restrictor plate, stock intake and SM legal head work.

do the intake, lose the restrictor plate, adjust FPR to adjust AFR and you are looking at 135 rwhp.

Pretty repeatable formula.