Thinking of picking up a 99 - 2004 Miata

[Spazdog]

Originally Posted By: slug_bug
I'm traveling to Texas in a couple of weeks and am thinking about buying a 1999 - 2004 Mazda Miata and driving it back to Michigan.


Dallas/FtWorth and Houston are the 4th and 5th largest metropolitan areas in the US.

No rust (unless it was parked along the seawall on Galveston Island) but the prices probably won't be much different than the 3rd (Chicago) or 5th (Philadelphia) largest metropolitan areas.

The Mazda BP engines are solid. Robust enough for turbocharging. No problems there.

If the top worked to keep the A/C in during our summer, maybe it will keep the northern cold out enough on the trip home!

 

[slug_bug]

Your car looks great. Probably out of my price range. Looking to spend less than 5k.

 

[slug_bug]

6 ft even. I've test driven a few. The first gen. felt too small. I fit fine in the >99' cars. Incentive not to gain weight

 

[Vikas]

Originally Posted By: brandini
I'll sell you my 2004 Mazdaspeed! 70k miles, all maintenance performed.
Factory turbo makes it a hoot!

Oh man, it looks so good and I am so tempted Why the front plate is not centered?

 

[brandini]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Originally Posted By: brandini
I'll sell you my 2004 Mazdaspeed! 70k miles, all maintenance performed.
Factory turbo makes it a hoot!

Oh man, it looks so good and I am so tempted Why the front plate is not centered?


If it's centered when you get bumped in a parking lot the screws poke holes in the bumper. I live in the city so it can happen.

 

[Cardenio327]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
If the top worked to keep the A/C in during our summer, maybe it will keep the northern cold out enough on the trip home!

Miatas have powerful heaters, the soft top provides more than enough r factor to keep in plenty of hot air in winter and lots of cold air in summer.

I would just avoid a hardtop for a Miata, I have heard that they leak more air and more water than the soft tops, and generally feel colder in the winter. Disclaimer: I have never ridden in a Miata equipped with a hardtop; but I commuted for 7 years in a Miata in all types of inclement weather.

 

[brandini]

Originally Posted By: Cardenio327
I would just avoid a hardtop for a Miata, I have heard that they leak more air and more water than the soft tops, and generally feel colder in the winter. Disclaimer: I have never ridden in a Miata equipped with a hardtop; but I commuted for 7 years in a Miata in all types of inclement weather.

Completely incorrect, because my car has both. A hardtop is MUCH better at keeping the weather out since the soft top drains are inside the cabin. (whoever designed it like this needs a slap) Also the hardtop is attached in 6 places, is a cellulose fiber version of fiberglass, and has a real glass rear window. Any leaking issues are solved with the typical latch adjustments common to the soft tops (they use nearly identical latches) and the hardtop just has it's own method.

 

[bustednutz]

I never regretted it for a minute. I have the NC body though. I think you'd love it. Handling is incredible.

 

[artificialist]

The extremely early ones would develop crankshaft problems, but I think they solved that around 1995.

My understanding is that they are solid cars.