OK, I’ll be graduating from college soon, and will actually have money soon (I’ll be commissioned as an ensign in the Navy in a little under 42 days, 9 hours and 55 minutes, give or take, not that I’m counting). So today a friend of mine decides it would be fun (neither of us has class on Wednesdays) to go out and look at cars, as we will both be buying soon.
The car I really want is the Miata. I love small cars and convertibles. So we decide that’s what we’ll look at today, and after Thanksgiving we’ll go looking at what he wants (he hasn’t made up his mind, and he’ll be working in the real world for a fuck ton more money than I, giving him many options). After a brief detour of about 65 miles, we get to the Mazda dealership. I ogle, I lust, I marvel at the thing of beauty.
What amazes me is that the sticker price of the 2000 model on the showroom floor is $21,000 or so. Holy shit, that’s more or less within my price range. Anyways, they’ve got a 1999 model on the lot that the guy will let us take out for a spin.
Unfortunately, while I know how to drive a manual in theory, I’m a bit shaky with the in practice part. And the road in front of the dealership is a large and incredibly busy road. So I just it around the lot a bit, getting a feel for it. It’s pretty small inside, and with the top up, the black interior is slightly claustrophobic. Otherwise, I love the thing. Not exactly practical, but I’m single for the forseeable future, and don’t really care.
I’m so psyched. I’m going to buy a Miata. It’ll be my first car. My baby. I got a friend to agree to teach me how to drive stick this weekend in his MR-2. Then I’m going to the other Mazda dealership around here for a real test drive (they’re on a much less busy road). Any other Miata owners/lovers out there? Anyone want to offer advice on how to deal with 5.1 cubic ft. of trunk space? Especially for my eventual cross-country trip (August I’ll be moving from Rhode Island to San Diego).
Nice car, Jeremy. A classic-to-be. Hard to believe it’s already been around for more than ten years - it looks as if it was styled last year. Great fun to drive, and about the only Japanese car with style, IMHO. 21K? That’s about what it would cost here. You COULD save yourself some money by buying a second hand one: if they’re well maintained, these babies are pretty reliable and will run forever. So why not look for a nice 2 to 3 year old one?
Good for you! I used to want a Miata baaaad… almost bought one back in '97, but decided it was impractical as an only vehicle. By the time I found a boyfriend with an SUV that I can borrow anytime I want, I found I was able to afford what I considered a step up from the Miata - a BMW Z3, which I bought a few months ago.
That said, from what I hear, the Miata is a great little car. Handles really nicely, very speedy, etc. A lot of car for the $$.
Don’t worry about the manual. You’ll figure it out in no time. I learned in a couple weeks the first time I bought a stick shift car. No problems.
I’m not sure how big my trunk is compared to the Miatas, but it’s not big, and I manage. Don’t buy a luggage rack - at best, they ruin the lines of the car. At worst, they require either drilling into the trunk to mount them, or the “no-bolt” ones can scratch your car. Learn to travel light. I’ve travelled all over on a motorcycle, it’s just a matter of training to learn how to pack light. One word of advice - forget large suitcases or luggage. Pack everything in small duffel bags. You can fit more of 'em in the trunk, and they take up the space more efficiently.
Can you get heated seats in the Miata? If so, do it. You can ride with the top down in very cold weather if you have nice warm seats.
Another idea - find some Miata message boards on the net, and ask a lot of questions there. Like “What are the must-have options?” and “How do I clean the top?” and “What’s the best tire pressure?” It’s a wealth of information.
You should search the web though for this model & talk to other owners who have it. Compare prices: bestoffer.com owners info edmunds.com
Say waterj2, being more & more SUVs are being bought [20% of all cars] & they are really really high & the miata is really really low, aren’t you a little spooked seeing that a SUVs bumper is right in your eyes when you are in a Miata?
AND, Moss Motors out of Galena, CA. has added them to the line of cars they support, which is a a big thumbs up for it’s impending classic status, as everything else they handle is British. I love the new styling intro’d in 2000; a definite improvement!
Congratulations; I love my '95, and the new ones look even better. If you can believe it, the trunk size increased significantly in '97.
As small as the trunk is, you can fit a surprising amount of stuff in there. There’s also some special luggage made to utilize every sqare inch available. Also take a look at a tie-down strap for the trunk lid. This lets you leave the trunk open several inches, but still fastened securely, using the existing trunk latch mechanism. Both are available at http://store.yahoo.com/mossmotors/index.html
A couple of rules I’ve learned the hard way:
Never, ever leave anything in view inside the car, top up or down, doors locked or unlocked. I never see any evidence of people messing with my car, but even the change disappears out of the cup holders when I leave it parked outside. The worst of it is they leave the pennies behind.
Always lock the center console. Otherwise you can easily open the trunk without keys.
When parking the car outside on a nice day, flip the lid up to keep the sun out. Since it’s not a power top, it takes less than a second with one hand, keeps the interior cooler, and prevents fading, particularly on the inside of the top.
Don’t worry about heated seats; I don’t think they’re available, and the Miata has a great heater. The only heater I’ve seen that put out more raw heat was on my Dad’s 1970 911 Targa.
I’ve got a bit of semi-practical advice. Take it or leave it.
I like the Miata, but before you buy it get out and look at some other options that might be possibilities. Some ideas that come to mind are the Honda S2000 (pretty cool looking), Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder, Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro/Pontiac Firebird. All sporty convertibles in roughly the same price range that might offer a tad more space, and you can always go back to the Miata. Just know what your options are before you decide on one. Edmunds.com is well worth checking out for info on all of them.
Personally I have a '95 Chrysler LeBaron convertible and love it, but it’s been superceded by the Sebring, which is not nearly as sporty. If I were out car shopping today I’d be taking a close look at Jeep Wranglers, but I have a spot in the sticks that I can’t drive my LeBaron to that makes the Wrangler appealing to me.
Besides being really darn fun, another nice thing about pretty much any convertible is that they tend to hold their value fairly well. The biggest downside I’ve seen is the (previously mentioned) fact that they’re break-in magnets. Just something to consider.
Finally, get air conditioning. I joke about it (“hey, this is America… I need air conditioning in my convertible”), but the fact of the matter is that there will be some really warm days when you don’t feel like having the top down. Maybe not in the first six months you own it, but trust me, they’ll come.
I’ll second Lowellster on the A/C. Sometimes it’s hot out, but it’s raining, so the top is up. In some parts of the country (Phoenix comes to mind) summer is just too damn hot to have the top down at all. In early October, I drove from Denver to Phoenix, through Flagstaff, AZ. Flagstaff is in the mountains, and it’s all downhill between Flagstaff and Phoenix. I had the top down, was going about 90 mph on the highway, and as I headed out of the mountains it got hotter and hotter and hotter. With the AC on full force, I sweated like a pig. By the time I got to my hotel, I was dripping in sweat. AC is a must.
I had a '91 Miata- my first “new” car. Red, with black interior. So perfect. sigh. Some stupid woman murdered it last year when she barreled into me at 60mph. I still have an unnatural attachment to that car. Buy it! You will love it and never want another car in your life. As for luggage- there is specially made Miata luggage made to fit in the trunk- and if you travel alone, the passenger seat can hold quite a bit. Screw practicality. Soon you’ll be married with kids and you’ll have to worry about car seats and diaper bags and spaciousness. Buy this car!!!
How big is the Miata inside? I knew someone who had a Z3, and another friend said if he rode in it, they had to keep the top down. The old Fiero was relatively big in the cabin. I was looking at a Celica when the MR2s came out, asked how big it was, was invited to try, and even the salesman laughed when I got in, and I'm not that big.
I second the wait until you get to San Diego to buy the car. Remember California has car emission laws that are different than other parts of the country.
Also, make sure the actual one you are buying has an easy clutch or you will hate life very quickly. San Diego has traffic and a heavy clutch in said traffic is not fun.
I like the Miata and I think you will really enjoy it for going to the beach and just looking cool.
Thanks for all the advice and everything. For those advising me to buy it, don’t worry, I’m pretty determined on that count, but first I need to arrange a loan and stuff. Then I’ll have to choose whether to go for a 2000 or a 1999 model.
The cabin is pretty small, but at 5’5" and 125 lbs., I’m not exactly worried about that. The clutch is no problem, very easy and forgiving. And the shifter is quite fun, with very short throws. From what other people have told me, they’re one of the easiest manual transmissions to drive. And air conditioning is standard, so I don’t have to worry about anything there.
Sapphire Bullet, my sentiments exactly. I figure that the Miata is as practical as I’m going to need for a while. It’s not like I’m getting a Lotus. I am definately getting it before going to San Diego, as I will need a car for Jan. - Aug. The California emmisions part is going to suck, though. Rhode Island is mild enough in the winter, I figure.
One year when they came up on Memorial weekend, they brought it from Chicago with the top down playing Jerry Lee Lewis all the way (a trip of about 500 miles).
Look at the miata, then go look at the new MR2. I have owned both a 1986 and my current 1991 MR2 and I absolutely love them both. I have ridden in the miata before and I was not terribly impressed. I have not have the oppertunity to test drive the new 2000 or 2001 MR2 but it is similar to the miata (damn small, convertable, etc.) I plan to purchase a new MR2 as soon as I can. The new MR2’s are about $23,000 and are well worth your time.
NOOO!! Skip the new MR2. The first MR2 was a sensational ride, and the second was great fun as well, albeit more “civilised”. But the new model MR2? Blech. What a dull and boring car. Sure, it looks good on paper. Mid engine, RWD. But on the road, it’s an utter disappointment, IMHO.
The Miata is much more fun to drive than the new MR2, although I will admit that an old model MR2 is a better handling car.
The Honda S2000 is spectacular, but also almost twice as expensive as the Miata - at least over here, it is. If I were to burn that kind of cash, my choice would be a Lotus Elise - as long as we’re not looking at practicality, the Elise is simply the greatest handling car under USD 45,000. Completely bonkers.
The MR2 (at least the old ones) is a nice car, and what I will be learning manual on this Saturday, but not what I want. The S2000 is a damn nice car (my roomate’s brother has one, and I got to look at it pretty closely), but well out of my price range. The Elise is my dream car, but not available in this country, or affordable anyways. I like small and light, and the Elise is the embodiment of this. The Miata is the perfect compromise between reality and dreams for me.
