The Miata--Its really, really good...

If only they made it so that a normal size person* could fit.


(For the purposes of this response, normal size is 6'3" and ~225lbs. AKA, me)

 

That said, they are appealing enough cars that I've considered altering the seats so that I can fit!

 

I was honestly thinking about creating a thread for this model, it's such a brilliant car. Owners LOVE them! Every one who loves driving should own one once in their lives (this car, and the original Mini).

The BEST thing about them is that you can drive them 10/10 on the street without endangering yourself or those around you.

 

in 2003 I test drove a friend's Miata and really loved the gokart handling. but I hated the cramped feeling, and I'm only 6'1. also didn't like the fact that the top was manual-lift.

bought a brand new S2000 instead and have loved every minute of it. and I have definitely driven it less-than-gently on the twisty roads on the mountains running down from SF to Santa Cruz... always handled beautifully. and no matter how hard I drove it on the weekends, every Monday fired up reliably and took me to work, no problem... it's a Honda after all.

 

Isn't that inherently impossible? 10/10ths is the ragged edge of being in control. At 10/10ths you are endangering yourself and others when not on a racetrack.

Having said that, I agree that the Miata is a wonderful car that suffers a feminine image.

Matt

 

I had a girlfriend that had one, she used to pick me up for lunch and then drive like a sheered rabbit through traffic - bad memory

That was in 2001, it was brand new. Are only the newer generations good or all model years?

Joe, you spoke the same way about the Boxster when you first got it, is it really that much better or is it just the novelty that the Boxster too once shared?

You chose a 2010, is an '08 or '07 the same car?

I'm curious, so I'll take a second look.. I hope I find pictures of ones a little more masculine.

 

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This actually looks pretty good, and very inexpensive.

 

I used to own a 1997 Miata (same year as my F355) back in 2002-2007 when I was in completing my residency and fellowship training. I bought the car in North Carolina and trucked the car to California when I moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area. The car was a dream cruising through Virginia Beach, the North Carolina Outerbanks, Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and as a commuter through the Napa Valley. A convertible in Fall driving through Oakville Cross Rd. Is one of the most beautiful drives per memory. As a sportscar, the handling balance and tossibility of this wonderful car still sticks with me. the lack of power is one of the engaging factors of the car, needing all of the revs to produce each and every HP out of the engine. This prepared me for enjoying the similar attributes of the F355. I sold the car on Ebay in 2007 as we were expecting our first child replacing it with a 2007 new-bodied BMW X5. The Ebay buyer for the Miata was from Maine. he flew one of his employees across to California who subsequently drove the car back to the East Coast. In my opinion the 1997 Miata was the best year of this Model. The 1997 had the original "Lotus Elan" body style with the bigger 1.8 L engine present in the 1999 plus cars. I do miss the car.

 

Couldn't agree more. While I don't own a Miata, every road test I have read indicates that it is a great car and the thing I really respect is Mazda deliberately did not increase the grip levels when the made the newer version.

Road cars should above all be fun to drive. Massive grip and power are the detriment of this harmless enjoyment.

This is why I will never sell my 1971 Alfa 1750GTV, never. If I want to go faster I go racing ... otherwise I will continue to enjoy driving as you are with your Miata. The Toyota 86 will be a huge car for Toyota for the same reason, another modern car has been designed for driver enjoyment not just performance.
Pete

 

Nice write-up Joe... thanks. I couldn't agree more on the "slow car fast vs. fast car slow"
in my own 328. I get the pleasure of driving it in a VERY fun way without a lot of risk
to myself or others. I'm quite sure if I had a 430, 458, Viper, etc. etc. etc. I'd probably
die in a most unappealing way.

Really nice commentary on the Miata - I really want to drive one now.

Jedi

 

I haven't driven a Miata in several years, but my feelings for the car were rather negative because it had very, very bad rear end traction in the wet. It would easily spin its tires under mild throttle pressure while turning at intersections. Have others experienced that?

 

Sounds like fun to me!

 

.........................>>>>>>,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i like the Miata , but i have seen 2 or 3 cars spin out or do a 180 a few cars ahead of me in the wet and once in the dry on a curve or sharp turn , so i do not know what all the fuss is about theses cars, i do like them but i think they are tail happy to spin out which on the street is very bad. ( these cars i saw spin out were not traveling fast.

 

After having driven ONLY MR2's for 21yrs and thinking they were great handling cars (the MKI is better than the MKII imo) I picked up my first Miata late last year. It is a '99 model with barely 97K miles on it and is a dream to drive even if it is just a few blocks to the local 'stop and rob'. After owning it for a few weeks I finally figured out why so many people seemed to be staring at me and it was because of the constant grin on my face and then I would assume jealousy when the weather was clear and the temps in the 70's.

As mentioned the only downfall is the lack of power so I will be turbocharging mine. I am only 5'11 and have plenty of head to toe room but would enjoy 1-2 extra inches in width but after driving for a few minutes I soon forget.

I love my Miata and do not plan to ever get rid of it.

Eric have you ever driven a Miata? If not you should test drive one so you will know the joy us owners experience, it is good fun brother. The Miata brings back all the joy and smiles I had with my AE86 but with more of a driver/car connection.

If the streets are damp I will sometimes drift the rear end out and practice my car control but then again I have better car control than most of your average daily commuters and control is based upon steering and throttle input. I also use my most important muscle and do not temp fate, thats what race tracks are for right?


My '99.
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Not at all, it was pouring during my last track day, and the car was excellent.

 

On another note it is with great joy that Mazda will be returning to the original Miata's roots. I am not sure which article holds more credibility....

http://www.motortrend.com/future/future_vehicles/1108_next_mazda_mx_5_rendering/
http://www.roadandtrack.com/future-cars/first/2014-mazda-miata/

 

Which model years?

That is entirely up to the driver. I've driven RWD cars with no driving aids and a manual gearbox in the wet since I got my driving license and I will say that the problem most often lies in the driver. People need to respect the car and understand that they all have their limits on grip and control, including the Miata.

I've seen idiots changing gears mid-corner in the wet and of course the rear is going to get unsettling when you take your foot of the clutch pedal quickly - off you go!
This is also the same reason why the local SUV's got the highest accident rates during winter (I'm not making this up) - people get all comfortable with the extra traction compared to FWD/RWD and forget that their cars also got a limit - so off they go as well!

I drove my 1993 model through two Norwegian winters and I had NO issues what so ever. The winter tires where new. It was FAR BETTER than my 1997 E-class going up snowy city hills. It was as docile as all of my no-aids BMW's from the 80's and 90's.

This is all my own experience. I'm not a good driver, my car was one of the earliest ones that are also known to be the rawest feeling of the bunch and my car was not properly maintained by previous owners so the chances are the suspension also was worn out (along with the worn out summer tires). Still, it was a sweet drive.

Most definitely the drivers fault that they spin out, IMHO.

 

You make a valid point, maybe I should use the "10/10" description less in the future!

I meant that the power is very low (at least for the earliest 1.6 118 hp versions I've driven, I have no experience with the 2.0 160 hp late models), so you can actually have your foot planted on the gas pedal but still stay within safe street/car limits, hence the "10/10".
It's the only sportscar I've driven where I can zip through the first three gears with full on throttle and not lose my driving license, where as most sportscars I've driven won't even let me empty their second gear...

***


I think most of us regular YouTubers know Matt Farah. He is a presenter known to have driven some of the fastest tuned cars, and this is his take on the MX-5:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m67ZMn0tzg8[/ame]

Well worth watching.

 

BINGO!!!!!!!!!!!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHFPM33k8ys[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHsCCTs70fY[/ame]

 

Heck I have both. Both are great. You cant beat the Miata as a track car though. When I take mine racing the most used tool in my tool box is the lawn-chair.

And Mazda does make masculine looking versions if that is a requirement.
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There is also an awesome aftermarket for tracking/racing/autoxing these as well.

Mine:
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So much so that it is overwhelming.