are these available for a less than huge amount of money? Anywhere?

I want to spend like $500-$2k on one... doesn't need to be in great shape, or even have a working top... or even a non-rusted body.... etc.

how are they on gas/etc? Any major reliablity issues?

They're usually still in the 3k range, but you can occasionally find one for $1500-2000.

They're great on mileage, and are very reliable.

Craigslist usually has a shitload of them for sale.

^ You're in CA, of course they havea shit load.

When I was looking for my miata, there were plenty of them in your price range but... They were either pieces of crap or they were sold instantly.

I doubt you will find a rusted out miata, they resist corrosion very well. and dont worry about a non working top, that would have to be a really fucked up top to be not working. they dont have a motor, the motor is YOU, which happens to be a good thing I can drop the back window,side windows and drop the top in about 25 seconds.

They are pretty good on gas, Pretty reliable becarful of the 90-91 1/2 year modles some of them have the "short nose crank problem" that can cause the crank to fail suddenly and catostrophicaly (Only if you dont do the "locktight fix" in time).


Fun to drive, parts dont cost as much as ones for RX-7s, they have a decent aftermarket, and are big contenders at autocrosses.

well I have the FD to autocross in, I'm just looking for another toy.

by "not working" I mostly meant "shitty" or "not working to keep rain out" as I want to put a hardtop on it anyways - can always take the hardtop off on nice days.

I just looked at trader.ca and the cheapest one in auto trader in the whooole province is $7k.... so obviously buying one in canada is not an option :(

Whats the market value for a decent running miata?

thats a huge range sntp, because theres a huge range of model years to choose from.

in other words
SEARCH NOOB

www.cars.com
;)

I rather type a sentence and let someone tell me.

$500-$27,609

Lick my nuts.

You want a 92 or a 93, and I'd expect to pay anywhere from $500 for a shell to $9k for a pristine '92 Sunburst Yellow.

In reality, for $2k you are looking at a car with quite a few miles on it, probably approaching 200,000 miles, and even then it'll be a beater. At $3k you get a nicely sorted car with between 140,000 and 180,000 miles on it, and at $4k you can have whatever you want with 80,000 miles on it. I paid $4200 for my '94 with 125,000 miles on it and I'm happy.

Miatas hold a decent value. Most of the time they will cost more than a 1st or 2nd gen FC. I was looking at some 3.5-4 years ago. They seemed to be well over 5k.

Since when did Miatas get so expensive? Well thank you Savington, you're pretty damn accurate.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/car/289845135.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/car/288645576.html

OOo cheap
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=218158671&dealer_id=58131816&car_year=1996&model=MIATA&num_records=25&make2=&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&engine=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&search_type=both&distance=200&make=MAZDA&color=&min_price=&drive=&default_sort=priceDESC&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceDESC&address=11204&advanced=&end_year=2007&doors=&transmission=&max_price=4000&cardist=19



I wonder how this happened.
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=218360654&dealer_id=59653033&car_year=1996&model=MIATA&num_records=25&make2=&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&engine=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&search_type=both&distance=200&make=MAZDA&color=&min_price=&drive=&default_sort=priceDESC&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceDESC&address=11204&advanced=&end_year=2007&doors=&transmission=&max_price=4000&cardist=145

Oh just for the hell of it, I paid $3900 for my 91, it had 85,000 miles, and was in very good condition except for a couple of minor things.

wow miatas ARE expensive. i wonder why? vert factor?

The 1st gens (90-97) seem to be holding value. I wouldn't be surprised to see them up a couple hundred bucks on average in a couple of years.

Both the cars SNTP posted are good deals, but I don't see that white car lasting too long. A Miata hardtop with decent paint is worth $1000 off a car, or it increases the value of any Miata by $1000.

If I were looking for a solid 1.6 to start a turbo project, that '93 is on the money. $3500 for 140,000 miles with a new TB is a solid buy.

wow miatas ARE expensive. i wonder why? vert factor?

Most people think that they are (Or mine at least) More expensive than they were. People mistake them for really high end sports cars, I even had someone think it was a lexus, I was truly offended.

fc verts are expensive too.... as long as they're stock.

try selling a clean turbovert a half of market value, I did for 6 months with no luck... still have the damn thing :P

wow miatas ARE expensive. i wonder why? vert factor?
Sudden increase in demand?

Most people think that they are (Or mine at least) More expensive than they were. People mistake them for really high end sports cars, I even had someone think it was a lexus, I was truly offended.

How does someone not know what a miata is? Even my mom knows.

Sudden increase in demand?



How does someone not know what a miata is? Even my mom knows.


Because People are retarded. But seriously I DONT KNOW. Maybe its because of the spoiler I have, or the headlight scoop. Or maybe they just cant read MIATA written on the back There is a shockingly large chunk of the adult poplulation that is illiterate.

Miatas are so expensive because they are such great cars. SCCA has its own class for Miatas only. The handling of the Miata is great. The aftermarket support is good. They make great daily drivers (especially if you get the hard top for winter time). They are a real driver's car. It is like the issue of Car & Driver where they took the newest Viper, the C6 Vette (could have been Z06, don't remember), the Solstice, and the MX5 out to the same track in the same day. At the end of the day, the staff all agreed - the Viper and Vette were insanely faster, but they would much rather be driving home in the MX5. Its the fun, got-to-have-it factor that makes Miatas so expensive, and then reliablity just adds to the price that much more.

I personally would absolutely love to own a Miata. Stick a hard top on it, and drop an NA 13B under the hood just because of how big of a rotard I am. Suspension mods, and I'd be good to go.

It would be a waste to drop a NA 13B (unless it's a MSP) in a miata. Waste of a miata, that is.

Its a waste to put a hardtop on a miata, Its just freezing temps, dont be a pussy! put that top down!

http://www.theforumlounge.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2039&d=1173573695

Miata Coupe's are f'in hot.
http://www.miata.net/news/images/coupe03.jpg
http://www.miata.net/news/images/MiataCoupe2.jpg
http://www.miata.net/news/images/mazdarscoupe.jpg
http://www.triplezoom.com/gallery/albums/01%20Mazda/Miata%20-%20Roadster%20-%20MX5/Miata%20Coupe/006.jpg


1st gen Miata Coupe concept.
http://www.miata.net/images/coupe.jpg

It's a pretty good idea for a "new rx7" :P .

I saved pics form an article i read a few months ago. Awesome miata.
http://www.theforumlounge.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2040&d=1173575023
http://www.theforumlounge.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2041&d=1173575055
http://www.theforumlounge.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2042&d=1173575117

SNTP, are you apart of the Triplezoom forums? Is their RX-7 form still really dead?

It would be a waste to drop a NA 13B (unless it's a MSP) in a miata. Waste of a miata, that is.

The S5 N/A is a glorious engine.

Especially when properly modded.

SNTP, are you apart of the Triplezoom forums? Is their RX-7 form still really dead?
I'm on so many forums, i forget what forums i'm registered on. When i checked out nopistons last year, i tried to register but i was already registered. So yeah...

Miata Coupe's are f'in hot.

+111111111

I debadged my car and I get people asking what it is all the time.

because you debadged it.

my friend had a new '02 cavalier (in '02) - he debadged it and got comments on how nice of a mustang it was and "wtf kind of car is that" all the time.

that miata above - friend of mine locally just got those wheels for his miata, they're pretty awesome. and $400 a set, can't go wrong. 15x8 zero offset is wacky though, hehe

My 1990 Miata with 105,000 miles and a racing beat type 1 front end and side skirts was only $2,500. I probably test drove 20 miatas that day before this one, but you can definatly find one that you want if you go out and look!