69hpbt Member Joined: Oct 2002  KS, USA Posts: 1069 Feedback: 0% (0)

Posted: 8/19/2012 10:33:23 PM [Last Edit: 8/19/2012 10:35:00 PM by 69hpbt] THE IMAGE ABOVE IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT so my four wheeling rig is about done for me, havent been wheeling in more than a year, so i was thinking of selling it and buying something cheap, fun to drive and good on gas, thinking less than five grand, talk me in to or out of a mazda mx5 eta i'm straight and am secure in my manhood.

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K1rodeoboater Member Joined: Jan 2007  PA, USA Posts: 10997 Feedback: 100% (18) Link To This Post

Posted: 8/19/2012 11:40:11 PM ...well...they handle like go carts. I prefer the older pop up headlight styled ones over the fixed headlight ones, but that's because it's the car I learned to drive stick in. Rust damage in the rear quarter/rocker area is common. There are drain holes there that get plugged up with debris and have water sit in there rotting them from the inside out. Not a hard repair if you have a welder and are willing to nut up and cut, they make patch panels for them now too. They're not the fastest car around, and yes you'll get some ridicule for it being a chick's car. But at the same time you can get involved in autocross or spec racing and have another money drain hobby. If you want to swap in a mustang 5.0 engine you'll have one ballsy little car too...handling more than likely is shit I'd imagine, but it'll go fast. If you want to go faster without messing to much with vehicle characteristics there are plenty of turbo kits available that are all pretty much a bolt on affair (with the exception of tuning, though there are plenty of user maps available to give you a good base to start with) all in all fun little cars if you don't mind getting some flack for it being a "cute" girls car.

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Infallible Stranger in a strange land Team Member Joined: Apr 2004  USA Posts: 12755 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/20/2012 10:10:25 AM Honda S2000 won't make you look like a cross dresser and its actually got some power.
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jhardy Member Team Member Joined: Jun 2006  WA, USA Posts: 701 Feedback: 100% (1) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/20/2012 2:41:55 PM Awesome cars! They are cheap to buy, repair, and run. They are easy to work on and have a huge aftermarket. They get decent mileage. I have a beat up '96 with the 1.8 liter motor. I get 25mpg. It doesn't matter if I baby it or powershift everytime. It gets 25mpg.
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Zippy_The_Wonderdog Yip! Yip! Yip! Life Member Joined: Oct 2001  SC, USA Posts: 11244 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post

Posted: 8/20/2012 8:38:09 PM Big horsepower and hard acceleration loses its excitement after awhile. Mash right foot to floor, lift a bit and mash left pedal up and down. Shift that lever. Rinse and repeat. Vrooooom. What does not get old is great handling, and that is what a Miata has. As far as "going fast" goes, I read a great quote regarding Miatas awhile ago. "If you can't go fast in a Miata, there is something wrong with you." A 3rd gen. Miata (NC) will go right past 100 mph without much effort, and you can be a few inches over 6' tall and fit just fine. Much more fun than a C5 Corvette in my experience.

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NAM DD214 Holder Team Member Joined: Jul 2002  WI, USA Posts: 24027 Feedback: 100% (41) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/20/2012 8:44:00 PM Piccolo runs (ran?) a Miata, so that's good enough for me.
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EFB16ACRX Member Life Member Joined: Aug 2007  VA, USA Posts: 12891 Feedback: 100% (8) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/20/2012 9:09:05 PM awesomely fun cars. I'd have one if I fit better. Balls in steering wheel is no fun.
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SteveV Member Team Member Joined: Apr 2008  VA, USA Posts: 2084 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/21/2012 12:03:29 AM Originally Posted By NAM: Piccolo runs (ran?) a Miata, so that's good enough for me. But you have to do it the same way he does. Leather helmet, goggles and long white silk scarf.
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MTUSA Member Joined: Oct 2002  MCO Posts: 20268 Feedback: 100% (1) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/21/2012 8:15:23 AM Originally Posted By Infallible: Honda S2000 won't make you look like a cross dresser and its actually got some power. Under $5K...
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sigp226 No_Limit_Cracka Team Member Joined: Jun 2006  WLF Posts: 11497 Feedback: 100% (1) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/21/2012 8:25:06 AM Originally Posted By SteveV: Originally Posted By NAM: Piccolo runs (ran?) a Miata, so that's good enough for me. But you have to do it the same way he does. Leather helmet, goggles and long white silk scarf. You say that like there's something wrong with it.
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jcncc Member Joined: Sep 2004  TX, USA Posts: 4879 Feedback: 100% (1) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/21/2012 8:45:47 AM Fun cars even more so when you add a turbo or supercharger.
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SteveV Member Team Member Joined: Apr 2008  VA, USA Posts: 2085 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post

Posted: 8/21/2012 9:13:28 AM Originally Posted By sigp226: Originally Posted By SteveV: Originally Posted By NAM: Piccolo runs (ran?) a Miata, so that's good enough for me. But you have to do it the same way he does. Leather helmet, goggles and long white silk scarf. You say that like there's something wrong with it. Oh no I don't! I would even go so far as to paint one up like Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker's Spad!

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Armourer-In-Training Member Team Member Joined: Apr 2009  GBR Posts: 704 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/21/2012 12:00:12 PM <–––––––– I've always had a habit of changing cars very quickly. Rarely keeping one for over a year. Had my MX5 for almost 2 years now! Get some good coilovers and you'll be laughing
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fortuna Member Joined: Dec 2011  CA, USA Posts: 103 Feedback: 100% (2) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/21/2012 12:31:49 PM I suck at driving stick, how are automatic miatas?
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PAEBR332 Trilateral Psychopolitician Team Member Joined: Apr 2003  PA, USA Posts: 18474 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/21/2012 1:12:06 PM Originally Posted By fortuna: I suck at driving stick, how are automatic miatas? No... Just, no...
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0uTkAsT Member Joined: Feb 2010  AZ, USA Posts: 1736 Feedback: 100% (4) Link To This Post

Posted: 8/21/2012 2:28:24 PM [Last Edit: 8/21/2012 2:31:58 PM by 0uTkAsT] Originally Posted By PAEBR332: Originally Posted By fortuna: I suck at driving stick, how are automatic miatas? No... Just, no... This ^ As a side note, I raced and daily drove two Miatas for about 2 years. One was a '99 and the other was an '04 MazdaSpeed Turbo. They are tons of fun, very reliable, and great gas mileage, but if you're used to having a truck, going on long road trips, or need to ever carry anything larger than a bag of groceries, they get old fast. If you live in the city, dodging inattentive drivers, avoiding streets with rough surfaces, cracks, speed bumps, and steep driveways further adds to the displeasure. If I lived somewhere with great driving roads galore, and I could afford to also have a pickup, then I'd get another Miata in a heartbeat. Until that day, I will never go back.

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1Evil55 Member Team Member Joined: Nov 2010  IL, USA Posts: 236 Feedback: 100% (1) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/22/2012 11:50:04 AM How about buying a real go-cart? You can find a TAG cart for ~2500 bucks. Not sure your area, should be a track within reason of a drive. They make a miata feel like, a miata. Nothing better than +3g lateral G.
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jcncc Member Joined: Sep 2004  TX, USA Posts: 4885 Feedback: 100% (1) Link To This Post

Posted: 8/24/2012 7:40:07 AM The Miata is the peoples sports car. My Mazdaspeed Miata after a good bit of affordable tweaking is making abound 220hp and about 200lbs of tq. More that enough to spin the tires in the first three gears. There is something to be said for having a car you can drive at the limit. Quick sprints to 100mph up a entrance ramp are IMO more fun than loosing a V8 or V6 monster as the Miatas weight allows for twitchy handling and supurb braking.

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higginsworksforme Member Joined: Jul 2009  CA, USA Posts: 1185 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/24/2012 11:35:14 AM Originally Posted By 1Evil55: How about buying a real go-cart? You can find a TAG cart for ~2500 bucks. Not sure your area, should be a track within reason of a drive. They make a miata feel like, a miata. Nothing better than +3g lateral G. Anyone who thinks cars handle well or uses the phrase "like a go kart" needs to drive a kart and have their eyes opened.
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KC-130 FLT ENG Member Joined: Apr 2001  GA, USA Posts: 3612 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post

Posted: 8/24/2012 6:33:41 PM I bought a Miata in '93. Black with a tan top/interior. I was single. That car pulled some ass. I traded it in when I got married because my new wife wanted one of her own....one that didn't remind her of the attention I recieved in it. So we got her a montego blue Miata in 95. We (she mostly) drove that car until our daughter was born. Then I drove it for a year or so. I ended up selling it in 01. I don't normally get attached to objects, but I did get attached to that car. I'm working on getting some bills paid off, when I get there, I'm getting another Miata. Go ahead....call me gay.

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pevrs114 Member Team Member Joined: Mar 2005  VA, USA Posts: 6505 Feedback: 100% (19) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/26/2012 4:51:02 AM I had a 97 M edition. Forest green, tan top, tan leather. Beautiful car, lots of fun. Pulled a bit of booty myself in it as well. I sold it to buy a truck when I had a kid. I'd love to get another one.
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M4-AK Member Team Member Joined: Apr 2001  FL, USA Posts: 16006 Feedback: 0% (0) Link To This Post	Posted: 8/27/2012 1:05:01 PM Originally Posted By fortuna: I suck at driving stick, how are automatic miatas? The NC 2006 and later 6 speed paddle shift auto is a blast. Try the Miata forum you'll see that a good many have that tranny and they all love it.
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