Miatas

[Me007gold]

Any one have experience with Miata's, I am looking to get something thats fun to drive yet still gets good gas mileage, I would like to keep it under 5000.

 

[Short Bus]

I've never even ridden in one, but would like to have one(especially with a LS swap). Here's a link you'll like.

Flyin' Miata 1 800 FLY MX5s

 

[Me007gold]

I've never even ridden in one, but would like to have one(especially with a LS swap). Here's a link you'll like.

Flyin' Miata 1 800 FLY MX5s

If I were to get one and get a swap, it would be a 5.0 or a 22b, but thats just if I am dreaming.

 

[Ghoster]

Any one have experience with Miata's, I am looking to get something thats fun to drive yet still gets good gas mileage, I would like to keep it under 5000.

I drove one that was set up (mildly) for autocross. It was fun, though coming out of my car to the miata, it was very underpowered. The suspension had been built for the autocross, which made it VERY tossable. Talking with the guy that owned it, he said dollar for dollar it was hard to beat. He said the costs to build it for racing was low compared to many other cars he considered. He said he was able to do 90% of the work his self in his garage. This guys daily driver was a 2008 911 turbo. If I was picking a car to build for autocross, the Miata would be very near the top of the list.

 

[Short Bus]

If I were to get one and get a swap, it would be a 5.0 or a 22b, but thats just if I am dreaming.

5.0 over a LS3 or LS7 WTF????

 

[Me007gold]

5.0 over a LS3 or LS7 WTF????

Coyote Power, plus putting a chevy product in a ford/mazda product seems wrong to me

Ford Racing Coyote 5.0 4V 412HP Mustang Crate Engine M-6007-M50 - Free Shipping!

 

[The_Roadie]

I was a passenger in one for about ten miles. I think they're a close cousin to the Jeep Liberty in terms of owner profiles.

 

[Short Bus]

Coyote Power, plus putting a chevy product in a ford/mazda product seems wrong to me

Ford Racing Coyote 5.0 4V 412HP Mustang Crate Engine M-6007-M50 - Free Shipping!

OK that's the new modular engine and wider than the old 5.0 or even BBF, good luck getting it to fit.

I was a passenger in one for about ten miles. I think they're a close cousin to the Jeep Liberty in terms of owner profiles.

Only the owners of stock Miatas!!! And if that what you think of Miata owners, what were you doing with him???

 

[Me007gold]

did The Roadie just call me gay

 

[Lima Tango]

did The Roadie just call me gay

No, he just implied that your Liberty driving boyfriend is.

 

[The_Roadie]

... if that what you think of Miata owners, what were you doing with him???

I have MANY, MANY gay friends and even relatives, especially in the theater community I do some volunteer technical work with. Just because I make fun of their vehicles doesn't mean I denigrate THEM.

Heck, even Tom and Ray the Cartalk guys, did a survey of gay vehicles:
The Ultimate Gay and Lesbian Cars of All Time | Car Talk

 

[million-miles]

Im 6'1" 300 pounds i sat down in a Miata at the dealer and almost didnt get out. Looks like a nice car for autocross or a litle fun.

 

[Short Bus]

I have MANY, MANY gay friends and even relatives, especially in the theater community I do some volunteer technical work with. Just because I make fun of their vehicles doesn't mean I denigrate THEM.

Heck, even Tom and Ray the Cartalk guys, did a survey of gay vehicles:
The Ultimate Gay and Lesbian Cars of All Time | Car Talk

I didn't mean any disrespect to anyone, just poking a little fun at you. The gay car lists are funny. The Jeep Wrangler made both list, but the Liberty was MIA???

 

[IslandRunner]

Coyote Power, plus putting a chevy product in a ford/mazda product seems wrong to me

Ford Racing Coyote 5.0 4V 412HP Mustang Crate Engine M-6007-M50 - Free Shipping!

Seems wrong? Most classic Fords I see redone have a small block chevy engine in them. An improvement in my opinion.

 

[djthumper]

Miatas can be a fun little car to build on the cheap. Kind of the karmann ghia of today and you can actually do more.

 

[jkdubz]

I have been thinking of one of those as well for a fun car. I can drive it to the boat from FL to LA because of the awesome gas mileage it will get.

 

[JosueLT]

I don't have any experience with them, but I'm a part of a Mazda scene now as well (my DD is a Protege5), and they really seem like the best bang for your buck for autoX/track days. Even if you're just going to drive it around town, should still be a fun car.

 

[Me007gold]

I don't have any experience with them, but I'm a part of a Mazda scene now as well (my DD is a Protege5), and they really seem like the best bang for your buck for autoX/track days. Even if you're just going to drive it around town, should still be a fun car.

Ive always like Protege5's they are nice, for a station wagon. Back in the day, I had a buddy that had a pretty decently modified p5. What kinda mileage do you get in that thing?

 

[JosueLT]

Ive always like Protege5's they are nice, for a station wagon. Back in the day, I had a buddy that had a pretty decently modified p5. What kinda mileage do you get in that thing?

Summer city was around 28 average, now with all the idling it does to warm up, it's around 20-22. My best highway was 37, haven't figured it out yet here in the winter. We keep taking the Trailblazer on our highway trips, the wife says it's more comfy, and it has heated seats. lol I just installed heated seats in my car though (I have leather as well) and took some exhaust pieces off to quite it down (it was SUPER loud, and we have a baby on the way now too) so I'll have to see what it gets now.

Pretty decent car though! Fun to drive, beast on the track, and still functional to haul most stuff. I was looking for a wagon to toss my 2 Boxers in, as well as something we could grow into once we started our family. I had my eye on these for a while 'cause of how sporty they look, but they're still pretty expensive. I thought I wouldn't be able to afford one, but I found a deal on my Mazda forum I picked up on. Rust free TN car (I have the cleanest P5 in our crew lol), turbo'ed with tons of mods, for $3500. It was blown up, and I wasn't interested in a turbo'ed car, so all the money I made selling parts, paid for everything else to get the car on the road. I've got around $4000 in a car I could sell for $8000 as is.

After...

 

[jkdubz]

Look at Honda Preludes as well. They are a car I am considering as well.

 

[The_Roadie]

I've seen these on a couple of ricers. Are unibodies so flimsy that the steering geometry changes that much to need reinforcement? Doesn't the hood get bent and buckled from not fitting in its opening if that's the case - without the bar?

View attachment 17975

 

[Sparky]

I think in most cases it has zero function. Just "looks" cool... and gets in the way when working on stuff.

 

[Lima Tango]

I was watching a show where a closeted gay character finally came out and shouted "I'm getting a Miata!"

I agree with the previous post: Prelude > Miata by about a thousand percent.

 

[Badbart]

I've seen these on a couple of ricers. Are unibodies so flimsy that the steering geometry changes that much to need reinforcement? Doesn't the hood get bent and buckled from not fitting in its opening if that's the case - without the bar?

View attachment 2882

My CTS V has a shock tower brace too.

 

[Short Bus]

Look at Honda Preludes as well. They are a car I am considering as well.

I was watching a show where a closeted gay character finally came out and shouted "I'm getting a Miata!"

I agree with the previous post: Prelude > Miata by about a thousand percent.

A Prelude is to heavy, maybe pull the H22 out of a Prelude to swap into a Civic, CRX, or Del Sol

 

[JosueLT]

I've seen these on a couple of ricers. Are unibodies so flimsy that the steering geometry changes that much to need reinforcement? Doesn't the hood get bent and buckled from not fitting in its opening if that's the case - without the bar?

It's not that they're necessarily "flimsy", and I really doubt strut bars are THAT much of a help, but for serious racers, every little bit helps to give you an edge over the next driver.

This one came with my car, but the Protege5's have a factory one as well. I'll be selling this one to put my factory bar back on. It's just something I don't need, when I can use the money towards my baby.

Also....

My CTS V has a shock tower brace too.

^This. I can't list them off the top of my head, but I've seen quite a few Domestic's with them.

A Prelude is too heavy, maybe pull the H22 out of a Prelude to swap into a Civic, CRX, or Del Sol

^This as well!

That's like comparing Apples to Oranges, just too different. Hell, I was passing Preludes in my wagon at the last track day I was at! And the one asshole who wouldn't get out of my way cause he was too proud to let a wagon pass him, wound up spinning out in the grass.

 

[JosueLT]

Just to keep the thread somewhat on track...here are a few pics of some Miata's in our crew.

Mid-Ohio, May 2009:

VIR, November 2010:

Watkins Glen, August 2011:

This one's a Mazdaspeed Miata, so it came turbo'ed. He's also got some Big Enchilada Flying Miata kit on it. 220-something HP at the wheels on a car this small....YES PLEASE!! (I fixed it at my shop after a fender bender)

 

[Matt]

The Miatas are a poor man's Boxster. They handle like a go-kart and with a couple of tweaks, go like shit off a shovel. If you double your budget you could get a 2000-2002 Boxster, but the Miata is just as fun and less expensive to keep on the road.

 

[Me007gold]

Just for shits and giggles. I would probley end up doing something like this. Of course all that body work would cost as much as the car will, but thats not the point.

 

[Badbart]

^This. I can't list them off the top of my head, but I've seen quite a few Domestic's with them.

The regular, non 5.7 CTS doesn't have these. Some of the later SHO Ford Taurus's came with them also. The purpose is to eliminate body flex and maintain frontend geometry under extreme handling conditions. Ford even has a TSB on installing them on the earlier SHO's to correct the frontend geometry on those that have had alignment issues due to stress under extreme handling.

So, yes, they are all a bit flimsy it would seem....

 

[Ghoster]

If you are planning on racing a Miata, keep in mind that you will have to put in roll bar to make them legal. Obviously I can't speak for every autocross club or track, but most have very specific rules for convertibles.

 

[STLtrailbSS]

Ls7 miata go with real displacement you can make it happen lol

 

[JosueLT]

Just for shits and giggles. I would probley end up doing something like this. Of course all that body work would cost as much as the car will, but thats not the point.

Those are awesome!

The regular, non 5.7 CTS doesn't have these. Some of the later SHO Ford Taurus's came with them also. The purpose is to eliminate body flex and maintain frontend geometry under extreme handling conditions. Ford even has a TSB on installing them on the earlier SHO's to correct the frontend geometry on those that have had alignment issues due to stress under extreme handling.

So, yes, they are all a bit flimsy it would seem....

Key words right there. I'd like to think that no automaker makes a car that would flex so much under normal driving conditions that it would require bracing. Ricers just take it too far in thinking they've got a racecar, when 98% never see those extreme handling conditions. lol

 

[ConeKilrAutoX]

this was our scca miata, daily driver. sold it this year and he bought a 2011 Subaru STi stage 2 cobb tuned.
this miata was tons of fun. ran a 1/4 mile in 11's/ 12's @ 120+

turbo spool and bov sounded great

 

[Jkust]

I'm kind of doing a double take here. We are talking about the tiny, deathtrap, convertable's right? I've always heard good reviews in the bang for the buck category but I can't imagine getting hit by an suv in one. I laugh a little when I see a Miata and a BMW Z for that fact. Of course they are as impractical as can be living in MN and so see very few of them. I don't judge whether you are in a Subaru, Miata, Clubman, Smartcar, Prius or any of the other closet cars.

 

[STLtrailbSS]

On a $5000 budget idk what they go for but Fbody camaros 5k everyday in st.louis. You can definitely make those cars beyond fun

 

[fishsticks]

On a $5000 budget idk what they go for but Fbody camaros 5k everyday in st.louis. You can definitely make those cars beyond fun

Fbodys are fun and reasonably inexpensive, but for a different type of fun.

Unless you're willing to shell out $$$$$$$$$$$$ for coilovers, a watts link and some other goodies, they aren't really SCCA contenders. Too much weight shifting from side to side.

If I was going to SCCA a GM product I'd buy another Fiero. It's getting hard to find one that's not beat nowadays though.

 

[Me007gold]

On a $5000 budget idk what they go for but Fbody camaros 5k everyday in st.louis. You can definitely make those cars beyond fun

I know I could get F-bodys, Mustangs, and such, but the whole point is to get something tha'ts going to get decent gas mileage, yet still be fun to drive and cheap to insure. I cant see an F-body or Mustang getting any better mileage then the Trailblazer.

 

[fishsticks]

I know I could get F-bodys, Mustangs, and such, but the whole point is to get something tha'ts going to get decent gas mileage, yet still be fun to drive and cheap to insure. I cant see an F-body or Mustang getting any better mileage then the Trailblazer.

The heads/cam/exhaust/etc LT1 Camaro I just traded got 25mpg on the highway. 2 overdrive gears help a lot.

Still not small car gas mileage though.

 

[Sparky]

I know I could get F-bodys, Mustangs, and such, but the whole point is to get something tha'ts going to get decent gas mileage, yet still be fun to drive and cheap to insure. I cant see an F-body or Mustang getting any better mileage then the Trailblazer.

My v6 Camaro got 32 highway. The LS1 will still get mid-high 20s... well, that is if you don't mod it too much and keep your foot out of it