MIATA THREAD - My Third Gear Syncro Is On Grindr

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > MIATA THREAD - My Third Gear Syncro Is On Grindr

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

I'm seriously considering a Miata as my next car; probably a 2003 or 2004. But before I go out of my way to test-drive a miata... When people talk of tall men fitting comfortably, do you mean "plenty of room, not knocking knees against the column, etc" or "legs splayed sideways around the wheel with about an inch clearance to the door" comfortable? Because I don't really consider the latter comfortable.

How are the other cars in this class? Do any have as much room as the Porsche Boxster?

Also, dumb question- are NA, NB and NC actually different cars, or just different option packages? Does that apply to all model years? I haven't noticed any references to them outside of chat forums.

# ¿ Oct 27, 2007 21:24

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 11:40

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

leica posted:

Again, you'd have to sit in other roadsters to compare, it's pretty subjective. Besides, you're going to spend a hell of a lot more money on Boxster, so it depends on your budget. Miatas are the way to go on a tight budget.

Yeah, that was my thought. $25k for a 2003 Boxster or Z4 vs $12k for a similar year miata. Also, I could do all the maint on the Miata, wheeras the mid-engine on the Boxster will need to go to the dealer for even minor engine work. With resale value and depricition worked in, the cost difference isn't as drastic (10 year old Boxster is worth more than a 5 year old Miata) but it's still a big difference.

I'm in good shape right now as cars go. My '94 Camaro is aging, but is paid for, still runs, and as soon as my wife's 4Runner is paid off, I can afford pretty much any used car I want- could probably afford a new Boxster or Corvette, but I'll be damned if we'll be car-poor, if I'd be just as happy in a $12k used Miata. But by the same token, this car will be my daily driver, and I'll be spending 2 hours a day in it- I don't want to skimp.

Does the miata stereo play mp3s/can I put in standard aftermarket radios?

Edit: vvv Was planning on yanking the $150 Wal-Mart mp3-playing radio out of my camaro before I sell it. Thanks!

grover fucked around with this message at 22:05 on Oct 27, 2007

# ¿ Oct 27, 2007 21:59

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

leica posted:

You need to sit in one to figure out weather you like it or not. I know tall guys that get cramped up in there but don't seem to mind.

I swung by the dealership today; that had a 2003, 2006 and 2008 on the lot. I did NOT like the NB, I quite simply didn't fit. And found the roof to be difficult compared to the other cars I'm considering. I absolutely loved both NCs though- comfortable, easy one-handed roof (even if it is manual), good visibility with the roof up, plenty of cupholders and most importantly- ample leg room. If I was 6'2 or 20lbs heavier, I might have an issue, but I fit and was able to move my legs without having me knees against the column. No need to rip out the visors either

Compares favorably to the Boxster in the comfort department. It was rush hour so I didn't bother test-driving it, but I might this weekend.

# ¿ Oct 29, 2007 23:07

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

n8r posted:

How could you have trouble with the top? You must have been doing something wrong.

Not difficult, just not as easy- visors were in the way for both latches on the NB, and you have to lean way over to undo the passenger's side. Have you done the top on an NC? It's a single latch in the middle vice 2 on the sides, and you can do it 1-handed in 2 seconds without effort or even really stretching. You can raise the top, too, without ever unbuckling your seatbelt. Doing the tops on an NB and NC back-to back, it was like night and day. Boxster has a similar latch as the NC, but the top is powered, and even easier because it automatically cracks the windows for you, too. I imagine the power hard-top on the miata is similar.

grover fucked around with this message at 23:40 on Oct 29, 2007

# ¿ Oct 29, 2007 23:22

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

n8r posted:

Sorry the way I read your post I thought you were talking about the NB top.

Oops, typo, I was talking about the NB top. Fixed, now. Wasn't especially difficult in and of itself, but when compared to the NC top, the NB top is a pain in the rear end and took twice more than as much effort.

Edit: I've got a bit spreadsheet comparing all the cars I was looking at, and thought this comparison was rather interesting:

code:

[b]		2003 Porsche Boxter	2008 Mazda Miata[/b]
Expected Price	$25,000			$25,000
APR		5.99%			5.99%
60-month loan	$483			$483
Value in 2012	$14,000			$12,000
Maint Costs	$3,700			$1,000
Average Mileage	24			26
@$2.80/gal	$1,050			$969
Insurance Delta	$260			$260
[b]Net 5-year cost	$25,242			$24,138[/b]

0-60		6.3			7.5
Luggage (cuft)	10			5.1

Choices, choices!

grover fucked around with this message at 00:30 on Oct 30, 2007

# ¿ Oct 29, 2007 23:41

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

leica posted:

I really don't see how a used Boxster can cost under a grand less to own over five years than a brand new Miata.

Resale value. The used boxster depreciates less than a new miata- that makes a big dent in the repair bill. These numbers figure for me doing the oil changes and getting cheap tires online, too, so it's a bit skewed from the traditional values. Also, Boxters have a 6-year warranty. The difference isn't as big as it looks.

Boxters require servicing every 15000 miles w/15qts of full synthetic oil + an overpriced filter. ($600 at the dealer the first time to keep the warranty, then $100 myself thereafter.) The stock tires last 18,000 miles; I figure $1000 for cheaper better tires off tirerack that will longer. And two $1000 out-of-warranty repairs. For the 2008 miata, I figured $100/year in maint plus $500 for new tires. Everything else is under warranty.

Throwing a 2003 Miata into the mix really skews the numbers because it just came out so much cheaper than anything else I was looking at. But I don't fit in a 2003 miata (just like I don't fit in an S2000) so it's moot.

Edit: vvvvv I've got no gripes with the manual top on the NC. It's easy 1-handed and faster than a motor.

grover fucked around with this message at 01:17 on Oct 30, 2007

# ¿ Oct 30, 2007 01:14

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

I've seen a LOT of miatas driving around my area- Until a few days ago, I didn't know enough to know the difference, but I'll have to keep an eye out now. Z4s are all over the place here. I'm seeing more and more Solaris/Sky, too. S2000s and Boxsters are fairly rare. I'm in Norfolk/Virginia Beach area, btw. I really do like the NC.

n8r posted:

I'm not trying to talk you out of buying a Boxster at all. Apparently they're great cars and I'd definitely consider one. When I looked at the Edmunds true cost to own spreadsheet a 2003 Boxster still loses out in a TCO calculation by $7k over five years:
http://www.edmunds.com/apps/cto/CTOintroController

Actually the numbers you came up with were totally different, so I really am not sure where yours were coming from. I would think that you could possibly find an NC slightly used for a real nice price. I'm not sure how well the NC has even been selling to be honest.

Edmunds says a 2003 Boxster will cost $7,147 to maintain and $10,849 to repair over 5 years. Edmunds also says a 2003 Miata will cost $5923 in maint costs and $2447 in repair costs over those 5 years- that in line with you guys? (lol) $6k is an awful lot of oil changes and tires- I'm not sure how they're computing those numbers. No question that a Miata will be significantly cheaper to maintain and repair, though.

I came up with the numbers based on my experience, my expectations and my average mileage (9k/year). EG, changing the oil myself (which I can do on either car), actually looking at tire prices on tirerack.com, etc. The repair costs I came up with were a complete SWAG, though.

grover fucked around with this message at 10:54 on Oct 30, 2007

# ¿ Oct 30, 2007 10:46

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Blue book for that mileage is only $2300 or so. $5k seems awfully high.

# ¿ Oct 31, 2007 02:13

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

mobn posted:

You're completely lying about that mileage unless you drive the most stripped out Miata ever. At 80mph you'd be spinning nearly 4500rpms, possibly 5000. There's no way you were pulling off more than 25-30 MPG, and 30's optimistic.

It was on a trailer. Those MPG actually represent miles travelled per fuel leaking from the tank... :ssh:

I'm probably going to test drive a new NC on saturday. Anything in particular I should look at that people feel are big pros/cons of the car?

grover fucked around with this message at 21:48 on Nov 1, 2007

# ¿ Nov 1, 2007 21:44

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

TooLShack posted:

Big pros for me were: Side airbags, more room, felt like it was faster than my NB.

Try looking for a used Grand Touring, I wish I would have held out for one.

I was looking at the Touring package. What's the difference between Touring and Grand Touring? $1200 and a Bose stereo?

# ¿ Nov 2, 2007 00:01

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

leica posted:

Well poo poo, I guess the Boxster is the way to go, especially if you plan on selling it after a few years to take advantage of the resale. BUT.....Have you tried sitting in a NA Miata? They have more room than a NB, not to mention a "foamectomy" helps a lot too.

Don't get me wrong, the Boxster is a great roadster, but I saw the thread of your home addition and you seem like a frugal guy. You could get a low mileage NA, put a turbo on it, and you'd still be at a third of the cost of the Boxster.

Just throwing that out there.

I'm driving a 94 now and want to get rid of it because it's no longer dependable. NAs are quite simply too old for me to consider- if I wanted something cheap to drive, I'd just keep fixing my current car. My next car will be something nice; something that I don't have to wonder "will my car start today and make it the whole way home?"

I went to test drive that 2008 Miata today, but it had been sold. The only NCs they had on the lot were manual, which I suck at, but I took one out anyhow. The car drove about like I expected, but didn't have the power I thought it would- in fact, it was more in line with the complaints I've heard about miatas being anemic in the power department. Sure, it was ballasted with 150lbs of salesman, but still... He was talking about a cheap mod that would add 30-40hp. Which didn't sound right- I mean, wouldn't Mazda have built it like that if it was that easy? Are there any aftermarket mods to bump up the hp?

How long do the soft-tops last before they need replaced?

# ¿ Nov 3, 2007 18:14

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

vex posted:

Did you run the car out all the way to redline?

I tromped the gas as hard as it went, trying to gauge the torque curves. Didn't even seem to have the power of my V6 camaro. (0-60 times are comparable between the two on paper, but I was expecting it to be a little peppier.) I don't don't mind using the whole engine, if that's what it takes to get power. It's not enough to break the sale, but I was still a tad disappointed.

# ¿ Nov 3, 2007 19:04

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

PeterWeller posted:

Grover, did you drive a 5 speed or 6 speed? The 6 speed was noticeably peppier and quicker when I test drove. Also, In my experience, at the lot the tourings with 6 speeds go for the same price as base 5 speeds; they love to pile options on the base ones, while leaving the tourings relatively stripped.

It was a 5-speed sport model; I'm looking more at a touring w/auto, though. I'll test-drive an auto when it comes up; I may very well have been shifting early.

My camaro has a LOT of low-end torque, any I was expecting this to be the same- it wasn't.

grover fucked around with this message at 19:58 on Nov 3, 2007

# ¿ Nov 3, 2007 19:55

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

leica posted:

Grover, if you want an automatic with decent power, you should probably stay away from Miatas. Hell, I don't know of any roadster that is powerful and fun to drive with an automatic, maybe a BMW M roadster. You can't expect a Miata to have anywhere near the torque of a Camaro. Maybe you should look into a convertible Mustang or something.

Boxster S

But then, it's $30k more. The Tiptronic Boxster I drove (not S) was very peppy- didn't have unlimited acceleration, but I wasn't really left wanting more.

The Miata has way better cupholders, though. I'm not being sarcastic, either- it's little things like these that make or break a car as a daily driver for me. This is going to be a fun car for me, but must be practical for commuting, too. BTW, I'm well used to near-redlining my Camaro to eke maximum power from the little V6, so revving the engine doesn't bother me.

grover fucked around with this message at 21:26 on Nov 3, 2007

# ¿ Nov 3, 2007 21:20

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

I just can't peg your miata guys. I made a comment a few months ago about miatas being underpowered cars and was jumped on about how wrong I was, how fast they were, etc. Now I'm hearing the exact opposite? LOL! And no, it's not a dealbreaker. It's less power than I had expected, but there's still an engine under the hood.

Please tell me a Miata can at least take a PT Cruiser in a quarter mile though?

# ¿ Nov 3, 2007 23:10

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

I was looking into maybe buying a beater for a year until my wife's car is paid off and I can afford a $25k car, but it just dawned on my that I can get a 84 month loan with interest debt cheaper than buying a beater would cost. Which means... I can afford my new car in 4 months, not 14

The 84 month loan is a half-pt higher interest, and taken to term, I'd pay an extra $2200 in interest... But if I overpay and pay it off in 36 months anyhow, as I intend, it's only about a $300 difference. And minimum payment would be $100/month cheaper if we were tight that month.

grover fucked around with this message at 18:32 on Nov 4, 2007

# ¿ Nov 4, 2007 18:28

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

LOL, blooot- thanks for the clarification

Hagetaka posted:

An 84 month loan? Holy poo poo, I didn't know they did that now

Neither did I! They'll go to 120 months on a $40k, too. Talk about overextending, heh. With a loan like that, you're pretty much guaranteed to lose money on a trade-in and be stuck with the car 10 years, whether you want to or not.

http://psecu.com/Rates/index.asp?WhichRates=AutoRates
Navy Federal Credit Union has the same rates and terms; I have accounts with both credit unions and could use either to finance.

code:

Loan	APR	mm	$$$	Wasted on interest
$25,000	6.49%	84	$371	$6,174
$25,000	5.99%	60	$483	$3,992
$25,000	6.49%	36	$766	$2,580
$25,000	5.99%	36	$760	$2,376

grover fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Nov 4, 2007

# ¿ Nov 4, 2007 18:33

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Hagetaka posted:

poo poo, why not 360 month loans

Call it the "auto mortgage". You can finally have that Gallardo on your McDonald's salary. Just make sure your kid knows he's responsible for the loan when you die.

You mean take out a 15-year, $25k home equity loan and deduct the interest from my taxes? heh. Same logic applies to early payment- long term gets the minimum payment down, but if you pay it off fast, you don't accrue the massive interest cost. I had actually considered this, except the interest rates are a full pt higher, so it would cost more in the long run.

# ¿ Nov 4, 2007 18:39

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

IOwnCalculus posted:

Except that the beater can be resold.

...for about $1000 depreciation. Based off a 2000 Mustang convertible ($6250 per edmunds) and a 60-month loan, I'd make about $2000 worth in payments over 12 months, and sell the car for $1000 more than I owed. Driving a beater is cheaper than driving a new car, but still not free.

The other option is status-quo: I could just keep repairing my Camaro. I have no idea what's wrong with it right now, though, other than I have 4 unrelated problems that could potentially drop the car at any given moment with. Also, it's 13 years old and I want something nicer. And after looking at Miatas, Boxsters, etc, I'm VERY excited about getting a new car, heh

grover fucked around with this message at 18:52 on Nov 4, 2007

# ¿ Nov 4, 2007 18:48

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

PeterWeller posted:

Yeah, but I'm sure he wants something that looks good too.

At this point, I've pretty much narrowed it down to a 2003-ish Porsche Boxster or an NC Miata (Touring package), probably new. A lot depends on what Boxsters are available, and how my Camaro holds up.

grover fucked around with this message at 22:30 on Nov 4, 2007

# ¿ Nov 4, 2007 22:27

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

I noticed in the NC documentation that it require premium fuel. What's the drawback to using regular 87 octane? I imagine the computer would automatically adjust timing, etc, to compensate and prevent pinging- loss of power? Additional engine wear?

I downloaded the Boxster owner's manual last night, too. Several things stood out as rather frightening- for example, the only way to get to a dead battery is via electronic means to open the trunk. So, if it dies, you have to use this special trunk-opening stud in the fuse box to "jump open" the trunk with another car (or battery) to get to the battery. So, I'm leaning more towards the miata now

Guess that's incentive to keep jumper cables in the glove box, huh?

grover fucked around with this message at 11:48 on Nov 5, 2007

# ¿ Nov 5, 2007 11:44

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

einTier posted:

The NC takes premium? That's news to me, but appears to be true. You do realize the Boxster also takes premium, right? If you don't put premium in it, you will see reduced power, and you will be causing some damage to the engine due to pre-ignition and sub-optimal timing. The engine will adjust, but there is still going to be some pinging and knock before the sensors can detect it -- and on very hot days when you're trying to use all the power, it's going to ping like crazy anyway. One tank of gas probably isn't going to be a big deal, but a lifetime of poor quality gas? Personally, I wouldn't do it.

I have 2006 Porsche Cayman S. Yes, there are some "unique" issues with the Boxster. Maintenence is also going to cost a little more due to the inaccessability of the engine. Most things can be reached from underneath, but if they need to access the top of the engine, you're going to be spending mega-bucks.

Still, I think the Boxster is a better fit for you than the Miata. It's going to have more power and respond better to an automatic transmission. It's more of a GT car, while the Miata is closer to bare-bones sports car. If you want a sports car, it's hard to go wrong with a Miata, but it doesn't sound like that's what you want at all -- it sounds like you want a convertible you can cruise around in and "punch it" in between stop lights.

The Boxster manual says is requires 93 octane, but can take 90 octane if that's all that's available. Considering regular is $2.79 and 93 octane is $2.99, I don't think it'll break the bank. It might cost me $80 a year more. eh.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about these cars. Honestly, the only reason I started looking at roadsters was when I realized I could afford to buy a Porsche- before that, I was looking at maybe getting an xB or a Prius. I'm still not sure I can afford to own a Porsche, but the whole search lead to the 08 Miata which is pretty much everything I expected the Boxster to be, but half the price. Heck, if a 2003 NC existed, I'd probably have bought one last week, lol... It just sucks for me that the NB is so small.

So, anyhow, I don't mean to fag up the miata thread by whining about the Boxster, but I appreciate the excellent feedback, thanks guys! Here are some of my observations:

03 Boxster:
* More power than Miata (about 20% more torque-to-weight & another 74hp)
* lovely pop-out cupholder (owners manual says "never have a drink in the cupholder while driving" lol)
* lovely stereo system
* No mp3 player on 2003s; no practical way to add one aftermarket
* Obscene maintenance costs
* Obscene repair costs
* Big blind spot while the top is up
* Spare Tire
* Excellent tiptronic transmission
* Lots of unnecessary fancy poo poo to break
* Some of the fancy poo poo is kinda nice, even if unnecessary
* Frustrating design choices, like the dead battery thing.
* It's a Porsche. Even if it's "just" a Boxster, it's still a Porsche and I'll be driving a Porsche like I dreamt about as a kid :dance:

* Still a $50k car, even if it's only $25k used
* Already 5 years old - lower dependability.

08 Miata:
* Not as much power as the Boxster
* Under warranty
* Cheap maintanance- no repair costs expected
* Lots of cupholders
* Simpler mechanically (manual top, manual gas cap, manual hood, etc)
* Brand new- dependable as a daily driver
* Poor automatic transmission
* Decent sound system, even on base models
* mp3 player available as an option

My commute is 20 miles each way- mix of highway and city, and always in traffic. Will be nice to drive with the top down on nice days, but, sadly, I'm not going to be able to drive either car the way it aught to be driven 95% of the time. I enjoy the handling of my camaro and ability to corner fast- either car will be able to corner faster than I'm comfortable with. But the #1 purpose of this car will be a dependable and comfortable daily driver. Seemingly superficial things like cupholders and the mp3 player are thus very important in my decision.

PeterWeller posted:

My 2007 recommends premium fuel, but is apparently happy enough to run on regular. I'm not a cheap rear end, so I go with the recommended gas.

Thought so, thanks!

grover fucked around with this message at 00:10 on Nov 6, 2007

# ¿ Nov 5, 2007 23:49

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

German engineering! :downs:

Only registered members can see post attachments!

# ¿ Nov 5, 2007 23:56

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

And yes, that is the ONLY cupholder:

Only registered members can see post attachments!

# ¿ Nov 6, 2007 00:05

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Binger Banger posted:

NO SIR YOU ARE THE MORON. Do you, moron, not understand helldump?

Can I call the NC a bloated, hideous piece of poo poo that's got nothing to do with what the NA/NB are about without getting banned in here? Hey guys let's add weight and slap our disgusting parts bin fender flares on it, loving brilliant. Even the NBs were trying way too hard to look like a radical xtreme mini rx-7, but at least they perform. Buying an NC because it doesn't look "dated" is asinine. I'm going to go ahead and recommend you buy the automatic if you're going to buy an NC because it looks nice and has a pretty interior.

Because I happen to like the NC Miata, am excited about purchasing my next car, and am getting a lot of excellent feedback regarding my options? I'll be spending 2 hours a day in this car for the next 5+ years, so I want to buy the right car.

# ¿ Nov 6, 2007 01:22

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Binger Banger posted:

It's got nothing to do with the fact that it's an NC; it's that you've mentioned both a Porsche and a Camaro and a Miata seems like it's going to leave you unsatisfied in some department if you're comparing it to either of those. I mean, really, these are slow cars we're talking about. They get even slower with an automatic. I won't knock on automatics, but a Miata is not the car to get if you need one. You're going to be frustrated and wondering why your car is such a pig.

Of course I'm comparing this to my Camaro- I've driven it for 8 years, it's my main point of comparison. But you're neglecting the fact that my camaro is 13-years old, past its prime which was never all that fast to begin with. And the Boxster, for all its cost and bells and whistles, isn't all that much more powerful than the miata. (I'm not being sarcastic when I talk about cupholders and mp3 player, you know.)

2008 Miata: 2500lbs, 166hp, 140ft-lbs. 112ft-lbs per ton.
2008 Boxster: 3000lbs, 240hp, 199ft-lbs. 132ft-lbs per ton. (I think the 2003 is similar.)
1994 Camaro: 3500lbs, 165hp, 200ft-lbs. 114ft-lbs per ton.

The Miata has a much better power-weight ratio than my old Camaro, though acceleration should be comparable. The Boxster has 18% more torque-to-weight, and 20% more power-to-weight. Which would be important if I was accelerating to pass at 120mph on the autobahn, but not so important sitting in gridlock on Rt 64 or racing from red-light to red-light. So, the Boxster having more power is a plus, but it's not THAT much more, not like a Boxster S or Carerra would be. I'm not even considering a Solstice/Sky because they're so shoddily built.

Nobody cares, but I finally got off my rear end to check out the nasty squeal and terrible chassis squeak in my camaro, which I took to me signs that my car is falling about and the the engine about to give out at any moment. The chassis squeak is apparently just coming from the right front wheel whenever the shock compresses. I took the tire off and drenched oil on every joint I could find, but still squeaks. Annoying, but not fatal. And the high-pitched squeal is not a vacuum leak like I thought, but just the alternator failing, yet again. (Will be #7 since I've had the car. At least this one held out 4 years! I AM really good at changing them now, LOL.) I was actually hoping the car would die soon so I'd have a good excuse to buy an awesome new roadster, but, alas, they're not portents of imminent engine failure like I'd hoped

grover fucked around with this message at 03:04 on Nov 6, 2007

# ¿ Nov 6, 2007 02:53

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Valt posted:

I'm sorry if this has been mentioned before or not, but why are you not considering S2000s?

They're too small, I simply don't fit. Also, the blind spot with the top up is terrible, and they don't offer an automatic transmission. I'm considering a 2003-ish Z4, too, but I haven't had a chance to test drive one yet.

Solstice/Sky have a terrible reliability record for a brand new car; I'd hate to think how much time it'll spend in the shop 5 years from now. I may still stop by sometime and check them out closer, but I dunno.

grover fucked around with this message at 03:46 on Nov 6, 2007

# ¿ Nov 6, 2007 03:40

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Curses! My car wouldn't start this morning- I thought I might be driving a shiny new 08 NC to work tomorrow, but it ended up just being a dirty battery terminal :argh:

Ah well, if it can last another 18 months, 06's should be down more to the price range I'm looking to pay, and I'm just as happy with a used car.

grover fucked around with this message at 18:59 on Nov 12, 2007

# ¿ Nov 12, 2007 18:55

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Phone posted:

I parked where "me" is, and I came out, and I saw a Miata with my color in the "some guy" spot and I was like, "what the gently caress happened!?"

Same color, but they had a softtop when I was rocking the hardtop.

I do that intentionally if I see a car like mine. He probably did, too

# ¿ Nov 19, 2007 15:09

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

I'm paying $800/6 months, but that's for 2 drivers, 3 cars w/ $500 deductible, $100k property damage w/full comprehensive and collision. Of course, I'm 31 and married.

Edit: just changed my coverage. $300/year for $500 deductible comprehensive & collision on 2 cars that would be totaled if all 4 tires went flat? Yeah, gently caress that. Only have comprehensive now on the '04 4-Runner. Down to $650/6 months now

Wish I'd have done that 2 years ago. Actually, wish I didn't have ANY insurance for the last 10 years since I've never had an accident, and would like to have that money back...

grover fucked around with this message at 04:34 on Dec 4, 2007

# ¿ Dec 4, 2007 04:17

grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Just got back from test-driving a 2008 hard-top GT w/ automatic tranny. In all the flak I've taken for wanting an auto, I can't believe none of you mentioned that the NC auto is a paddle

Best of both worlds, as far as I'm concerned! Left in D, it was a little sluggish and disappointing until I revved it up to the top of the RPM band- there's definitely power there- and this was with 150lbs of salesman and probably another 50lbs of hardtop and useless GT options I wouldn't be getting. I didn't play around with the paddels, but that might come later. Radio was excellent (Bose GT package). The side mirrors are too small- they're fine when the top is down, but really need to be bigger for better visibility with the top up. Not a showstopper, but one of the few things I didn't like about the Miata. Also, I'm about 1" too tall- my hair was out in the slipstream, even with the air dam up. Will have to use more hairgel, I guess. And, of course, the Miata still has Best Cupholders in Class^TM which means far more to me than heated seats or power roof.

You can see my red 94 camaro in the background

I also drove a Saturn Sky and I was a half hour early so went and looked at a 2004 Corvette too. I can't see why the Sky is selling so well- it felt peppier than the Miata, but it has a slightly lower power-to-weight than the miata, so I'll chock that up to power curves. Other things I didn't like: the top sucked. You have to get out, open the trunk, sit in, unlock the latches, raise/lower the top, get up and close the trunk. And if it's not *just* right, you can't close the trunk the whole way and the trunk ajar warning dings at you. (And this is a BRAND new car, mind you). There was NO trunk space, whatsoever- the specs say 2.0 square feet with the top down, but that's in a 4" wide strip along the back. Even with the top up, I don't think you could get a bag of groceries in there. The cockpit would have been comfortable, except this massive box jutted out from the wheel right where my knee should have gone. Oh, and the cupholders were awful (flimsy pop-out kind, but BEHIND you from the wall) and the interior storage space was extremely small. It did have an excellent warranty, but by the sounds of the massive problems, they need it. The salechick working with me was smoking hot though, which is always nice, although she didn't seem to know much about the Sky. The corvette was... well... a corvette. Roomy, comfortable, awesome sounding big V8, and plenty of power to spare- lots of space in the hatchback for storage, and their was plenty of room to maintain the engine. It wasn't really what I'm looking for, though; I've had my Camaro for 10 years and it just seemed like a bigger faster camaro. The interior was still exactly the same style as my 94 camaro. (Was redesigned in... 2006? And much newer/nicer. But the newer ones are more than I can afford.) The HUD on the corvette was exceedingly nice- I wish it were an option on more cars.

grover fucked around with this message at 21:08 on Dec 14, 2007

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grover: Jan 23, 2002; PEW PEW PEW

Coredump posted:

I don't get it. Maybe I grew since my last physical but I'm all of 5'10" on a good day and my head was IN that NC's roof. I had the spreader bars for the top resting on my scalp. I had to slouch to the point that I could tell it wouldn't be comfortable for a long drive before I could get out of the roof.

I'm 6'1 and I agree with you- these are NOT cars for tall men. If you need to cut an inch of foam out just to be able to physically cram your knees under the wheel... you shouldn't be driving a miata. Sorry!

The NCs are significantly larger; large enough that I can comfortably fit (and I all-around really like the car) but it's still pretty snug compared to most american and european cars, and my head is about 2" into the slipstream, which makes it pretty uncomfortable to drive at highway speeds with the top down, especially when compared to other roadsters. You guys that are 6' and driving NAs or NBs, go do yourselves a favor (or disfavor, as the case may be) and sit in a corvette or a BMW sometime- a car that's actually designed for people your height- and then re-examine how well you can "fit" into your miata.

brosef deluxe posted:

Oh god, I know this feeling. I am a bundle of neurosis about my car. The lifter noise in my NA on a cold morning makes me wonder when one of my connecting rods is going to exit the block, or whether the heater hose is going to burst and allow me to cook my engine without even knowing it. My transmission whines, so it's obviously going to fall out, blow up, kill a child, and leave me stranded.

There has to be a therapist for car hypochondriacs.

I dunno, I'm quite the opposite- I can't WAIT for my car to die! I cheer at every new sqeak and rattle and was dissapointed to find out the high pitched squeal was just the alternator, and the "chassis is about to snap in half" squeak was just a joint somewhere in the right-front suspension. Losing trust in this car to get me to work in the morning is probably the only real excuse I'll have to go buy me a hot new roadster

Otherwise, I know what'll happen- 2 years from now, I'll still be driving the same beat to hell car, waiting for it to die.

grover fucked around with this message at 03:17 on Feb 6, 2008

# ¿ Feb 6, 2008 00:32

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