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It's no AC, clean title, and seems to be in well-kept condition.
I have zero Miata experience whatsoever, so would greatly appreciate if anyone can flag for me any reason to stay away from this particular car or variation. I've got a sense of the things to keep an eye out for and inspect if I go look at the car.
Any insight is welcome!
Thank you
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LSF22
Every time I'm there I usually see Jgresch's name under "Best Lap Times"
Look up shortnose crank issues for 1990-1991 models.
Symptoms of this will be crank pulley wobble.
From my perspective it's not super common or a 'ticking timebomb' issue, but can be a big hassle if the crank nose shows sign of wear.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by skyxx
Sonick is a genius. I won't go into detail what's so great about his post. But it's damn good!
2010 Toyota Rav4 Limited V6 - Wifey's Daily Driver
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2007 Toyota Rav4 Sport V6 - Sold
1999 Mazda Miata - Sold
2003 Mazda Protege5 - Sold
1987 BMW 325is - Sold
1990 Mazda Miata - Sold
There's been a fair bit of interest and so far all but one of the responses have been from CL, the only response from the FB Marketplace ad was everybody's favorite "Is this still available?", my immediate response "yes, it's still available", total silence from the person after that.
I’m not in the market for another car, but kudos for writing a clear description of what is being offered in your CL posting!
__________________ Do Not Put Aftershave on Your Balls. -604CEFIRO Looks like I'm gonna have some hot sex again tonight...OOPS i got the 6 pack. that wont last me the night, I better go back and get the 24 pack! -Turbo E kinda off topic but obama is a dilf - miss_crayon Honest to fucking Christ the easiest way to get a married woman in the mood is clean the house and do the laundry.....I've been with the same girl almost 17 years, ask me how I know. - quasi
Seeking the CL good buy and Miata experts advice...
Are you dead-set on picking up an NA? Cuz IMO, the sweet zone with Miatas right now is definitely the NC (3rd gen car). They are still new enough to have many of the modern safety equipment, and they are old enough that depreciation has taken its toll on the price.
The 1.6L NA will feel rather slow. All NA / NB will eventually have rocker panel rust issues -- it's just a matter of age and how much salt the car has been exposed to. With the NA's being the oldest cars, that means they are the most prone to rocker panel rust.
Thanks for the insight. Out of the Miata body styles, I prefer the NA. I haven't driven a Miata before (only been a passenger), so I may not be set on one at all after driving one.
re:rust - figured as much, from speaking with the owner it seems it's always been garaged. I'll only have it out in summer on good days, otherwise in a garage as well. Hopefully that defers any potential rust.
Quote:
Originally Posted by donk.
Had a 1990 miata, never again
Slow, basic interior
if you dont care about the above two, then go for it
I'm okay with both of those
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by LSF22
Every time I'm there I usually see Jgresch's name under "Best Lap Times"
I'm gonna 2nd the NC recommendation. I bought one a few years ago and had it for about a year and sold it to a friend. It was awesome and it had enough power. Car is modern enough and doesn't have known issues. Also the trunk is livable.
The other thing is I don't fit in a NA/NB very well because of my long torso. I don't fit in a NC with a helmet either, but I can drive it fine with the top up on the street.
Had a 1990 miata, never again
Slow, basic interior
if you dont care about the above two, then go for it
But it's so fun driving that slow NA Miata to its limits - you won't believe you're only at 70km/h after ringing it out.
__________________ '00 Honda Accord V6 [sold]
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It's no AC, clean title, and seems to be in well-kept condition.
I have zero Miata experience whatsoever, so would greatly appreciate if anyone can flag for me any reason to stay away from this particular car or variation. I've got a sense of the things to keep an eye out for and inspect if I go look at the car.
Any insight is welcome!
Thank you
My friend's '90 also died from the SNC issue. He ended up replacing the engine for a ton of money. I think it's inevitable unless if someone took it to a specialty shop to get it addressed it during the TB change. Most common issues are the rocker rust from blocked drains. Also check the trunk floor to make sure its not wet or have surface rust. That could indicate that the rain rail is broken.
Driving an NA with the top down during the summer is still by far one of my favorite driving experiences of all time, so I would highly recommend owning one for a bit.
This looks similar to one the one that I saw when it had a hardtop. I recognize the genuine GV lip and unpainted black under the hood. The front bumper also does not have the Mazda sticker, so I suspect it's had some sort of frontal damage. The panel gaps looked fine though so its not too bad. I think 1-2 years back this was 6500 bucks with a hardtop. The body was nicely detailed but had some issues. The passenger side quarter panel had a dent with a bit of a crack paint because one of the previous owners used an oversized battery and didn't tie it down properly, so it dented the metal. The interior was also missing random parts. It had test pipes so the cabin from what I recall smelled like gas when you drove it. Soft top was also toast at the time. This was a while ago though, and the car might be in a different state now.
I also second (or third) the NC route. The NA's are new collector cars, prices have been going up quite a lot. I'll probably side with the RS'ers and say that the NC would be a good option if you are not set on that body style. If you get one at the right price, they won't depreciate too much (though not appreciate like an NA will, but at least you don't have to deal with old car problems). I'm looking for an NC2 in the mid teens.
^Thank you, super helpful! I'll take a peek into the trunk and keep an eye on everything you mentioned if this happens to be the same car. I think I stumbled across mention of that posting for 6500 in this thread from a couple years ago and was wondering if it was the same car.
Everyone seems to prefer the NC haha - I'm just not too partial to them, I do appreciate the recommendations though. If I skip NA Miatas I'll probably steer away from Miatas all together.
^Thank you, super helpful! I'll take a peek into the trunk and keep an eye on everything you mentioned if this happens to be the same car. I think I stumbled across mention of that posting for 6500 in this thread from a couple years ago and was wondering if it was the same car.
Everyone seems to prefer the NC haha - I'm just not too partial to them, I do appreciate the recommendations though. If I skip NA Miatas I'll probably steer away from Miatas all together.
If you're going to take a look at the NA, take a read at the used buying guide here. It'll compliment what everyone else has told you about already. https://www.miata.net/garage/garagebuying.html
^Thank you! Had a read through that last night, lot's of great tips and have the checklist printed and ready to go. Heading over to check it out shortly.
Thanks again everyone!
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by LSF22
Every time I'm there I usually see Jgresch's name under "Best Lap Times"
If anyone is interested, quick(ish) summary of my thoughts on that miata.
Spoiler!
TLDR:
Wasn't in as great condition as I was hoping
Oil seeping from somewhere but couldn't get under the car or tell if it was from when he did the CAS o-ring
Wouldn't let me drive it unless I was ready to make an offer
Unsure if it's just not a great car for the price or if I need to adjust my expectations.
Long:
All the posts and DMs helped a lot, so thank you!
I checked out the car yesterday afternoon when there was a break in the rain. I think I was expecting the car to be in better condition - and not to say it was in poor condition, I was just hoping it was great from every angle.
This was the same car jaaagman had mentioned, so dent in the rear QP with paint crack from battery. Interior a bit worn and missing random little interior pieces, plus some random things drilled and glued here and there for what I think was the old alarm. Current owner has had it for a year and a half and only put 1000kms on it.
Front fenders and hood were not original, so something frontal in the past - not reflected on ICBC report or carfax though, but probably explains decently fresh paint on the car.
Most of the underside suspension and what not has pretty bad surface rust - not sure if this is normal and would be problematic for doing bushings and suspension components later.
Trunk is kind of a mess, missing some of the carpeting and has an amp screwed right into the middle. Some surface rust around the battery area/corner.
Crank pulley is not wobbling, and engine looks clean (as in the photos). But there is some oil seeping from somewhere that I couldn't pinpoint. I'm assuming needs some gaskets/seals replaced. PS belt is pretty loud on start up. On cold start there was white smoke from the exhaust, hard to tell if it was just steam from being cold. Seemed to subside after a couple minutes, but on throttle there would be a bit - dissipates pretty quick and doesn't hang around in the air. I would have explored this further if we drove the car.
He wasn't keen on me driving the car if I wasn't prepared to make an offer if the test drive went well. I think I seemed a bit hesitant with the car altogether but it would have been nice to drive it.
So at this point I'm kind of between waiting for another one in better condition to come up to try and jump on - vs. lowering my expectations for what you get for the money in the Miata market right now. The others currently for sale at a similar price point have rust areas, much higher km etc.
Would be good to check out another one just for comparisons sake.
Thanks again everyone!
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by LSF22
Every time I'm there I usually see Jgresch's name under "Best Lap Times"
I think we've all been in this situation before, but I used to be on the fence about these situations where a seller won't offer a test drive unless a mutual offer and understanding is between one another.
I used to get tire kickers who would come see the car, play the role of judge, jury, and executor and tell me it wasn't as described, find a small scratch and ask for $8000 off asking price, or not to their expectations, but still want to test drive it. My question to that is "Why?" If the car doesn't meet your expectations or you decide that the car is not for you, is a test drive going to drastically change your mind? Personally, I don't think so.
On the flip side, if someone looked at my car, and was genuinely interested, and made a conditional offer upon a test drive and a pre-purchase inspection, with a deposit, yeah, I'd be happy to entertain a test drive. But given COVID and such circumstances, it would have to be a serious buyer who is determined, and not just a tire kicker looking for a Revscene special.
If anyone is interested, quick(ish) summary of my thoughts on that miata.
Spoiler!
TLDR:
Wasn't in as great condition as I was hoping
Oil seeping from somewhere but couldn't get under the car or tell if it was from when he did the CAS o-ring
Wouldn't let me drive it unless I was ready to make an offer
Unsure if it's just not a great car for the price or if I need to adjust my expectations.
Long:
All the posts and DMs helped a lot, so thank you!
I checked out the car yesterday afternoon when there was a break in the rain. I think I was expecting the car to be in better condition - and not to say it was in poor condition, I was just hoping it was great from every angle.
This was the same car jaaagman had mentioned, so dent in the rear QP with paint crack from battery. Interior a bit worn and missing random little interior pieces, plus some random things drilled and glued here and there for what I think was the old alarm. Current owner has had it for a year and a half and only put 1000kms on it.
Front fenders and hood were not original, so something frontal in the past - not reflected on ICBC report or carfax though, but probably explains decently fresh paint on the car.
Most of the underside suspension and what not has pretty bad surface rust - not sure if this is normal and would be problematic for doing bushings and suspension components later.
Trunk is kind of a mess, missing some of the carpeting and has an amp screwed right into the middle. Some surface rust around the battery area/corner.
Crank pulley is not wobbling, and engine looks clean (as in the photos). But there is some oil seeping from somewhere that I couldn't pinpoint. I'm assuming needs some gaskets/seals replaced. PS belt is pretty loud on start up. On cold start there was white smoke from the exhaust, hard to tell if it was just steam from being cold. Seemed to subside after a couple minutes, but on throttle there would be a bit - dissipates pretty quick and doesn't hang around in the air. I would have explored this further if we drove the car.
He wasn't keen on me driving the car if I wasn't prepared to make an offer if the test drive went well. I think I seemed a bit hesitant with the car altogether but it would have been nice to drive it.
So at this point I'm kind of between waiting for another one in better condition to come up to try and jump on - vs. lowering my expectations for what you get for the money in the Miata market right now. The others currently for sale at a similar price point have rust areas, much higher km etc.
Would be good to check out another one just for comparisons sake.
Thanks again everyone!
Quote:
Originally Posted by JDMDreams
^ yea won't let me test drive the car? No thanks
Given the laundry list of issues, going for a test drive likely wouldn't have changed the OP's mind, which I think is fair on both sides.
Sure the seller may feel it's a waste of their time, but the onus would be on the seller to be more transparent with the condition of the car so prospective buyers aren't going to be disappointed like Jgresch was.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by skyxx
Sonick is a genius. I won't go into detail what's so great about his post. But it's damn good!
2010 Toyota Rav4 Limited V6 - Wifey's Daily Driver
2009 BMW 128i - Daily Driver
2007 Toyota Rav4 Sport V6 - Sold
1999 Mazda Miata - Sold
2003 Mazda Protege5 - Sold
1987 BMW 325is - Sold
1990 Mazda Miata - Sold
seller clearly stated his test drive policy in the ad
is this a good way to sell a car? no. but the buyer shouldn't be surprised.
I wouldn't even have gone to see it. Seller has no idea how to sell car, I doubt they know how to take care of one either.
Agreed, if you went all the way there to see the car, it shows some interest in the car.
The test drive might be what it takes to convince you to make an offer.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tofu1413
and icing on the cake, lady driving a newer chrysler 200 infront of me... jumped out of her car, dropped her pants, did an immediate squat and did probably the longest public relief ever...... steam and all.
why would anyone make an offer on a used car before test drive lol, unless it’s quite underpriced
people that pick your car apart for its flaws are usually the most serious ones ready to commit
could you maybe get a bit more elsewhere, possibly, but my time is worth more than that..note I’m talking about the average used car not ones rising in value like the NA miata in question
those that are too polite and just gonna think about it and never hear from them again
Last edited by twitchyzero; 04-26-2021 at 01:00 PM.
With the whole test drive thing - I definitely see both sides and don't hold anything against the seller. I made it clear this was the first Miata I've looked at and as Sonick mentioned, driving it wouldn't have pushed me over the edge in that moment to buy it - although I wouldn't consider myself a tire kicker as I wouldn't waste my time looking at a car I'm not serious about - I asked a ton of questions prior to viewing and paid for 2 history reports (carfax was a waste).
On the flip side, it would have been nice to drive it to know exactly what to expect should I continue to pursue the car. I'm still trying to evaluate if this is just where the market is for these cars now and just accept that this is a good car for the money related to other NA Miatas, knowing I would need to/want to put some money into some things that need fixing. Short of the great deals that pop up but only last minutes/hours, of course.
There's not much else out there right now that currently catches my eye as something I'd consider. I put up a WTB ad on FB to see if there was anybody else considering selling soon. I guess I'll take another look at current listings with a bit more of an open mind as well. I generally avoided body rust, 250+km, obvious poor condition, and heavily modded. Not a fan of silver or tan interiors (sorry BRG).
Thanks again everyone - hope we can continue with good buy posting again!
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by LSF22
Every time I'm there I usually see Jgresch's name under "Best Lap Times"
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