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Looking for a sports car bargain: $5K rebate on '08 Miatas!
Friday night while surfing Miata.net, I learned that Mazda just unveiled $5000 rebates on remaining '08 Miatas. I've been tire-kicking '06's waiting for the right deal (and also for my '99 to sell). Well, they were already selling for around invoice +/-, and adding the rebate made it too tempting to resist.
I immediately went to Mazda's website, and sent requests for quotes for every suitable model within 250 miles. I ended up w/ a GT in True Red/Black, w/ Suspension and Premium #2 Packages. Listed for around $27,300, got it for $19,995 - complete w/ all kinds of goodies like heated leather seats, keyless ignition (just like the M3 and Vette), a Bose stereo that actually sounds decent, etc. My '99 10AE Miata got trashed in Austin's possibly worst hailstorm ever last Wed., and hopefully the damage will be high enough to get them to total it. I plan to keep the new one relatively stock as long as I have the 10AE, then use some of the proceeds from it to start some light mods (rollbar, coilovers, etc.) http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3662/...bfe08424_o.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3556/...44764d8c_o.jpg |
That's a great price, congrats!
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It is a sharp ride, congrats!
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28k for a Miata is getting raped. Even 20k doesn't seem all that great. Considering the thing came out in 1990 and it pretty much looks the same.
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Your neighbors house looks like a castle
Cut your grass |
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good deal chris...... |
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Amazing the difference one letter can make |
I always suggested to my son he could ride in the back of the Z, But it's not a real trunk as it opens to the passenger compartment, and I'm not sure he could fold himself into it anymore....
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I rode in the "trunk" of a Beetle all the time when I was 5-6
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Why would I pay double for the same shit? At least the Americans make the cars totally different. |
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New engine and tranny. New suspension Entire new platform a few years back. Check out some MazdaSpeed parts for it... still covered under warranty. |
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The thing with the Japanese is that they usually won't change designs unless they are pressured by marketing to do so. |
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Then again, I actually like Miatas so maybe I just pay more attention to them than you do. |
flip up lights for one.
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How often does the Vette get changed? Once every 9-10 yrs? |
yeah, it's not like a 6sp tranny should cost more then a 5 spd.
my '94 miata was in the $18's.......... |
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I SOOOO agreee with you.. Like a 1990 Corvette went for 32K back in 1990 and now it goes for like what 60K-70K OMG!!!! It's the same car!!! anyways...... 5K discount eh... Miata's start at 22K so if there are any base model lying around that's a hell of a deal |
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1990 Corvette: 31.9K base price
0-60 mph in 5.7 - 14.3 1/4 2009 Corvette:48.5K base price 0-60 mph in 4.1 1.6 second improvement time worth 16.6K 1990 Mazda Miata:13.8K base price 9.4 0-60 16.9 1/4 2009 Miata:22.7K base price 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds 1.9 second improvement time worth 8.9K |
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Did the '90 Miata have any of the following? - 166 hp - much more power and tq. - 6 sp. tranny - keyless entry/ignition w/ integrated alarm - leather, heated seats w/ adj. height - 200W Bose stereo (I generally hate Bose, but this one sounds pretty good) - 5 link rear suspension - greater mass centralization - HID headlights + foglights - side impact airbags - enough space to be comfy on a long drive - stability control - one handed top raising/lowering w/ no need for a tonneau cover - 17" wheels w/ sticky rubber - tilt steering - much, much stiffer chassis Even w/ all that stuff, it's still by far the lightest sports car on the market that isn't a Lotus. I have a 2nd gen, and trust me, I didn't buy it just b/c I had money laying around that I didn't know what to do w/! |
The 1990 miata was much smaller, had almost no creature comforts, was noisy on the highway, and the interior was rather dime-store. Plus the rear window wasn't glass, and it had much more snap-oversteer. Paint sucked and the doors felt kinda like a tin can. With that being said it was probably the funnest car I've ever driven.
There is no comparison to today's Miata. They are 2 full generations apart. Doubt if they even share any parts except maybe wheel bearings and wiper motors. |
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Totally agree on fun to drive. Once you get over the fact that EVERYBODY is leaving you from a stop light (when driving that first year Miata now in 2009) and they are not even trying... Holy crap is it fun to drive. However...in a 1990 Corvette. Driven in 2009... Once you get past the "It's got some balls" when leaving that same stop light. It just turns into a series of "damn", "this is just bad". You gotta constantly goose the motor to keep your mind off the little crappy things and when your done you kinda write it off as "it's just old...I really want a new one!!!" In the Miata, just when you start getting annoyed at those fucking doorhandles you gotta hold open to lock the door and the motor, the motor that under 4K is just, it just takes a long time to get there but when it does....."Hey wonder what a new set a shocks will do for the handl......hey another corner..... FUCK YOU MINIVAN I'll CATCH YOU IN THE TWISTIES!!......" In other words....fuck refinement and decent radios and plastic that holds up in bad weather with the top down...It's just a fun car to drive. |
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And my car knowlegde is knowing how shit operates, not memorizing book spec. knowledge and whether the dashboard is "tight" or not. |
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Around here if you want to have fun with engine swaps it better be OBD-I recipient car or earlier. |
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Along the same lines though, I would also like to someday swap Integra Type-R power (with the limited slip) in to an original Mini. That could be a hell of a lot of fun. |
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazda_Miata They have pictures by generation. If you can't see the difference there, you're just being hard-headed. :nee: |
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/9071692...49470/sizes/o/ When I want to go much faster, I break out the more serious iron: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3434/...49cea679_b.jpg |
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www.monstermiata.com. Don't be a vagina.
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The monster Miata or another version of it would be a beast and a blast to drive. Similar to the Cobra kit cars I would imagine. I've driven two of the Cobra replicas...one from Superformance and one from FactoryFive Racing :drool: but never a V8 Miata. Well come to think of it I've never driven a Miata period.
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My Vette has 295's but still no match for the power without putting drag radials on it. From a roll they both were/are fun. :lol: |
V8 Miatas are fun, but I don't have time for a project car, and I shuffling 5 vehicles around the garage/driveway is already a royal PITA. Can't wait to sell the old Miata, and we're thinking about selling the Jetta. The M3, new Miata, and Ridgeline would make a great combo and cover all our needs.
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Yeah well I wouldn't want to put a V8 in that car. People can claim it has no effect on handling, but that's BS. Just because it might acheive the same lateral G's or slalom doesn't mean it handles exactly the same. There is a certain lightness in the steering and tossability that would be lost. Also, personally it's more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow. In a V8 Miata your throttle foot would be itching all the time, with almost nowhere to use it.
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Dude the entire chassis and platform is new.
As for a V8 transplant, that's better-suited for an RX7, not a Miata IMO. |
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Just a quick update on my Miata, which is finally track-ready!
I've had a MS CAI + Goodwin Racing midpipe/catback for several months now. I recently installed Tein Mono Flex coilovers, then had an alignment, corner balance, and fender roll to accommodate Enkei 17x9 wheels w/ 235/40 Dunlop Direzza Star Specs. I still haven't found the limits of the handling, since they're so high, normally aggressive cornering speeds don't even bother it....the car literally feels like it's vacummed to the road! Can't wait to get it on the track soon... http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2440/...1960e729_b.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3603/...c4e507b1_b.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3658/...a82db78f_o.jpg I'll have a header and an aftermarket rollbar on it by this fall, then it will be pretty much done. |
Wow... nice job, Chris! :dthumb:
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Looks good. 9" rims seem pretty wide for a car of that size, though. What did it come with stock?
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Thanks, guys. It came w/ 17x7" wheels w/ 205/50 tires stock. One of the cool things about the new Miatas is that their flared fenders can hold a lot of rubber! (I've seen up to 285's on them)
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Wouldn't a slightly used Z3 be a batter buy? Probably not as reliable but more performance and a better ride.
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Nice RPF1s... Considered those for my Z but it sees more daily driving than track time.
BTW I love how cars are sold here in Tx with "heated leather" seats. :lol Just what I want when I get in my car after work with 100+deg outside/inside. |
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Edit: The Miata was bone stock on a dealer showroom floor, so my opinion was not based on any mods that could be done to improve power or handling. |
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You'd think ventilated seats would have caught on as a much more common and desirable option for those of us below the Mason-Dixon. Now, I can attest that heated seats are a nice indulgence during our short cold season, but I'd rather have ventilation for the other 9 months. :rolleyes: |
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At Harris Hill Road (closest track to Austin), the lap rankings/records were something like this last I checked: 1. Radical ~1:18 2. Ferrari 355 Challenge ~1:19-1:20 3. 911 GT3 RS ~1:23 4. '08 Miata (not mine) 1:26 5. Exige S ~1:26 Behind that are other Lotuses, Caymans, Corvettes, Porsches, etc. The NC Miata can get a lot of rubber under those flared fenders, giving it a potential traction advantage over most other cars which can overcome the power deficit on tighter tracks. Heated seats are great on cooler days/nights, it extends the comfort zone for topless motoring. Heck, we have 'em on all 4 of our cars & trucks, and once you have 'em, you'll problem appreciate them. I prob. won't use them again until Oct., but will be happy to hit the button when the temps drop again! |
So those fenders are stock? You say rolled, what does that mean.
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The inside lip on the rear fenders (pretty much out of sight) was horizontal to the ground, but was bent upwards to create additional tire clearance. Front fenders are pre-rolled from the factory.
http://www.tom.actionfit.com/fenderolling.html |
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I would LOVE chilled seats, but that would involve quite a bit extra weight and complexity vs. heated seats, which add <1 lb. of switches and heating elements.
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By the way, for all you who choke on the thought of adding expensive performance equipment to a Miata...
I should have snapped a pic of the Impala or whatever plain-jane, humdrum GM sedan it was that I passed on the way to work tonight sitting at a gas pump...with pimp-ass vertical doors wide open. :lol: |
chris, cars lookin great! i really like this gen vs the last one. this gen looks much more like the orig. versions.
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I'm not a big fan of Miata's BUT I know they are a decent little car and can be made to handle supurbly for not much $$.
When I say I'm not a big fan...I mean for me to drive...I'm not saying it's not a good reliable car at all. Less than $20k for that car is a bargain period...nice purchase. *edit* Just realized how "old" this thread is :lol: and didn't read all of it. I still say what I just posted above BUT must also say...nice job with the upgrades...nicely done !! |
I remember when they first came out. I hated the lil jelly beans (this is back in my teens when the only car you need to know had 5.0 on the side and was refered to by many as "notchback' or "LX")
Then I drove one. then I drove another one and another. I've enjoyed bare bones models with the "anemic" 1.6 as much as the newer 1.8's. I'd rock an old Miata sooner than a new Mustang or Camaro. |
I saw a Mallet LS2 Solstice last night, pretty nice, but reportedly weighs in at 2,900lb's.
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