I've always dreamed of owning some sort of Subaru and parking next to one, but after seeing http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2688/4492847034_258535c4ec_o.jpg this Miata, I'm in love. I just don't think I could go out and buy one as I'd probably slap a carbon fiber lip, matte blue wrap, and a turbo just to make it look even better. Please help me, I really want one... But I need help with it on whether or not I should get it.
You got us all hot and bothered about a Subaru. Now your thinking a miata. Fickle as balls Mr. I don't like RWD. You know what's just like that and STILL a Subaru? BRZ / FRS. Just saying.
Yes, but a BRZ is way to far out of my budget. Exactly, I'm not talking about slapping some 76mm turbo on. Maybe a small turbo that's still just enough to bring a little more "pep" to the car.
Do it. A miata is a goddamn riot to drive. They're also easily one of the best cars to learn on, and have insanely good aftermarket support thanks to all of them that get tracked every weekend. Pros: Uber-light Awesome handling a chassis that rewards the good and punishes the bad. (excellent to learn on) Insanely good aftermarket support Insanely good factory support (seriously, mazdaspeed is one step off free BJs if you race with their flag) Cons: Human fit - Not everyone will fit in a miata properly. Zero space for anything Tracking may require a full safety cage due to soft top So many stancetards are rolling them An unexplainable craving for the cock.
Those are perfect for me. I don't usually carry that many things, nor do I drive around with anyone. And since I'd love to track, some upgraded brakes/suspension can go a long ways.
I don't mean additional people.. have you been in one? Driving position can be impossible if you're the wrong height, as the top of the window frame will block everything.
Sounds like a winner. Grab a miata, and spend some time learning to drive stock before you go whole hog changing the suspension and adding power. They're a handful when you start to add a little boost.
For sure And when I'm older, I'll buy my dream WRX and keep my Miata as a track car. Will you guys still accept me into MNSubaru if I don't have a Subaru ?
Im good to go in that department myself but thanks. I guess I should not of leaped to the assumption just based off your age that you would be strapping a big snail to the car. That's my fault. Appologies
Miatas are friggin' awesome. I've owned two. A 1994 M and a 2004 Mazdaspeed. I seriously regret selling the Mazdaspeed. I don't know what I was thinking. Each had their own charm. I love pop-up headlights and the interior of the 94 is more classic. It was also lighter. But it was dog compared to the MSM. The MSM was better in every way, even though it was a little bit heavier. The factory turbo was a hoot and it's really easy to open up the breathing and get more power. Having the extra power really made the little bugger come alive. I put aftermarket suspension on it, but even stock it handled better and was a more compliant ride than the 94 even with the harsh stock Bilsteins. Subjectively, it also looked better. Nobody every regrets buying a Miata. People only regret selling them. Do it. DO EET!
If I recall, your budget was around 15k. Speaking from experience of someone that went the "my Subaru can do all the things I want" camp, here's my suggestion and why: Buy a Miata as the weekend toy/track toy. If you want to learn how to drive fast, you need to choose your cars like they are toys for learning. The Miata is one of the most effective tools for learning how to drive fast. Do not modify it from the start. Aesthetics are fine, but learn the car in stock trim first. Set aside some money for wheels and tires. Do not stance the car. Stance defeats the purpose of the car unless you're trying to go for drifting. Next, take your remaining budget and buy a winter beater. Miatas are cheap Japanese cars, which means they have cheap Japanese steel in them. Once the rot starts, you might not be able to stop it and the rockers on Miatas are both the first place to rust and one of the more important structural parts of the car. There's plenty of cheap Subarus that work great as winter drivers as well as other FWD cars that would do fine with a set of snow tires on them. There's a few major things that someone in your situation needs to keep in mind as hurdles to overcome: 1) Most importantly: Goals. This doesn't need to be anything lofty or serious, but set out with goals so you can lay out a plan to guide your way. This doesn't mean you can't have fun, but setting out with some kind of destination in mind can keep you from spending money, time, and effort on things you don't need to. If you want to learn how to drive fast, keep that in mind and focus on that idea. Fast cars don't make fast drivers. Slow cars (known as momentum cars) make fast drivers because you learn to compensate for the car's lack of speed with some of your own technique. 2) You live in Minnesota. We just can't have nice things here. The roads are covered in salt about 6-8 months out of the year. Even after the snow's gone, you still have to wait for a few good, hard rains before it's gone enough that it's safe to bring out the toys. 3) Keep your toys and your A-B separate. I bought one car when I was 20-something years old to be my DD and track toy. Eight years on, I have a car that's halfway between both. It's more suited for track use, but hasn't seen a track in years. Once I got a dedicated race car, I stopped taking the DD to the track. This isn't unique, and neither are you. You're going to grow older and you're going to get tired of telescoping your spine on every bump in the road. Have one for fun, and one for getting you to work. Unless you move to AZ or CA or something.
I have a '96 Miata that I picked up for $4K. In the summer, I've never had so much fun in a car every time I drive it. It's not fast, but that's not the point. You can certainly turbo them easily if you really want to give up the reliability. Parts are so cheap. I love my Subaru, but Miata Is Always The Answer. Edit: I'd rather put this into a wall than a $40K car. Makes driving more fun when you have to worry slightly less (but still be safe)!
Is it wise to get a 2nd car for the winter? Would insurance be a problem? I'd probably get a '99 Impreza for tehe winter, and the miata for the rest of the year.
Honestly, if you find a clean example of an NA/NB Miata and drive it in winter, it's going to start to rot at some point in the rocker panel area. It's pretty common. They handle great in the snow with snow tires, but I suggest just storing it while there is salt on the ground. Also, if you're thinking about using it as a DD, think it over. My NA's trunk can maybe fit a small suitcase and a six pack of beer. You'd regret it fast.
I wouldn't even need to carry that much. Maybe a small backpack for school, but that's pretty much it.
Buy 2 miatas. Lift one track/mod the other. Potentially add a 3rd parts car. They'll all blow up less than the turbo subaru you were thinking about. Srs though, dude at work dd's his miata year round. Aside from visibility over/around show banks i imagine it's a riot in the winter.
My friend has a 91 NA Miata, he drove it in the winter this year and it did start to rust a little, so now we have some body work to do this summer, but that car is soo fun and you don't have to worry about crashing an expensive car. We whip that thing around all the time. I wouldn't reccomend driving it in the winter, but the reliability of it is bullet proof. I'd reccomend a Miata over a cheap wrx that you know will blow up soon.
NO, but it is dead to me. I owe 2500 on it, which I intend to pay off before winter so I can salvage what's left of its value and trade it in on an Infiniti EX35.
Yes, Miata...... Great cars, cheap to maintain, and will make you a better driver. I've had a few of them, but recently bought a really rare '99 Miata sport to run E Street autox. Good thing about these cars is that you can always find clean/ rust free examples of them (appeal to older folks) I personally picked this one up in Phoenix, but you can find a nice one in Minnesota if you look around. Definitely a weekend car/ track toy, I also just purchased a 2015 Mazda 3 for DD duty ( Great cars) Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions. There are a few models to avoid depending on your goals.
Lips, carbon, wraps, turbos...you are much more of Subaru boy it sounds like. Also owning a miata as your only car for DD purposes is a mistake IMO. Wait until you can afford 2 cars to buy one. As many have said, you can buy one for a few grand.
So... I'm in a bit of a conundrum. I never once realized that I would actually have to drive my siblings to school. Would a Legacy GT/Forester XT be better?
I have 3 other siblings. I have a 21 year old brother, he's 6 ft 3, younger sister who's 13 she's about 5 ft 5, and a younger brother who's 10, and about 4 ft 5.
Get a tuned suspension and tires, little more poop out of the engine, and you will have a fast little go kart! You can't argue with a car that has near perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
