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Mazda MX-5 Miata (2005 and earlier)

4340 messages,  Last post on Aug 25, 2009 at 9:51 AM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda, Toyota MR2 Spyder, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Convertible


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#4077 of 4340
Re: parts bin [audia8q] by m1miata
Sep 10, 2005 (1:13 pm)
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Replying to: audia8q (Sep 10, 2005 6:11 am)

... And you can add the Miata having a roll bar. Ooops, the MX-5 has a roll bar. The Miata name is gone. It is possible that all the hoopla about the new Solstice will result in people scanning the magazine looking for road tests to determine their choice of the latest convertible two seater. If this is the start of a new wave of roadster cars, perhaps Pontiacs success, will lift sales of the MX-5 as well. I will stay with my predictions of 3:1 or more sales over the MX-5 though. The better car doesn't always translate into better sales.
 
As for parts cars, remember the greatest success story of all times for a car release, the Mustang, is a Falcon chassis.
 
The MX-5 remains a great little car for sporting around in. The pie however is getting cut into so many pieces, it is hard to believe sales will skyrocket for the latest Miata. All though say a Mustang is not the same class as the MX-5, it's convertible sales will eat into MX-5 sales. To increase sales, I would think a hardtop version of the MX-5 would be in the cards. If Pontiac dealers get too greedy and overprice their cars, that would help Mazda. If it creates a frenzy to own roadster sports cars, the rising tide could raise all boats. One way or another, October sales numbers for these two cars should be interesting.
 
Loren
#4078 of 4340
mustang? by blueguydotcom
Sep 10, 2005 (3:11 pm)
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Don't see it as competition in any way. Never even crossed my mind to look at a Mustang. Big, flabby, ungainly, ford engineering. no thanks.
#4079 of 4340
Re: mustang? [blueguydotcom] by m1miata
Sep 10, 2005 (6:34 pm)
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Replying to: blueguydotcom (Sep 10, 2005 3:11 pm)

" Don't see it as competition in any way. Never even crossed my mind to look at a Mustang. Big, flabby, ungainly, ford engineering. no thanks. "
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::END QUOTE:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
 
First of all, it is competition to the Miata. All sporty convertibles have the potential to siphon sales from the MX-5. Second, someone else may never think to look at a smaller car like the Miata, but nonetheless it is taking a piece of the pie. The Mustang is looking a bit fatter these days, just like the jump from '68 to '69. It is not a whole lot bigger than say the '94, but yeah, it does look it. If they stop there - not too bad. Looks are great, but perhaps a little too close to the original of '69 and thus slightly too retro / replica car. But I do like it. Last and I guess lest to say, don't forget Ford owns a large chunk of Mazda. That 1.8 engine was also used in Escorts and other econo cars, like a Kia Sephia.
 
Loren
#4080 of 4340
Re: mustang? [m1miata] by blueguydotcom
Sep 10, 2005 (7:27 pm)
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Replying to: m1miata (Sep 10, 2005 6:34 pm)

First of all, it is competition to the Miata. All sporty convertibles have the potential to siphon sales from the MX-5.
 
Totally different markets. People generally don't test drive 4000 lbs 4 seaters v6s/v8s against 2 seat 2500 lbs roadsters. Just like I can't think of anyone even comparing a z4 to the mx-5.
 
The mx-5 is in its own niche - until the solstice.
 
That 1.8 engine was also used in Escorts and other econo cars, like a Kia Sephia.
 
What 1.8? The MX-5 has a 2.0.
#4081 of 4340
Re: Picked up a 06 [ryanrec] by davidg3
Sep 11, 2005 (6:40 pm)
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Replying to: ryanrec (Sep 09, 2005 11:35 am)

I am looking for a fun car to 'downsize' to from my Accord. I need something that I can live in commuting 110 miles a day 2/3 highway, so I was eager to hear about your Miata screaming on the freeway. Any thoughts about a Miata and long running comfort? And at 80 on the freeway, can you hear a blessed thing from the radio (with the top up)?
#4082 of 4340
david by blueguydotcom
Sep 11, 2005 (7:07 pm)
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The miata is not a comfortable freeway car. I'd suggest the Civic, Corolla, or Mazda3. All get good gas mileage and have decent comfort.
#4083 of 4340
1.8l engine by ateixeira
Sep 12, 2005 (7:15 am)
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Actually, it first appeared in the 1990 Mazda Protoge. The '91 Ford Escort GT borrowed that platform, so that car ended up getting the same engine, which was a gem by the way. I owned one and drove it for 107k miles. The powertrain was great, but the body fell apart around it.
 
The engine was also used in the Mercury Tracer LTS.
 
Later on, the '94 Miata got the 1.8l engine, but it was tuned differently and laid out longitudinally. It made 128hp from the start, 125hp in the Pro and 127hp in the Escort. But the layout, trans, and drivetrain were all so different, it really only shared an engine block.
 
After that, Kia did make use of some of the Mazda engine designs because they didn't have the resources to build the engines by themselves.
 
The Miata's 1.8l evolved, well beyond any of the others. Pro went to a 2.0l and Kia started using the Alpha engines made by Hyundai.
 
So that's like saying the '05 SSR was a Corvette because it used the same block. Clearly it's not a Corvette, even with the extra power it gets for '06.
 
-juice
#4084 of 4340
Re: parts bin [audia8q] by logic1
Sep 12, 2005 (7:53 am)
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Replying to: audia8q (Sep 10, 2005 6:11 am)

One big weak point for the Pontiac is the fact that the car was not designed and built from the ground up as a roadster like the Miata..
 
In fact, the Kappa frame is a ground up Roadster frame.
 
It's built with whatever spare parts GM had laying around.
 
Almost all manufacturers share components among the cars they make.
 
It has a GMC truck transmission with the same gear ratios
 
Wrong. It uses an Aisin sport 5 speed manual that is not used on other GM vehicles. The Solstice does share the round back up lights with the Trailblazer.
#4085 of 4340
logic by audia8q
Sep 12, 2005 (10:43 am)
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This is from the Pontiac Soltice forum...not from me.
 
shared parts
 
Front fog lamps: Grand Prix
Rear Back-up Lamps: Envoy/Trailblazer
Seats: Shared with Opel (maybe just the frame?)
Outside Rear View Mirrors: Fiat Barchetta?
Interior AC vents: 156/Fiat
Brakes/Rotors: ION or Malibu Maxx?
Engine: Chevy Cobalt (2.4l), Uplevel F/I unknown, Cobalt S/C possible
Transmission: Aisin 5 spd manual, adapted from Chevy Colorado
Differential: Cadillac CTS (from cars.com overview)
Door Handles: Unknown but mentioned as shared
Gage Cluster: Chevy Cobalt
HVAC controls: Hummer H3
 
they had additional lists but I didn't have time to read thru the entire forum....
 
Despite this....why would somebody buy a Soltice over the proven Miata??
#4086 of 4340
Re: Picked up a 06 [davidg3] by ryanrec
Sep 12, 2005 (10:53 am)
Reply

Replying to: davidg3 (Sep 11, 2005 6:40 pm)

I would say that 55 miles each way comute should be no problem regarding comfort. I don't know if I would want to drive the car for 4 hours straight, but 55 miles should not be a problem. The radio (7 speaker Bose)is so powerful that you could probably hear it at any speed.

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