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Mazda MX-5 Miata Driving Stories

21 messages,  Last post on May 17, 2009 at 12:14 AM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda MX-5 Miata, MINI Cooper, Volkswagen New Beetle, Convertible

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#14 of 21 Phoenix-LA I-10 Trip Report by techtool Apr 10, 2008 (7:51 am)
I decided to drive my 2007 MX-5 (Grand Touring soft top, manual, no suspension package) from Phoenix to LA and back (via I-10). After 1100 miles (including a few hundred miles around LA) here are some observations for the curious about the Miata as a long trip car. Excellent: seats (I'm 5'10" 195 lbs.), handling, ride (except for LA freeway hop which is a problem with all (I think) short wheelbase cars), power, cruising ability (80-95 -just ignore the tach which looks scary compared with most cars), brakes, gas mileage (29 mpg average). Visibility even with the top up is fine, with the mirrors correctly adjusted. Bad: noise (it's a little roadster, duh!). I bought some foam earplugs in LA and used those coming back. It was an improvement, but my ears are still ringing; the trunk is tight, of course, and said aforementioned freeway hop is a negative. The Excellents far outweigh the Bads. If I had the hardtop, the noise factor would be less. The car is a truly excellent vehicle, and a great value. No flats, either, and it has enough "cool factor," even though it is cheap, to make snobby LA valet parkers happy. It also does not inspire road rage, unlike a Mercedes I used to have (another story). Oh, and no flats along the way. Also, people want to talk to you about the car. Unless you are an introvert, this is good.
#15 of 21 107k Miles in 2.5 years! 2004-MIATA TURBO!! by johnchun Apr 10, 2008 (9:31 am)
FACTS FOR THE CAR PUBLIC ON A 2004 MIATA MAZDASPEED CAR:   1-107k since April05 (less 6 months Traveling) No broken Engine/body parts! 2-Raced AutoX 7 states=100+runs + Houston Raceway 1/4mile 2 days straight! 3-Used/broke 9 sets of back tires, 3 rims, 2 windshields! All Drivers FAULT! 4-Daily redline driving! Daily Burnouts! No Tickets No Traffic Stops 107k miles! 5-Very Good racing car, Drifting Car, Trick Exhibition Driving (donuts & 8's)! 6-DURABLE & TOUGH! Clutch & Front Brake pads 99k miles=WOW!! 7-No warranty claims or repairs in 100,000 miles! 8-The best FUN CAR EVER OWNED (multi-millionaire person) since no STRESS! 9-This car replaced 3 motorcycles, 1 Mercedes & 1 truck! (Better Curves & safer). 10- 1st Mazdaspeed Miata Turbo (2004-2005) that broke 100,000 miles! 11- Very Easy to get cheap parts and Accessories all over the internet! 12-Very cheap Maintenance, service, on gas, parking & MAXIMUM FUN per Mile! 13-I should have driven this car since High School vs. Millions Wasted on Luxury! 14-I should have driven this car vs. MOTORCYCLES (avoid 3 crashes & death!) 15-Top off in 5 seconds, Top on in 15 seconds! Faster than starting your car! 16-Lowest cost per mile of most cars ever! 17-Lowest maintenance cost of most cars ever! 18-Cheapest, Most Reliable, Most Fun, Most Flexible Car I ever Owned! 19-Miata owners are Polite and not "BULLY BRAGGER HOT HEAD OWNERS" 20-Gold Digger Women don't go after your car, your money or give you STRESS! 21-Car can do bikes, small trailer, cargo carrier, motorcycle trailer & small PWC! 22-Over 1 Million Miata cars on the road in the world! 23-Rated most desired Convertible UNDER $30,000 all over the Internet! 24-??? anything else? Just post it as items 24 to 30, etc. etc. etc. Replies to this message: ateixeira (Apr 10, 2008 10:00 am)
#16 of 21 Re: 107k Miles in 2.5 years! 2004-MIATA TURBO!! [johnchun] by ateixeira Apr 10, 2008 (10:00 am)
Replying to: johnchun (Apr 10, 2008 9:31 am) Fun post!   Good to hear from you John.   Just one correction - somehow I do think you managed to avoid death on your motorcycles.
#17 of 21 Re: My Y2K SE was totaled. :( [allcarsrcool] by bigbozer1 Nov 10, 2008 (4:38 pm)
Replying to: allcarsrcool (Jul 20, 2007 4:15 pm) I had a lovely 1995 SE which I totalled on Hwy 49 near Downieville in Calif. It was not my fault entirely the curve just before Downieville was badly sign posted. Anyway, I crashed into the solid mountain, out popped both air bags, and the windshield crumpled but I walked away without a scratch. The insurance co. was nice about it and paid me $9000. Which was enough for me to buy a 1999 10th Anniversary which I love and now drive with great care. One Sat. early morning I was driving rather spiritedly on the road from Davis to Winters when I got a speeding ticket. The first time in my life. Why they do not let a man and his car enjoy themselves I will never know?! What a damper in these cash strapped days! The wife hit the roof and I will have to spend an equal amount of the ticket on on her before she quiets down. I have abandoned all thoughts about moving up to a Ferrari or a Porsche Boxster. It will only end up in more tickets.
#19 of 21 Miata as shelter by indycmgs Nov 17, 2008 (1:12 pm)
I bought my wife a 99 Miata for our 20th anniversary. I knew I had done the right thing when I noticed that she had waxed it within the first week we had it. Anyway....   We took a two week driving trip to Utah with the kids. The Miata was in the garage the whole time which was opened by the neighbors to feed the cat. When we got back I took the Miata out early the next morning to get a Sunday paper. Car ran fine. Later I started it up to take my son to Church. The engine was skipping badly so I turned around and came home and took another car. After we returned I decided to check under the hood to see if I could tell what was wrong. I noticed pieces of dog food lined up neatly along the cylinder head which seemed odd. Then I saw a pair of beady eyes near the brake master cylinder that clearly told me that I had intruded on someone's personal space. A rat had moved into the engine compartment and was storing dog food for the coming winter. He scampered away and I went to the autoparts store for new spark plug wires. The engine started right up and ran smoothly. I then took the car to the self-serve car wash to clean out the engine compartment. Apparently I did not get all of the dog food because the car had a distinct odor of burnt toast when the engine reached operating temperature. This went away in a few weeks after the dog food in the exhaust manifold burned away. My mechanic says he hears such stories all the time. We have since disposed of the intruder and I shiver when I think of my trip to the store to get the newspaper with the rat holding on in the engine compartment for dear life. I was relieved that he did not crawl into the heating vents and appear at my feet while I was driving! Who knew that the Miata was so attractive as a home for the winter? Replies to this message: ateixeira (Nov 18, 2008 1:51 pm)
#20 of 21 Re: Miata as shelter [indycmgs] by ateixeira Nov 18, 2008 (1:51 pm)
Replying to: indycmgs (Nov 17, 2008 1:12 pm) I had chipmunks in my Sienna's engine bay.   Fortunately they've stayed away from my 93 Crystal White C package.
#21 of 21 Can You Handle It by cntdrv55 May 17, 2009 (12:14 am)
I would like to bow to Mazda for creating a superb handling, corner taking, canyon blasting, high speed demon! My expirience happened on a family reunion trip last fourth of July. I traveled from Southern California to Coose Bay Oregon where the air is fresh and the canyons are feirce. I am a 36 year old mother and had owned my miata at that point for about a year. I was aware when I set out on the highway that I had a bald back tire, my plan was to get there then I would replace it once arriving, well..I didn't get to doing that until the following morning (after I went back to camp and changed my pants!) let me explain, I woke up that morning and couldn't wait to fire up my girl on the mountain that I had just the night before climbed to reach the reunion site. Off we go down the mountain taking the sharp turns as we had so many of other trips around my local area, she handle like a pro, down-shifting then then back up, it was awsome to say the ...O H ---M Y--G O S HHH I I TTT !  I was to the bottom of the canyon and comming into a 90 degree turn ( at about 65 mph) before the short distance to the 3 way stop sign intersection. I say 3 way intersection because the fourth side of that section would have been a staight through for me but at this section my direction, drop off giving way to "the bay". Maybe it was fate that I did not have time to think..only to go into autopilot and apply my knowledge and driving skills. I was not scared even entering into the turn as fast as I was going, I knew the car was built for this kind of road, UNTIL..remember..I had that bald tire? well as I enter the turn I cut the wheel as needed (never hitting my brakes) but the shoulder of the road on the right was gravel. My back tire hit just a small part of the edge and that bald tire sent me (as you can imagine)in a TIGHT tailspin. First the car's back end spun all the around to my right so fast, that when the spin was complete, and my mind was telling itself "your alright," the car then shifted into a spin of the oposite direction as I had spun the wheel to accomedate for not braking through the spinout, That is when I would be forced to change my pants because I was in a spin straight toward the edge of the bridge and into the bay. The only thing I do know is that is was surreal, and the man that was already at that intersection (would have been to the right of me had I approached normaly) will forever have a story to tell his buddies about us tourist! I am a small Cali blond girl with my top down ( car top..now..now) and just gave the driving performance only seen by a stunt driver. I ended up face to face with him and my drivers side back tire came to a rest dangling on the edge of that bridge. As the back of my head hit the seat when my body came to a rest, I was quickly looking around my surroundings ( moreso to make sure of no cops..i guess) when I made eye contact with this guy that just witnessed what happened. Just as quick as it all happened, I instinctivly grab to the keys in the ignition to restart the car, as it had died when I came to the rest and I had not been pressing in the clutch, Y E S, it started right up, I threw her clutch into first, smiled at the guy who's mouth was floored, spun the car around in the proper diection and I was gone as fast as I appeared. THANK YOU MAZDA for building a superb handling car! TRUE STORY And yes.. I threw those pants away

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