Most of the Cosworthed guys on the forum have the full Goodwin exhaust and some sort of a tune. Most are pushing right at 300hp to the wheels.

The the BEGi turbo, for almost half the price you can get closer to 350hp to the wheels on stock internals and a full Goodwin setup.

 

When I bought mine, the hardtops were a premium and didn't budge much on the sticker. My stickered 29.7k 2008 was bought, brand new for right around 22k with 7 miles on it.

Left over 2010 PRHTs can be had for $2500-3000 off sticker, according to the forum. Not sure about the soft-tops but im sure its almost double.

Dont bother with the "sport suspension" package. The non-sport package shocks are actually stiffer + you'll be changing all that anyway.

I've got a good friend with a hardtop and its quite astonishing how much difference is when they drive. I dont know if its the extra 80lbs, but mine feels tremendously lighter. It feels more nimble and edgy. I like the lines better on the soft top, esp when fitted with the optional hardtop. I dont like the hump on the back of the hardtops. Its a bad ass deal though either way. In California, I'd go soft top and not look back. I've not had any leaks or anything on mine. Some of the guys with the vinyl tops (lower spec models) have had tearing issues, but on the GTs fitted with the cloth top, it seems to hold up very well. Either way you go, you'll love it. The cool factor goes to the hardtop.

As far as straight line performance, its marginal at best. You wont notice a difference.

 

Very nice, and in a 2400lb car, 300whp must be really fun.

And 80lbs may not seem like much, but its up high, so you will feel it. Id go with the soft top as well. Its a shame the '11 color selection sucks IMO.

 

$3000 off the sticker.... I would get one right away.. haha I'm going to crunch some numbers and see if I can get some pricing on my ms3. It still only has 10k miles.. haha anyone on AZ who wants my car, let me know lol its been babied.

And yeah I would probably get the softtop!

My gf is calling me crazy but it really was the best driving experience of my entire life.

 

Small convertibles are the shit man...haha.

You'd feel the same in the S. I drove an S back before I considered the MX5 and was jealous that he got to drive it daily. I would probably be just as happy in an S, but I just couldn't get the numbers right.

 

Curious how you gauged his knowledge of the Miata. Do you feed them questions like the ones that were answered here/other forums? It seems sales people who aren't enthusiast talk out of their ass most of the time. I'm going to be in the market soon, and need to test their knowledge.

Do you know people's experience with the soft top in four season weather like we have in the NE?

 

Just went to the dealership again because I wanted to show it to my gf. Noticed the one that I test drove had the $500 suspension package which gives you Bilstein Shocks! No wonder the ride was surprisingly great.

The one thing that's ghey is that you have to get the premium package in order toget the DSC. meh...

 

The Bilstiens are trash...but paying $500 for a LSD is not. I think if you were to buy the LSD separate it would cost $1000 + install. You WILL upgrade later on, so its no biggie. Dude, the stock spring rates are like 110 in the front and 85-90 in the back. Thats crazy low. Its tight, but...get it firmer and you'll really feel the car stick to the road.

If they try and hype it up, dont buy their BS.

I dont have any personal experience on the top in the north, but I haven't noticed any common threads on the MX5 forums. If I were somewhere North, the hard top would be a more logical option. In Texas, however, it rains 3 times in the summer...and usually only snows once a year.

 

Got it. The salesmen wasn't even talking about the suspension pkg, it's just that I noticed it.

I think I'm sold on the car. It sucks that they don't have a white one though.

I gotta see how much I can get for my MS3 now. I don't know what to do with it though, where should I post up my car? Craigslist? Wonder where's the good place to sell it. My car's kbb value is about 22500..

When I told the salesmen that I know people buy MX-5 about 2500-3000 off the msrp, he said "don't say i said it, but yes it is true" he was pretty honest.

 

Freak'n awesome.

Find you a good used one. They should be easy to find and unmolested at that.

 

Oh yeah.... I should look for a slightly used white one..... I'm willing to drive about 100 miles out to get a white one haha But I might have to get it from a dealership since I have to finance the car. I'm planning to put down $10k and purchase it.

But yeah.. a very slightly used white one sounds very nice.

 

Man, I really like the touring trim soft top 6-speed with suspension package which comes out to $26,500, but it feels a little weird not getting the DSC and traction control.

 

Here is a quick search from LA, I dont know where you live.

With 10k down...you shouldnt have any trouble getting a bank to finance a used car.

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/search...=1306816007258

 

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.js...standard=false

White on Black, Sport package and 6spd.

 

This one is actually very nice. Only 5k miles on it.. haha This honda dealer is like 20 mins away from where I live.

 

When did they change the redline and hp numbers? 2009? This one has 158hp at 6700rpm. The 2011 ones have 167@7000rpm, yeah?

 

2006-2008 NC1 w/158

2009-2011 NC2 (Facelift & refreshed interior) w/167.

Redline was moved up 500rpms.

Not really a big deal. I say go check out that 08...they probably want to move it.

 

Got it. Just emailed the dealership. And found another low mile one that's in mazda dealer in SD.

I'm absolutely not in a hurry at all, in fact I'm perfectly fine with my MS3. So, I won't purchase one until I get the BEST deal on one!

 

Here's a white on black.

 

whats the deal with swap lease?...i wouldnt mind exchanging my IS250 for a 6 spd miata. geico said my insurance would DECREASE with a miata.

how do these things typically lease out, and what is the best setup to have in stock form?

 

Miatas are SUPER cheap to fix, unlike a Lexus. They have less power. The age demographic is older. Lots of reasons why its cheaper than the IS250.

Put it this way. My 2001 Acura CLS was $100+ more monthly than a brand new MX5.

 

I freaking spent 4 hours on mx5.net last night..

 

im seeing 0-60 for the 6 spd at high 7 seconds. this right? does the car feel peppy?

 

The car has less than 200hp...Its not a rocket. Its a tiny two seater, 4cylinder...thats Civic Si, S2000, etc.

The motor is high revving and under normal driving conditions, seems when I pull away form lots Im always the first one away. The way the car is geared has a lot to do with it. Hell, at 65 on the freeway, in 6th, its doing 4000rpms...and getting at least 35mpg.

That being said, I can shift into 6th goin 35 mph...

You are thinking backwards I think....the car has no problem doing 140mph....none at all, but eveer since I bought it my life has become a never ending conquest to finding curvy roads. It just eats them up. Not many cars can do 65+ on a freeway clover. You literally do not have to slow down on turns, find the right group of them and it will change your life.

Theres a track out by me called Motorsport Ranch, and it never fails. You've got your 700hp corvettes and your 600 hp vipers and everything else and although there are a couple of straights where they will get away, theres ALWAYS a Miata trailing not to far behind. If you mod it right, and get some fat rubber on it...theres nothing that will corner sharper.

 

Yes. Its weird because during the test driving, I really didn't care about the acceleration. Lol its just so right. Extremely fun to drive..

 

Exactly...

My favorite thing about the car besides handling is its power, which is why im so hesitiant to go FI. I love being able to drop into 2nd or 3rd and push the pedal to the floor in corners. The rear doesn't slide out hardly ever, and when it does its so predictable and easy to control you simply dont worry about it.

The rear will never just snap out from under you.

 

This thread is giving me crazy ideas.. you liked it that much hyung? That much more than ur ms3??

 

http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtest...da-mx-5-miata/

Pretty interesting read on a couple project miata's that insideline bought as project cars. I think they are a 1994 and 1997.

I think they bought one in March 2010 and started doing little things here and there. Ultimately, I think the green one got a supercharger or something. Pretty fun to read and got me interested in buying an older one for cash just to work on.

 

S2k... and Miata can do many things that s2k can but shifting at 9k rpm is just more fun.

 

holy high RPMs

 

Dude.. it's crazy.. I have to say it's totally different from my MS3. The MS3 can be made extremely quick in straight line and fairly fun on the curves. It's proven fact, there's no doubt on that.

But there's just something about these Miatas & S2Ks. When I drove these cars, I feel like ..... hmmm don't know how to describe well, but I feel like I'm a much better driver. It felt like I was connected to the car.

I felt the same way when I was shopping for my 3G TL back in 2005. My original plan was to get a brand new S2K back then, but I wanted backseats and a big trunk since I'm in school.

But now, I'm paying for everything myself and don't really need a big car since i hardly ever haul any craps in my car. And if I need something, I use my gf's avant.

But anyway, just go test drive one man.. i'm 100% sure you will fall in love with it.

True. But really, you just can't go wrong with either. I love the fact that you can still get the Miata as brand new.

 

I thought 4.2k at 80mph in my s2000 was bad... then again i have more revs to play with =)

 

A well balanced RWD platform =

 

Isnt the newer MX-5 limited at 123mph?

 

this sounds so fucking exciting.

how is shifting in heavy city traffic? constant shifting?

 

^ Go test drive one right now! If you don't need backseats and a huge trunk space, it's a no brainer.

 

...but I have more torque.

I can pass someone in 6th going 60 just like you would in 5th.

 

Nope. Not sure where you got that.

Mine refuses to go past 157, according to GPS. I've made several runs to 130 with no issue.

 

It depends. Heavy traffic usually requires 2nd gear, but it has no problem getting rolling out of it. You're switching out of 1st before 20mph.

 

What do you think about this??

The internet sales rep wants me to give them the offer... what should I give them?

http://www.hondaelcerrito.com/detail...d-7160233.html

AND this one

http://www.johnhine.com/vehicle/cert...Miata_MX_5.htm