"RotaryLover" (rotarylover)
09/04/2014 at 14:09 • Filed to: 2016 MX-5
0
38|
"RotaryLover" (rotarylover)
09/04/2014 at 14:09 • Filed to: 2016 MX-5 | 0
| 38 |
The cheap days of the Miata are over in my eyes...actually it was over since the NC came out. I'll explain to you why.
You see, the joy with the NA and NB Miata is how cheap it is to operate. Low price in insurance, low price in replacement parts from the start, low price on tires and low price for gas (even when they turned to premium gas).
One of the key/loved feature is the interchangeability of parts between the NA and NB. You can almost turn your NA into a NB. You could drive them hard and if something breaks (which was already hard to do), it would not break the bank at all to fix it. Hell, if getting parts at the dealership is too expensive for you, just go on craigslist and search for a part out Miata and get your parts for 50$ and less most of the time.
Basically, the NA/NB Miata are like rental cars (or a toy is you're offended). You abuse them with no shame and it's gonna feel like the greatest thing ever because it doesn't cost shit to own or fix for the common poor population. Don't get me wrong, if I could own and abuse an M3 everyday and pay for everything I break (including the laws), I'd do it. But I can't and the Miata is the only thing that let's me do that without getting a bailiff after my ass.
Shameless pic of mine lol
Now with the NC, gone are the cheap parts (even on craigslist), insurance is somewhat cheap, gas isn't as cheap as the NA/NB1 but you get much more power in return, gone are the skinny cheap tires and gone is the interchangeability of parts between Miatas, but now you can do it with the RX8. It's still inexpensive to operate compared to other sports cars and again it doesn't break with ease, but you think twice before doing the immature stuff you'd do with the NA/NB. Parts aren't gonna be cheap soon enough since there's less demand for them and NCs are on their own categories with the RX8. You could counter argue that it needs to be older to get the parts more accessible (Junkyards, part out), but it's still on it's own now that the ND is all new all around and all (if not most) parts probably won't fit the NC.
Back to the ND. With all the tech you get in it, I feel that it's gonna be an expensive/complicated car to fix later on. Hell, go see how fun it is to change a PCV valve on a NC MX-5 already...it's ridiculously time consuming for such a cheap piece. Good thing so far is the tire size and the skyactiv engine has it's ups (MPG) and downs (seems complicated on other cars). It's still early to know exactly how it's gonna be mechanically on the MX-5 so only time will tell. If I ever get a used one, I feel that I'll be careful with it compared to the other gens and it's not a good thing in my eyes...but hey, there is a reason why they dropped the Miata nameplate.
For Sweden
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:12 |
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Old cars cheaper to work on than new cars
Crazy
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RotaryLover
> For Sweden
09/04/2014 at 14:13 |
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Yes but will it be the same 10 yrs later? I don't think it's gonna be cheaper.
dogisbadob
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:20 |
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They should leave the tech shit to the Italian-brand version, which is going to be more upmarket. And partnering with Fiat will most likely turn out to be a big mistake.
Just too bad they couldn't have collaborated with Honda or Toyota instead.
Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:21 |
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It'll be cheaper to work on than whatever is new in 10 years.
The car industry is vastly different than it was when the NA and NB were being produced. But the ND is still going to be the leader in low-cost hoonage; relativity is a bitch, and in this case that's a good thing relative to the rest of the automotive industry today.
Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:23 |
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Are you Michael Bay?
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RotaryLover
> dogisbadob
09/04/2014 at 14:23 |
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We still have to know where the turbo engine will lend.
The Transporter
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:24 |
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You'll see a lot of old timers (particularly over at Hot Rod Magazine) talk about the long term durability of fuel injected engines as if, 30 years on, there is even room for debate with that topic anymore.
Technology marches on. Mazda literally couldn't continue to crank out NAs even if they wanted to.
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RotaryLover
> Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
09/04/2014 at 14:24 |
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Let's hope it is, I do the work on my cars myself...and working on a NC's engine kinda sucks sometimes.
Nerd-Vol
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:25 |
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I understand what you are saying but Mazda has to produce a product that is competitive with it's contemporaries.
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:25 |
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To be fair, the proportion of the population that actually hangs on to their cars for 10+ years will continue to dwindle I think.
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RotaryLover
> Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
09/04/2014 at 14:26 |
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I'm his son. He didn't give me the budget for the explosions tho...
handyjoe
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:29 |
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I'm really, really hoping that they make a 'Spec' version, essentially a stripped down, AM/FM with input jack radio, black plastic switchgear, no buttons on the steering wheel, driving machine. Tear out all the goodies and create the most basic road car allowable by law. It will be cheap, simple, and essentially, an ND version of an NA.
Or, as some would probably call it....a NAD.
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RotaryLover
> The Transporter
09/04/2014 at 14:30 |
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You're right on this. I can't argue.
PS9
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:30 |
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Actually, I think miata days are over period. I was talking to Porschetamer, and he was mega-super upset that a fastback coupe did not join the ND reveal. I don't think the Miata factory has many more days on this earth left...
Soloburrito
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:31 |
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NAs and NBs are 10-20 years old. It takes time for cars and parts to become cheap.
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RotaryLover
> Nerd-Vol
09/04/2014 at 14:32 |
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I can deal with it if it's easy to fix like the older models. If not, i'll be pissed. lol
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RotaryLover
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
09/04/2014 at 14:34 |
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Even I...I thought I could stay with an only car forever, but the newer cars are so attractive. I guess i'll buy the MX5 with the best prospect of being the ultimate Miata.
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RotaryLover
> handyjoe
09/04/2014 at 14:36 |
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That would be sooo nice, and I'm looking forward to the next spec Miata. But in reality...I know that it ain't happening...
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RotaryLover
> PS9
09/04/2014 at 14:37 |
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LOL. Well we still have to know where the turbo engine will lend, so there's hope for more. Hell, they didn't even show a model with a PRHT!
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RotaryLover
> Soloburrito
09/04/2014 at 14:39 |
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Now what I'm dying to know is which car will have interchangeable parts with it? Rx7/8/9?
themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:44 |
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That miata, if it remains naturally aspirated, will still be much cheaper and easier to work on than what is coming out right now. I look in the engine bay of the FiST and as much as I adore mine to death.......there is no magic under there. The sea of plastic, the rat's nest of wiring, and the obscuring of necessary upgrades such as the turbo have turned me off of very long term road use. I will either make it into a rally car so I can strip it down to what is necessary, or I will sell it. But the NC and ND still look like reasonable, long term cars that can either be a great every day convertible or a track toy or a tuner or a full on race car or whatever your imagination wants. I don't know if I would buy one for myself, but if that's what you want I think it will still be just fine.
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RotaryLover
> themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
09/04/2014 at 14:49 |
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Let's hope!!
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Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:49 |
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I'm in agreement as well: I think there's a good chance that it'll the best that Mazda can do given the current climate, and I think there's a good chance that it's the best anyone could do with regulations and consumer tastes the way they are today. There is always a chance that they've screwed the pooch and made something difficult for the layman to work on relative to what's possible, but I'd be surprised by that.
FWIW, I'm in a position to be looking at NDs as a prospective new DD, but chances are that I'll wind up buying a really nice NA instead, for pretty much all of the reasons that you've listed.
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Soloburrito
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:50 |
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the Alfa spider most likely. How many people build miatas with parts off other cars though?
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RotaryLover
> Soloburrito
09/04/2014 at 14:55 |
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A lot. NA owners takes parts from NBs. NB owners takes parts from MSM or aftermarket stuff. NC owners takes parts from Rx8s.
mcseanerson
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 14:57 |
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Mazda won't make something that too complex any more than they absolutely have to. They know people are going to be racing these asap and it needs to be workable to some extent to maintain their position as a cheap entry level racer.
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RotaryLover
> mcseanerson
09/04/2014 at 14:59 |
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Good point there!
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Soloburrito
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 15:03 |
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I know about NA/NB interchangeability, but that was because Mazda had no money to developers the NB. I don't see that as a positive trait. Would you rather the ND share a lot of parts with the NA at the expense of developing the platform to be better?
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RotaryLover
> Soloburrito
09/04/2014 at 15:17 |
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Maybe not the NA, but it be nice to have a little continu....dammit ok new things are awesome.
Lime - Light
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 15:45 |
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There was a time when NB's were expensive. My buddy bought a used 10AE in 2005 and it cost him 13k. The newest NA is now 18 years old, of course they're cheap. Don't forget the context of when these cars were sold either. It was the 90's, the heyday of the Japanese sports car. People were buying them up like crazy. The Miata survived, but sales have never equaled what they were in the first 5 years of production. The NA outsold the NB 2 to 1. My point is, the cheap days of Miata's have nothing to do with what Mazda does, or whether there's a new one. In 1989 the Miata MSRP was $14,000, adjusted for inflation that's $27,000 in 2014. As for parts...have you looked at the cost? Replacement cost for one front rotor on my 2014 Mazda 3 is $50. Still pretty cheap.
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RotaryLover
> Lime - Light
09/04/2014 at 16:13 |
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It's the engine that scares me. Seeing the exhaust manifold did it lol.
V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me!
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 17:40 |
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Parts for NA/NBs won't be cheap forever. Just ask fox Mustang guys. PCMs were $25 used 10 years ago. They're 10x that now.....
Dr_Watson
> RotaryLover
09/04/2014 at 18:35 |
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lol, apparently the NC likes being photographed under bridges... I took this on the way home from the dealership.
RedPir8Roberts
> handyjoe
09/05/2014 at 18:21 |
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Well, let's hope they don't call it that...
willconltd
> RotaryLover
09/05/2014 at 23:43 |
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Just please tell me I can take that stupid screen in the middle of the dash and throw it away and my air conditioning and cruise control will still work.
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RotaryLover
> V8Demon - Prefers Autos for drag racing. Fite me!
09/06/2014 at 21:38 |
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Yeah parts getting rarier with each year passing by...
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RotaryLover
> Dr_Watson
09/06/2014 at 21:39 |
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NICE PIC!
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RotaryLover
> willconltd
09/06/2014 at 21:41 |
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Yeah a simple screen (base models) like on the Mazda 3 2010+ would be really neat!