Miata shopping saga continues

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678) 12/30/2018 at 22:21 • Filed to: None

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Happy soon to be new year everybody! Tomorrow morning I will be looking at a Miata that is so far looking to be a really good candidate for my next car. It’s got 73k miles on it and appears to be in great shape cosmetically from the ad. I’m not particularly fond of silver, especially the lighter hue that this one is. But it’s a perfect option otherwise. Another LS trim which includes the LSD and 6spd and bigger brakes. This one also comes with ABS, the leather, and sport suspension. It’s always laughable how the stock monster truck suspension looks but that is an easy bolt on change for me!

Now the only true negative that I have right now is that it’s indeed from Nebraska rather than local here from California. It was shipped out here a few years ago and allegedly garaged in winters back in the Midwest. This makes plausible sense considering how low the mileage is but I will be quite scrupulous in my inspection of the lower areas of the car. If it’s indeed rust free as claimed, I definitely want to buy this car. The asking price is even realistic versus the NADA value so I’m feeling good about getting a proper deal here. The majority of listings I’ve been looking at have way more miles, paint in worse shape, stupid mods, and starting prices over $5k. So my hopes are high enough that I don’t mind the two hour drive tomorrow morning to check it out! Wish me luck.

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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/30/2018 at 22:59

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What’s that about light silver Mazda’s?

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 12/31/2018 at 00:02

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It's just not a color is my problem. I have no preference other than its a color lol. But I also thought that about white and have grown to love the color on my Subaru. So I don't like judge a color until I've lived with it for a bit. 

66P1800inpieces > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/31/2018 at 00:27

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Price is good for the miles but you might need to do the timing belt if not done already. Also, that one does not look like the ABS model (good to avoid flat spots when tracking) . The easy way to tell is that on ABS cars the washer fluid is on the drivers side. Picture is a 2003 LS. 

Nick Has an Exocet > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/31/2018 at 01:03

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C heck things like suspension bolts, brakes, and around the lower areas of the engine bay for corrosion (also trunk, inside door jambs). I'm sure I'm forgetting plenty of things, haha.

glemon > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/31/2018 at 01:31

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Yes, cars rust here in Nebraska, but as you said good chance this was put up for the winter, not at all uncommon. That being said you haven’t lived until you have driven a small, rear wheel drive sports car on fresh powder.

Silver is not so bad, but would look much better in my opinion if it had a black top rather than the beige, which would make a nice contrast rather than making both paint ant top look  washed out.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > 66P1800inpieces 12/31/2018 at 02:42

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Oh right about the ABS, I should know better as I was thinking the opposite for some reason. I have an '01 and mine doesn't have abs either but for some reason I got mixed up. And yeah timing belt is definitely due if it doesn't have any record. Just due to the year model, but at least a broken belt on this car just means a tow. I've done a timing belt job twice already so the third time should be easier in theory lol. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Nick Has an Exocet 12/31/2018 at 02:46

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Front frame forks are the most important item as well as rockers and quarter panels. Various parts like exhaust and control arms I’m not that concerned about, although no rust there would be a good sign that the guy isn’t making up the garaged in winter part. Even my Miata with terminally ill rust doesn’t have it that bad on the undercarriage. It’s just those front subframes that are Swiss cheese. If mine weren’t completely toast I’d just buy another motor. Anyways, I can note from the photos in the ad that the brake rotors have some rust on them but that's pretty normal on standard non coated rotors. Brakes are one of the first things I'm throwing away regardless of age anyways, just because I'll want a proper track setup. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > glemon 12/31/2018 at 02:51

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I'd have to guess it's a replacement top, I'll definitely ask about it in person. Kind of hoping it's a shit top so that I can replace it with a black one. Good point, it would look wayyyyy better that way. I don't use the top in socal much, outside of the hottest days when I'm using the AC. But yeah tan is an odd choice. I think the nice thing about silver is that any color hard top would work well and add some color. Although I doubt I'd ever really want a hard top anyways, except that I love the look so damn much. 

AestheticsInMotion > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/31/2018 at 03:47

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The photos in the sun that show the wheel wells make me cringe. That OEM monster truck suspension is sooooo bad. Needs moar low ASAP

daender > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/31/2018 at 06:49

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Looks just like my car when I first got it minus being a year older and having an extra for ward gear!

But something’s off. Why does it have fog light deletes when it should come with fog lights as standard ?  I do spy the fog light button on the dash.  I wonder if the originals were cracked by road debris or if this Miata saw an accident.

66P1800inpieces > 66P1800inpieces 12/31/2018 at 08:46

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Doooshty > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/31/2018 at 14:07

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https://sarasota.craigslist.org/cto/d/fort-myers-2000-mazda-miata-special/6774598930.html  beautiful 2000 with 53k original here in Florida. Too bad it's so far away

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > daender 12/31/2018 at 16:34

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Good call on the fog lights, it has indeed seen an accident in which the front bumper was replaced. They must have used one from a base level trim without fog lights. The car has a rebuilt title due to that accident as well which is obviously a red flag since that wasn't mentioned in the ad. In person everything seemed to check out well enough and the paint matches quite well. But it certainly means the price is only okay rather than great. I'm finding more information about registering a salvage title and it seems like it would be a pain. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > AestheticsInMotion 12/31/2018 at 16:38

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Oh yes I would not keep the suspension stock, I'm never ever a fan of stock Miata suspensions, ESPECIALLY the NB. Bigger problem is a salvage title which I'll make another post about. 

daender > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 12/31/2018 at 18:00

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I bet CA has strict laws over such matters. That’s a shame. Seems like a good car but that salvage title is a death sentence for most in-state buyers looking for a casual roadster.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > daender 12/31/2018 at 18:04

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Well yeah the rebuilt title just incurs a bunch of hoops to jump through. I just have to find out from the Dmv 100% of the things that are needed. And then it should work out as a pretty good deal. The current offer is sitting at $4400 assuming I don’t have to incur a bunch of additional cost and hassle just to register it. I’d pay that amount if the seller can sort out the bullshit and just hand me a car ready to register. I’m dropping my offer a bit though if I have to wade through the bullshit myself. I’m doubting it will sell quickly otherwise unless someone unsuspecting just goes and buys it.

The process is very straightforward and documented for taking a car already registered in California with a salvage title and getting to be rebuilt. But out of state rebuilt to California rebuilt is a big question mark and not detailed on the website.