Theoretical question: If not Miata, what's the next best answer?

"Grindintosecond" (Grindintosecond) 06/20/2018 at 13:19 • Filed to: None

3

35

Any fun-seeking driver desires most of the same things. Small. Light. Rear drive. fun fun. A great value for only a few thousand Craigslist dollars. But you woke up today in a world where all the Miata’s vanished! Google comes up with definitions for the word and no cars. No Miata for you! So, what 70's - 90's car will be your next go to that checks your boxes today? (Something not a suicide booth I hope?)

HammerheadFistpunch > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:24

3

E30/E36, S13, 300Z, (probably even 350z at this point), 190e...

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:24

2

A small V8 pickup

KevlarRx7 > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:25

0

Rx7 FC convertible or coupe, turbo or nasp.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:26

5

MR2

BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:26

2

BMW E36

Or E36/7

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:29

1

slightly too old... but i’d take one of these

but..if i had to pick one within the correct timeframe...i’d get a coffee

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:32

2

Mustang II, Maverick, or Pinto. I’m only half-joking. The spite inspired by its bad points would offset the guilt from abusing it, and it’s flingable, easily/cheaply made to perform, and very light, with lots of character. Even if a lot of that is bad character.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:33

0

An MG-B or a Spitfire, as that kind of roadsters were the inspiration for the MX-5/Miata anyway. Only downside is having to deal with Lucas, Prince of Darkness

punkgoose17 > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:40

0

Volvo 1800es it is the manual Miata wagon.

Grindintosecond > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 06/20/2018 at 13:44

2

Would be a great band to play at carshows.

“Put your hands together for Lucas Electrics and the Prince of Darkness!”

M.T. Blake > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 13:54

3

350z/G35. Best bang for your buck right now. The BMW E36/E46 is a close second.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 14:24

3

Always has been the more interesting alternative.

Future next gen S2000 owner > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 14:28

1

S2000

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 14:40

1

AE86, or a Celica/Supra from the same era. Basically, the last RWD compact Toyotas. Unmolested S13s and 14s are scarce and heavy. Unmolested SA RX-7s are almost nonexistent, as are similarly aged Zs.

wkiernan > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 14:48

0

I’m on my fourth Miata (bought them all used), so I’m well-set to answer this question.

Supposing I woke up in this awful car-dystopia you describe, an MR2 or an S2000 in good shape either would be a fine replacement for that MX-5 that was just a dream. When I looked for Miata #s 2, 3 and 4 I always checked for those too, but MR2s were too rare and S2000s were too rare or too expensive. A guy at work was trying to sell me on a used Z4, and he showed me some ads for used ones at not out-of-sight prices. I like convertibles, but you could talk me into a FRS/BRZ/GT86, except I’ve never seen a used one of those in my price range locally either.

Also, if Mazda hadn’t revivified the roadster in 1990, some other manufacturer might have stepped up and grabbed the opportunity to sell a million low-priced roadsters in twenty-eight years. Think of the possibilities! Maybe a Mitsubishi roadster, they could call it the Zero, maybe? Maybe SAAB could have made a Sonnet IV. One of those VW concept sports cars. A roadster from Citroen in Alpine blue with a one-spoke steering wheel. Maybe GM could have shaken off their chronic ADD and not dropped the Solstice/Sky. Who knows?

But wait! The part where I woke up from a dream in far-off Nomiatastan turns out to have been a dream itself, and I still have my MX-5s!

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > M.T. Blake 06/20/2018 at 14:51

1

I’ll second the G35 for bang-for-the-buck. Automatic models have hit $2500 in Ontario and that’s kinda dangerous because $2500 is first car territory.

functionoverfashion > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 06/20/2018 at 14:52

0

What about......

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 15:13

0

124

If that’s cheating, then 86

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 06/20/2018 at 15:55

2

I would be dead today if I had a RWD G35 as a first car. Without a doubt.

duurtlang > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 06/20/2018 at 15:59

1

That cappuccino has a downside the Mazda does not have. If you’re a slightly above average tall Dutch guy, like me (1.87 meters), you won’t fit in the cappuccino. You will fit in the MX5. I’ve tried both. In the cappuccino I’m looking at the top of the windscreen where the sun visors are attached to. With the roof closed I have to tilt my head 45 degrees to the side.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > duurtlang 06/20/2018 at 16:05

0

lol... im 1,83.... i might just fit... snug as a bug like :p

duurtlang > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 06/20/2018 at 16:13

1

Long legs? You might fit. Long torso? I wouldn’t bet on it.

Long-Voyager > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 16:14

0

Turbo Caravan with a stick......

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > duurtlang 06/20/2018 at 16:17

0

pretty leggy...but sounds like i’d better try before i buy

nermal > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 16:41

0

MK7 GTI.

Green.

Just do a 96 month loan, or lease it if you can’t afford to pay cash.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 06/20/2018 at 17:05

1

Even an AWD one can become RWD + VDC full off by pulling fuses. An automatic 03 or 04 G35 in okay shape up here is cheaper than the average P71.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 06/20/2018 at 17:20

1

That’s insane to me. It is so much better of a car than the P71.

M.T. Blake > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 06/20/2018 at 17:31

1

It’s about the same here in NorCal. Manual transmissions hover around 4000 for rougher examples. My relatively clean 6MT is worth around 6000. They’ve hit close to bottom. You can get the same engine in a coupe, 2+2, sedan, and convertible. All accept relatively the same suspension. Same transmission. Rear end (minus internals) is the same. Parts are available in the junk yard. I could go on and on and on...

M.T. Blake > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 06/20/2018 at 17:32

0

If only people knew what happens in a P71... you’d never get in one. P71 isn’t the car to buy, it’s automatic only, and a dinosaur comparatively to a G35.

M.T. Blake > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 06/20/2018 at 17:33

0

Too expensive. Too few around.

M.T. Blake > Future next gen S2000 owner 06/20/2018 at 17:34

0

I wish! Too expensive. Miatas were a dime a dozen for a while before they went from hairdresser’s car to ‘cool’ kid car.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > M.T. Blake 06/20/2018 at 17:54

1

That first statement also applies to used minivans and family SUVs. Panthers are dinosaurs but mine was better in the winter than my G35 is.

Derpwagon > Grindintosecond 06/20/2018 at 18:47

0

Sky/solstice

S2000

Rx7

Mr2

Etc

M.T. Blake > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 06/20/2018 at 21:28

0

You sir are correct. And yes, the P71 was a heavy car and great in the snow. I enjoyed a few morning of fresh pow-pow donuts in my day with a P71.

Stef Schrader > Grindintosecond 06/21/2018 at 02:44

0

944 is always the real answer anyway.