Are NB Miatas Actually As Reliable as Everyone Says They Are?

"SVTyler" (svtyler) 09/02/2018 at 13:55 • Filed to: None

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I’m on the hunt for a new DD and came across this NB for sale near me that looks pretty nice and is well under budget. Thing is that my commute is around 25k miles a year (pretty much all highway) so whatever I get is going to have to stand up to that kind of driving and while people consistently praise Miatas for being cheap and reliable, I don’t know if that’s relative to other sports cars or if a 17-year old Miata is actually a defensible choice for an everyday car (practicality notwithstanding) . Any high-mileage NB owners care to share their experiences or have some tips for what to look out for when seeing/driving the car in person? Thanks!

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TheRealBicycleBuck > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 14:17

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I can’t speak to Miatas, but I drove my first Mazda truck, an ‘83, until its demise in about ‘93 from being t-boned. That one was driven daily and was driven home, over 9.5 hours one-way, several times a year without a problem. My second Mazda truck (which shared many of its parts with Ford), I drove almost daily for 18 years to 269,000 miles.

I have a lot of respect for Mazda products.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 14:20

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its a 20 year old car (17 in your case)

and theres still a bazzilion of them running around

that should tell you something

no experience to speak off tho... so ill shut up now

bhtooefr > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 14:21

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The mechanical problems are pretty minor, although rust is a problem (especially in the front crash structure).

I’ve had a high-mileage NA6 and a very low-mileage NB1, both were pretty damn reliable (the NA6 had a blown head gasket and eventually the timing belt tensioner let go, and it was a rusty salvage title chassis, so I didn’t bother fixing it, but...)

SVTyler > TheRealBicycleBuck 09/02/2018 at 14:27

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I’m with you man, I love Mazdas: learned to drive i n a 3 that’s since been inherited by my brother and has only needed brakes and oil changes in 14 years, while my extended family members all adore their Mazdas  too. They’re great little cars, just always wondered if the Miata hype was overexaggerating their reliability or if they really are as good as the rest of the lineup.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 14:28

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Yes. I have had no major issues with my 03. Look for ones that have not been beaten and check for rust. Plenty of info on the web on what to look for. miata.net is a good place to start. As long as you do basic maintenance they will have few issues

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 14:30

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Make sure to see maintenance records, and ask the owner if you can run 87 in it. If they say yes, walk away. Ask Daender about them and 87. One other tidbit, if the radiator isn’t black, it’s wearing out. If it’s olive-brown, it needs replaced. 

SVTyler > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 09/02/2018 at 14:31

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That’s a really good point, you see a ton of NB’ s around and it's not like all of them would have owners willing to just empty their wallets on them if they're basket cases...

SVTyler > bhtooefr 09/02/2018 at 14:35

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Any specific  mechanical problems for the NB you could think off of the top of your head? The forums did mention the rust too so I'll be sure to look for that as well, thanks man.

SVTyler > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 09/02/2018 at 14:42

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Wow di dn’t realize Mazda changed the octane requirements during the NB’s life cycle, t hat’s actually really good to know, plus for when budgeting for fuel and whatnot. T hanks man.

SVTyler > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 09/02/2018 at 14:45

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Miata.net was one of the places I was checking that kind for answers to this and they basically said the same thing, check for rust and track time and if it’s been taken care of. Also if you don’t mind elaborating on “no major issues” on your 03, any other minor problems you’ve had with it?

Ash78, voting early and often > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 09/02/2018 at 14:46

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True, but most of them (at least over here) are weekend/fun cars, most often a third car and not a daily driver. That always skews the stats and anecdotes.

Sovande > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 14:46

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I don’t know anything about Miatas, but the thing I would be leery about with that kind of miles driven per year is the noise due to the soft top. I can imagine it getting very old very fast . Just something to consider. 

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Ash78, voting early and often 09/02/2018 at 14:48

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where i live most are dds (that whole 2nd or 3rd car thing is really really expensive here)

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 14:51

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I believe the VVT is the changeover to 93.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 14:51

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Just wear items. exhaust cracked so it got a custom stainless one, had wheel bearing go out but i also attack back roads, valve cover leaks, i did timing belt and waterpump earlier than needed. Mine has rust issues just because i live in MI and that happens no matter what.

Oh also check the plastic radiator. known to crack with age.

SVTyler > Sovande 09/02/2018 at 14:57

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Good point, I was actually going to ask the guy selling it if I could take it out on the highway to see how bad the noise really is. Between road noise, wind, the the engine and exhaust my Focus is obnoxious on the highway too (which honestly doesn’t bother me at all ) so I’ll be interested to see how the Miata is.

SVTyler > TheD0k_2many toys 2little time 09/02/2018 at 15:01

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That’s pretty much lines up with what I’ve heard about NB’s , anything that go es wrong are just little things that could go wrong with any car. Jordan mentioned radiators and rust too so I’ll keep an eye out for those when I go see it, thanks man.  

ToyotaFamily > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 15:04

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My coworker put about 15-18k a year on his NB daily commuting. He said it was fairly reliable, just typical maintenance stuff that a 15 year old car needed.

His had about a 5 year span of unknown maintenance when he got it so he took care of the stuff that should’ve been done in that time.

Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 15:18

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In 2007, I bought a garage-kept ‘02 with 20,000 miles on it. That car is one of three cars I have owned that have had zero - ZERO - mechanical issues with. (The other was a 1994 Geo Metro, and I have owned my current car for three days.)

When the insurance company totaled my Miata three years ago and towed it away, it had 148,000 miles on it, the engine still spun like a top. I would have driven that car forever if I had been allowed to.

Make sure it's mechanically sound, and you can buy with confidence. 2002s specifically suffer from "clutch shudder," but it's not really damaging or unsafe, just annoying. 

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 15:26

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No problem. Always like to see people join the cult

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 15:28

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Reliability is subjective. I would consider my MJ reliable cause even when it’s broken I can generally still limp it home to fix it. I know people who consider their vehicle unreliable because they’ve had several wear items needing replaced in a row. Clearly there’s some happy medium somewhere, but there’s still no objective generic reliability. Even brands that are known for being reliable won’t perform to expectations if you don’t look after them. Frequently brands that are known for unreliability will be fairly trouble-free if you stick to the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule, and more often than not these will be budget brands that caught a bad rep because owners were either too cheap to maintain them properly, or else not knowledgeable enough to care about what they were driving. 

SVTyler > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 09/02/2018 at 16:04

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This is a great comment and exactly why I made this post, it’s hard to compare reliability amongst different brands and kinds of cars so you kind if have to ask the owners about their experiences and judge for you rself . What I’m looking for in this search is basically anything that won’t require anything more than regular maintenance plus the occasional unexpected repair every year or so, which is more than doable for something like a Honda Fit or Civic (which are the main two cars I’m looking at) but honestly if anything is taken care of it should pretty much do the same. After what happened with my Focus I’m really only looking for cars with documented service histories so that narrows down a lot of choices as well.

J. P. GREYHEART, AUTHOR > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 16:05

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Hi, I daily an NB 1999 Miata. It came with a bad engine, so I had it replaced with a 33k mile one. Absolutely love the car. No problems at all. Find yourself a good NB, it has a decent amount of storage for a Miata, too. Is also driveable in the winter on hills if you get winter tires (I’m in P ittsburgh and the car is more capable than most). I was at first weary getting the car to daily, now I have no regrets. 

SVTyler > J. P. GREYHEART, AUTHOR 09/02/2018 at 16:14

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Get you out of the greys real quick man, thanks for the response. I’m in the Midwest too (Indiana) so the fact it’s good on snow tires is encouraging, you mind me asking how many miles and years you’ve had it for? I’d like to keep whatever I get firva while a nd I’ve not heard of a lot of people dailying their NB's  long-term.

Filtrs > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 17:07

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I daily a 2001 Miata in that same color! Thing is, my commute is very short City driving. I’d seriously consider wind/road noise and general comfort for a long highway commute. Reliability hasn’t been an issue for me. Like others said, do your preemptive maintenance and they just work. If I was spending that much time on the highway, every season of the year, though, I'd  probably get a second car.

bhtooefr > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 17:27

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The big things for the NB1 mechanically I can think of:

Crank walk, but any of them that would’ve failed should have already failed by now and been repaired or the engine replaced (it was more of an early failure, not many with the problem made it past 30k mi)

They like to cook coils (the engine bay gets pretty hot)

This was one of Mazda’s first EGR-equipped engines, and they hadn’t figured out how to not run stupid rich yet , so they clog their intakes with soot

I think NB2s fixed a lot of that, though? (I know they fixed the crank walk, IIRC that was fixed right before the end of the NB1 run, and technically it started happening with the NA8s, as it was an issue with tooling on one of Mazda’s engine lines wearing out .)

Sovande > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 17:38

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I have never even ridden in a Miata with the top up because I don't fit, but some convertibles can be annoying. Would suck to find that out in day 3 after the initial glee has worn off. I'm sure it's not bad, or people would mention it. 

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 18:06

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From my personal experience with the Mini (same curb weight as the miata), you should be fine with good winters (I have Blizzaks)  in Indiana (I was/is in southern Indiana).

SVTyler > bhtooefr 09/02/2018 at 18:11

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Tha nks for the info, looks like I’ll need to do a little more diving on the forums to clear all that up. I didn’t see anything related to EGR or crank walk on the NB2 threads I saw last but I’ll take a l ook and make sure, thanks for the  info.

SVTyler > Filtrs 09/02/2018 at 18:19

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You’reYou’re the third person to mention wind noise, is it actually that big of an issue? I’ll be interested to see how loud and uncomfortable the  NB   is since both cars I’ve owned in the last ten years ( Mazda3 and SVT Focus) have been known to have a harsh ride and little sound deadening . The Focus in particular is terrible so maybe it’ll prepare me for the Miata lol.

SVTyler > Sovande 09/02/2018 at 18:25

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Right, I mean I see Miatas on the highways all the time so I can’t imagine it’d be too terrible . That or owners just got used to getting beat up by their cars and forget what ride quality is , I’ve ridden in friends’ 200k+ mile Civics and been shocked at how comfy they are compared to my car lol.

SVTyler > ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability 09/02/2018 at 18:29

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Right on, my Focus was the same way on the cr appy little Hankook iPike’ s the guy I bought the car from had on them, plus I   live in the Indy area so we get pretty good snow clearance and treatment anyways. With actually good tires sounds like it hopefully shouldn’t be a problem then.

bhtooefr > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 18:31

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Yeah, the crank walk was purely a machining problem that developed during the NA8 run, and got bad enough for Mazda to notice it in warranty claims during the NB1's run, at which point they fixed it.

alape8 > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 18:44

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Based on your criteria of few to no unexpected repairs, this car will deliver if preventative maintenance is taken care of. Even if the whole motor blows in the future there are sk many of them around that buying a whole block is pretty darn cheap...

Saw you guys discussing winter tires above as well. I daily drove a mazdaspeed NB (factory turbo) in Denver for 4 years or so and never got stuck once with my Michelin Xice tires. Just be smart and know that deep snow is a problem for any vehicle. My favorite was always cruising by stuck crossovers on the side of the road with the top down... So many Wtf  looks

J. P. GREYHEART, AUTHOR > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 18:52

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Sure! Had it 3 years and 37k miles now, aside from a wheel bearing and brakes and few performance mods, only thing it needs is oil every 3k miles. It runs fine on regular gas and then every 3rd tank I give it something nice. It will highway just fine, it likes 70mph for distance (runs 3.5k rpm, completely normal) . If you put the top up, expect 27-31mpg. Be ready for road noise, though! It doesn’t bother me, I reguarly drive 2-6 hours on the highway for long trips (with Dunlop Starspec Z2 tires, which aren’t quiet) . Made it through Virginia mountains in a blizzard, it was a ball (Altimax Arctic tires are GREAT) . I DID get Cipher racing seats, the stock ones were killing my lower back. It was hard to wrestle them in, there’s not much that will fit under $1k for a pair.

ItalianJobR53 - now with added 'MERICA and unreliability > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 18:55

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Yep, Indy is cleared up pretty well. I'm in Columbus where they're not so promt on the snow clearing.

Xavier > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 18:58

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I cant speak on NB’s however I have an NA8 and lemme tell you I really love it. For me the car is in great shape and got it with 133,000 miles on it. I have been commuting no lie about 80 miles back and 80 miles fourth to work through the winter on the highway to my job and back home. I commuted form illinois to wisconsin for work Thankfully I don’t have to do that anymore but the car survived and has surprised everyone that said I wouldn’t make it through winter. I didn’t even have winter tires on. Just all seasons. I have a little rust on the sides but that’s common. If you want a reliable car look no further honestly.

Ian > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 19:10

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I had an NA8 , but the engine is very similar. The only time mine didn't start was when I took it to the carwash and washed the engine. Water got into the plugs for the coil packs and shorted them out. So be careful of things like that. Otherwise, yeah. It's actually a reliable car.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 19:18

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What happened with your SVT?!

Mangocats > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 19:23

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Ive dailied a 99 NB from 105k to 125k miles during the past 3 years and a 1991 before that for another 115k.  Keep your top in good shape, wet carpet is no fun, otherwise they are reliable and relatively low cost.  Not quiet and smooth like a Mercedes S, but you should expect that.

Matt > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 19:32

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It will be perfectly reliable... Then you’ll put a turbo on it and it will still be   reliable. My 03  has some turbo-related bugs that need worked out but it is a simple car and fun to drive . It can’t realistically be an only car though in my opinion. Yoko S.Drives are good tires that are cheap and help with road noise. Expect to replace the top at some point.

KillerBee > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 19:33

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It’s a convertible. And not a particularly refined one at that. Much closer to an MGB than a Z4 . There is very little sound insulation. So yeah, if you don’t like wind/road noise, this is not the car for you.

SVTyler > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 09/02/2018 at 19:39

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Oh dude the Focus is totally fine and still chugging along, I was just referencing how I bought the car without really vetting it or its history and have been dealing with it ever since (last week I replaced the alternator which was all kinds of fun) . I’m just looking  for a second/commuter car to reduce t he mileage put on the Focus and this time around I’m trying to be more thorough with how I do it, including maintenance records, PPI’s, the whole nine yards. Basically I’m doing what I should’ve done the first time around lol.

SVTyler > Matt 09/02/2018 at 20:02

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I’ll still have my Focus as the ‘practical’ car so that shouldn’t be too much of an issue. Thanks for the tire suggestion as well, I always bought Hankooks for my Focus and have been looking around  for other options.

SVTyler > Xavier 09/02/2018 at 20:08

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That’s really encouraging to hear then, I go 110mi round trip   every day so sounds like it would have no problem holding up if it's a good one.

SVTyler > J. P. GREYHEART, AUTHOR 09/02/2018 at 20:13

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Didnt realize they turn that high of RPMs at highway speed s, yours a 5-speed? My commute has a 70mph speed limit so most people are doing 80-85, wonder what fuel consumption is like at those speeds.

josolanes > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 21:19

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I drove my NB 14 hours straight ( other than short breaks) at highway speed and averaged 31mpg total, it did turn around 4k RPMs the whole way (2001 6 speed)

SVTyler > josolanes 09/02/2018 at 22:19

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Sounds about right, my Focus turns about 3600 at 80. 31mpg is pretty great though, does having the top up or down seem to make a difference in fuel consumption?

Zildjianpro > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 22:22

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I have a 1991 with 300,000+ and still runs great. Comfort is one thing people are saying the it's the go cart like smile I get every time I drive that makes it worth it. Love the MX5

Chris Killer > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 23:00

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Bought my 99 in 2010, it had 67k miles on it, I still have it, it just broke 170k.

Yes, wind noise can be an issue, especially if you like to talk on the phone, this can be addressed with a hard top, depending on your local market expect to spend a quick grand.

These engines require a 60k mile service, this includes the water pump, timing belt, plugs, wires, and maybe a few other things. This service will run you about 600 bucks, and I would recommend that you find out if these were done on time by the PO, if not you will need to do one asap so you don’t get stranded. These motors are non-interference, FYI.

The powertrain in these are just about bulletproof, mine still has the original clutch... which is crazy, since I like to do “no lift shifts” when I’m playing in traffic...which I do daily.

I might add that I tracked this car a lot in addition to daily driving, she has held up just fine.  

Chris Killer > SVTyler 09/02/2018 at 23:09

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You can run 87 in the NB, its the NC that you have to run 93...Yes, radiators are common, just put a full aluminum back in and dont worry about it.

daender > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 00:08

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Bring a spare crank angle sensor, cam position sensor, and I think cam angle sensor. All three are known to go out as the NB2 ages. The LCD in the radio display will eventually give up the ghost but if you’re decent with a soldering iron then it’s a 5 -min fix. ‘03 Miatas have a Fuji VLSD which are known to spit out the occasional clutch tab but it doesn’t seem to affect them. An earlier Torsen LSD will swap right in if needed.

Make sure the timing belt was done recently or semi-recently, along with the water pump since it’s right there when they replace the timing belt. The radiator end caps should be black, otherwise you’re in borrowed time if it looks brown or olive.

Other than that...they’re pretty reliable as long as maintenance is done and the NB2 isn’t driven on regular-grade gas.  They take premium and running regular will harm it in the long run.

J. P. GREYHEART, AUTHOR > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 00:25

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If you want good fuel consumption, keeping the top up will save you 2-4mpg above 65-70 mph. Below that, from experience, i t doesn’t matter. Yeah, I have the 5 speed with reverse where some cars have 6th. My sister joked that the R meant ‘race’ since it was after 5th XD (you physically can’t shift in 5th to reverse, even at a standstill with your foot in the clutch. It’s gearlocked. I think you can do 2nd to reverse, though).

I have been on trips where I averaged 75-85 . That little engine is built to run high rpms. It feels a b it scary at first cause it yells , but it’s meant for it. Only hit is to your fuel economy, and unless you run with the top down all the time, it’s tiny.

Power wise, the engine has its punch starting at 3800rmp. Really, it’s meant to run high. Cruising on the streets it’ s happy at 2-3k, but if you want to have fun, get it up to ~4k first.

J. P. GREYHEART, AUTHOR > alape8 09/03/2018 at 00:27

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I have done this a few times in Cleveland... the looks are always great. 

Michael > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 00:33

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Road noise truly isn’t that bad, I have an 01 miata with overt 300k miles still running fine.

BayAreaMiataBoi > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 04:11

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If you are going to be driving in 100+ degree heat, the NB2 (2001 to 2005) Miata is the better buy. I have driven my new 2001 since I bought it about 2-1/2 years ago. I put about $1200 in deferred maintenance into it, plus a lot of expensive track-related upgrades, and have driven it about 20,000 miles without a hitch, including two track-day weekends at MRLS. I bought it to use for track days , because the NB2 engine has a bottom-end girdle that makes the engine stronger.
It does, however, have one apparently-unfixable quirk: For the first 2/3 mile when it is cold, mine has the “2500- to 3000-rpm surge.” This is supposed to be normal for the NB2 engine. . .

But I also happily drove my 12000 Miata for 5 years and 55,000 miles after putting in about $1800 in deferred maintenance. It was great until my last year of ownership, when I was visiting my Mother in California’s Central Valley, where the temps went over 102 degrees. The cam position sensor had to be replaced three times because I was running the AC and cooked the CPS thrice. Other than that, the car never missed a beat.

So I don’t think you can go wrong with an NB2.

BayAreaMiataBoi > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 04:13

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It will be noisy. Ear plugs help. Going slightly deaf helps too.
8^)

BayAreaMiataBoi > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 04:18

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I get ~28 mpg running super unleaded at 3000 rpm at 71 mph (6-speed) pretty much all day long. Less than that if I am going faster, ~25-26 mpg mixed driving. I like to corner hard more than I like to drag race, or my mileage would be worse.

BayAreaMiataBoi > Shour, Aloof and Obnoxious 09/03/2018 at 04:31

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My 2001 also had a pretty bad clutch shudder, and my mechanic put in a Stage-1 clutch. I can now launch pretty hard with occasional chirps going into second, ha ha!

Kaleo > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 07:49

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I ended up buying a new set of the rubber gaskets that go between the window and the top on Moss Miata for my ‘00SE. Night and day.

I mean, it is eighteen year old rubber. 

Kaleo > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 07:56

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I’ve dailied my ‘00SE for over a year now, had it in storage for two years while I was abroad, and dailied it before I left.

I also moved from Texas to California (and back) and Texas to Mississippi in it.

The only glaring thing that has happened is the bizarre death of my fuel pump relay two months ago. I ended up changing out a good hunk of the electrical system trying to diagnose the issue, but once I got the right part in, it worked, my ECU worked,the car drives great.

I also swapped the soft top last year because the previous owner put on a cheap aftermarket top an d it delaminated in the Mississippi heat. It took an afternoon to install myself, and the higher-quality top will last me a while.

Keep in mind that you will never be able to lock that car. I don’t. I’d rather potential thie ves open the door and see nothing fun inside than slash my top. Food for thought. 

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 08:24

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NBs are a little better than NAs for this, but they’re still a convertible. If it really is too much, then the hardtops work a treat for cutting down wind noise.

Keylube > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 10:17

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I daily a 2000 NB Miata. My only grips is the shitty stereo and how loud it is at 70 mph. If you’re okay with adding 20lb of sound deadening, you can have a more refined car. Great cars, only had to change O2 sensor so far and a cracked radiator. Don’t forget about the timing belt! 

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Chris Killer 09/03/2018 at 11:32

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See Daender’s reply, but the PO running 87 long term ruined the engine.

wkiernan > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 13:29

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Having put 350,000 miles on an NA and two NBs I know two minor issues you can expect, which are, first, the cheap-ass plastic radiator, typically good for about 12 years/150,000 miles as is common for econo-boxes, and second, the clutch master and slave cylinders, which you’ll end up replacing every 75,000 miles or so - I think this is below par, the one flaw in an otherwise solid Japanese economy car design. I’ve never had any problems with the brake hydraulics. On the plus side those are both cheap, surprisingly easy repairs that can be successfully done even by a lousy home mechanic like me.

The owner’s manual says to replace the timing belt every 60,000 miles, but I put it off until 120,000 miles on my cars and the old b e l t s were still pretty intact at that age. This isn’t that much of a risk, since it’s a non-interference engine so if the timing belt lets go it won’t eat the valves. Every time I had the belt changed I found that the water pump was on its way out, so get that done when you do the timing belt. Also when you replace one of the clutch cylinders, do both at the same time.

Tops are a expense that, obviously, you don’t see in hardtop cars (unless they have leaky sunroofs!). Here in Florida the sun ruins them after a decade or so and I imagine they can be damaged by snow too. And it’s not something you can ignore if you have rain where you live. A good replacement top is in the $500-$650 range and they’re a total pain in the ass to install. They’ll run you about $1000 installed.

wkiernan > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 13:33

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2 5 - 2 7 M P G a t t h a t c r u i s i n g s p e e d i n a n N B. I n t o p g e a r y o u r R P M s w i l l b e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 5 0 t i m e s t h e M P H ( i . e . 4 0 0 0 R P M a t 8 0 M P H ) .

SVTyler > wkiernan 09/03/2018 at 13:53

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I appreciate the detailed response man , I’m going to check out the car today so that’s unbelievably helpful info to know when I talk to the guy. Thank again.

wkiernan > SVTyler 09/03/2018 at 14:16

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You’re welcome. I forgot one last piece of advice. If you’re wearing shorts, watch out for sunburn on t h e f r o n t o f your legs, and get a hat. A baseball cap with a brim is no good, the wind will pull that sucker right off your head. You need a beanie or toque or whatever you call those things. This is the one I’ve got:

Msmiata > SVTyler 09/04/2018 at 08:41

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Don’t do it if it's a 1999 or 2000. They have a thrust beating engineer failure around 140k. Mazda fixed it starting in 2001. Otherwise, I love mine (1999 with 155k) just didn't love the engine swap at 134k sure to a thrust bearing. Otherwise all the work was pretty routine.

ateamfan42 > SVTyler 09/04/2018 at 10:01

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You’re the third person to mention wind noise, is it actually that big of an issue?

A bove 60 mph w ith the top down , there is a decent about of wind buffeting that gets annoying on a long drive. Anything over about 20 mins I put in ear plugs.

I recommend something like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G0PPTAK/?th=1. The attenuation is only around 12 dB (as opposed to typical foam plugs that are more like 30 dB), so you can still have a conversation and hear the radio. They just takes the edge off so you get off the highway and can still hear.

ateamfan42 > J. P. GREYHEART, AUTHOR 09/04/2018 at 10:05

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Is also driveable in the winter on hills if you get winter tires (I’m in Pittsburgh and the car is more capable than most). I was at first weary getting the car to daily, now I have no regrets.

With proper winter tires, I’d say it is more than just drive-able . Mine is a year round DD. Winter tires are a definite; LSD and a hardtop are very nice addi tions for the winter months.  It is actually quite a lot of fun in the snow.  Just be realistic about depth:  anything over a couple of inches and you should wait until the plow comes through.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > SVTyler 09/04/2018 at 10:38

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I have an NB2 that I’ve put 40k on so it is now at about 150k miles. Still on the original timing belt. Things that have needed replacement:

Radio head unit

Radiator

Soft top ($$$$)

Cam angle sensor

The entire A/C system

Both rear calipers

PCV valve

clutch (manufacturer defect)

Rear main seal, front main seal, valve cover seal

It has a hardtop, Koni yellows with Mazdaspeed springs, Racing beat front sway bar, Pioneer head unit w/ oem Bose amp and speakers, foamectomy, weighted aluminum shift knob, 6 speed, torsen.

Lots of wind noise but the Bose system is designed to be able to overpower it. Fuel economy is 24-30mpg with 91 octane. 8,000 miles ago my PCV malfunctioned and sucked all the oil out of the engine somehow. Net result was it was driven with half a quart of oil in it for an indeterminate amount of time (wife was driving it) before I caught it and refilled it. 8,000 miles later it still runs great though the heads are slightly more noisy than they were before, that’s an emphasis on “slightly” and 99% of people would never even notice the additional lifter tap (I think it wore down the solid lifters slightly).

Handles great, the 6 speed is shit for autocross and shit for highway use but the best thing ever for carving up and down a mountain, where you’ll just be constantly banging it between 3rd and 4th gear. The torsen in my Special Edition is super nifty. The hardtop is okay, I need to get some brackets to hard-mount it to the car so it wiggles around a bit less.

Let me know if you have more questions. Overall it’s been a reasonably reliable car. I’m coming up on about 2.5 years of owning it.