Decisions

"Arrivederci" (arrividerci) 10/30/2019 at 11:34 • Filed to: None

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I’ve taken a deeper dive into the world of used Miatas, trying to find a nice example of a NC2 or NC3 with the LSD. That generally means I need to look at Touring/Grand Touring on the NC2 and Club/Grand Touring on the NC3 where it was an option. I’d prefer a GT for all the niceties (cloth top, leather seats, seat heaters, etc), but it isn’t a dealbreaker.

Anyway - I’ve found a couple after !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

First option - 2009 Touring with suspension and LSD. Two owner, less than 30k miles. Checked it out in person as it’s somewhat local. Mechanically, it seems great (as it should for the miles) but cosmetically it has been somewhat unloved - needs a new top, full detail/cleaning at a minimum. Owner initially rejected my offer of $9k, but came back later and said they’d agree if it was still on the table.

Second option - 2010 Grand Touring with suspension and LSD. Two owner, less than 80k miles. It’s about three hours away, so I’d just need to do a virtual walkaround. Asking $11k, have yet to try and negotiate .

Both cars have good histories and have been southern cars, so rust shouldn’t be much of an issue (though the 2009 has some corrosion underneath on the cat and nearby rail). I could put a new cloth top on the 2009 and eventually upgrade the rest of the interior to make it as good as a GT and then have a low mile car for under $10.5k, or go for an actual GT and see what kind of price I’d get there but have a much higher mile car. Neither one is a terribly desirable color (silver/white), but not certainly not offensive.  My first NC was silver, after all.

Third option - keep looking.

Cash Rewards > Arrivederci 10/30/2019 at 11:59

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I replaced the soft top on my NB. I don’t know how it compares to the NC. It was a two day job, that was pretty miserable, but definitely doable. I could do it again in 2/3rd the time the second time around, and it wouldn’t be miserable now that I know the tricks. If the NC top is comparable to the NA/NB, I wouldn’t let that discourage you. That said, I could probably strip the entire interior  of my NB in an hour or two, and I don’t think that’s true of the NC.

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > Arrivederci 10/30/2019 at 12:07

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Option 1 seems like the best choice IMO, as long as they have maintenance records

412GTI > Arrivederci 10/30/2019 at 12:22

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I’d probably sway toward continuing to look. Plenty of time since we’re going into winter and perhaps you can find a happy medium of nice color, condition, and mileage/ 

Arrivederci > Cash Rewards 10/30/2019 at 13:11

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I’ve watched the videos and read folks sharing their experiences doing it themselves and it sounds really fiddly.  I’ve gotten a couple quotes for labor only and for $400 in labor, I think I might just pay someone to do it.  That would put my all in at about $1050 for the new top.

Arrivederci > 412GTI 10/30/2019 at 13:11

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That’s how I’m leaning tbh, but the low miles and clean history of the 2009 have me really thinking hard on it.

412GTI > Arrivederci 10/30/2019 at 14:09

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Yeah that’s a tough call. It just seems though the 09 might have less miles, they might not be easy miles if the condition isn’t great. 

Arrivederci > 412GTI 10/30/2019 at 14:23

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I think they were pretty easy - seller is an 80-ish year old man and wife who are simply downsizing their fleet from three to one car. He bought it from his brother-in-law who I’m guessing is of similar age. Certainly no guarantee, but I think in that regard it’s led an easy life. Always dealer maintained in their stewardship, for what that’s worth.

The condition is based off it sitting outside and not moving a ton - the top is vinyl and got brittle with age and disuse, letting go at a couple seams, it doesn’t seem as if it was routinely cleaned, so there is dirt caked in panel gaps, etc.  I think a new top and good detail would turn this thing around in a hurry, and then result in a sub 30k mile NC2 in great shape.

Cash Rewards > Arrivederci 10/30/2019 at 14:28

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Makes sense. I'm on a tighter budget, so with the same scenario I chose manual labor, and put that money to a roadster sport 4 exhaust

Arrivederci > Cash Rewards 10/30/2019 at 14:53

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Haha, that’s fair, I’d just be too concerned about screwing it up and I don’t have a garage to leave it open for a few days at a time.

412GTI > Arrivederci 10/30/2019 at 16:37

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Ah that makes more sense then. I could see the appeal of giving it a little restoration and having a nice low mileage car. 

Arrivederci > 412GTI 10/31/2019 at 07:44

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That’s the hope!  And since it’s a Touring, I’d probably try and source a pair of GT door panels and eventually recover the seats to upfit the interior a bit.  I’d be doing the Robbins canvas top so that’d be a nice upgrade over the stock vinyl.