Miata question

"Just Jeepin'" (macintux)
08/12/2020 at 23:04 • Filed to: Craigslist

Aftermarket upgrades make me nervous. Anything in this list I should be concerned about? Seems like a pretty decent price.

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DISCUSSION (35)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Just Jeepin'
08/12/2020 at 23:12

Not a bad price at all. Not sure but seems like a good deal for a well kept NB.

Poor_Sh > Just Jeepin'
08/12/2020 at 23:18

Looks good to me but you should repost this at 11am EST or just after for best results I've found. Daender is a great resource btw as well as Nick with the exocet and Furansu.... though none of those may be their kinja names lol

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Just Jeepin'
08/12/2020 at 23:23

It’s just a CAI and a different exhaust, it’s fine and easily reversible if you don’t like them . The heat shield is just a piece of insulated metal, it wouldn’t do any damage.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Just Jeepin'
08/12/2020 at 23:37

That style bar absolutely needs to go immediately, but otherwise it’s just bolt on that don’t ruin anything. If a stock air box is not included, make sure to offer a lower price as you will need to source one immediately as well. It’s fine to do a cone filter crap if you like the sound, but not if you cut out the box and hose. It will lose power with any of the CAI bolt ons that remove the factory stuff.

Just make sure to thoroughly inspect for rust. Mechanical things to care about would be water pump, the diff, electrical gremlins, and then the usual leaks and cleanliness of the engine bay. Worry much more about the rust though as being garaged doesn't solve the issue.

onlytwowheels > Just Jeepin'
08/12/2020 at 23:38

Simple bolt- ons, should be fine. The manifold blanket is there to help keep heat away from the cold air intake. The performance exhaust appears to be a siz able muffler, so the noise level will not be excessive. I also see a front strut tower brace has been added, which should stiffen the chassis a bit.

If you are in an emission inspection state, the cold air intake may need a CARB approved decal. The CAI is a K&N, so it should be easy to find out if it meets emission standards. Most of their kits are CARB approved.

Cash Rewards > Just Jeepin'
08/12/2020 at 23:43

The all caps alarms me. I’d love to know the brand of exhaust, just to gauge their commitment to the car. someone like aesthetics in motion who spared no expense vs someone who threw some cheap cra p on there. Intakes are of debatable effectiveness. But like others have said, nothing irreversible.

Just Jeepin' > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/12/2020 at 23:44

How much power? I’m not interested in it as a race car, just an open air cruiser.

I’d rather get one of the salvage title S2000s in Louisville, but this is half the price.

AestheticsInMotion > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 00:18

As wrong wheel drive said, ditch the style bar. That, and the all caps are both red flags. Price isn’t terrible, but there are better options to be found for NBs still.

(edit) and always check the soft top! Get inside, have a friend spray it with a hose. If it leaks? Budget in $1000 or so for a new top and installation.

Nick Has an Exocet > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 00:26

Quite a bit, particularly torque in the middle RPMs. The Miata needs the longer intake tubing in order to breath properly at mid-range RPMs. You would notice back to back if merging onto the highway.

Edit: Actually, it looks okay. I wouldn’t worry about it. Some people shorten things up think they will make it better by moving the cone to the cooler side of the engine, but that doesn’t work.

Nick Has an Exocet > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 00:46

Kill the mousetrap style bar. More harm than help in a crash.

Feel around the carpets for leaks. Smell the inside of the trunk (if it smells moldy, the rain rail may need replacing - which means a new top as well probably).

You’ll probably want stickier tires. If you’re going to winter drive it, get winter tires. If you’re going to summer drive it, get summers.

Listen to the suspension when you drive. If it feels loose, you might need bushing in the control arms. If the shifter moves a lot on throttle, it needs diff bushings (involves dropping the diff).

2000 is an interesting year. It’s non-VVT but has VICS (99/00). Kind of the best of both worlds, tbh. Makes using something like Megasquirt a bit easier than 01-05 if you want a tad more power.

This car probably doesn’t have torsen differential. If you want that, then maybe give some thought to the diff bushing upgrade. I still don’t have a torsen in my NA6 and it doesn’t usually bother me unless I’m doing shenanigans.

If I bought it, I would immediately: change oil, change spark plugs/wires, change trans fluid, change diff fluid, rebuild shifter. Slop in the shifter is easy and cheap to deal with (figure $100) but go ahead and use it as a negotiation point to get $250 or more off.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 01:11

I see nothing to worry about in that ad. You’ll want to throw away that style bar as soon as you drive it home. That intake is losing power, but a visit to a spec miata shop near you ought to net a stock tube and airbox for very little or even free. Be sure you know when the timing belt was last done.

Beefchips > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 01:54

Seller claims 1.49 million miles... but probably the odo has turned over a couple times so it could be way more. Red. Flag.

Kinja'd!!!

Dunno about the mods though.

Tristan > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 07:42

The only thing that bothers me about it is the sleazy all-caps dealer posting in the “by owner” section of CL.

Just Jeepin' > Beefchips
08/13/2020 at 07:43

The odometer shows 149k. Pretty sure the listing just has an accidental extra 0.

Just Jeepin' > onlytwowheels
08/13/2020 at 07:43

For better or worse, no inspections of any kind here.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 09:40

Ehh it’s not a significant difference either way. And you never know, you might like the sound enough to keep it anyways. I just know from research that the miata is not a car to mess with the intake, it’s a fools errand. There is a cowl intake that has been proven to work but is much more expensive and utilizes the stock airbox and crosstube.

That’s pretty much always the case. You can have a shitty s2k or pay less for a near mint miata. The power difference there is absolutely obvious but as long as you don’t mind the slow, miatas are endearing. They aren’t slow if you have enough turns involved, just don’t go up a hill and expect anything interesting lol. But keep the revs over 5k and it’ll certainly feel quick even if it's still slow.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 09:58

Perhaps he’ll see this post and comment (hey, do you still read my activity? Still kinda weird dude) but a friend of mine dailies an NB of pretty much this exact spec. He has a cone filter with no heat shield. If I remember right, the stock airbox pulls lots of hot air. Hot air intakes are fine anyways. With a heat shield, you’ll probably have IATs that are about the same as stock. The long aluminum tube will warm it more. CAIs are for sound anyway.

The all caps and early 2000s style website give me pause. That price is absurd.

Just Jeepin' > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
08/13/2020 at 10:12

Absurd...low? As far a s I can tell it’s not high for this area.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 10:18

There’s a few NB1s in our area (you’re less than 2 hours from me I think?) with under 100k and cheaper. If I checked that car out, I’d offer 3200 and want to be done at 3800, tops.

Just Jeepin' > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
08/13/2020 at 10:28

I’m in Indy. There is nothing around here that beats that price; I see two NBs on Facebook which are cheaper, but one is an auto and the other has major body damage.

Correction: I do see one NB on CL for 4k a few hours from here , but that’s about it.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 10:41

The one in Wapakoneta? Looks like it has rockers rotten, hence the black paint/bed liner. I’d stay away from that one. There’s a 130k mile NA with a hardtop in Cincy on a rebuilt title for 4k.

That auto one... from what I’ve seen, NBs aren’t hard at all to swap. And the transmissions are pretty easy to find, but that’s not a great way to get a daily IMO.

Have you looked in the Miata specific FB groups?

Just Jeepin' > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker
08/13/2020 at 10:48

No, I’m no longer on Facebook.

I could have bought my family’s NA for cheap last year but it needed a lot of work, and I never liked the short-action brake pedal (don’t know what to call that).

Increasingly I’m inclined to save up for a salvage title S2000 instead. Or an XJ. This Miata just seemed like a reasonable price so I wanted opinions.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 10:59

Smart move on FB.

I’ve driven my friend’s NB1. The brake pedal is very touchy and short travel compared to my VWs. I dunno how it is compared to a Jeep. Probably worse.

An XJ in okayish shape would be a good replacement for your Jeep. Low slung sports car would be a really good complement. That said... convertible Eclipses are pretty cheap.

daender > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 12:40

‘00 Miata in LS trim so you get the Bose stereo (polarizing but I enjoy the heavy bass), tan interior with leather seats, glorious Torsen limited-slip differential, cruise control (make sure that still works), power door locks, power windows, 3-spoke Nardi-branded steering wheel, and 15" alloy wheels. It looks pretty condition for how many miles on are it. I will note that this ‘00 Miata does NOT have the sport package as it lacks the trunk-mounted spoiler/lip and it would’ve come from the factory with an adjustable shock tower brace.

The biggest thing to look for is rust around unibody/chassis around the front sway bar mounts and under the rockers behind the side skirts (rust REALLY loves to form around there as the skirts can trap water/moisture in there). Given it’s a ‘00 and it has high miles, it’s not affected by the thrust bearing recall that affects early NB1s anywhere between new and roughly 80k to 90k miles.

The aftermarket s tick-on wood trim is tacky and combined with the chrome style bar makes me believe this belonged to a retiree. Good news is most of that interior trim can be replaced if you want to go back to stock black or the later NB2.5 silver trim. The chrome gas lid is from either Moss Miata, IL Motorsport, or a Mazda dealership accessory (probably Mazda). The wooden parking brake grip is nice but the shift knob...eh, not my style since I have the correct Nardi 5-speed knob for mine. The aftermarket cup holder is a decent touch since the NB1 center console design is meh (I’m selling a tan NB2 console if you’re interested, lol) and I can’t figure out what brand that muffler is but it looks decent.

The aftermarket intake tube needs to go. While it looks cool, the lack of an expansion chamber on the intake tube is what hurts that mid-range power. The filter and DIY-looking intake shield is okay. The header blanket is a nice ~ $90 upgrade from Track Dog Racing, so that’s a worthwhile upgrade. The effectiveness of any shock tower brace is debatable but it looks nice since that Miata didn’t come with one from the factory.

Kinja'd!!!

All in all, that’s a pretty clean NB1 given it’s being sold in the rust belt. Get it inspected and buy if it checks out. If you want to upgrade it on a small budget using OEM parts from later NB2 Miata, then let me know as there’s room for improvement on the NB1.

Just Jeepin' > daender
08/13/2020 at 13:10

Thanks, appreciate the comprehensive info. I’m conflicted, but it’s undeniably appealing.

speedyboi > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 14:32

The car sounds good with the cone filter, no need for an aftermarket exhaust. BTW, all aftermarket exhausts for NA/NB don’t sound good, sorry boys. Induction noise in the way to go on this one.

daender > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 19:32

Just know it’s not a fast car by modern or 2000s standards. The fun with these are in the corners and the fact they’re pretty dang reliable and easy to work on for a sporty 90s-era convertible. You can get another +5hp (not kidding) by upgrading the exhaust manifold from the cast-iron design to the tubular-steel design of the ‘01-’05 NB2 using all-OEM parts and retain a stock-like look. One last thing, the radiator has been replaced as the foam insulation between the radiator and frame is missing (it usually disintegrates when removing the original radiator) so that’s a good job by the PO or the seller. Clutch fluid looks dirty (they always get dirty) so you can try to knock some money off the seller’s price to get it re-flushed.

Edit: That Miata is also a “Federal” model NB1, as indicated by the standard (and fragile) plastic dip stick handle. There were California-specific NB1s that had a complex (and fragile) secondary catalytic converter incorporated into a unique exhaust header and the design of the header required a longer dipstick tube...so Mazda commissioned a heavier-duty handle for those California NB1s. This is good for you because you can easily do the NB2 header swap without having to screw around with the California-specific emissions junk.

Just Jeepin' > daender
08/13/2020 at 19:56

Well, I drive a 2005 Wrangler, so it doesn’t have to be fast-car fast to be fast enough for me.

Thanks, this has been a wealth of info. I wish it were close enough to go take a test drive without taking an entire day to do so.

daender > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 20:14

My parents drove about 2 hours each way to fetch my Miata and I’ve driven for six hours to pick-up a hardtop for my car (that hardtop happened to be the same color as that NB1). If you want it badly, then you might have to drive for it! Maybe get it inspected by a qualified third party mechanic to save yourself an unnecessary drive!

Just Jeepin' > daender
08/13/2020 at 20:42

That’s the problem: I don’t want it that badly. I’m intrigued and want a test drive, but I already have a convertible that I love dearly .

daender > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 22:59

Ah, better to pass then unless you’re able to find someone local that will let you borrows theirs for a test drive to see if you want it or not.

RacinBob > Just Jeepin'
08/13/2020 at 23:50

Ok Opponauts, listen up. When you are buying a 20 year old car, the price is not the most important thing. What is the most important thing is you are buying the previous owner. So stop this whining you can get one cheaper in G reenfield I ndiana! I am glad if you found some meth addict who is unloading his Miata that has oil dating from the Obama administration. If that saves you $ 1500 wonderful. It will give you lots to write about the horrors of deferred maintenance later and how a cheap car is really expensive.

Meanwhile what I look at is here is a clean, well maintained car owned by someone who bothered to put good tires on a car he was selling, Who cleaned it, and maintained it, and managed to not let it rust out. And even the original OEM rims are not trashed.

I’d buy this car in a minute as it is one which the owner cared not about money but about keeping the car as best as he can. That when buying a 20 year old car makes all the difference. I was sold on this view. Good tires and mudflaps and no fender rust on a 20 year old Miata that he was planning to sell . Hell even the headlights are buffed out. If the owner is as the car presents, I would buy it in a minute.

Do you think you could have $45oo worth of fun with no regrets with this? Heck yes.

Kinja'd!!!

Just Jeepin' > RacinBob
08/14/2020 at 00:00

Shame only about 5 people will ever see your note.

RacinBob > Just Jeepin'
08/14/2020 at 07:59

back at ya!

I had a similar post a couple of years ago regarding an about ‘98 integra with about 200,000 miles that someone was having angst about whether it was worth $3500.

Sure you can get a lemon, but t he car had brand new Michelins worth about $1000. There’s an owner I’d buy any day of the week. I’d say snap it up and don’t look back.

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > speedyboi
08/17/2020 at 13:44

Man, you’re gonna be really disappointed when you see that heap of shit I brought to BTM.