I sometimes wonder..what if? (Miata related)

"CPT Speedbump" (cpt-speedbump) 01/28/2014 at 19:34 • Filed to: None

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Last October is when I got my 350Z. It was the first car I can remember that I liked from a Japanese company (I was young at the time that I found out about the 350Z's exsistance years ago (obviously still am in that case)), although I grew away from it and more towards other JDM cars. When the chance came to trade in a car, the dealership had one with low miles, I wanted rwd and a stick and something fun, so I got it, and don't get me wrong, I love the shit out of it, and have a lot of plans for it. However, as the title states; I sometimes wonder...what if I had gotten a Miata? It would have been a lot cheaper off the bat, I would already have the money to put parts into it, and would have something amazing already rather then a stock car that I'm paying for still rather then buying parts already (yet), and then one of my friends is talking to me about wanting one as a track car, and I mention a way to make it look manlier- a fastback conversion (as pictured). Then I Google it to show him, and get reminded of how awesome of a look it is. I could probably have gotten a Miata, and the conversion by now for the price of the Z. That all said and done, as I said, I love the Z, and I don't know if I could live with both my cars being THAT small (other car is a 65' beetle), it is nice to sit in the Z and have a bit of shoulder room, it handles great, sounds amazing, and as I said, I love it, but yet I wonder..what if?..Maybe someday.

Your boy, BJR > CPT Speedbump 01/28/2014 at 19:39

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"Don't die wondering, man."

GhostZ > CPT Speedbump 01/28/2014 at 19:42

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You would have awoken with no pants in the middle of a football field, endless donuts carved into the cheap high-school level sod beneath you, surrounded by the strange signs of some alternate race, with no memory of your abduction or how you arrived where you are.

Squinting your eyes at the moon, it was so bright, you would have struggled to your feet only to find that your belly had begun to distend with the numerous beers that fought war against the caffeine to keep your body flabby. You remember Doug and his NA and you panic, memory hazy of sweat and body odor. Realizing you are not yourself, you would stumble forward before falling, catching yourself in your hands before looking up and seeing the endless stacks of lower-to-middle-tier used craigslist tires with "At least 80% tread left". Beneath them would be littered receipts that amounted to crushing debt to feed your ever hungry addiction. In fear and trepidation, you see on top of the pile, a wrecked Miata beginning to rust, with a $500 price tag and a "would be great for Lemons" sticker adorning its cracked windshield.

You would pound the grass in frustration, screaming "Damn you, you dirty Track Days, you blew her up! God Damn you! God Damn you all to hell !"

CPT Speedbump > GhostZ 01/28/2014 at 19:45

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Lmao, thanks for the read, haha

B_dol > CPT Speedbump 01/28/2014 at 20:01

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I often wonder this, but with an S2000 or RX-7. Never a Miata. In any life, I think my FR-S will prove to be an ownership adventure.

CPT Speedbump > B_dol 01/28/2014 at 20:03

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Have thought about the S2000 as well...The fastback conversion makes the Miata look like the S2000's little sister, lol

Mathias Rios > Your boy, BJR 01/28/2014 at 20:15

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That was more powerful than it should've been.

Your boy, BJR > Mathias Rios 01/28/2014 at 20:17

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LOL! It's a quote from The Way, Way Back. (highly recommended)

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > CPT Speedbump 01/28/2014 at 20:36

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Just remember Miata is always the answer

Lekker > CPT Speedbump 01/29/2014 at 13:38

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Great write up! I hadn't seen a fastback conversion on a miata before. I have on s2k's and it looks amazing. Two things regarding your write-up:Should have , not should of. Could have, not of. =D

Now regarding your dilemma, they are just two different beasts. I come from 2 Z's and here is the story: I bought an 06 350Z about 4 years ago. I had a '94 Prelude before, so the Z was a huge step up. Not to mention the meaty V6 and the nice look of it. After 6 months I had catastrophic engine failure, and decided to sell it. I've had multiple cars in between. And 6 months ago I made a purchase, 2013 Pearl White 370Z Nismo. Now, I made the purchase knowing it was my second car, my other car is a 2012 Scion TC. It is a whole new different monster. It is a gnarly, powerful, sexy, growling beast that does everything, with style and discomfort lol. The trunk is big enough to go shopping and for most of my needs, so I could care less.

Now, I just recently got into racing myself. I bought the car hoping I would get into it and sure enough. Do you know what is more annoying than going around a course at a low time for your category? Being blitzed at courses by miatas, mini's and evos (and more and more now BRZs/FRSs). And I landed on the conclusion that in order to have it all we must:

-Have a comfortable daily driver (not like the z)

-Have a vehicle that can be fun in the street, for the weekends (like the z)

-Have a Racing vehicle that will slaughter the track (most likely going to be pulled by your daily).

So there you have it. You need a Z, a miata and something else! haha

CPT Speedbump > Lekker 01/29/2014 at 15:53

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Thanks :) and will try to keep that in mind while writing in the future.

The one I just got is a 06' as well, low miles, quick question, what went wrong with the engine? For now I'm young so comfort isn't as big of a concern for me just yet. But when it is I'll probably want another DD, something good at snow that has a good heater would be nice (the Beetle is awesome in snow, not awesome at keeping me warm though). I'm thinking a truck next, for the very reason you mentioned- good DD, and towing of a track car.

Lekker > CPT Speedbump 01/29/2014 at 16:05

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Precisely! How old are you? I am 23 and I can tell you, I DD my Nismo and it is fun for the most part, until you have to fill up or until you get to the not-best-paved-area-of-town. I do also travel, for example I drove from Arizona to Kansas in the Nismo full of my belongings. So I can tell you a thing or two about long travels with it. I still will not trade my car in for a comfortable car, as you mentioned. It is more of when it comes down to making the next purchase. On my 06 it was basically treated like crap, so bad in fact it had oil that had been on there for over a year. Of course I had no idea until I did the oil change right after buying it. The piston rings were worn out due to friction with the cylinder wall which burnt even more oil, I was putting in about half a quart a week. It needed to be rebuilt, which the next wealthy owner did.

CPT Speedbump > Lekker 01/29/2014 at 16:32

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I'm 22, and I'm DD'ing both my Z and my Beetle (mostly the Beetle atm thanks to snow), and yeah, most the roads here are fine but it does get a bit tiresome in some more bumpy/bad road area's (my entire state is a bad road area really). I'll complain about it after I get some coil-overs though I'm sure. With your 06', probably doesn't help that they're oil hungry to start either. I'm not sure how my engines doing, seems to be doing ok with me and with super cold mornings, still planning on completely building the motor though. It has less then 40 k on it, so hopefully I'll be good for a while.

Lekker > CPT Speedbump 01/29/2014 at 17:05

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Yeah they are decently comfortable, after coil-overs even. I rode my buddies coiled 12 370, and it was not bad. Its just the bounciness of the thing really. It depends on how long your daily commute is. In all honesty I just plan to keep this, buy something like a miata do an ls swap, and buy a truck to tow it all. But hey, dreaming doesn't cost does it? lol

CPT Speedbump > Lekker 01/29/2014 at 17:11

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Alright, nice nice :) and I was just looking at Flying Miata's swaps last night!!! I was thinking about a Ls3 in my Z, a Ls3 in a Miata is insane!!..so is what they're asking to do it though, and I'll probably end up just building the VQ like previously stated. If they're were a road course anyywhereee near me, I'd be more wanting of a full time track car, but unfortunately, the closest is about a 2 hour drive. So I'll end up just doing auto x probably.

Lekker > CPT Speedbump 01/29/2014 at 17:18

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You can do a full time auto-x car as well. I really want to auto-x the Z. Matter of fact I have/am. It just isn't competitive for the brackets (at least the meat in the middle of the car isn't). It is too powerful to compete with other good cars like gti or s2k, even miata (I believe they are G-Stock), but too heavy to fight in their class (B-Stock for me, C-Stock for the normal 350/370). As soon as you start modding you will be up there with the heavy-modified Evo's and STI's. And I am terribly sorry but we have NOTHING against them. They have the awd, turbocharged engines that produce the best power at the top of the range, and where are you for the most part in auto-x? Top of the range. Well that depends on the course, but you get the point. The problem with the Z as a track/auto-x car is that it is already moderately powerful and sporty. If we modify it, it will be put in a bracket that is not really easy to compete with since you are at least 1k lbs heavier. Sure, you got a lot more power but since the car is (again) so heavy and you have RWD you will most likely oversteer. I wanted the Z to be my auto-x car. After the 5 events I have gone to I realized I need a car that I can push to the limit, so that way I can better my driving. Not a car that I can only apply 5% throttle or I will spin, that is more of an advanced stage. That being said I am doing this year's season of Auto-X in my Z.

CPT Speedbump > Lekker 01/29/2014 at 17:43

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I'v heard they're good for it, but that explains why I never hear about them winning. And a carbon fiber body would help with the weight issue, but not with the money-in-your-wallet issue, lol

Lekker > CPT Speedbump 01/29/2014 at 18:02

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They're fun to do it in, but thats about it. There is a guy on my region who runs an 05 350, mods are tires, suspension, brakes and little things which I think put him in a bracket that did an average 4 seconds faster than him, and he is a really good driver so that explains a bit. If you want to do it seriously: Strip the shit out of it.