All My Babies Together!

"MIATAAAA" (miataaaa) 02/26/2015 at 15:55 • Filed to: 1800ES, MATRIX, Z3, MX-5

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For the first time ever! Life is good. :)

Left to right:

'12 Mazda Mx-5

'01 BMW Z3 3.0i

'05 Toyota Matrix XRS

'73 Volvo 1800ES

Coty > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 15:55

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Yes.

jkm7680 > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 15:59

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Didn't the Volvo not run or something?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:00

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Just curious, why do you keep two fairly similar cars in the Z3 and the Miata?

MIATAAAA > jkm7680 02/26/2015 at 16:01

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I finally got it running reliably* this week ! :) Happy days!

*not that reliably

TxBrumski > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:02

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Sexy, sexy, sexy...

jkm7680 > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:04

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Haha, at least it's running!

PS9 > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:06

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According to Jalop bylaws, you are not allowed to own both a Miata and a Z3. One of them will be destroyed in 24 hours. You must choose.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 02/26/2015 at 16:06

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Would you turn down a chance for a menage-a-trois with a hot German woman and her similarly built Japanese best friend?*

*assuming you're single

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 02/26/2015 at 16:07

1

You make a good point sir.

MIATAAAA > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 02/26/2015 at 16:08

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I bought the Miata and then, later, received the Z3 as a gift.

They're so incredibly different, I can't bare to part with either! One has great low-end torque with a sexy classic look; the other is fun, reliable, and won't leave me with a four-figure repair bill.

You can guess which one is which. ;)

Alex B > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:10

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Hm, not sure which would I like the best. It's between the BMW and Volvo I think.

MIATAAAA > PS9 02/26/2015 at 16:10

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I can't!

Fine, burn the Z3.

With all the money saved on repairs, I can buy... another Z3.

MIATAAAA > Alex B 02/26/2015 at 16:11

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They're all equally amazing is entirely different ways.

Now I just need a Wrangler to complete the collection!

MrDakka > PS9 02/26/2015 at 16:11

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There can only be one!

Alex B > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:12

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Where do you park all of these and how often do you drive each one?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:12

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That's one hell of a gift.

MIATAAAA > Alex B 02/26/2015 at 16:15

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They constantly rotate from my apartment spots to my office parking lot. I frequently drive one to work and another home (though I live about 1/2 mile from the office).

I've been driving the 1800ES all week, but I generally do a good job of rotating pretty evenly through them.

Alex B > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:17

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That's awsome that your work lets you keep them parked in their lot. What's hold you back from getting a wrangler?

MIATAAAA > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. 02/26/2015 at 16:18

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Seriously!

Gotta love parents who are too lazy to go about selling their old cars.

davedave1111 > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:19

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What are Z3s actually like to drive? I've never liked them much, but they're so cheap here at the moment that I've vaguely considered getting one.

PS9 > MrDakka 02/26/2015 at 16:23

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HEEEEREEE WE AAAAARE!

BOOOOORN TO BE KIIIIINGS!

WE'RE THE PRINCES OF THE UUUUUUNIVEEEERSE!

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:26

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If the Toyota Matrix XRS a manual?

MIATAAAA > Alex B 02/26/2015 at 16:36

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Yeah - it's very convenient!

Money. Money is holding me back. Why do they have to retain their value so damn well!?!?

I want to buy a well-maintained, unrusted, TJ Wrangler. For like $5k.

Is that asking so much!?

MIATAAAA > davedave1111 02/26/2015 at 16:37

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The handle well and the 3.0i engine has great power. It's fun and comfortable.

The build quality sucks. Feels all wobbly compared to a newer convertible.

MIATAAAA > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 02/26/2015 at 16:38

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OF COURSE. Actually the '05 model year (I am unsure of other years) ONLY offered the XRS in manual.

I'm sure that had a lot to do with them not selling all that well.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:43

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Even if my parents did that I'd have ended up with a half dead Renault Megane haha.

davedave1111 > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:43

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So how does it stack up as a small sportscar, overall? Better get the MX-5/Miata for 'spirited driving', or would a Z3 be reasonably rewarding?

MIATAAAA > davedave1111 02/26/2015 at 16:46

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A Z3 would be reasonably rewarding! I really love it. But a lot of that has to do with the 3.0 engine. I'm not sure how I would feel about this car with a smaller engine.

davedave1111 > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 16:55

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Ah, that's a bit of a kicker. Not sure we ever got that here; if we did I'm not seeing any for sale.

The really, really cheap ones are 1.8s, but all the fairly cheap ones are 1.9s, which are at least quick enough to get to 60 in less than ten seconds. Then there are a few 2.0s for a bit more money, but by that time you're at a point where you can get a decent MX-5.

Scary__goongala! > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 17:00

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Replace this with a ND;)

MIATAAAA > davedave1111 02/26/2015 at 17:34

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Phew! I was about the say the 2.8 would probably be acceptable, but the 2.5 and 2.3 are (I heard) basically anemic.

But we're in different worlds, I suppose! Where you hailing from?

davedave1111 > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 17:44

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I'm in England, so yes, a bit different. But the 1.8 is seriously underpowered, and the 1.9 almost as much. The 2.0 is about as quick as a 1.8 MX-5, though.

We got the 2.8, and a later 2.2 with decent power, but the latter is more expensive - and the former is expensive to run, especially when it comes to insurance and tax. You can get a really solid MX-5 for that kind of outlay, so why not?

You could get a 1.6 MX-5 here, and I see a few for sale fairly cheap. Not quick at all, but at least it's a car which it's rewarding to keep up your momentum in. I don't get the impression the Z3 is the same in that regard.

MIATAAAA > davedave1111 02/26/2015 at 17:52

1

Just my gut feeling - the MX-5 is more fun on a winding road than a Z3 with comparable power. A lot of it is so subjective though.

In the end, you can't go wrong with either (except maybe that 1.8 Z3 - that might be wrong).

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 17:55

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I'm thinking it as a cheap high school salary level Fiesta ST...it's got the same amount of HP, but a little bigger...

davedave1111 > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 18:10

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I'd really expect the Mazda to be at least a bit more agile and fun, but the question is how much, because the BMW has some other advantages - I assume it's considerably more comfortable than the Mazda, and the boot probably holds more.

MIATAAAA > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 02/26/2015 at 22:12

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That's about right. The 8,200 rpm recline is a blast!

MIATAAAA > davedave1111 02/26/2015 at 22:15

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depends which MX-5, I think. The boot of my NC Miata is significantly larger than the Z3's. And the Miata is, all around, more comfortable to ride in, except leg room is less. But I'm comparing a '12 Miata to an '01 Z3, which seems unfair.

davedave1111 > MIATAAAA 02/26/2015 at 22:20

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Probably an NB, maybe an NA. The NAs are starting to come up for classic car insurance, so that can be a lot cheaper, but I'd rather have an NB. The NB's boot is absolutely tiny, so I can't imagine the Z3's can be any worse.