Miata Oppos!

"Poor_Sh" (ar4x)
08/07/2019 at 18:49 • Filed to: None

Tell me about the NC hardtop convertible!!!

Crappy internet pic but I saw this same car today and now I want it. I want it bad. In manual.

So, are the tops going to work now a decade later? Is there something I should look out for? I know the NC is the least liked Miata and I know somewhat why, but I feel like it would accomplish my goals for the second car I want even if it's not perfect.

DISCUSSION (58)

For Sweden > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 18:56

NiCe

daender > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 19:02

NCs are getting their due respect, especially now that people are seeing how potent the 2.5L-swaps are. According to a friend who’s owned one with a tune, the ECU is pretty easy to program compared to previous generations, making it 2.5L-swap nearly plug-and-play! There’s one autocrossing in our region that’s making 200/200 at the wheels and it’s FAST! If the top stops working, then strip the guts out of the top and weld the roof panels in place to make it a true coupe!

Nothing to really look out for other than check for rust underneath, especially if it has the factory side skirt options as those can hide some serious rust spots! NCs have some of the smallest trunks of all generations of Miatas, just keep that in mind if you do grocery runs!

Personally, get a NC2 or NC3 (they’re the facelifted models with the sharper headlights and grills). They look amazing in blue. Also, black interior > whatever orange/brown interior they offered, it doesn’t look great in person.

Chuckles > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 19:09

After driving my 94 Miata, my girlfriend’s father went out and bought a stick shift NC with the power top. He loves it after about 2 years. No problems.

Kinja'd!!!

Poor_Sh > daender
08/07/2019 at 19:17

Ohhhhh sounds fun to mod a bit , that’s good. And thanks for the other advice. I’d want to keep it a convertible though because I want that top down lifestyle sometimes, but I’m hoping it will be better suited to sitting outside all the time than a soft top. I’ll take the sacrifice of weight and ease of use.

Poor_Sh > Chuckles
08/07/2019 at 19:17

Good to hear!

Poor_Sh > For Sweden
08/07/2019 at 19:17

Ooh license plate idea...

t0ast > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 19:38

Had an ‘07 PRHT for 10 years and 110k miles as a 3 season daily driver and autocross vehicle. I had the power window control module (lives w/ the switches in the center console) go out once which interfered with the top operation (since it needs to lower the windows), but otherwise it was dead reliable. I used it almost every single day I drove it (weather permitting) and it was still fine by the time I sold it. By most other accounts that I saw while I was still keeping up with Miata.net, the tops have been largely reliable, with any problems that arise usually being small things (like a loose bolt, a bad leaf switch, or what happened to mine). The only major downside to the retractable hardtop is that you can’t fit a usable roll bar under them that will pass the broomstick test unless you’re around 5'9" or shorter or willing to deal with something like this .

The NC got a lot of flack for putting on some weight compared to the NAs/NBs, but the reality is that it’s not *that* much heavier than late NBs and brought a lot of improvements to the table to help “make up” for it. You get more modern safety equipment (like side air bags), a more rigid chassis, enough room for taller occupants (I’m 6'2"), and a much more modern engine. It takes well to upgrades too. Swap out the rolly-poly OEM suspension and the handling becomes genuinely impressive. Upgrade the intake, exhaust, and tune and you’ll see ~30 more horsepower easily. 2.5L swaps are about as easy/inexpensive as a swap can get, and there are a number of FI options available. Basically, they’re decent right out of the box, but get really good really quick once you start modifying. Aftermarket parts generally aren’t too expensive either.

If you’re going to get one, try to hold out for a 2009 or later car. This will get you a more robust engine with higher redline, a better gear spread for the 6-speed manual, and improved suspension geometry. Also aim for a car that came with the suspension package, because they’re the ones with an LSD. As for what to look for when shopping, it’s mostly just rust. They aren’t nearly as bad as earlier Mazdas, but they’re getting old enough to where it can start being a problem depending on how much winter they’ve seen. Many owners keep them in garages and away from winter weather, so finding a clean example shouldn’t be too difficult. Just do the regular due diligence in the usual used car inspection routine, and chances are it’ll be just fine.

Cash Rewards > daender
08/07/2019 at 19:47

Yeah, but the nc2 or nc3 have not come down in price yet

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 20:00

I can get behind the early NC’s with the removable hard top. Those are pretty darn nice to look at . The power retractable crap is just too much for me to worry about and too much extra weight. Although in general the later P RHT NCs do look pretty good, even if they dont make for a very good Miata. In general I would much rather have an 86/BRZ rather than an NC Miata any day. Its still a debate for me between the 86 and the ND/RF.

gettingoldercarguy > Chuckles
08/07/2019 at 20:05

This car is aging very well

daender > Cash Rewards
08/07/2019 at 20:12

This is true! Still, I’d spend the extra money for a clean NC2/3 Club to modify!

Chuckles > gettingoldercarguy
08/07/2019 at 20:15

It wouldn't be the best choice for autocross, but it's probably the Miata that's easiest to live with since you don't have to worry about a soft top getting ripped or slashed.

Poor_Sh > Chuckles
08/07/2019 at 20:43

Yeah I sorta stopped autocross after I went to the track lol but I’d still likely take the Porsche if I had a Miata like this. An older project only car I would autocross, but this is more of a cruise around, put miles on something else, and try to carry way too much luggage/cargo than a Miata should.... Car. I want a luggage rack and a bike rack and etc etc etc

Chuckles > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 21:05

If you aren't worried about hitting up track days, a PRHT Miata is an excellent road trip car.

Khalbali > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 21:05

I was talking to Jake has bad luck so you don't have to about it today, I owned one for a few years and it suited me well. I'm a big guy so even the biggest fattest Miata felt small to me and the modern amenities were nice, I owned an NA previously and have no idea how I ever fit in it. It was my DD and only car, no issues with the top and it got plenty of use. Ask any other questions you might have, be happy to answer.

Poor_Sh > t0ast
08/07/2019 at 21:35

Awesome! Thanks so much for all the info!

Poor_Sh > Chuckles
08/07/2019 at 22:05

Sweet! I also want to cruise around Newport in the summer, slowly, with the top down. Oh and, how great would it be to have a pair of dark blue metallic 2-seater manual sports cars as my garage? lol PRACTICAL!!

Poor_Sh > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/07/2019 at 22:06

I understand your reasoning, but this is a second car and my Cayman tends to do the miata/BRZ/86/FR-S/GMT/QED/USA thing pretty well.

The RF looks the best, but if I was getting a purely drivers car I would get the lighter and less wind-buffeting soft top.

Poor_Sh > Khalbali
08/07/2019 at 22:11

Oh nice! I see all the miata people on here taking them on crazy adventures, with 4 track wheels/tires strapped the the back, bikes, knobby tires, etc. Even though I primarily want the NC PRHT to just cruise around and have fun, can it still do all those quintessential miata things?

Other posters have said they seem pretty bullet-proof, so that’s good. But, as a somewhat new wrencher, do you think there’s anything I’d be unprepared for?

I drove an ND recently, the whole thing shook including the gear-shift (violently sometimes). Is that maybe because it was a Turo car or is it just the light and cheap quality coming out? I don’t expect Porsche tight, but it would be a tad annoying if my slow cruiser felt like badly constructed kit-car.

Chuckles > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 22:34

Honestly, when I had my Miata, it was mostly for fun drives, not pushing it to the limits. Just exploring new roads with the top down and a good CD in the very dated head unit.

Poor_Sh > Chuckles
08/07/2019 at 22:50

YES! Honestly I would love a car without an infotainment system again.

Chuckles > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 22:58

This car had an aftermarket Sony Xplod head unit from the mid 90s. I would have appreciated an aux input. But I kept it because I thought that I'd I had a nice stereo, someone would break in and take it. I had a Soundsystem stolen out of my 96 Saturn, so the shitty head unit was basically a theft deterrent.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Poor_Sh
08/07/2019 at 22:59

But isn't a Miata redundant if you already have a Cayman? They aren't usually cross shopped I imagine but they do elicit similar feelings when driven. And offer similar levels of practicality. Only difference I see is maintenance being easier on the Miata making it a better choice for cheap racing. But when used as a "fun car" they should be way similar.

Poor_Sh > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/07/2019 at 23:29

It’s gonna be fun defending the choice if I ever send it lol but yes and no. One the one hand, they’re both small 2-seater manual sports cars, but the Cayman is only .1s slower to 60 than my 420hp Mustang was. The Cayman gets me to PCA events, shows, is a track weapon out of the box, and actually has a ton of storage and capability for it’s size.

My second car I think I want to fill more of the enthusiast envelope, rather than fill in the practical gaps of the Cayman. Thus, a Miata gives me convertible driving, even smaller lighter car feeling, and something more easily wrenched on in some senses as I’m learning/exploring that more.

Honestly, I could have solved this all with a 987 Boxster, but I don’t want to necessarily daily a soft-top convertible. I think the coupe looks better, and I want my daily to be newer/reliable even if I’m an idiot and I still track it :p I am thinking of picking up a 986 with a hard top, but THAT is too redundant.

seoultrain > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 02:38

I have this same car! Blue PRHT, manual. Where did you see it?

Poor_Sh > seoultrain
08/08/2019 at 05:44

Middletown, RI. Can I have yours?

ChrisJ > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 09:50

I bought my GT PRHT ( manual transmission) from new (same color) in 2011 and still have it. I’ve been using it for my daily commute and fun weekend back road trips continuously. It’s now on 110k miles. I’ve not had any issues with the hard top other than sun damage due to it sitting outside on the driveway in sunny California. In fact recently I had the areas with sun damage repainted. Unfortunately though, earlier this year, I had to have the engine partially rebuilt due to two cracked piston rings at a cost of $3,600 - I complained to Mazda but they refused to compensate me as it was out of warranty, except they offered me a 4% discount on a new vehicle. I believe the damaged piston rings were due to a manufacturing defect as I’ve had the car maintained properly and know how not to abuse a car while driving, although of course I do drive somewhat aggressively because that’s what the car, and I, enjoy!

All in all, given how much pleasure I’ve derived from driving this agile and responsive car, I can honestly say I have no regrets and I feel it was one of the best purchases I’ve made.

Kinja'd!!!

Poor_Sh > ChrisJ
08/08/2019 at 11:04

Awesome, thanks for the post!

Khalbali > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 11:50

I haven’t seen any lifted NC’s or anything like that but I’m sure somebody’s done it if you do some digging. You gotta keep in mind the NC is a much different demographic from the NA/NB, they’re more like Corvette buyers, older guys, much higher percentage of automatics, lower mileage in general (and not just because they’re newer, lower avg. miles/year.)

That being said there’s still a pretty robust community, it is a Miata after all, and they’re starting to filter down to younger guys more now too, I got my ‘08 with 30k in 2015 and even that was probably a little higher than average. They are pretty bulletproof, and easy to work on, the oil filter is in kinda of a shitty spot but it’s more just an inconvenience. But again, with the Miata community you can usually find pretty detailed guides for most of not all maintenance and common repairs/mods, miata.net is your friend.

As far as vibrations go, the ND is probably a little worse although I don’t have a ton of seat time in them, but there’s s till plenty in the NC, particularly the shifter. It's cheapness mixed with harder bushings, particularly with the skyactiv cars as minimizing drivetrain losses was a big focus. But as I told Jake, it's not really a GT car, I took plenty of longer trips in mine but that's not really it's mission. I didn't mind the vibrations much, but that's just part of miatalyfe, you feel the road, the engine, the gears, everything.

Poor_Sh > Khalbali
08/08/2019 at 12:07

Awesome, thanks! I guess the vibrations don’t really matter if I’m doing top-down driving with some good music :)

Otherwise, I love the idea of another big welcoming community. PCA has been incredible and a welcome change from the Mustang forums. Though, obviously it’s not as good as Oppo.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 12:09

Have you thought about doing an NA Miata? Or change things up a little and look at an S2k? I think that would get you more of that difference and accomplish your goals. Both are available with removable hard tops as well.

Snrub > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 12:13

I’ve had 2 as dailies and loved both. First was a 2008 base model then a 2012 GT. The GT has some nice extra features to make it a more liveable daily but they’re both a blast to just drive. I’ve had no issues with either but they were both relatively low milage (sold first one at 120k km, and still on the second with 85k km). I’ve driven all 4 generations and for my needs the NC is the one to have. It’s the biggest but still tiny, and is still fun to drive even with the extra weight. If you want a weekend or track car, youre probably better off with a different gen, or a soft top NC but the PHRT makes it the best to daily. I even drive mine in Canadian winters.

Poor_Sh > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/08/2019 at 12:17

I LOVE S2000s, but I don’t think they’re in the budget for a nice one. If at all. And I have thought of the NA/NB, which would be way better price-wise, I guess I’m just worried about buying a cheap car which then costs double to replace the soft-top.

I will always check the S2000 prices though. Same for the RX8 even though I don’t think I could take care of a dorito engine.

Khalbali > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 12:20

The Bose system in mine was pretty good but I'm no audiophile, and I think they're harder to upgrade than the base system, something with the Bose amp. I don't think any NC had Bluetooth audio streaming, just aux input and Bluetooth calls and even then only 2009+, mine was a 2008 and didn't even have the aux input but there are plenty of solutions, I ended up buying like a $30 adapter that plugs into the back of the radio and worked with the steering wheel controls while keeping the stock appearance.

Poor_Sh > Khalbali
08/08/2019 at 12:35

Yeah I said to someone else I’d be glad to not have infotainment again. An aux plug is fine and it doesn’t have to be super high quality audio since the top should be down. I did a sweet system in my 02 Eclipse I started with in highschool though.

Poor_Sh > Snrub
08/08/2019 at 12:38

Awesome, thanks for the help! What's those weird units though? Km?

Corkscrew'd > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 13:13

When shopping for wheels, just remember that the bolt pattern on the NC s are different than any other models because they have 5-lug hubs; not 4.

Must have been a Ford thing or something.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 13:17

Where are you located? I used to own an S2000 that I sold about 7 years ago and have been missing it terribly. I know the S2000 prices in CA (where I used to live) and sites like BaT look bonkers, but if you expand your search there may be good deals out there.

I’ve seen S2000s out here in OR (where I now live) for not much over $10k, usually the earlier model years but personally I think that’s the car to get with a more raw driving experience, if an S2000 is what you’re looking for . It may not be low mileage, but that shouldn’t be a concern for these cars.

Quite a different car from a Miata though I think – it’s a bit more of a serious car, where as the Miata does a good job of being a casual cruiser. That was ultimately the downfall for my S2000 – I worked too much and only used it to commute, and that got old real quick in bay area traffic.

Textured Soy Protein > Corkscrew'd
08/08/2019 at 14:09

The NC was basically a shrunken down RX-8 which also had 5-lug hubs. Most Mazdas have 5x114.3 hubs.

Corkscrew'd > Textured Soy Protein
08/08/2019 at 14:23

Oh yeah, that’s right!

I remember hearing something about the NC sharing more parts with Ford, so that’s why I figured the 5-lug pattern might have been carried over from the Focus or something.

I almost ended up with an NC before I got my Shinsen. I like the styling of the Shinsen more since with the body kit and the light covers it reminds me of a 2000s TVR.

seoultrain > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 14:49

Ah, thought you might be in the Seattle area. Definitely not for sale, I’ve had it only a year and it’s been a blast. I echo the other advice about 2009+ model year with the Suspension Package being the sweet spot.

Gamevet > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 15:25

Kinja'd!!!

Great car all the way around. No issues to report.

Poor_Sh > Corkscrew'd
08/08/2019 at 15:36

Sweet ! Easier to wheel s hop.

Poor_Sh > Gamevet
08/08/2019 at 15:38

Good to hear, thanks for your input!

Poor_Sh > seoultrain
08/08/2019 at 15:39

I didn’t ask, “Can I buy yours ?”, I asked, “Can I have yours?”. And I’m going to assume since you neglected that difference you obviously meant that I can. I’ll come by next week.

Poor_Sh > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/08/2019 at 15:43

Stop making me consider it again! I’m in RI, not too many around but yeah it would be somewhat redundant to have a more serious driver’s car... I still want one. 9000 rpm and a sweet digital tach? I’m in.

So, why isn’t low mileage a problem?

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 16:17

Think we have some double negative confusion going on. Was just saying these are very reliable and quite affordable to maintain –so even if a car has some miles on it that shouldn’t be something that scares you off.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 16:27

It’s a Honda lol, meaning reliability implied. Unless you are David Tracy of course.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 16:30

The only thing to worry about on a cheap Miata is rust. I wouldn't worry about maintenance. Even paying someone to fix everything, it really wouldn't cost much. My NB has 250k miles on it which is the only reason why I have some issues. But I'm also tracking it and everything I'm fixing is relatively minor and related to track reliability.

wkiernan > Gamevet
08/08/2019 at 18:18

Oh, I’ve got an issue to report. The rain drains get clogged.

This is no big deal, right? There are a lot of convertibles where they deal with rain water, not by keeping it entirely out of the car using the sensible traditional principle behind roofs and umbrellas - put an impervious barrier between the rain outside and the inside of your car or room o r whatever, and enlist gravity as your ally to guide and convey the water off to the sides - but instead by routing the rain water through the car interior.

This is as though at your house, instead of the roof sloping downward toward the edges like sane people would design it , the roof was designed with a low point right over the middle of your living room. Then whenever it rains, water pools up in that low area, but there’s a plastic pipe of the lowest available quality which comes down through the roof, runs across your living room and kitchen and out through a hole in the wall, where it dump s the rain water outside again, provided that that lowest-quality pipe doesn’t spring a leak, and the fittings don’t come loose, and the pipe isn’t clogged with leaves , but if any of tho se things happen you end up with an inch and a half of water on the living room carpet.

But at least Mia ta rain drains are easy to fix, right? You just get a trombone brush or a piece of cat 5 wire and clean out the drain pipe , right? Clean it out every co uple months and no problem, right?

Well, that’s super easy to do on an NA or an NB, but on the NC they have installed two pieces of rigid plastic right over the drain hole on each side , for no good reason whatsoever, and apparently you can’ t remove these plastic shields without completely disassembling the convertible top , so it’s FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE to get to the drain hole, so I go out of the office at night and get in m y car after a rainy day and there’s an inch and a half of water sloshing around under the driver’s seat, and I CAN’T FIX IT.

There’s no God damned excuse for this. The only thing I can think of to compare is how thos e idiots at Audi designed sedans where to change the headlight bulb you have to remove the entire front clip.

But I kind of lied up there. I may be able fix it, or at least I’m going to have a shot at it this weekend . I’m going to try to get in there with a hacksaw and a wire cutter and a Dremel and demolish those stupid fucking plastic shields , so they’re out of my way, so I can unclog the drain pipes .

Snrub > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 18:23

Kilometers. If it’s your second car and have storage you can find soft tops for less, and if you’re going to track it they’re lighter and can have a roll bar installed (PHRT can’t and have the top still work). As for aftermarket, there slid much more support on NA and NBs. The NC support dried up a bit when the ND came out, not that that there’s nothing, but I think some manufacturers stopped making certain parts (flyin Miata supercharger). Some things to consider: some year and trim combos came with limited slip diffs which is a huge upgrade over stock, and the 6 speed has worse fuel economy than the 5 speed due to shorter gearing ratios for some stupid reason (not sure about automatics).

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 19:37

Probably one of the better starter MX-5s. Cheaper than an ND RF, hardtop for cruising.

seoultrain > Poor_Sh
08/08/2019 at 20:57

Sounds good! By the way, how does one forward a kinja thread to the police?

Poor_Sh > seoultrain
08/08/2019 at 22:01

Hmm well if you just send me your address and times you’ll be around (or not) I’ll forward it along for you, no worries! :)

Poor_Sh > Snrub
08/08/2019 at 22:07

Those are some weird quirks (Doug) but thanks! As to the track/roll bar etc I’ve got the Cayman for that. I want the hardtop mostly because I don’t have extra storage and don’t need a lighter more agile car for this purpose. Good point about the support though.

Poor_Sh > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/08/2019 at 22:09

Good to know. Haven’t dealt with rust since my 02 Eclipse, but at least I learned what to look for!

Poor_Sh > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/08/2019 at 22:10

True, but I guess I thought maybe because these are so performance oriented they would be run ragged and not conform to the Honda = Reliable assumption.

Poor_Sh > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
08/08/2019 at 22:14

Haha yeah but like I replied to WWD, it seems like even though S2000 is a Honda, its still an affordable performance car which would get burned out by being driven hard.