Since I joined Edmunds.com, I haven't driven my own car very much. For the record, it's a 1991 Mazda Miata with 175,000 miles on the clock. The soft top is rotted out, so I keep the hard top on most of the time. The red paint on the bumpers and mirrors has faded to a grody patina and the moldings are looking powdery...
I drove it in to work three days ago, for old time's sake. All the things I love about the Miata are still there: nice steering (mine is an unassisted manual rack), direct and positive shifting, and edgy handling. But man does it need more horsepower. 115 ponies (most likely miniature show ponies) just don't get the job done. And despite the tepid thrust, it is loud inside. Cowl shake is more insistent than I'd remembered too -- even with the extra rigidity afforded by the clamped-on hard top.
For the last couple of days I've been sprinting around in our 2006 Mazda Miata long-termer. Now we're talking horses! Not quite beer wagon-hauling draft horses, but getting there. Compared to mine, this thing knows how to get out of its own way.
Even without a hard top, our '06 is much quieter much less vibratory than my '91. The familiar shifter remains nice and snappy. But I keep forgetting sixth is there. Old habits die hard, I guess. It's still damn tossable, even though the rear end doesn't feel as planted when I hustle around the bumpier bits of pavement in my neighborhood. Although I prefer the raw feel of my old sled's manual rack, the steering here is still exceptionally precise and communicative.
I'm going to hate to see this one go. Perhaps I'll finally convert the ancient one into a Spec Miata and buy the '06 for street duty. *rubs hands together*
I call dibs!
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 18,987 miles
trackwrex says:
10:47 AM, 03/ 8/07
Great idea Dan! You might have to fight off some people for that car though. I've been hearing things around "the cooler" that people are eyeing that car. :P But not I since I have my own project car to work on for Time Attack and daily driving purposes. Good luck!
actualsize says:
11:45 AM, 03/ 8/07
But you don't understand. I called "Dibs." ;-)
mcloffs says:
05:40 PM, 03/ 8/07
I have a '94 Miata and really enjoyed this posting; I've been toying with replacing my Miata with the new version and you basically answered all of my questions. I'm looking for something with a little more comfort and power but still an enjoyable drive -- sounds like this is it.
What wheels are those on the '91?
SubyTrojan says:
07:18 PM, 03/ 8/07
mcloffs, you may also want to read Brent's comparison between our long-term Miata, whoops, I mean MX-5, and his 1997 Miata.
http://66.160.188.111/roadtests/194
mcloffs says:
12:51 PM, 03/ 9/07
Thanks for the tip; that was also helpful. This might just help me convince my wife that a new MX-5 would be a nice upgrade over my '94. :-)
lcachola says:
03:06 PM, 03/ 9/07
A good alignment will help out with getting the rear end feeling more planted. =)
jstandefer says:
03:19 PM, 03/ 9/07
New springs will help out, too. After installing my Eibachs and getting a good street-performance alignment, the rear end is much more stable. In fact, I can aggressively power out of curves. With the stock springs and alignment, the rear end stepped out with the slightest hint of throttle mid-curve.
Hey, you Miata owners at Edmunds! I'm not sure if Erin Riches shared with all of you, but the San Diego Miata Club has invited your long-term Miata to our biggest fun run (The Puke 2007) of the year in a few weeks (160 miles of super-twisty roads in San Diego County's rural and mountainous north, and we don't drive slow!). That invitation extends to any Miata, not just the long-termer. Maybe we can top 100 Miata this year! The more, the merrier! See Erin for details.
desmolicious says:
04:21 PM, 03/ 9/07
I have no idea why you'd pick a Miata over a Solstice...
carlisimo says:
12:21 PM, 03/10/07
lol, really? There are many. There are also a couple of reasons to pick the Solstice over the Miata, but to us they're either less important or entirely arguable.
desmolicious says:
03:19 PM, 03/11/07
oops, i was meant to type, "I have no idea why you'd pick a Solstice over a Miata".
actualsize says:
02:23 PM, 03/12/07
M.C. Loffs: The wheels on the '91 pictured above are Mille Miglia Spider (Spyder?) rims. About 6 years old.
jay_laz says:
05:37 PM, 01/ 7/10
Desmolicious wrote, "I have no idea why you'd pick a Miata over a Solstice..." One's good to look at, and the other's good to live with. One makes you smile with your eyes, the other makes you smile with your heart, and head, and gut, eyes open or closed. One's a case of "I can't believe I spent so much to get so LITTLE", and the other's, "I can't believe I spent so LITTLE to get so MUCH."