Miata as my only car?

[APEXistud]

I was wondering...How many of you own a Miata as your only source of transportation? And how is it? I was recently discussing my plans to buy a Miata with Rishie of AutoRND and he was cautioning me on having a Miata as my only vehicle. As we all know he has a Miata, a P5, a 5 Series BMW, a Tahoe, and about 5 FC RX7's. He has shown me a few Nissan 240SX's most with SR20 swaps, but I know nothing about that motor and living in Cali has me worried about having the car smogged every year, not to mention that most of the 240's he's shown me have more than 140k miles on them (not the engine of course)

He was just reminding me that the space in the Miata is little to none and small grocery trips start to become a hassle. I still think I'll be able to manage since I'm a pretty simple guy who travels very light and doesn't take long road trips that often, but it has made me think twice about going for a Miata.

So please give me some feedback about your experiences with your Miata's? If you own a Miata, is it your only car or is it your second car. Thanks in advance for your feedback.

[Roywhitep5]

i have no input for this thread

i just want to get your hopes high:p

[mountjonas]

i had an fc as my only car for 4 years. true, it has a little bit more space than a miata, but not much. i was fine. took tons of road trips. that car got me through college. never had any problems with the space. as a bonus, if there was a group of us, by default i didn't have to drive since it was a two seater.

[APEXistud]

Originally posted by Roywhitep5
i have no input for this thread

i just want to get your hopes high:p

Damn you Roy:flip: (nuts)

[Roywhitep5]

Originally posted by APEXistud
Damn you Roy:flip: (nuts)

(rofl) (evil)

[KpaBap]

I have a Miata as an only car. I used to have a Protege sedan. It really isn't that terrible. Just like you, I have no shit that I need to haul around so space really isn't that much of an issue. No back seat means less passengers ;)


If you're a bit tall you might find the legroom to be insufficient. I'm 5'10" and have no issues with legroom. I'm usually too busy grinning when taking turns to notice the little room the car has. The trunk is small but not useless. I don't know what kinda crack you people are smoking but I can load a grocery trip in there no problem. Again, I'm a teenager/college student so I don't have much crap to carry.

It comes down to whether you like driving more or comfort more. You are treated to 50/50 weight distributiion, light weight (~2300 lbs), RWD, and an orgasmic transmission.

The driver sits nearly in the middle of the car and it feels like you are the axis around which the car is turning, when in a corner. The Miata feels very confidence-inspiring in corners as it literally begs you to push it more and see just where the limit of lateral grip is. At the same time, once you find that limit, you are not punished by run-you-off-the-road understeer, nor will it snap into spinout mode. Forgiving is the best way to describe it.

It's connected to your brain, I swear.

[jflo]

i don't know if being a high school student is nearly the same position as you are in, but for what i did (club stuff, driving around so cali), it was great ! my dad used to drive my car daily and would make grocery trips all the time. the trunk would be full and if needed, the area of the top was used. great car if you want to be cheap on gas and only need to transport yourself and perhaps a girlfriend :D hehehe

[redwagon02]

You'd be surprise at what will fit in the car.

[Darin]

Ditto!

I've hauled a motorcycle, Christmas Tree, 2 Tires/Wheels, Two other people, just to list a few things. :D

[kcbhiw]

Originally posted by redwagon02
You'd be surprise at what will fit in the car.

Very true. I fit four wheels/tires (205/55/14), ratchet set, a hydraulic floor jack jack, toolbox, small cooler, four 18" traffic cones, and a helmet into my Miata each time I attend an autocross. I can manage this with the top up, hehe. It tends to surprise most people how much junk I can fit in there. I need to get some pics this season next time I load up.

[rktktpaul]

I agree that its a car that is surprisingly versatile. Hell, I carried two trees home in the trunk once.

The only reason I do not have my '92 Miata any longer is that my wife refused to drive it any more. There were a number of times I was home with my three boys while she was gone with her SUV and I was shit out of luck if I needed to go anywhere. And it happened enough times where I finally needed to get a bigger car. If it weren't for that reason, I'd still have the Miata.

[Scott]

My brother had a 1990 Miata as his only car for about 5 years. According to him it had his ups and downs.

You never have to drive a group of your friends around, but you pretty much are required to borrow a friend's car if you want to carry anything of size with you.

Although I do remember one time in high school when he had two girls in the passenger seat.

Crammed in a Miata with two hot chicks > Everything

[ZoomZoomH]

Originally posted by Scott
My brother had a 1990 Miata as his only car for about 5 years. According to him it had his ups and downs.

You never have to drive a group of your friends around, but you pretty much are required to borrow a friend's car if you want to carry anything of size with you.

Although I do remember one time in high school when he had two girls in the passenger seat.

Crammed in a Miata with two hot chicks > Everything

I concur :cool:

[Mazdaspeedgirl]

For over a year my red '99 miata was my only car. I was single.

Then I met my husband who HAD to get one (traded his Ranger in on an '01 miata).

this is how we rolled:
http://www.mazdamp3.com/vbb230/_handler.php/Mazdaspeedgirl/conoco.jpg

We never had any issues about space. :D
Now we have the Protege5, and RARELY use the space (only when we've moved).

I say go for it! The benefits FAR outweigh the drawbacks.
If you do run into situations where you need to haul something, just get a hitch and one of these cute lil $200 trailers:
http://www.mazdamp3.com/vbb230/_handler.php/Mazdaspeedgirl/akio_axtrailer3.jpg

(thumb)

[APEXistud]

So just as I thought, I depends on the person.

[jflo]

Originally posted by Scott
Crammed in a Miata with two hot chicks > Everything

definately...i've had the pleasure myself. oh yeah, when my dad was driving this daily, he bought me a bike for my b-day and stuffed it into the trunk. of course it was sticking out, but hey, it fit !

[Mazdaspeedgirl]

So just as I thought, I depends on the person.

So what did you decide??

[MiaTurbo]

My 91 is my only car. It actually started out as my second, as I was racking up too many miles on the Cadillac. Then as time went on, the Cadillac got driven less, and less. Soon I sold the Cadillac because I never drove it anymore!

The Miata is as versitile as you want it to be. I remember hauling around 4 servers, a firewall, and lots of cables, once. Also, once I hauled a sod roller! The top was down (duh) and it rested between the cockpit brace, and the rain rail.

When I move a few months ago, i borrowed my dad's CRV.

[Mazdaspeedgirl]

lol...new topic...

[Doc1]

We have a a second way to get around which is a 97 dodge pickup,however 95 % of the time we use the Miata for everything. I drive the Miata to work and back everyday.
The one thing we did is kept the small tire which gives more room and we use the area up over the back of the seats to put groceries and other stuff once in a while we get a little crowded when coming from the store butr not often
I never thought I WOULD GIVE UP MY PICKUP FOR ANYTHING ,only problem you can't snuggle and get close like you can in the pick up

[Rob.Tuner]

i use my miata as my daily driver, but driving on some of the highway roads can almost make me throw up because of my crummy factory dampening. i'm sure you won't experience that, but overall, with a little ingenuity, you can make it as daily of a driver grocery getter-er you want it to be.

[jersey_emt]

. Omgwtfbumpoldpost!!!

[APEXistud]

WOW, this post was over 2 years old. Bringing it back from the dead.

[Rickman]

My miata is my only drivable car. I've not done any major performance mods though so my reliability hasn't been compromised.

[romecandleboy]

Daily driver here. Went camping this past weekend and fit 2 duffel bags, 2 sleeping bags, tent, flyfishing rods, case of beer, and a inflatable canoe.

On longer trips I can fit 2 large duffel bags, protege 5 rim w/tire (spare), and still have some space to jam a few odds and ends in there. If I'm by myself, I just use the entire trunk like its a suitcase and stack clothes, etc in there.

[speedfreak86]

Well I have a 06 MX5 and have a 97 Escourt as a backup car that I bought for 1000. It can be difficult having only a miata to drive everyday cause sometimes you need to haul around people or cargo. Thats why I have a beater sedan, just incase I ever need more room or there are problems with the other car. Right now my 06 is in the shop for hail damage so Im glad I have the escourt as backup. Maybe if you were to just buy a cheap car or truck with alot of room just incase.

[romecandleboy]

It can be difficult having only a miata to drive everyday cause sometimes you need to haul around people or cargo.

Actually, that's what I like about the Miata. If you need to haul people or cargo then someone else drives and the Miata stays clean in the garage :) Also, life is much simpler. Just take what you need and leave behind what isn't necessary.

[MiaTurbo]

My 91 is my only car. It actually started out as my second, as I was racking up too many miles on the Cadillac. Then as time went on, the Cadillac got driven less, and less. Soon I sold the Cadillac because I never drove it anymore!

The Miata is as versitile as you want it to be. I remember hauling around 4 servers, a firewall, and lots of cables, once. Also, once I hauled a sod roller! The top was down (duh) and it rested between the cockpit brace, and the rain rail.

When I move a few months ago, i borrowed my dad's CRV.wow.. This was one of my first posts *sniff*

That '91 is now my track car. i also have a '94 and a '99 Ram. heh.. no more borrowing pop's CRV.

[hustler]

I've had my NA for about 3 months. Now that it has paint, wheels, and coilovers its atleast presentable. I'm 5'11, 210lb so I barely fit...but I'd drive my vw daily if it weren't such a broke down piece of shit. Anything more than groceries won't fit.

If you have a hard top, then you really don't have to worry too much about theft, aside from that I leave the doors unlocked so my top doesn't get cut.

I could easily daily an NC, but the NA is kinda taxing...the NB's feel smaller inside and I could not daily one.

[SilverBulletES]

I could easily daily mine. Of course, I have a 10 minute commute to work, garage at home and covered parking at work. Fairly low crime area. I could leave the top down virtually all the time.

I agree the NB feels significantly tighter inside to me. I'm 6 foot 195, working my way to 185. :)

[romecandleboy]

I could easily daily mine. Of course, I have a 10 minute commute to work, garage at home and covered parking at work. Fairly low crime area. I could leave the top down virtually all the time. :)


Those are perfect Miata conditions.

[Rickman]

He was just reminding me that the space in the Miata is little to none and small grocery trips start to become a hassle.
I disagree with this. Even with my wife along, I can fit an entire weeks worth ($75-$125) of groceries in the trunk of my NB with no problems... I do let the wife hold on the the bread though.

[miataguy2cyprus]

i use my miata too for going to college and for everyday use but sometimes i use my mom's '93 corolla for carrying big things or when i want to go to ayia napa.

[RADatFBHS]

My 06 miata is my first and only car and i get a long with it just fine.Since in still in high school i dont really need a car to carry a lot.But on occasion I have to make a grocery run and i can fit a decent amount in but lets just say the miata has had its decent share of passengers;)

[TougeSpeed]

Evern since i was 7 i've always wanted to drive my dads 95 mazda miata (manual). I've never though about any other car becuase this was the only car i though about. I basically grew up with this car. Now that i'm able to drive it,legally, i'm even more in love with it. Many of my friends say that the miata is an girly underpowered. a few laps later with them in it, they've shutten up by then. For an entire year i've been driving my mx-5 to school and every day i look forward to it. to me, there is nothing that comes close to a miata.