how much'd you pay for...

[SilverBulletES]

a white '94 5-speed, black cloth, nice paint, original wheels, no ricey add-ons, soft top (not in great shape, but as much as it rains here it will be down close to 100% of the time), A/C, power everything, 134K miles? I'm pretty sure it has no limited slip diff. It's from a LA dealer that specializes in used Japanese sports cars -- they have a dozen Miatas on the lot now -- so I trust them for that reason. Perhaps naively.

Anyway, they want 3400. I will Carfax it. Hoping for closer to 3000.

 

[Rdshark1]

I paid $3500 for mine (w/lsd).

 

[lagunamiata]

You say "power everything" Assmuing that means power windows and power mirrors, that makes it a B-Package car and it has a Torsen LSD... Unless someone changed it out.

My dad bought a '94, black, tan interior, new top, automatic (he has MS), 130,000 for $2500. The car is in decent shape.

I'd think you could get them under $3000 for it.

 

[osu1steve]

These things really hold their value. I traded a miata in for my MSP ... It had the C-package (pwr everything, leather, headrest spkers, etc.), 125k miles, relatively new top with glass window. I checked up on the car after the trade and the dealer listed it for $6000. I thought, 'yeah, right' and it was gone after a week. So $3400 sounds very reasonable to me.

I'll add that this was 2 1/2 years ago as well, so keep that in mind.

 

[SilverBulletES]

You say "power everything" Assmuing that means power windows and power mirrors, that makes it a B-Package car and it has a Torsen LSD... Unless someone changed it out.

Awesome. I couldn't figure out the package thing from miata.net. The salesman I talked to on the phone claimed it had power windows, mirror, A/C.... but seemed ignorant when it came to the LSD.

I think my plan is to drive to LA rather than fly and cab it. That was I have a way home if I hate the car and don't look desperate. Get the guy down a few hundred. Then take the 100 dollar puddle jumper the next week and pick up the Protege. I might be killing my savings in gas and plane tix... but there aren't any decent/reasonable MX-5s to be had here.

 

[MazKid]

I bought my A-package for $2900 with 99,XXX miles and bits of rust on the rear rocker panels, 2 year old Mazda top(mint!). I'd say $3,400 is a good price for a B-package if the body is in good shape.

 

[SilverBulletES]

So let me make sure I get this right.... if it's a '94 and it has power windows then it's definitely a B-package and definitely has the LSD?

The top on this one is supposedly about to go but.... it doesn't really rain here. I'll probably leave it down all the time. Have some covered parking at work and a garage at the crib. I might just remove the top and find a hardtop before winter.

 

[MazKid]

Any 1st gen Miata with alloy wheels is atleast an A package car. Base models have steelies. Then, if it has cloth seats it's either an A or B package car. If it's got no power windows but cloth seats it's an A package. If it's got cloth and power windows, it's a B package. If it has leather it's a C package(or M-edition, which would be Blue). R package cars have bilstien suspension as well as front and rear lips.

The only '94 Miatas without LSD are Base models. The rest have Torsen LSD units.

In regards to the top, if you have a place at work and at home that's covered, you're fine. If not, either get another top(only a few hunded bucks) or a hard top($500-$1200 used). It's up to you what you want to do to suit your needs. Here in St. Louis the weather changes all the time so a soft-top is a must. I've got a hard top as well but use it as more of a on for the winter, off for the summer, type deal because I don't do SCCA events or anything like that, and I like the ability to be out somewhere and just put the top down whenever I want.

 

[SilverBulletES]

Thanks for the rundown. (first)

 

[Mplvan]

Buy it! we need more miatas in Vegas. Louie

 

[SilverBulletES]

I hear ya! Not enough out here. Gotta bring 'em in from Cali just like the humans. There's one on Craigslist here now... but it's a '93... and I'd rather pay a few hundred less and have a '94. Don't know if I can get away this weekend. I might just pull the trigger and do it. Ah hell, I'm technically more than breaking even on this with a sold motorbike and a tax return. I'm gonna check insurance costs tomorrow. I feel kind of irresponsible doing this but the Protege's a few months from paid off.... and the Miata gets better gas mileage and.... ah screw it.... I don't need a rational reason.... Chicks dig Miatas. OK, I'm good.

 

[SilverBulletES]

(hump)

 

[SilverBulletES]

Those are the older wheels though... aren't they?

http://www.miata.net/faq/wheel_weights.html

 

[MazKid]

That's a '93 Miata, the white one...you can tell because of the wheels in conjunction with the flame emblem on the bumper. If it's a '93 then it's a 1.6L no LSD not worth $3400.

 

[SilverBulletES]

I've seen many 94 also with the flame emblem. I'm pretty sure the wheels were just switched out. I'm not saying these guys are 100% trustworthy.... but they seem to be the largest used seller in LA.... I think their reputation would be shot if they tried to do something as cheesedick as pass off a 1.6 as a 1.8. For registration issues in the least they'd be screwed. But I'd make sure before I got down there. thanks for the concern and posts anyway.

Going to carfax now...

I realize I should be posting all this if I'm serious about buying... but if someone else snatches it up I guess it wasn't meant to be...

 

[MazKid]

Well yeah, all '93-'97 Miatas have the flame emblem, I was merely saying that if the wheels originated with the car then it is a '93. If they are swapped, it could easily be a '94. Do you have more pics of it, like the interior? '94s have unique door pulls, door pockets, and 2 piece sun visors.

Also, if it's a '94 then the vin should read JM1NA####R########. Hope that helps.

 

[SilverBulletES]

bought an unlimited Carfax membership for 25 bucks...

it's a '94 alright but.... was salvage at one point

A CARFAX Vehicle History Report is based only on information supplied to CARFAX. CARFAX checked over 4 billion vehicle history events and found 8 record(s) for this 1994 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA (JM1NA3531R0501712).

Date: Mileage: Source: Comments:
10/26/1993 NICB Vehicle manufactured and shipped to original
dealer
03/01/1994 California
Motor Vehicle Dept. Title issued or updated
First owner reported
03/15/1994 California
Motor Vehicle Dept. Registered as
personal vehicle
12/21/1995 52,987 California
Inspection Station
Yorba Linda, CA Passed emissions inspection
03/13/1998 98,591 California
Inspection Station
Yorba Linda, CA Passed emissions inspection
10/28/1999 129,909 California
Motor Vehicle Dept.
North Hollywood, CA Odometer reading reported for title
or registration
01/21/2000 California
Motor Vehicle Dept.
North Hollywood, CA SALVAGE TITLE/CERTIFICATE ISSUED
05/23/2006 Mazda Motor of America, Inc. No recalls open for repair

 

[MazKid]

Hmm, so I guess they just decided to swap wheels. Could account for the salvage deal if a previous owner ran off the road, screwed the wheels up and suspension, which could potentially total the car. Looks like it's all been fixed, the car looks very clean.

 

[SilverBulletES]

Thanks Kid.

Ackkk... I still don't get the whole salvage title deal... can't tell whether it's AOK for another state or not... I'm not worried about resale.... but I should probably pay an independent mechanic to check out. According to Carfax no frame damage (reported) or airbag deploryment... it's not hard to do enough body damage to render the car totaled if the wreck happened just so.

 

[MiaTurbo]

You don't have to run from a salvage.. If it's been repaired right, you could get it for cheaper than that because it's a negative selling point.