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+--- Thread: Buy a miata for daily driver? (/showthread.php?tid=2553)
Buy a miata for daily driver? - .RJ - 07-25-2005
So I need a daily driver, driving the integra to work is really getting old. I've been back and forth about a lot of cars, thinking about a lot of things - A4, miata, accord, civic, 240sx, prelude etc. I want something thats going to be reasonably fun to drive, cheap to own, easy on gas, etc.
I thought about the Audi A4, but I think its going to be a bit more than I want to spend on the car, the insurance and the maintenance. I test drove a civic and an accord and I just hated it. Crappy seats, huge bus steering wheel, just sucks to drive. Most of the cars I'm having a hard time even finding anything worth calling about. Same with most of the cars, it seems like a really slow time on the used car market and I dont want to buy from a dealer. I also want something I wont have any problem selling in 8-10 months (i'm not in denial anymore about this) since I will probably want a truck next year.... and of course I still "need" a bike as well.
Aside from the lack of storage, I cant see any reason not to pick up a miata - fun to drive, flip top lid, easy on gas and cheap to own. Sure there's the 'stigma' but I dont care about that. I rarely haul a bunch of stuff around, and the trunk will easily fit my typical trip to wal mart - I had no problems with the 96 miata I had when I was in atlanta.
I looked at this car on saturday and I'm going back tonight to do a compression test on the motor and make an offer on it
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I would need to take some foam out of the seat to make it sit about 2" lower but doesnt need anything else that i can tell.
- Dragon - 07-25-2005
Well you already know my opinion about that particular miata. You're just asking for trouble if you buy one that has a roll bar in it. You already have one track car, that will give you two. I don't want to hear "oh I won't track it, I have the integra", we all know you and know that you'll put the miata on track as well. You'll start posting polls, which car should I track this weekend, Miata or Integra. Then you'll start sinking money into it to make it even more track worthy, and selling it in 8 - 10 months (hah more like 5 knowing you) will get harder because of the abuse it's taken, not to mention all the grass that will be stuck in various crevices from your John Deere moments.
If you want to go with a Miata, that's fine, your reasoning for buying one seems sound enough, but I'd go with a different one if I were you. You buy that one and you're just asking for too much temptation for you to handle.
Oh and even if I'd approved of this particular miata I still would have voted for "Ryan's an idiot".
- .RJ - 07-25-2005
I wouldnt put it on track because i'll be too lazy to work on it!
- damnit458 - 07-25-2005
My first thought would be to go with the accord, but seeing as you drove in some and disliked it Im gonna say go with the miata. It really is all that you want in a DD (well, all that you stated up there anyway). However, Im going to have to agree with the above post on this one. I say wait for a different deal to come along. The temptation to track it WILL be to much, and in the end, as said above, you'll just end up dumping money into it again.
- .RJ - 07-25-2005
With the amount of expendible income being sucked into the integra, I just dont have room in my budget to put coin into another car if its running well - so even if I wanted to do more to it, I just cant, its not in the budget.
Taking it to the track could be an option, but its not the best idea given that I have a dedicated, paid for car for track use with a welded rollbar and proper seats/harnesses - and if I want to drive a miata on track, I can swap cars with evan for a session. This thing is going to be financed and owned by the bank.....
It almost sounds like I'm being smart about that. Almost.
- Dragon - 07-25-2005
.RJ Wrote:With the amount of expendible income being sucked into the integra, I just dont have room in my budget to put coin into another car if its running well - so even if I wanted to do more to it, I just cant, its not in the budget.If this was being said by anyone but you. . .. and possibly Evan I'd believe it. I know you though, the Miata if bought will see the track.
Taking it to the track could be an option, but its not the best idea given that I have a dedicated, paid for car for track use with a welded rollbar and proper seats/harnesses - and if I want to drive a miata on track, I can swap cars with evan for a session. This thing is going to be financed and owned by the bank.....
- .RJ - 07-25-2005
Dragon Wrote:the Miata if bought will see the track.
Just like the BMW wasnt supposed to see the track, this one may or may not make an appearance, and if it does i'll be taking it somewhat easy and NOT putting any coin into it to take it out there - I can use the street tires from my integra.
- PDenbigh - 07-25-2005
Go RWD :-)
- Sijray21 - 07-25-2005
.RJ Wrote:I wouldnt put it on track because i'll be too lazy to work on it!
i'll buy that
i say why not, a fair offer on a fun car. Yes it's a convertible, but that's often fun when you have it. I'm assuming you checked the top's weather stripping and such to make sure it won't leak on you. Plus it's rwd. If you don't like it, i'm sure you can get what you paid for it. Have you test driven it yet? how's the ride, what rate are the springs?
- white_2kgt - 07-25-2005
truck
- .RJ - 07-25-2005
theguywiththeSi Wrote:I'm assuming you checked the top's weather stripping and such to make sure it won't leak on you.
The top is fine, and the m2 miatas (99+) got a glass rear window.
Quote:Have you test driven it yet? how's the ride, what rate are the springs?
Reading > you
.RJ Wrote:I looked at this car on saturday
white_2kgt Wrote:truck
not quite ready for one yet
- Evan - 07-25-2005
C. All of the above.
Miatas are a lot of fun to drive daily. I really liked mine before it became a hardtop trackcar.
Never having to drive when you and your coworkers go out for lunch is an added bonus.
- Mike - 07-25-2005
.RJ Wrote:if it does make an appearance I can use the street tires from my integra.
you already justified it... lol
- Feersty - 07-25-2005
I like Miatas, but you know you are going to track it. I don't really think it matters with RJ what condition the car is in, he will track it. But there is a big difference with tracking it once to get a feel as opposed to driving it for a whole racing season.
- .RJ - 07-25-2005
Feersty Wrote:But there is a big difference with tracking it once to get a feel as opposed to driving it for a whole racing season.
Right... or tracking it once or twice because I blew up the motor in my Integra or some shit.
- Myuki - 07-25-2005
.RJ Wrote:you make it sound like you'll blow it just so you can track the miata if you get it.Feersty Wrote:But there is a big difference with tracking it once to get a feel as opposed to driving it for a whole racing season.
Right... or tracking it once or twice because I blew up the motor in my Integra or some shit.
- Evan - 07-25-2005
he will become so sick of trying to race a front heavy, understeering, tire eating, civic commuter based shitbox, he just might blow it on purpose :p
- .RJ - 07-25-2005
Its only a money shift away.......
- Sijray21 - 07-25-2005
lets just make this miata #17
i think you should base your future number on your car to the order at which you recieved it
by the time you're in your 40s it'll be in the triple digits.
- white_2kgt - 07-25-2005
truck.
--chad