I'd like to spend around $3500 on an older-gen Miata for a daily driver. I'd put fewer than 6,000 miles on it per year. The issue is I live in fucking Michigan, and not sure how it'd fare in the snow. I'd take care of it with regard to salt damage, but will snow tires and careful driving adequately deter me getting stuck on my way to class every morning?
Thanks.
You need two things:
And extra set of wheels and,
Snow Tires.
You'll be fine with snow tires, the issue is more or less other people when it comes to the Miata given how horrendously unsafe they are. Also would recommend an NB over NA if any are in your budget; they're a direct upgrade.
Why the extra wheels?
Duly noted, thank you. I'll keep looking, but only finding NA on my Craigslist.
Trust me man, its hard to daily a miata. Its fun as shit, but no mercy if you need any sort of space.
I've been hellbent on a Cherokee for some time now. They're unfortunately rather pricey and mechanically unsound, not to mention hell on my insurance. I've since shifted my sights to either a RAV4 or a CR-V, but it's difficult to find a midsize SUV (of any model, really) within my price range that isn't old as shit, falling apart, or has an ungodly number of miles on it.
I'm reluctantly accepting that the only way I'll get a decent, reliable vehicle within my price range is by getting a compact car, and the only way I'll do that is if it's something unique, like a Miata.
Besides, I don't need a lot of space. This thing will get me to practice six mornings a week, then back to campus for class.
I've done so for two years; it isn't. It may be loud as shit on highways and a bit cramped but it's fine you can get past those. There's a surprisingly large amount of space in the trunk and keep in mind it's a convertible; I've hauled planks of wood with the top down before.
Might want to look at the 4runner, but if you think you can live with the miata go for it. I've never driven a funner car. I'm still depressed from when it got wrecked.
>something unique, like a miata
Don't make me feel like that, I'm and crashed mine last year, sat around sick to my stomach worrying the insurance would total it because I loved the fucker. Long story short they did but I fixed it anyway, the funny part is my DD (also a sports car and a way more powerful one at that) is worth 4-5x as much as that Miata but I would just shrug it off if it got totaled.
The Miata is the best selling sports car in the world, I wouldn't call it unique, really.
My heart sunk a bit just looking at that.
I've looked at a few 4Runners. For being marketed as a midsize SUV, it sure looks awfully close to a redneck's wet dream of pickup + topper.
I'm sure I could live with the Miata's (lack of) space. I'm also slightly that, despite their reputation for being reliable as fuck, buying a 20+ year old vehicle will have me putting work into it every other month. I'm more than willing to teach myself some upkeep, but I have no mechanical background. What can I realistically look forward to in terms of this?
Maybe unique was the wrong word. What I mean is... I certainly don't see too many of these around, particularly not on my college campus. I feel a convertible of any sort would turn heads.
>something unique, like a Miata.
slightly concerned*
I just used to work for Toyota and they were dope, cheap and reliable.
Your gonna have to do some work, but miata's are some of the most popular grassroots car so you can find everything you need on youtube and at autozone.
>turn heads
You're going down this road for all the wrong reasons.
Any way you could guess how much work I'd need? Assuming a well-maintained '95, 100k miles to start, 6k miles a year.
What's the right reason?
Hopefully just wear items (belts, clutch, chains, brakes, ect.)
>What's the right reason?
That it's a great car, don't buy anything for attention.
Also I have to ask, you are getting a manual?
Most likely manual, yes.
The automatic is not worth it
Good, that said if for whatever reason you can't find one don't settle on an automatic, just wait it out or look for a different car. For one, an automatic defeats the entire purpose of the car and two, while I'm not one for HURR GAY XD jokes, an automatic Miata is gayer than getting Eiffel Towered while listening to Celine Dion.
Literally all I've found so far is stick, so I'll probably get my way on this.
Thanks for all the help guys, I gotta run. Feeling much better about this.
No problem, I'm bored and like being helpful.
handles great in snow michbro, just remember it doesn't have abs and you're golden
bought my 93 at the same mileage and for me it's been
>clutch
>slave cylinder
>timing belt/water pump/auxiliary belts
>valve cover gasket
>CAS o-ring
>front and rear main seal
mine has always had some minor annoyances to deal and a constant small oil leak, however the only time it failed to get me to my destination was when the slave cylinder went, great car
>hardtop
Nice