2006 Miata

I am SERIOUSLY considering purchasing a new 2006 Grand Touring MX-5. Would
be interested in hearing feedback about the car, int/ext colors and options.
THANK YOU!

chance wrote:
> I am SERIOUSLY considering purchasing a new 2006 Grand Touring MX-5. Would
> be interested in hearing feedback about the car, int/ext colors and options.
> THANK YOU!
>
>

After looking at the Honda S2000 (which frightened my wife), Mini
Cooper, and 350 Z (didn't consider a Z4 because I think that it's too
damned ugly), I bought a 2006 MX-5. I didn't consider the Solstice
because of no storage space with the top down and when I see one, the
first word that pops in my head is "Fiero" (synonymous with "bucket of
bolts"). In my opinion, the MX-5 has the best bang for the buck.

Mine is a Sport model with the handling package, galaxy gray with black
cloth interior and black top, 6-speed. It does not have the Bose stereo.
At first, I wanted blue, but all my other cars are blue. Both shades of
red look good. White kind of hides the lines of the car.

If I had to do it differently, I might have bought the run-flat tires
with the tire pressure monitor (there's no spare, which is kind of scary
except for the roadside service included with the car).

I believe with the GT you get the keyless ignition system and an alarm
system, which may discourage theft. You also get leather seats, which I
am not convinced is better than cloth for a convertible.

You also get electronic nannies that prevent slides and such, but I
don't think it's worth it to have them. The chrome windshield frame
doesn't (I think) add anything to the car for me.

I rarely play the radio in my car, so the upgraded audio makes little
difference to me, but you might prefer the better sound quality.

There's some metal trim in the GT interior that kind of spruces it up a
bit, but that's not really necessary. It is, after all, a sports
car/driving tool, not a boulevard cruiser.

Many malign the door cup holders. I use it for my sunglasses and it
doesn't bother me.

Except for automatic transmission (which defeats the purpose of the car,
in my opinion), the rest of the options are cosmetic and you can add
them later through the after market if you want to.

By the way, don't get discouraged if you think the shifter it balky at
first. Mine loosened up quite nicely after about 1500 miles and now it
is a joy.

Good luck, and I am sure that you will enjoy whatever MX-5 you purchase.
It's the most fun car to drive that I've ever owned.

Fabiano > wrote in
news:5OQ9g.4940$Sh3.4507@trnddc05:

> Many malign the door cup holders. I use it for my sunglasses and
> it doesn't bother me.

Come back when you've got a permanent ulcer in your leg just below the
knee where the damned thing cuts it open. I found the new MX-5 to be
the only car I've ever driven that was actually painful, I cut short
the test drive so I could get out of the thing.

"XS11E" > wrote in message
...
> Fabiano > wrote in
> news:5OQ9g.4940$Sh3.4507@trnddc05:
>
>> Many malign the door cup holders. I use it for my sunglasses and
>> it doesn't bother me.
>
> Come back when you've got a permanent ulcer in your leg just below the
> knee where the damned thing cuts it open. I found the new MX-5 to be
> the only car I've ever driven that was actually painful, I cut short
> the test drive so I could get out of the thing.
>

Can't the cup holder be removed? Alternatively, you could have your left
leg removed at the knee and buy an automatic.

"Frank Berger" > wrote
> Can't the cup holder be removed?

It's molded into the entire door panel. If ever an aftermarket product is
needed, this is the one - a clean door panel for the NC. I figure about the
same time they start coming off of the recently offered two-year leases,
there will be stuff like that available.
--
Ken Lyons '97 Brilliant Black/'90 Classic Red - waiting to buy his NC
Inside the Beltway
[Remove the first two digits to reply]

"Frank Berger" > wrote in
:

>
> "XS11E" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Fabiano > wrote in
>> news:5OQ9g.4940$Sh3.4507@trnddc05:
>>
>>> Many malign the door cup holders. I use it for my sunglasses and
>>> it doesn't bother me.
>>
>> Come back when you've got a permanent ulcer in your leg just
>> below the knee where the damned thing cuts it open. I found the
>> new MX-5 to be the only car I've ever driven that was actually
>> painful, I cut short the test drive so I could get out of the
>> thing.
>>
>
> Can't the cup holder be removed?

No, but the effects are reduced by having a tall bottle that's the
same diameter as the holder, that extends the thing high enough to move
your leg off of the sharp edge and helps a little.

> Alternatively, you could have your left leg removed at the knee
> and buy an automatic.

Hey! I can't walk much now, I'd not be able to walk at all if I did
that. Of course I could get an artificial leg and let the bottle
holder wreck it or.... WOW, GREAT IDEA! I could keep my 1992 which
fits me perfectly, won't cost me any money to buy and is cheaper to
insure and license.

I'm intrigued now by all this talk about the cup holders in the door. Are
these on all models, even non-US ones? (I haven't had a chance to sit in one
yet here in the UK). I can't imagine them taking off anywhere but the US
(and even there by the sounds of it most of you don't seem to like them!)
Can anyone put a photo on the web somewhere and post the link here? Thanks.

Eric

Not going to happen - the cup holder doesn't interfere with my knee. Try
an 82 BMW 320i - the seats were so hard and poorly designed that trips
over an hour induced sciatica! And they called it the ultimate driving
machine...

Changing the subject a bit, I find the cup holders in the console
absolutely useless for drinks. They're better for change and other small
odds and ends.


XS11E wrote:
> Fabiano > wrote in
> news:5OQ9g.4940$Sh3.4507@trnddc05:
>
>
>>Many malign the door cup holders. I use it for my sunglasses and
>>it doesn't bother me.
>
>
> Come back when you've got a permanent ulcer in your leg just below the
> knee where the damned thing cuts it open. I found the new MX-5 to be
> the only car I've ever driven that was actually painful, I cut short
> the test drive so I could get out of the thing.
>

On Tue, 16 May 2006 01:22:26 GMT, Fabiano >
wrote:

>Not going to happen - the cup holder doesn't interfere with my knee.

Same here....after a week or two I didn't/don't even notice it.

Tex > wrote:

>>Not going to happen - the cup holder doesn't interfere with my knee.
>
>Same here....after a week or two I didn't/don't even notice it.

Me too. I use it to brace myself when cornering, but other than that I'm nowhere
near it during normal driving.