anyone upgraded 1st gen to current Miata

I have a 1996 Miata that I bought new. Obviously my wife and I are
now 13 years older than when we bought the car and some things are
starting to wear on us. Getting in and out of the car isn't the snap
it once was. We moved to a rural area so we spend much more time in
our cars than we used to (an hour a day is typical) so the smallness
of the cabin gets to be an issue as the end of the commuting day
approaches. Raising the top is getting to be a hassle because the
"twist right, pull top over head, then twist left to grab the zipper
and zip it up" dance is getting harder on the less flexible body.
Also on a sunny day the all-black interior gets real hot.

I still love driving the car but over the years some of the ancillary
experiences at the beginning and end of the drive are getting less
fun to deal with, so I was thinking about trading it for a current
model with the PRHT. So, especially people who have direct experience
with both: Does the current model have significantly more room than
the 1st gen? Is it easier to get in and out of? How's the
reliability of the PRHT? Can a PRHT one be obtained with a manual
tranny in relatively base trim (only option I'm really interested in
is the CD changer)? Is the current model as much fun to drive as the
first? Are they dealing on them, I saw that Edmunds pegged the TMV
to not much above invoice.

Thanks!

xyzzy wrote:

> I have a 1996 Miata that I bought new.

'92 with 42,000 mi.

> Obviously my wife and I are
> now 13 years older than when we bought the car and some things are
> starting to wear on us. Getting in and out of the car isn't the snap
> it once was.

Do you do it right? You don't get into a sports car the way you put
your pants on, one leg at a time. Sit on the seat with both feet on the
ground. Turn your body to face forward, lifting both legs at the same
time, and swing them into the car. Reverse to exit. I'm 65 years old,
not a small guy, as it were, and still get in and out with minimal
fuss.

> We moved to a rural area so we spend much more time in
> our cars than we used to (an hour a day is typical) so the smallness
> of the cabin gets to be an issue as the end of the commuting day
> approaches.

Your Miata gets smaller as you drive it? :-) Seriously, I sympathize,
but I can't help because it's psychological; it affects you, or it
doesn't.

> Raising the top is getting to be a hassle because the
> "twist right, pull top over head, then twist left to grab the zipper
> and zip it up" dance is getting harder on the less flexible body.
> Also on a sunny day the all-black interior gets real hot.

OK, that is definitely not the right way to raise the top (hood). You
_must_ be on your feet outside of the car to easily close the hood,
full stop. One person does it easily, two a bit more easily. Release
the latches. Pull the top up as far as possible without latching. Start
the rear-window zipper--1/3 to 1/2 closed, perhaps. Close both latches.
Finish zipping the windows. Get in car. Drive.
>
> I still love driving the car but over the years some of the ancillary
> experiences at the beginning and end of the drive are getting less
> fun to deal with, so I was thinking about trading it for a current
> model with the PRHT.

I'm committed to giving mine to my niece next year when she turns 16.
It'll be all refurbed with new brakes and lines, tires, belts, hoses,
stainless exhaust, new stereo...

I'm going to replace mine with a SmartCar Cabriolet.

> So, especially people who have direct experience
> with both: Does the current model have significantly more room than
> the 1st gen? Is it easier to get in and out of? How's the
> reliability of the PRHT? Can a PRHT one be obtained with a manual
> tranny in relatively base trim (only option I'm really interested in
> is the CD changer)? Is the current model as much fun to drive as the
> first? Are they dealing on them, I saw that Edmunds pegged the TMV
> to not much above invoice.

The new Miata is a better car than yours and mine in every conceivable
way. The reason I won't buy a new one is that, after 17 years, I'm
simply ready for something different. And the Smart Cabriolet is that,
if nothing else!
>
> Thanks!

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

On 2009-06-18, Davoud > wrote:

> The new Miata is a better car than yours and mine in every conceivable
> way. The reason I won't buy a new one is that, after 17 years, I'm
> simply ready for something different. And the Smart Cabriolet is that,
> if nothing else!

As long as you can put up with people yelling "Dude, the golf
course is _that_ way!".



--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Everywhere I look I
at see NEGATIVITY and ASPHALT
visi.com ...

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:37:22 -0400, Davoud > wrote:


>> I have a 1996 Miata that I bought new.
>'92 with 42,000 mi.

'95 R with 40K.

>Do you do it right? You don't get into a sports car the way you put
>your pants on, one leg at a time. Sit on the seat with both feet on the
>ground. Turn your body to face forward, lifting both legs at the same
>time, and swing them into the car....

I would love to see you do that, especially with cloth seats. 8

I sit, then move the right leg in and past the steering column, then pull the
left leg in.

>I'm 65 years old,
>not a small guy, as it were, and still get in and out with minimal
>fuss.

62, 6'3+", 210, 34" inseam. The problem for me is ducking the head when the top
is up or hard top is on -- that's getting old, along with my creaky back.

>OK, that is definitely not the right way to raise the top (hood). You
>_must_ be on your feet outside of the car to easily close the hood,
>full stop. One person does it easily, two a bit more easily. Release
>the latches. Pull the top up as far as possible without latching. Start
>the rear-window zipper--1/3 to 1/2 closed, perhaps....

With you up to this point, but IMO you should zip all the way before latching
the top. Driving nothing but 2-seater sports cars since 1964 has convinced me
that this is the key to preserving your zipper.

>I'm going to replace mine with a SmartCar Cabriolet.

Cute, but flimsy and no guts at all. Good luck (seriously).

-- Larry

On Jun 18, 3:37*pm, Davoud > wrote:
> xyzzy wrote:
> > I have a 1996 Miata that I bought new.
>
> '92 with 42,000 mi.
>
> > Obviously my wife and I are
> > now 13 years older than when we bought the car and some things are
> > starting to wear on us. *Getting in and out of the car isn't the snap
> > it once was.
>
> Do you do it right? You don't get into a sports car the way you put
> your pants on, one leg at a time. Sit on the seat with both feet on the
> ground. Turn your body to face forward, lifting both legs at the same
> time, and swing them into the car. Reverse to exit. I'm 65 years old,
> not a small guy, as it were, and still get in and out with minimal
> fuss.
>
> > We moved to a rural area so we spend much more time in
> > our cars than we used to (an hour a day is typical) so the smallness
> > of the cabin gets to be an issue as the end of the commuting day
> > approaches.
>
> Your Miata gets smaller as you drive it? :-) Seriously, I sympathize,
> but I can't help because it's psychological; it affects you, or it
> doesn't.
>
> > Raising the top is getting to be *a hassle because the
> > "twist right, pull top over head, then twist left to grab the zipper
> > and zip it up" dance is getting harder on the less flexible body.
> > Also on a sunny day the all-black interior gets real hot.
>

I'm going to put some comments in-line with your description below of
the "right" way. I'm wondering if we're driving the same car.

> OK, that is definitely not the right way to raise the top (hood). You
> _must_ be on your feet outside of the car to easily close the hood,

OK, the point is that if I got a car with a PRHT I would not have to
be standing on my feet outside the car to close the top. But I
wonder about your instructions below.


> full stop. One person does it easily, two a bit more easily. Release
> the latches.

What latches? there are no latches to release when the top is down.

> Pull the top up as far as possible without latching. Start
> the rear-window zipper--1/3 to 1/2 closed, perhaps.

OK, you left out the "get back into the car" step that you must do in
order to get to the zipper. And you still have to twist to the right
to reach the zipper while sitting in the driver's seat.

> Close both latches.
> Finish zipping the windows. Get in car.

What? The window can only be zipped from inside the car so you're
already in.

> Drive.

Actually I'm usually doing this when I park it so if I followed your
instructions I'd have get back out again. That's get out, start it,
get back in, finish it, then get back out.

"xyzzy" > wrote in message
...
>I have a 1996 Miata that I bought new. Obviously my wife and I
>are
> now 13 years older than when we bought the car and some things
> are
> starting to wear on us. Getting in and out of the car isn't
> the snap
> it once was. We moved to a rural area so we spend much more
> time in
> our cars than we used to (an hour a day is typical) so the
> smallness
> of the cabin gets to be an issue as the end of the commuting
> day
> approaches. Raising the top is getting to be a hassle because
> the
> "twist right, pull top over head, then twist left to grab the
> zipper
> and zip it up" dance is getting harder on the less flexible
> body.
> Also on a sunny day the all-black interior gets real hot.
>
> I still love driving the car but over the years some of the
> ancillary
> experiences at the beginning and end of the drive are getting
> less
> fun to deal with, so I was thinking about trading it for a
> current
> model with the PRHT. So, especially people who have direct
> experience
> with both: Does the current model have significantly more room
> than
> the 1st gen? Is it easier to get in and out of? How's the
> reliability of the PRHT? Can a PRHT one be obtained with a
> manual
> tranny in relatively base trim (only option I'm really
> interested in
> is the CD changer)? Is the current model as much fun to drive
> as the
> first? Are they dealing on them, I saw that Edmunds pegged
> the TMV
> to not much above invoice.
>
> Thanks!

Don't have a PRHT - just an '04. However, I quit zipping and
unzipping the top on my '90 and opted for a noodle instead. Made
it a *lot* easier to put the top up and down. You just have to
remember to catch the noodle before it hits the ground. <G>

As for getting in, I always put my right foot in, then sit down
and pull the left foot in. That's much easier for me with the
cloth seats.

Iva & Vixen
2004 Classic Red
No more winkin' Miata

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:37:22 -0400, Davoud wrote:
> xyzzy wrote:
>
>> Raising the top is getting to be a hassle because the "twist right,
>> pull top over head, then twist left to grab the zipper and zip it up"
>> dance is getting harder on the less flexible body. Also on a sunny
>> day the all-black interior gets real hot.
>
> OK, that is definitely not the right way to raise the top (hood). You
> _must_ be on your feet outside of the car to easily close the hood,
> full stop. One person does it easily, two a bit more easily. Release
> the latches. Pull the top up as far as possible without latching.
> Start the rear-window zipper--1/3 to 1/2 closed, perhaps. Close both
> latches. Finish zipping the windows. Get in car. Drive.

Why get out of the car? It takes too long.

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:50:44 -0700 (PDT), xyzzy > wrote:

>> full stop. One person does it easily, two a bit more easily. Release
>> the latches.
>
>What latches? there are no latches to release when the top is down.

Most people close the latches while the top is down, so they need to open them
again before pulling the bow in place.

-- Larry

On 19 Jun 2009 03:03:27 GMT, Carbon >
wrote:

>On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:37:22 -0400, Davoud wrote:
>> xyzzy wrote:
>>
>>> Raising the top is getting to be a hassle because the "twist right,
>>> pull top over head, then twist left to grab the zipper and zip it up"
>>> dance is getting harder on the less flexible body. Also on a sunny
>>> day the all-black interior gets real hot.
>>
>> OK, that is definitely not the right way to raise the top (hood). You
>> _must_ be on your feet outside of the car to easily close the hood,
>> full stop. One person does it easily, two a bit more easily. Release
>> the latches. Pull the top up as far as possible without latching.
>> Start the rear-window zipper--1/3 to 1/2 closed, perhaps. Close both
>> latches. Finish zipping the windows. Get in car. Drive.
>
>Why get out of the car? It takes too long.

Buy an NC..Flip, Click and away.




OzOne of the three twins

I welcome you to Crackerbox Palace.

wrote:
> On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:50:44 -0700 (PDT), xyzzy
> > wrote:
>
>>> full stop. One person does it easily, two a bit more easily. Release
>>> the latches.
>>
>> What latches? there are no latches to release when the top is down.
>
> Most people close the latches while the top is down, so they need to
> open them again before pulling the bow in place.
>
> -- Larry

Don't know about most people, but I do. But I don't unlatch them until
after I've raised the top. Usually from inside the car. But even if I'm
outside it's simpler to unlatch them after the top is up and you're back in
the car, isn't it? After all, you can hardly latch the top without getting
back in the car.