Automatic Miata

These are fairly uncommon, might be of interest to someone?

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/car/538829920.html

The price isn't too bad and might be negotiable.


--
XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
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XS11E wrote:
> These are fairly uncommon, might be of interest to someone?
>
> http://phoenix.craigslist.org/car/538829920.html
>
> The price isn't too bad and might be negotiable.

Too bad it's not closer to this end of the USA. One of our club
members was hit on New Years and destroyed his automatic. The other
car caught him right in front of the driver door and bent the whole
front of the car. He had some injuries but his daughter in the
passenger seat is okay.


Iva & Vixen
2004 Classic Red
No more winkin' Miata

Why would anyone want an automatic Miata? IMO, part of the reason for
owning a litle roadster like the Miata is the joy of driving it, and
part of that driving experience is the stick shift :-).

(S K) wrote:

> Why would anyone want an automatic Miata? IMO, part of the reason for
> owning a litle roadster like the Miata is the joy of driving it, and
> part of that driving experience is the stick shift :-).

And part of that driving experience is the reason my Miata will be for
sale in the not too far distant future. I'm having more and more
trouble with the clutch as my legs work less and less, soon I'll not be
able to shift and would consider an automatic Miata unless, of course,
you feel I shouldn't be allowed to enjoy a roadster?

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On Jan 14, 6:29 pm, XS11E > wrote:
> (S K) wrote:
> > Why would anyone want an automatic Miata? IMO, part of the reason for
> > owning a litle roadster like the Miata is the joy of driving it, and
> > part of that driving experience is the stick shift :-).
>
> And part of that driving experience is the reason my Miata will be for
> sale in the not too far distant future. I'm having more and more
> trouble with the clutch as my legs work less and less, soon I'll not be
> able to shift and would consider an automatic Miata unless, of course,
> you feel I shouldn't be allowed to enjoy a roadster?
>
> --
> XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
> The Usenet Improvement Project:http://improve-usenet.org

Heck, I'm already 58, and it's a good thing that I bought mine nearly
eight years ago, since I find it harder and harder to squeeze/get into
the blasted thing??LOL LOL :-). But will enjoy it as long as I can
also :-).

In article >, S K
> wrote:

> Why would anyone want an automatic Miata? IMO, part of the reason for
> owning a litle roadster like the Miata is the joy of driving it, and
> part of that driving experience is the stick shift :-).
>

Well, I left the fold of the pure faithful. I just purchased an
Automatic Miata. A 2006 Galaxy Grey GT AT6. Went to try out a 2004
Silver SE, but decided to try the 2006 since the price was so good.
I enjoyed it so much I bought it.
It isn't what most automatics are, that is for sure.
I would not recommend one for racing, autocross, etc. for the purist,
but for general road use and fun driving, it is remarkable.

Left to its own devices, it is an extremely smart automatic. Not a
learning one, but very smart about shifting based on throttle position.
Will hold the low gears longer if throttle is maintained hard, and
shift sooner if lite throttle. It will even down shift by itself in a
turn to be in the right gear to apply throttle/torque coming out.
That may be dangerous in extreme conditions, since the shift will tend
to come near the apex of the turn. So for those conditions, use the
manumatic mode and the fun paddle shifters on the wheel. You get to
control the shifts and can hold a gear right to the redline.
Found the manual shifting to be as much fun as a full manual on the
twisties, and the left leg can just relax.

After purchase, found that the comments in the miata.net forums for the
NC Autos were all very favorable, and thought I should have read them
sooner. Maybe I am just getting older, but it is the best Auto I have
ever driven, and with the paddle shifters just as much fun as a manual.

So hold your expectations in reserve and give one a test drive.
As a note, I found that when in manual mode, a release of throttle (or
backing off) just like you would in a full manual helps the trans
perform an upshift quicker. Without backing off, there will be a little
lag in the upshift.

--
-------
white '93 193k mi.
since a baby -- passing to son for its final years
Galaxy Grey 2006 14k mi.

On Jan 15, 4:15 am, Stephen Toth > wrote:
> In article >, S K
>
> > wrote:
> > Why would anyone want an automatic Miata? IMO, part of the reason for
> > owning a litle roadster like the Miata is the joy of driving it, and
> > part of that driving experience is the stick shift :-).
>
> Well, I left the fold of the pure faithful. I just purchased an
> Automatic Miata. A 2006 Galaxy Grey GT AT6. Went to try out a 2004
> Silver SE, but decided to try the 2006 since the price was so good.
> I enjoyed it so much I bought it.
> It isn't what most automatics are, that is for sure.
> I would not recommend one for racing, autocross, etc. for the purist,
> but for general road use and fun driving, it is remarkable.
>
> Left to its own devices, it is an extremely smart automatic. Not a
> learning one, but very smart about shifting based on throttle position.
> Will hold the low gears longer if throttle is maintained hard, and
> shift sooner if lite throttle. It will even down shift by itself in a
> turn to be in the right gear to apply throttle/torque coming out.
> That may be dangerous in extreme conditions, since the shift will tend
> to come near the apex of the turn. So for those conditions, use the
> manumatic mode and the fun paddle shifters on the wheel. You get to
> control the shifts and can hold a gear right to the redline.
> Found the manual shifting to be as much fun as a full manual on the
> twisties, and the left leg can just relax.
>
> After purchase, found that the comments in the miata.net forums for the
> NC Autos were all very favorable, and thought I should have read them
> sooner. Maybe I am just getting older, but it is the best Auto I have
> ever driven, and with the paddle shifters just as much fun as a manual.
>
> So hold your expectations in reserve and give one a test drive.
> As a note, I found that when in manual mode, a release of throttle (or
> backing off) just like you would in a full manual helps the trans
> perform an upshift quicker. Without backing off, there will be a little
> lag in the upshift.
>
> --
> -------
> white '93 193k mi.
> since a baby -- passing to son for its final years
> Galaxy Grey 2006 14k mi.

I have read about these automatics with "Paddle Shifters." Never seen
one, and don't have any idea what they are :-).

S K wrote:
> Why would anyone want an automatic Miata? IMO, part of the reason
for
> owning a litle roadster like the Miata is the joy of driving it, and
> part of that driving experience is the stick shift :-).

We have 4 or 5 auto Miata in our local club - one is owned by a
gentleman who was a thalidomide (spelling?) baby - his right arm is
not fully developed and he is unable to shift a manual trans. Should
he be forbidden to own a Miata?

While an auto might not be for you, please don't put down those who
choose to purchase one.

Iva & Vixen
2004 Classic Red
No more winkin' Miata

On Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:01:37 -0500, "Iva" .> wrote:

>S K wrote:
>> Why would anyone want an automatic Miata? IMO, part of the reason
>for
>> owning a litle roadster like the Miata is the joy of driving it, and
>> part of that driving experience is the stick shift :-).
>
>We have 4 or 5 auto Miata in our local club - one is owned by a
>gentleman who was a thalidomide (spelling?) baby - his right arm is
>not fully developed and he is unable to shift a manual trans. Should
>he be forbidden to own a Miata?
>
>While an auto might not be for you, please don't put down those who
>choose to purchase one.

Iva, I don't see any "put down" in the above. It's a simple statement of fact.

But life is full of compromises, and of course there are many reasons --
including physical infirmities -- why people might want to or have to compromise
on their Miata of choice.

As to your local club member, he should only be prohibited from owning a new
black one with retractable hardtop. That one's supposed to be mine.

-- Larry

On Jan 15, 12:38 pm, pltrgyst > wrote:
> On Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:01:37 -0500, "Iva" .> wrote:
> >S K wrote:
> >> Why would anyone want an automatic Miata? IMO, part of the reason
> >for
> >> owning a litle roadster like the Miata is the joy of driving it, and
> >> part of that driving experience is the stick shift :-).
>
> >We have 4 or 5 auto Miata in our local club - one is owned by a
> >gentleman who was a thalidomide (spelling?) baby - his right arm is
> >not fully developed and he is unable to shift a manual trans. Should
> >he be forbidden to own a Miata?
>
> >While an auto might not be for you, please don't put down those who
> >choose to purchase one.
>
> Iva, I don't see any "put down" in the above. It's a simple statement of fact.
>
> But life is full of compromises, and of course there are many reasons --
> including physical infirmities -- why people might want to or have to compromise
> on their Miata of choice.
>
> As to your local club member, he should only be prohibited from owning a new
> black one with retractable hardtop. That one's supposed to be mine.
>
> -- Larry

Iva and you brought up some very good points. I asked the question and
got some good responses that never crossed my mind. Thanks all :-).