is a 97 Miata "M" any bigger than other models ?

So, this guy is telling me that he has a 97 "M" and it's bigger like the
M2...

Is he full of it ? (I think he is)..

AFAIK the only REAL body style differences were 90-97 and 99-2004, right ??

On 2004-09-02, Chief_Wiggum > wrote:

> So, this guy is telling me that he has a 97 "M" and it's
> bigger like the M2...
>
> Is he full of it?

Completely.

> (I think he is)..
>
> AFAIK the only REAL body style differences were 90-97 and 99-2004, right ??

Right.

The "M" editions are a special color unavailable on non-M
models (at least for that year) and a few other trim options
(e.g. embroidered leather seats, headrest speakers and
door-mounted-tweeters, alarm, different wheels, stuff like
that).

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! .. Do you like
at "TENDER VITTLES?"?
visi.com

Yeah, that's what I thought....

My "BS" meter was already teetering on med-high when I asked him if it was a
stick, or an automatic, and he declared that ALL Miata's were sticks...

I knew that was crap, because I had seen several autos for sale (yech) So
I was already on yellow alert!

I might go look at the car tomorrow just for giggles, and to see if he tells
me it has a fusion reactor or something


"Grant Edwards" > wrote in message
. ..
> On 2004-09-02, Chief_Wiggum > wrote:
>
> > So, this guy is telling me that he has a 97 "M" and it's
> > bigger like the M2...
> >
> > Is he full of it?
>
> Completely.
>
> > (I think he is)..
> >
> > AFAIK the only REAL body style differences were 90-97 and 99-2004, right
??
>
> Right.
>
> The "M" editions are a special color unavailable on non-M
> models (at least for that year) and a few other trim options
> (e.g. embroidered leather seats, headrest speakers and
> door-mounted-tweeters, alarm, different wheels, stuff like
> that).
>
> --
> Grant Edwards grante Yow! .. Do you like
> at "TENDER VITTLES?"?
> visi.com

>> The "M" editions are a special color unavailable on non-M
>> models (at least for that year) and a few other trim options
>> (e.g. embroidered leather seats, headrest speakers and
>> door-mounted-tweeters, alarm, different wheels, stuff like
>> that).
>>
>> --
>> Grant Edwards

Don't forget to take into account that the special color of the "M" edition
accelerates light bending it so that the "M" looks the same size as a
regular Miata when in reality it is bigger.

Gus (91 BRG)

Chief_Wiggum wrote:
> Yeah, that's what I thought....
>
> My "BS" meter was already teetering on med-high when I asked him if it was a
> stick, or an automatic, and he declared that ALL Miata's were sticks...
>
> I knew that was crap, because I had seen several autos for sale (yech) So
> I was already on yellow alert!
>>>So, this guy is telling me that he has a 97 "M" and it's
>>>bigger like the M2...
>>>
>>>Is he full of it?
>>
>>Completely.

>>>AFAIK the only REAL body style differences were 90-97 and 99-2004, right
>
Generally right. I believe the M1 cars are almost identical externally;
since the M2 came out they've fiddled with the front fascia a bit each year.

A few bits of info:
The M2 (fixed headlight) and M1 (folding light) Miatas are almost
identical in size, although I do believe they share no body panels. The
new body is stiffer, but just a reinforced version of the old (the extra
weight was partly offset by eliminating the headlight retraction
mechanism). Critical structure dimensions are similar.

Now then- I have no personal opinion, but have frequently heard that
the M2 vehicles seem <more cramped> to some drivers, apparently because
the seats are bulkier and more padded. The dimensions of the physical
cockpit (pedals to rear bulkhead, floor to roof, and width) are
identical. There is an additional transverse stiffener behind the seats
which I believe slightly reduce storage back there; however the M2 trunk
is a bit better due to a tighter packaging of the exhaust and spare tire.

There was an <engine> size change in 1994, when the displacement went
from 1600cc to 1800cc. Engine changes since appear to have added more
horsepower, but no displacement. Its hard to be specific because Mazda
has had problems with publishing inaccurate HP ratings.

Miatas have always been available with automatic transmission (I've
actually seen one) but 97% of the cars in the US are stick- the highest
proportion of any car sold in here which offers the choice.

Joe
Silver '99 (Stick!)

On 2004-09-02, jchase > wrote:

> Now then- I have no personal opinion, but have frequently
> heard that the M2 vehicles seem <more cramped> to some
> drivers,

That's definitely true. The doors on the M2 (particularly at
the rear) seem to be thicker, and there's significantly less
outside elbow room in the M2. The M1's door panel went more
straight back and the M2's curves inward. Or something like
that.

> The dimensions of the physical cockpit (pedals to rear
> bulkhead, floor to roof, and width) are identical.

My left elbow sure thinks they're not.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! I will establish
at the first SHOPPING MALL in
visi.com NUTLEY, New Jersey...

jchase > wrote in
:

> Now then- I have no personal opinion, but have frequently heard
> that
> the M2 vehicles seem <more cramped> to some drivers, apparently
> because the seats are bulkier and more padded. The dimensions of the
> physical cockpit (pedals to rear bulkhead, floor to roof, and width)
> are identical. There is an additional transverse stiffener behind the
> seats which I believe slightly reduce storage back there; however the
> M2 trunk is a bit better due to a tighter packaging of the exhaust and
> spare tire.

There is definately a difference in the sitting height. I have a 94 in
which my line of sight is just a bit high of mid-height of the windshield.
I have sat in many M2s and in *almost all of them, my line of sight is
almost at the top of the windshield.

* I put an asterisk by "almost" above because I sat in a Mazdaspeed
recently which seemed to sit lower than the other M2s, closer to where my
M1 is. I don't know if I was just having a short day.. or if there's a
true difference there.

-Scott

"Gus" > wrote:

>
>>> The "M" editions are a special color unavailable on non-M
>>> models (at least for that year) and a few other trim options
>>> (e.g. embroidered leather seats, headrest speakers and
>>> door-mounted-tweeters, alarm, different wheels, stuff like
>>> that).
>>>
>>> --
>>> Grant Edwards
>
>Don't forget to take into account that the special color of the "M" edition
>accelerates light bending it so that the "M" looks the same size as a
>regular Miata when in reality it is bigger.

Absolutely. Just like the Tardis, it is much bigger than it appears
outside. That is why each wheel costs $1000 a piece: the pull of
gravity they have to withstand is enormous!

If it could go back in time, it might even be able to defeat white
Miatas despite their superior performance.

Leon

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)

Leon,

I almost made reference to Dr. Who and the Tradis in my original post. I've
spent many an hour enjoying that show ever since I first ran into it over
twenty years ago. My personal favorites were the Tom Baker years.

Gus (91 BRG)

P.S. Everybody knows that BRG Miatas are the fastest. Why else would they
have put "racing" into the name of the paint color.

> Absolutely. Just like the Tardis, it is much bigger than it appears
> outside. That is why each wheel costs $1000 a piece: the pull of
> gravity they have to withstand is enormous!
>
> If it could go back in time, it might even be able to defeat white
> Miatas despite their superior performance.
>
> Leon
>
> --
> Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
> http://www.dommelen.net/miata
> EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)

"Gus" > wrote:

>Leon,
>
>I almost made reference to Dr. Who and the Tradis in my original post. I've
>spent many an hour enjoying that show ever since I first ran into it over
>twenty years ago. My personal favorites were the Tom Baker years.
>
>Gus (91 BRG)
>
>P.S. Everybody knows that BRG Miatas are the fastest. Why else would they
>have put "racing" into the name of the paint color.

I think it stood for "Brake Relief Green." The photon drag
of the car taking some of the stress off the brakes.

Leon


>> Absolutely. Just like the Tardis, it is much bigger than it appears
>> outside. That is why each wheel costs $1000 a piece: the pull of
>> gravity they have to withstand is enormous!
>>
>> If it could go back in time, it might even be able to defeat white
>> Miatas despite their superior performance.
>>
>> Leon
>>
>> --
>> Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
>> http://www.dommelen.net/miata
>> EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)
>

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)