Folding hard top Miata impressions...

Earlier today, I test drove a nice new Mica Red Metallic Miata with the folding
hard top (the car that was on display recently at the Washington DC Auto Show)
with the top both up and down.

The hard top is impressive, and leaves decent trunk space -- about the same
size, but looks a bit deeper than my '95. The trunk lid also seems a bit
smaller, but has two stiffer dampers.

I loved the color -- sort of half-way between rust and burgundy -- and liked the
cloth seats much more than the leather seats in another new Miata. The new
visors are much better integrated than on my 95 (removed years ago).

I didn't like the chrome trim on door handles, instrument rims, etc. The entire
dash and interior looks and feels cheap, particularly the climate controls. An
exception is the control buttons well-integrated into the steering wheel.

I didn't like the exclusive Mazda alliance with Sirius, since I'm an XM guy.

Even with the duals, the exhaust note is barely audible and not impressive
compared to my Borla.

The clutch gripped *really* close to the floor in first gear. If it were a
motorcycle, I'd have adjusted it before driving off.

The car is smooth and quiet, fairly taut feeling. Yet compared to my 95 R, it
just didn't offer that fun go-kart quality that I love -- not even close. It
actually felt closer in handling to my wife's 3 series Bimmer with sport
package. And it didn't feel any faster to me either.

So I guess I've just decided that I'm not buying it at $25,695. Bummer. It's
purty.

-- Larry

pltrgyst wrote:
> Earlier today, I test drove a nice new Mica Red Metallic Miata with the folding
> hard top (the car that was on display recently at the Washington DC Auto Show)
> with the top both up and down.
>
> The hard top is impressive, and leaves decent trunk space -- about the same
> size, but looks a bit deeper than my '95. The trunk lid also seems a bit
> smaller, but has two stiffer dampers.
>
> I loved the color -- sort of half-way between rust and burgundy -- and liked the
> cloth seats much more than the leather seats in another new Miata. The new
> visors are much better integrated than on my 95 (removed years ago).
>
> I didn't like the chrome trim on door handles, instrument rims, etc. The entire
> dash and interior looks and feels cheap, particularly the climate controls. An
> exception is the control buttons well-integrated into the steering wheel.
>
> I didn't like the exclusive Mazda alliance with Sirius, since I'm an XM guy.
>
> Even with the duals, the exhaust note is barely audible and not impressive
> compared to my Borla.
>
> The clutch gripped *really* close to the floor in first gear. If it were a
> motorcycle, I'd have adjusted it before driving off.
>
> The car is smooth and quiet, fairly taut feeling. Yet compared to my 95 R, it
> just didn't offer that fun go-kart quality that I love -- not even close. It
> actually felt closer in handling to my wife's 3 series Bimmer with sport
> package. And it didn't feel any faster to me either.
>
> So I guess I've just decided that I'm not buying it at $25,695. Bummer. It's
> purty.
>
> -- Larry
Test drove one in the dark blue colour. Quieter at speed with the top
"up" than our 2002. No quicker but has got climate control which our
2002 hasn't. We are in the UK and without air con our 2002 steams up in
damp weather and gets unbearable in hot wet weather when we can't drop
the top.
We ordered one last year and are hoping for delivery in March. The
interior looks like it was built down to a price but despite the
additional weight it still handles pretty well.

the trunk appears bigger because there is no spare tire in it. they have
replaced it with a can of flat fix.

"pltrgyst" > wrote in message
...
> Earlier today, I test drove a nice new Mica Red Metallic Miata with the
> folding
> hard top (the car that was on display recently at the Washington DC Auto
> Show)
> with the top both up and down.
>
> The hard top is impressive, and leaves decent trunk space -- about the
> same
> size, but looks a bit deeper than my '95. The trunk lid also seems a bit
> smaller, but has two stiffer dampers.
>
> I loved the color -- sort of half-way between rust and burgundy -- and
> liked the
> cloth seats much more than the leather seats in another new Miata. The new
> visors are much better integrated than on my 95 (removed years ago).
>
> I didn't like the chrome trim on door handles, instrument rims, etc. The
> entire
> dash and interior looks and feels cheap, particularly the climate
> controls. An
> exception is the control buttons well-integrated into the steering wheel.
>
> I didn't like the exclusive Mazda alliance with Sirius, since I'm an XM
> guy.
>
> Even with the duals, the exhaust note is barely audible and not impressive
> compared to my Borla.
>
> The clutch gripped *really* close to the floor in first gear. If it were a
> motorcycle, I'd have adjusted it before driving off.
>
> The car is smooth and quiet, fairly taut feeling. Yet compared to my 95 R,
> it
> just didn't offer that fun go-kart quality that I love -- not even close.
> It
> actually felt closer in handling to my wife's 3 series Bimmer with sport
> package. And it didn't feel any faster to me either.
>
> So I guess I've just decided that I'm not buying it at $25,695. Bummer.
> It's
> purty.
>
> -- Larry

Nope. My '95 hasn't had a spare tire in it either, since, let's see ... 1995.

-- Larry

On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 13:41:25 GMT, "Christopher Muto" >
wrote:

>the trunk appears bigger because there is no spare tire in it. they have
>replaced it with a can of flat fix.
>
>"pltrgyst" > wrote in message
.. .

>> The hard top is impressive, and leaves decent trunk space -- about the
>> same size, but looks a bit deeper than my '95....

pltrgyst wrote:
> Earlier today, I test drove a nice new Mica Red Metallic Miata with the folding
> hard top (the car that was on display recently at the Washington DC Auto Show)
> with the top both up and down.
>
> The hard top is impressive, and leaves decent trunk space -- about the same
> size, but looks a bit deeper than my '95. The trunk lid also seems a bit
> smaller, but has two stiffer dampers.
>
> I loved the color -- sort of half-way between rust and burgundy -- and liked the
> cloth seats much more than the leather seats in another new Miata. The new
> visors are much better integrated than on my 95 (removed years ago).
>
> I didn't like the chrome trim on door handles, instrument rims, etc. The entire
> dash and interior looks and feels cheap, particularly the climate controls. An
> exception is the control buttons well-integrated into the steering wheel.
>
> I didn't like the exclusive Mazda alliance with Sirius, since I'm an XM guy.
>
> Even with the duals, the exhaust note is barely audible and not impressive
> compared to my Borla.
>
> The clutch gripped *really* close to the floor in first gear. If it were a
> motorcycle, I'd have adjusted it before driving off.
>
> The car is smooth and quiet, fairly taut feeling. Yet compared to my 95 R, it
> just didn't offer that fun go-kart quality that I love -- not even close. It
> actually felt closer in handling to my wife's 3 series Bimmer with sport
> package. And it didn't feel any faster to me either.
>
> So I guess I've just decided that I'm not buying it at $25,695. Bummer. It's
> purty.

Strangely, "purty" is the last thing I would call it, especially
compared to the old hardtop. The rear window is too steep and it's more
of a bubble (a la BMW Z4) than the coupe look of the earlier design.

"Christopher Muto" > wrote in message
news:96mwh.6485$li4.3361@trndny08...
> the trunk appears bigger because there is no spare tire in it. they have
> replaced it with a can of flat fix.
>

I don't believe Miatae have ever come with a spare tire. Some have put the
RX-7 and RX-8 spares in them, but you're still left with a flat rim and tire
that won't fit in the trunk.

I've added a tubless tire repair kit (plug) to mine and with the air pump
that comes with the Miata, it hasn't let me down so far. The repair is quite
a bit easier than actually changing the wheel.

Jim

In article >,
"George Jetson" > wrote:

> I don't believe Miatae have ever come with a spare tire.

Ah, I didn't realize this was a matter of belief. In that case, I
believe I've learned how to pack around my Miata's spare tire despite
its domination of my trunk. But far be it from me to argue the matter,
because politics and religion are not appropriate topics of debate in
this newsgroup. :-)

"Lanny Chambers" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "George Jetson" > wrote:
>
>> I don't believe Miatae have ever come with a spare tire.
>
> Ah, I didn't realize this was a matter of belief. In that case, I
> believe I've learned how to pack around my Miata's spare tire despite
> its domination of my trunk. But far be it from me to argue the matter,
> because politics and religion are not appropriate topics of debate in
> this newsgroup. :-)

A tire? That's what that thing is? I'll be darned.

>> I don't believe Miatae have ever come with a spare tire.

My 2000LS had a mini-spare.

I mean ... I *KNOW* it did.

I even used it. Twice.


--
Steve McMahon
Green '07 Sport

Christopher Muto wrote:
>
> the trunk appears bigger because there is
> no spare tire in it. they have replaced
> it with a can of flat fix.

Is that so? I looked at the trunk of a new Miata when I was getting my
oil change, but I assumed they had simply relocated the spare and jack
into a little well under the trunk's carpet, like they did on my '99. I
remember when I bought it to replace my wrecked '93, I looked in the
trunk and told the salesman "Hey, the spare's missing!" because I
assumed it would be up top like it was in the '93. Relocating the spare
is one of the nicest little improvements from the NA to the NB.

Yours wdk -