Thanks to all who responded to last month’s request for the other
roadsters you’ve owned. I totaled up the results and have listed them
here for anyone who’s interested in the ‘group demographics’. I did it
three ways, from general to specific, so feel free to bail when you get
bored!
One other note, except for maybe one guy with an X1/9, nobody wanted to
trade their Miata for any of the others they had owned! Thanks, Mazda,
for making a great roadster!
Alan
92 Mariner Blue
GENERAL:(by manufacturer)
Make Number of Responses
MG 14
Triumph 10
Austin-Healey 8
Fiat 6
Alfa Romeo 5
Corvette 2
Datsun 2000/Fairlady 2
Porsche 2
55 Thunderbird 1
Cavalier Z24 1
Corvair 1
WW2 Dodge Military 4X4 1 (Soft-top!)
Jaguar E-type 1
Mercury Capri 1
Sunbeam Alpine 1
VW Karmann Ghia 1
LESS GENERAL: (by make and model)
Make, Model Number of Responses
Triumph Spitfire 6
Alfa Romeo (all models) 5
Austin-Healey (not Bugeye) 4
MG Midget 4
MGA 4
Fiat Spider (model unknown) 3
MG-TD 3
Austin-Healey (big) 2
Austin-Healey (Bugeye) 2
Corvette 2
Datsun 2000/Fairlady 2
Fiat 124 2
MGB 2
55 Thunderbird 1
Cavalier Z24 1
Corvair 1
Dodge Military 4X4 (Soft-top!) 1
Fiat 850 1
Jaguar E-type 1
Mercury Capri 1
MG (1957) 1
Porsche 914 1
Porshce Speedster 1
Sunbeam Alpine 1
Triumph TR-250 1
Triumph TR-4A 1
Triumph TR-6 1
Triumph TR-7 1
VW Karmann Ghia 1
And if you REALLY want to know….
The list of all responses:
Year, Make, Model
68 Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider
?? Alfa Romeo Spider
91 Alfa Romeo Spider
88 Alfa Romeo Spider 2000
62 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce
55 Austin-Healey
?? Austin-Healey 3000
59 Austin-Healey Bug-eye Sprite
59 Austin-Healey Bug-eye Sprite
?? Austin-Healey Sprite
64 Austin-Healey Sprite
67 Austin-Healey Sprite
69 Austin-Healey Sprite
93 Cavalier Z24
?? Corvair
63 Corvette
67 Corvette
?? Datsun 2000
65 Datsun Fairlady (2000 with 1500cc engine)
68 Fiat 124 Spider
75 Fiat 124 Spider
66 Fiat 850 Spider
? Fiat Spider
?? Fiat Spider
?? Fiat Spider
80 Fiat X1/9
69 Jaguar E-type
91 Mercury Capri
57 MG
71 MG Midget
73 MG Midget
73 MG Midget
75 MG Midget
52 MG-TD
52 MG-TD
53 MG-TD
?? MGA
58 MGA
59 MGA
60 MGA
63 MGB
?? MGB
4? Military Dodge 4X4
76 Porsche 914
?? Porsche Speedster
61 Sunbeam Alpine
55 T-bird
66 Triumph Spitfire
69 Triumph Spitfire
70 Triumph Spitfire
77 Triumph Spitfire
78 Triumph Spitfire
63 Triumph Spitfire IV
68 Triumph TR-4A
73 Triumph TR-6
?? Triumph TR-7
68 Triumph TR250
62 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
Take a vacation in California? Too get a cheaper Miata? Fat chance. From
what I hear, that ’91 will coat ya what he wants or more over there.
Here in Florida, OTOH, Miatas seem to be dirt cheap. I paid $3200 for
Phoenix, and I’ve seen several similar deals lately. It’s just a matter
of being at the right place at the right time.
That car, btw, would probably go for $5000-6000 around here. Shop
around.
Good luck.
Jason
–
’92 Classic Red – "Phoenix"
Team Everglades Miata Club
Team r.a.m.m.m.
Team Miata World (1-800-832-3292)
Team You paid how much for yours?
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
http://members.tripod.com/~JasonZero
jaso…@webtv.net (Jason 00) writes:
>It’s just a matter of being at the right place at the right time.
Yeah, like my racing buddy who picked up a hardtop for $250.
He was going into the grocery store when some guy said "ya want
a hardtop for that there car?". Aftermarket job that came with
the guy’s daughter’s car or something….
–
James A. Carr <j…@scri.fsu.edu> | Commercial e-mail is _NOT_
http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~jac/ | desired to this or any address
Supercomputer Computations Res. Inst. | that resolves to my account
Florida State, Tallahassee FL 32306 | for any reason at any time.
Patz! <p…@prodigy.net> wrote:
>Hi all! I posted a message yesterday about buying a used Miata, and
>I’ll like to thank those who responded! I just test drove one again
>today, and I must say that I’ve fallen in love! the transmission is
>PERFECT! However, there are some small dings in the left door and minor
>scratches on the hood, the trunk and side. Worst of all, the rear
>bumper is slightly cracked. The owner wouldn’t go below $7200 for this
>61M red beauty.
If you think the car is worth $7200, pay it and DON’T look back.
There’s no point in second guessing yourself, especially when you can be
having so much fun, instead. You can check http://www.kbb.com , or
http://www.edmunds.com for "bluebook" prices.
>My question is: Is this a good deal for a ’91? I’m SOOOO tempted to
>just hand him the cash and bring that baby home, but the dings on the
>car is stopping me from doing just that. I mean, I don’t really care
>about the scratches, but I don’t think I can live with the dings!!!
Dings can be fixed, often without paint. Scratches not so much.
>Or should I just take a vacation in California and drive home a Miata?
>HELP!!! I’m seriously considering this now, since Miatas are so
>impossible to find/so expensive here in Mn. Are there ads online that
>I can check for Miatas for sale in other states? Thanx again, guys!
I used http://www.traderonline.com . You can search by area code.
There are other sites, but I only used this one.
–
Owen Strawn
’92 Classic Red
"Michiko"
I won’t do it for that price but maybe that is why I am still looking.
–
——————————————————————————————–
Sydney’s RCXchange
We Buy/Sell/Trade Remote Controlled Hobby Equipments
http://home1.gte.net/euromeko – eurom…@gte.net
Patz! wrote in message <6ij8np$10n…@newssvr04-int.news.prodigy.com>…
Hi all! I posted a message yesterday about buying a used Miata, and I’ll like to thank those who responded! I just test drove one again today, and I must say that I’ve fallen in love! the transmission is PERFECT! However, there are some small dings in the left door and minor scratches on the hood, the trunk and side. Worst of all, the rear bumper is slightly cracked. The owner wouldn’t go below $7200 for this 61M red beauty.
My question is: Is this a good deal for a ’91? I’m SOOOO tempted to just hand him the cash and bring that baby home, but the dings on the car is stopping me from doing just that. I mean, I don’t really care about the scratches, but I don’t think I can live with the dings!!!
Or should I just take a vacation in California and drive home a Miata? HELP!!! I’m seriously considering this now, since Miatas are so impossible to find/so expensive here in Mn. Are there ads online that I can check for Miatas for sale in other states? Thanx again, guys!
Regards,
Patz!
Some owners (especially the original 90-92 owners) initially paid too much for there cars (do you remember the stupendous sales hype that happened, people were said to be buying the Miatas for $5 – $10k over invoice)/ Don’t get sucked into someone’s financial misplanning. I have seen at least 10 90-92 Miatas in SoCal in the past two months for under $5,000.00. Why am I still looking?. I plan on doing extensive customizations including V8 engine so the donor care must be impeccable on the inside. You know, crack dash or ripped seat or cigarette burn on doorpanel, e.t.c. won’t do.
–
——————————————————————————————–
Sydney’s RCXchange
We Buy/Sell/Trade Remote Controlled Hobby Equipments
http://home1.gte.net/euromeko – eurom…@gte.net
Patz! wrote in message <6ilvum$3nv…@newssvr04-int.news.prodigy.com>…
TeamEuroMeko wrote in message <6ilrq6$…@gte2.gte.net>…
I won’t do it for that price but maybe that is why I am still looking.
Heh heh…I guess that makes two of us!
Regards,
PAtz!
I noticed as well that Miatas are more expensive here in Minnesota. I
bought mine at the end of March, and at that time there were quite a few
around. I’ve driven past a few dealer lots lately, and haven’t seen nearly
as many as there used to be.
My advice? Get one soon! My wife and I have loved every minute of it.
Our feeling is that with the short summers in MN you have to take advantage
of every minute that it’s nice. And what better way to do so than in a
Miata?
And don’t forget: every day winter is getting closer and closer!
—
Note: The return email address has been altered. If you reply to this
message please remove NOJUNK.
Patz! <p…@prodigy.net> wrote in article
<6ij8np$10n…@newssvr04-int.news.prodigy.com>…
Hi all! I posted a message yesterday about buying a used Miata, and I’ll
like to thank those who responded! I just test drove one again today, and
I must say that I’ve fallen in love! the transmission is PERFECT!
However, there are some small dings in the left door and minor scratches on
the hood, the trunk and side. Worst of all, the rear bumper is slightly
cracked. The owner wouldn’t go below $7200 for this 61M red beauty.
My question is: Is this a good deal for a ’91? I’m SOOOO tempted to just
hand him the cash and bring that baby home, but the dings on the car is
stopping me from doing just that. I mean, I don’t really care about the
scratches, but I don’t think I can live with the dings!!!
Or should I just take a vacation in California and drive home a Miata?
HELP!!! I’m seriously considering this now, since Miatas are so impossible
to find/so expensive here in Mn. Are there ads online that I can check for
Miatas for sale in other states? Thanx again, guys!
Regards,
Patz!
———-
Okay….I’ve been shopping for a while, and there’s a middlin’ clean ’90
with 80K miles in my color of choice (silver) whcihI can negotiatie down
to $6500…..the questions is, will I be kicking myself for not spending
a little bit more for more oomph a year from now?
Does anyone have a handle on the bottom line differences between the
’90s and say a ’91 or ’92?
Many thanks!
–
Beau Schless
TeamEuroMeko wrote:
> two months for under $5,000.00. Why am I still looking?. I plan on
> doing extensive customizations including V8 engine so the donor care
> must be impeccable on the inside. You know, crack dash or ripped seat
> or cigarette burn on doorpanel, e.t.c. won’t do.
Shouldn’t be the other way around? What difference does a ripped seat
make if you are going to do "extensive costumizations" which would
probably include seat replacement?
–
Eli Troychansky
taa at superlink dot net
Check out my nifty and conveniently easy to use Witty-Quote-O’Matic
™:
"<insert quote of choice here>"
-<insert obscure author here>
Beau Schless wrote:
> Okay….I’ve been shopping for a while, and there’s a middlin’ clean
> ’90
> with 80K miles in my color of choice (silver) whcihI can negotiatie
> down
> to $6500…..the questions is, will I be kicking myself for not
> spending
> a little bit more for more oomph a year from now?
"Ooomph" as in horsepower? That’s a good one..
–
Eli Troychansky
taa at superlink dot net
Check out my nifty and conveniently easy to use Witty-Quote-O’Matic
™:
"<insert quote of choice here>"
-<insert obscure author here>
There.
Hello Eli:
I will like to be heavily focused on the engine swap since I am going to do it myself. I am afraid that if I take on too many projects such as interior work I may be swamped. Anyways that is the way I want to go.
–
——————————————————————————————–
Sydney’s RCXchange
We Buy/Sell/Trade Remote Controlled Hobby Equipments
http://home1.gte.net/euromeko – eurom…@gte.net
Eli Troychansky wrote in message <6inqo5$3o…@earth.superlink.net>…
TeamEuroMeko wrote:
two months for under $5,000.00. Why am I still looking?. I plan on doing extensive customizations including V8 engine so the donor care must be impeccable on the inside. You know, crack dash or ripped seat or cigarette burn on doorpanel, e.t.c. won’t do.
Shouldn’t be the other way around? What difference does a ripped seat make if you are going to do "extensive costumizations" which would probably include seat replacement?
—
Eli Troychansky
taa at superlink dot net
Check out my nifty and conveniently easy to use Witty-Quote-O’Matic ™:
"<insert quote of choice here>"
-<insert obscure author here>
Buy it, and have fun picking out the aftermarket "improvements" with the
money you will save. There are many little (and not so little) tweaks you
can make to this car which will make it special.
PS: This is the kind of car you will make up places to go… I love it! I
secretly wish I had held out for a 93LE , and I’m convinced I can own 2
miatas if I find one.
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
Beau Schless wrote in message <354F213C.7C869…@RASCO.COM>…
>Okay….I’ve been shopping for a while, and there’s a middlin’ clean ’90
>with 80K miles in my color of choice (silver) whcihI can negotiatie down
>to $6500…..the questions is, will I be kicking myself for not spending
>a little bit more for more oomph a year from now?
>Does anyone have a handle on the bottom line differences between the
>’90s and say a ’91 or ’92?
>Many thanks!
>–
>Beau Schless
"John Bobincheck" <roc…@ccnet.com> wrote:
>Buy it, and have fun picking out the aftermarket "improvements" with the
>money you will save. There are many little (and not so little) tweaks you
>can make to this car which will make it special.
Yeah!! Dealer Alternative and Moss Motorsports catalogues are usually
enough to turn a buyer into an enthusiast! They turn someone who
bought a ‘cute roadster’ into someone who suddenly finds a few bucks
on the side and a lot of extra time finding new places to go.
>PS: This is the kind of car you will make up places to go… I love it! I
>secretly wish I had held out for a 93LE , and I’m convinced I can own 2
>miatas if I find one.
Making up places to go? That’s an understatement! Jason & I have a
habbit of finding nifty places in the middle of no where in the quest
for winding roads! He’s got me beat as I’ve only put on 5,500miles in
the last 4 months.. he’s likely tripled that! As for owning two?
That just means you can have half the milage per year acruing! <grin>
Then again, the mods cost twice as much.. Hmm..
……………….
Be nice to your kids. They’ll choose your nursing home…
http://www.mindspring.com/~vdragon
Remove *nolamers* to e-mail.
Rexven wrote in message <6iqasp$dc…@camel21.mindspring.com>…
>Making up places to go? That’s an understatement! Jason & I have a
>habbit of finding nifty places in the middle of no where in the quest
>for winding roads! He’s got me beat as I’ve only put on 5,500miles in
>the last 4 months.. he’s likely tripled that! As for owning two?
>That just means you can have half the milage per year acruing! <grin>
>Then again, the mods cost twice as much.. Hmm..
Apparently you don’t have to negotiate with a wife for time off! ;~)
>Be nice to your kids. They’ll choose your nursing home…
My 3 year old daughter loves the Miata, and she always wants the (pointing
to the top) "window" down. She will stand in the drivers seat and pretend
drive to Toys-R-Us when I’m working in the garage.
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
>http://www.mindspring.com/~vdragon
>Remove *nolamers* to e-mail.