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| 1990-97 | 1999-2000 |
Ahhh, the call of the open road. For some people, driving is just another thing they have to do, like brushing their teeth and paying taxes. For others like me, driving is an opportunity to enjoy the road. Driving is something we look forward to, something we don't shy away from, and something we yearn to do in comfort, style, and above all, FUN!
The Miata provides you with a driving experience few others vehicles, if any, can. Although it does not excel in any particular category, the features, price and performance combination make it without equal.
You can buy a convertible a bit cheaper (like a Cabrio or a Cavalier) or for a bit more something quite more powerful (like a base Mustang at 190hp for a couple $K more), but nothing quite as sexy and as sporty as a Miata, at least not in the $20-$25K price range.
And here is where the biggest value of the Miata lies - the proverbial "bang for the buck". Sure, you can spend $40-$45K on a Boxster, Audi TT or BMW Z3 Roadster. And if you have the money to burn and can afford it, perhaps you should. But a two-seater roadster is an impractical primary car, so if it is as a second car that you crave it, $40K is an expensive toy.
Do you get what you pay for? Absolutely. The more you spend, the more power you get, the more luxury, the more name recognition. But why are you buying a roadster in the first place? Is it to ride in comfort and luxury, or is to to enjoy the open air, to "feel" the road as you drive, to hear and answer the call of the road? If your main attraction is the latter, and like most of us you live on a budget, luxury and raw horsepower are not priorities.
The Miata is eleven years old (as of the writing of this review), and appears in the Guinness Book of Records as the most prolific sports car production in history (over half a million have been produced). There is a reason they've made so many of them - people love them, and they are great little cars.
With production starting in 1989, very little in the shape and specs of the Miata changed. A little more horsepower here, a gadget or a gizmo there, but the essence of the Miata remained. This is a great testament in a time where models change dramatically from year to year (can you say Accord?). In 1999, the tenth anniversary of the Miata, Mazda released the first significant changes to the body and style of the Miata. The essence, however, remains.
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| 1990-97 | 1999-2000 |
For the 2000 model year, Mazda offered three models; the base, the LS and the Special Edition. The specs of each are very similar in the areas that count, such as size and horsepower. The differences between the base and LS are mostly in luxury and appearance, such as ground effects, leather seats, Bose stereo, etc.
The Special Edition, however, offers a number of added features, such as a six-speed transmission, polished aluminum wheels, wood steering wheel, shift knob, brake handle and dash, and a particularly unique color for a Miata called Mahogany Mica.
I actually went to a Chrysler dealership to check out the PT Cruisers. After the disappointment of $7-9K OVER STICKER, I was walking out when I saw a green '99 Miata LS on sale in the Chrysler lot. I had never ever considered a Miata. I had recently gotten rid of my BMW Z3 2.8 as I rearranged my financial priorities (read buy a new house :), and I missed the call of the open road. I wanted to get back in, but price was holding me back -- until I sat down in the Miata. A little research yielded the availability of a Special Edition for the year 2000 (it seems there is a sort of special edition EVERY year), so I decided to take the plunge...
Ahhhh, the open road. It calls. I can hear it. And now, I can answer it.
The 2000 Special Edition offers a number of features that make it stand out. The most noticeable is the Mahogany Mica color, which can best be described as "black cherry". It looks extremely attractive with the polished aluminum wheels. The interior is richly appointed with a Nardi Turino wood steering wheel, shift knob, parking brake and dash. The leather surfaces and convertible top are lighter than the LS model, and it comes standard with a Bose sound system. I also noticed it had a number 6 painted on the shift knob, signifying a six-speed transmission.
For a 4-cylinder, 140 horsepower engine, the Miata has a lot of what I call "giddyup". That's my technical term for the "uuumph" an engine has (yes, that's another technical term :) I try not to redline it (too much), as I am still inside the break-in period as of the writing of this review, but I still enjoy the "giddyup" below 7000RPM.
The Miata is a responsive, nimble, quite able piece of engineering. The seats are comfortable even for someone my size (5' 11" and 250+ lbs.), although getting in and out is always a chore in such low-rider vehicles. The handling is crisp and precise. I can "feel" the road a lot more than other vehicles, which may not be a good thing for most people, but I think it is. I like to have more feedback from the road as I drive. I also get a lot more feedback from the engine -- after only a couple hundred miles I can already "feel" when it is asking me to shift without looking at the tachometer. The little engine makes quite a growl as the RPMs climb, and that again may not be a good thing for most people, but for those of us who enjoy the true nature of sports cars it is a blessed sound.
One of the endearing features of the Miata is the availability of aftermarket modifications, or mods. These range from the mundane (mud guards, seat covers and style bars) all the way to the extreme (superchargers, turbochargers and a partridge in a pear tree :) The ease with which daring mechanics/owners can enhance and customize their Miata adds to the appeal and popularity of this vehicle. I myself have gotten into the mod craze, and not being mechanically inclined I leave the hard stuff to the professionals. However, there is still much that a neophyte like myself can do to "personalize" the Miata and make it truly my own. This may account for the fierce loyalty and participation of the Miata owner community in things like online forums and clubs.
The great surprise was the Bose sound system. Having had a very negative experience with the supposedly upgraded Harman Kardon system in the BMW Z3, I was quite pleasantly surprised at the Miata's Bose setup. Even with the top down at 60mph you don't go past the half way mark on the volume control, as it gets too loud. The highs are crisp and very noticeable with the top down, and the base can be felt in your chest. The system comes with ONLY four speakers, but it sounds like a lot more. The 200 watts are very noticeable.
All in all, I have to say that this car provides, in my opinion, the best "bang for the buck" in sports cars today. Agile, responsive, attractive and... affordable. The Miata heritage is long and proud, not because of its price or European origins, but because of over half a million cars sold and 11 years in production. The Miata stands on its own, providing owners with great quality, performance, and above all else - lots of driving fun and excitement.
Definitely recommended.
