I might be buying another Miata next weekend...

I've been browsing for at least a year, maybe more, for the next fun 3rd car.  The 90 Miata just wasn't it, too low needing $$ to make it useable for me, and not a convertible person.  I've been mainly looking at MR2's, 944's, and for some silly reason C3 'Vette's.  Just saw a Prime Performance 4thgen swapped MR2 but in MD and probably being sold this weekend.

This morning a friend messaged me "Hello love!  I remember you had a Miata were in touch with collectors.  Mom's selling hers and was wondering if you could help get it out there?"  I said a good start would be basics like year, color, manual/auto, options, mileage and if hard top included (on a whim but didn't expect it).

She replied "1996 soft top with factory hardtop, 5sp, red and black interior, aftermarket mirrors/luggage rack/center console (have originals), 142K, hard top storage rack is included".  Ok, I have said if I could have a hard top I would consider another Miata.  Now here's one exactly my speed, I know the owner, she knows me and likes me because I did the 501st Legion thing at her ALS fundraiser, and very local.  Hm.

Manual windows (a plus for me), she's selling to buy a Mustang, soft top and windows are getting too much for her to put up.  Friend sends me like a dozen photos, and has her mom message me.  Find out the AC still works, bonus.  She says she has a "wheeled rack for the hardtop as well as a pulley system" included.

So we're planning on Sunday to see it.  Haven't talked price but if it drives like it looks and we make a reasonable deal, it'll be mine.  Not a fan of the wheels and not sure about the luggage rack, but the rest looks solid.

You could do much worse from the looks of it :) Wheels are easy, and the "rare and vintage" crowd might go for those take-offs. Looks like the luggage rack is one of the ones that clamp on to the trunk lid so that's probably an easy uninstall.

The one downside: manual windows and no R-package lip/spoiler/skirt says it's got an open differential.

The wheels, the rack,and the statement of cranking the windows being too difficult had me guessing this would be an automatic.   But, being a manual,  I don't see anything that can't be fixed.

Nice! A new set of nice, light wheels and a rack-ectomy and you're ready for Spring!

In reply to Keith Tanner :

I assumed it was bolted to the trunk, considered seeing if someone local wanted to swap.  But if it is indeed clamped on, that's an easy fix and $20 to anyone that wants it.  Buys me a pizza at least.

And yeah, me and Tirerack are good friends.

Looks like a really nice survivor!

I strongly prefer the 1.8 cars to the 1.6 cars.  The hardtop and paint quality appearance from the photos makes this a great Miata.  My 95 R is one of a very few cars that I regret selling.  

In reply to Jerry :

Just this past late summer I wrecked my '90 Miata that I'd had a meer 29 years.

The car is gone but that leaves me with some spares.  Most notable a set of '96 M-edition wheels (15"ers.)  I'd driven on them for years and then later retired them to be my "winter storage wheels". The Kuhmos on them have great tread remaining but the tires are genuinely from 2001. So, at winter storage time I would swap these on and let the car just sit on these.  You could do the same with them, or make the wheels your dailys and keep the 3 stars for just winter storage. 

I'm also sitting on a MINT set of 1996 seats, black cloth.  I bought these in about 2001 from a 1996 with 42k miles. They have been stored indoors all these years. 

I'm not sure on prices. 

Further more, I am in Findlay, OH every Friday for a few hours for work. If interested I could drop them there either with a GRMer or one of my customers. 

No rush.

In reply to John Welsh :

I will definitely let you know.  Findlay gives SWMBO a good excuse to visit her kiddo at BGSU on a weekend.

On Fridays I go to BG too and could direct deliver.

I’d vote to keep the wheels and relish in their ’90s awesomeness. 

In reply to David S. Wallens :

While I respect your opinion and am a free speech purist, I will not downvote your thoughts.  But those wheels are ugly, and for that reason I cannot upvote your opinion either.  I'm sure someone will pay for those wheels and then you can get period correct and cool Kosie's or SSRs instead.

In reply to AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) :

They were ugly in the 90s too. There are many better options than three spoke wheels. 

Period correct would be TSW Stealths, for example. Or Ronal bears :) Or SSR Integrals, which is what I was running in the era and are still remarkably attractive.

In reply to John Welsh :

Tell me more about these mint black '96 seats....

3-spoke wheel gang here. Keep em or ship them to Florida. 

I regret losing these wheels somewhere in life off this challenge car dad and I built. 

Three spoke wheels can look cool on the right car. A miata is not one of them. 

Well it may or may not happen now.  After many text exchanges with the mom to coordinate title and transportation, the last one yesterday afternoon was an abrupt "I'm not coming today.  Now a family member is interested, I will have to think about this a bit"...

I asked the friend that originally messaged me what was going on, this morning she said her cousin now needs a car & of course wants the convertible.  Mom is torn between family and knowing you really want the car.  I'm like if cousin needs "a car" I have a friend that is selling a Fiesta for $5k.

I've dealt with flakey sellers before but this one surprised me.  Still a chance, and people are welcome to the wheels if it happens, but not holding my breathe.

wae said:

In reply to John Welsh :

Tell me more about these mint black '96 seats....

I have just one photo on my phone. This is the driver's seat.

In reply to Jerry :

It might be wise, like you're doing, to help the person find a better all season car. 

In reply to John Welsh :

Oooohhh...  that is a thing of beauty.  You're up in the general north-east area of Ohio, aren't you?  I've got family up that way that we visit and could combine a trip if you're not in a hurry to get those out of your garage.  What are you looking to get out of them?

Good luck with the purchase.  I bought my fourth, a 2000 NB 18 months ago.  It's cursed.  I've never had a Miata do the things it's done.  I'm into in for almost twice the purchase price due to deferred maintenance (why change the timing belt, it's only 22 years old?), weird things like lug studs snapping with hand tools, and the dreaded P0421 check engine light.  In the car's defense, it's been used as a daily driver for most of that time, and has actually made over $2000 as background in different productions.  At least it's a comfortable hole I've dug for myself.

Sandusky area. At the end of my street I can see the roller coasters of Cedar Point across the bay. 

In reply to Keith Tanner :

My white 95 R with SSR Integrals is one of a very few cars that I regret selling.  

In reply to AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) :

Still parked in my trailer, but without the teeth I installed for Hallowe'en 1999 and the hardtop :)

In reply to Jerry :

Family comes first, alas. Hope it works out.