I'm bummed. Last Friday my 95 Miata M edition died a horrible death. my buddy was driving and he pulled out in front of a speeding f150 truck and we got t boned. Miata vs. truck is not a winning recipe. The bad news is my face took a lot of punishment, so I'm probably done being a model. (har har) the good news is I should have a check coming for $8000 from hagertys next week. The other good news is since my injuries were probably caused by the older airbags in the Miata, my wife has requested the new toy be newer and safer!
So, what should I be looking at in the 8-12k price range? This will be a weekend toy, lots of autoX a couple of track days a year. Reliability is huge. Right now life is crazy busy and I don't have time to do much wrenching. I loved the Miata, so my first thought was buy a 4k Miata and hit flying Miata up for another 8k worth of parts.
Other things on the radar
c5 I think these are getting this cheap
e36 or e46 m3
what else is out there?
$80,000? Declared value policy with an extra zero snuck in while the agent wasn't looking? 
I would be looking at a C5. Personally, I would avoid the e46 if you want something reliable.
doh, sorry for the typo. Typing on heavy painkillers is not easy.
Also, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but you could probably get a really nice reliable and fun honda/acura for that money. Maybe a 99-01 integra with a nice suspension setup, some safety equipment, and a few go-fast bits.
That sucks about the crash. Glad that you have a sense of humor about it and I hope your recovery is quick. How did your buddy do?
As a fellow Answer driver this is always on my mind as well. Simple physics, the smaller car is gonna be better on the track and much worse in an accident.
To your question: get another Miata. You liked it and it did the things you wanted. Call Keith to make it better and enjoy Miata part 2.
Also consider the S2000. Might be a good match for you.
which Miata is best to turbo?
What? Not enough left for an Exocet build? :)
Glad you're ok and not too badly damaged it seems.
The NC's are getting pretty reasonable and much safer and better cars overall, maybe not quite as good sportscars as the early cars, but certainly better than some others on the market.
Upgrades/Updates are available from FlyinMiata and others. Add a good roll bar, some bracing, new shocks and some sticky rubber and have some fun. Need more power? a 2.5L swap isn't too bad to do, there's a supercharger kit and of course there's a LSx swap available from FlyinMiata if you really need moar powa, yada yada....
icaneat50eggs wrote:
which Miata is best to turbo?
I don't know the answer to this question, but posted to propose that we get some sort of signal to turn on when we need Keith, kind of like a Miata-shaped "Bat signal".
If you can find a car that's already built and sorted that should save you a bundle of money and a lot of time.
S2000 and C5 Corvettes are probably the most fun per dollar in that price range.
Sorry to hear about the accident. Glad you are Ok. I can't imagine that an f150 could do too much damage to your face, it'll likely buff out 
I would jump on an S2000 in a heartbeat
JMcD
New Reader
11/3/15 11:35 a.m.
First off...Bummer! Hope you recover quickly and fully!
Secondly, I'd also keep in mind cost of consumables as part of your decision making process. C5 sized tires are quite a bit more than typical miata sizes. Plus a C5 in that price range will certainly need a fair amount of maintenance. Go-fast hard parts tend to be more expensive, too.
Thirdly, this is a good opportunity to try something different.
All that said, at the intersection of 8-12k, fun, newer, and safer - here's what I see as good options (in no particular order):
RX8
NC miata
Pontiac solstice/saturn sky (difficult but not impossible to make a track day legal roll bar)
Mini Cooper base or S
E36 or Z3
S2000
I think any of those would be a good choice but it really boils down to what excites you the most.
Harvey
Dork
11/3/15 11:39 a.m.
Any NA or NB 1.8 car with a Torsen rear is good to turbo. Lots of relatively easy, inexpensive solutions that put you over 200hp at the wheels.
That said, I would just get an S2000.
wearymicrobe wrote:
12K down on a ND Miata?
This, if you want a turn-key rig to just drive and not wrench on.
Robbie
Dork
11/3/15 12:06 p.m.
Really hard to argue with c5 vettes for performance/dollar.
Kreb
UltraDork
11/3/15 2:27 p.m.
A Fiat 850! I'll get you a real good price.... Only $8k!
But seriously, that's scary as hell. How's your eye?
Gald you are OK from the crash.
In that price bracket, you have a lot of choice:
S2000
C5
09+ RX8
350Z
early NC
The world is full of nice choices....
Buy this before I make a terrible decision. (NMNA by the way)
Spend the remaining 6k on safety upgrades like a real roll bar, new suspension and a turbo kit.
Not sure if I'll get much vision back in the eye. we are playing a really frustrating waiting game now
