What do I need to know about NC MX5s?

So, I've been offered a really good trade in value by a local dealer on my 08 Mazda 3 hatch (boring automatic gearbox...) which just came off warranty. Just out of chance, I poked around their website, and noticed a really nice CPO 2010 MX5.

It's a "Touring" (looks like this level isn't even available anymore?), 6-speed, cloth interior, soft top (homie don't play that PRHT bullE36 M3), 8,000ish miles, etc. Mazda's CPO warranty gives me another 92,000 miles and 5 years in which to burn them on the powertrain (transferrable).

Their price is a bit high, but I figure it's the perfect time of year to be negotiating a trade from a practical, fwd, economical hatchback to a manual transmission, RWD, convertible... If I can get them to come off the price a couple thousand, and get my asking price for the hatch, I might have an MX5 in the drive come next week.

So, what should I be looking for? CPO and that few miles is a pretty low chance for anything major to be wrong, but just looking for a heads up. Anybody know how to check (using option codes or w/e) for things like LSD and some form of sport tuned suspension?

Anyway, http://www.montrosemazda.com/used/details/JM1NC2EF7A0209422/2010_mazda_miata_touring__Cleveland_Parma_Bedford?cert=true

What says the wisdom of GRM?

I don't have anything to offer, but I sent my friend a link for that exact car this very afternoon. He won't buy it though, so have at it.

2010 specs

Mazda isn't as nice as GM, the options aren't all on an option code sticker. You can call Mazda with the VIN to find out what's on it.

If it has the Sport suspension, it should have yellow shocks. That also means LSD. The ad claims this to be the case. Honestly, I wouldn't put a premium on the Sport suspension, both the standard and the Sport are a bit underdamped. A set of Tokico HTS shocks does a lot for them.

I think thats actually a pretty fair price for a 2010 optioned as it has been and with so few miles. An ebay search will find older cars with more miles and not optioned as nicely for not much less money. Was LSD even available in 2010? or on the touring package? I know when I was looking at them in 2008 it was hard to get an LSD car with the other options I wanted.

Keith Tanner wrote: 2010 specs Mazda isn't as nice as GM, the options aren't all on an option code sticker. You can call Mazda with the VIN to find out what's on it. If it has the Sport suspension, it should have yellow shocks. That also means LSD. The ad claims this to be the case. Honestly, I wouldn't put a premium on the Sport suspension, both the standard and the Sport are a bit underdamped. A set of Tokico HTS shocks does a lot for them.

Are the sport springs any better than standard, or should I just expect to swap springs at the same time? What's the best swaybar setup? I don't really plan on racing it, but I might swing by a trackday or autocross or two...

I'll be driving about 80 miles a day, so I'll definitely want it to be fun to drive. There's nothing like a spirited drive to work to really wake you up in the morning.

I have always (at least since the face lift) like the NCs. I actually like the PRHT. It is a little funny looking but I would imagine that it is quieter than the standard top. My mr2 is too damn loud.

A big warning about the PRHT - it's basically impossible to get a track-legal roll bar. You can't go any higher than the stock hooplets due to the kinematics of the top.

I don't think the sport springs are anything to write home about either - they tend to sit tall and floppy in both cases. But it's the shocks that are the weak point. The post-2009 cars are a bit better but we still find a lot of people coming to us. As for the sway bars, well, I'd recommend the FM parts. As I do, because we settled on their specifications after testing a number of options.

I've wondered a lot about the PRHT, and what it's actually like to live with. I'm also kind of wondering how well the things hold up over time.

I understand about the track bar but there are no tracks near me. My cars are for street driving almost exclusively

Well, I'm going to look at it tomorrow. I hope it is what I want...

Being that it is at Montrose, I can only assume that it is Rock Candy Baby and that it is hot, sweet and sticky.
Perhaps you will get there by getting on your bad motor scooter and ride.

My wife's Mazda5 came from there a couple of years ago. I have no particular insight into the dealership other than "they were not that bad" to deal with.

Remember, though tomorrow is the first day of December, it is the last day of the week. Do not be surprised if you get the full court press like you might get on the actual last day of the month. Work this situation to your advantage!

JohnRW1621 wrote: Being that it is at Montrose, I can only assume that it is Rock Candy Baby and that it is hot, sweet and sticky. Perhaps you will get there by getting on your bad motor scooter and ride.

Are you speaking jive? Does anyone here speak jive?

In reply to Giant Purple Snorklewacker:
I am sorry that you have not heard the news but there's good rocking tonight.

Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote:

JohnRW1621 wrote: Being that it is at Montrose, I can only assume that it is Rock Candy Baby and that it is hot, sweet and sticky. Perhaps you will get there by getting on your bad motor scooter and ride.

Are you speaking jive? Does anyone here speak jive?

Nope, I personally don't speak jive....

But if I got on my bad motor scooter, I could be at that car in less than a day!!!

Ride, ride, ride...

grafmiata wrote: Ride, ride, ride...

But you can't drive .....55. (OK not actually a Montrose, but a Sammy).

Feedyurhed wrote:

grafmiata wrote: Ride, ride, ride...

But you can't drive .....55. (OK not actually a Montrose, but a Sammy).

That's why you take the scooter, because it's faster...

Sammy knows, cuz he was there!!!

The sport suspension is not that sporty despite what the name would imply. The value is in the LSD. A set Flyin' Miata shocks, springs and sway bars does wonders. Just be careful when installing the Tokico HTS shocks as they have a red tag that says to refer to the instructions for torque, but the instructions have no torque value. My mechanic used a very low # and succeeded in snapping the shaft, which I believe, is hollow, not solid. And Tokico will not help.

So, a 6-speed car with LSD and cloth (leather is hot in a convertible) seats is the way to go. You seem to have found a good one. I’ve owned three NCs, so I’m a bit biased. And I traded a ’06 to get a PRHT and wouldn’t look back; but that’s me.

Go for it.

I had an '06 Grand Touring. Like Keith said, you can call Mazda with the VIN and they'll tell you exactly what the car has.

If you're going to track the car, then I'd look into the suspension upgrades. But for your spirited drive to work on public roads, I honestly wouldn't worry too much about it. It certainly has more roll and isn't as firm as my NA Miata, but it's not a leaning cruise ship either. My NC had the sport suspension, and I found it fine for back road use...i.e. 7/10ths driving. As far as living with the car daily, it's actually pretty good. Decent gas mileage, comfy, etc...

Like you mentioned, don't play that PRHT game. It's a neat parlor trick, but the soft top is ultra easy to put down and raise (as in I could put it down in 3 seconds...literally). Plus the PRHT has too much stuff that can break, or if you're in an accident they're a bastard to get right again. I've seen several cars at work with PRHTs get rear ended. We often wind up spending a fortune to get the top to work properly again.