Why isn't my Miata fun?

I'm missing something with this car. This is far from my first Miata (although it is my first NA8, I've had NBs and NA6s) and something about this car just isn't grabbing me. I've had fun in all of my old Miatas, even the $500 beater one I bought from Marty back in 2010. I might still kinda miss that one.

I bought it with all of its parts already on it: the old Tokico FM2.5 suspension, a HD HC HT DD rollbar, 15" Rota Grids on BFG Comp 2 tires, coolant bypass complete with EGR check engine light, leaky Racing Beat exhaust with factory header with the EGR bung apparently welded shut so I can't even try to make a custom EGR pipe to get around the coolant reroute...

Anyway, I've done some things to the car. I bought it with hardtop only and I put a nice used soft top on it. I put a radio in it and got rid of the stupid plastic "radio delete plate." I put some Elise seats in it and took them out a bit later because the driving position was too tipped up in the front and my thighs and the steering wheel wanted to be in the same place. I might just go fixed mount on that and mount it right to the floor to get me a little lower and at an angle I like.

I can't really figure out what it is that feels so unfun about this car to me. I posted it for sale for a week-ish, and haven't gotten so much as a "Well you take 65 cents for it?" reply, so I figure I may as well try to keep it.

A big part of it might be those tires. They feel kinda sucky. I locked up all 4 and slid off the track a couple weeks ago and had to replace the tire I flat spotted. I didn't want to replace all 4 if I was selling it... It could be that properly grippy tires could wake up the car a bit.

Maybe another part is the exhaust leak. It looks like the PO put this Racing Beat exhaust in and used the wrong gaskets in the wrong places and then RTV'd it to seal it up and it's kind of a mess down there. It sounds like garbage. Okay, maybe not garbage but I'm being a little bit hard on this car right now! In any case, it doesn't sound great. It sounds like it has an exhaust leak.

Could this suspension be killing it for me? Or at least the way it's set up? My last car had Koni STR-T shocks, RB springs, and FM sway bars. 

At this point, I could put on an engine-back exhaust. That only runs about a grand for this car - RB header, RoadsterSport cat and midpipe/muffler plus gaskets. But I have a worry about spending a thousand bucks in exhaust, a thousand bucks in new wheels and tires, on top of the thousand bucks I put into seats and brackets and whatever else... But getting rid of the stupid hissy exhaust leak sound and putting an EGR pipe back on the car to get rid of the CEL might go some ways to making it more enjoyable.

I really don't know what to do with this car. Why is this particular car not exciting me to drive as much as my previous Miatas?

So what is it that you remember fondly about your older ones?

That's a good question. I'm not sure if I have any particular specific traits about the other ones that really stick out to me. Some of them were nice, some of them were really pieces of E36 M3, and this one is probably on the nicer side, so I don't think it's overall condition. Top down motoring is always a plus and this one now has a working soft top, so that's not it, either.

Something about the others always managed to put a smile on my face when drove them. This one doesn't.

Maybe it's just me. Maybe I've moved past Miatas and the car is totally fine. "It's not you, it's me."

Do you like to spin the engine out to redline and feel that little "snick!" as you slot a new gear? Do you like the way they corner? Do you want the steering to tell you everything about what you just ran over?

Part of the reason I sold my 944 turbo was the annoying exhaust system on it.  I could have fixed it (and probably should have), but don't rule out that being an issue.

At the very least, its worth fixing the exhaust before you sell it.

Sketchy tires on an underpowered car can be fun if you play your cards right, but on the flipside being worried about the tires can gnaw at the back of your mind a bit.

Ultimately, it could really be that you're ready to move on from Miata ownership or at least owning a NA8.

My money is on one of two things: 1. tires  OR 2. you're getting old.  Here's my thinking: I sort of wondered what all the fuss was about Miatas until I put my first set of decent tires on it.  Up to that point, I was kind of "meh" about the handling.  A good set of Star Specs (the best available at the time) and it felt like a totally different car.  I went from an owner to an enthusiast really quick.  

As for #2, not picking on you, just speaking from personal experience.  I owned my NA8 for about 7 years.  The last year or two, it just seems like my tolerance for the squeaks, rattles, noise and constant maintenance "wack a mole" was wearing thin.  (I probably gave up at the wrong time, since I've now fixed 99% of the fussy little issues that were bugging me)  I ended up switching it out for a low mile NB.  Honestly, it sort of felt like a "get off my lawn" move, but I think it was the right one.

In reply to Lugnut :

I wasn’t in love with my 96 either. Oh sure, it was fun, and by the time I set it up for STR(ish) it had incredible grip. It wasn’t any more fun(or competitive) though. My 90 I have now though, I love this thing - the rawness, lighter weight, outstanding grip & responsiveness. It’s no highway cruiser, but it’s fun around town and great at autox. 

I would put some Star Specs or R4S on it and see how it drives. Don’t change the wheels, do one mod at a time. 

With my STS autocross NA Miata, I loved how it felt with stock wheels and tiny tires as opposed to the 200tw bigger tires. Sure it had a lot more grip with the big wheels and tires, but on the street it was the old slow-car-fast thing. Nice sounds, reliable, red convertible. And yeah, I had the factory radio block out plate...no radio.

I couldn't bond with my 2nd Miata. I love my present and 3rd. All were NA's. Kind of weird- never could put my finger on it. I just didn't much like it.

kazoospec said:

My money is on one of two things: 1. tires  OR 2. you're getting old.  Here's my thinking: I sort of wondered what all the fuss was about Miatas until I put my first set of decent tires on it.  Up to that point, I was kind of "meh" about the handling.  A good set of Star Specs (the best available at the time) and it felt like a totally different car.  I went from an owner to an enthusiast really quick.  

As for #2, not picking on you, just speaking from personal experience.  I owned my NA8 for about 7 years.  The last year or two, it just seems like my tolerance for the squeaks, rattles, noise and constant maintenance "wack a mole" was wearing thin.  (I probably gave up at the wrong time, since I've now fixed 99% of the fussy little issues that were bugging me)  I ended up switching it out for a low mile NB.  Honestly, it sort of felt like a "get off my lawn" move, but I think it was the right one.

I agree with the "getting old" part.

I've had my WRX for almost a decade now. For years I considered it very fun to drive (it's not stock....). These days I still consider it to be highly competent and great at doing everything I want it to do, but I don't find it fun at all. It's set up so well it's almost boring, plus I've been commuting in it for a decade so whatever luster it once had is just getting old. Plus the stiff suspension and rattles that used to make it fun - now I just consider it to be uncomfortable and annoying.

Same went for my GT6. Used to be a ton of fun when I was in college. But in the last few years before I sold it I found it annoying, uncomfortable, and kind of scary now that I am 42 and have a sense of mortality lol. So I bought a Porsche 924, which is less annoying, more comfortable, has AC, and feels like a safe car. So now that's my "fun" weekend car. 

Like being married.....when you were dating, she was soooo hot and soooo interesting and sooooo much fun. And after being married a long time, she's probably less of all of those things lol. IDK....

I had sport comp 2s on my NA (i robbed them off one of my Honda Insights) and thought they were fine for having fun on the street. My recommendation is actually to check that your alignment is A: not screwy and B: is sufficiently aggressive. 

Vigo beat me to it. I was just going to ask about alignment, as one of those things that can spoil the je ne sais quoi (French for "overnight-air-freight-level-JDM-magic") while all the right parts appear to be there.

Fixing the exhaust sounds like something that just needs to be done regardless of how likely a candidate it is for the spoiler of funs.

And the tires. Grip level is one thing, but how tires feel makes a big difference way before you're exploring the limits.

EDIT: I'm speaking generically. I had a Miata and sold it on before replacing the utterly dead shocks, for which I kick myself to this day.

I’ve got Pete’s old 96 that he mentioned above. I’m not in love with it either. It is awesome, but not the right Miata for me right now. 

I am local though if you want to see if it’s your Miata that’s not right or if you’ve just moved on from the platform for now. 

Btw... still have the seats?

I do still have the seats, but I'm not going to get rid of them until I know what I'm getting next. Who knows if those seats will go into the Miata's replacement?

Yeah, mtn, if you want to switch cars and go for a drive, that'd be a good way to see if I just need to change something on my car.

I have Sport Comp 2’s on BBS 15” wheels on mine, and it’s a fine setup.  Bilstein NB shocks with FM springs.  Grippy but approachable limits, quick steering, not crashy over bumps.  I’m running that setup at Barber this weekend; I could probably go faster on 200tw tires, but I wouldn’t have any more fun.  I also have Dial-In 15x8’s with RE-71’s, they make the car seriously un-fun unless I’m driving at 11/10ths.

For me, stock wheels and performance summer tires = win.

Before you throw a new exhaust on it - RB will sell you the gaskets separately, and they're not that expensive. I have an RB on my NA6 and I quite like the way it sounds. From vague memory of driving one with a Roadstersport exhaust I'd spend the money on the gaskets first.

We will have to meet up sometime soon. Maybe set up a Chicagoland GRMer get together. 

As as I was typing that, I realized something: we live in Chicago. I’m much more inclined to take the Lexus right now for 2 reasons: AC, and V8. We don’t have twisties, and there is too much traffic to Wing the car around corners. No time to aitocross anymore either for me. 

mtn said:

We will have to meet up sometime soon. Maybe set up a Chicagoland GRMer get together. 

 

As as I was typing that, I realized something: we live in Chicago. I’m much more inclined to take the Lexus right now for 2 reasons: AC, and V8. We don’t have twisties, and there is too much traffic to Wing the car around corners. No time to aitocross anymore either for me. 

Agree. I was going to ask what kind of driving you usually do. Small nimble cars like miatas can be fun in traffic but you have to drive a bit like an ahole and change lanes a lot.

Just open highway stuff and a Miata isn't that great.

But I also think the exhaust note should be fixed.

According to the rule that says " If you haven't grown up by the time you're 50, you don't have to." I spent my afternoon removing a perfectly good (stock) Miata  muffler and welding up a much louder one. My wife hates it, but my Miata just got "funner". And I'm well past 50, too. 

Add a turbo.

Does an aftermarket exhaust really add any power to an otherwise stock miata? Especially the 2001 to '05 with the factory header?

In reply to ShinnyGroove :

What's happening at Barber? I'm in Montgomery 

In reply to Floating Doc :

A small amount.  For street drivers it’s mostly for the sound, you want something with a louder/bassier/raspier tone.  For autocross/track use less back pressure will allow other mods to work better and often the exhaust system is a good spot to lose weight.

But when one is chasing hundredths of seconds, +3-5 hp and -10-15 lbs can make a difference. 

Lugnut:  fix the exhaust leak, BTDT and it made the car unpleasant.  And I second the alignment recommendation, NAs are very sensitive to a good alignment.