Although the one I saw did include a hard top....
Although the one I saw did include a hard top....
Why must my local 'cheap' miatae be $4k, 100k+ mile with slushers
To be perfectly honest I didn't even know they came in automatic, lol.
In reply to Ranger50:
Do I really need to answer that for you??
I'm just going to leave this right here...
1993 Mazda Miata 180,xxx miles, 5 speed, power windows, cruise. New top. Clean car. Engine needs some work $1,000.
http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/3015904713.html
While automatics are rare in my area (tho I'm not sure why because when you go to Mazdausa.com and look at the cars in inventory, 99% seem to be automatics) they are usually selling for the same price as a non-auto equipped Miatas.
I have seen 1 or 2 Miatas like the one in the above post, but in the last case the car had major front end damage as well as needing a rebuilt engine...which the seller claimed he had on hand.
Be patient, keep looking. I found my '90 5spd a few months back. I got it, including hard top, for $1250. Has 134k miles from one owner, who took pretty good care of it. Since then I've invested about $150 in parts and several hours labor (I work slowly). It's now running great, I drive it several times per week.
Just bought a pair of Miatae, both 92's, both arctic white, both 5 speeds, for $1150 total- from two different sellers. Both need work, but its one of those serendipitous occasions where the bad parts from Miata A are the good parts from Miata B.
Just keep checking craigslist daily and have your cash ready to go so when you finally find your deal, you can jump on it. My miata was 2.5 hours away and was on CL for a total of 2 days before I drove it home.
If they're so common, why are used torque converters for Miatas absurdly expensive?
The percentage of Miatas that are automatics have been climbing. It was really low in 1990 - I've heard 0.5%, and I've seen nothing to contradict that - and it's quite a bit higher now. It's an interesting shift, because I don't think the demographics of the buyers have changed that much. The average buyer was in their mid-50's back in 1990 (10 years younger in Europe, 10 years younger yet in Japan), and I dare say it's not much different now.
$1000 Miatas are the exception rather than the rule. There's always someone on the internet to tell you about a cheaper one, but you have to buy what's really for sale in an area you're willing to buy from 
Auto Miatas are just better fodder for swaps... 
Keith wrote: The percentage of Miatas that are automatics have been climbing. It was really low in 1990 - I've heard 0.5%, and I've seen nothing to contradict that - and it's quite a bit higher now. It's an interesting shift, because I don't think the demographics of the buyers have changed that much. The average buyer was in their mid-50's back in 1990 (10 years younger in Europe, 10 years younger yet in Japan), and I dare say it's not much different now.
I think the improved power/torque-to-weight ratio for the NC model helped automatic sales. Not to mention, everyone I've heard from who's driven one says the new auto is actually pretty nice.
Ranger50 wrote:
How cheap? Buy it for the top, sell the car?
DuctTape&Bondo wrote:Ranger50 wrote:How cheap? Buy it for the top, sell the car?
Not that cheap. 
eastsidemav wrote:Keith wrote: The percentage of Miatas that are automatics have been climbing. It was really low in 1990 - I've heard 0.5%, and I've seen nothing to contradict that - and it's quite a bit higher now. It's an interesting shift, because I don't think the demographics of the buyers have changed that much. The average buyer was in their mid-50's back in 1990 (10 years younger in Europe, 10 years younger yet in Japan), and I dare say it's not much different now.I think the improved power/torque-to-weight ratio for the NC model helped automatic sales. Not to mention, everyone I've heard from who's driven one says the new auto is actually pretty nice.
with the paddle shifters it really isn't too bad. I was quite surprised by the one I drove.
I agree, an automatic 2012 is a better option than an automatic 1990. But even before the paddle shifters, the percentage of automatics was rising.
Ive driven an auto 1.6 and it has no redeeming qualities. The fact that the newer autos have 50% more gears makes it a passable option, imo. The bump in power/weight helps too, but not as much as the gearing.
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