Hey everyone, so I recently discovered a Miata that has 24k miles on it and it’s a 6-speed manual. It’s listed for 8,995 and is about a 2 hour drive from me, I was wondering what do you guys think? That seems like a really great deal but I don’t know much about these cars besides me loving them. Thank you for any input
24k miles in 14 years works out to less than 1,800 miles per year, on average.
The first thing you should do is to inspect the maintenance records, to ensure that the oil was changed twice each year. If not, then the engine could be filled with damaging sludge.
Unfortunately, a LOT of people look at the maintenance schedule–which clearly states “every X miles or X months, whichever comes first”–and completely ignore the elapsed time factor. And yet, those folks would probably say that their car was “well-maintained”.
If the previous owner(s) changed the oil on the basis of odometer mileage, rather than elapsed time, it is entirely possible that they only changed the oil every 3 years, and that would give you a disaster waiting to happen. Also, you need to verify that the coolant was changed on schedule, along with the brake fluid.
Trust, but verify!
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If you could find a mechanic the way n the area to look it over, that would be going. They’re pretty reliable cars as long as they’ve been maintained. Know several owner’s and all have had good luck.
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Where is the add , dealer or Craigslist ? Have you checked Kelley Blue Book ? They are always a little high but it will give you an idea if the price is fair.
As for saying if you should buy it without actually seeing the vehicle and driving it I would not say yes or no. If you do check the tires before you drive it home . They may be old enough that they should be replaced.
I am not a fan of low mileage cars. If this was driven solely in the summer, and parked for nine months a year, that is even worse. I agree with the tire check, and it probably needs a timing belt. An improperly stored car that is started right up after nine months might also burn oil. You might get a better 2006 Miata by paying less and getting one with 80,000 miles.
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Thanks for the info everyone, I think I will be checking it out if it’s still around here in a few weeks. I’m not actually looking for a car with such low miles for its age but I happened to find it. I will definitely take it to the mechanic before I do anything else. Perhaps i’m better off looking elsewhere though.
Very reluctantly, I have to agree with the others that responded. A Mazda Miata is my dream car. If I had purchased a new Miata in 2006, it would now have 300,000 miles on the odometer. a 2006 Miata with only 24,000 miles was someone’s toy. It may have sat 6 months each year without being started.
… and yet, that lack of… thhttouthoug. 
… for 6 months each year would be preferable to a situation where the car was taken out for a 3 mile drive each week, and then parked again until its next 3 mile drive.
I would at least find something closer to home. As I have posted on other threads we were going to buy a weekend classic type vehicle this year. That has been canceled until there is a proven vaccine for this terrible Virus that the orange man can’t understand.
@VDCdriver. Something happened while I was posting and I corrected the post.
Mrs. Triedaq thinks a Miata is a car for wimps. She thinks an Austin Healy Sprite would be the car for me. She says real men roll up their sleeves on the weekend and work on their cars. Real men aren’t afraid to get out of their cars and push when the car breaks down. I did find an MG Midget at a car dealer where I had done business. The MG needed extensive body work and a needed a clutch. The price was $700. I am 6’3" tall and was told if I could get in the MG, they might give it to me. After I got in the MG Midget, I was told if I couldn’t get out, I would have to buy the car. I almost had to buy that MG.
No, it doesn’t They got timing chains on both the 1.8 and 2.0 engines in 2005.
I would not be too scared of a low mile sports car. Many people buy them as an extra car to drive on nice days. But the earlier posts are spot-on.
Check tires, change ALL the fluids, check rubber brake lines and replace the tires because they are likely original.
Guy by me has had a Miata in his driveway under a big tree for 10yrs. It moves around occasionally. Never seen it near road though. Looks a little mossy.
I honestly think the car has been in an accident. I am aiming to find one with like 50k miles on it.
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I have a 2002 Miata with 54,000 miles. Mostly I run around town on scooters, so the Miata does wine country trips, mid length runs to do stuff that might yield something bulky, and it’s my rainy season transportation. The only thing I had to do that was greater than routine maintenance was to set the valve lash on the exhaust side. That was a messy job that I did in the garage over a week or two, because I could get by without the car. So yes, absolutely, buy the car. You get a near new car that reliably starts and it’s genuinely fun to drive any time. Drop the top (about a minute’s chore) and you’re on the way. If it costs you $800 for tires and another $500 for a mechanic to look it over and renew what’s getting old, remember you’re getting a near new car for $10,000.