What would you suggest

Maintenance/Repairs
21

I think I found it!
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=227082223&dealer_id=60724127&car_year=1999&model=MIATA&num_records=25&make2=&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&engine=&certified=&body_code=0&fuel=&search_type=used&distance=75&marketZipError=false&search_lang=en&first_record=26&make=MAZDA&color=&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&min_price=&drive=&default_sort=priceDESC&max_mileage=&style_flag=1&sort_type=priceDESC&address=27520&advanced=&end_year=2008&pager.offset=25&doors=&transmission=&max_price=&cardist=25

22

Like any used car, it should be thoroughly inspected before purchase. I don’t have a problem with Engish cars (have owned 3 of them), SAABs (ex-SAAB tech and past/current SAAB owner, or the Miata.

The Miata is a neat little car but I would look it over very closely.
It’s always a bit suspicious IMHO when a vehicle is photographed in the shade and crammed up next to a garage wall to boot.

23

You might be right. Look it over. There’s an article in www.miata.net about what to look for in buying a used Miata. Run the number through Carfax. Find out about the clutch and see if the timing belt’s been changed. This is not an interference engine, so if the belt fails you stop, but you do not destroy your engine. Then just get in it and run it up through the gears, zip around a few corners, and you’ll love it.

24

I personally perfer the MG, they are a lost simpler to work on and get running again.

Word of advice with either car; take a magnet with to check for excessive bondo from repairs. The magnet will normally fall off the car it there is a lot of bondo on them.

Good Luck and enjoy either one that you buy.

25

I agree, have a mechanic, or even the local Mazda dealership look it over BEFORE you buy it. A $70~100 fee could save you thousands later on. If the seller won’t agree to let you do this, run away from it.

26

Thanks ran a carfax report on the Miata. Its been all over the place with a repair record from a accident. A bunch of rental companies owned the car.I think the zipcode on the website is wrong. The carfax report says its still in MI. Nice mileage but I get that uncomfortable feeling about it.

27

Move on. The world is full of Miatas and, with a little patience, there’s one waiting for you. I find they fall into 2 groups. One group gets used quite a lot in commuting and running around and takes a fair amount of daily beating. It runs fine but it is well used. You can frequently see wear on the drivers seat on the part you slide over to get in and out. Also, the brake pedal pad shows wear. The other group are the toys, used only on weekends or to zip off to the Country club or the Mall. This group has low, low mileage and, while it might be dirty or smell of cigarettes, it’s really mechanically great. I like this group. I can clean a car up in an afternoon. The price difference between a 6 year old Miata with 35,000 and one with 90,000 is pretty small. Wait for the good one. Watch Craigslist.org for the city near you.