While today’s Nice Price or No Dice NA Miata may seem to have seen better days, that doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t have a bright future. Let’s see what the crystal ball says about its price.
Hey, Hi, everybody! I’m back. You know, one thing I’m not crazy about when traveling for any length of time is having to live out of a suitcase or a repurposed plastic sack from the grocery store. It doesn’t matter if you change your undies every day; when they go back in the same bag, everything starts to bring the funk. Perhaps that’s not so bad, though. After all, Levi Strauss CEO, Charles Bergh, once stated that customers should wash their jeans only once a year. Should you ever meet Charlie, it would probably be best to stand upwind.
The 2000 Isuzu Trooper we looked at when we last met was presented as well-lived-in, even to the point of having a sleeping platform down one side of the cabin in place of half the back seat. That looked to be a funky setup in more ways than one, which didn’t hold much appeal at the Trooper’s $12,999 asking price. In the end, that’s what drove the 85% “No Dice” loss it received.
My beloved
According to the ad, today’s 1991 Mazda Miata MX-5 is beloved by its present owner. Perhaps that affection is unrequited, as they have unceremoniously thrown it up on Craigslist in order to sell. “New phone, who dis?” I guess. The seller even goes so far as to note how hard the NA Miatas are getting to find these days, an obvious incentive for prospective buyers, not a muted second guess on giving it up.
Of course, we all love the NA Miata. You do, don’t you? If not, just play along. We’re kind of sensitive about our affections for the first-generation of Mazda’s little sports car. Hard to find or not, Miatas come in all kinds of conditions these days. In real estate parlance, this one might be described as a “fixer-upper.” It could also be touted for its “good bones,” as the car appears solid and, while rough, appears fully intact. The only mods on the car appear to be a set of not-terrible aftermarket alloys, a single-DIN stereo, and a phone mount on the dash.
Automatic for the people
The ad tells us that the car has a clean title, 152,000 miles on the odometer, and describes its condition as “excellent.” Based on the pictures, that appears to be a bit of hyperbole. Regardless, the 116-horsepower/100-pound-feet 1.6-liter four under the hood is claimed to be “perfect.”
The apparent lack of need for any engine work is a relief, as there does appear to be an issue with the Miata’s transmission. Actually, there are two issues. The first is that it’s an automatic, which, as we all know, is the training wheels of the automotive world. The second issue is that the automatic is slipping in gears.
Now, that would normally be a deal killer for many, as yanking the transmission out of any car can be a hassle. This, however, could be a plus for this car, as the need to pull the slusher presents a strong argument for replacing it with a manual during the procedure.
Getting behind the wheel
On a more positive and less challenging note, the interior and top both present as decent and serviceable. Mazda’s upholstery choice for the Miata’s first outing had the durability of something akin to a house of straw inhabited by a pig that flunked structural engineering. That mostly manifests on the outside seat bolsters, and while this car does exhibit some wear on the driver’s seat, it’s not too bad.
There’s also some wear-through of the paint on the door sill, plus more chipping at the leading edge of the rear fender. That’s all a bit of a moot point, seeing as the right-front wing is still in its primer coat, which really means a respray for the whole car. Other issues include a front bumper that took its function literally, and a pair of aftermarket LED headlamps. Those never look right on cars of this age, but since they are pop-ups, nobody will really see them.
Me oughta’ buy this?
There is some truth to the seller’s assertion that these cars are increasingly difficult to find. That’s at least true for what we all might consider affordable examples of them. It’s very easy—I mean, if you’re rich—to go out and spend six figures on an exceptionally clean or particularly low-mileage example. Heck, we’ve seen that here.
This one is none of those things. And it wears the scarlet A of being a two-pedal car. Pile on the fact that the transmission might give up the ghost, and we have a bit of a conundrum on our hands. That is, unless the car’s $1,700 asking price can save its bacon.
What’s your take on this needy but potential-filled Miata and that $1,700 asking? Does that have you salivating over the possibilities and the modest dent to the checking account? Or is this car at the same time too much and not enough to command even that amount?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Inland Empire, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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