New Miata owner

> Brian Turner wrote:
>
>> My wife and I just bought a 1999 Miata. We love it so far.
>> I am not as concerned about the speedometer being off as the RPM range
>> the
>> car is in when driving 65 MPH. The car revs at 3,700 RPM. This seems
>> excessive, but being new to Miatas it may be OK. Is this RPM normal for
>> driving at 65 in a Miata.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your help and I hope to be a regular on this
>> newsgroup.
>>

With stock tires/wheels, my '99 runs about 20mph/1000rpm in top gear-
that is, 3000rpm at 50, and near 3300 at 65. Yours sounds a bit high,
so perhaps the current tires are not quite the same diameter as the
originals. (Note- 50-series tires are NOT the original fit on 14"
wheels; mine are 55's).

On the other hand, if your speedo is off, the numbers could be
different. Double-check your speed with a handheld GPS, or just by
timing between two mile markers on the freeway while holding an
indicated 60mph (which should be obviously one minute).

The Miata engine, based on a never-produced late 1980's turbo motor
design for the 323, is extemely durable and doesn't seem to mind the RPM
at all; many have achieved far beyond 100,000 miles with no problem.
The secondary intake runners in the '99 open at about 3500, so running
near that speed actually gives a bit better response for passing manouvers.

Keep changing the oil, and keep driving!

Joe
Silver '99

I had the same qualms when I first experienced the Miata's high
revving ways. It's just geared that way and you'll get used to it and
even come to enjoy the sound.

My 93' has a variable tach--sometimes over 4K at 75mph, sometimes
under and I'm even used to that.

My speedometer was dead on, then I switched tires--supposedly exactly
the same diameter-- and now it's about 3 MPH off. Go figure.

The upside--top down of a sunny day on the Pacific Coast Highway and
the smile it puts on my face far outweighs everything else.


JJ


On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 15:42:26 -0400, "Brian Turner"
> wrote:

>My wife and I just bought a 1999 Miata. We love it so far. I just sold a
>1970 VW Karmann Ghia and am switching from the aircooled VW newsgroup to
>here, so I am a newbie. My first question is this. When following the car
>home after we bought it, we noticed that the speedometer seems to be off.
>When the car is going 65 (according to the car following) the speedometer
>reads 70. I thought it might be attributable to the 50 series tires that
>are on the car, but we have the Leather Package which includes the Touring
>Package which had 50 series tires on it from the factory (I thought maybe
>they were added later).
>
>I am not as concerned about the speedometer being off as the RPM range the
>car is in when driving 65 MPH. The car revs at 3,700 RPM. This seems
>excessive, but being new to Miatas it may be OK. Is this RPM normal for
>driving at 65 in a Miata.
>
>Thanks in advance for your help and I hope to be a regular on this
>newsgroup.
>
>Brian Turner
>

Tell me more about the MS. I've only had the one test ride. Leather or
cloth? Red or Titanium? Any quirks?

TIA

JJ

On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 23:06:35 -0400, msrides
> wrote:

>Brian Turner wrote:
>
>> My wife and I just bought a 1999 Miata. We love it so far. I just sold a
>> 1970 VW Karmann Ghia and am switching from the aircooled VW newsgroup to
>> here, so I am a newbie. My first question is this. When following the car
>> home after we bought it, we noticed that the speedometer seems to be off.
>> When the car is going 65 (according to the car following) the speedometer
>> reads 70. I thought it might be attributable to the 50 series tires that
>> are on the car, but we have the Leather Package which includes the Touring
>> Package which had 50 series tires on it from the factory (I thought maybe
>> they were added later).
>>
>> I am not as concerned about the speedometer being off as the RPM range the
>> car is in when driving 65 MPH. The car revs at 3,700 RPM. This seems
>> excessive, but being new to Miatas it may be OK. Is this RPM normal for
>> driving at 65 in a Miata.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your help and I hope to be a regular on this
>> newsgroup.
>>
>> Brian Turner
>>
>>
>My 94 was higher rev, if you don't hold to 5k+ regularly you're not
>enjoying the car enough. If you occasionally get that hydraulic lifter
>noise after a good run you're in the ballpark, if you get it every time
>you be runnin her a little hard. My new 04 MSpeed has a better torque
>curve that and the 6 speed keeps the average rev down a bit. First gear
>is a shorter run though took abit to get used to shifting her fast
>enough not hit the limitered. 4k'ish is a good spot for driving S-curves
>and about where she sits at 80 mph in 6th.

Thanks for your response. The tires on my '99 are 195/50 R-15. This
was the stock wheel and tire combination for the leather option that
year. The tires are worn down to the wear bars which might confirm
your theory that the tires are smaller in diameter. When I replace the
tires I hope to se a little reduction in RPM. Being a first time
owner, I need to get used to the little nuances of the vehicle, like
the high RPM, the incorrect speedometer, the check engine light and
the dipping idle.

Brian Turner


jchase > wrote in message >...
> > Brian Turner wrote:
> >
> >> My wife and I just bought a 1999 Miata. We love it so far.
> >> I am not as concerned about the speedometer being off as the RPM range
> >> the
> >> car is in when driving 65 MPH. The car revs at 3,700 RPM. This seems
> >> excessive, but being new to Miatas it may be OK. Is this RPM normal for
> >> driving at 65 in a Miata.
> >>
> >> Thanks in advance for your help and I hope to be a regular on this
> >> newsgroup.
> >>
>
> With stock tires/wheels, my '99 runs about 20mph/1000rpm in top gear-
> that is, 3000rpm at 50, and near 3300 at 65. Yours sounds a bit high,
> so perhaps the current tires are not quite the same diameter as the
> originals. (Note- 50-series tires are NOT the original fit on 14"
> wheels; mine are 55's).
>
> On the other hand, if your speedo is off, the numbers could be
> different. Double-check your speed with a handheld GPS, or just by
> timing between two mile markers on the freeway while holding an
> indicated 60mph (which should be obviously one minute).
>
> The Miata engine, based on a never-produced late 1980's turbo motor
> design for the 323, is extemely durable and doesn't seem to mind the RPM
> at all; many have achieved far beyond 100,000 miles with no problem.
> The secondary intake runners in the '99 open at about 3500, so running
> near that speed actually gives a bit better response for passing manouvers.
>
> Keep changing the oil, and keep driving!
>
> Joe
> Silver '99

Not sure what "dipping idle" is. Are you using you A/c? yThat will cause the
idle to change.
Larry Hill

I need to get used to the little nuances of the vehicle, like
>the high RPM, the incorrect speedometer, the check engine light and
>the dipping idle.

Me > wrote:

>I had the same qualms when I first experienced the Miata's high
>revving ways. It's just geared that way and you'll get used to it and
>even come to enjoy the sound.
>
>My 93' has a variable tach--sometimes over 4K at 75mph, sometimes
>under and I'm even used to that.
>
>My speedometer was dead on, then I switched tires--supposedly exactly
>the same diameter-- and now it's about 3 MPH off. Go figure.

The were the same listed dimensions, which is the size the
manufacturer sells them as. To get the actual size, you need
the manufacturer's tire-specific data.

Don't ask me why the manufacturers do not produce consistent
tire dimensions. If I could figure that out, I would be
famous explaining why Microsoft cannot follow the established
standards of the software they copy from others.

Leon

>The upside--top down of a sunny day on the Pacific Coast Highway and
>the smile it puts on my face far outweighs everything else.
>
>
>JJ
>
>
>On Sun, 12 Sep 2004 15:42:26 -0400, "Brian Turner"
> wrote:
>
>>My wife and I just bought a 1999 Miata. We love it so far. I just sold a
>>1970 VW Karmann Ghia and am switching from the aircooled VW newsgroup to
>>here, so I am a newbie. My first question is this. When following the car
>>home after we bought it, we noticed that the speedometer seems to be off.
>>When the car is going 65 (according to the car following) the speedometer
>>reads 70. I thought it might be attributable to the 50 series tires that
>>are on the car, but we have the Leather Package which includes the Touring
>>Package which had 50 series tires on it from the factory (I thought maybe
>>they were added later).
>>
>>I am not as concerned about the speedometer being off as the RPM range the
>>car is in when driving 65 MPH. The car revs at 3,700 RPM. This seems
>>excessive, but being new to Miatas it may be OK. Is this RPM normal for
>>driving at 65 in a Miata.
>>
>>Thanks in advance for your help and I hope to be a regular on this
>>newsgroup.
>>
>>Brian Turner
>>

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)

"Brian Turner" > wrote in message
om...
> Thanks for your response. The tires on my '99 are 195/50 R-15. This
> was the stock wheel and tire combination for the leather option that
> year. The tires are worn down to the wear bars which might confirm
> your theory that the tires are smaller in diameter. When I replace the
> tires I hope to se a little reduction in RPM. Being a first time
> owner, I need to get used to the little nuances of the vehicle, like
> the high RPM, the incorrect speedometer, the check engine light and
> the dipping idle.
>
> Brian Turner
>


you won't SEE any reduction in RPM at a specific MPH !
you haven't changed any gearing between the engine and the final drive.
you may go a few MPH faster at a specific RPM, but that's because your new
tires may have a greater circumference, and cover a bit more highway per
revolution... but your speedo/tach won't reflect any change.

Pete

WRONG! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
The diameter of the tire is a part of the overal gear ratio equation.
Larry Hill


>you may go a few MPH faster at a specific RPM, but that's because your new
>tires may have a greater circumference, and cover a bit more highway per
>revolution... but your speedo/tach won't reflect any change.

"Larry Hill" > wrote in message
...
> WRONG! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
> The diameter of the tire is a part of the overal gear ratio equation.
That's quite right, but the speedometer doesn't measure the *actual* speed
of the vehicle over the ground it effectively measures how fast the
*differential* is rotating. That is, it is really just a "rev counter" for
the driven wheels which has the face calibrated in mph/kph and not rpm. The
value shown on the speedometer is therefore only correct for one wheel/tyre
rolling radius. So, changing the tyre diameter will indeed change the
overall gearing and hence the *true* "speed over the ground" value BUT the
value shown ON THE SPEEDOMETER will not change since for any give gear/rpm
combination the differential is still rotating at the same speed.

SteveM

But,but,but... I agree. larry hill