Got any Miata peeves? Or hidden likes?

Iva wrote:
> XS11E wrote:
>> wrote:
>>
>>> So, we all know the Miata has driving fun covered. In a big
>>> way!
>>> But what about things that are not so great? Or things you
>>> like
>>> that are less talked-about.
>> MAJOR PEEVE! Want gorgeous young bikini clad girl for passenger
>> seat,
>> must like old, cranky, bald, homely guys!
>
> Heh - I'd like a gorgeous, young, speedo clad boy toy for the
> passenger seat in my Miata. Must like aging, graying older
> women!
>
>> I wouldn't mind a bit more foot room but it's not really a
>> peeve.
>
> Not for me - the leg room is perfect. Of course, I'm vertically
> challenged. <g>
>
>> I could ask for more legroom but there's only one car I've ever
>> owned
>> that had adequate legroom for me, that was a 1950 Mercury Club
>> Coupe,
>> with the driver's seat all the way back I couldn't hold the
>> clutch all
>> the way down by about 1/4".
>>
>> I wouldn't mind another 250 horse power but then I'd just get
>> more
>> tickets, the stock 1.6L will exceed the legal speed anywhere
>> I've
>> driven.
>
> Amen, brother. Particularly since mine is "ticket me officer"
> red.
>
>> I'd have to say the only real peeve is the top mechanism, it's
>> difficult for me to raise w/o getting out of the car. NB's are
>> a
>> little better, NC's are fine.
>
> With a roll bar, the NB is not so great - I still have to get out
> to put up the top.
>
>> I wish that close examination of the '63-'67 (don't know about
>> later
>> ones) Corvette top mechanism was required for anyone designing
>> a
>> convertible.... No tonneau needed, effortless up and down from
>> driver's
>> seat, no rain drains to clog, no rain rail to worry about.
>> Additionally it was light weight, very simple, little to go
>> wrong.
>> Every 50 years or so Chevrolet will do something right but I'm
>> always
>> surprised when they do.
>
> Compared to my 1968 MGB, putting the top up on the Miata is a
> breeze. Or rather, a lack thereof. <G>

Compared to putting up the original Whitco top on my CJ-7, *anything* is a
breeze.

--
Dale Beckett

On Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:28:47 -0400, Iva wrote:
> XS11E wrote:
>
> With a roll bar, the NB is not so great - I still have to get out to
> put up the top.
>
>> I wish that close examination of the '63-'67 (don't know about later
>> ones) Corvette top mechanism was required for anyone designing a
>> convertible.... No tonneau needed, effortless up and down from
>> driver's seat, no rain drains to clog, no rain rail to worry about.
>> Additionally it was light weight, very simple, little to go wrong.
>> Every 50 years or so Chevrolet will do something right but I'm always
>> surprised when they do.
>
> Compared to my 1968 MGB, putting the top up on the Miata is a breeze.
> Or rather, a lack thereof. <G>

Well, I don't have a roll bar in my 2004, so putting the top up is
simplicity itself. Feel a raindrop at a light? Reach back, grab the
handle, pull. The whole operation takes only a few seconds. Dropping the
top is even easier. When I got the car I was amazed by how easy that top
was to get up and down. I sat in the drive way, up, down, up, down... My
wife took a picture of me that day from the upstairs landing, sitting in
it with the top down and grinning like a fool. I guess it's just that
kind of car.

On Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:27:34 -0700, earache wrote:

> So, we all know the Miata has driving fun covered. In a big way! But
> what about things that are not so great? Or things you like that are
> less talked-about. Here are some of mine!
>
> Small peeves - Horn - Cup holder location (can live with it by now,
> though) - Sun visors unscrew themselves (oh, and they barely do
> anything)
>
> Medium - Would be nice if I could beat a Camry in a straight line
>
> Large - noise, vibration & ride harshness, especially on textured
> interstate (if not for this, I might not ever think about getting
> another fun car)
>
> Hidden like - Trip odometer works in reverse

Well, first of all I am *never* getting rid of this car, so the peeves
listed below are things I can live with.

I have a 2004 Mazdaspeed, theoretically the sports model. The suspension
is too soft! I think it was made that way to accommodate the heavy 17"
wheels it came with, but I have replaced those with much lighter 16"'s.
I believe it has Bilstein shocks. Possibly things can be improved quite
a bit with springs and rollbars. The problem is, the wife is in grad
school and we're living off one income, and well, we can't afford it
right now.

Turbo lag. Mazda was extremely conservative in designing this engine.
Now this I know exactly how to fix: pick up Flyin Miata's intake kit,
downpipe, exhaust, signal rectifier, and while I'm at it a larger
intercooler. Don't have the money for any of that either, or it would
have happened soon after the car went out of warranty.

On Sun, 07 Jun 2009 13:51:17 +0000, Carbon wrote:

> Well, first of all I am *never* getting rid of this car, so the peeves
> listed below are things I can live with.
>
> I have a 2004 Mazdaspeed, theoretically the sports model. The
> suspension is too soft! I think it was made that way to accommodate
> the heavy 17" wheels it came with, but I have replaced those with much
> lighter 16"'s. I believe it has Bilstein shocks. Possibly things can
> be improved quite a bit with springs and rollbars. The problem is, the
> wife is in grad school and we're living off one income, and well, we
> can't afford it right now.
>
> Turbo lag. Mazda was extremely conservative in designing this engine.
> Now this I know exactly how to fix: pick up Flyin Miata's intake kit,
> downpipe, exhaust, signal rectifier, and while I'm at it a larger
> intercooler. Don't have the money for any of that either, or it would
> have happened soon after the car went out of warranty.

Couple mo

6-speed transmission is vague. I hear the 5-speed is much better and I
would have gotten that if I had the choice.

Final drive ration is way too short. It might be about right with 116
hp. But shifting into third before you clear the intersection is just
crazy.

On the other hand, there is nothing like it for tooling around town in
the evening, or blasting around corners. I can take right turns without
slowing down at all. Try doing that in an SUV!

<snip>

On 6-Jun-2009, "Iva" > wrote:

> With a roll bar, the NB is not so great - I still have to get out
> to put up the top.
>
> Compared to my 1968 MGB, putting the top up on the Miata is a
> breeze. Or rather, a lack thereof. <G>
>
> Iva & Vixen
> 2004 Classic Red
> No more winkin' Miata

I took a short cat leash, cut off the 'dog' clip and clamped a knot under
the handle in the front header of the top. Flip the leash over the roll
bar and you can yank the top up without having to get out.
Doesn't work well with a plastic window though. Your 'noodle' gets dirty.
;{(
Ephar & Bambi
'92 Classic Red

Ephar wrote:
> On 6-Jun-2009, "Iva" > wrote:
>
>> With a roll bar, the NB is not so great - I still have to get
>> out
>> to put up the top.
>>
>> Compared to my 1968 MGB, putting the top up on the Miata is a
>> breeze. Or rather, a lack thereof. <G>
>>
> I took a short cat leash, cut off the 'dog' clip and clamped a
> knot under
> the handle in the front header of the top. Flip the leash
> over the roll
> bar and you can yank the top up without having to get out.
> Doesn't work well with a plastic window though. Your 'noodle'
> gets dirty.
> ;{(

I'll have to give that a try. Particularly now that I have a
spare cat leash. Our polydactyl, who was the only one that
enjoyed "walkies", went to the Rainbow Bridge in December. ;-(

Iva & Vixen
2004 Classic Red
No more winkin' Miata