Got any Miata peeves? Or hidden likes?

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

In article
>,
wrote:

> So, we all know the Miata has driving fun covered. In a big way! But
> what about things that are not so great?

Of course, the car's year makes a difference. I have an NA, and
considering the technology (and market) when it was designed in the mid
'80s, it's hard to quibble with any of the compromises Mazda chose.

Its NVH was actually pretty good for convertibles of the era. So was its
acceleration. As a modern interpretation of the British roadster, it was
a home run.

Still, there must have been SOME way to eke out another inch or two of
legroom.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

On Thu, 4 Jun 2009 06:27:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

>Small peeves
>- Horn

Very easily replaced.

>- Cup holder location (can live with it by now, though)

Why would an actual sports car have a cup holder?

>- Sun visors unscrew themselves (oh, and they barely do anything)

Which is why I removed mine the first day I had the car. 8

>Medium
>- Would be nice if I could beat a Camry in a straight line

But that's not the point of a Miata. Imagine what the Miata would be like if it
could out-drag every non-two seater in the world.

>Large
>- noise, vibration & ride harshness, especially on textured interstate
>(if not for this, I might not ever think about getting another fun
>car)

Nor is interstate travel.

Honestly, you don't sound like a good match for a Miata.

-- Larry

on the na, the horn and the front license plate bracket are my only
complaints.
there doesn't seem to be a good solution for the license plate bracket and
so any city dweler that parallel parks will have a unpleasent looking front
dented up front plate. for the horn, this is a great remedy...
http://www.thompson-automotive.com/Air_Horn.html

> wrote in message
...
> 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
>

On Jun 4, 9:04*am, wrote:
> On Thu, 4 Jun 2009 06:27:34 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
> >Small peeves
> >- Horn
>
> Very easily replaced.
>
> >- Cup holder location (can live with it by now, though)
>
> Why would an actual sports car have a cup holder?

Okay, but aren't you at all glad the Miata has a useable trunk
(unlike, say, the Solstice)? Or almost never breaks down? Some
things may not be about being a "real" sports car, but some people
like having 'em.

> >- Sun visors unscrew themselves (oh, and they barely do anything)
>
> Which is why I removed mine the first day I had the car. 8
>
> >Medium
> >- Would be nice if I could beat a Camry in a straight line
>
> But that's not the point of a Miata. Imagine what the Miata would be like if it
> could out-drag every non-two seater in the world.

Hey, I'm not one of those guys who shoehorn a V8 in there. But can't
we do just a little better than 8 seconds 0-60? Judging from the
04-05 Mazdaspeeds and the NCs (as well as all the aftermarket stuff),
I'm not the only one who ever felt this way.

> >Large
> >- noise, vibration & ride harshness, especially on textured interstate
> >(if not for this, I might not ever think about getting another fun
> >car)
>
> Nor is interstate travel.

I don't go out of my way to do interstate, but sometimes it makes the
most sense.

> Honestly, you don't sound like a good match for a Miata.

Partial match, I guess. It's hard to beat for fun, and I certainly
like it well enough to be driving it for a while. But I can't swear
I'll never take a look at a used Boxster the rest of my life.

On 2009-06-04, Christopher Muto > wrote:

> on the na, the horn and the front license plate bracket are my
> only complaints. there doesn't seem to be a good solution for
> the license plate bracket

Depending on how picky the local constabulary is, simply
removing might be an option. I went for about 10 years w/o a
front license place and only got two "fix-it" tickets for it.
I put it back on last summer, and I promptly got two nice
little holes punched in my front bumper cover by the plate
mounting bolts.

> and so any city dweler that parallel parks will have a
> unpleasent looking front dented up front plate.

I've heard of people mounting them "in the mouth", but none of
the Miata's I've had could stand the reduction in air-flow
through the radiator on a hot day.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Gee, I feel kind of
at LIGHT in the head now,
visi.com knowing I can't make my
satellite dish PAYMENTS!

On Thu, 4 Jun 2009 13:53:32 -0400, "Christopher Muto" >
wrote:

>there doesn't seem to be a good solution for the license plate bracket...

Move to a state that doesn't require a front plate?

Depends on your definition of "good," I guess. 8

-- Larry

Christopher Muto wrote:
> on the na, the horn and the front license plate bracket are my only
> complaints.
> there doesn't seem to be a good solution for the license plate bracket and
> so any city dweler that parallel parks will have a unpleasent looking front
> dented up front plate.
looking at the4
site you provided i found a front plate solution,,,well kinda.
look under the last red line at the bottom
http://www.thompson-automotive.com/T...tive_Home.html

for the horn, this is a great remedy...
> http://www.thompson-automotive.com/Air_Horn.html
>

yes, i like waking up the twits who drift...my 93 bmw k1100 lt bike
sounds like a 68 buick

this is a direct link...

http://www.thompson-automotive.com/D...ing_plate.html

wrote:
> Small peeves
> - Horn
> - Cup holder location (can live with it by now, though)

('06 NC)
Even though once you get used to them, they are still very inconvenient
- especially when trying to use the shifter with a cuppa in either
center holder.

> - Sun visors unscrew themselves (oh, and they barely do anything)
>
> Medium
> - Would be nice if I could beat a Camry in a straight line

Not a big deal to us -um- mature Miata drivers.
It's a kick to put it in 1st at a green light, wind it up a bit so it
sounds intimidating, then watch as bubbas mash the pedal on their
Camry/pickup truck/SUV/compact POS.

> Large
> - noise, vibration & ride harshness, especially on textured interstate
> (if not for this, I might not ever think about getting another fun
> car)

Interstate? The MX5 encourages us to use alternate roads!

> Hidden like
> - Trip odometer works in reverse
>