Any tips on buying a used NB? [Archive] (2024)

G-daddy

16th April 2010, 00:24

Hi all, new member here! I'm currently on the market for a used Miata. I'm on a budget, so the cars I've been looking at so far are limited to the early model years, 99-01.

This is my first time buying a used car (or a car for that matter), so it'd be great if you guys can give me some advice.

1) From research, I found out that the 99-00 have a coil pack issue; is this annoying enough that I should avoid 99-00 altogether and go for 01?

2) How much mileage is acceptable for a reliable daily driver? I plan on doing some track days as well (I know it's not all about mileage, but it's also about the maintenance and how the car was previously driven).

3) I will be studying and making use of the "Buying a used Miata Guide" on your main site, but I'm wondering if there's anything else that I should know/look out for for the NB.

I'd greatly appreciate any comments, thanks for your help, guys!:thumbs:

2ndGearRubber

16th April 2010, 01:11

1) Not all 99's have that issue. It only affects some 99's and other miatas can still be affected.

2) Miata's are generally builtproof, but if you plan to own it for a long time, I'd go for 100k or less. Every mile the car comes with is one you don't get to put on the car. That being said, many miatas live happy, worry free lives well into their 200s.

3) On VERY low mileage 99's (25,000mi or below) there is a chance of the #4 thrust bearing failing. But at the mileage most 99's have, it isn't an issue. The '01 cars have VVT, which I dislike due to my purist views. It adds a bit of mpg, but not a whole lot. The '01+ cars also gained some weight. IMHO, 99-00 miatas are the best NBs, but I own a 99, so what do you expect. :rolleyes:

Jerry & Cootie

16th April 2010, 05:03

There is a lot of good information in the FAQ's about buying a used Miata, http://www.miata.net/faq/faq2.html#A

I have a 2002 VVT and my total break downs amount to one dashlight bulb and a fifty buck O2 sensor in 130,000 miles. Certainly nothing to worry about.

Take a good mechanic with you, be observant, look for sludge in, around and under the car, look for sloppy work, rounded off nuts and bolts, rust, sand and silt, repainted surfaces, seat, pedal and windshield wear that doesn't match the odo. Cheap, bargain basem*nt tires that do not belong on a Miata spell non car person IMHO.

502of3k

16th April 2010, 09:03

JeffBloch

16th April 2010, 09:40

If you're on a budget and plan on doing track days or autocross, then make sure you include those additional costs when setting your car purchase budget. Rollbar, suspension, tires/wheels, and entry fees add up to a lot.

I bought my '01 in October and in hindsight wish I spent a bit less on a higher mileage or older car so I could spend a bit more on tires and suspension.

Dorrin79

16th April 2010, 10:39

I was in your shoes about a year ago, looking for a miata on the cheap to use as a daily driver and track toy as I was tired of getting 15mpg in my RX-8 to and from work, had some extra money in my pocket and had always wanted a Miata. I had a budget of $4K for the car and had expected to end up with a 1st-gen car when I stumbled across a '99 for $3950 on craigslist.

The car was pretty rough and high mileage (130K) - but mechanically sound. It was a local Texas car it's whole life and had no hints of rust. Everything worked correctly, and it had a LSD which I wanted. Due to the cosmetic issues (further detailed below) the seller took my offer of $3750 and away we went.

Since then, here's a list of maintenance and upgrades that have gone into the car: note that none of these actually failed and required immediate replacement. All maintenance on the car has been preventative. I've also done nearly all the work myself or with a friend's help; obviously your costs will be higher if you paid a mechanic to do all this!
1) spark plugs and wires - $50
2) new accessory belts - $30
3) new radiator and radiator hoses, coolant - $120
4) replaced diff and trans fluids - $75
5) oil change to synthetic - $30
6) fuel filter - $30
7) new brakes/rotors/stainless lines/brake and clutch fluid replacement - $400
8) new floormats and seat covers - $200
9) headlight bulb - $15

in addition to the above mainenance, I made the following upgrades:
1) new wheels and tires (C1M 15x7 with Kumho Ecsta XS) via Tire Rack - ~$1000
2) HardDog HardCore HardTop M2 double-diagonal roll bar with pad and pad cover - $600
3) Racing Beat intake - $250
4) visor delete with blanking plates - $10
5) accelerator pedal extension - $20

I also got a donor top from a friend's project miata for free - the original 10-year-old top on the car was starting to fail pretty badly. A good replacement would normally run you ~$500 - and you would have to install it on the frame, which is a more serious project than anything I've attempted above.

So all in, I've spent about $1000 on maintenance, some of which was not strictly necessary, and another ~$2K on upgrades. In terms of time invested, all of the above work amounts to approximately 1 partial Saturday a month for the last year.

Next on the schedule? This Saturday I plan on replacing the valve cover gasket (slow oil leak) and the shift boots (total part cost about $100, including a quart of gear oil to refill the turret). I have a 01 header to replace the terrible '99 stock header but haven't had time to wrestle the old one off. I also need a new cat before it is up for inspection this summer - probably going to go the cheap route and get a universal magnaflow or something welded in.

Finally, it does have some paint blemishes all around - some deep scratches on the rear passenger quarter-panel, and a big chunk of paint missing on the front bumper. Apart from those it looks good from 10 feet with a coat of wax, although a close inspection reveals lots of little dings, chips, and swirls. That's my only real 'regret' on the car - although it doesn't bother me when I'm driving around with the top down!

All things considered the experience has been FANTASTIC! The Miata is a great learning platform for all things mechanical as it is simple, sturdy and has plenty of access room under the hood. Parts are cheap and readily available, too. I now feel like I can work on a car, whereas before owning the Miata I hadn't even changed my own oil!

The driving experience is fantastic as well. The Miata is significantly slower than my RX8, but it is more engaging to drive and honestly *feels* faster when zipping around. ~28 mpg is a nice bonus as well, and the insurance cost is a mere ~$40/month added to my policy.

Plus, my 3-year old daughter likes it. She constantly asks if she is old enough to drive it :)

skidude108

16th April 2010, 11:51

I just purchased a 2002, my advice is don't settle for one that doesn't fit your criteria. I almost did and now I am very glad I didn't.

My requirements were pretty simple: 2002-2005 (Wanted an NB and the bank wouldn't give me a loan for anything older than a 2002), not red, manual transmission, under 10k, not driven in the winter. I didn't care about mileage or 5/6 speed, or really even whether the engine ran as it's getting ripped out this winter in favor of more cylinders.

The first car I looked at was a perfect green 2002, with only 23k miles, asking $9800. They sold that one before I could make it back with the check. -Bummer
The second car was a silver 2004 with 44k miles, at a dealership with sleazy salesmen who never did tell me what they were asking, but they pretended to be all insulted when I wouldn't go over the $10k I told them was my budget.
The third car was a 2003 shinsen, with 60k miles. I was all set to buy that one even though it had been driven in the winter and had some surface rust on brackets in the engine bay and on the exhaust, but I backed out at the last minute because I just couldn't get myself excited about it even though I LOVED the color and features of the car.
The fourth, and final, car I looked at was a white 2002 with 47k miles being sold by a local guy who had bought to a C5 corvette. He was a very nice man, and very pleasant to deal with, and the car was perfect save for a few minor issues (yellowing headlights, radio didn't work, interior light didn't work, check engine light was on intermittently) ended up getting this one for $8500 and I have been very happy with my purchase. I had every issue with that car fixed within 3 days of purchase, including the yellowing headlights, for less than $35.

I guess the short version of that would be to shop around, and if there is anything wrong with one car and you're not sure if it's really the car for you, it probably isn't. There are plenty of these cars out there. Take your time and buy the one you want instead of one that is ALMOST perfect.

mywong23

16th April 2010, 15:56

G-daddy

16th April 2010, 21:20

Thanks for all the tips guys! I'll keep this all in mind when shopping. I'm aiming for something between 60K-70K miles, 80K tops and under $9K. I'll probably upgrade in a few years time, but at the moment, I believe the Miata is one of the better cars to learn to track + mod, plus the insurance is dirt cheap for someone under 25.

Since this is going to be my DD, what do you guys think of the interior upgrade of the 01? I think I'm liking it more. Or maybe I've been looking at too many of the higher end LS versions, lol.

1)

3) On VERY low mileage 99's (25,000mi or below) there is a chance of the #4 thrust bearing failing. But at the mileage most 99's have, it isn't an issue. The '01 cars have VVT, which I dislike due to my purist views. It adds a bit of mpg, but not a whole lot. The '01+ cars also gained some weight. IMHO, 99-00 miatas are the best NBs, but I own a 99, so what do you expect. :rolleyes:

What don't you like about the VVT? Fill me in on the pros/cons, I'm really interested. Thanks!

funpig

17th April 2010, 03:21

Air conditioning and matching hard top, if possible.

The hardtop really changes the look of the car and is great for the colder weather. A lot of Canadian Nb's didn't come with a/c. Mine doesn't have it and I wish it did.

Late last year, there was a '99 with a thrust bearing failure on craigslist in Vancouver, so that problem still pops up. And I never understood the logic of buying a higher mileage car so you have a better chance that the thrust bearing is less likely to fail. My thought is why take a chance? Besides which is generally better, an 11 year old car or a 5 year old car?

V8KO

17th April 2010, 12:36

"Any tips on buying a used NB?"

Patience.

Thumper 13

17th April 2010, 12:53

cotenseto

18th April 2010, 12:20

What don't you like about the VVT? Fill me in on the pros/cons, I'm really interested. Thanks!

If memory serves the VVT requires you go with premium fuel. One thing I enjoy about my 99 10AE is 87 octane is fine.

Yes, with VVT mileage may be slightly higher but the premium you pay for high octane gas negates that savings and thensome.

Also, I think if you're looking for a 99-00 NB with that many miles, you should be able to get it for WAY less than $9k... although right now (Spring) is the most expensive time to buy since the Spring/Summer/Fall driving seasons are all in front of us.

Good luck,

c

bellamia

18th April 2010, 14:59

G.

Don't know what else to add: others have mentioned "drive at least 3" and "patience"...all good advice. "bout the only thing I could add is....you can't go wrong. These things are total fun and reliable. Parts are cheap and they're easy to work on. Just drive a bunch and you'll find what you like/don't like and then you can form a good opinion on just what YOU want.
And this forum is THE place for good information/inovation/upgrades. So many knowledgible/friendly/helpful people here.