MX-5 Commuter?

I have a '05 MazdaSpeed, this is how I use it and I have an opinion...

I live in the country outside a smaller city in coastal northern California. I don't have the humidity that you have to deal with, but we do have some fog in the morning. I get to drive on some hilly and winding roads as part of my commute and I do have to drive down a major highway for about 4 miles and then through a bit of town to get to my office. My commute is about 20 miles and takes me 25 minutes each way. Unfortunately those winding roads have speed limits. I've been reminded by the highway patrol...twice.

I get 25-26 mpg consistently. I have a turbocharger which I do not believe is available on the '06 Miata's so I cannot comment on the mileage.

Absolutely! :-)

In the '05, it takes about 10 seconds to drop or lift the top. It takes longer to comb my hair at the end of the drive and I'm not kidding.

I've had mine for 20 months, so I don't know about "long-term" satisfaction, but mid-term can not be described as anything less than "enthusiastically satisfied". No, no, that really doesn't express my intense level of satisfaction.

I have 26K miles on it now and just bought a set of tires. I changed the oil every 3000-4000 miles religiously. The fuel pump failed last year within warranty and Mazda paid for a tow to the nearest dealer (about 25 miles). They loaned me a new Miata for the day and the repair did not cost me a penny. The loaner didn't have a turbo and I realized how happy I am to have one in my Miata.

You're welcome! I hope this helps.

-Bob

I have an MSM too. I'm getting around 21-ish mpg. I think I'd do better if I could stay out of the turbo. I admit I normally lose that battle. I do ok and then I hit a stretch of open road... Damn this thing is fun.

I took a couple of folks for rides who were pretty much amazed by the whole experience. The wife's uncle is looking for one right now. These things are addictive.

Anyway I'd totally get a Miata. They're great. Even the morning commute is more fun with the top down in a zippy little car. You can't help but smile.

This won't be a benchmark in my case...hair started disappearing 10 yrs. and several thousand miles ago!

Was that still covered under warranty?

No, more likely a hat.

Short trips, long trips, whatever--for us, the Miata is the car of choice when cargo space isn't a factor. We take it on 5000-mile camping vacations!

One test drive should tell you whether or not you're a roadster kinda guy. If you are, it will turn your commute into the best part of your day. I'd expect around 30 mpg from a 2006 when you're not flogging it.

I heard no screams and found no bloodtrail, so it looks like you were fast enough to cause me to miss. You are still pretty spry despite your advanced years. ;-)

Going bald has many advantages. It saves on combs and shampoo/conditioner and shaves a gram or so off of your total autocross weight. It also gives you the option of doing that really cool-looking combover hairstyle.....

Pat

A bit of a counterpoint ...

I have the 6-speed. Get 25+ in normal suburban/rural, maybe 30-32 in highway cruise?

Here's a key. Top down I love the car. But you will get hot on a

90+ degree day with the sun baking you. On a long highway drive, you may get fatigued (many use earplugs). This car is loud at highway cruise, as is most any convertible. But it is also revving higher. To an afficionado, that sound is pleasant. But with top up, the sound resonates and it is far less so. Plus the left-rear blindspot (again, like most 'verts) is huge. I get paranoid about traffic then. Far, far less enjoyable with the top up. Which in the midwest, I assume means most of 4-5 months if indeed your dialy commuter. Also, I find the seat less than comfortable on a long drive, but that varies. If it helps, I have an '01.

No problem there. You just have to know what you are buying.

But as you can tell, I wouldn't make it my only car. It would be fine as an alternate commuter which I would use 1/2 to 2/3 of the time. I put mine way for the winter months (and miss it).

I am on my second Miata (changed by choice, not because the car wore out) ; ) First one was a 95 Automatic- daily commute was about 10 miles each way

- Top down, whenever the sun was not blistering hot - I also live in a mid-sized town (200K), on the plains of Texas, so I have heat, but not much humidity. - Mileage was 23-25. Drove it other than the daily drive

- autocross, etc. Now own a 2005 - 6-Spd. Commute dropped to about 3 miles each way. Mileage is 24-26 around town. Top down every morning on the way to work, and most afternoons on the way home. My wife doesn't like to drive it in town- too much shifting - but I love it -

Good Luck - Many Smiles - Drive > Seeking opinions about using an MX-5 Miata as a daily driver - and

In which case you might want to consider one of these

:-) Apart from anything else it'll make an astounding difference to your mpg.... Eric

Yeah, I'm hoping that one day I'll be bald so I can look like Max Bialystok (Zero Mostel) in "The Producers." His combover started somewhere south of his earlobe.

I live in a mid-sized city and commute 3 miles one-way through town in a northeastern climate. Belle has been my daily driver since I brought her home.

My 1990 is still getting 27-28 mpg in town with the 5-speed trans. I average 36-38 on the highway.

Top-down is definitely the best. ;-) Some folks have mentioned some lumbar discomfort on long rides but I haven't found that to be true for myself.

Well, I've owned my Miata for 11-1/2 years now and am as satisfied as the day I brought her home! And I'm also a 50+ year old driver now.

The best thing to do is to test drive as many Miatas as you can to find the exact one that "fits" you best. Contact your local Miata club (check

for info on clubs) and ask your questions there too. You'll find that most Miata owners are *extremely* happy with their little cars and more than willing to talk about them with you in the hopes of infecting you with the Miata spirit!

Also spend some quality time at

just reading - there's loads of info for both new and long-time owners there.

Iva & Belle.) '90B Classic Red.) #3 winkin' Miata

MY '96 has gotten only around 23 mpg in city driving since it was new.

Best combover ever was a former Mayor of Boston; Kevin Hagen White. Still teaching as a prof at Boston University.

It would be an alternate to the Suzuki SV650.

A very nice bike and I seriously considered picking one up. They're a good buy for the same reason the Miata is: balanced handling, peppy, rational layout, excellent reliability and value. They don't stand out compared to the endless sea of custom Harleys and hard-core sport bikes, but that's makes them so desirable. Like the Miata, they just make sense.

Exactly why I have an asphalt black Honda 919 to go with my black '95R!

-- Larry

CR,

I owned a 1999 as a daily driver in NYC. Great commuter car.

I always averaged 24-25 mpg no matter how hard i drove the thing.

Very, (i'm 6'2") One bonus, you can't chat on a cell phone with the top down. People stopped calling me when I was driving...(thank god for small favors)

Would buy one in a heart beat if I can find a place to park the thing.

See if you can rent one somewhere. Then you'll be hooked like the rest of us.

S

This is very good advice. To be honest, I find that I like my '95 the best when I have the hardtop attached. It removes the B-pillar blind-spot and quiets the car, but then again, I've gone on record as saying that I would prefer a Miata coupe.

Don't buy the Miata because it's a convertible; buy it because it's a fabulous-handling, lightweight sports car. These days I do drive the Miata around town only with the top down, but I find it to be a tiring experience sometimes and have been looking for an RX-8 for about a year now. Yes, I'm so picky that it takes that long to find a car.

Prezactly. I don't drive mine much in the winter (2-3 times) and I definitely wouldn't want it as my only car. I tried that and it just doesn't work, and no matter how many people assure you that a Miata is their only car, there are just a lot of things that you can't do with one, namely carrying more than one other person.

I find it extremely hard to believe that you're averaging 36-38 mpg on the highway. The car is rated at 30 mpg on the highway and usually it's difficult to approach even that, considering the ridiculous EPA testing procedures and the high gearing of the car. I'm not sure that I've ever gotten more than 30 mpg in my '95 1.8-liter car.