99 miata w/automatic

I guess, it's more than a performance defacit. That's a lesser issue. I think most would agree that losing part of the feeling of perfect balance between the car and the driver is the bigger issue. Coming out of a corner right on the edge of adhesion or wherever you feel comfortable, and being in the perfect gear to accelerate out. Downshifting going into a corner, these cars are all about driver involvement and maybe you lose just a bit of that. It's not the end of the world, it's a more entertaining, involving car than most automatics but you don't have the grunt force of a v8 to motivate you. To really go in these cars you must use the full rpm range and that's best done with a manual. There are tons of miatas out there, be patient and drive both transmissions, then make the best choice for you 5s p ee d5s pee d5s pee d5s p ee d (subliminal message ;-)

Chris

An automatic in good condition is likely going to be harder to find as well. I have lost track of how many miatas I have driven, the number has to be over 40 by now, and I still have never driven one with an automatic transmission.

Of course, I wasn't even test-driving automatics when I bought the two that I have owned, so that is a factor, but I didn't see very many automatic miatas while searching for a car, and the ones that I have repaired or "borrowed" have all been 5-speeds.

Pat

My only comments are:

I had a 95 Automatic. It was a great car. It had the "hold" feature > i was looking at much newer miata's when i came across a 1999 w/auto

An automatic is easier to put a Turbo or Super Charger on as they have lower compression ratio which is good for adding boost.

I didn't realize they had a different compression ratio. I would think SC would be somewhat complementary to an automatic (if ya had to go auto).

Chris

99BBB

I happen to have a 99 auto, and although it sure is a fun car (absolutely no doubt about that), I personally think choosing an auto defeats the purpose of owning a Miata. I certainly should have thought about it a little more, but I didn't have enough time to look for the right combination back then. The only good thing I can think of is that auto Miata is somewhat rare, so it's quite popular among those who want to drive a Miata but don't know (or wouldn't want to learn, for that matter) how to drive a stick. __ sol

Some of the information that has been posted here about Miata automatics is not correct. It may be hard for you to get accurate information from the average Miata owner as 90% of them own, drive, and love their manual transmission.

I have driven both manual and automatic transmission cars over the last 50 years. In '99 I purchased a used 1995 "M" Edition with an automatic. I liked it so much after just a few months that I traded it in on a new '99 auto (which I still own and drive.)

The automatic in the '99 was very well designed. It is reliable and durable, and will handle over 250rwhp if a high pressure turbo or supercharger is installed. The stock auto delivers about 110 rear wheel horsepower. The '99 uses a 4.10 ratio rear end which allows quieter highway cruising than the manual. The car will do over 40 mph in first and over 80 in second gear. There is no problem holding the auto in gear to fuel cutoff at 7200 rpm. The manual 5 speed has to shift into third at approximately 59 mph. This means that the automatic has some advantages in the 50 to 70 mph range. The auto is a little faster in second than the manual in third when passing at highway speeds. From a dead stop the manual has a real advantage with the ability to "wind her up and dump the clutch." The automatics are not equipped with the Torsen differential. If you want to be competitive in auto-crossing your car, buy an manual. (I have heard that the new paddle-shift 2007 six speed automatics have been winning some auto-cross events.)

In heavy stop and go traffic I appreciate not having to hold the clutch down. In the long haul, you don't have to worry about clutch replacement, release bearing noise, worn syncros, missed shifts, shifter maintenance, and the wear and tear on the engine which leads to repair or replacement. There are those that believe that an automatic transmission doesn't belong in a sports car. Yet, there seems to be a growing market for Corvettes, Porsches, and other brands for the automatic. It's a good idea to test drive a car, and if you like it...... buy it!

Many good points. I am able to set my own hours and usually avoid havy traffic, but today I would not have minded an automatic at all at 5:00 p.m.

True, but automatic transmission work is expensive, and used miata automatic transmissions in good condition are not common.

By contrast, you can find a 5-speed in good condition for very little money, and I can install it along with the clutch myself. I wouldn't touch the internals on an automatic transmission. The manual setup is amazingly simple by comparison, and it weighs less as well.

There is also still maintenance to be performed with both systems, and it is generally more difficult to do this on an automatic than with a manual.

My current 16 year old manual transmission has 147,000 miles on it and has had no problems, though the ACT3 clutch is much newer. The previous owner replaced it at 120,000 miles for the turbo, not because it was worn out.

There is that. At least that 5th instead of 3rd miss is not so bad with the turbo. ;-)

Why would the auto cause less wear and tear on the engine than the manual?

Nah, to each their own. In a car as small a miata, I really like a manual shifter. Imagine an Elise with an automatic. In something like a Corvette or other larger car, I would consider the auto. If you get 10 people together, you would be lucky to find 2 that agree on what a sports car is.

Excellent advice!

Pat

I would be checking the providance of a Miata Auto. I looked at hiring one on my last USA trip, all hire cars were Auto, including all Miatae. I suspect a high proportion of Miata Autos began life as hire cars.

I own a 1994 m-spec, r-spec (somewhat rare) with automatic transmission. It does have torsen differential. It goes really well - much faster than stock

1.6litre miatas even without using my nitrous kit. Since stock timing is retarded 2-3 degrees from manual transmission cars, little or no timing retard is required for nitrous kits. When run with torco fluid it is a bit harsh, but I would highly recommend it. I mostly drive it shifting manually, but the shift settings are quite liveable. Also, the transmission computer is located behind the passenger seat and it can be tweaked to alter performance from mild to brutal.

That's interesting, you're saying that me (or you), say shade-tree mechanic, can tweak the transmission computer? Can shift points be altered or, are you saying that just the 'firmness/directness" can be tweaked?

Chris

99BBB