driving across the US in a Miata

I am moving from NYC to San Fran this summer, and taking my girlfriend's '97 Miata convertible with me, leaving my Subaru behind for her to drive in the snow. The plan is to tow a class 1 trailer behind (just ordered a hitch) and to drive across the US, stopping here and there for sightseeing.

I am not a fan of sports cars (i.e. stiff suspensions, thin tires, and all that), so I am trying to think of a way of making our 3000 mile ride (and future my commutes across Silicon Valley) enjoyable. So far I can't stand being in the Miata for more than 30 min - please forgive me Miata fans :) It just feels like I am riding in a shopping cart.

What would you recommend me to do? Is there a way of converting the Mi into something more similar to the traditional commuter car?

Thanks! runnerXCskier

Reply to
revyakin
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Sunscreen, earplugs, and a good stereo.

Sure.

1) Sell the Miata. 2) Take the money and buy a Civic.

Presto-chango: instant boredom.

Reply to
Grant Edwards

Personally, I don't know that my Miata rides all that worse than a Subaru (at least my mother's Outback), but you could swap out the tires for something with "ride quality" as a selling point. It sounds like the bigger problem is the size of the car. In that case, lowering the roof does much to quell the claustrophobic feeling.

Probably not, other than the tire issue I spoke of. Have you thought of just trading the car for something else instead? Not that I'd recommend that, of course, but...

Reply to
tooloud

The Miata's towing capability is limited. In fact, Mazda says no towing at all. But many people do tow small trailers behind them.

The stock Miata does not have a stiff suspension (within reason). The stock 14' wheels do not have thin tires. Of course, if your GF's Miata is lowered with aftermarket springs and has big and heavy aftermarket wheels, you are out of luck. If not, make sure that you are running the correct tire pressure of 26 psi. Some simpleton mechanics think that the *maximum* pressure stated on the tire wall is the pressure to use. That is pretty disastrous for a light car as a Miata.

As you can see from

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do not seem to have that problem. I do have thick sheepskinseat covers that help maintain the circulation.

Yes, a hardtop will turn it into a noticeably more civilized car. A used one on miata.net will set you back about $800. (I assume you already keep the soft top up.) Dynamat can be added to trunk, doors, below carpet, etc.

However, for the poor Miata's sake, take Grant's advice. Miatas like to play.

Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

Yes. Sell it to someone that wants a Miata and you can go get yourself a used Sentra.

Frankly, my stock 2002 SE rides quite nicely and is great fun to zip around Silicon Valley in.

Dana

Reply to
Dana Myers

On Thu, 15 Apr 2004 22:23:21 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (revyakin) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

After a number of long distance runs, I cannot think of a better 1000 mile per day trip machine. I would change nothing.

We certainly differ, I find it hard to get out of the car after only 30 minutes. :)

I think the concensus to trade it in on a Civic is your best bet.

Reply to
Dave Null Sr.

No, not really. Any improvements will be incremental; the car will still be very small and rather noisy. If you're not a sports car kinda guy, you'll be suicidal before you reach Ohio. That said, the car is probably whacking the bumpstops regularly now on worn-out shocks, which will go away with a new set.

A trailer will only make things worse. If you happen to get struck by lightning, find yourself actually enjoying the Miata, and decide the trip might be fun, put the stuff you were going to tow onto a westbound truck and meet it in California. When you reach the Rockies, you'll bless me for setting you free to enjoy the mountains. Take 2-lane roads wherever you can, and drop the top. No one likes driving a Miata on Interstates.

Even diehard Miata freaks wear earplugs on long highway trips, unless they have hardtops. Noise is fatiguing. But my wife and I have made several 4000-plus-mile trips to the Southwest, with the top down the whole way. It's a matter of attitude, and taste for adventure. Again, not for everyone.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

"revyakin" wrote

Take the Subie, leave the Miata. Buy her some snow tires.

Reply to
Ken Lyons

Sell everything. Fly. When you get here, buy a Miata. This is one of the best places on earth to drive one.

Ken

Reply to
KWS

Allright, this might be the answer. Do snow actually really make a big difference? Sorry if it's a dumb question, but...

I guess, in addition to the tires I could get her a glass window soft top with a heater, instead of her current old plastic one, and we could call it a deal.

Her Miata has a plenty of aftermarket features - lowered clearance, thin tires, accessible oil filter - all that. She bought the car used from a local enthusiast.

Reply to
revyakin

Hey, I owned a Sentra, and surely got bored. I love my new Subie Outback "Sport" (you guys probably will laugh at the "sport" suffix"). I just don't understand why sports cars must come with earplugs. In my mind, a sports car must feel like a spaceship - you press the gas pedal and you pass people in silence. Is there a car like that on the market? Any suggestions? :)

Reply to
revyakin

No, they make an amazingly huge difference! With four good snow tires, a Miata goes better in snow than 90% of what's on the road here in Minnesota. Every winter I drive my Miata past a lot of SUVs while they're sitting in ditches and medians.

Not at all. On first glance one might reasonably assume a Miata wouldn't be a good snow vehicle. But, when you combine the 50/50 weight distribution with four snow tires (and maybe an LSD), it's a pleasure to drive in snow.

Hardtops are really, really, nice in the winter. Quieter, stiffer, and a much bigger rear window.

Then watch out for deep snow. A stock Miata with snow tires will have problems in snow more than 8-10 inches deeps, so if her car is lowered, it'll be even less tolerant.

Reply to
Grant Edwards

They don't. You have to buy them extra. :)

Silence costs money and weight. Weight costs performance and handling. Besides, spacships aren't silent -- didn't you see Star Wars? Whoosh!

Reply to
Grant Edwards

Excellent idea!

Right on!!

WRONG! Both our cross-continental trips (41 and 32 days respectively) in the late lamented Rollerskate were earplug free. And we left the hard top at home, duh.

On the first trip the top was down for 40 days, on the second for 30.

I'd LOVE to do both of those trips over again. I guess I've got the right attitude, and we camped for the majority of those trips...

Reply to
Nora

ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY UNEQUIVOCABLY YES!

They make a BIG difference.

Um, lowered clearance sure ain't gonna help in snow...

Reply to
Nora

Reply to
theresa

Nah, we don't care what they call it. The Outback is a fine vehicle, competent and reliable, and makes much more sense in the city than a

6000-pound SUV with only one person in it. Good choice.

Convertibles are noisy. You hear the wind and everyone else's tire whine, plus all the normal mechanical sounds that every car makes, but which the typical sedan blocks with several hundred pounds of insulation. A Miata has almost no insulation, because the extra weight hurts every aspect of performance. Raising the top reduces some of the wind noise, but it's still loud inside. Earplugs really do reduce fatigue.

Add to that the Miata's low gearing: to get zippy performance from an old-design 1.8, the car is geared to turn over 4000 rpm at 80 mph. The tough little engine can take it all day long without issue, but it's a bit buzzy in the cockpit.

I think you and your GF should take the Miata on a weekend trip to the mountains, either NY or PA, and keep the top down when off the highway. See if the car tells you what it's all about. If it doesn't resonate, fine, but drive something else across the country. If it clicks, then you will happily overlook the shortcomings and compromises.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

Hi runnerXCskier;

"I am moving from NYC to San Fran this summer, and taking my girlfriend's '97 Miata convertible with me, leaving my Subaru behind for her to drive in the snow."

It is very hard to register an out of state car in California. Mazda might provide the certification stickers for the car, but I doubt it. The guy I bought mine from moved to California, so I got a good, low mileage car.

"The plan is to tow a class 1 trailer behind (just ordered a hitch) and to drive across the US, stopping here and there for sightseeing."

Keep the revs up for cooling. Bus companies will ship small loads for a reasonable fee.

"I am not a fan of sports cars (i.e. stiff suspensions, thin tires, and all that), so I am trying to think of a way of making our 3000 mile ride (and future my commutes across Silicon Valley) enjoyable."

I haven't had a car I loved as much as my '62 AH Sprite until recently. Against the wifes better judgement, I bought the car I've wanted since 1989 (with a heated rear window and fixed headlights). Sell the Miata to someone who wants it. And sell it in the east; no one out here wants a back east car.

"So far I can't stand being in the Miata for more than 30 min - please forgive me Miata fans :) It just feels like I am riding in a shopping cart."

I don't drive much, but went to Toronto, New Jersey and back to Vancouver, BC last Sept. With 32 psi in the tires, it is a touch 'firmer', but responsive. The CD player is o.k. with the top up and at < 70 mph. I did cruise at 100 mph in certain areas for a few hours; no one noticed except that the tach read 5000. That's noisy

"What would you recommend me to do? Is there a way of converting the Mi into something more similar to the traditional commuter car?"

You don't deserve a Miata or your girlfriend. ______________________________________________________________________

Reply to
Martin Jackson

Inside a spaceship - OK, there would be noise, but if you were OUTSIDE

- would not hear a thing. :)

Reply to
revyakin

Unless you're George Lucas. Then there are whooshes from outside as well. And spaceships bank and roll exactly like WWII fighter planes when they maneuver.

Reply to
Grant Edwards

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