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Found a '91 for $3800

Nice shiny red, 5 spd., hardtop, rollbar, looks stock. Here's what really caught my eye...one owner with only 78K miles. It's six miles away, I'm going to go check it out later this week if it's still for sale (sometimes auto trader listings get old!)

Here's the catch. I wasn't planning on buying my first Miata until fall when I got my disbursment check. So right now, I don't have $3,800! But my fiancee does. She (god bless her) understands my love affair with things automotive and actually said if this one checks out OK, she will pay about 3/4 of the price and let me pay her back monthly until I get my check and can finish. I would much rather pay her than the bank...haha. (no interest!) The thing is, in browsing listings, I haven't seen a car with mileage and hardtop like this for that price....too good to be true, or, more likely, (just from the look of the car) an owner who doesn't know what he's got?

Think I should check it out and go for it if it looks good? Insurace, btw, is listing with my parents and thus drops the bill significantly, as I'm 21. When I turn 25 it will be listing for just me. Clean record.

Anyway, I have miata.net's guid for buying a used Miata handy; is there anything else I should be weary of? I know about the short crank thing...I plan on taking the car for a test drive and also watching the crank pulley for wobbling. Lastly, I haven't driven a Miata before. I have no baseline for comparison on what proper acceleration should feel like if the engine is strong. I know this will be a difficult thing to describe, but I would appreciate any input. If it makes any difference, my current car is a '73 Beetle modified to handle really well (wide wheels, tires, roll bars, shocks, etc.) but it goes like a snail. I just don't have to slow it down for corners! The fastest thing I've ever driven is a Subaru Forester base model with a slushbox. Thanks for any help,

~Anthony

Reply to
Anthony
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Augh! It sold already...two days ago. Oh well. Search continues.

Reply to
Anthony

Try

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for pricing. The forums there are an excellent resource. $3800 is not the buy of the century, but with the $800 - $1000 hard top it's probably not a bad deal. I loved my 91A dearly while I had it! This car will be a bit snappier than the bug, that's for sure. You will also notice that it corners like it's on rails too! Make sure to ask if the 60k mile timing belt and water pump have been changed and see the bill if it has. This can run $500 right off the bat.... a bargaining tool if it hasn't been done yet. Mine wasn't done until around

91k miles. The valves will not be harmed it the belt were to break, but you will have a tow truck trip to the shop if it does.

Reply to
Mike

Anthony,

Consider it a blessing that it sold. Buying the first example you ever drove would be a leap of faith. Not hugely risky given the miata's reliability but, your best bet is to be patient, drive several so that you start to get the feel for the car. Maybe even go drive some you can't afford so you won't jump right in but will gain knowlege. Not new ones but ones somewhat out of your price range. Some not-so-obvious tips;

- tires make a huge difference so you can't compare apples to apples, tire pressures make a huge difference and you can set tire pressures to the same value for each test drive (28 would be reasonable), this will give you the best assesment of the suspension.

- Factor in the big expenses that appear to be right around the corner. Cheaper to pay $4k for a car w/ timing belt done, rel new top and rel new tires than go in for a bargain car that will be needing all of those within

6 mths.

- Color effects price on Miata's, they built tons of red ones and they go cheaper.

- Consider the shopping part of the fun and you'll make a smart purchase AND have driven quite a few fun cars.

- Aftermarket goodies are usually freebee's to the new buyer, they don't really tack up the selling price generally, if you look you can get allot for a little more money.

Enjoy the process, Chris

92BB&T
Reply to
Chris D'Agnolo

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