Need Miata advice

The engine in the Miata is very de-tuned. That is, it's built far stronger than it needs to be. It was also designed from the outset to cruise at higher rpm ranges and no, even cruisng at 6,500rpm for an entire day won't hurt it as long as you keep the oil changed. On a very hot day after a really hard run (frequently near redline) you may hear the valve lifters ticking for a few minutes on the older ones (not sure on the '99+) but that isn't an indication of any problem.

As for the alignment, the factory usually has them lightly toed in (more stable, more understeer) where most autocrossers and driving enthusiast toe them very slightly out. No, this doesn't give any additional wear over a toe-in, at least not on the front set. If you tend to drive the car aggressively in corners you will find that a bit of toe-out up front will translate to a tail-out and a lot of smiling as it's very easy to catch at will. That would be bad for the life of the rear tires, but even there you would be pleasantly surprised.

Mild settings from the factory, light weight, reasonably hard tires (for it's car class) and such conspire to give you long brake and tire life as long as you don't sit on tracks and autocrosses every weekend. The car is very solid, reliable, fun, and generally inexpensive to insure. If you like the car, go for it! :)

(coming from 3 miata's and over 20 years of ownership, the last was held for 14 years and included dozens of autocrosses and around 3,500 miles at road racing courses. No engine work ever needed, one clutch at 120k miles though I did tow with the car and teach a good 20+ people how to drive a manual in it or else the clutch should have lasted longer!)

as much as i love my miata, i can't say it would make a great commuter car. it is loud. if i were plaining to drive an hour to and an hour from work each and every day i would want to listen to talk radio, or audio books. i can't listen to audio books in the miata, it is just too loud. and i not talking about with the top down. i think you might be happier communtting in another car, heck, even a carolla or civic... which are also probably better on gas too. ps. please don't ban me from this group for speaking such blasphemy ;)

Mine isn't the best for commuting either, but I still love it. They get good mileage and are reliable and cheap to insure. You could do worse.

I REALLY appreciate all the knowledgeable replies. Thanks a heap. Hard to believe we got this far without Godwin's Law kicking in. (-;

Noise won't really be an issue (heck, I'll wear ear plugs if I have to), nor will ride quality or any of these other factors. My main concern was engine wear from running ~~4000 rpm all the time. I noticed one of you mentioned using synthetic oil - no problem there. I used Mobil I 5w-30 in all of my family's vehicles, and I'm fanatical about changing it every 2500-3500 miles, whether it needs it or not. I'm wondering if, for this particular engine and rpm, if I should go up to a 10w-30, or if it would matter.

As I mentioned before, the route is an hour each way: a big 4-lane undivided state highway, flat and smooth, the kind where you just set the cruise control on about 73, stick a tape in the player and settle in. Since I ride a cruiser motorcycle often, I'm not averse to having the top down if the weather permits, for what that's worth.

Seeya, Ron M.

A 99 has mechanical lifters, so the noise issues with the NA lifters don't exist. Originally, the 99 called for 10w30. I suppose a change to 5w30 might cause a bit more oil usage, or perhaps some valve train noise. Don't know. A lot may have to do with the temperature range you are driving in.

Stuffing a blanket or a lined jacket in each of the top wells behind the seats makes a big difference in noise at highway speeds.