Hello, I just bought a used 00 Miata Special Edition. Coming home on the freeway I was running 70mph@3500rpm. Seems hi to me. I thought the 6th gear would be like an overdrive. Also, on a rough section the car seemed to shake a little bit. Would the after market cross brace for the front and back help any? Last of all I'm in the market for a hard top. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you, Larry Hill...Going through my second child hood at 61!
It is, but the differential is still geared for low-speed acceleration. The 6-speed has 6 gears spaced closer together than the 5-speed; the difference at 70 mph is only about 200 rpm. Don't worry about it--the Miata engine thrives on high revs. If the noise bothers you, use earplugs like the rest of us.
If you don't already have a front shock tower brace, adding one will help a bit. So will installing a 4-point rollbar. But some cowl shake is inevitable--the Miata chassis isn't all that stiff.
Top gear RPM runs about 20mph per 1000rpm. The top gearing on the five and six speed transmissions is similar, with the difference being in closer ratios in the six-speed. Don't worry, the engine is perfectly OK with this. The payoff is the immediate acceleration response.
The car will shake- even with the 1999 improvements, its not as rigid as newer roadsters can be with current computer-aided design. I'm not sure how well the braces work- the weakest part of any roadster is through the passenger compartment (that's why so many makers like T-tops). On the other hand, check the weight of any other open car you know of!
I've been using mine as both toy and daily driver for five years, and nothing has fallen off or gotten loose- the only real part failure has been the electric antenna motor.
I'm in northern Ohio- and the hard top is essential in winter (I bought mine new with the car). The large rear window is a treat during top-up weather, and it can removed quickly for unexpected good weather.
Thanks everyone for the help...now for that top, although I am in California it still rains and gets down to about 35-40 degrees in the winter. Thanks again, LarryHill
Look at the classifieds section of miata.net. Though I can't imagine why you would want to deal with the expense and hassle putting it on and off, and storing it.
The Miata has a shimmy peaking around 67 mph if there are imperfections in the tires, wheels, or balancing. Driving 134 should fix it. ;)
But Leon, He will need the Hard Top to get to 134 MPH ! I haven't found a long hill long enough to get to 134, but I will keep looking :-) The shimmy does go away over 100 MPH, ( am I just toooo bizzzzzzzy to feel it ? ) I know the tail starts to get light up there, but that is when the factory wing comes in. The wing will help a little.
Expense? Doesn't cost me anything. Hassle? I bet I can install or remove my hardtop in less time than it takes to put the top down or up and installing the boot.
Yep Leon, The wing pushes it down. I ran the car in the same place and about the same speed without the wing, then with the wing. (with tuffs) and the rear is not as free and light with the wing. BUT, only above about 90 MPH. Below that speed, I could see or feel no change. I think the wing that Flyin' Miata has on their track car looks like hell, but it is high enough to get air at about any speed. (too "Riceee" for me) , but it works. The only time that the factory wing works is when you have the hard top on. Anything else, the air a mess back there! (talk about drag! It's just crap!
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