For Sale 1996 M Edition

[Toasterhead]

1996 M Edition with 125K miles. $5K. Need to sell to make room for multiple teenage drivers. Car is in great condition and has been garaged since new. All the fluids are new and clean from the brakes to the differential and the gearbox. I put in a CD/MP3/USB/Radio and new speakers. Also had driver seat professionally recovered and repadded. Located in Tyler. Call or email for pix. 9O3.245.852O.

[miata_racer]

ya you'll need to post pics here for that price man LOL...i had a friend buy one in decent shape that needed a little bit of work with ABS and under 120k miles for $2800.

Also...I assume the 120k mile service needs to be done which is over $1000 at most places

[Toasterhead]

I can appreciate your exceptional negativity and price slashing response having seen some pretty dogged out examples. This one really is in fine shape, but decide for yourself.

[OZMDD]

Remember that cars like that are a lot more common in big cities, so they are cheaper in Houston and Dallas than they would be in Tyler. Nice car, but you'll either need to lower your expectations a bit or wait until Miata season (Spring) to get top-value for niche-market car.
It'll also help to get very specific about what service has been performed (way overdue for timing belt, water pump), ever changed the clutch, new rotors, etc.
5-speed or auto?
Any oil leaks? Heater hoses been replaced?
Interior pics? Drivers seat recovered with Mazda leather, or what? Pics indicate you still have the oem headrest, since the speaker perforations are visible.

Are you the original owner?
Not being negative here; these are the kinds of things that will separate a top-value car from a run-of-the-mill 15-year-old car. You posted on Miata board, where there is a lot of expertise about Miatas. A 125K Miata that has never had any major maintence isn't necessarily a gem, since it will need all of those things soon or now. miata_racer is helping you by telling you what people will want to know. Good luck.

[Toasterhead]

All great questions. Let me see what I can do to help:

1. The $5K is my asking price. I really haven't had time to go through Kelley BB and the rest to get oriented. Offers are welcome. Nattering nabobs of negativity with too much free time and no cash are not. (Then again, this is the internet!)
2. I bought the car 18 months ago from the second owner with zero records, so I don't know about the major maintenance items.
3. I am fairly sure the timing belt was done from what he told me, but I have no proof.
4. When I bought the car the rotors appeared unturned and fresh. The brake fluid was crystal clear. Still is.
5. I changed the coolant.
6. I replaced the shifter seals - top and bottom - and changed to Lucas oil in the gearbox.
7. I changed the differential fluid.
8. The clutch may or may not have been replaced, but it's got smooth take up and no slip.
9. The transmission is good, but the syncro on 2nd is worn. When the transmission is warm, you have to carefully match revs into 2nd.
10. The driver seat had all surfaces EXCEPT the headrest and backside replaced. I used naugahyde instead of leather. Also used 1/2" foam to replace the original backing.
11. I replaced the crankcase breather valve.
12. Don't know about the heater hoses, but they are working fine and don't leak.
13. The AC works well.
14. The top is roughly two years old.
15. The ball joints and steering rack are tight with no noticable play.

When I park this car, there are no drips on the garage floor and I don't smell ozone or coolant. It's tight.
I'm clearly not a Miata expert, but this car is certainly not one of the "dogs" you're used to seeing folks try to unload on here after they flog it for a few years.

[Toasterhead]

[miataspeedracer]

Comments about nattering nabobs and car floggers on this board ain't gonna win you any brownie points...

Unclear maintenance records, iffy tranny, non-leather seats will hurt your price. I'd say a PERFECT '96M is $5,500 territory. Adjust downward from there...

[driftdevil]

^^+1
Just to give you an idea I bought my 95M last January for $4000 and still paid more than I should have. It needed a timing belt, pads, top replaced, and had a few tears in the driver seat. But the only reason I bought it was because it has ABS, BBS wheels,torsen and the "rare" 95M seats. Other than that I would have bought a triple black 97 for $4000 that had under 90k on it. It's not impossible to sell it for what you want but be prepared to get talked down.

[Flyin96M]

Comments about nattering nabobs and car floggers on this board ain't gonna win you any brownie points...

Unclear maintenance records, iffy tranny, non-leather seats will hurt your price. I'd say a PERFECT '96M is $5,500 territory. Adjust downward from there...

As a 96M owner I agree with this 100%. The car appears to be very clean in the photos, but the lack of records and potential issue with the trans don't help the sales price. It would also be good to mention if the factory alarm works and if you have both key fobs and if it still has all the "extra" that the M came with that year. More photos would help as well interior and under hood as well as exterior. Like someone else already said this is a Miata forum so you need to be more specific with us.

[Titus]

As a 96M owner I agree with this 100%. The car appears to be very clean in the photos, but the lack of records and potential issue with the trans don't help the sales price. It would also be good to mention if the factory alarm works and if you have both key fobs and if it still has all the "extra" that the M came with that year. More photos would help as well interior and under hood as well as exterior. Like someone else already said this is a Miata forum so you need to be more specific with us.

As someone who parted out a 96M, I can tell you the "factory alarm" was hardly factory. Looked to me like something that was installed at the port. I still have it (minus the key fobs) but have no idea if it works.

[Toasterhead]

Okay Okay! I should have expected to get worked on a board like this. I do the same thing on a cycling forum to the newbies there. I'm not really sweating the price that much and I really like the car. If any of you characters show up with 42 Benjamins you can probably have the car, but lighten up, eh?

[ken o]

Toasterhead, relax. Your first post on the board is to sell your Miata. Others are offered advice, questions, and guidance. That's what we do here. I don't think anyone is working you over, just helping you see the reality of what you have and what you are asking. Miata needs maintenance work and transmission work. Good luck with the sale.

[miata_racer]

exactly...nobody has any idea who u are and if you're trustworthy...you have no history here....if you're on miata.net give a reference there.

But not having maintenance records just says take me at my word. And unless someone knows you...it's hard to do that.

And seriously getting your panties in a wad and bitching at people on here isn't gonna help it sell. So lighten up Francis. :)


However....I think your pretty detailed responses do show you are trying to be as honest as can be.

[SixAce]

Your steering wheel is mounted upside down. Seriously, though it looks like a nice car. I really see no reason to not start at a high point, as there are people out there that will pay it (just not most here..). Caveat Emptor or whatever. No bites? Start dropping it..

On suggestion would be to post underhood pics (esp. on a enthusasist forum). That's what I look for first..

Pretty nice looking ride though. GLWS.

[Toasterhead]

IT NEVER FAILS!!!
I put the For Sale sign in the window and the car pukes ethylene glycol all over the garage!
So... today we're putting in a new water pump, hoses, timing belt, valve cover gasket, and what the hell, how about some plugs! Cha ching!
This will be a nice deal for someone looking for an NA in GREAT shape...

[trickyrix]

Didn't somebody say something about the lack of service history being a sticking point...?

[Toasterhead]

Uh.. wow! New timing belt, water pump, etc. and it sounds great. Doing a Techron treatment this afternoon.
Top down cruise home last night under the stars on a cool night with the heat on. I'm a believer! Still for sale, but just barely...

[Radio-Active]

Try doing the Seafoam treatment. Suck it up through a vacuum line slowly and as close to idle as you can keep the car then let it set for 45 minute before restarting. Cleans out the carbon and smoke out the mosquitos at the same time.