Time for my first Miata

[apariah]

I was recently in an accident, and I should be getting another car in the next month or so. I've checked all over the web, and I'm seeing a few cars between $1,500.00, and $3000.00. My only concern is that I'm seeing the same cars in this range over and over again.

Should I expect to be able to find a Miata to use as a daily driver for a round 2500.00 in DFW. I'm ok spending a little more, but I would prefer to send a little less. If this price is out of line and it going to cost more thats ok too, but at the moment, I have no idea.

I've seen 90 model cars also listed in excess of 5000.00 with high mileage, and this is very confusing.

I'd like to find a car that would work fine as a daily driver, a fun road tripper on weekend when I going out to spots for photography, and of course something that would pass tech in at an SCCA/NASA event.

[sammm]

Post up what you are finding and/or thinking about looking at.

Update your profile to include what part of town you're in. You may get some help/guidance from another forum member in your area.

[apariah]

Post up what you are finding and/or thinking about looking at.

Update your profile to include what part of town you're in. You may get some help/guidance from another forum member in your area.

Excluding cars listed by dealers, and the two cars I was emailed about here these are the cars for sale by owner I'm looking at.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/637225888.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/622560487.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/614696386.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/592182980.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/600934736.html

[cam76034]

Some of those are over a month old. If it's a good deal on Craigslist, someone will snap it up within 24 hours. Have you actually looked at any of these?

[SirHustlerEsq]

Excluding cars listed by dealers, and the two cars I was emailed about here these are the cars for sale by owner I'm looking at.

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/637225888.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/622560487.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/614696386.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/592182980.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/600934736.html

looks like you and I are going toe-to-toe on a car search right now. May the best man win...and I'm pretty much the best.

hold me

[Walsted]

The last link (the blue Miata,) looks like it is at Mayhill Motorsports in Denton where I bought mine. The owner usually has a couple of high-mile Miatas for sale. I don't know if any would be in your price range, but it is probably worth a phone call to ask, though.

[Sharpie]

I'm willing to check out a car in Denton if you need me to.

[apariah]

Since I don't really care what year the car is, are their things I should avoid. Like rust near the battery on a 914, what are the if you see or hear this stay away. I'm seeing lots of car with the timing belts replaced twice, do they break every 50,000 miles or so?

[POS Racing]

Good stuff here -> http://www.miata.net/faq/usedmx5.html

[Walsted]

Since I don't really care what year the car is, are their things I should avoid. Like rust near the battery on a 914, what are the if you see or hear this stay away. I'm seeing lots of car with the timing belts replaced twice, do they break every 50,000 miles or so?

Rust near the battery in a Miata would be bad as well. It is in the trunk behind the passenger, and should be vented to the outside.

I believe the factory recommendation is that timing belts get replaced every 60,000 miles, or 105,000 miles if you live in California. The NAs and NBs (don't know about the NCs,) are non-interference engines - the engine won't self-destruct if the belt breaks.

[juxt3r]

As POS points out, there are some great guides to buying a used Miata to be found in the garage section of miata.net! Things to look for, what to avoid, that kind of thing, will be listed in there.

Prices on NAs seem to've been creeping upward over the past few years. I recall looking at a black '94 on a dealer lot about four years ago. It was a B-package car (info on the packages can also be found at miata.net in the FAQ and Garage sections) with a hardtop and very reasonable miles and peeling/purpling window tint. Asking price was a whopping $4250 or so. Dealers now are asking quite a bit more for a good deal less of a car. Some folks, like the seller of a high-miles '90 you mentioned, are simply asking waaaaay too much.
Cali apparently has selections available for a good deal less (possibly because there are just so damn many of 'em, possibly because folks don't feel like making them pass the local inspections...I dunno).

What to avoid? That can often depend on the buyer. What are you willing to accept? ...or to fix after purchase for that matter? Do you want a pristine garage queen with low miles? Maybe a '93 with 120k is okay knowing that it got routine upkeep by the owner(s).
I prefer to buy cars with a known history and previous owners I can contact should the want or need arise (as far as Miatas go, anyway). Knowing the owner can often tell you how well that person cared for the car. This is why I was able to buy a local member's car with 64k on it with the same secure feeling as I did when buying a 198k car from some splendid folks in the Austin area a couple of years later.

[sammm]

Thread split to here -

http://forums.dfwmiata.com/showthread.php?t=11871