I daily drove mine for two years. 3 hours of highway time every day. Love it, really fun and I averaged 30mpg every fill up. Expect maintenance to be a thing, but it'll be small things breaking here and there. I had my clutch slave cylinder, a brake caliper, and my fuel pump all go on me during those two years. Preventative maintenance really helps.
I also dailyed my 92 brg for two years. Same: CAS sensor, ignition, a hose, brakes in the back, softtop leak, and some standard stuff. Sold it because i was broke. Super regretted it and now i bought a 94 1.8 two weeks ago 😄
You weren’t getting 30 mpg. The Miata has every reason to be a 30 mpg car, but somehow it isn’t. Maybe 28 on the highway. The slave cylinder is one of those things known to go out eventually. Mine did at around 117,000 miles.
Can you? Should you? Yes, and yes. I’ve been doing it for 23 years, NA then (currently) NB, and I’ve enjoyed every single minute behind the wheel. And, both manual transmission! Oh, and by the way, you have no blind spots because you have wing mirrors. If you do have blind spots, you don’t have your mirrors adjusted correctly.
Ive daily drove my 93 NA since august 2021 and its great for a first car as a 17 year old with little to no responsibilitys its wonderful. I dont need a lot of space and having a car that I feel everything around me is perfect. Ive avoided collisions due to its small size and nimbleness. I do also avoid highways especially double lanes as much as possible cause those suck in that car but. If you dont need to carry anyone or anything and just need a fun transport for you and maybe 1 person its perfect.
Are 7000 euros worth it for this car? In Greece, NA's are double or even triple the price compared to the USA. I would also like to install a 4-6 racing harness, Bride, momo or sparco seats and a rollbar(for safety ofc because those cars don't have airbags). Adding all of those options, the car would surpass 10k. I think that it's quite a lot for a first car, because at this phase, you don't even know how to drive it.
@@greekcountryball1ναι και γω αυτό σκέφτομαι , για πρώτο αμάξι φαίνεται ιδανικό , ίσως το βρω και για 6000 αρκεί να μην έχει πολλά χιλιόμετρα, αν το τροποποιήσω θα πάει πολύ
I daily drove one in LA for 6 years. Stop and go rush hour traffic with a 6 speed manual transmission was really unpleasant. After all the super bright headlights came in to vogue, it was pretty blinding at night. That being said, the thrill of driving it got me out of bed and to work on many mornings I might passed. Now its just a weekend fun car to blow off some stress with.
@CashedOutCars It was until last October. MSM prices went all whacko, and I couldn't resist taking advantage of it. I currently have a Crystal White Pearl 2012 GT PRHT. Previously, I had a ,'93 Black & Tan NA, Copper Red 2010 GT PRHT, and a Jet Black 2016 GT softtop.
I would caution against putting stuff on the parcel shelf in any car. Put it this way, car stops abruptly at 50mph the object on the parcel will continue to travel at 50mph regardless of whose head is in the way. Other than that, excellent video - thanks 😊
Exactly, "Should you/could you" drive it as a daily driver vs. "Do you want to" are the perfect ways to look at this car. I had the 2001 NB2 Miata (NB = Gen2 and 2 = second half of Gen2) which was my favorite Miata. It was a fantastic car as far as comfort, performance and reliability. It could definitely keep up with traffic in any situation. However, I felt more invisible than when I rode my motorcycle. Because of the tiny size, other cars and trucks were constantly "bullying" me on the highway and at intersections. This car gets no respect. I finally gave up and switched to a bigger VW Rabbit which is also a sports car. (Yes, the Miata is that small.) Do I miss the Miata? Yes. Was it a daily driver for me? No. It was the car for cruising the mountain twisties.
@Suprathatis When I was younger, I used to do exactly that with my MG and the land yachts were much bigger than today's cars. I'm older and wiser now. There are too many nuts on the highway looking for a fight these days. This includes mom's in minivans. Road Rage does not discriminate. It has no boundaries with age, size or gender; and NEVER assume that the person in the other car is not high on something or hasn't had a bad day, looking for a fight.
I just don’t understand the mentality that makes people feel intimidated by others on the road in a little car. They don’t have to respect you, and you don’t need to feel bullied. Either pull over to the cruise lane, or put the peddle down and disappear. I’m in a little car, if someone in a big vehicle wants to bully me, I just make some moves they can’t make and I’m gone.
@@mr.butterworth Easier said than done. Had it not been for my quick reflexes, I would have had at least two large vehicles plow into me from the rear simply because they "didn't see" or "didn't expect me to be there (around the bend in a curvy road, waiting to turn with my blinker on, in spite of several warning signs. In other cases, I've had to turn on my emergency flashers to warn the oncoming vehicle from plowing into me from the rear because they thought I was farther away than I actually was (watching their headlights dive in the rear view mirror was exciting) on curvy roads. I never had these problems on the interstate but I can honestly say that I've had more respect while riding my motorcycle on the same roads than I had while driving my Miata. I started driving an MG Midget in the 60's - much smaller than a Miata - and I am no stranger to driving small cars. I drove this car in the mountains of West Virginia and on the expressways of Miami, Florida. The difference back then was that other drivers actually paid attention to the road. Today, it seems they just don't care and expect everyone else to get out of the way. Now my "fun car" is a VW Rabbit which has a standard built-in roll cage with much more protection and bigger crush zone in the rear. I can still drive the same roads with as much fun but at least I know that I can survive in a crash, especially from the rear or in a rollover. I've never felt "intimidated" by any driver. But I am allergic to "stupid" drivers who don't pay attention.
I daily drove mine for 7 years in NY. Snow, rain etc. You need to take extra caution in bad weather, but it is manageable. As for reliability, it had 23k when I bought it and today is just under 200k.
I just bought a 2002 Special Edition last week and I plan on having some fun with it. As for a daily I don't mind. I'm a lady with no children and I am 5.8 tall. It's very comfortable to drive for long periods. The lack of space is a sacrifice but because the car is so enjoyable to drive it makes up for the lack of normal car expectations. The 6th gear is great for around the northern Virginia area but once you get on I95 you realize it's not very fast but keeps up just fine. People around Virginia are rude to me like I'm in the way, but they also struggle to keep up with me when I want. If you live in an area with high-speed drivers on average I suggest good brakes, suspension upgrades, and a tune so it accelerates as fast as other more modern cars in traffic. No matter what the car lacks it makes up for it in just being a lot of fun to drive.
I drove mine for 10 years. Never even thought about it. I love my car. I live in the North Georgia Mountains. The last 16miles of all curves. I drove an hour one way for those 10 years. I have 2002 NB. I miss getting to drive it now. It's our fun car now.
Of course you can daily drive a Miata, whether it’s practical to or not depends on your needs. As a single man who never needs more groceries than his ‘99 NB can hold, and with only the occasional passenger, I’ve daily driven mine with ease for over a year. And since I drive a big tractor trailer for a living, it’s a refreshing change of pace to get in my little Miata, and I’m 6’6” tall. I love my little Chili Pepper! 🌶
I worked in construction for a while and I had a daily Corolla but sadly the transmission failed so it was in the shop for a month and a half. Luckily I had a Miata that wasn’t entirely stock but that I downgraded to get as stock as possible cause I wanted a weekend joyride not a failed Project Car. During the time my daily was in the shop I drove my Miata 1h 30m every weekday on highways and interstates. This is that experience not including days I drove it outside of work. Storage - 3/5: It honestly depends on everyone, I just took my lunch, work clothes and cooler and it fit well. Took it to travel and I fit enough stuff for myself, suit case, inflatable bed so on… Reliability - 4/5: Great reliability!! I don’t usually fix it myself anymore I take it to a trusted mechanic but when I do I don’t find it too difficult. All I need is a RUclips video lol. Comfort - 3/5: I didn’t mind it, with Cruise on, it was alright, seats were fine nothing impressive but never left the car with back pain or cramps. Main problem I “had” was that you just feel every little bump on the road lol. Safety - 2/5: Not that these aren’t safe but without roll bar or pass-airbag idk, you honestly just have to drive aware of your surroundings and other drivers a lot more. Visibility - 3.5/5 I think it’s pretty good. Only problem I found was that I have to pull up a little more on hills as the soft top can sometimes block your view. Bump it to a 3/5 when lights are up as they do block some view but not a noticeable amount. Highway - 2/5: Can get very loud with road and wind noise and if it’s stock, don’t think about passing anyone going faster then 75MPH lol. Gas - 4/5: Got better gas millage then my Corolla, not by a lot but definitely appreciated!! Traffic - 3/5: Never had any problems… just if someone decides they’re having a bad they it’s more likely it’ll be taken out on the small car lol… trust me it’s happened. Tech & Features - 2/5: Not much features but the necessities are there. I still have the cassette player I just use a Cassette to Bluetooth converter, only thing I’ve done is change the speakers as the ones prior had blown out. Fun - 5/5: No doubt you’ll have fun!! Of course as a daily it may get boring after a while but trust when you get into another car you’ll appreciate the times you had inna Miata!! If it were the only car I had, I would definitely Daily Drive it every day!!
Miata Dailyer here 🙋♂️. Abso-freaking-lutely love daily driving mine and have yet to run into many if any problems. Have even taken myself and my sister to a 5 day long wedding weekend with all of our clothing etc in the boot. Top down driving all the way with nothing on the parcel shelf 👌😁
I've been daily driving a Miata since 1995 - first a 91 NA for 13 years and a 2004 MSM since then. I live in San Francisco and work on the edge of Silicon Valley so no winter or ice, very little rain, and lots of twisty roads make it fun in all but the worst stop and go traffic. I have learned to drive pretty defensively over the years with my lights on most of the time - other cars don't see you.
I've always really liked the aesthetic of the Miata, wonderful shape and size and the pop-up headlights are possibly my favorite thing about cars like this, completely unnecessary but cool nonetheless
I currently daily my 2000 nb1 Miata, it’s amazing in every aspect and for my situation where it’s usually me or my significant other the space is perfect. Being 6’5 it’s abit cramped but after making adjustments to the seats I fit fine and comfortably.
I daily my ND RF and it is very nice, hardtop eliminates a lot of outside noises, and modern pieces of it are really nice (i.e. heated seats, Bluetooth, stuff like that), it gets really nice mileage (30 city, 36 highway if I'm not hooning it), and is pretty comfortable. Although I definitely don't have a lot of space because of the hardtop, and when I took it on multiple-hour road trips the bucket seats would be a little rough on my back. Overall I would argue that miatas are fantastic dailies
This is a responsible and broad-minded opinion, I liked it. And really, the question is, where do you come from? A racing bicycle or a luxury car? If you have high comfort expectations, forget it. But if you are a petrol head, you will enjoy every kilometre (yes, I'm from Europe), you can have a small shopping trip or a weekend for two with the necessary things. The only risk if you daily drive it is that you get used to it and won't appreciate how fantastic it handles. Just a personal point of view, everyone enjoys their car in the way they would like to.
Thanks for making and posting this video. Very interesting! I’m a drummer, and my daily drivers were always estates (do you Yanks call them station-wagons?), Ford, Nissan, Volvo. I needed the space! But I got fed up with lugging other musicians’ gear around, in addition to my drum kits. And also I just fancied having an MX5 (UK style!), having fallen in love with them when my younger sister had one. I’ve only ever had the one MX5, a 2003 1.8 MkII, what you guys would call an NB, I believe? And I love it. It had done 90,000 miles when I bought it. I’ve had it maybe eight years now? And it’s now on 180,000 miles. Actually, the cam-belt failed on us, about 10 days ago. And as I have no money whatsoever, I had to repair it myself. Took me ages to sort it out (new cam-belt, idlers, cam cover gasket). In fact it’s only today I finally got the car running nice and sweet again. It’s our daily drive, for my wife and I. She doesn’t drive. It has some issues: no picking up friends and family, unless I’m flying solo. And even then, just the one ‘spare’ seat! Also, for shopping, or moving my drum kits around, or transporting whatever, it’s a challenge. That said, I’ve carried all kinds of stuff in or on the car. It can be great fun working out how to transport larger things. But the lack of space can be a bummer! Having just done the cambelt etc, I can say I like the hands-on nature of Miatas. I’m no grease monkey; but watching RUclipsrs and time/patience were rewarded today, when my dead baby was brought back to life! Also, I’m 6’ 1”. Headroom is minimal! And sometimes I can’t see stuff above a certain height - eg traffic signals - when my roof is up or I have the hard top on. But it’s the only car I have, and I drive it all the time, and love it. I can only really get the smallest of my drum kits in the car. But I’ve moved over from gigging and recording, etc, to teaching. So it’s not terminal! With UK fuel prices that’d start a war in the US, fuel economy isn’t terrific. Only if I drive like a timid little old lady can I save a buck or two. But that’s not much fun, is it! Long journeys require breaks, as it’s not the most luxurious ride. But I enjoy travelling in the MX5, esp’ with the roof down. So, in conclusion, not always the most comfortable or practical of daily drives, perhaps. But I don’t care; she’s my DD, and I love her! Even more so now, having nursed her back to health from death’s door!
Imo if your a smaller person it's a great daily car, I haven't had any major issues with mine yet and it's a 93 NA with about 140k miles on it rn, one thing I would swap out right away is the stock radiator bc the stock ones weren't built very well and are bound to just disintegrate at one point and you'll end up overheating pretty fast. Basic maintenance is pretty easy and most people can do it themselves watching a RUclips tutorial. One issue that I see many people having is probably going to be the noise, you hear almost everything going on inside the car and out and it's not ideal for people who want a smooth quiet ride (this can be fixed with insulation and a hard top but that can get pretty expensive). Parts are also cheap as hell bc they are absolutely everywhere.
For winter guys good set of snow shoes with studs get a roll bar too. I daily mine in Michigan winter spring summer fall . Have 3 different sets of tires for it winter summer and all season for spring and fall. Tires are absolutely the most important part.
Perfectly fine daily driver. While I don’t use mine in the winter ❄️ 🇨🇦 in the summer it gets used almost daily. Long roads trips, trips to the store, work. It’s important when your starting to make plans for your modifications that you think about how your going to use the car. If you build a track car for the street it’s gonna suck. For me early on I had decided that I was going for more of a GT build knowing that I was going to use it for long road trips. Last year I went on 3, and combined were close to 6000km.
Great video! I daily drive mine and love love love it but need to get something else for the snowy months. They are made for taking curves and the sheer fun of driving them.
I drove a 90 NA for 2 years, off and on. I am 5’9” and still fit comfortably, but if I was any bigger, probably not so. I put a hardtop on mine and that probably made the biggest difference as I do live in Western Washington where I have to deal with rain.
I had a Montego Blue 1997 Miata from 2000-2004 and drove it daily and even cross-country. It was so comfortable on long drives. I put over 65k miles on it in those four years. I put a Flyin' Miata exhaust and KYB adjustable shocks on it and it was perfect! I regularly saw 31mpg in normal driving and almost 36-37mpg on the highway. It only ever needed one new clutch and normal maintainance. I sold it in 2004 and have regretted it ever since. The worst part was I sold it to a local guy and still see it from time to time.
@@CashedOutCars can I ask how tall you are? I’m 6’2 and I want to know if there’s a way to make myself fit so that I can have the roof up for the Canadian winters
I bought a 2002 Miata new, and daily drove it (all 4 seasons) for 17 years. Very few problems. Had to replace the top after about 14 years. But I didn't keep the drain holes as clear as I should have, and it rusted out due to the heavy salt used in the area I live in. (yes, I had a set of snow tires I'd switch to for Winter, and drove it a lot in snow. Fun stuff.)
would you say its possible to drive a mx 5 miata in the new england area? I've been thinking about getting a miata as a daily, but I need to be able to drive on the highway and all year long.
@@impartial6119 I read another comment, " @vanessamonster5038 1 year ago I daily drove mine for 7 years in NY. Snow, rain etc. You need to take extra caution in bad weather, but it is manageable. As for reliability, it had 23k when I bought it and today is just under 200k."
@@CashedOutCars I had the car in the UK. Was a JDM import and was in excellent condition with only 21K miles on it. Besides the usual maintenance nothing went wrong on it. I put 100K miles on it. Only reason I got rid of it was due to a growing family.
I just got my NA about 6 weeks ago and put 2000 miles on it. Was daily driving a couple weeks but it's covered for the winter now. Massachusetts isn't kind to cars in the winter and she's my baby so needs to be taken care of.
Thank you for this video. I am thinking about getting a Miata as a daily driver. I used to have a Toyota MR2 Spyder with manual transmission which was a daily driver, probably drove very similar to a Miata. I loved driving it every day! But you are right about small cars being hard to see. On two separate occasions I was hit by a huge semi truck on the freeway, because they could not see me. Fortunately I was not injured and my car was not severely damaged, but after that, I stayed away from those things. Maybe it's best to get a red or yellow Miata. My Spyder was dark blue.
I’ve got a nd2 and love to daily drive mine, but you have to be very careful as I live in Los Angeles which is suv capital, this is very reliable, this is also a very capable car. If you know how to pack accordingly I would highly recommend anyone looking for a fun sports car. Check out the Miata.
I have an '08 NC that I've driven daily for ten years. I once drove it from TX to NC and back with no problems on the highway. In everyday Houston traffic, though, different story. I've been hit seven times by people (mostly in large trucks/SUVs) who just weren't paying attention. That's one of the reasons I've reluctantly decided to give up my roadster and move up to something more visible.
Can you? Yes. Should you? In my opinion yes. As a commuter it is fun...as long as it is not your only car and you have an option for those bad weather days. My NB and my NC have both made multiple trips coast to coast, CA to FL, with my wife and I in the car. Of course you have to pack light, but that offers my wife the option of clothes shopping during the trip, and sending the excess home as she buys them.
Been daily driving my 1.8 95 NA for 7 years. Only problems I've had are related to my cooling system which as it turns out was buggered from when I bought it (bad maintenance by the previous owner, finally getting sorted). Everything else has been great. My only other issue has been rust, naturally. Done about 40000 miles, now at 135k. I get about 24mpg but my commute is small roads, lots of stops, lots of queuing, no motorways. Unfortunately when I head out on a weekend it's still small roads etc. so the mpg is the same.
Yes you can and why wouldn't you ! My NA 1.8 is 25 yrs old now and I've bn driving mine every day for nigh on 10 yrs.that I've owned it. It's brill, love it ! i work on it myself and mend or maintain myself 🙂👍most parts are new or changed , updated .it needs new rag top soon and a new or repaired/replaced drivers seat - ALL GOOD 😁 MY CARS MORE THAN COMFORTABLE ,we re not all big , soft ,wallowing on a cloud suspension drivers ! 🤨like yank cars are! with this your actually in touch with the road , in control , not steering a boat !!! Thanks 🙂
I live in northern British Columbia, Canada. I daily my 93 LE for about 9 months out of the year but once theres more than 6 inches of snow on the road it becomes dangerous to the cars body so i store it until spring. Winter is a great time to do my project mods to the car so that i dont have to waste valuable road time. I have several other vehicles but the miata is my favorite
I'm certainly thinking of a miata, just graduated high school and my current car js a 1967 Mercury Cougar. Which I love however now that I'm out working I need something more efficient and reliable to daily and keep my cougar more for fun. I think they are fun cars that have a personality! This video certainly solidified my choice haha. (Keep in mind the Cougar gets probably 11 on the highway and 8 in the city lol! Carburated v8s am I right? Haha!)
young people with old cars unite! i’m 17, and bought a piece of crap 74 ford maverick as a project car. i got her to run and drive but she’s not running rn cause of an electrical issue. i’m selling my daily (2005 vw bug) to buy another project car,(miata) so wish me luck😂
I test drove a Miata to see if I'd have enough fun to make a car like this worth it. But I was surprised at how little storage there was. I had a mini fridge in the backseat of my 08 Civic at the time, and that speaks basically my whole take on the situation. Don't get me wrong, I think Miatas are cool as hell, but I realized in that moment that I have higher priority of being able to move things like that around. I'd consider getting something like a Miata as a second car in the future, but at the moment I feel like I can get enough enjoyment from my sunroof and 6 speed in the civic, combined with being able to move small pieces of furniture and tools and luggage.
Long post incoming. I bought my 1991 NA in 2013 with 36K miles and daily drove it until 2020. My opinion is you CAN daily drive these cars for 99% of trips. However, I'm going against the grain here and saying for the majority of people, I do not recommend it. They are not very fuel efficient for their size and displacement. The best I could manage on the highway was approximately 31 MPG, but it isn't fun driving the car like that. With A/C on, if yours even still works, you'll be lucky to manage 28. R134a converted cars are only adequate and will not keep the interior comfortable in traffic if you live in AZ like I do. My 2017 Mazda 3, which is 800lbs heavier with 400CCs more displacement, never drops below 35MPG and can easily do 45MPG. It's also a manual. Running the A/C has little to no impact. The road noise on my NA6 is substantial, even with a hardtop and a full interior. The acceleration is fun, but leisurely. You have to work the engine very hard to keep up with most modern vehicles. Lastly, if your car is a really clean example, daily driving is going to leave a lot of battle scars as it did to mine. The car is still very clean, but I kind of wish I bought a daily sooner. The aluminum hood and front fenders dent extremely easily, the softtop to windshield frame seals will probably leak in a rain storm and NAs almost constantly smell of gas fumes when idling or after a long drive. If it's in your budget, the NC miata is probably the nicest daily driver owing to it's relatively spacious cabin (for a miata), modern amenities and the PRHT versions are way more convenient than a detachable hardtop and are unlikely to get stolen. NCs are also very affordable while being just as daily-able as a brand new ND. I almost never run my NA's hardtop as I am deathly afraid of it getting stolen and top down = maximum fun. After having a proper daily driver for the past 4 years, I can enjoy my NA when the time is right and leave it safely parked in the garage when it's gonna be just another boring commute in stop and go traffic. If you can ONLY have one car and you are dead set on it being a Miata. I recommend seeking out NBs and up. The newer they get, the nicer they are to daily drive. NA's are old enough where even well kept ones will have nagging issues that get annoying when you just need the car to work. Later Miatas are also WAY safer for both the driver and passenger, which understandably matters to a lot of people. US roads especially are infested with dumbass 4000lbs+ trucks and SUVs that will turn an early Miata into a twisted mess of metal and the passengers into ground beef. My loved ones sleep easier knowing I don't drive mine everyday anymore. TL; DR - Most people will get exhausted daily driving an early NA miata. Get a dedicated daily and a Miata, or get a modern Miata that's easier to live with every day. I only recommend NA's for people that LOVE to tinker with their car.
As a shitbox civic driver with no ac, bad audio, windows that don't work and an airbag recall that hasn't been taken care of I can't wait to get one of these cars
I live in Miami Beach. I want a nice and affordable convertible, I rarely use my current Honda's backseat and am considering getting a Miata. I am 6' 3" and wondering if this is too small for me. But it looks so fun!
It’s alright, I usually save driving mine till the weekend, but since my other car is being fixed, I’ve had to daily mine, so: It’s fun to daily drive them, sure. But I do not recommend it if you’re on the bigger/taller side IMO.
Hey, I'm looking for my first car, and I'm thinking of getting a miata. Because of things like the safety and comfort I'm going to get an NC (can't afford an ND), particularly with the hardtop. Im going to drive it for 1-2 hours a day, so it's getting a lot of km. I'm also 6'2, so I was unsure about fitting in an NA or NB. I want a fun car, that is going to be reliable and cheap to maintain, so I think that the NC will be my best option. If anyone has any opinions or advise, that would be fantastic!
I have a slightly modified NB that I selectively daily in Wisconsin. We take it on trips and to work, but sometimes you need a F-150. Up north I would recommend a second car as you will NOT drive it in the winter.
I daily used mine for two years until finally the modern highway bit back. Car ahead braked unexpectedly, and with no ABS and skinny tyres on a wet road, alas. Awaiting repairs now, which will cost more than the value of the car, but I love it too much to let it be torn apart.
My Miata has around 260k Miles on it and I was thinking on taking a trip from Atlanta to Mexico with it. I don’t know if the car with that mileage can withstand that drive but the car is in good shape and I’ve replaced the Radiator, Valve Cover Gasket, Thermostat, Spark Plugs and Water Pump.
All the people saying yes surprises me, I have a manual maybe others have automatic, but daily driving that thing would be rough, I also have a 1991, I'm sure a newer model would be better.
Good video! My fully optioned (AC/Cruise/Power Window/Power Steering and ABS) 91 has been my daily for 22 years and 190,000 miles since I bought it with 110k on the odo from a pizza delivery joint... Is it REALLY the answer to everything? Not exactly, but I have photos with the front seat out and the top down carrying 16 fifty pound feed bags (9 in the front, 3 over the folded top, and 4 sticking out the open trunk.) I also use it from time to time as my road trip gig-mobile hauIing a guitar, amp, PA, Bose monitors and overnight bag (I also have a "sensible" WJ Jeep, a rocketship Fox Mustang, an older F150 to abuse , a newer crew cab long bed F-250 for towing, and an MGB for shows, but really love driving the Miata more than almost any car I've ever owned... .) I have no issues with getting to 60 -when I'm not carrying 800#s of feed bags anyway - and I've gotten as much as 33 mpg ( with a turbo you should have zero problems squirting up to 70). My philosophy is that if you upgrade to big grippy brakes and tires, and fully adjustable coil overs, the Miata will get you out of far more trouble than it can get you into... that's the joy of driving small cars fast...
I was wanting to buy a 96 or something along those lines and was wondering things like MPG and average low maintenance levels. Another thing being what should I look for on FB market and what to avoid. Thank you ❤
I drive my NC 3 times a week and love it as it serves only myself. I am tempted to remove the passenger seat so I don't have to take anyone for a ride. 😝
Last day of driving my NA, got a golf IV as a winter whip...miss my NA yet! But it needs some ,,surgery" during wintertime. Quarterpanel replacement cause of rust and fitting a rollbar! Whoop whoop!🥰
Hey there, I really liked you video. Thanks for all the tips about these tiny funny cars do you still have the cruise control you took out, by any change?
Could you park a soft top NC Miata outside in the winter? Would you need a soft top cover? I had thought of the PRHT but the roof on uses ones often rattle and just seem like they could be a maintenance nightmare.
I'm really considering a 1.8 manual NB as a second daily driver. I keep getting told it's impractical, but I already have a 4 door 1.6L manual sedan, so I want something rwd, sporty, and I don't want a big car, as someone who has only driven small cars.
I daily mine but want to make it a little more fun to drive, possible a little more power... Im just not sure what to do first thats also cheap so I don't break the bank
dude, how much does it cool down things? can i put a warm drink and be able to drink it nice and cold, or it just keeps tings cooled? this is sick, never heard of it
Cash where do you get your replacement parts? I bought an alternators from O'Reilly and it failed after 5 months. It had lifetime warranty so I was able to get another alternator at no further charge.
I am looking at a Miata for my first car and not sure if I should get it because there are only 2 seats. I love the way they look and love almost everything about it other than only having 2 seats. Does anyone have some thoughts about it?
would it be practical enough to have it as your only car though? i been thinking of getting an NA miata but kinda wanna have back seats (like 86 or celica or hyundai coupe)
That's a question for you to figure out for yourself! I have used this as my only car at some points, but I have always been looking for something else since I like having the option of more space
@@NicholasMano Grocery store, trips to Home Depot, rainstorms (leaks and not as safe because of ultralight traction in wet weather or snow), and keep the miles low.
@@thetruthserum2816 hey so i’m possibly getting my first 1990 mx5, it has a rebuilt 90k motor and i’m pretty young. it will be my only means of commute getting around 30mi per week, what do you think?
@@NicholasMano of course, yes! You'll make it work... I'd recommend getting a car cover to keep the rain, sun, and leaves off of it... Make sure it's a good one, because you'll probably want to keep it forever...
@@thetruthserum2816 Thank you a lot, i’m just stressing about it because I’m not sure if the car is good enough to commute to work, and i’m hearing a lot of different opinions from other individuals lol.
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![10 Tips For Buying YOUR Perfect Miata | Mazda MX5 Miata Buying Advice [NA and NB]](/img/tr.png)
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See my full build parts list here! tinyurl.com/5a3ksb8k
IMO the best daily, helps you save money when shopping cause limited space = more money to buy upgrades lol
@@TheRayco86 Hahah can't disagree with that logic!
Answer is yes. Don't need to watch the vid 😜
Miata is always the answer
Silly car go 👁️ 👁️
@@elric3540absolutely
@@nod4403👁️👄👁️
I learned a lot to consider before I buy. Definitely getting a newer one.
I daily drove mine for two years. 3 hours of highway time every day. Love it, really fun and I averaged 30mpg every fill up. Expect maintenance to be a thing, but it'll be small things breaking here and there. I had my clutch slave cylinder, a brake caliper, and my fuel pump all go on me during those two years. Preventative maintenance really helps.
what year did you have?
@@taylorevans8525 92 NA. still have it, just don't daily it anymore as I'm in the works of putting a turbo on it
I also dailyed my 92 brg for two years. Same: CAS sensor, ignition, a hose, brakes in the back, softtop leak, and some standard stuff.
Sold it because i was broke.
Super regretted it and now i bought a 94 1.8 two weeks ago 😄
How tall are you ?
You weren’t getting 30 mpg. The Miata has every reason to be a 30 mpg car, but somehow it isn’t. Maybe 28 on the highway. The slave cylinder is one of those things known to go out eventually. Mine did at around 117,000 miles.
Can you? Should you? Yes, and yes.
I’ve been doing it for 23 years, NA then (currently) NB, and I’ve enjoyed every single minute behind the wheel.
And, both manual transmission!
Oh, and by the way, you have no blind spots because you have wing mirrors. If you do have blind spots, you don’t have your mirrors adjusted correctly.
Thank you! The side mirrors are there for a reason, and it’s not to see behind you🤦♂️
Nice one 👍
Hell you can use the wing mirrors for psuedo rear view mirrors too due to the great visibility you get from them
If you have blind spots, you are not driving open :)
Ive daily drove my 93 NA since august 2021 and its great for a first car as a 17 year old with little to no responsibilitys its wonderful. I dont need a lot of space and having a car that I feel everything around me is perfect. Ive avoided collisions due to its small size and nimbleness. I do also avoid highways especially double lanes as much as possible cause those suck in that car but. If you dont need to carry anyone or anything and just need a fun transport for you and maybe 1 person its perfect.
Would you otherwise just be causing collisions for fun?
Are 7000 euros worth it for this car? In Greece, NA's are double or even triple the price compared to the USA. I would also like to install a 4-6 racing harness, Bride, momo or sparco seats and a rollbar(for safety ofc because those cars don't have airbags). Adding all of those options, the car would surpass 10k. I think that it's quite a lot for a first car, because at this phase, you don't even know how to drive it.
@@greekcountryball1ναι και γω αυτό σκέφτομαι , για πρώτο αμάξι φαίνεται ιδανικό , ίσως το βρω και για 6000 αρκεί να μην έχει πολλά χιλιόμετρα, αν το τροποποιήσω θα πάει πολύ
@@balkan.improvement1696 ΣΚΑΤΑ όλα και πανάκριβα
I daily drove one in LA for 6 years. Stop and go rush hour traffic with a 6 speed manual transmission was really unpleasant. After all the super bright headlights came in to vogue, it was pretty blinding at night. That being said, the thrill of driving it got me out of bed and to work on many mornings I might passed. Now its just a weekend fun car to blow off some stress with.
I've been daily driving a Miata for quite some time. I actually sold my last daily driver because I prefer to drive my Miata. Currently on Miata #5.
They are super fun cars. Is that Mazdaspeed in your profile yours?
@CashedOutCars It was until last October. MSM prices went all whacko, and I couldn't resist taking advantage of it. I currently have a Crystal White Pearl 2012 GT PRHT. Previously, I had a ,'93 Black & Tan NA, Copper Red 2010 GT PRHT, and a Jet Black 2016 GT softtop.
I own a bmw but am about to switch to a 1.8 miata
why number 5?
@@thedude9873 Actually on #6 now. I like to experience a wide variety so I change cars often... only on #6 because #5 got in a fight with an Escalade.
I would caution against putting stuff on the parcel shelf in any car. Put it this way, car stops abruptly at 50mph the object on the parcel will continue to travel at 50mph regardless of whose head is in the way. Other than that, excellent video - thanks 😊
Good point!
For me, it was about my stage in life. When backache and knee problems get me, I couldn't enjoy it the same. My dodgy bodywork, not the car.
Exactly, "Should you/could you" drive it as a daily driver vs. "Do you want to" are the perfect ways to look at this car. I had the 2001 NB2 Miata (NB = Gen2 and 2 = second half of Gen2) which was my favorite Miata. It was a fantastic car as far as comfort, performance and reliability. It could definitely keep up with traffic in any situation. However, I felt more invisible than when I rode my motorcycle. Because of the tiny size, other cars and trucks were constantly "bullying" me on the highway and at intersections. This car gets no respect. I finally gave up and switched to a bigger VW Rabbit which is also a sports car. (Yes, the Miata is that small.)
Do I miss the Miata? Yes. Was it a daily driver for me? No. It was the car for cruising the mountain twisties.
I agree completely, I had a MK5 Rabbit myself, loved that car!
@Suprathatis When I was younger, I used to do exactly that with my MG and the land yachts were much bigger than today's cars. I'm older and wiser now.
There are too many nuts on the highway looking for a fight these days. This includes mom's in minivans. Road Rage does not discriminate. It has no boundaries with age, size or gender; and NEVER assume that the person in the other car is not high on something or hasn't had a bad day, looking for a fight.
I just don’t understand the mentality that makes people feel intimidated by others on the road in a little car. They don’t have to respect you, and you don’t need to feel bullied. Either pull over to the cruise lane, or put the peddle down and disappear.
I’m in a little car, if someone in a big vehicle wants to bully me, I just make some moves they can’t make and I’m gone.
@@mr.butterworth Easier said than done. Had it not been for my quick reflexes, I would have had at least two large vehicles plow into me from the rear simply because they "didn't see" or "didn't expect me to be there (around the bend in a curvy road, waiting to turn with my blinker on, in spite of several warning signs. In other cases, I've had to turn on my emergency flashers to warn the oncoming vehicle from plowing into me from the rear because they thought I was farther away than I actually was (watching their headlights dive in the rear view mirror was exciting) on curvy roads.
I never had these problems on the interstate but I can honestly say that I've had more respect while riding my motorcycle on the same roads than I had while driving my Miata.
I started driving an MG Midget in the 60's - much smaller than a Miata - and I am no stranger to driving small cars. I drove this car in the mountains of West Virginia and on the expressways of Miami, Florida. The difference back then was that other drivers actually paid attention to the road. Today, it seems they just don't care and expect everyone else to get out of the way.
Now my "fun car" is a VW Rabbit which has a standard built-in roll cage with much more protection and bigger crush zone in the rear. I can still drive the same roads with as much fun but at least I know that I can survive in a crash, especially from the rear or in a rollover.
I've never felt "intimidated" by any driver. But I am allergic to "stupid" drivers who don't pay attention.
22mpg on a turbo miata is GREAT... your build is so simple i love it. thanks for the entertainment and wisdom!
I daily drove mine for 7 years in NY. Snow, rain etc. You need to take extra caution in bad weather, but it is manageable. As for reliability, it had 23k when I bought it and today is just under 200k.
I just bought a 2002 Special Edition last week and I plan on having some fun with it. As for a daily I don't mind. I'm a lady with no children and I am 5.8 tall. It's very comfortable to drive for long periods. The lack of space is a sacrifice but because the car is so enjoyable to drive it makes up for the lack of normal car expectations.
The 6th gear is great for around the northern Virginia area but once you get on I95 you realize it's not very fast but keeps up just fine. People around Virginia are rude to me like I'm in the way, but they also struggle to keep up with me when I want.
If you live in an area with high-speed drivers on average I suggest good brakes, suspension upgrades, and a tune so it accelerates as fast as other more modern cars in traffic.
No matter what the car lacks it makes up for it in just being a lot of fun to drive.
I daily drive mine, it makes me smile and has enough room in the boot for shopping supplies
I drove mine for 10 years. Never even thought about it. I love my car. I live in the North Georgia Mountains. The last 16miles of all curves. I drove an hour one way for those 10 years. I have 2002 NB. I miss getting to drive it now. It's our fun car now.
Of course you can daily drive a Miata, whether it’s practical to or not depends on your needs. As a single man who never needs more groceries than his ‘99 NB can hold, and with only the occasional passenger, I’ve daily driven mine with ease for over a year.
And since I drive a big tractor trailer for a living, it’s a refreshing change of pace to get in my little Miata, and I’m 6’6” tall. I love my little Chili Pepper! 🌶
I worked in construction for a while and I had a daily Corolla but sadly the transmission failed so it was in the shop for a month and a half.
Luckily I had a Miata that wasn’t entirely stock but that I downgraded to get as stock as possible cause I wanted a weekend joyride not a failed Project Car.
During the time my daily was in the shop I drove my Miata 1h 30m every weekday on highways and interstates.
This is that experience not including days I drove it outside of work.
Storage - 3/5: It honestly depends on everyone, I just took my lunch, work clothes and cooler and it fit well. Took it to travel and I fit enough stuff for myself, suit case, inflatable bed so on…
Reliability - 4/5: Great reliability!! I don’t usually fix it myself anymore I take it to a trusted mechanic but when I do I don’t find it too difficult. All I need is a RUclips video lol.
Comfort - 3/5: I didn’t mind it, with Cruise on, it was alright, seats were fine nothing impressive but never left the car with back pain or cramps. Main problem I “had” was that you just feel every little bump on the road lol.
Safety - 2/5: Not that these aren’t safe but without roll bar or pass-airbag idk, you honestly just have to drive aware of your surroundings and other drivers a lot more.
Visibility - 3.5/5 I think it’s pretty good. Only problem I found was that I have to pull up a little more on hills as the soft top can sometimes block your view. Bump it to a 3/5 when lights are up as they do block some view but not a noticeable amount.
Highway - 2/5: Can get very loud with road and wind noise and if it’s stock, don’t think about passing anyone going faster then 75MPH lol.
Gas - 4/5: Got better gas millage then my Corolla, not by a lot but definitely appreciated!!
Traffic - 3/5: Never had any problems… just if someone decides they’re having a bad they it’s more likely it’ll be taken out on the small car lol… trust me it’s happened.
Tech & Features - 2/5: Not much features but the necessities are there. I still have the cassette player I just use a Cassette to Bluetooth converter, only thing I’ve done is change the speakers as the ones prior had blown out.
Fun - 5/5: No doubt you’ll have fun!! Of course as a daily it may get boring after a while but trust when you get into another car you’ll appreciate the times you had inna Miata!!
If it were the only car I had, I would definitely Daily Drive it every day!!
I’ve been daily driving my 99 Miata since the beginning of 2020. I love it. I also have a 93 truck when I need more space.
Miata Dailyer here 🙋♂️. Abso-freaking-lutely love daily driving mine and have yet to run into many if any problems. Have even taken myself and my sister to a 5 day long wedding weekend with all of our clothing etc in the boot. Top down driving all the way with nothing on the parcel shelf 👌😁
I've been daily driving a Miata since 1995 - first a 91 NA for 13 years and a 2004 MSM since then. I live in San Francisco and work on the edge of Silicon Valley so no winter or ice, very little rain, and lots of twisty roads make it fun in all but the worst stop and go traffic. I have learned to drive pretty defensively over the years with my lights on most of the time - other cars don't see you.
I've always really liked the aesthetic of the Miata, wonderful shape and size and the pop-up headlights are possibly my favorite thing about cars like this, completely unnecessary but cool nonetheless
I currently daily my 2000 nb1 Miata, it’s amazing in every aspect and for my situation where it’s usually me or my significant other the space is perfect. Being 6’5 it’s abit cramped but after making adjustments to the seats I fit fine and comfortably.
I daily my ND RF and it is very nice, hardtop eliminates a lot of outside noises, and modern pieces of it are really nice (i.e. heated seats, Bluetooth, stuff like that), it gets really nice mileage (30 city, 36 highway if I'm not hooning it), and is pretty comfortable. Although I definitely don't have a lot of space because of the hardtop, and when I took it on multiple-hour road trips the bucket seats would be a little rough on my back. Overall I would argue that miatas are fantastic dailies
This is a responsible and broad-minded opinion, I liked it. And really, the question is, where do you come from? A racing bicycle or a luxury car? If you have high comfort expectations, forget it. But if you are a petrol head, you will enjoy every kilometre (yes, I'm from Europe), you can have a small shopping trip or a weekend for two with the necessary things.
The only risk if you daily drive it is that you get used to it and won't appreciate how fantastic it handles. Just a personal point of view, everyone enjoys their car in the way they would like to.
Thanks for making and posting this video. Very interesting! I’m a drummer, and my daily drivers were always estates (do you Yanks call them station-wagons?), Ford, Nissan, Volvo. I needed the space!
But I got fed up with lugging other musicians’ gear around, in addition to my drum kits. And also I just fancied having an MX5 (UK style!), having fallen in love with them when my younger sister had one.
I’ve only ever had the one MX5, a 2003 1.8 MkII, what you guys would call an NB, I believe? And I love it.
It had done 90,000 miles when I bought it. I’ve had it maybe eight years now? And it’s now on 180,000 miles.
Actually, the cam-belt failed on us, about 10 days ago. And as I have no money whatsoever, I had to repair it myself. Took me ages to sort it out (new cam-belt, idlers, cam cover gasket). In fact it’s only today I finally got the car running nice and sweet again.
It’s our daily drive, for my wife and I. She doesn’t drive. It has some issues: no picking up friends and family, unless I’m flying solo. And even then, just the one ‘spare’ seat!
Also, for shopping, or moving my drum kits around, or transporting whatever, it’s a challenge. That said, I’ve carried all kinds of stuff in or on the car. It can be great fun working out how to transport larger things.
But the lack of space can be a bummer!
Having just done the cambelt etc, I can say I like the hands-on nature of Miatas. I’m no grease monkey; but watching RUclipsrs and time/patience were rewarded today, when my dead baby was brought back to life!
Also, I’m 6’ 1”. Headroom is minimal! And sometimes I can’t see stuff above a certain height - eg traffic signals - when my roof is up or I have the hard top on.
But it’s the only car I have, and I drive it all the time, and love it. I can only really get the smallest of my drum kits in the car. But I’ve moved over from gigging and recording, etc, to teaching. So it’s not terminal!
With UK fuel prices that’d start a war in the US, fuel economy isn’t terrific. Only if I drive like a timid little old lady can I save a buck or two. But that’s not much fun, is it!
Long journeys require breaks, as it’s not the most luxurious ride. But I enjoy travelling in the MX5, esp’ with the roof down.
So, in conclusion, not always the most comfortable or practical of daily drives, perhaps. But I don’t care; she’s my DD, and I love her!
Even more so now, having nursed her back to health from death’s door!
Imo if your a smaller person it's a great daily car, I haven't had any major issues with mine yet and it's a 93 NA with about 140k miles on it rn, one thing I would swap out right away is the stock radiator bc the stock ones weren't built very well and are bound to just disintegrate at one point and you'll end up overheating pretty fast. Basic maintenance is pretty easy and most people can do it themselves watching a RUclips tutorial. One issue that I see many people having is probably going to be the noise, you hear almost everything going on inside the car and out and it's not ideal for people who want a smooth quiet ride (this can be fixed with insulation and a hard top but that can get pretty expensive). Parts are also cheap as hell bc they are absolutely everywhere.
Agreed
For winter guys good set of snow shoes with studs get a roll bar too. I daily mine in Michigan winter spring summer fall . Have 3 different sets of tires for it winter summer and all season for spring and fall. Tires are absolutely the most important part.
That's certainly the way to do it!
Perfectly fine daily driver. While I don’t use mine in the winter ❄️ 🇨🇦 in the summer it gets used almost daily. Long roads trips, trips to the store, work.
It’s important when your starting to make plans for your modifications that you think about how your going to use the car. If you build a track car for the street it’s gonna suck. For me early on I had decided that I was going for more of a GT build knowing that I was going to use it for long road trips. Last year I went on 3, and combined were close to 6000km.
My wife owns a 2004 LS and we love it. It is in winter storage at this time and we can't wait to get it out and start having fun with it.
I can’t wait to get mine back out too!
Great video! I daily drive mine and love love love it but need to get something else for the snowy months. They are made for taking curves and the sheer fun of driving them.
I drove a 90 NA for 2 years, off and on. I am 5’9” and still fit comfortably, but if I was any bigger, probably not so.
I put a hardtop on mine and that probably made the biggest difference as I do live in Western Washington where I have to deal with rain.
I had a Montego Blue 1997 Miata from 2000-2004 and drove it daily and even cross-country. It was so comfortable on long drives. I put over 65k miles on it in those four years. I put a Flyin' Miata exhaust and KYB adjustable shocks on it and it was perfect! I regularly saw 31mpg in normal driving and almost 36-37mpg on the highway. It only ever needed one new clutch and normal maintainance. I sold it in 2004 and have regretted it ever since. The worst part was I sold it to a local guy and still see it from time to time.
I'm watching this video like I haven't been driving a Miata for 4 years 😅
Hahaha
Time for another one!
@@CashedOutCars your videos has inspired me to save up for the K swap! 🤙
@@CashedOutCars can I ask how tall you are? I’m 6’2 and I want to know if there’s a way to make myself fit so that I can have the roof up for the Canadian winters
I’ve been going 4 years daily in a 97. But I was born in the 80’s, this is what used to be our norm.
I bought a 2002 Miata new, and daily drove it (all 4 seasons) for 17 years. Very few problems. Had to replace the top after about 14 years. But I didn't keep the drain holes as clear as I should have, and it rusted out due to the heavy salt used in the area I live in. (yes, I had a set of snow tires I'd switch to for Winter, and drove it a lot in snow. Fun stuff.)
would you say its possible to drive a mx 5 miata in the new england area? I've been thinking about getting a miata as a daily, but I need to be able to drive on the highway and all year long.
@@impartial6119 I read another comment, "
@vanessamonster5038
1 year ago
I daily drove mine for 7 years in NY. Snow, rain etc. You need to take extra caution in bad weather, but it is manageable. As for reliability, it had 23k when I bought it and today is just under 200k."
I daily drove a Miata (Eunos Roadster V-Spec) for 10 years. Loved it, sold it for what I paid for it, too!
Awesome! Did you have that in the US?
@@CashedOutCars I had the car in the UK. Was a JDM import and was in excellent condition with only 21K miles on it.
Besides the usual maintenance nothing went wrong on it. I put 100K miles on it. Only reason I got rid of it was due to a growing family.
Just bought an almost totally stock NB2 today. I’ve wanted one for so long!
This is great. I'm getting a silver 2000 Miata. So excited to learn about it and hopefully molding it in the fitire. ❤
I just got my NA about 6 weeks ago and put 2000 miles on it. Was daily driving a couple weeks but it's covered for the winter now. Massachusetts isn't kind to cars in the winter and she's my baby so needs to be taken care of.
That's a good choice, I don't drive mine in winter here in CT
Thank you for this video. I am thinking about getting a Miata as a daily driver. I used to have a Toyota MR2 Spyder with manual transmission which was a daily driver, probably drove very similar to a Miata. I loved driving it every day! But you are right about small cars being hard to see. On two separate occasions I was hit by a huge semi truck on the freeway, because they could not see me. Fortunately I was not injured and my car was not severely damaged, but after that, I stayed away from those things. Maybe it's best to get a red or yellow Miata. My Spyder was dark blue.
I’ve got a nd2 and love to daily drive mine, but you have to be very careful as I live in Los Angeles which is suv capital, this is very reliable, this is also a very capable car. If you know how to pack accordingly I would highly recommend anyone looking for a fun sports car. Check out the Miata.
I agree, drive it very carefully like a bike. I just picked up an ND1. Enjoy yours!
I wouldn’t daily drive an NA or an NB. But he’ll ya on the NC! I’m on my second one soon. Picking it up Saturday!
I have an '08 NC that I've driven daily for ten years. I once drove it from TX to NC and back with no problems on the highway. In everyday Houston traffic, though, different story. I've been hit seven times by people (mostly in large trucks/SUVs) who just weren't paying attention. That's one of the reasons I've reluctantly decided to give up my roadster and move up to something more visible.
That's certainly one of the biggest downsides to them
Can you? Yes. Should you? In my opinion yes. As a commuter it is fun...as long as it is not your only car and you have an option for those bad weather days. My NB and my NC have both made multiple trips coast to coast, CA to FL, with my wife and I in the car. Of course you have to pack light, but that offers my wife the option of clothes shopping during the trip, and sending the excess home as she buys them.
I daily my 1995 Miata. While I could use a 2nd car to keep the miles off and due to snow. They're meant to be Driven, year round.
Been daily driving my 1.8 95 NA for 7 years. Only problems I've had are related to my cooling system which as it turns out was buggered from when I bought it (bad maintenance by the previous owner, finally getting sorted). Everything else has been great. My only other issue has been rust, naturally.
Done about 40000 miles, now at 135k. I get about 24mpg but my commute is small roads, lots of stops, lots of queuing, no motorways. Unfortunately when I head out on a weekend it's still small roads etc. so the mpg is the same.
Enjoy it!
your the coolest person ever owning a miata i wish i could touvh one in person only seen them driveing
Yes you can and why wouldn't you ! My NA 1.8 is 25 yrs old now and I've bn driving mine every day for nigh on 10 yrs.that I've owned it. It's brill, love it ! i work on it myself and mend or maintain myself 🙂👍most parts are new or changed , updated .it needs new rag top soon and a new or repaired/replaced drivers seat - ALL GOOD 😁 MY CARS MORE THAN COMFORTABLE ,we re not all big , soft ,wallowing on a cloud suspension drivers ! 🤨like yank cars are! with this your actually in touch with the road , in control , not steering a boat !!! Thanks 🙂
I live in northern British Columbia, Canada. I daily my 93 LE for about 9 months out of the year but once theres more than 6 inches of snow on the road it becomes dangerous to the cars body so i store it until spring. Winter is a great time to do my project mods to the car so that i dont have to waste valuable road time. I have several other vehicles but the miata is my favorite
I'm certainly thinking of a miata, just graduated high school and my current car js a 1967 Mercury Cougar. Which I love however now that I'm out working I need something more efficient and reliable to daily and keep my cougar more for fun. I think they are fun cars that have a personality! This video certainly solidified my choice haha. (Keep in mind the Cougar gets probably 11 on the highway and 8 in the city lol! Carburated v8s am I right? Haha!)
young people with old cars unite! i’m 17, and bought a piece of crap 74 ford maverick as a project car. i got her to run and drive but she’s not running rn cause of an electrical issue. i’m selling my daily (2005 vw bug) to buy another project car,(miata) so wish me luck😂
Picking up my Miata next Wednesday :) super excited
Have fun!
Congrats mate! The miata comunity is the nicest out there!
WHICH COLOR?
I test drove a Miata to see if I'd have enough fun to make a car like this worth it. But I was surprised at how little storage there was. I had a mini fridge in the backseat of my 08 Civic at the time, and that speaks basically my whole take on the situation.
Don't get me wrong, I think Miatas are cool as hell, but I realized in that moment that I have higher priority of being able to move things like that around. I'd consider getting something like a Miata as a second car in the future, but at the moment I feel like I can get enough enjoyment from my sunroof and 6 speed in the civic, combined with being able to move small pieces of furniture and tools and luggage.
My grandpa is giving me a 1991 Miata it’s a little beat up but I can’t wait to get it running again
Sold my '92 miata last year to get a '17 gti stage 2. Both cars are fun as hell but I sure miss the drop top.
Which do you like better as a daily? I also had a MK7 GTI at one point!
i have a mk6 looking to daily drive a miata 😭
yes. i have one and i use it all the time. rev it to 7000 all the time too
Thanks for your detailed description
that turbo sounds sick!!!
Long post incoming. I bought my 1991 NA in 2013 with 36K miles and daily drove it until 2020. My opinion is you CAN daily drive these cars for 99% of trips. However, I'm going against the grain here and saying for the majority of people, I do not recommend it. They are not very fuel efficient for their size and displacement. The best I could manage on the highway was approximately 31 MPG, but it isn't fun driving the car like that. With A/C on, if yours even still works, you'll be lucky to manage 28. R134a converted cars are only adequate and will not keep the interior comfortable in traffic if you live in AZ like I do.
My 2017 Mazda 3, which is 800lbs heavier with 400CCs more displacement, never drops below 35MPG and can easily do 45MPG. It's also a manual. Running the A/C has little to no impact. The road noise on my NA6 is substantial, even with a hardtop and a full interior. The acceleration is fun, but leisurely. You have to work the engine very hard to keep up with most modern vehicles. Lastly, if your car is a really clean example, daily driving is going to leave a lot of battle scars as it did to mine. The car is still very clean, but I kind of wish I bought a daily sooner.
The aluminum hood and front fenders dent extremely easily, the softtop to windshield frame seals will probably leak in a rain storm and NAs almost constantly smell of gas fumes when idling or after a long drive. If it's in your budget, the NC miata is probably the nicest daily driver owing to it's relatively spacious cabin (for a miata), modern amenities and the PRHT versions are way more convenient than a detachable hardtop and are unlikely to get stolen. NCs are also very affordable while being just as daily-able as a brand new ND. I almost never run my NA's hardtop as I am deathly afraid of it getting stolen and top down = maximum fun.
After having a proper daily driver for the past 4 years, I can enjoy my NA when the time is right and leave it safely parked in the garage when it's gonna be just another boring commute in stop and go traffic. If you can ONLY have one car and you are dead set on it being a Miata. I recommend seeking out NBs and up. The newer they get, the nicer they are to daily drive. NA's are old enough where even well kept ones will have nagging issues that get annoying when you just need the car to work. Later Miatas are also WAY safer for both the driver and passenger, which understandably matters to a lot of people. US roads especially are infested with dumbass 4000lbs+ trucks and SUVs that will turn an early Miata into a twisted mess of metal and the passengers into ground beef. My loved ones sleep easier knowing I don't drive mine everyday anymore.
TL; DR - Most people will get exhausted daily driving an early NA miata. Get a dedicated daily and a Miata, or get a modern Miata that's easier to live with every day. I only recommend NA's for people that LOVE to tinker with their car.
if i ever get one i will probably get a hard top as I feel it looks better but soft top will be fun for sunny weekends
Amazing video keep it going
I appreciate the support!!
Daily drive my Na for 7 years. Biggest issue is when you need storage space and don’t have it. Have straps to load a box on top of trunk lid lol.
Backpacking around australia,2 years 200k km nb8a
232 citys,towns
Great vid😊. Thanks for sharing😊😊.
My boy just drove through New Hartford. That's where I live!
As a shitbox civic driver with no ac, bad audio, windows that don't work and an airbag recall that hasn't been taken care of I can't wait to get one of these cars
They’re great cars, best of luck!
Why do I want a Miata? This: 😜
Have daily driven my NB with itbs for 3 years. Have had zero problems with it. Maybe some better coilovers would make my experience better.
I live in Miami Beach. I want a nice and affordable convertible, I rarely use my current Honda's backseat and am considering getting a Miata. I am 6' 3" and wondering if this is too small for me. But it looks so fun!
They are a blast. I’d try to sit in one, you can always make seat modifications if you need to. Most tall people end up shaving the seat foam down
i’m 6’2 and i daily my NB2 and i fucking love it
I live in New England so my Miata hibernates during the winter, but as soon as spring rolls around the little guy is awakened.
Same, what do you drive through the winter?
@@CashedOutCars i drive a pathfinder, you?
Sweet, I have a Saab 92X aero (Saabaru, basically a WRX)
It’s alright, I usually save driving mine till the weekend, but since my other car is being fixed, I’ve had to daily mine, so:
It’s fun to daily drive them, sure. But I do not recommend it if you’re on the bigger/taller side IMO.
Hey, I'm looking for my first car, and I'm thinking of getting a miata. Because of things like the safety and comfort I'm going to get an NC (can't afford an ND), particularly with the hardtop. Im going to drive it for 1-2 hours a day, so it's getting a lot of km. I'm also 6'2, so I was unsure about fitting in an NA or NB. I want a fun car, that is going to be reliable and cheap to maintain, so I think that the NC will be my best option. If anyone has any opinions or advise, that would be fantastic!
The Power retractable hardtop NCs are awesome cars! I was going to get one to daily myself
I have a slightly modified NB that I selectively daily in Wisconsin. We take it on trips and to work, but sometimes you need a F-150. Up north I would recommend a second car as you will NOT drive it in the winter.
I daily drive my '96 NA. Year round top down exept when its rainin or below zero celcius. Greetings from the Netherlands
Enjoy it, go Max!
I daily used mine for two years until finally the modern highway bit back. Car ahead braked unexpectedly, and with no ABS and skinny tyres on a wet road, alas. Awaiting repairs now, which will cost more than the value of the car, but I love it too much to let it be torn apart.
My Miata has around 260k Miles on it and I was thinking on taking a trip from Atlanta to Mexico with it.
I don’t know if the car with that mileage can withstand that drive but the car is in good shape and I’ve replaced the Radiator, Valve Cover Gasket, Thermostat, Spark Plugs and Water Pump.
If you renewed the car, go for it friend
@@rayb8732 I actually did.
I’m not worried about the car failing, I’m worried about the car not taking the heat
@@rayb8732 I Can basically take a 14 hour drive to San Antonio and let the car rest for a Day
All the people saying yes surprises me, I have a manual maybe others have automatic, but daily driving that thing would be rough, I also have a 1991, I'm sure a newer model would be better.
I really thinking about buying a Miata. My 2001 f150 barely does 8 miles to the gallon 💀. And its huge! sooooo. Yea i want the miata
Im saving for a Miata right now, and my biggest fear is that I live where there's mostly big trucks.
Good video! My fully optioned (AC/Cruise/Power Window/Power Steering and ABS) 91 has been my daily for 22 years and 190,000 miles since I bought it with 110k on the odo from a pizza delivery joint... Is it REALLY the answer to everything? Not exactly, but I have photos with the front seat out and the top down carrying 16 fifty pound feed bags (9 in the front, 3 over the folded top, and 4 sticking out the open trunk.) I also use it from time to time as my road trip gig-mobile hauIing a guitar, amp, PA, Bose monitors and overnight bag (I also have a "sensible" WJ Jeep, a rocketship Fox Mustang, an older F150 to abuse , a newer crew cab long bed F-250 for towing, and an MGB for shows, but really love driving the Miata more than almost any car I've ever owned... .) I have no issues with getting to 60 -when I'm not carrying 800#s of feed bags anyway - and I've gotten as much as 33 mpg ( with a turbo you should have zero problems squirting up to 70). My philosophy is that if you upgrade to big grippy brakes and tires, and fully adjustable coil overs, the Miata will get you out of far more trouble than it can get you into... that's the joy of driving small cars fast...
I have a 2009 it’s great for Australian open roads
Enjoy it my friend!
I was wanting to buy a 96 or something along those lines and was wondering things like MPG and average low maintenance levels. Another thing being what should I look for on FB market and what to avoid. Thank you ❤
I drive my NC 3 times a week and love it as it serves only myself. I am tempted to remove the passenger seat so I don't have to take anyone for a ride. 😝
I'm concerned about the winter.
I've been a bicycle commuter for years. Will road salt destroy the underside?
I daily drive my na but im gonna have to put it away soon for the winter
It’s a good idea to preserve it!
Last day of driving my NA, got a golf IV as a winter whip...miss my NA yet! But it needs some ,,surgery" during wintertime. Quarterpanel replacement cause of rust and fitting a rollbar! Whoop whoop!🥰
Hey there, I really liked you video. Thanks for all the tips about these tiny funny cars
do you still have the cruise control you took out, by any change?
Could you park a soft top NC Miata outside in the winter? Would you need a soft top cover? I had thought of the PRHT but the roof on uses ones often rattle and just seem like they could be a maintenance nightmare.
I'm really considering a 1.8 manual NB as a second daily driver. I keep getting told it's impractical, but I already have a 4 door 1.6L manual sedan, so I want something rwd, sporty, and I don't want a big car, as someone who has only driven small cars.
If you have a 4 door then this will be the perfect compliment to it!
I daily mine but want to make it a little more fun to drive, possible a little more power... Im just not sure what to do first thats also cheap so I don't break the bank
Retrofit refrigerator in glove box, and keep that Asahi chilled!!!
Make catch can with it after?👀
dude, how much does it cool down things? can i put a warm drink and be able to drink it nice and cold, or it just keeps tings cooled? this is sick, never heard of it
It'll keep drinks chilled enough to enjoy, salads fresh for hours. But you can't freeze anything! Not recommended for making ice.
why am i here... i daily a miata (NB) already and im buying a second one atm xD
i guess i'm addicted
Cash where do you get your replacement parts? I bought an alternators from O'Reilly and it failed after 5 months. It had lifetime warranty so I was able to get another alternator at no further charge.
I try to go OEM which I frequently get of eBay if I can, and if not I pick from any local auto parts store. Sometimes parts are hit or miss though
I am looking at a Miata for my first car and not sure if I should get it because there are only 2 seats. I love the way they look and love almost everything about it other than only having 2 seats. Does anyone have some thoughts about it?
can i daily drive a miata as a 6'5 guy?
would it be practical enough to have it as your only car though? i been thinking of getting an NA miata but kinda wanna have back seats (like 86 or celica or hyundai coupe)
That's a question for you to figure out for yourself! I have used this as my only car at some points, but I have always been looking for something else since I like having the option of more space
im 16 and daily mine slammed on coils, most fun daily to have.
Enjoy it! The first thing i did when I got this one when I was 17 was coilovers too!
Dude! I daily drove a Caterham Seven for 5 years 😬A Miata is a Lexus for me ;)
i have the ND and ive been driving that smol car everytime i have a chance
Enjoy it, NDs are awesome!
Make sure this is your 2nd whip, not the primary... but you will drive it like your primary because it's fun...
why 2nd, can’t you make it your only primary
@@NicholasMano Grocery store, trips to Home Depot, rainstorms (leaks and not as safe because of ultralight traction in wet weather or snow), and keep the miles low.
@@thetruthserum2816 hey so i’m possibly getting my first 1990 mx5, it has a rebuilt 90k motor and i’m pretty young. it will be my only means of commute getting around 30mi per week, what do you think?
@@NicholasMano of course, yes! You'll make it work... I'd recommend getting a car cover to keep the rain, sun, and leaves off of it... Make sure it's a good one, because you'll probably want to keep it forever...
@@thetruthserum2816 Thank you a lot, i’m just stressing about it because I’m not sure if the car is good enough to commute to work, and i’m hearing a lot of different opinions from other individuals lol.
im about to take one
For mainly highway driving, that’s my commute, not much off the highway, is it a good idea for a first car
I don't think they're particularly great for highway driving, but they absolutely shine on backroads