Continue Miata Turbo or Turbo IS300?
 

I am having an emotional dilemma. Understanding the biasness that is sure to exist in this forum, I am looking for input on whether I should keep the Miata and work out the bugs or scrap it and turbo my IS300 instead.

Background: I am working full time and doing 9 - 11 credits a semester for mechanical engineering. I love wrenching and getting greasy, but I also enjoy a running car. I don't have as much time left at the end of the week as I would like to be able to get into the Miata.

As of now, the Miata just got a nice rebuild by me with ETD rods and new rings and bearings. Have fired it up a few times, but have not driven it yet. Seems to run beautifully. Turbo is not spinning at idle, but will spin when gas is blipped. Possibly have a block in the oil feed line, but haven't nailed down what the problem is - turbo might be shot.

The reason I am so tempted to scrap the barbie car is that I have recently become friends with a guy who drags his old supra on straight Ethanol (7M motor) who also builds the 2JZG(T)E engines. He is constantly giving me crap for working on the Miata when I have such a gem of an engine doing nothing. He also has enough spare parts sitting around that would get me 800HP+ that he would sell/install for a deal.

I like the Miata, but the only track time it will probably ever see is the drag strip a couple times a year.

Every I talk to that stupid guy I get more and more tempted. Talk me out of it!

I myself would like the IS just because its more comfortable. I guess it all depends on your tastes and reasons for doing the builds.

You can come for a ride/drive in mine and see what you are missing.

That's a tough one though... I love the IS300

If you do get rid of your miata you should sell me the motor :D

You're a full-time student and you need a reliable car.

Continue to use the Miata to satisfy your urge to tinker and leave your daily driver alone.

+1 on leaving the daily driver alone.

Hell...if I could go back to last November...I would have never started turbocharging this car. I'm finally finishing my build...in the middle of a very tough semester.

I have thought about the daily factor, but I also have a 2000 Altima that I was going to sell but could be a winter beater... wife probably wouldn't go for that though.

Nick - I think I'll take you up on that ride. I see your car in front of your girlfriend's house all the time. I will come bug you one of these days.

By the way - all cars are paid off. Debt free is the way to be!

+1

Just knock on the door next time I you see my car there, unless it's late. or you can just text me

you won't eclipse the same fun/$ ratio of a miata with anything.

I concur...So unless you have gobs of money to do as you please, the miata is your best bet.

Before getting back into a miata, I was seriously considering getting a E36 M3...then after many, I MEAN MANY, hours of thinking, I simply could not ignore the potential the miata had with such minimal $$. Ride in or drive another local miata and you won't be contiplating this anymore.

Do yourself a favor and don't make any rash decisions. I am also a student but, I am taking 19 credit hours and still working 2-4 days a week. I use the miata as a stress realiver. Keep the miata and finish it, IT WILL BE WORTH IT.

And please!!! Keep the daily and leave it alone.

QFT

I also used the miata as a stress-reliever...and it was great for that when it could just sit there for months at a time.

Since wrecking the dd...things have been more stressful. I can only start projects I can finish that day, and it often takes time away from studying I wouldn't otherwise devote to the car. Sunday it meant barely spending 10min kicking the ball with my little girl because once I ripped out the dash to change the carpet I HAD to get it back in (supports steering column) by the end of the day or I'd miss classes on Monday.


Miata projects are great anyways. You get a lot of return on your time/money investment, and there's nothing there to disappoint you like a heavy muscle car or poor handling luxobarge. I also want to build an IS300 baaadd.....but later.

Finish the Miata and you'll be happy. I thoroughly enjoy shutting people up with my car. A good buddy has a Lightning with a 10psi pulley and some $1500 headers he talks mad shit about. Saturday he was also talking shit about my interior-less car. So I smoked him...3 times...on 85% of Braineacks spark map. This made me happy.

Drive an IS300 because it will run comfortably, quietly, forever... don't turbo it. You better have really deep (non-student) pockets if you wanna play the IS game. From your description, it doesn't sound like your pockets are deep enough. To make the actual IS300 capable RWHP, you need a pretty expensive and extensive list of parts.

I'll tell you what.. instead of considering turbo'ing or SCing the IS300 just call me when you want to blow money. For example, when you realize that you blew the tranny in your new FI IS300, send me the 1000 dollars you would spend :)

LOL - I'll put you on the list of people who want hand outs from me.

I think I'm over the initial lust for a turbo IS. I just need to stay away from that guy who is trying to talk me into it.

For now I'm settling myself down and am going to get the Miata running well and then see if I want more. Judging by the way people talk about 260ish RWHP in one of these, I should be pretty happy.

id do both.