Studs!? Are you planning on going offroading on your way to the catskills?

Blizzaks were what I used on my miata when it was my college daily driver. Been to many trips in snow to various lodges in the north east with zero issues. Been the only car on the road besides the plows and truckers in major snow storms...miata with good snow tires absolutely rocks. Stock suspension though, that helped.

 

So I am taking it that you did not pick up either of the NB's you looked at yesterday?

 

Altimax is a better value IMO. Neither are all that great in the dry, but they aren't really meant to be.
Studs will give you better performance obviously, but they are LOUD.
That being said, I am also going to run them this year because we get snow and ice like woah.

 

I was wondering the same thing. I want to see Joe with a grin in the driver's seat and top down.








Just so we are clear, the car's top. Not Joe's top.

 

Actually not, we've just got a few inclines to deal with, and I'm massively out of practice driving in the snow. Besides, the GF has expressed some doubt as to the practicality of wanting to drive a Miata in the winter in NY, and I need to not fail at this.




Rather annoyingly, Sarah at Broadway Motors in Rensseler NY can't tell the difference between a Miata and an SLK230, with the consequence that I only looked at one car yesterday, the black one (which turned out to be black cherry mica.)

It was in very nice shape, virtually no rust and a 9.5/10 interior, but Cleetus the Slack-Jawed Yokel who runs the place wouldn't budge from $8k. Pretty sure he doesn't give a **** how long the car sits on his lot.

I'm pursuing a few other leads- one in SC, one in TN, one in FL, and Erat's car. One way or another, I'm buying a plane ticket for this Saturday.

 

You have slack jawed yokels up there? Weird.

That slack jawed yokel probably did you a favor

 

Honestly, once you get outside of the NYC metro area, this place is pretty hillbilly. 'Specially up the Catskills region.

Amusingly, they (the natives) have a special name for us cityfolk who come driving up into "their" territory on the weekends with our mouths full of fancy teeth and our highfalutin un-ripped clothing. They call us Citiots.

The irony is thick enough that you could spread it like caviar on imported Russian blini.

Ref: http://www.granitehillsdesign.com/ru...ralHandout.pdf

 

What is your preferred color? I found a clean, red MSM near me for about the same money as the black car.
2004 MAZDASPEED Miata (Trade for R1)

 

My memory of the NE (as a native since moved); tall mountains laced with valleys of white steepled churches arranged around the peaceful town square.

Compared to.

Impressions of my Midwestern natives upon returning from a trip through those same mountains; tall green mountains laced with valleys filled with single wide house trailers with either 1. at least one 1/2 disassembled car/truck/boat/garden tractor or 2. a 1/2 buried bath tub turned into shrine complete with the requisite religious statue. Extra points for both...

Oh, don't forget to put it next to your neighbors 1/2 million dollar house.

If you were 2 hrs to the NE you'd be a "Flatlander". Much nicer term!

That.

 

Contemplating this: Cars for Sale: 2002 Mazda Miata MX5 in Antioch, TN 37013: Convertible Details - 371068560 - AutoTrader.com

 

Perfect color

Also, I was being a bit facetious about the yokel. In my experience, hill jacks are alive and well in all parts of this country. I was a bit surprised the first time I drove through Western NY state on the way to Watkins Glen. If someone would have blind folded me before going there I would have guessed we were in Eastern Iowa farm country.

 

This car looks decent but:

A. It's still from the rust belt.

B. One would have to travel to Logansport to acquire it...ewww. One could stop for B&K and/or Sycamore Ice Cream which would ever so slightly ease the pain.

 

Former Hoosier? B&K covers a multitude of sins.
Joe, I like the blue one the best so far and the price is better for sure. Power windows = torsen correct?
Any Volunteers near Antioch that can look more closely?

 

Not so far as I know. With the latter NBs, LSD (not technically Torsen) is only assured if it's an LE with leather seats.

Not a biggie- I can live without it for the time being.

 

You think?

Next nearest contender is an NC/SC car. Lived in Pinehurst and Laurel Hill NC untill 2011, just recently moved to SC. Cars for Sale: 2001 Mazda Miata MX5 in FLORENCE, SC 29501: Convertible Details - 369907633 - AutoTrader.com








Same gay color, with Pinstripes of Shame and leather.



Part of my problem is that having lived most of my life in southern states, I really don't have a good handle on how many years of useful life these cars have left once they get to this state:



(Not from either of the above cars.)


If that car above will go another 10 years before it literally splits in half while taking a hard corner, then that's just fine. If it's only gonna go 2-3 more years before it gets flexier than an early NA, not so much.

 

2001 Mazda Miata Convertible

2005 Mazda MX-5 Miata LS

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/cto/4596723425.html

 

I drive some pretty old vehicles (20+) and none of them has rusted out yet. Even my 90 toyota pickup has an intact bed. The secret is to just wash the **** out of it every week when there is salt on the ground. Having a good undercoating put on is definitely a good idea as well.

 

That first one has potential. The last one; I just can't get over the Velcro looking body panels.

 

Agreed, I'm liking the first one.


Also looking at this: http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...37518411&Log=0

 

Not a Hoosier, but I've been through Logansport plenty of times. B&K is so bad it's good.

I was commenting on the mazdasoeed from Indiana. I would never buy a used car from Indiana (unless it truly was a nice weather only car)

I most certainly would never buy a car with that much rust. It's like an iceberg, you only see 10% of the damage. If you're going to spend $5000+ on a car why settle on one that has any rust?

The rust gets bad fast, especially if you're planning on driving it in the winter. That spot of rust could be a gaping hole in 1, 2, maybe 3 years. You make way too much money to be driving around in a car with friggen rust holes.

I hate rust