What to do with my '93... part/sell/trade???
 

DO NOT PM ME OR CALL DIBS ON ANY PARTS... I WILL SIGN YOU UP FOR A LIFETIME PLAYGIRL SUBSCRIPTION AND A PLATINUM NAMBLA MEMBERSHIP IF YOU DO! This is a theoretical discussion to help me make a decision and I totally need some realistic input.

I just got my orders to San Diego. I'll be headed out there in December. My '02 Dodge 1500 QuadCab truck will go to Carmax if I can't offload it cheap on Craigslist. I'll drive the MS6 x-country (Atlanta boys will need to save an evening for drinks/dinner/meet somewhere)... and I need to figure out what to do about the Miata.

I'm not putting another dime into it. I'm taking it to the Richmond Drag Day end of Sept... but after that, options open.
Reasons to get rid of it:
1st: It'll cost me $700 to ship it x-country.
2nd: I really want a '99+.
3rd: We might end up w/a 1car garage in SanD... makes things tougher to part then.
4th: The wife is on my ass to make a decision about it.

Part:
Bell Mani
Bell SS DG DP
SR20det T25 w/ATP adapters
Full PnP Cops Setup
MS Standalone by Braineak w/EBC
CXRacing IC + 2" piping fitment for noAC noPS
Bosch OEM Bov
1G DSM Bov
Borla Duals w/test pipe
KYB AGX 8-way 100k miles
RB Sways + Sway Reinforcer
Stock '97 wheels w/brand new Zeix912 195's.
15x6.5 Heliums w/shot T1R's
Autopower Rollbar w/padding/leather cover
Spec StgII w/12k miles
+the car itself after stripped of aftermarket (bodypanels/interior/etc)

If I part, I'll carry-over some pieces to my '99 like brakelines/voodoo knob/LC1 and a few other minor parts.

Sell:
It will never pass smog ever again without going to great lengths.
150k on chassis
260k on motor... but 200psi compression all cylinders
Everything I've ever done to it is well documented here... would need an hour in person to cover everything I've touched. The only thing "wrong" with it is a minorly leaky front main seal. My new catch-can should eliminate the minor oil consumption problem... other than that, it's my DD and is entirely trouble-free in it's current configuration.

Trade:
I could conceivable trade it straight across for a low-mileage ’99… white/base/sport package preferred… but I don’t see anybody trading me a slightly modified ’99 for my ’93. Any mod that doesn’t come on the ’99 is something I have to buy. A ’99 with a rollbar/suspension basics/brakelines/etc would be ideal… but I don’t see that happening. Trading for a bone-stock ’99 it would have to be in perfect shape/low miles/and my “preferred” car.

Anyways… what are the thoughts around here. What is my best move? After I part the aftermarket parts, what can I expect to recover for the “car”? Whaddya all think?

I call dibs on the...

Kidding.
I say part your car as much as possible. You'll always come out better. Of course keep whatever you can transfer to the 99. Get the car back to as close as stock and then sell it.

If I could do it over again I'd have bought an 01 base model. Keep that in mind. Too many improvements to pass up. Fancy headlights that work (99 lights yellow, are ugly, and barely work), more bracing, VVT (good or bad, though I would go hydra or another ECU that can easly run VVT), the brakes are bigger (I think), the interior is SUPERIOR in a few different ways, the taillights are prettier, etc. It's the last version of the NB sorta. Realistically it would cost me 2K+ to upgrade most of that stuff to my 99. Not worth it.

sell miata. there are TONS of NB miatas around here and they average about $6k for 99-00 and sometimes you can find some crazy deals like there was few weeks ago ('01 sport in MINT condition for $4500)

Sell it and buy a 99 from out in the desert!

Mark

So... there seems to be a belief that somebody might actually want to buy this thing whole? It couldn't be smogged, so that limits my buying pool right there. I don't think I could sell it to some kid who wandered by and would have no clue what to do if anything broke... even if smog was not an issue.

Where would I start for an asking price? I was thinking I could part the aftermarket stuff for around $3000 and the OEM parts might fetch me another $1000 if I could totally strip the thing. What do shells fetch... $200. So, maybe start at $5k and take $4500 as it sits with both sets of tires... even throw in the spare 1.6 I've got sitting in the garage still?

why are you so insistent that it can't pass a smog check? really a cat and a good tune is what it takes. my car passes, yours should too.

Sam you can give it to me no problem.

What are you doing? You forget this is a MIATA forum. Good luck, you are about to have a full PM box in 3...2...











(PM sent)

I guess I was thinking along the lines of a California CARB Smog Check. I actually don't know much about the myriad of SMOG laws as the Navy allowed me to permanent resident in Florida and I'll never smog anything again as long as I'm active duty.

So, you're saying a CAT and some tuning would pass a sniffer.... but what about visusals? Do most states NOT do a visual inspection? It's a '93 so there isn't any EGR, but I do have the charcoal canister removed... am I worried over nothing?

If you think there's a good chance somebody might buy it as it sits, then I might put it up for sale whole. I guess my inner "honorable guy" is getting the better of me. I have NO problems putting 15psi through a 250k mile motor... but it could let loose tomorrow and some dude would think I sold him a lemon.

So are you moving to SD or just getting stationed there? To register a car on a CA base you will need to pass a smog check, but the rules are much easier than to pass CA smog. No visual, just a quick run on the rollers if I remember right. Nothing a new map couldn't deal with....
--Alex

Both... I don't understand what you're asking?

Getting the car on base isn't a problem... it'll be gone one way or another before it needs new tags.

All I really want to know is recommendations on the best way to sell the car, part the car, or drive the car off a cliff and collect insurance.

probably would have been the easiest way and gotten you a good chunk of money, but now that you posted the idea on the internet I wouldn't recommend it, insurance fraud charges would suck ass.