Howdy! I'm grateful to have stumbled upon this site. I just purchased my first Miata 2 months ago. I am fond of and initially was looking to buy a WRX. I wanted something turbocharged and AWD (for the winter's snow). My brother, at the same time, was looking to purchase something sporty and affordable. Over the years I had stumbled upon some impressive performance specs and high praise for the Miata and knew one could be picked up relatively cheap. I told my brother he should get one. As I'm helping him shop for one, I become increasingly drawn to them. I test drove one and was hooked. Buh bye WRX. Hello Miata. I soon picked up a 2001 LS with 102K miles and absolutely love it. What about the snow and the AWD that I need? Well, I just picked up a beater truck. No winter worries AND the ability to haul parts as needed.

I have lots of plans and am appreciative of the great advice on this forum. It's funny how my plans (before reading) were just like every other noobs plan to pick up a cheap turbo system with a piggy back and slowly upgrade. NOW, I'm reading Maximum Boost, spending hours reading on this forum and will pick up a PNP MS3 from REV here in a few weeks. I still have TONS to learn but look forward to the evolution that I and my car will make in the process.

Cheers!

 

Props for being literate, spending a little bit of time reading around the forum and educating yourself.

Let see some pictures. Welcome to the site.

 

Welcome, BermudaFox. Check out the Miata Gallery and post up some pics!

 

Awesome intro! Welcome! we definitely want pics, even if it is just stock... We like pics...

As for the winters, i lived in wisconsin (relatively flat) and now live in western Pennsylvania (fairly hilly) and i havent run into any problems in the winter. I know you guys get WAY worse winter conditions than those two places, but the miata isnt terrible for being RWD. I always find myself driving right by mustangs that are stuck spinning up a hill.
I typically drive my mini in the winter, as it does AMAZINGLY well in the snow, but i like the heat in the miata. lol I have yet to get stuck, or in any hairy situations *knocks on wood
I usually keep some weight in the trunk, but not an obscene amount, just enough to put some pressure on those tires. I ALSO have a box of snow cables that i keep in the trunk, havent had to use them, but i have them JUST IN CASE. They were only $50, you should check those out!

AND... I mean this as lighthearted as possible..... Are you Mormon???? And, if so, are you sure you are allowed to modify a miata??? Lol jk jk
My roomate is Mormon, his family actually still lives out in Salt Lake, and he is always joking around about stuff that he shouldnt do (interestingly enough, he is in a metal band) lol

 

I'm jealous of your home track, MMP. They were going to build that just north of Denver til the NIMBY crowd spoke up.

Just get a set of decent snow tires and the Miata will be the best winter car you've ever had. LSD + 50/50 weight bias makes it a little tank in the snow, as long as it's not too low haha

 

As long as they don't salt the roads, I agree. Miata's handle pretty damn good on snow tires, but they also rust out with a quickness.

 

I've been DDing my miata on summer tires in the winter... no issues here.

 

I did the same with my 95 and had a blast. Until 3 years down the road when the rust showed up and ate the car. It was dead by 4.

And by dead I mean too many rusted/frozen bolts to make the car worth working on anymore. Plus rockers falling apart.

Damn salt.

 

Haha. Nope. Not mormon...anymore. Even if I was, if there was a rule that you couldn't be mormon and modify a Miata, I'd gladly be excommunicated for it I don't want to dog on mormonism too much because I have friends and family who are good people and mormon but once I was old enough to think for myself, I just realized that it (and the underwear ) was not for me.

Thanks, and I'll get some pictures up soon. Unfortunately they will demonstrate a nice dent between the driver door and rear wheel well. It happened as I was in negotiations to buy the car. Some handicapped person (in more ways than one) backed out of their handicap parking space right into the Miata and drove off $900 to fix it. MS3 PNP from Rev or get the dent fixed? From my signature you can deduce what I'm deciding to do.

They do salt the roads unfortunately. Otherwise, I'd love to take my chances and drive it all year long.

It is a great track. In fact, during the summer they have what's called "Wide Open Wednesdays." One Wednesday a month, anybody can take their car out and drive it on the track for as many laps as they can fit in a 4-5 hour period, for $35! As you can imagine, it can be a little crowded so the average amount of laps that one could fit in is about 4-5. Now that I have a car worth taking, I'll be testing my skills next summer. I'll just have to get an adequate roll bar first. Damn...twist my arm, right?

 

Still waiting on those pics!