Maybe 7 years ago I had a VVT swapped 94R package. After rust and parting with the car, I have re-entered the Miata world.

I just picked up a 2001 with 28,000 miles. Zero rust, no leaks aside from a slave cylinder which luckily I found locally as it began puking today when I drove it to work. Tires are from 2004 and 2008! New tires ordered, building a ~$750 maintenance list. My cat Reba approves. Future plans are probably a set of Tecna and get a Torsen for the car. Haven't had a chance to check with Mazda NA for the as built data and the tires are so junk I don't want to do any driving which would reveal if it has an LSD. I assume it doesn't, but it's in the budget.



Things seem much quieter here than they used to be, but a lot of years have passed.

 

Beautiful car, great starting point for any direction of a build. And the chance to do it right without fixing someone elses modifications at that milage

 

Damn, what a clean car. I haven't seen a 20k mi NB in a long time. Welcome back, it is quieter here now days, but this is still the best place for condensed accurate Miata info!

 

Welcome! Or welcome back haha. That thing's a dang unicorn! What's the backstory on it? I don't think I've seen an NA/NB with that few miles ever.

 

Very clean NB! I bet Reba is going to love the smooth paint on the hood to lay their head on for a good nap lol. Also, might be worthwhile to pop the rear up and take an axle out to just look and see what diff you have because even if you do the launch test with one wheel on dirt one wheel on pavement, you still don't know if it's a fuji or torsen, or a type 2 or type 1. I only say this because this happened to me when looking for a torsen I accidentally bought a fuji from a friend because of the launch test/burnout videos he provided. There's a differential spotters guide posted online just google "miata differential spotters guide" and it'll show up. Have fun with that nb super clean!

(P.S. My buddy bought the diff back after I had found out it was a fuji, he didn't know about the two different diffs either despite basically parting out miatas for a living. I think the fuji is better if maintained right with the clutch packs, but I just wanted a torsen because its more reliable and less prone to breaking.)

 

Thanks for the compliments. It really is a very clean car. My entire premise of the search process was a clean, unmolested, solid shell. VTCS is a bit annoying on cold start, and it has a little clutch chatter, but aside from that it is an impressive vehicle. I got a hold of Mazda NA and they confirmed the only option being the convenience package, so no LSD. The tires are such complete garbage I wasn't willing to do that sort of driving to find out, but some tight turns on poor surfaces lead me to believe it was an open. Which is fine - I will either build a new torsen unit, buy a used one, ball out of control and build a Giken, or live with the open as it's a street car. New tires will hopefully be delivered today and I can mount them before I go home.

I was here doing a TON of research between a few MSMs I looked at, Giken versus Torsen diffs, etc. This is still an excellent site even with less traffic.

Parts list I expect will be ~$1000 now, without tires or dampers, to get the car 100% maintained and ready to go. The complete OEM hose kit with clamps was pretty pricey, TB/WP, radiator, all fluids, etc.


As for the history. Carfax has it with 18,000 miles in mid-2006. So it has amassed less than 10,000 miles in nearly 20 years. The person I purchased the car from bought it around Covid, with the idea of it being an "investment car". While I'm sure it increased in value in that time, an index fund would have probably been better. I believe he added less than 2000 miles to the car. The car will never see snow, so I expect it has a potential for a very long life.

 

Echoing the above thoughts, that's 24 years old, in great nick, and crazy low kms! It's a great buy, well done!