iHog

Attempt at a witty title.

Hey everyone! I'm a new guy that's been lurking for a while, thought to make an account and start posting.

I currently own a 1990 Mazda Miata which is prepped for STS(Autocross). When I first got the car I was psyched because i've been wanting a miata for as long as I can remember. Finally happened last August. Slowly started modifying it. I got 225 RS3's, Koni Race shocks with Ground Control coilovers, Sparco seat, audio, and that's where I stopped. I'm satisfied with how it handles when I'm autocrossing, but that's about it. I get the "omg you must be gay" comment about once a day driving my car. Bothered me at first but now it just gets old and repetitive.

The things I do not like about my car is that for one, I'm not even breaking 100 horsepower. Every time I accelerate it's mashing the peddle to the floor till 4th gear hitting about 5500-6000 RPM. No bueno. Another gripe I have is the audio quality in my car is non-existent. When I had my 1994 Civic I enjoyed nice acoustics and deep bass, but now all the quality gets sucked through my soft top, leaving me with shitty sound coming from expensive speakers. Having a good sounding audio system is a huge plus for me. I'd trade my 'luxury' of having a convertible for good audio quality.

So I've been researching a lot over the past few weeks about supercharging my car, buying a bike to suffice my speed needs, dealing with my underpowered go-kart by supercharging and risking engine problems....orrrrr.....getting a 350Z. I've lusted over these cars since their release in 2003. And now that they are getting pretty cheap I figure it could be a great opportunity to pick one up. It would cost about the same to supercharge my miata to pick up a 350Z. They seem to have good handling from what I read, plenty of power for me(about triple my horsepower), and it's a coupe, meaning good sound quality. Plus it has a slightly bigger trunk which is always nice Figure save up about five grand, sell my car for five grand, then get a decent used 2003-2004 for ten grand. I do not want a car payment.

So I guess my question to ya'll who've driven/owned both cars, how can you compare(if you even) the two? Has anyone made the switch? What do you think about my situation? What would you do in my shoes?

For those interested in my miata:

ksuberk54

iTrader: (2)

Miata = homo

iHog

KornerCarver

iTrader: (2)

I had a '99 Miata and I loved it. It had plenty of power and handled great. I had it at the same time as my Z and the Miata was really a lot more fun to drive than the Z. While not as powerful, the road manners more than made up for it. Here are a couple pictures of my Miata.

User 42426

iTrader: (29)

I wouldnt be too sure. Most of the z's I see on the road are driven by middle aged women, like 90 percent of the time.

DriveLotus

Daily driver Miata is the gheyest of the ghey. C'mon, it's a ghey car. We all know that, but Autocross Miata is the best effing car you could ever drive in autocross. So we're torn between driving a ghey car and a not so ghey car. Just sayin'

johnnyvq

Get the Z now, lol.

tkuntz

iTrader: (6)

hoenstly!

I would never SC a miata. Thats like telling your girl to just add more makeup to make her face tollerable and wear sluttier clothes so that your still interested, mean while you've had your eye on this hottie for the last little while but you don't want part ways with the dead end chick your with.

Upgrade your car situation to something worth putting big coin into, you will be alot happier in the end.

iHog

I notice that as well, and it's the opposite for miatas. I normally see middle aged men driving them.

You sir have a very clean NB.

I like an analogy It does make sense. Plus it just doesn't seem right to put all of this money in a car that only cost me three grand. I mean I already put more into it than I bought it for.

WSchli1672

Miata is a nice car, don't let anybody kid you. I haven't owned one, but have friends that do. I like Z's. Don't kid yourself, if you buy one, you'll like it. hp is plenty, easy to mod, and fun to drive stock or modded. They are nice style. I live mine with it's 491hp in it.

Spork

iTrader: (6)

You mean chic to sleek?

350z006

iTrader: (79)

I hate myself for saying this...but maybe get an S2000?

You get your top down needs and some decent power but awesome handing...

RENFRO

iTrader: (1)

+1 on that ^ S2000 wouldn't be a bad choice between the two...

terrasmak

iTrader: (8)

Just hit the roadcourse for a trackday, and if you want a Z, just get one and keep the Miata as a play toy.

engiNERD350Z

iTrader: (2)

I've owned both. A 1990 Red miata like yours and my 350z. When I had both cars, honestly I found the miata more fun to drive. What it lacks in power, it makes up in it's 50/50 balance and great feedback. I loved that car and even found somedays it was hard to choose which one to drive to work. Yes...I can't even believe that was a question, but it really was. It doesn't give you the rush of driving fast like the Z, but miatas are like bigger gocarts. And some of the most fun things about gocarts are not having to brake in turns because they don't have enough power and they also go where you want them to without a hiccup.

FWM69

I've owned 3 Miatas and 2 350Z's, the Miata is def by far a very fun car to drive. IMO, I think dropping a supercharger or even one of the FM turbo kits into the Miata would make it even more of a blast. While I love the 350Z, you have to take into consideration that mods are not cheap on this car, they aren't either for the Miata but for what it's worth, an F/I Miata would be rape.

BornSlippyZ

iTrader: (1)

This!

Those guys that race spec miatas at the track are hardcore! Especially at Laguna Seca! I have been in Miata's that have the Flyin' turbo kit to a 13B turbo swap and those things scare the ish out of me!

Nismo350z#0310

iTrader: (1)

Not sure if troll

The_Assassin

lol best way to put it.

Waiz

iTrader: (57)

I would keep both