Ask Bob!

August '99

I recently came upon the remains of what I think was an aged Alfa Romeo Spider. It had eyeball vents & chrome door handles. Does the M-1 have some Italian ancestry in addition to its Brit. heritage?

Jeff Remson, Cherryville, NC USA

If you additionally mean things like unending oil hemorrhages, extensive rust and gaskets made from used chewing gum? No. But the door handles and eyeball vents? Yes and no. The door handles were liked (loved?) by a bunch of folks who did the M1. The eyeball vents were out of the Mazda parts bin, where they'd been for a helluva long time (used in some of the smaller Mazda trucks).

bwob

I've heard that the rear window in the Miata is plastic and discolors, melts etc. Is this true and if so can you replace that window with a glass one?

Danielle, Ogden, UT U.S.A.

Ms. Danielle,
The plastic will discolor and can go foggy if it's not religiously looked after (from Day One). For what it's worth I have a friend who's still got the original plastic rear window, even though the top's been replaced once. But she's babied the top and the rear window since she took delivery of her car in August, 1989. There are replacement tops with a glass rear window (the glass window is considerably smaller than the plastic one, which is why I believe it's offered primarily with a new top). I believe the Robbins company makes the top with glass rear window. They're listed at Miata.net.

bwob

Will the '99 OEM windblocker retrofit into my '95? I have the horizontal stiffening bar across the back (OEM beginning in 1994, I think).

Ivan White, Wilmington, NC, USA

There's enough real estate back there, but I sure as hell wouldn't attempt the undertaking, since you might be screwing the thing into the fuel tank if you weren't careful. But why bother -  It's a convertible and if you don't like the wind, well, you can always put up the top. Or buy a Del Sol. (Editor's note: It can be done. Some info is available in the Garage section.)

bwob

Hi Bob I own an original MX5 namely A LOTUS ELAN S4 DHC! Agree???

Agien, The Netherlands

Nope. Sounds like you own an original Lotus Elan. One of the world's best kit cars.

bwob

Is 11,000 dollars a good price on a 94 red Miata with 16,000 miles? 5-speed,alloy wheels, turbo exhaust, and other extras. No power windows, locks or cruise.

Mathew , Troy, Texas, U.S.

Even in US dollars, that's a great price here in Sydney, Australia. The shipping and conversion to right-hand-drive makes it a bit less of a value that it appears at first blush, however...

bwob

Hi, Bob:
I NEED a roadster for my 40th birthday next year. The only one I can afford is the Miata, and it will be a used one. One problem: I don't like convertibles. I want a hardtop. What do you think of the hardtop, and do you think I should get one? Is a hardtop Miata a "real" Miata? Thanks.

Brenda J Smith, Long Beach, CA

Let me get this right; you need a roadster but you don't like convertibles? I hate to tell you this but the Miata is a convertible. And if you don't like convertibles you'd really hate a roadster which is, by definition, an open car without wind-up windows and a demountable top. If that's the case it sounds like you want a coupe. You certainly don't need a roadster.

bwob

Good Morning from Michigan Bob !
What changes will we see in the Miata for Year 2000 and 2001 ? Will they be significant changes or minor changes ?

Sam Curtis, Saint Joseph/Michigan/USA

Hiya from Rose Bay!
Don't expect much other than color and trim, a limited edition or two and the possible addition of the 10AE's six-speed box to the option list. With the M2 still fresh (and setting sales records in most of the countries it's sold in), there's not much sense - or cents - in messing with a proven formula.

bwob

I am looking to purchase a used Miata, I just love the look, and the wind in the hair drive. What should I look for in a used Miata. I may be looking to purchase one in the '92' or '93' range. Any help would be great thank you.

Annie Greaves, Warwick RI USA

Well, as with any used car, try to find one that's had only one owner who's documented all service. And needless to say get the lowest mileage, newest car (fitting the one-owner/service history criteria) you can afford. And be prepared to be flexible on colour. Finally, don't forget to keep the top - and windows - down as much as possible!

bwob

(Editor's note: See Skip Cannon's write-up on How to Buy a Used Miata.)

Hi Bob. In my discussions with critics, I often hear complaints about how ugly the big pop-up lights are. For some reason, the '99s with their new headlamps and those "low profile" modifications seem to be all the rage. Personally, I think the '99 lamps are Ford's statement they are part of Mazda, and those low profile mods look like bad surgery. Those big ugly pop-ups have character more fitting of the Miata spirit, I think. What's your preference?

Eydie Tacata, Rohnert Park/ CA/ USA

Strictly speaking, I don't care much for pop-up lamps. I dislike the mechanical complexity and added weight. But on the other hand, the original 7-inch circular headlamp allowed the original lamps to be replaced with absolutely superb H1 lamps like Marchal Ampilux or Cibie Biodes. For this reason alone, the addition of superb lighting overrides my philosophical disagreements with pop-ups. I've never driven a car with the low-profile lamps, but I'm a bit suspicious of their lighting performance, especially vis-a-vis a set of Biodes. I'm not that much of a slave to fashion that I'm willing to sacrifice an aspect of performance and safety such as good lighting to style.

I don't subscribe to the theory that the fixed lamps of the M2 are a byproduct of FoMoCo influence. Ken Sayward, the guy who actually did the primary design theme of the car and Koichi Hayashi (chief designer of the M2) both agreed on the benefits in terms of weight and cost of adopting a set of fixed lamps. And if you know these two guys you'd understand that they Mazda people through-and-through. I wanted fixed (oval) lamps on the original car, but you can see what my opinion counted for...

bwob

Bwob, What is it about the Miata that makes me extremely thirsty after driving it at high speed?

Loomis Tokar, Bistango, Andorra

Loomis, I saw you at the No Limit Grand Prix a few years ago. That was a great race, though I'm not at all surprised that Cruncher Blok's Mammoth Car and the guys in the Go Team were the winners.

I can only assume that the Miata you've been driving has been modified in some way (probably with a GRX engine) and that somebody gave you a dose of The Formula that allows you to endure the great speed a GRX-engined Miata would be capable of. Just don't have any water till you've finished driving, no matter how thirsty you get. If you do, I'll have to send Pops Racer over to give you The Treatment.

bwob and Spritle

(Editor's note: You guys are sick.)