Mazda Miata: Thinking of Buying A Miata

Check out www.miata.net for all you need to know about buying a used
Miata...look for the links on the left side of the page.
"Grant Edwards" <com> wrote in message
news:rivatek.com... 
generally 
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In article <rivatek.com>,
Grant Edwards <com> wrote:
 

FYI, Grant is not entirely kidding there. Many well-maintained older
Miatas are still zoomzooming along with over 200k miles on their
original mechanicals. The only things that seem to contribute to an
early demise are overheating, running out of oil, and using aftermarket
(non-paper) air filters. Some 1990/91 cars have had crankshaft problems.

The engine was originally designed for a turbocharged 4WD pro rally car
(323GTX), and is seriously understressed in a car 1000 lb lighter with
no boost.

Insurance is cheap, too.

--
Lanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA
'94C
the alignment page:
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html

"Lanny Chambers" <net> wrote in message
news:news.prodigy.com... 

I assume you've got some evidence to support this statement (e.g., actual
data of early demise of at least one Miata directly attributed to using an
aftermarket air filter)?

Gus (91 BRG)

Its simply a well know fact within the mainstream filtration industry
that 'wetted' media filtration reduces the particle size retention
efficiency (`-10X) as well as has very poor capture probability in the
first place.
Another 'problem' is the velocity 'through' the filter - at WOT there
is essentially little to NO residence time for capture in wetted media.
The 'wetted' type filters depend on intertial impaction ... which is a
capture regime that's too inefficient to capture normal atmospheric
particulate, inertial impaction capture is for LARGER particulate.
The oil-bath filters (even with wetted polymer foam) are only efficient
to approx. 80% (wt.) at their 'rated' retention ..... and are worse at
lower AND higher volumetric flow than the single design point.

The dry (HEPA and UPLA) filters are exponentially more efficient, have
higher throughput and are able to capture essentially submicronic
particulate. Even the coarse automotive paper type filters are MUCH
better than the oil-bath type.

When you consider that atmospheric air is quite laden with particulate
( eg. ~ 30,000 particles per cubic FOOT @ 0,1uM) ... and then you
compress it by 7-9 times in the combustion chamber .... makes you
think/consider how important a simple air filter is with regard to
engine wear.

Sorry but there is no current 'documentation' on all this as most of
the data is proprietary within the filter manufacturers .... and the
SAE studies that showed that wetted media intake air filters are
worthless are about 30+ years old. (The last major documentation on
engine intake filtration efficiency was a result of the 1979 rescue
attempt by the USA which sent some helicopters into Iran in an attempt
to rescue the embassy hostages .... the helos crashed when the engines
seized because to save weight the intake air filters were removed.
Other than that the major source of automotive filtration studies (old)
that set the 'standards' are located at Oklahoma State University ...
do a websearch for the OSU-F2 test data ... there is a correlation to
ASTM methods.

The moral is: :you get what you pay for. ... and keep your air
filters DRY.

;-)

 

I'm just short of 50000 mile and 5 years on my '99. So far maintenance
has been oil changes and one change of brake pads (rotors were kept).

The original tires wore out (not pertinent to your situation)

My repairs have been:
-One bad piece of weatherstrip, replaced under warranty
-One console lid (I broke it by leaning on it)
-Finally had to pay for a real broken part at 45,000 miles, and it was
only the electric antenna mechanism.

At the moment (as usual) all parts of the car are functioning flawlessly.

Cosmetic wear includes a few tiny scratches and dings, and a small rip
on the driver's seat where I slide in. (By the way, the bottom of the
front fascia IS lower than the "concrete tie" stoppers in most parking
lots, so be careful of those- you will scratch the chin)

My care (Northern Ohio) is a 12-month, all-week communter, garaged at
night but never stored, and the only special precautions for winter use
are snow tires and a hardtop.

So far my modifications include a $38 grill (never has caused any sign
of increased engine temps, even in summer traffic jams), and wood shift
knob and brake handle ($25 each) for the "retro" look. I've probably
got the most stock vehicle in our local Miata club.

I have never driven anything (including VW and Volvo) this long without
some sort of major repair.

The major hazard of owning a Miata is wasting time and gas by going
everywhere "the long way round" for entertainment.

Joe
Silver '99

Rich Hampel <net> wrote:
 

You forget that according to Gus, the air filter is inside the
cylinder at the end of the intake stroke. This allows the
incredible performance claims of K&N to be reasonable. We all
went through this before. So let's leave it alone this time.

Leon and Bozo, who would greatly prefer a paper filter if he could
get one.

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
To reply to me, the word Miata must be in the subject.
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)

Thank you all for your input!


"Grant Edwards" <com> wrote in message
news:rivatek.com... 
generally 
can 

GO FOR IT! The Miata should really have a warning sign other than the one
stating kids should ride in the back seat. Something along the lines of:

WARNING!
Purchase of this car will change your lifestyle irrevocably. You will start
hanging out with similarly afflicted owners, spending money on accessories,
and trips to the corner store will consume more gas because you will take a
longer more twisted route to get there. Severe soreness at the corners of
one's mouth will occur due to excessive grinning. Winter storage will result
in Miata withdrawal symptoms which can be quite severe.

And that's just the start!
Driving a Miata on a sunny summer's day on a twisted back road is the most
fun you can have with your clothes on.

IMHO of course.

--
Nora (imagine a Canadian flag here)
========================
and the Rollerskate (imagine a '99 silver Miata here, GONE!)

http://www.nheh.ca/ HOME PAGE
http://hobbystage.net/miata/nora/ Rollerskate
http://www.nheh.ca/RATG/2003/RATG3.htm RATG III pix
http://www.nheh.ca/SBFR/2003/03sbfr.htm NH Spring Run
http://www.nheh.ca/FFFR/FFFR5/index.html FFFR5 pix
http://www.nheh.ca/SBFR/2004/04-SRmain.htm 2004 NH spring run maps


"solex" <com> wrote in message
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