Is the Answer the answer? (Young driver)

Miata 
Is 
Always 
The 
Answer 

I'm biased - but it's a bias that comes from owning Miatas for over a quarter century.  It's a car that encourages you to pay attention to driving by engaging you, and that's the best thing you can do for safety. It's also got friendly handling, good active safety and a good power level.

I've never felt threatened by the small size, personally. That's in large part due to the fact that I find it easier to stay out of accidents in a car like that than a lumbering tank. 

RevRico said:

Paint it primer. The more shades the better. It's like vehicle repellant. 

Obviously I don't recommend this for a car that already has good paint on it. 

It's especially effective on big cars. I drove this big boy like this for a little while. I've never had people give me a wider berth. You could see the thought processes when they considered pulling out in front of me.

The B13 Sentra came out the same time as the NA Miata.  Not sure how comparable they are in crash tests.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85OysZ_4lp0

As much as I love 90s cars and Miatas, I don't really see a good reason for not choosing a newer car.

The distraction aspect is a good one. The easiest accident to survive is the one you don't have.

One of my friends owns an early Mazdaspeed Miata. His is red. What he tells me, from internet lore, is that the dark silver cars have a much lower survival rate than the red ones because they get hit in traffic. Not sure if that's just legend or not. 

Mrs. Deuce and I have decided that the kids can drive the Miata, but it can't be their car for commuting to school and running around. We'll provide something different for that job. When I drive my car I have significant visibility issues in the land of trucks. My head is wheel well height for about 50% of the vehicles around me and I can't see over any hoods or though the windows of anything on the road because of that. I don't like having my kids drive the Miata for the same reason that I don't like my five foot nothing daughter to drive my full size crew cab truck. She simply can't seen enough to make good choices. 

I had a NA Miata as my first car when I was 17 and that was pretty close to an ideal high school car for me. It was slow enough to keep me mostly out of trouble, didn't have enough seats for my friends to be a distracted, and cool enough for me to be invested in it. 

As far as safety is concerned I would definitely recommend one in a bright color. Mine was black and I wasn't very visible to other drivers. I was rear ended twice, the 2nd time ended up totaling the car even though it was at low speed. 

Re: color, I'm inclined to agree.

Mine is orange, and I've had fewer people try to kill me than when I had the Focus (I sort of miss that car, Mk3 5-speed, I'd still be driving it if I didn't get the Miata...).

The Focus was "frosted glass", a pale green metallic, and I routinely had people pull out in front of me and change lanes when I was right next to them, at their driver window.

Still, something a little bigger as they're learning makes me feel better. 

Similar idea to the Sentra comparison above. 90s vs. 2010s Corolla: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxDHuthGIS4

If you want a Miata for a kid, I wonder if a NC would be the better way to go?

53 Buick

55 pontiac

62 Cadillac

65 catilina wagon

70 caprice

 80's SS Impala

In reply to GTXVette :

Come on, Man!  There is not a single one of those that would protect its occupants better than a Versa. Those are terrible first car options. 

SVreX, If you decide on the Miata you would teach your daughter about limited slip differentials, slick roads, etc. if it has a torsen- right :)

In reply to NermalSnert :

Absolutely. 

And apexes, and enter slow leave fast, and heel/ toe, and....

I had a white NB for 5.5 years driving in the same metropolitan area where you now live.  Last I checked white was considered the second most visible color behind red based on collision liars (I mean statistics).  I got rid of it due to too many near misses on the interstate by distracted drivers in huge SUV's and pickups.  I felt that if I had a brief lapse of attention due to a cold or poor sleep I might not survive my commute to work that day and I wanted a bit more protection.  It was replaced with a red FR-S that I have been driving for 4 years on the same roads.  In the last four years I've had fewer near misses in the FR-S than an average month in the Miata...I don't think the FR-S is that much bigger or that red is that much more visible than white, but my unscientific study seems to indicate that my perceptions are wrong.

I do want to note that almost all of my near misses in the Miata were on the interstate during the morning or evening commute with larger vehicles trying to merge into the space occupied by me & my Miata...

kazoospec said:

All kidding aside, here's my take, .....

Miata as a first car?  The pluses: Manual, two seats, low technology, exceptionally neutral handling.  The minuses: Not great in any sort of inclement weather, small, semi-invisible (although finding a red or sunburst car might help with this), not a lot of sheet metal, significant blind spots with the top up. 

.....

 

"Not great in any sort of inclement weather" I disagree. Run 3 season tires and good snow tires (or good all season tires as far south as you are). Neutral handling - great in all conditions. Just need the appropriate tires. 

I'm on my 3rd new driver, and waiting for him to chime in. #1 started with an older BMW (E28) that he fixed up and was invested in. Still probably his favorite car, but since then he has had a number of others and is dailying a NB, 

#2 has been driving an older Crown Vic (99) since he started. To him, a car is basically an appliance and he doesn't take joy in the driving experience, not really care about cars at all. (there's always one...)

#3 got his Miata from #1 and we fixed it up for the 2018 Challenge (car #16). He and I took it as far apart as possible for repaint, cleanup, etc. and took care of all the maintenance items. He's still on his permit, so the jury is out... but it seems promising. It's bright red, with a white reflective stripe in the beltline, the better ro be seen in dusk.

I daily a silver NC (and always turn on lights & driving lights). At this point, I'm jonesing for an '09 in Competition Yellow. Saw one last week and I was hooked. I've had a NA, then a larger sedan (bleh) then am on my second NC. They get in your blood. And since the kids like "Daddy's sweet car"... well, some of them eventually want one of their own. 

Back to the "bad in weather" thing: Still disagree. I do recommend small round convex mirrors added to the side view mirrors for "top up" driving. Headlights always on (but I'm beating a dead horse by now). 

And consider a motorcycle-type brake light flasher for the 3rd brake light. 

Snrub said:

Similar idea to the Sentra comparison above. 90s vs. 2010s Corolla: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxDHuthGIS4

If you want a Miata for a kid, I wonder if a NC would be the better way to go?

The NC has substantially more power (a negative, I think) and complexity. I think the 1.8 NA/NB are good for this and favor the NA with headlights up and ON. 

In reply to secretariata :

The FR-S is about 3” taller than the Miata and a hardtop. 

Ill bet that red roof is significantly more visible in an SUV’s rear mirror, especially if driving the Miata with the top down. 

In reply to SVreX :

I had a white hardtop on the Miata after the first 6 months and only took it off once. I'm not a convertible fan especially here where we have about a week of nice fall weather and 3 days of spring...

The fixed roof and extra airbags where one of the main reasons for the FR-S upgrade...

I thought for a first car that Volvo was always the answer....

At this point I would be more concerned with maintenance and repairs for the 20+ year old car than safety.  I can't get my wife to check her oil level, and as a result she'll probably not have another Subaru.  I can't imagine trying to get a teenager these days to do what it takes to daily drive something with years or miles on it.

SVreX said:

In reply to secretariata :

The FR-S is about 3” taller than the Miata and a hardtop. 

Ill bet that red roof is significantly more visible in an SUV’s rear mirror, especially if driving the Miata with the top down. 

 

Hm. Brodozer-style running lights on the header rail?

In reply to secretariata :

I’d still bet the red roof is easier to see than the white one in a truck’s rear view mirror. 

In reply to oldopelguy :

AFAIAC, teaching a kid maintenance is a really good reason for them to drive a 20 year old car. 

In reply to Greg Smith :

I like it!

No wait!  Not really!!  

I am the owner of an NA, while I am on my permit. I LOVE my car I bought it from my brother and have been learning to drive it the best I can, as safely as I can( while having a little bit of fun ). 

My miata was the second car that I drove. I learned where the clutch let out and all about the manual transmission in my miata. They are great cars, and for learners they keep you captivated by the complex simplicity of how they run. They have GREAT handling, and as far as the weather goes the only thing I am concerned about is the battery.(but we have all been there) over all a great car, great learning car, and a fun car.

but wait there's more...  One of the coolest things about the NA miatas is that they make you feel like you are going super fast when really you aren't. 

as far as color goes, definitely pick a bright one, otherwise you will not be seen.

Does She Like Orange as Much as You.  you said nice body but "Here I Am " Orange sorta say's Here I am.