Four generations in, is the NA Miata still the best answer?

I wish the Miata came as a proper, attractive coupe.  The removable hardtop and the RF don't do it for me. I think most of it is because the Miata is so small (Not a bad thing, in and of itself) it makes it difficult to accommodate a tallish driver without compromising the proportions. The NA, NB and NC did this better. (I'll assume they don't handle tall drivers as well) The ND is just awkward, especially the rearward part of the roofline. 

The GR86/BRZ twins are better aesthetically and are probably fine from the handling and trackability standpoint but there just seem to be too many reports of engine issues to pull that trigger. Not without seriously considering the aftermath of a blown engine.

The Civic Type R is nice, but getting pricey and not exactly light. On the other hand all my track experience to date is FWD... 

 

I will probably regret selling mine, but I I need a more practical daily and I have a shop full of classics for restoration. Hopefully someone here will buy it. Car is bone stock and as rust free as you will find. Nice 10 footer, but would greatly benefit from paint and suspension refresh and I have most of the parts for the transmission swap.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/cars-sale/1991-miata-mine-affiliated/261216/page1/

Every subsequent generation has been faster, but I prefer the NA. Partially because pop-up headlights and partially because it still feels raw and pure and purposeful. 

I like the NA best (mostly because i'm a sucker for popup headlights and simplicity), but i like the NB's feel as an MMC (minor model change), feels like they tried to improve lots of small squeaks and rattles and small quirks.  
 

With the caveat that they were all rental cars, I have not been impressed with the ND.  Very, very noisy (wind noise, road noise, diff noise).  So bad that i thought the car must have been in an accident and not repaired properly.  But I've had 2-3, and they all had it to an extent.  I know its meant to be a lightweight sporty roadster, but 30+ years of material science and NVH improvement should yield a more comfortable ride than my '96 NA.  

In reply to Flynlow (FS) :

If you don't think an ND rides better than an NA, you must have only driven the 2016-17 soft top Club. Mazda screwed up the Bilstein valving on those, they're badly overdamped. Otherwise, they ride quite well. Wind noise...well, yes. Especially the early Club with the single layer tops. 

In reply to Keith Tanner 

Sorry for the confusion, "comfortable ride" for me encompasses the full NVH experience, not just suspension tuning.  I can see where that would have been unclear.  The spring/damper tuning didn't strike me as particularly good or bad, but the diff noise/whine and wind buffeting were bad enough that i pulled over and looked for damage underneath and missing or torn window seals.  
 

Again, these were rental cars, and i know what sort of life they lead.  I would love to be wrong on this one, my dataset is 1<n<4 ;).  I really like the exterior and interior styling on the NDs, so it was a real "don't meet your heroes" let down for me.  If any GRMers with an ND in the greater richmond area want to meet up for a test drive and lunch, i can offer an NA, cappuccino, or s2000 in kind :)

In reply to Keith Tanner :

I'd really like to drive an ND. I was afraid if I drove one, I'd buy one vs the BRZ.

My first Miata was a rust free 60K mile 1991 NA built into a proper SM with the cage and bolt in hard top in Smurf blue. Besides the SM suspension I also replaced all the rubber bushing with new stock ones. It was a fantastic track car!

I. had a new manual rack installed to replace the hydraulic one. The steering feel was a good as in my E30 M3. That car taught me to drive the momentum line at all my track here in the NE United States. This car had the rear brake bias that I love about the NA cars so it was so predictable to trail brake deeply into a corner when I came in too hot.  For slow 180 degree turns, downshifting into 2nd gear at the apex would allow me to walk the rear of the car to the outside so I could open the steering wheel and go to WOT all the way to track out.

i now have a 2021 RF Club model street car with FM anti-sway bars, springs and Koni Yellow shocks and the FM offset control arm bushings to give me -3 camber front. This Miata is better and faster than my old NA track toy. It just doesn't trail brake or throttle steering as well but it is so much more comfortable than the 700/400# SM springs.

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to Flynlow (FS) :

Wind noise...well, yes. Especially the early Club with the single layer tops. 

I know the GT and Fiat had the thicker tops. Were there other changes to the top along the way?

I've owned and competed in NA, NB and ND1/2.  Driven plenty of NC's but never considered them a proper Miata, so no purchase.  NC is really a drop-top, short wheelbase, piston engined RX8.  No Miata soul found.

Of the proper Miatas, the ND2 is hands-down the best.  NB just a touch behind, though if you swap in a K24 it's hits a new sweet spot.

We have 92 and 96 NA Miatas, mostly stock and both with high miles. I bought my 92 in 2001 for $1000, it had the A package, it was wrecked in the front but had no frame damage. I told the guy (original owner) who loved the car if I ever get it back together I will return and let him drive it. I put a fender, hood and misc parts and had it painted for another grand. Awesome car, so light and simple and everything still works. That was 24 years ago, can hardly believe it.  I was recently digging through my Miata file and remembered my promise. I was able to find the previous owner and paid him a visit at his home. He didn't remember the promise I made him, but he sure remembered the car. The man had tears in his eyes when he came back from his drive. (With a British car this would be understandable, what with the oil and gas fumes, but I digress). I knew right then I would never sell this car. And that's my Miata story.