alfadriver (Forum Supporter) said:Having DD's a Miata for 14 years, I don't see a problem other than personal fit. And the only way you will really know is if you try it.
The ND2 is a really tight fit compared to an NA, or even an NB.
I fit in an ND like I fit in an NB with a helmet, which is to say "no way would I bother trying to drive", and I fit in an NB the way I fit in an NA with a helmet, which is to say "tolerable".
Somehow have never tried an NC on for size.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:alfadriver (Forum Supporter) said:Having DD's a Miata for 14 years, I don't see a problem other than personal fit. And the only way you will really know is if you try it.
The ND2 is a really tight fit compared to an NA, or even an NB.
I fit in an ND like I fit in an NB with a helmet, which is to say "no way would I bother trying to drive", and I fit in an NB the way I fit in an NA with a helmet, which is to say "tolerable".
Somehow have never tried an NC on for size.
I remember fitting much better in the ND than my various NAs. But I have a somewhat weird body shape - tall but all torso. In an NA with basically anything less than the seat bolted directly to the floor I'm pretty much staring at the windshield frame. The ND felt like I was actually sitting in the car, rather than on it like the older cars always did. Maybe it's different for someone with long limbs and a normal torso though. It's been several years since that time I test drove a ND out of curiosity, but I remember thinking that the car was actually designed to fit an adult male, which is more than I could ever say about the NA. Don't think I've ever been in a NB or NC for long enough to be able to judge them. In any case, the right answer is to just go and test drive one to find out. When I was cayman shopping I probably spent more time at the dealer sitting in various cars and seeing how they felt than actually test driving any of them.
I wouldn't necessarily say that I DD my 30AE as I can't bring myself to drive it into DC with all the road construction that's been going on. But it technically is my DD and I do love it. This summer, I didn't want to take it to the dealership for the free oil change, so I did it at home and I think it's the easiest oil change I've ever done. I love the heated seats right now. I just picked up a cooler that fits in the trunk and looking forward to testing that out when the weather is warmer. The soft top is a dream to operate and not being as tall as you, it fits me perfectly.
My ex- has a ND Launch Edition. Her main complaint about it is the lack of trunk space when she takes it on trips. Her Spitfire has considerably more cargo room. Otherwise, it's her "nice day" commuter car.
Worst case scenario, you hate it and you sell it after a few years. They hold their value well. I have trouble imaging that, it's a sublime car. Headroom is fine for 6'0".
From a daily driver perspective I think it will be great. It has enough storage space for the vast majority of daily scenarios and you have another vehicle for the other times. One thing not mentioned is the top. The GT has more sound insulation and a metal panel sown in the top. The club is a bit loud at higher speeds with the top up.
I envy you, :) I'd have one right now if my spouse was more reasonable. Do it and tell us how great it is. :D
Also,
"Hey GRM, I want to buy a Miata. Somebody, please for the love of all that is holy, talk me down!"
I would totally daily an ND Miata, which is why I refuse to go drive one. And then there are all the clowns in 5000 lb SUVs paying more attention to social media than the road..... so yah no thanks.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:alfadriver (Forum Supporter) said:Having DD's a Miata for 14 years, I don't see a problem other than personal fit. And the only way you will really know is if you try it.
The ND2 is a really tight fit compared to an NA, or even an NB.
I fit in an ND like I fit in an NB with a helmet, which is to say "no way would I bother trying to drive", and I fit in an NB the way I fit in an NA with a helmet, which is to say "tolerable".
Somehow have never tried an NC on for size.
The greater point is that it's a very personal thing. Owners have to go and try for as long as they can- maybe sit in the car at the dealer for a long time. If it feels cramped, then it will feel cramped. If it's just a headroom thing and you know the seat will be lowered by X", then take that into consideration.
Miata's have never been the stiffest sprung car from the factory- the lightness helps a lot. So ride comfort has never really been a big deal- even for us in Michigan.
(then again, the financial thing is also very personal- some can afford a new car, others can not- so I won't presume to have a realistic input. besides, was financial advice even asked for?)
In reply to alfadriver (Forum Supporter) :
Exactly... people don't wear the same size clothes, we're all shaped differently.
What kills the ND for me is how close the back of the cabin is to the seat and how bulky the underside of the dash is. If either of those were different, it'd be fine. Obvious not a problem for many people, given the sheer number of them on the roads 
Another angle- is there some larger racing goal in your life, or are you happy with the cheap stuff? No offense intended to autocross, rallycross, etc. but I hear a lot of "oh I wish I could afford that" about road racing and stage rally from people who make plenty of money, and they typically have at least one car that they're making payments on. Those payments, and the insurance that comes with them, could be a lot of entry fees instead.
We all have different definitions of "enjoy it while you're young enough."
In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ :
That's a pretty compelling perspective. $30k could probably buy an okay truck, trailer, and turnkey road racer, and fees to boot. I raced an entire season of "just autocross" last year in a crazy modified class, and it was a pretty fun (but not amazing) way to spend my weekends. I've done some track days and greatly enjoyed those. While road racing would be very fun, it's also a huge investment in time, and overall I'm pretty satisfied with how I spend my free time, mostly wrenching on insane projects. A more fun DD will help me better enjoy all the time I don't have much choice in spending - commuting and errands. If I get the wild hair to try road racing, I would rather pay for a seat on someone else's Lemons team for the weekend.
I'm going to sit in more seats and go on a few more test drives this week.
As much as I love Miatai, I'd say that a "toy" car should be a cash purchase (or as close to it as you can get). An NC is a much roomier car, mine were actually really good DD vehicles.
I sold my NB about 6 years ago after dd'ing it for 5 years because of the increased number of "near death" incidents due to phone watchers operating vehicles. It went from having to make active death avoidance maneuvers once a month to a daily occurrence during those 5 years of ownership. It doesn't seem to have gotten better in the ensuing time. It was no longer a joy to get in it for my commute, but instead a concern. Of course we have been cited by AAA as nearly the worst or the worst drivers in America the past few years...
secretariata (Forum Supporter) said:I sold my NB about 6 years ago after dd'ing it for 5 years because of the increased number of "near death" incidents due to phone watchers operating vehicles. It went from having to make active death avoidance maneuvers once a month to a daily occurrence during those 5 years of ownership. It doesn't seem to have gotten better in the ensuing time. It was no longer a joy to get in it for my commute, but instead a concern. Of course we have been cited by AAA as nearly the worst or the worst drivers in America the past few years...
California? I've had lemmings try for near death experiences multiple times when towing the two-car race trailer. All-up weight of about 10 tons, 50' long and they're chopping me off in traffic while taking Instagram selfies. So yeah, size is not the answer there. The ability to react quickly would probably be more useful. In the tow rig, I'm going to be picking minivan out of the push bar one of these days.
If you're cross-shopping NCs and NDs, try to get an extended test drive in each. They're both small sports cars, of course, but there is a considerable difference in feel. I find the seats less comfortable on extended drives for the NC and the steering is different. Also, note that 2016-17 soft-top steering is inferior to other NDs - there was a little-publicised running change that improves on-center feel.
maschinenbau (I live here) said:I'm pretty satisfied with how I spend my free time, mostly wrenching on insane projects. A more fun DD will help me better enjoy all the time I don't have much choice in spending - commuting and errands. If I get the wild hair to try road racing, I would rather pay for a seat on someone else's Lemons team for the weekend.
Sounds like you've got your priorities in order then- not gonna lie, Datsaniti and the Rice Rod have both made me move "build something crazy" significantly up my priority list. 
I haven't driven an ND, because as Emilio said, "Don't drive one unless you are prepared to take it home that day." I have sat in them a few times at the dealer, and I like the ergo's. But I'm short at 5'7"
I really dig the well built NC I picked up from Jeremy. In an ideal world, I'll have the fence on the side of the house extended, yard paved and driveway widened with a 7' carport behind an 8' fence so I can park the NC outside but still relatively protected from the elements.
Than maybe pick up a new STi or Mustang or maybe a BRZ in the next year or two as the nice/fun DD, and the NC can go down the rabbit hole.
But now that we are working from home permanently, it seems really silly to have two fun cars. I think since April I've put maybe 500 miles on the NC.
z31maniac said:But now that we are working from home permanently, it seems really silly to have two fun cars. I think since April I've put maybe 500 miles on the NC.
I see that as a better reason for more fun cars. Not having to drive to work every day means the need for practical cars is reduced.
Here was my Miata experience...
In 1989 when the '90 Miata launched I was 23 years old. OMG, I wanted one from the day I saw them. All Miatas had huge mark ups making $13.5k entry MSRP selling for $15k, maybe more. I watched the used market.
In my personal life, at the age of 26, I'd been dating the same girl for about 3 years. Done with college for both of us. Still living like college since I had a good deal with room mates and she had similar with her younger sister and friend as room mates. Starting to make real money. Watching friends getting married, etc. She wants a vacation and was her idea, we go to Vegas. I had one goal for this winter trip to Vegas for myself...I could rent a Miata, manual trans, from those places on the strip that rent Ferraris, etc. I paid about 4 times what a rental car would cost for one day with a Miata. I had one goal and that was I wanted to know if I could "live with" a Miata. We drove it north to some ski resort. Literally drove from dessert to snow.
In retrospect, she saw this trip as a "test honey moon" and I saw this trip as a "test honey moon" with a Miata. Less than a year later, in the spring of '93 I bought a '90 Miata base w/ 38k miles for $10k. Just months after that, we split. She knew I had some money saved and was hoping for a ring. I spent it on a Miata.
I still have that Miata today. When I bought the Miata I was lucky to have a company car with my job. I had not even owned a car for the 2 years previous (just using company car.) Being that I am in Ohio (salt), I put the Miata away every winter and just went back to the company car only. Free gas in that company car too so it really got used for anything that was not top-down driving.
I discovered/leaned to autox in that Miata. Discovered GRM too. In the following years, autox took a back seat to sailboat racing but I loved driving that Miata 1 hour to the lake to go race someone else's sailboat. Driving a Miata to get to a sailboat and back is just about my definition of a perfect day.
I autox'ed the Miata in stock class because I didn't want to get in too deep into the money race. I also didn't want to alter the car too much and make it less reliable or less enjoyable. A lot of my joy came from the fact that the car was so good in near stock form. Good being that I could just turn the key and it would perform. Sure, I could have made it faster like turbo but then it seems to require tuning and chasing down injector issues, etc. What I really wanted when I bought the Miata was a Triumph TR250 but even in 1993, all of these were 25 years+ old. I wanted a car I could drive, not a car I had to work on.
I think I had a 4 year loan on the Miata. Once it was paid off, I just kept it. When I left the job with the company car, I was driving my sisters cast off '90 Geo Prism that she had run into the ground. That got me over the hump and then I got into a '95 Civic Si and Miata. I got rid of that for a '97 Nissan 240sx. At one point, in my early 30's and single, no kids, I owned a 3 cars: '90 Miata, '88 MR2 SC and '97 Nissan 240sx. All rwd and all generally 2 seat. The 240sx was the "winter driver" and DD.
Yeah, I recommend getting the ND. I think you have your head on straight. I also agree with keeping it stock and keeping it reliable. You have the wild builds to scratch that itch of modification.
I also think the Miata ND is a good image (right image) car. You could buy a Boxter for less but I bet your employer or coworkers will see the Porsche as "eccentric". Your co-workers will think you are making too much. Even the more expensive Miata will be seen as more sensible and be percieved as costing less than it does. The newness of the Miata will make you seem "dependable." It's unfortunate if even the best maintained car makes you late due to a break down but the commoners will just say something stupid like, "what do you expect, your car's 20, (30), (40) years old. Miatas are cute and not threatening. A used Camaro SS could be bought for similar but that can have a douche-y image with it.
rslifkin said:z31maniac said:But now that we are working from home permanently, it seems really silly to have two fun cars. I think since April I've put maybe 500 miles on the NC.
I see that as a better reason for more fun cars. Not having to drive to work every day means the need for practical cars is reduced.
Unfortunately, not a lot of fun roads around here. I've always had fun cars. My better half has the practical car ('18 Mazda 3), and with no kids, no need for something boring.
But if I'm already barely driving the NC, adding another fun car seems redundant.
As for color or wrap. Even just a little color added can make it personal. I quickly found this that I like for $50
She knew I had some money saved and was hoping for a ring. I spent it on a Miata.
I still have that Miata today.
In reply to Vigo (Forum Supporter) :
Another part of my crazy personal life.
This girl that I broke up with (we'll call her R) was the room mate of my best friend's girlfriend at the time (we'll call her A.) R and A went to high school together. I then did a 5 year live together with someone else named L. This was good for 2 years and bad for 3.
Coming off that 5 year relationship, I still had remained friends with A. She then set me up with someone she also went to high shcool with, my now wife, Janet. At our wedding Janet and I pulled away from the church in the '90 Miata.
Also at the wedding, now married and her husband present, was my old girlfriend R who also was ahigh shcool friend of my wife.
Yeah, R watched me marry someone else, in the car she hated from the day I bought it nearly 10 years earlier.
It will all be ok!
machinebau,
Since you know Atlanta - when I was your age I used to commute from Buckhead to the Piedmont Driving Club in a Europa or a lowered Karmann Ghia, about the same distance and traffic you are driving. But it was during lower traffic hours. If I had to go in during rush hours the Honda (lowered and not much bigger) was used. I'm nuts so this is not an endorsement but I'd do it again.
John Welsh said:As for color or wrap. Even just a little color added can make it personal. I quickly found this that I like for $50
Nicely done, that looks good.
You'll need to log in to post.
