Thinking of drinking the Miata Kool-Aid

There is a 1999 Miata listed for $1200. The ad says it has thrown a rod. I'm going to go look at it today, because I figure that I can get a new engine for $1500 at the high range and have a working car for $2700. If nothing else, I can probably turn it for a profit. There is a guy who parts out Miatas in the area, so I'm going to go and try to look at the car today before he gets it and destroys it.

I just might keep it, though. This will require selling off the NYG Neon I just bought or my wife will shoot me. I'm going to loose money on that car, most likely.

Since I've rolled a car and have a bit of a phobia about that, I will install a roll bar. I'm also going to try to find a hard top (yeah, I know, good luck).

Have I lost my mind or is this a good starting point?

Thanks, Brett

Sounds good to me.

Sounds like a great starting point to me. I love 99's.

Excellent deal if everything but the motor checks out. I would do it in a heartbeat.

It also looks to be a stripper base model with steel wheels.

This will mean a whole new platform to learn.

In college frat party voice

CHUG...CHUG...CHUG....

If you can get a good engine, sounds like a good deal. What's the rest of the car like...tranny, etc?

Sounds like a great project. On the other hand - I need '99 parts for my car, and I'm sure I'm not alone. For $1,200 you could probably turn a profit in a month just from parting it out.

Brett_Murphy wrote: It also looks to be a stripper base model with steel wheels.

That's what my '99 Miata was. Really light weight - I believe it saves over a hundred pounds from the more feature laden cars. Mine even had crank windows and non-power locks. Not a big problem on a tiny 2-seat car.

Do it. Do it. Do it.

I like Marina Blue Kool-Aid

Kool-Aid Red is the best.

This looks to be silver Kool-Aid, which I like because it is easy to keep looking decent without much effort. I've emailed and called the person, but I suspect I got home voicemail and they are at work.

If they contact me today I'm going to take a look.

My red kool-aid.

Bah, it sold this morning while I was working.

My Silver kool-aid

Where are you? I checked local CL yesterday and there 60 miatas under 4000.00. SoFla.

I'm in Raleigh. A 1999 for $1200 was the motivating factor, since I knew I could have turned it for a profit even after I put a new engine into it.

Now that it is gone, I already spent the cash I had to pay down some debt, which was the smart thing to do in any case. With the exception of the mortgage, the goal is to be debt free by 2012.