Miata vs MR-S

Not sure how actionable this actually is, but now that I've got the pink for the Bronco, I'm realizing that I NEVER use it for anything Bronco-like. I don't tow, I don't four-by, I don't drive in the snow, nothing. It's just a commuter, and that's lame. I do admit that being able to see in the sea of SUVs and not caring about potholes, curbs, or gravel is pretty awesome.

So, that being said, I'm thinking about selling it and replacing it with something else. I have the 5.0 as my "race car", so anything I pick up's primary responsibility is to be running when the 5.0 is up on jackstands.

While I'm sure I'll get slightly hosed on the money side of things, I'd almost rather just trade the truck in than try to private-party sell it. So what I'm looking for are things that would be about $8k on a dealership lot (cheapest that would still allow me to get financing with my trade-in).

What I'm thinking is either an NB or an MR-S. I don't need anything super-practical, as we have a Mazda5 in the driveway, just something that will be reliable (or cheap/easy to fix) and not boring every time I take it to go run an errand. Good gas mileage would be nice, but as I currently see about 13 around town with the more efficient of my vehicles, my definition of "good mileage" is pretty low.

Other option, which is probably wiser, is to sell the Bronco for what I can get, and use that as my budget.

I do live in the California Bay Area, so keep that in mind before suggesting things that don't exist out here, like $1500 AE86s or $1k Miatas. Japanese cars are MUCH more common than European, for what that's worth.

Obviously, it's gonna have to be stickshift/RWD. While I can consciously respect FWDs, I just can't bring myself to buy one.

So, thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

I'd say Miata, I drove a non-S MR-2 and they're even less practical than the earlier generations. Basically any sort of "stuff" you'd want to transport needs to go on the passenger seat.

At least some 3rd gen MR2/MR-S also like to eat their precats, with pretty fatal results.

Yeah, the MR-S is mostly because it's in the right price range on stealership lots and because I've zero experience with an MR. All my prior cars have been FF or FRs. I hear superlatives about their handling, as well.

I do know the MR-S has NO storage space.

If you have a passenger, you better not need to carry anything. There are two small cubby holes behind the seats, and trunk that might fit a small duffel bag if I remember correctly.

Some may call me biased.... but i would buy an MR-S over a Miata any day of the week. The only exceptions would be if i could find an MSM for the same price as an MR-S (HAH!) or if i found a minty 94 R-package for way cheaper.

The MR-S is LIGHT.

Now, i do admit that they need a little help from factory. The suspension simply isn't stiff enough in my opinion. But, they're beautifully balanced, the interior is pretty much perfect for me, they're MR (they launch HARD), and they're different.

They're also CHEAP.

If you get bored of the factory 140hp (which isn't bad in a 2150lb car), swap in the 2zzge (celica GTS/Lotus Elise/Exige) and the 6spd that goes with it, and you've got a nice little pocket rocket.

If i wanted to put myself in debt, an MR-S or a manual trans IS300 would be the only two cars i would even look at.

BoxheadTim wrote: I'd say Miata, I drove a non-S MR-2 and they're even less practical than the earlier generations. Basically any sort of "stuff" you'd want to transport needs to go on the passenger seat. At least some 3rd gen MR2/MR-S also like to eat their precats, with pretty fatal results.

Hey Tim, over here on this side of the pond, they're all MRS Spyders, we just call them MR-Ss. Over there you had the option of the 180hp motor, didn't you?

But +1 on the precats. Solution? Aftermarket exhaust. Turns a failure into a win!

aircooled wrote: I do know the MR-S has NO storage space. If you have a passenger, you better not need to carry anything. There are two small cubby holes behind the seats, and trunk that might fit a small duffel bag if I remember correctly.

Large handbag, more likely. It is utterly tiny.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Hey Tim, over here on this side of the pond, they're all MRS Spyders, we just call them MR-Ss. Over there you had the option of the 180hp motor, didn't you? But +1 on the precats. Solution? Aftermarket exhaust. Turns a failure into a win!

I think there MR-S (Spyder or something) that some people imported into the UK as a grey import from Japan might have had a 180bhp engine. With you on the aftermarket exhaust, but you still have a problem when the pre-cats started crumbling before you bought the car and already started doing the damage.

BoxheadTim wrote:

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: Hey Tim, over here on this side of the pond, they're all MRS Spyders, we just call them MR-Ss. Over there you had the option of the 180hp motor, didn't you? But +1 on the precats. Solution? Aftermarket exhaust. Turns a failure into a win!

I think there MR-S (Spyder or something) that some people imported into the UK as a grey import from Japan might have had a 180bhp engine. With you on the aftermarket exhaust, but you still have a problem when the pre-cats started crumbling before you bought the car and already started doing the damage.

Yep true...

Did more research on the MR-S... had the same motor over there. Looks like officially they were all "neutered" with the ~140hp 1zzfe lump.

Still not that slow... only half a second slower to 60 than the old SW20 MR2 Turbo, which is impressive.

Yeah, the one I drove (which most likely had crumbling pre-cats) did feel quite nippy, almost like the Elise I subsequently bought. Not super fast in a straight line but seemed to be going around corners quite OK and it had a more civilised interior compared to the Elise. But the Elise had more luggage space - go figure.

Okay. When the argument "against" comes down to "it's not practical" you gotta wonder if we're reaching a little too far to make Miata the aswer to everything. MRS is a really cool car. Weighs 11 lbs., I'm pretty sure. Something like that. In big cities where parking is an issue, some people just chuck them in a back pack and keep them under the desk while they work.

^Lol yes...

We're talking about Miatas and MR2s. You want practical, get an E30/E36.

Practical can stay at the door for this one, i think.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: ^Lol yes... We're talking about Miatas and MR2s. You want practical, get an E30/E36. Practical can stay at the door for this one, i think.

But thats the thing... I'm not asking for practical, I don't consider a Miata practical. I'm asking to be able to bring enough for two people and a weekend. It is my same gripe with the Skystice. Seriously, you couldn't even get a Miata sized trunk?

Fun to drive, the MRS wins every time, for sure. But it doesn't win by much (and some don't like the mid-engined car).

That being said, if you have a Mazda5, then the MRS might work well for you.

just remember.. being in the bay area, he will need to replace those pre-cats with factory pieces to get past smog testing. That can get expensive.

That's a good point - no easy gutting of the cats...

I like mid-engined cars, have had a few but I'd rather have a Mk1 or Mk2 MR2 than the MR-S.

I don't think i'd have a problem using the MR-S for two for a weekend... But i tend to pack somewhat light i guess.

i love the way the MR-S can rotate around the cones and i just dig the relative rarity and MR setup.

I, also, will vote for the MR-S over the Miata. I love both, but a mid engine car just calls to me.

MR-S + mountain pass = mmmmm

I'm looking for a Miata at the moment but everybody thinks their cars are worth too much...

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I don't think i'd have a problem using the MR-S for two for a weekend... But i tend to pack somewhat light i guess.

lingerie packs small

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

BoxheadTim wrote: I'd say Miata, I drove a non-S MR-2 and they're even less practical than the earlier generations. Basically any sort of "stuff" you'd want to transport needs to go on the passenger seat. At least some 3rd gen MR2/MR-S also like to eat their precats, with pretty fatal results.

Hey Tim, over here on this side of the pond, they're all MRS Spyders, we just call them MR-Ss. Over there you had the option of the 180hp motor, didn't you? But +1 on the precats. Solution? Aftermarket exhaust. Turns a failure into a win!

I just call it "the missus"

Joey

US-market MR-S's came with the option of a stick shift, right? That'd make it a viable Miata alternative in my mind.

I'd love one, but all ours (in Aus) were silly sequential auto-clutch nonsense cars.

I think almost all of ours were manual. I have only seen one or two automatic MR2 of any generation.

OOps, I dropped it...Oh well, I'll just leave it here.

By the way, when trying to figure out which generation had that nomenclature, I googled (not on images) "MR-S" I would not recommend that.