Talk me out of it (ND Content)

Looking at a showroom new, 2016 Miata Club, with BBS, aero pkg for the gf. She wants a tiny, reliable, cute, good milage car with no top. We all know the answer. She seems sold. I am impressed with the new model on paper.

Issues:

1. Its a new '16. Any issues with cars sitting on the lot for a year+? 

2. I have heard 2nd explodes on early gearboxes. Do we just beat on it hoping it will be replaced in the 1st 30k? Can it be preemptively replaced? Buy a later year for more $$?

3. Gf REALLY wants heated recaros in the club. Could a dealer install the '18 pkg in a '16? (Until '18, heated seats not avail in club trim) 

4. Why is this a bad idea as a daily, on a 40mi each way commute on twisty 70mph mountain roads? Shes coming from a heavier, but similar power scion.

5. We live on a dirt rd, but have a garage and paved driveway. What precautions can be taken against rust that won't build up crud underneath? Will fluidfilm and the likes dry, or stay sticky?

Any semi-relevant responses welcome. Feel free to play devils advocate if thats your style.

Do it!

In reply to mtn :

This is the exact kind of enablement I trust and respect GRM to bring me. Counting down to 'ls swap it', 'heres a better deal on copart', or 'buy awd/ford/rotary/trebant instead... then ls swap it' comments. 

Do it! Getting heated Recaros will be tricky. I'm betting the wiring is non existent in the '16. Your best bet is wiring up your own.

I would suggest you have a look and find a non-Brembo/BBS car. That's an expensive option and you can get better brakes and wheels on the aftermarket for less money. Also, check out the GT, I think the suspension is actually better in stock form and it has heated leather seats. The aero package can be retrofitted if she likes those looks.

2nd gear is a known problem if you hammer on it. Best bet is to break it early and get the replacement under warranty. You can pay for a new transmission any time you like, of course. There are some people who live for ND transmission failures, I'm not one of them.

If you really really want the heated seats, I suspect all the wiring is there and you'd just have to plug in the seats and the buttons. That's cheaper for Mazda than having a different wiring harness. I can check in the wiring diagrams if you end up going this way.

Yup, wiring harness in Club vs GT may be an issue in the early models, but idk.  I should see how different the fuse blocks look when im at the dealer. Maybe they can somehow 'add' the package and let me figure out the install. Then, mint spare seats! I am just weary they may only be able to do the part #s which might greatly exceed the package price...

And yes, I agree on the BBS package being overpriced, however, the only new '16 in town with an LSD has the package, and is discounted enough not to matter so much. And she loves the wheels, how can I not enable that? Being rolled easily into the loan is another advantage of them vs superior inexpensive aftermarket options. 

Would an lsd be added with any ease to a GT model? Is that my magic bullet? Is the suspension that different?

Just had a look - the seat warmer control system is in the driver's seat. It looks like the wiring is there - the connector and wiring at the car end looks the same, but there are more wires coming out of the seat end on the seat warmer cars. You may have to swap out the "indicator unit" which is the piece that has the switches for the seats and the RF hardtop controls (where applicable). But regardless, it appears it's a plug-in installation.

Yes, the suspension is that different. The Club is overdamped, the GT has fluidity. You can add the LSD to a GT, but honestly you rarely notice it's missing. Even on a full size track, I only notice on a 2nd gear hairpin. In autox, you'd notice a difference.

What Keith said re the LSD - the only time I missed having in my LE was when I took it to an Auto-X. Haven't had it on track yet, though. From what I read, it takes a fair amount of time to retrofit the LSD as it's not quite as easy to get at the diff like it is, say, in an NA. But people started retrofitting them pretty much five minutes after the car came out.

I used mine as a part-time DD on mountain roads when I worked more locally and it did a good job. Well, when there was no snow on the ground - I've never driven it in snow. They're surprisingly good on fuel, too - I think mine still shows a lifetime mpg slightly above 40mpg.

I would expect a pretty spectacular deal on a left-over '16, given how at least KBB seems to think these things deprecate. Well, I guess it's "normal" deprecation (approx 30% in 2.5 years) but it's easily the worst I had on new and nearly new vehicles I bought.

I can't answer the Miata specific questions but I can answer the sitting on the lot for a year question.  The only issue I've seen from new cars sitting that long is that the batteries can go bad.  I'd be tempted to see if I could get the dealer to replace it but if they don't it wouldn't keep me from buying.

Well, that is not the answer I expected in regards to LSD or the suspension. Most I talked to said the springs were on the soft side, but thats it. 

I suppose we will try the gt as well to see which we like. I foresee it being an occasional snow car, and a 'my first sports car'. At least 30min a day is on 15-35mph backroads, so I figured the club was the obvious choice.

Yes, the springs are on the soft ride and it does lean somewhat, but not in a bad handling way.

I actually like the stock suspension for road trips and normal driving.

Just test drove a few. Neither dealer would clear the snow off a club, so tried 2 gts. Looked at a 'new' club with at least a dozen paint chips and ever washed, INSIDE the dealer. Wtf mazda. 

3 salespeople, and none seem to be very motivated. Guess the sales area traded coke for xanax. After this shopping, I might too. They must make zero commission based on their interest in selling one.

Well, we did have that whole "why car dealers hate to sell to enthusiasts" discussion a little while ago .

In reply to BoxheadCougarTim :

Oh i know, been playing the straight buyer, already know what I want. Preying hard on a used ceramic gt rn. 

Well, we found a nice 8k, Ceramic white GT and pulled the trigger. Car is amazing, with two exceptions.

1. The stereo started fuzzing out and popping after 10 min of driving. Will have to have it back. 

2. Holy hell these tires are rocks. The gf almost lost it a few times on our road going 20 where we go 45 on winter tires. She emerged white as a sheet cursing the "all seasons" that were installed by the dealer. 

In a related note: One set of stock 2016 miata GT wheels, like new, tires have 42 miles, for sale. Might just park it until it gets above 30 for a few days, or I grab some proper wheels and tires. Lookin for some 16s for blizzaks.

Are UL's still the hot ticket for summer/autox wheels? Any other 'must haves'? 

Congrats!

6ULs are even more the choice for NDs than other Miatas, as there aren't as many other good options. Run a 17x9 with a 235 and they look the dog's bollocks. Sways are a pain to install but will tame the roll if it bugs you. The Koni/FM suspension really works well on these cars, I'm quite happy with them.

But the biggest must-have is an alignment. Makes a big difference. use these numbers: https://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/alignment.php

Congrats to the new car! Ceramic is one of my favourite colours these come in.

Agree with Keith on the alignment - I took mine to my local alignment guru shortly after I bought it and it made a world of a difference, as usual on Miatas.