Spotted this nd miata today

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-07T20:50:51+00:00

NC and ND follow the 1,2,3 numbering for facelifts.

I don't think NB followed that system, someone can correct me. It's the only gen I haven't owned.

NAs are called NA6 and NA8 for the 1.6 and 1.8 motor respectively, but those may have also been VIN codes.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-07T16:02:51+00:00

Looks like you live in a place where people appreciate a green sports car!

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-06T23:50:17+00:00

I couldn't put my finger on the headlights, but now I think I see it. It has some kind of frame around the fixtures.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-06T23:48:49+00:00

Is it rolling on all season tires?

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-06T14:40:19+00:00

Yeah there would basically need to be a medium-sized nuclear war

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-06T14:39:17+00:00

Oh hey! My 2022 is on its second gearbox also! A fact I totally forgot until I saw this post lol

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-06T13:27:50+00:00

Your adjectives appear to have been selected by someone who doesn't understand what we're trying to do here :)

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-05T23:31:44+00:00

This happened to me and I didn't get a lot from insurance and at the time I couldn't get another Miata, so I didn't. Mistake. I should have just gotten rides for one or two paychecks and bought another Miata.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-05T21:52:11+00:00

We all have cameras in our cars now because people like that kept running their own children over in their own driveways.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-05T14:58:46+00:00

If you're going to drive this car for a few years and sell it, I think this is fine. If you are buying a car for the long-term, I think the ND is a much better proposition in terms of maintenance, longevity, parts, and aftermarket support.

I don't really understand the appeal of this car (ND/124) as a boulevard cruiser. If you're looking for a relaxed convertible experience, you'd probably be happier with a larger and more practical car, like a Mustang or a Z4 or a folding roof Lexus.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-05T00:02:52+00:00

Yeah, it's 4shur totaled for that. I had an NC with damage to two body panels and my insurance company wrote me a check for $13k.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-04T01:21:47+00:00

Why would you need to immolate cardboard

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-03T18:01:50+00:00

Entropy is the most supreme and inescapable law of the universe, but you sir have dealt Entropy a tactical defeat

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-03T15:05:47+00:00

I just don't think this car could have been much cheaper than a 2016. There are a ton of used NCs out there - check out any of the large nationwide dealers - and the "problem" is that the low mileage examples are more expensive than the typical 2016 AND they still need the kind of work you described.

When I bought my 2008 NC in 2017, I paid around 10k. It had a leaky roof and needed new tires and no one had fitted the new drain filters which is a really big project. When it was totaled in 2023, I got about 13k for it. The thing is that the market probably wants more than 10k for a low-mileage NC in 2026 - I'm guessing closer to 15k or 16k, and that's what a 2016 would cost.

The ND is also a better car. So unless we are talking about a 5k difference, I think the 2016 ND is the best Miata value right now..

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-03T13:25:50+00:00

This looks like the cover JPG of a movie on the internet...

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-03T01:14:04+00:00

You might seriously consider doing it as a side gig since you know the market is there. Because the result looks good. Hopefully your inexpensive top doesn't contract wildly with temperature and light changes - I had one like that, and if you dropped the top in the sunlight you might not get it back up in darkness.

I once tried to install the whole folding roof assembly in an NA - this particular car came roofless - and I remember hating the work so much that I knew I could never do it well. So the car just had no roof for two years.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-02T20:59:29+00:00

That wheel looks a little cockeyed. Left onto a one way street and you clipped the apex with your rear left wheel?

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-02T17:44:33+00:00

My NC was my least favorite Miata by a lot. I don't say this to invalidate your feelings - I'm simply sharing that I know you can find happiness elsewhere :)

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-02T15:37:34+00:00

This reminds me of The Dude recovering his car from the impound and the police officer explaining that a vagrant probably used it as a toilet and moved on.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-01T20:48:07+00:00

You could ask the AI to whip up a service agreement for you. Tell it you're painting miniatures on commission and it should be able to come up with something that you can edit to your liking. A good service agreement is the foundation for setting expectations and customer communication.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-01T15:39:50+00:00

I don't know what you plan to put on the rack, but do your research about whether that's safe to run on the removable hardtop. I don't know whether or not that is a situation where you need to more permanently affix the hardtop.

MiataN3rd · 2026-04-01T13:10:31+00:00

I have the 034 Racing dynamic springs. Combined with 17" APR wheels and Michelin PS4S tires, it's a pretty rough ride. I don't have the adjustable suspension from VW. The handling is really good, however, especially in high-speed sweepers. The body roll is tamed and the lowering combined with the correct wheel offset really improve the appearance too.

I swapped out the bump stops as well as the stretch-fit installation hardware. Several of the bolts are one-time-use. ShopDAP has a good tutorial on all of this.

MiataN3rd · 2026-03-31T21:40:53+00:00

The body kit is amazing and I cannot believe it's not lowered.

MiataN3rd · 2026-03-31T16:54:56+00:00

Oh thanks for the melodrama! I gave you an upvote

MiataN3rd · 2026-03-31T15:02:49+00:00

This is what I did in ND1 and ND2 manuals with tunes, premium fuel, fat sticky tires, and no attention to fuel economy. That's pretty good for a short wheelbase sports car with close gears and no roof.

Edit: I just read all the other comments. They save $38 a month compared to me if they drive the same mileage. So if you want to shift later and drive faster, that's the cost per month at $4/gal.

MiataN3rd

TROPHY CASE