Should I buy a Miata NA with 90 hp?

Updated: 09 Dec 2024

Hey guys,
I´m still looking for my first car and due to circium stances it has to be something cheap and it has to be good on MPG.
So I thought about a Miata NA with the 1.8 Liter engine but they just got so expensive here in germany :(
So I was looking at the 1.6 Liter Miatas and in my price range there are most likely only the 90 hp ones.

I want a funny car which I can use as a daily driver, it has to be RWD and sporty so I´ve end up with a Miata but I´m scared of it to be too slow and not funny enough due to its power output, whats your experiences about it?

Comments

damn man, you cant run a miata as a daily. i’m speaking out of experience because i own one. my miata with 115hp 1,6l is getting me a smile with every move im making in the car. But the trunk; oh man just no, i even cant fit my worksuitcase in (Electrician)
I dont like saying that you shouldn’t buy one. Im just listing pros and cons.
I’ll also drive a rx-8 and i can really say that its a great daily driver if you don’t drive short distances and if you dont mind the around 20liters per 100km

Well I dont really need much space in my trunk, thats why I even thought about the Miata.
It doesnt need to be that practical, we got a Wagon and an Audi A3 here so my car wouldnt need to carry much stuff.
The RX-8 is a nice car but its unaffordable here in germany to keep it running - the first problem is to find one thats not too expensive but still in good conditions.
The second problem is that its running with 16+ liters per 100km :(

I also have a 115hp NA and i’ve been dailying it for the last year.
It’s fine 99% of the time and I have to carry a bass guitar with me every 3 days

Well MX5s are not that great when it comes to MPG.. My 1.8 (130hp) slurps around 9l/100km 95 octane. Thats around 25mpg..

Well I´m most likely driving on the Autobahn swimming with the traffic, 9l isnt even that bad here in germany for a gasoline engine

Mach mal eine Peobefahrt und probiere es einfach aus :)

Alsooo, was ist denn dein budget?
Ich hab einen 1,8 na und benutze den auch als Alltagsauto. Mit dem Kofferraum hab ich auf meinem weg zur Hochschule bisher keine Probleme gehabt und nen Kasten bier oder Wasser bekommst auf jeden Fall rein und hast dann rechts und links noch ein bisschen Platz! Für die wichtigsten Dinge ist also Platz :D
Verbrauch liegt bei 9-10l. Spaß macht er allemale und vor allem im Sommer ist das offene Fahren ziemlich geil. Ob du da nun die 90ps oder 130ps nimmst ist denke ich bums, wird beides spaß machen :)

Wie schonmal geschrieben mein Budget liegt bei 3000€, ein 1.8er wäre mir lieber aber ist halt schwer was brauchbares für das Geld zu finden…

Also meiner war für 4000€ inseriert und war keine bastelbude. Ist es möglich, dass du noch sparst? Nicht, dass du es bereust, dann keinen 1,8 gekauft zu haben..

Ich bin immernoch auf meine 3000€ am sparen :D
Naja ich hab auch überlegt noch weiter zu sparen allerdings ärger ich mich immer wieder darüber nicht Mobil zu sein :(

it might be worth you getting one from the uk you can pick then up for £1000 only problem is most have alot of rust

Yeah sure, paying all the taxes, the shipping and all that will be 6000€ + with ease..

not of you fly over and drive back home it wont

2 reasons you SHOULD buy it:

1 - It’s a Miata. It will be fun.
2 - It’s a Miata. It’s easy to fix and get those horses back.

This!

There a lot to do on the 90hp to get close to the 115… which still isn’t very fast :/
But for a first car, 90hp is plenty enough !

Do it if you can live with the lack of space and safety equipment. In Germany those are really cheap to insure, I looked it up. Under 900€ per year I think it was. Fuel consumption can be high but that depends on the driver.

I learned driving on under 100hp FWD cars. They were super fun cars. Now I have a BMW 316i E30. With a 1.8 IS swap and it’s super fun. Plus the Miata is lighter and even with the 1.6 it can be very quick and fun car since it’s RWD too. I say go for it. :) And down the road you could even swap a 1.8 into it. :) You should also consider an E30 or E36 too. :) Good luck on finding your dream first car. :)