Fun,reliability,good gas milage, runs on regular unleaded, the local chapter of the Miata Club of America, reasonable insurance rates compared to other sports cars, the multitude of aftermarket parts and accessories that are available, the glass back window, the ease of putting the top up and down, and much more...

The design of the center popup arm rest/cup holder....thats about it. Oh, maybe the urge to give it a cute name and bond to it.

I can't imagin a more fun car, the way it rides and handles, the smiles and waves you get while driving it. If cars have personality, the Miata has it in spades. It drives and handles superbly and very forgiving if you make a mistake. All controls and accessories are well laid out and easy to use(except the cupholder). The car is a little noisy(road noise) but then again, it's a convertable, not a Lexus. The fit and finish is flawless including the removable hardtop. The trunk is a lot more spacious than I thought it would be. The battery is a gel-cell type, so all that cornering is not going to cause acid spillage, a real plus I think. The many published road tests/reviews are right on. What Mazda sells in the Miata is FUN. There are faster cars on the road,(although with certain acccessories the Miata can blow away most of them) but the Miata seems to have heart and soul that others can't match. I traded in an SUV(not comparing) for my Miata and my only regret is that I didn't buy one ten years ago. As far as safety, I feel safe driving it, not from impact protection, but from the ability to avoid "situations" on the road. There is no way you can win in a wreck with a full size pickup or a "Look at me, Im bigger than you, SUV". But, if you leave "an out" and make sure you are seen (stay out of blind spots, headlights on etc.), the handling and agility will greatly help in avoiding an accident The Miata is a sweet car to drive and a joy to own. Five twinklers for this baby.

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Mustangs, Fiats, MGB

Great handling. Great looking. Convertible. Relatively inexpensive. Great gas mileage. Reliable. Takes 10 to 15 minutes to wash. Insurance is cheap. HUGE aftermarket support. Great community of miata owners (http://www.miata.net). Enough trunk space to go grocery shoping. Great short shifter.

Cup holder in weird place. Kind of difficult to shift with drink in cupholder. Could use a bit more power (drop a turbo in for around $2k to $3k). A little cramped for me (I'm 6'0 and 175 pounds but I'm more than happy to sacrifice).

Would I recommend the miata? Definitely. If your looking for a fast car out of the box, the miata is not for you (if you want to spend $2k to $3k, you'll have a car that will be in the league or surpass the s2000, porsche boxter and other higher priced sports cars. Or drop in a V8 and do 0-60 in 4.2 seconds for about $19k and beat a viper in the 1/4 mile. Don't believe me? Check out "http://www.monstermotorsports.com/general1.html") . If you are looking for a streetable go-cart, the miata is definitely the answer. This is supposed to be a weekend car but I can't help myself and occasionaly go out for a spin any chance I get. Bang for the buck, nothing else compares. Other miata owners will tell you, everytime you drive, you get that silly smile accross your face. Own one and you'll understand.
ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM.

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When I was in the market to buy, I decided on either a Mustang GT or a Miata. Test drove the mustang first, powerful, roomy, felt like a boat. Test drove the miata, need I say more?

Handling, view of the California sky, build quality, looks, reliability, functionality.

Well, to agree with just about everyone else, I have used the cupholder once in 15 months but, hey, you're supposed to be driving, who has time for drinking? It is a little underpowered, but if you watch where you are in terms of revs you can have plenty of fun anyway. And having driven much faster cars, I can tell you that my life expectancy, and that of my driving license, is probably improved by staying away from those high powered vehicles. I could hit 100 mph in third gear without the car even breathing hard in a twin turbo Dodge Stealth a couple of years back. I would kill myself in one of those cars.

As an ex-motorcycle rider, I have always appreciated a vehicle which requires your absolute participation in the act of driving, which most cars don't really do. This car makes me feel like I'm part of the driving experience again, I don't think there is a car around that comes closer to the feeling of freedom, agility, and exhiliration that you experience riding a bike. So, coming at it from that perspective, I also don't feel intimidated by the many behemoths gliding ponderously down the modern canals that our highway system has become. They still provide me with my biggest annoyance about the car, their blinding headlights. Why do SUV's have to have their headlights placed so high? They are worse than transports.

So basically what I'm saying is that, apart from the cupholders, which are so useless that they shouldn't have bothered, this is a perfect car, agile, responsive, quick enough, and just an overall blast to drive. I would highly recommend it to anyone who knows what driving should feel like and hasn't felt it in a while. By the way, the Miata grin is real, and it's still there over a year later. Can't say enough about this car, I am not tempted in the slightest by its higher cost competitors, and on balance I prefer the looks to the MR2

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I previously owned a Triumph Spitfire and have spent some time driving a TR6. They are all fun, but I kept the Triumph in the garage almost all the time, putting about 4K on it in 3 years, I loved it, but I didn't trust it. The Mazda is my daily commuter and shows no signs of causing me any problems. It handles as well or better and is much better in every other aspect of operation. And in design, while I loved the classic look of my Spitfire, the M2 is also a beautiful design. With both cars I often found myself standing and staring in appreciation (or is it adoration). My family gets a bit of a chuckle out of that, my 21 year old calls me obsessed, I think he is just jealous.

Even after the worst meeting with the worst client I can jump in my Miata, drop the top and all is right with the world. Good gas mileage (30 m.p.g.), handles great, Japanese reliability, still as much fun as the day I bought it.

Everything I don't like—plastic zip-down window, pop-up headlights, laughable trunk—was eliminated in the 1999 redesign.

After 83,000 miles and eight years I still love to drive it in all four seasons. On sunny days it's perfectly comfortable at 45 degrees with the top down and the heater blasting. (You do get some looks, though.) This is a car everyone should have the chance to own once. I'll replace mine when they pry my fingers from the steering wheel.

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Honda del Sol, Toyota MR2: the Honda was not a true convertible and the top removal was a pain, the MR2 has no trunk at all (just two tiny cubbies).

The absolute best feature about this car is the ease with which the top works. 10 seconds at the most to either raise or drop it. And the glass window puts it a cut above most other ragtops. Of course, you can't talk about this car without raving about its great handling. It also has a surprisingly nice ride--so smooth in fact, that I'm thinking maybe I should have opted for the stiffer suspension. This is a fantastic car at at a very affordable price. As much fun as my friend's Boxter that was $56,000 before tax and license.

Needs just a little more oomph. I may supercharge it to cure this.

I've owned all kinds of sports cars and sport luxury cars. I've had an NSX, a Corvette, an RX-7, a Nissan 300ZX, a Jaguar XKR, and an Integra GS-R. The Miata is as much or more fun to drive than any of them. Too bad they can't give it about another 20 horsepower. If they could get the 0-60 time under 7 seconds, the competition would really be quaking, as there is nothing else out there that can give as much satisfaction for anywhere near the price.

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I've driven a Z3, a Boxter and Honda S2000. The Miata is every bit as much fun as any of them. Its handling is incredible. The interior on the 2001 is as nice as the others. The only thing it lacks is a little power--and of course, the big price tag.

Absolutely the most fun car to drive in the world. I have owned more powerful cars and cars that cost a great deal more, but none of them provided me with as much carefree, head-clearing fun as my Miata. The lines are graceful and the fit and finish are exact. And as for the mechanical aspects of the car....well, I have had three different service people (from different establishments) come out into the waiting area in mid-oil change to remark on how incredible this car is from underneath a lift. Never had that happen before, even with a 1991 Carrera Convertible in my past!

Living in the unpredictable northeast, I have learned that the Miata is not the best choice for all-weather transport. Sun and fun...yes. Winter nor'easter and you better bring out the Jeep!

Just a perfect car. It's that simple. Take a seat in the cockpit once and you will start looking for reasons to hop in again. It is so addictive that you will great the words, "we're out of milk again" with glee.

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I have driven everything out there (including a turn in the re-introduced MGF while living in Paris, which is the car from my childhood that created my love for sports convertibles) and the Miata compares very favorably to them all. Obviously, it's not a powerplant on wheels, but I think that everything about the car is just right for an unforgetable driving experience.

Handling, Acceleration, Transmission (Just makes you drool - the best shifter I have ever used, and I don't anticipate ever finding another one as good), Fun Factor - Blast to drive - goes where you tell it to.

Brakes - 4 wheel disk, but pretty crumby braking (combined with downshifting, it's just acceptable), Reliability, Do you want to go anywhere in the rain? Better pay attention to the road or you'll be sliding everywhere. Snow? forget about it!

Man I loved this car, drove it into the ground unfortunately. Got it in 98, and sold it in 2000. The miata will chirp the tires going into third gear at will. That's something the only the big boys do. Burnouts - those come at will too. :) During the time I had it I went through a clutch, head gaskets, thermostat, 2 sets of tires (no self control). Burned oil pretty bad, but mileage was acceptable. Can't complain about the lack of space, because it's no suprise - it's obvious before you buy the vehicle. I'm 6', 240 lbs, and I fit without much pain. The size 13's would hit the brakes occasionally when going for the clutch, but I managed.

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Civic, Eclipse, CRX, Integra

Extremely fun to drive. what a "true sports car" is suppose to be. The majority of "sports cars" on the market are sports cars on "steroids".They take away from the pleasure in driving and experiencing a true sports car.

poor radio and speaker quality.

Purchased this 1991 with 17600 miles on it. it is very hard to explain the sensations you get when driving this car. I can only reccomend that someone who is in the market for an inexpesive sports car that is known for it's reliabilty and value, need to drive one and see how it effects them. I believe that they too will get the same feelings as all the other 500,000 plus owners have. It is a blast!

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I'm thinking of buying a Miata. I'me trying to determine if I can do better on pricing and looking for FEEDBACK from anybody who bought one and is reading this. I got a quote of $19,900 for a new 2000 Miata LS, white, with spoiler, no other options. It is a leftover. I also got pricing of $21,860 for a 2001 LS, any color, no options at all.

Any thoughts folks?

None

thanks for responding.

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I bought a black base model with convenience package (power windows and door locks, extra speakers, cruise). The car also came with the ground effects package and fog lights. I had installed charcoal gray leather Mazda Roadster seats and 15" tires and wheels. The car is a blast to drive. The miata handles very well, and it is surprising how quick it is. The top is very easy to lower. The base stereo with the added speakers is sufficient. I drove the car in the rain the first three days that I had it and noticed no leaks. Workmanship appears to be top notch.

With the 15" wheels that replaced the 14" that came on the car, I noticed more road noise. The car also seems to be a little slower. The top is harder to put up. The cupholder is in a bad place...right behind the gearshift knob.

I would highly recommend this car to anyone who likes to have fun in the sun. Even though the car was over $20000, it is a great value compared to the Honda S2000 or the BMW Z3. I could not see paying $40000 for one of the other convertibles and getting twice the fun. It is my daily commuter car, and I could not be happier. It definitely gets a lot of nice looks. If you have to haul people around, and you are over 6', then this car may not be for you. It is a roadster, not a posh luxury sedan or SUV. It is exhilarating car to drive. If you like to feel the road and get a rush when you drive, then this is your car!

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I had an 83 Mustang GT and a 97 Honda Prelude. Nothing is more fun to drive than the miata. But you are not comparing apples here. The other two cars were faster, had more interior and luggage space, but they did not have as much of the fun factor. The miata does make you smile when you are driving with the top down.