The New Mazda Miata

[Racer Boy]

Originally Posted by jdraupp

Racer boy, if the boxster isn't more fun than the Miata then you're doing it wrong. I respect the Miata for what it is. The biggest selling sports car of all time. However, I bought a Porsche because there isn't any substitute for one. Take it to the track, take on a twisty road and you'll understand why anyone who compares the boxster to a miata is barking up the wrong tree.

On a serious note if after tracking the car or taking it through some twists you don't think the boxster is a better experience then you need to unload it because you're doing it wrong. Anyone who owns one would say the same.

Um, okay. Thanks for pointing out the error of my ways.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by 911monty

Oh better tighten your suspenders then! Just wait until you get that attitude from fellow REAL PORSCHE drivers of the 911 and now even the Cayman crowd. I just went to a local PCA event and the first guy I run into says" Oh driving one of those!?! Most people have switched to the Cayman now !"

911Monty is 100% correct. I get this attitude directed towards me all of the time.

But I very much enjoy showing up to the track in my Boxster and then kicking the crap out of the guys in Cayman's and 911's.

One day after repeatedly passing a 911 on the track, the guy comes over and asks if my car is an "S model with all the extra power"? I said no, its a base 2.5L.

He looks around and then asks what tires am I running? I say, same as you, Nitto NT-01.

Then he looks around and says, "Yeah, but I'm having problems putting all of my power down whereas you don't have that "power problem"".

Yeah dude, that's it; you have too much power and that's what makes my 200hp girly car faster.

[Fintro11]

I haven't had to deal with many Porsche owners looking down on boxsters or 944's / 924's.

The people that do tend to be the people that buy the car for the name not because they are an enthusiast. They don't like it when you ask them if thats the case why did you not buy a gt3 or a 911 turbo

[DWBOX2000]

I wrote an email to excellence last week about the term "entry level" when referring to the boxster/cayman ( referring to story about gts vs the R). I wrote in jest that if you want to use that reference , wouldn't it be appropriate now to call the 911 carrera the entry level 911 considering all the other more expensive versions. Now it is silly to insult such an awesome car but I think it is silly to do the same to the boxster. It's a different car, and believe it or not, some rich people (not me, not rich) prefer the ride and the design. They appeal to different users. personally I like most cars, Vette, miata, camaro, etc. Obviously some people like Boxsters because it doesn't appear to being halted at the assembly line. Though these arguments can be entertaining, what ever happened to the old saying " if you have nothing nice to say, don't say it". I am getting softer in my older years.
In closing, People are different and thank goodness, so are our cars. Enjoy your ride, whatever it is.

[jdraupp]

Originally Posted by Fintro11

I haven't had to deal with many Porsche owners looking down on boxsters or 944's / 924's.

The people that do tend to be the people that buy the car for the name not because they are an enthusiast. They don't like it when you ask them if thats the case why did you not buy a gt3 or a 911 turbo

Agreed. Difference between actual enthusiast owners illustrated here. Guys who really know Porsches know the price pecking order and the handling pecking order. The guys who just want a Porsche because it's a status symbol I think buy panameras and cayennes now.

[Gelbster]

"Yeah dude, that's it; you have too much power and that's what makes my 200hp girly car faster. :-)"
Wonderful !
The puzzled 911 guy probably didn't even know the mid-engine configuration of the puny 2.5l

[jdlmodelt]

Originally Posted by thstone

I had a NB 2000 Special Edition. Great car and lots of fun but really quite slow, very small interior, and inexpensive materials everywhere.

IMHO, I am not a fan of the new ND design, it is terribly awkward to my eye. Mazda made the MX-5 Cup race car appear more muscular by adding wide white accent lines to extenuate the lines that the bodywork should have had in the first place. The blacked out bottom lines also help hide the poor stock design. Then they lowered the car and added larger wheels/tires. The end result is that the almost looks good because your eye jumps straight to the swooshy white lines and ignores the rest of the mess.

IDK. Looks fun to me. Although I'm not selling my Box to go buy one.

[jdlmodelt]

Originally Posted by thstone

911Monty is 100% correct. I get this attitude directed towards me all of the time.

But I very much enjoy showing up to the track in my Boxster and then kicking the crap out of the guys in Cayman's and 911's.

One day after repeatedly passing a 911 on the track, the guy comes over and asks if my car is an "S model with all the extra power"? I said no, its a base 2.5L.

He looks around and then asks what tires am I running? I say, same as you, Nitto NT-01.

Then he looks around and says, "Yeah, but I'm having problems putting all of my power down whereas you don't have that "power problem"".

Yeah dude, that's it; you have too much power and that's what makes my 200hp girly car faster.

Nice. Keep kicking their "girly" cars around the track.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by thstone

One day after repeatedly passing a 911 on the track, the guy comes over and asks if my car is an "S model with all the extra power"? I said no, its a base 2.5L.

He looks around and then asks what tires am I running? I say, same as you, Nitto NT-01.

Then he looks around and says, "Yeah, but I'm having problems putting all of my power down whereas you don't have that "power problem"".

Yeah dude, that's it; you have too much power and that's what makes my 200hp girly car faster.

Same conversation after my last autocross from an enthusiastic newbie with a new PDK Cayman after getting smoked by better drivers in miatas and frs/brz. He was limited at corner exit because he had too much power. His FB thread did not go the way he thought, but to his credit he changed his thought process after being schooled. He was legitimately looking for the reason why and that was what he landed on

[steved0x]

At my last track day I noticed that the moment a 911 got behind me the blue flag would come out, even though I always give a quick point by at the next passing zone. But I can be stuck behind another boxster, Cayman, or 911 for 2-3 laps and never see a blue flag. Sometimes we just don't get no respect

[Mark at Pelican Parts]

Originally Posted by litespeedp

I'm for any light,tossible fun car with decent quality and driver involvement!

Well stated and agree.

[Porsche9]

I actually went to test drive the new Miata the other day and was hopeful that at 6'4" that I'd fit. Real close, just short on the head room.

The prior generations it wasn't even close so this one is better and would take either getting the stock seat lowered or put in a different seat.

Some might still call it a girly car but I wouldn't care. I imagine on a tight roadcourse that this car would tear up quite a few "faster" cars. Giant killer. I recall another car company once being known for it's giant killer cars.

[Perfectlap]

my old NA. Selling it was a mistake. To be honest, it was more fun to drive than the Boxster. Certainly on a $ per endorphin ratio.
I should have kept both. That might have lowered the running costs on the Boxster.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by DWBOX2000

I wrote an email to excellence last week about the term "entry level" when referring to the boxster/cayman ( referring to story about gts vs the R)..

The funny thing is that people very rarely seem to use the term "entry level" when talking about mass produced cars like BMW/Merc/Audi/Porsche....
This term it seems is usually seen when discussing very expensive cars well into the six figures Ferrari, Lamborghini, Rolls, Bentley, etc.
I'm not saying it doesn't apply to mass produced cars, but its seems that the term is nearly always used when discussing a non-Carrera Porsche. Meanwhile when discussing a roadster or roadster coupe from BMW, Audi or Mercedes ...not as common. Good job Porsche marketing dept.

[Giller]

Never been a fan of those sports cars that have the big, long hood and tiny rear end. Drove a Z3, Vette and Miata before settling on my Boxster - it was just night and day. The Boxster blew them all away with it's vastly superior handling.

Yeah, it costs more, but you get what you pay for. And I'll take a slightly higher running bill to keep this smile on my face!

[Jim Rockford]

I've had experience with NB's (including the Mazdaspeed turbo'd Miata), and NC's (including a Skip Barber spec NC around Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca), and also quite a bit of seat time with the ND on canyon roads outside LA. No experience with the NA. I currently own a 2000 non-S Boxster.

Each of the Miatas had a common thread, directness. Absolute unmatched precision in the shifter, and laser like road connection. They were all also inadequately tired. The NBs and NCs really felt like short wheelbase cars, and the ND is less direct and actually more vague, but ultimately feels like it's gained grip levels far beyond the former cars and doesn't feel as eager to let go in the snappy fashion that the former cars did. Feels more like an RX-8 in wheelbase behaviour (another car that I have extensive experience with).

The Boxster has a slop in the steering at low speed and a shifter that cannot come anywhere near the Miata, but once the steering weights up at speed, the road feel gets far better, the feeling of mechanical grip over the Miata is considerable and the balance is even better (which is hard to believe). Keep in mind these are viewpoints from all vehicles that are not modified, or mildly modified.

The brakes on the Boxster are really something special. Like nothing I've ever felt before. Pedal feel is firm and has a real heft to it, whereas the Miata is dainty and you can modulate the brake with your big toe but it's lacks that built of pure granite type feel. Ultimately I prefer the Boxster brakes.

Power obviously goes to the Boxster which pulls out of the corner with some reasonable level of authority versus the Miata which is fun but you always feel you want more. The Mazdaspeed Miata was the answer for that but the NB chassis wasn't a formidable match, and was a terrible fit for 6ft plus drivers. I'd like to see how the ND feels with that engine chassis combination. As a prior poster mentioned the ND is also much more accommodating of longer individuals.

Ultimately my take is that they're both great fun cars, but they're both different cars. And I would salute owners of each with equal respect.

[Smallblock454]

Saw that video of the Mazda MX-5 ND RF today. Wow, i think i like that. This could be a good daily driver. Will do a test drive when it's available.

https://youtu.be/4XjamioT-Gs



Regards, Markus