Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us
Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network
HomeAnnouncements
Discussion Groups
By Brand
BMWChevroletDodgeFordGMHondaLexusMercedes-BenzNissanPeugeotToyotaVolkswagenOther Brands
By Topic
4x4 CarsRVsDrivingMaintenance & RepairCar AudioCollectible Cars
Country Specific
Australian ForumsUK Forums
ArticlesAuto InsuranceBuyingCars & TechnologyMaintenanceMiscellaneousSafety
DMV Resources
Related Topics
MotorcyclesBoatsMore Topics ...

Car Forum / Mazda / Mazda Miata / August 2004

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

Now Guy & 6 speed

Thread view: 
Enable EMail Alerts  Start New Thread
Thread rating: 
Larry Hill - 24 Aug 2004 15:28 GMT
Hello,
  I just bought a used  00 Miata Special Edition. Coming home on the freeway I
was running 70mph@3500rpm. Seems hi to me. I thought the 6th gear would be like
an overdrive.
  Also, on a rough section the car seemed to shake a little bit. Would the
after market cross brace for the front and back help any?
  Last of all I'm in the market for a hard top.
Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.
  Thank you,
           Larry Hill...Going through my second child hood at 61!
Lanny Chambers - 24 Aug 2004 17:35 GMT
>I just bought a used  00 Miata Special Edition. Coming home on the
>freeway I was running 70mph@3500rpm. Seems hi to me. I thought the 6th
>gear would be like an overdrive.

It is, but the differential is still geared for low-speed acceleration.
The 6-speed has 6 gears spaced closer together than the 5-speed; the
difference at 70 mph is only about 200 rpm. Don't worry about it--the
Miata engine thrives on high revs. If the noise bothers you, use
earplugs like the rest of us.

>Also, on a rough section the car seemed to shake a little bit. Would
>the after market cross brace for the front and back help any?

If you don't already have a front shock tower brace, adding one will
help a bit. So will installing a 4-point rollbar. But some cowl shake is
inevitable--the Miata chassis isn't all that stiff.

Signature

Lanny Chambers, St. Louis, USA
'94C
the alignment page:
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html

jchase - 24 Aug 2004 18:33 GMT
> Hello,
>    I just bought a used  00 Miata Special Edition. Coming home on the freeway I
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>    Thank you,
>             Larry Hill...Going through my second child hood at 61!

Top gear RPM runs about 20mph per 1000rpm.  The top gearing on the five
and six speed transmissions is similar, with the difference being in
closer ratios in the six-speed.  Don't worry, the engine is perfectly OK
with this.  The payoff is the immediate acceleration response.

The car will shake- even with the 1999 improvements, its not as rigid as
 newer roadsters can be with current computer-aided design. I'm not
sure how well the braces work- the weakest part of any roadster is
through the passenger compartment (that's why so many makers like
T-tops). On the other hand, check the weight of any other open car you
know of!

I've been using mine as both toy and daily driver for five years, and
nothing has fallen off or gotten loose- the only real part failure has
been the electric antenna motor.

I'm in northern Ohio- and the hard top is essential in winter (I bought
mine new with the car).  The large rear window is a treat during top-up
weather, and it can removed quickly for unexpected good weather.

Joe
Silver '99 (bought mine at 50)
Larry Hill - 24 Aug 2004 21:53 GMT
Thanks everyone for the help...now for that top, although I am in California it
still rains and gets down to about 35-40 degrees in the winter.
                     Thanks again,
                          LarryHill
Leon van Dommelen - 25 Aug 2004 00:49 GMT
>Thanks everyone for the help...now for that top, although I am in California it
>still rains and gets down to about 35-40 degrees in the winter.
>                      Thanks again,
>                           LarryHill

Look at the classifieds section of miata.net.  Though I can't
imagine why you would want to deal with the expense and hassle
putting it on and off, and storing it.

The Miata has a shimmy peaking around 67 mph if there are imperfections
in the tires, wheels, or balancing.  Driving 134 should fix it.  ;)

Leon

Signature

Leon van Dommelen :)    Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
 To reply to me, the word Miata must be in the subject.
                 EXIT THE INTERSTATES       (Jamie Jensen)

BRUCE HASKIN - 25 Aug 2004 07:33 GMT
But Leon, He will need the Hard Top to get to 134 MPH ! I haven't found
a long hill long enough to get to 134, but I will keep looking :-)
The shimmy does go away over 100 MPH, ( am I just toooo bizzzzzzzy to
feel it ? )  I know the tail starts to get light up there, but that is
when the factory wing comes in. The wing will help a little.

     Bruce     RED   '91
Leon van Dommelen - 25 Aug 2004 13:37 GMT
>I know the tail starts to get light up there, but that is
>when the factory wing comes in.

Um Bruce, I think the wing is to push the car down on the ground,
not to make it fly.  Maybe you should try installing it the other
way around?

On the other hand, maybe I am wrong, seeing some of those wings
out there on Hondas and Mitsubishis.

Leon  :)

Signature

Leon van Dommelen :)    Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
 To reply to me, the word Miata must be in the subject.
                 EXIT THE INTERSTATES       (Jamie Jensen)

BRUCE HASKIN - 26 Aug 2004 04:39 GMT
Yep Leon,  The wing pushes it down. I ran the car in the same place and
about the same speed without the wing, then with the wing. (with tuffs)
and the rear is not as free and light with the wing. BUT, only above
about 90 MPH. Below that speed, I could see or feel no change. I think
the wing that Flyin' Miata has on their track car looks like hell, but
it is high enough to get air at about any speed. (too "Riceee" for me) ,
but it works.
The only time that the factory wing works is when you have the hard top
on. Anything else, the air a mess back there! (talk about drag! It's
just crap!

     Bruce     RED    '91
tooloud - 26 Aug 2004 00:52 GMT
>> Thanks everyone for the help...now for that top, although I am in
>> California it still rains and gets down to about 35-40 degrees in
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> imagine why you would want to deal with the expense and hassle
> putting it on and off, and storing it.

Expense? Doesn't cost me anything. Hassle? I bet I can install or remove my
hardtop in less time than it takes to put the top down or up and installing
the boot.

> The Miata has a shimmy peaking around 67 mph if there are
> imperfections
> in the tires, wheels, or balancing.  Driving 134 should fix it.  ;)
>
> Leon

Signature

tooloud
Remove nothing to reply...

 
Sign In
Join
My Latest Posts
My Monitored Threads
My Blog
My Photo Gallery
My Profile
My Homepage

Start New Thread
Enable EMail Alerts
Rate this Thread



©2008 Advenet LLC   Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.