I'm buying* Canada's cheapest, roadworthy**, 50 mpg*** Mazda Miata MX-5
 

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478628628

First, the asterisks:

1 *) I don't own it... yet. But I think I'm close!

[Update! I got it. Read on...]

I've been trying for several weeks to buy this 1990 Miata from a seller who is both hilariously and frustratingly laid back. Seems he doesn't like to rush things when it comes to communication. Think "island time" mentality. He works strange hours and will only talk by text messaging -- oh, and I happen to be the last person who doesn't own a cell phone, so friends and family have been acting as intermediaries.

Also, he doesn't need the money. Also, the car is out of sight, out of mind from his perspective (not parked at his house).

All these ingredients make this a recipe for slow going and for cultivating patience.

2 **) Ran when parked!

Roadworthy? Well, it's been sitting in a back yard for almost 2 years. 2014 was the last time it saw daily driver status.

3 ***) 50 MPG??

EPA says: 22 city / 28 highway / 24 combined

But AntiochOG did it! http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ata-27879.html

The top 3 Miatas in EM's garage:

• Miazda - bikin' Ed 1996 Mazda Miata mx-5 44.14

• Cinco The Miata - AntiochOG 1990 Mazda Miata 36.13

• The BRG - ChopsQube 1991 Mazda Miata SE 35.9

Fuelly shows a couple hundred owners of the early 1.6L cars are averaging 27 mpg US. Half a dozen owners of the 1.6L "NA" model report averages of 40-45 mpg.

So I'm guessing low-mid 40's is achievable, un-ecomodded, in my typical driving environment (my driving is mostly country roads, 80 km/h / 50 mph speed limit). And of course it won't remain un-ecomodded for long.

4) The car:

• 1990 Mazda Miata MX-5
• Engine/trans: 1.6 L (116 hp), 5-speed manual
• Curb weight: 2100 lbs / 952 kg
• Odometer: 216k kilometres (134k miles)
• Cosmetically: rough
• Mechanically: unknown, but owner at least says oil changed "religiously" and other than a burst rad hose once, has been "bulletproof"; it was not winter driven; brakes will be a bit rusty from sitting outside for a year. :)

5) The price:

He's asking a thousand bucks for it.

That's quite a bit less than even the cheapest basket case Miatas advertised in Canada, of which there are 400-500 for sale right now.

More to come!

Haha, interesting find!

What makes you want to buy this car? You already have a small fleet.

I guess I'm just a sucker for thousand dollar cars.

If this happens, one of the others will have to go. I'm trying (and clearly failing) to shrink the horde, not expand it! http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...der-34104.html

But seriously, the reason is: many years ago I had the chance to drive a relative's gen. 1 Miata a bunch of times, and I distinctly remember it being a very fun little car -- joyful to drive. One of the earliest reviews I read said something like: if all the world's leaders drove Miatas, world peace would break out.

And for that price, as long as it's not mechanically trashed, it's a question of "why not?", not "why?" :)

Either (a) you are a sucker for mongrel vehicles or (b) you have a bad case of G-note$ burning holes in your pocket(s)...all metaphors intended.

I can neither confirm nor deny the charges!

Except about G-note$ falling out of my pockets... I can deny that part.

That year had wobbly crankshaft problems, just warning you. I believe the issue was corrected with a redesigned crank in 91 or 92.

potential crank pulley issue
 

Yes! I've read about that - somewhat scary.

The keyway on the end of the crankshaft can be destroyed if the crank pulley bolt (a) simply loosens over time; (b) or was re-torqued incorrectly after removal; (c) or the key was inserted backwards in the keyway on reassembly.

The result is the crank pulley develops a wobble that wrecks the crankshaft end = need new crank/engine.

I will be looking for evidence of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P75feCy_MRM

Resulting damage:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478700473

^ That should be a clean, straight keyway.

It's a fatal flaw in the 1.6L 1st gen engine with the "short nose" crankshaft pulley end.

There's also a "loctite fix" procedure that may work if the damage hasn't progressed too far.

Looks like an excuse to electrify whatever that pulley was turning.

(The alternator can be replaced by a plugin-pack.)

Yes!

However...

The unfortunate problem is that shaft / pulley defect also affects the camshafts via the timing belt, which is not visible in the video. The crank timing gear is hidden behind the larger pulley, but it's driven by the same key/keyway connection.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478707750

When the crankshaft keyway starts to fail, the camshaft timing goes off.

I have one of those...it only gets ~24mpg though. Gearing, DOHC, aerodynamics...it isn't designed for MPGs.

Drive it the way its designers imagined it would be driven, and sure, that's what you get!

But Fuelly shows a couple hundred owners of the early 1.6L cars are averaging 27 mpg US, and many owners are averaging mid-high 30's mpg US. Low 40's may not be impossible - half a dozen owners report that.

I agree, the gearing is crazy low. There are solutions to that, too. I predict I would not be embraced on the Miata forums. :) And I'm OK with that.

I actually loled on that one. :D

PS Stubby79: also realize my typical driving patterns are about as MPG-friendly as they come. No commuting slog. Mostly scenic rural highways. And the infrequent urban driving I do is almost always at off-peak times.

Sounds like a good excuse to do an LS swap. ;) It might throw 40MPG out the window, but 35 would probably be doable while being able to smoke most cars. It would be like a gas powered Tesla.

Or.... 1.0L 3-cyl Miata swap!

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...0-a-18667.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_D5RlaOjH8

Fred flintstone mod would have as much power.

Simon

You are not going Full Ecomodder until you have as much hate as Bill the Engineer! :)

cosmetic inspection
 

I haven't heard it run yet (the owner says he's still looking for the keys).

I have just crawled over, under & through it.

And to sum up: oh, boy!

This is what I first saw:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478788934

- A UV-rotted plastic tarp tied over the roof
- 3 or 4 different hues of faded red paint; a couple of panels may be original
- The tires at least have decent tread (they'd pass inspection)
- Brake rotors are rusty, but not as bad as I expected - may be salvageable. They're not seized, anyway.

The top...

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478788934

Looks like it keeps most of the rain out!

- The plastic rear window (already a replacement) is opaque and it's coming away from the top of the window "frame"/opening
- Various cracks in the vinyl top/side where it creases when folded down

Paint / body:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478789705

- Oopsie dent on the left rear quarter panel
- Both rear quarters have been repaired & resprayed, possibly for wheel arch rust repairs (common). The rear rocker panels seem OK (also a common rust area).
- Very faded original (?) paint on the hood/trunk
- The rest of the panels look like they've been resprayed at various times, with the nose being done most recently (it's the shiniest part!)

Front end:

I jacked up the front end to check for worn ball joints / tie rods; it seemed fine.

Interior: Natty!

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478791083

- Passenger side packed FULL of miscellaneous stuff.
- No tears in the seat, but bolster is worn
- Missing sun visor
- Door cards have seen better days
- Giant subwoofer/bass tube strapped to the parcel shelf :D

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478791083

- dead battery in the trunk (0.6 volts - think that'll come back? )



Hello rust, my old friend.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478791600

The hole is in the driver's side footwell, about 15 cm / 6 in wide. (Figure making it 50% bigger to find good metal.) That blue patch showing is a tarp, underneath the car.

I suspected I would find this when I saw the condition of the top. Considering the car wasn't winter driven, the carpets must have been regularly wet to cause that amount of rust.

The passenger side has no holes (yet), but there's rust in the boxed reinforcing "rail" that runs beneath the footwell floor:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478791600

But the brake & fuel lines and the rest of the underbody look fine.

Nevertheless, some quality time with a welder is in this car's future. The asking price now seems a bit high.

Next up: waiting on the keys to see how it runs...

Wasn't designed for MPGs. Metro may have a thing or two to say / do about that before this is over. :D

Looks more like he should be paying you $1000 to take it, not the other way around. You might want to add a roll cage to keep the thing together. :P

Yeah, that rust means scratch "roadworthy" from the car's description.

For now.

Raise your Miata's MPG with this one weird trick!
 

Lookee here what I done found!

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1478798328
(From: http://hanchagroup.wordpress.com/201...esign-is-best/)

Racing products design company Hancha did a CFD analysis on 5 different air dam/splitter combinations on a 1st gen Miata.

1) Cd 0.36 = "stock" model: (actual car is 0.38, but CFD model has smooth floor & wheels); 38 hp @ 100 mph

6) Cd 0.29 = model #6 with large air dam & splitter, reduced ride height; 31 hp @ 100 mph.

Neato!

(Although it does seem to be missing cooling inlets.)

Full article, analysis of various other front end treatments: Splitter or Air Dam – Which Design is Best?

That thing looks like it's got three out of four wheels in that great big junkyard in the sky. Don't buy it man.

interventions: boo
 

Where are my enablers?! I need people telling me what fun I'll have with this cheap wreck!

JUST LOOK AT THAT GREAT PATINA!

(In case it's not obvious, the want is strong for this one.)

Also, I'm not afraid of three-wheels-in-the-junkyard cars that need a bit of reconstructive surgery: eg. the rust repair needed on this year's winter beater Toyota Echo is more involved than the Miata will be.

How about everyone who enjoys your exploits on this site chips in $5 and you offer $500 for the car?
It might not be worth $1000 to you, but once you add up our collective entertainment value I think it's worth doing! Do it for your adoring fans!

Picasso: yeah, even if it runs/drives perfectly, it's definitely not worth $1k any more.

(Although a Miata-owning friend of mine swears it's worth that just to part it out. I'm not so sure whether to believe him.... he's an enabler!)

Also, would I have to refund the money when the crank pulley shears off? :D

Turns out it's already got the Flintstone mod! I just need to make the hole big enough to get my other foot through.

no keys
 

Received via telegram today from the owner:

Cannot find the keys - have looked everywhere.

Is this a sign, or a challenge?

I'm told a Mazda dealer can make a new key if you bring in the ownership.

Needs more asterisks
 

Maybe vskid3 had the right idea; this guy should pay you to haul it away.
Maybe you should offer a case of beer for the car.

GET IT! Don't let it be the one that got away! :D

I missed out on a $900 Miata a few years ago. It even had a factory hardtop! it wouldn't start, hence the low price.

Sounds to me that if you fill the tank you will double its value.

Simon

It'l end up being a scratch built, carbon fibre electric, before you are finished fixing all the faults you find in it.

Shame it's in such bad shape. I know quite a few guys who'd be interested swapping cams with you, 90 hp Euro grind for whatever is left of his American market cams!

^ I'll be wanting to learn more about that Euro grind. I've read the auto transmission engine here also has a different grind that may be more MPG friendly.

All I know is the Euro cars have just 88 hp. Supposedly different cams, different ECU tune and lower compression to meet emissions... Our local ones came with this tune of engine, somewhere between 1996-1997 (Mazda folded locally after that, so we never got the NB).

I know a few guys who might be interested in swapping cams, if ever... if the shipping cost is not too big an issue.

found the key!
 

Message received via smoke signals from the owner:

Found the key. When do you want it?

Woo! Now I can find out -- first hand -- how it runs. Hopefully tomorrow.

Ironically, he says he got this car to save gas... proving that fuel efficiency is relative. He said he had been commuting in a thirsty Volvo sport utility.

Update us after the test drive!

tripled its value now :thumbup:

it runs! it drives!
 

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1479312871

I picked the keys up from the owner's mailbox (I still haven't either met or spoken to him) and got a chance to take it for a spin.


Keepin' the dream alive...

- The engine fired up surprisingly easily, after about 8 cranks of the starter, on a weak battery that I brought. Considering it hadn't been started in over a year, that's not too bad. I was prepared with quick-start spray and everything.

- An alarming amount of valve/lifter noise at first: hydraulic lifters devoid of any oil! It resolved itself reasonably quickly, and after that there was no ticking on re-starts.

- No unusual exhaust smoke. Exhaust pipes/muffler are intact.

- I watched for crank pulley wobble and couldn't spot any at idle or when revving the engine.

- Brake light on the dash was on (looks like low fluid level -- didn't have any to confirm).


Road test!

- The engine stumbled a tiny bit when cold (missed a little), but was fine once it started to warm up. It pulled strong; no odd noises.

- Transmission shifts nicely (the stubby shifter is so fun to use). Though it was a bit balky in 1st & 2nd for the first minute or two when cold. No synchro issues.

- The clutch felt good; I did a number of full throttle accels in higher than normal gear to test for slippage.

- THE GEARING IS ATROCIOUS :eek: and / or fun. 1-3-5 would be a very workable MPG strategy for this car. A taller final drive/rear end swap is an option. But why can't we just have fun 1-4, then a big overdrive for 5th?

- Steering felt tight. I actually chuckled at how nimble it makes the car feel. Before I headed out, I checked for tie rod & ball joint play and didn't find anything significant. But once or twice I heard a mystery clunk in the front end on left turns. Control arm bushing? Shock mount?

- A bit more body roll than I remember.

- Brakes were very noisy, while progressively scraping a year's worth of rust off the rotors with each stop. But aside from that, they seemed fine: it stopped straight with a few hard pedal stabs from ~80 kph / 50 mph.

- Tires were flat-spotted after a year of sitting with 20 PSI in them. I pumped them up to 40. They got quieter/smoother as I drove, but still weren't quite round by the time I got back.

- I put the top down on this grey but unseasonably warm (~10 C / 50 F) November day, and returned with a smile on my face.


Dun dun dunnnnnn... the only surprise discovery...

http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1479312871

The temp gauge increased relatively quickly towards hot, and I found the coolant was very low. I topped it up, and when I got back from the test drive saw seepage from this hairline crack in the radiator top tank.


Other minor annoyances:

- Rattly exhaust heat shields.

- Ignition key/seatbelt/headlights buzzer was on CONSTANTLY. No matter what I did, I couldn't get it to shut off!


http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1479312871

To sum up:

Honestly, I did not think it was going to start, run, shift, drive & stop as well as it did. I guess I was expecting a crap drive to match its crap cosmetic condition.

If I can get in touch with the owner again, I'm going to find out how negotiable his price is...

..

Sweet Miata goodness. I bet the radiator is an easy fix, though not super cheap. Perhaps one from a salvage yard?

1140 New Radiator for Mazda Miata 1990 - 1997 1.8 L4 (1 Thick Core)" | eBay

:-P