I have a 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata and a 2013 Cooper S hardtop. Thinking of selling both for a Mini Roadster. Opinions?

 

I made the switch from a 1996 Miata M last year.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...639-post2.html

 

I've had two Miata's, a 2002 LS Midnight Blue (NB) with tan leather and soft top (My favorite) and a 2007 Black Grand Touring PRHT(NC).

I miss them though I really like my 2013 S Roadster...

I'd love a Miata to race but alas I'm "still" married and I have a habit of spending lots more money than I should on Mods for my cars....

A 2004 is an NB model which for me was much more fun on the twisties than the 2007 NC.

I must say if you are a true roadster guy you will love the MINI S Roadster.. In my opinion the rear wheel drive and handling of the Miata make it a sports car. It's a seat of the pants driving machine.

The MINI is a Roadster, top down fun, front wheel drive and bigger trunk than the Miata.

Oh yea the MINI with its turbo has more power than the Miata, but you channel that power through the front wheels which feels totally different.

I do like the burble from the MINI's exhaust when you put it in sport mode.......


Andy

 

My 1992 miata was the best car i have ever driven. Drove it cross country 4 times from Vancouver. Not one hiccup.
The mini is similar in driving fun, but the Miata will still be my favourite. I prefer the first gen Miatas over the new fat Miatas.

I believe the Miata is far more reliable. Don't get me wrong, I love our Mini Cooper, but swatting through this forum and from some personal experience, far too many nit pick issues with the Mini.

To start, how about the infamous 3000 dollar sunroof fix!

 

I sold my 97 Miata and my Volvo 94 850 Turbo wagon for a used R57S MINI. The Miata had a lot of handling mods a was really fun. The MINI has great power but doesn't handle as well. I certainly don't feel as comfortable pushing it as I did the Miata. However, I got a rear seat for when my daughter is home from college and I only need one car.

 

The wife got a first gen Miata for $14,000 which we drove home in a snowstorm in December 1989. It was her daily driver for 16 years, so I very rarely got to drive it. Very reliable, much beloved by her.

My Roadster is not directly comparable with her early Miata except that both are heaps of fun. Oh, and both were/are red. One big advantage of the Roadster is that I get to drive it!

 

I had a 2004 Miata and now I have a 2012 JCW Roadster.

There is no comparison. The JCW Roadster is quicker, more powerful, more fun, corners better and beats the Miata 0 -60 by over a second.

There is not a Miata around that can hold a candle to my JCW Roadster. Plus I love the British styling as opposed to Japanese.

I don't know why so many complain about front wheel drive. I love the feel. Put your foot into a front wheel drive in a curve and it pulls you right out. The feeling is quite a thrill once you figure out how to drive a front wheel drive vehicle.

 

I currently own a 97 Miata with my 11 MCS. They really are so different. The Miata is a blast with the rear wheel drive but the MINI is a blast too in a different kind of way.

 

I agree, both cars are loads of fun..

can't beat top down and the feeling of throwing yourself around those twisties.........

Spring is almost here......

 

I think u should compare with a straight cooper and NOT a different apple.

 

Why?

The poster asked for opinions from former Miata owners. I have owned both a Miata and a JCW Roadster. I haven't owned a straight cooper.

I am just saying that in my opinion there is no comparison between a JCW Roadster and a Mazda Miata. The Miata just doesn't have the same power, top speed, quickness, and handling as a JCW Roadster.

The poster can draw his own conclusions.

 

I had a 97 Miata ( Silver, tan top, tan leather ). It was a peach. Sold it in 2001 to get a new family friendlier BMW 330i which I still have. My 2011 MCS purchase was to replace the nimble feeling that the Miata gave. The idea worked - and it's faster. Boy,is it faster!

 

Really…...?

I believe its a well known fact the Miata and a JCW are 2 different cars.

The point is, if you want to compare a miata, then compare it to a vehicle that is similar.

To help the poster, comparing similar vehicles would be of more benefit.

 

Can the previous Mazda owners comment on why the MX5 was only offered in the Mazda Speed version for a couple short years? I would have really considered a Miata this time around but I just want more power.

 

Presumably it didn't make them enough money to continue with. You could always pick up a cheap NA Miata and install a Flyin' Miata turbo kit

Someone locally was selling one already nicely done up and tuned for around $6k, I think they were boasting 230+HP if I recall correctly.

 

Wel Miatas lost me when they added the goofy looking "big grin" on the front. I may have considered one but the first time I saw that I just shook my head and waled away. Maybe the next gen Miata will look better but ut would take a lot to pull me away from a JCW Roadster.

 

I really don't get your point. The poster and I are not even trying to compare similar cars, only you have that criteria.

The original poster was thinking of selling his Miata and Mini to purchase a Roadster. He was asking for comments from previous Miata owners.

I am a previous Miata owner and I am a current Roadster owner. I am just giving feed back to the poster. I am not trying to do fair car review.

So what is your problem?

 

The Mazdaspeed was offered in the last few years of the 2nd gen (NB) Miata. The NB (99-04?) was basically a light refresh of the original NA (89-97, No 98). So the Mazdaspeed was a last hurrah and the feeling was it wasn't a great success because it didn't add a lot of horsepower. Flying Miata makes a kit to upgrade the Mazdaspeed, many turbo packages food the base miata and of course, a kit to put a Chevy LS-1 small block in the Miata.

As my daughter says TMI.

 

Hey! Hey! Boys! Don't fight. I am the OP and I appreciate all comments, okay? And I am a "her" and not a "him". :-)

I am on my second MINI MCS. (2005 and 2013 Bayswater now). So I can certainly compare the hardtops to the Mazdaspeed myself. But I can't compare to the MINI Roadster, having no experience with one.

I am so tired of jockeying two cars around (since I only have a one car garage) so I was thinking of combining the two I some way. Thought the Roadster might do the trick,,,

 

your tone

 

Here is my $0.02:
If you autocross, I would keep the Miata - It is quicker, more reliable, more fun assuming you like rear wheel drive and less expensive to maintain/mod. If your primary focus is street and possibly the track driving, the Roadster would be a great choice. If you need the ability to haul four people you might consider the 135i Vert (Not as nimble as the Roadster or Miata but a fun, fast car).

 

The reason why I got rid of my Miata is so I can have a backseat. I got rid of my Volvo wagon at the same time. I also looked the 135, but the rear seat is the same size as the mini convertible. I spent a lot less money than on the 135.

Well I missed the Miata, I'm pretty happy with the mini convertible. Carries all I need and is fast as hell.

 

When you see a GT race there are several different car types in the race. Each car races against other cars of the same model and spec.

The only thing that is the same between the MINI Roadster and the Mazda Miata are; they are small, have two seats and their tops go down. Oh yea they both plant a nice big smile on your face when you are driving them.

If you are going to compare power you need to compare the MINI Roadster without the turbo as the Miata does not come with a turbo. Add a turbo or supercharger to the Miata and you have a car that is comparatively priced to the MINI S Roadster. Add suspension upgrades, turbo and cold air to the Miata, then JCW Roadster vs. the Miata competition would be interesting.

You still have front vs. rear wheel drive, that you can't change...


Miata has had 3 variants:

NA 1990 - 1998

NB 1999 - 2005

NC 2006 - 2013

2014 should be a new variant

Many years since 2000, Mazda has offered a Mazda Speed version of the car. Usually a different body/top color, thicker sway bars, upgraded wheels, upgraded suspension, sometimes cold air intake, what is added is a little different in each Mazda Speed offering.

Remember a car has it's off the block setup and then you add mods..

A Miata with a supercharger or turbo is pretty damn fast..

In my estimation the Miata is a legend the Mini Roadster is just starting its journey.

Oh yea neither one can climb over buildings like my heavily modded 2005 Jeep Rubicon, Its top goes down too.


Andy

 

I had a Red 1993 with Tan leather and top.
I now have a 2011 BRGII Cooper S

I loved them both the same.

 

I have a pretty heavily modified 96 miata. built motor, turbo, BBK, amazing coilovers, etc.

My R53 will never compare to the level of performance and fun I get in the miata, but I have done a lot to get it there. It is more of a weekend track toy than a street car now, so I guess it doesn't compare.