{"id":8781,"date":"2015-01-22T13:33:58","date_gmt":"2015-01-22T21:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rallyways.com\/?post_type=specialty&p=8781"},"modified":"2017-12-27T14:39:41","modified_gmt":"2017-12-27T22:39:41","slug":"miata-buying-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rallyways.com\/8781\/miata-buying-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Miata Buying Guide Inspection Check List"},"content":{"rendered":"
That got me thinking. I know a lot about these things. Maybe I should write a post about what to look for when buying a Miata. So that\u2019s what I\u2019m doing. Don\u2019t take this is the absolutely Miata buying guide. That would be too long an article and I\u2019m just not writing such long a piece right now. Think of this as a MINI Miata buying guide. That works.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll do it in a topic checklist form to make it easier to go through. <\/p>\n
Check what’s working and what isn\u2019t. This will give you a rough idea if the guy really took care of it or not. A little niggle here and there is fine, but too many broken things will tell you the previous owner just let things sit without fixing. This is key I believe. Because whether it be a result of lack of budget or just carelessness, it could come back and bite you later. Miata\u2019s are reliable, but they are still machines that can break.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n Don\u2019t be put off by a re-spray. Quite honestly, Mazda\u2019s paint on original Miatas is a bit crappy. They don\u2019t have clear coat so they are prone to fading over time. For this reason, many are repainted. It doesn\u2019t necessarily mean the car was wrecked at some point. For this reason, what you want to look for is a decent paint job. Look for overspray and other indications of a careless job. In the end, if you like the look of the paint, that\u2019s all that matters.<\/p>\n My Miata has a respray on the front half. That said, everyone asks me if it\u2019s original paint because it was done really well. I have no problem with the paint on mine. Quite honestly, I prefer it to the stock paint in the back. For a look at my car check out the RallyWays Miata<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Miata engines are very reliable, but yes they can often leak. Look around the engine compartment and see if you can spot any. Oil leaks towards the front or middle section of the engine might indicate a problem you really need to worry about. If an owner doesn\u2019t pay attention and a part of the cooling system goes bad, they can overheat and burn the head gasket. I\u2019ve seen it happen more than once.<\/p>\n Miatas are well known to develop a leak at the CAS – That\u2019s the Cam Angle Sensor. Look for leaks at the very back of the engine starting at the top behind the valve cover. You can also look under the car as leaks there will drip down onto the transmission. Fear not if you find this though. This is literally a VERY easy fix that anyone that can work a wrench can fix in an hour. We have a how-to guide on how to fix this. See it here: Miata CAS O-ring oil leak<\/a>.<\/p>\n Check the condition of the dust boots on the front suspension. Look for the upper and lower ball joint boots as well as the tie rod ends dust boots. More often than not those will be shot and leaking grease. You can replace the dust boots alone but sometimes you have to replace the ball joints themselves. Mazda genuine parts are not the cheapest. Not to mention, taking apart that front suspension is a bit of a pain, so you have to keep that in mind.<\/p>\n Check the shift turret for play. Make sure the play is not too excessive. You should be able to tell what\u2019s sloppy and what\u2019s acceptable. When you are doing your test drive, check that each gear engages nicely. Also, when driving at high revs, check that it doesn’t pop out of gear, in any gear. Of course, check for grinds and noises too.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Look closely in the photo above and notice the cooling fins. That’s a Torsen LSD differential being serviced with new gear oil.<\/p>\n The rear differential in a Miata can be an open-differential or a limited slip differential (LSD). Early 1.6L Miatas that had an LSD used a viscous-type LSD. The follow up cars with the 1.8L can be had with a Torsen differential. The Torsen unit is much better than the viscous differential in the early cars. Either way, having an LSD is a good thing, so look for it when checking a candidate car. The LSD differentials can be distinguished by the cooling fins around the unit. An LSD can be added aftermarket, but they\u2019re not cheap. For this reason an LSD can add quite a bit to the value of the car.<\/p>\nLeaks<\/h3>\n
Dust Boots<\/h3>\n
Shifting<\/h3>\n
Differential<\/h3>\n
Aftermarket Parts<\/h3>\n