HAH! I didn't think you made a video with it! YAY! Also to note, this was within the 7 day period after you take delivery when you can return the car at no cost, so had Wizard found something wrong, I would have simply told them to come pick it up. I actually noticed the paint on the driver side tire after I went through the process of purchasing it, and managed to get the full res images from the site, and got really concerned that something shady had happened, considering carvana's reputation. With a clean bill of health from the Wizard, my assumption is that the front end just got sandblasted over the years. It started life in AZ and then moved to Dallas with the second owner a couple years ago. The trip odometer in this video was how many miles I had driven it since taking delivery (they have a limit of 400 miles within the 7 day return period). Since then I have added a couple hundred more miles and gone through about a tank and a quarter of gas with it. It's an absolute blast to drive, even for me, a larger fellow. I got to get some miles in a day ago with the top down since the weather here warmed up quite a bit, and I am extremely happy with the purchase. I've wanted a miata since a friend let me driver hers back in '98, and when I made the decision to finally get one I decided that the requirements were a manual transmission and the limited slip differential, so I ended up going with the Club edition. I definitely need to get those headlights sorted, they look awful, but I will wait until it starts warming up to do that. Thanks everyone for the compliments on my car :)
This one is a winner for sure, depending on price of course. Could have been a home gamer job to fix some rock chips. Overall, solid! Would love to work on a car that rust free.
I thought the same about the headlights. Being a small car, they take a significant proportion of the front fascia, and their shape doesn't serve the looks well. If you polish them, you can put a ceramic treatment and it could last a while. But for the best results, if replacement lenses are available on eBay or something, I recommend removing the bumper, the headlights, remove the lenses with a heat gun and replace them. Once the clear coat is gone, there's no guarantee how long a polishing step will work
@@R0bertCc If only we had canyons to carve around here, lol. And while I'm not into the LS swap thing, I'm open to a 2.5 swap if I find myself needing a new engine :)
As difficult as these types of videos probably are to make, I actually find them incredibly helpful so that we can always avoid getting burned on car purchase
I've owned an NC MX-5 for 8 years and everyone says the coolant expansion tank on these likes to crack around the cap as it's just plastic, which leads to no coolant and a dead engine. Any yellowed tank like this is a good item to replace for assurance, though I've seen them go for a long time on the original tanks. Perhaps it depends on the area the car lives in. Mine is over 100k miles and has been one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned.
As noted below, those coolant expansion tanks are a known failure point on the NC Miata - they become brittle and the filler neck can crack with catastrophic results. Easy DIY fix with a new stock tank for $75, or so, or with an aluminum piece from Moroso or others in the aftermarket.
+1 for the Moroso coolant tank. For others' reference, the coolant tank on the NC is pressurized along with the whole cooling system, so a crack in the tank can lose your whole system. (It's not just an overflow tank like on other cars.)
I definitely plan on getting that replaced this spring or summer. I know that 100percentjake has replaced his, so I might see if I can hook up with him, lol.
I’ve owned an NC Miata, I’ve also owned an AP2 S2000, 981 Cayman and now a 718 Cayman and can tell you this is such an underrated platform. My favorite out of all the MX-5s’ and this will give you 60-70% of the driving experience of an S2000 for half or sometimes even 1/3rd of the price.
I also own an NC3 MX5. And currently own a 987.2 and a 370Z. I chop and change through a lot of cars. And the NC is the only one I refuse to sell. It just drives so damn well for the money. Hell. I sold my old rough Malibu Gold NA MX5 for the same price as my NC3. NCs are the best and you can actually fit passengers in them compared to the ND.
Mugen is a high quality Honda tuning company that know what they are doing, Honda used them for OE upgrades. Not cheap intakes. The front bumper looks like it had a lot of rock chip damage and got a cheap respray. Looks like a nice car that could use a nut and bolt once over and a detail!
Gives me some perspective on the condition of my 2006 MX-5 GT ... about the same mileage, cleaner underneath (original shocks with no leaks), engine and interior is cleaner. Also had the front bumper resprayed from a bike-racked car backing into it. Glad I kept it when I bought a new car. Thanks for the video!
I'm 6 feet tall and carry a few extra pounds. The Miata fits me fine. It is not the best daily driver but as a second car for pure driving pleasure nothing beats a Miata.
i drove over a hundred of 2018-2019, maybe its true with the older models, but this one is a turd, i got more fun to drive a hyundai with a 1.6t, the mx5 is completely gutless and the handling is bleh, unless you live in a country that you cant go faster than 80kmh and theres no straight line, you dont need that
@@agnesf2659 I'd love a Porsche but the prices are out of this world. I have considered the Boxster. It's a maybe. The Miata is bullet proof reliable and cheap to maintain. Hence the reason it's so loved.
I have have a 2litre 2013 MX5 in this colour from new. A headlamp bulb, fog bulb and internal bulb. are the only repairs. Same colour, 35000 miles. A wonderful, rust free and clean car. Folding aluminium roof and a fabulous car to drive (around the Swiss Alps). Soon to be retired in favour of an Ev. These really are fun cars.
when looking at the dipstick, pinch the oil, If its sticky, there is STP in it to try and keep it from blow Bying . also put a lighter to the oil. If the oil spits, it has antifreeze in it .. something we were told.
Carfax isn’t foolproof either! Was car shopping in 2020 and one of the cars we test drove had some major suspension work and panels repainted on the front passenger corner, nothing on carfax. Turns out the car was a rental for the first year of it’s life and if car rental company can, they will fix damage without making an insurance claim, avoiding issues on carfax when selling the car later down the road.
Most people aren't aware that rental companies often handle their own body repairs so they report nothing to Carfax unless it's totaled. Unfortunate for the customers who wind up purchasing using Carfax thinking they're getting a "clean" car.
Nice looking car I bet it’s fun to drive. The front was probably repainted due to rock chips. Overall it looks like the car has been well maintained and not abused. I had a plastic shopping bag catch on the exhaust of my Camry like that and it still has that hot plastic smell periodically.
@@CouchMan88 and parking curbs, speed bumps, big dips out of parking lots, kansas bug swarms on highway...it was probably just ugly so seller/dealer wanted to increase value.
Sure seems like it. All the vehicles my dad owned had rock chips as well. On his 2017 S8 he got this year it probably needs to have some paintwork done eventually. Previous owner drove it in the city so it has quite a bit of cosmetic issues. But it is a dream spec. Black on black interior with the rear massaging seats and rear screens, the only one I’ve seen so far that was up for sale. Front end had paintwork as well from a cyclist hitting the car. So it’s not really unusual to see a repaint. As long as it was done correctly I’d never worry.
Nothing feels worse than doing a post-purchase inspection and finding out a nice customer got burned. Thankfully this owner seemed to do alright. These are really great cars.
That coolant expansion tank needs to be replaced ASAP. It’s pressurized and cracks at the neck near the cap. Coolant blows, engine overheats and head warps. I think it’s $50 for an OEM replacement or get the Morosso stainless steel replacement from flyin miaita or Goodwin racing.
I love how ridged the drive train of Mazda sports cars are, the mx5 and rx7 have that center brace and I love the concept for extra structure linking the drivetrain front to back and without them the car will basically twist and bent like a soda can
That last bit is fairly absurd hyperbole. The PPF (PowerPlant Frame) doesn't actually do anything for the chassis rigidity, it connects the transmission with the differential so that there is less driveline lash and thus better throttle response.
Going to Miata club events in my 1996 led to us getting a 2008 power hard top one for my wife. We love them both. I've appropriated hers as my cold weather car when it's not raining because my RX-8 is down with a transmission tailshaft leak. She prefers to drive her Mazda 6 if the weather isn't suitable to drive the Miata open. Interesting that one had leaky rear Bilsteins. The rear ones on ours will also need attention soon.
I have a 2006 "NC" Miata with 20+ track days on it. The chassis is fantastic and with a 2.5L engine swap it's an absolute blast to drive. It doesn't chew through tires or brakes that fast (until I destroyed my brakes at Sonoma Raceway 😅) so it's cheap to run. Great car. 👍
Really enjoyed this walk-thru of an inspection. Even though it's high level, it's nice to see that I have some super dooper basic understandings because it is so informative and useful for me as a car noob. :D Thank-you for making these videos and showing us these different kinds of cars. :) :) :)
I have a ‘14 NC just like this. Original owner and only 33k miles. Minor changes but for this 6’2” owner, it is the most fun of all the vehicles I’ve owned. FYI, there are two storage bins behind each seat. My ‘93 MR2 has zero cup holders. My Miata has 4. One in each door and a separator under the arm rest to add two more cups. Keep up the great work. Happy new year to you and yours. My 2023 be your best year yet. 🙌🏾
I agree. Or the paint just started to look thin and sketchy.The abrasion on the headlights is a clue that the paint was probably a bit sandblasted too. I would guess that bumper cover was never removed, given the overspray on the hood seal and foglight. Probably just masked, sanded and sprayed in place. Quick and dirty, but in this case, why not?
This was my thinking after I got the car back with the clean bill of health. The original owner was in AZ, and the second owner was also in AZ for a year or two before moving down to TX, so I suspect it just saw a lot of highway miles in a dry dusty place. I didn't actually notice the overspray on the tire until after I had made the purchase, and was kind of nervous given carvana has a kinda shady reputation, but I figured worst case, if it ended up with undisclosed damage, I would just return it.
Carvana is in BIG trouble right now. One of the biggest issues is they don't inspect the cars before sale and their has been payments bouncing for sellers
Interestingly, a friend in Vegas has an RF, and I rented a soft top ND Miata while visiting, and she said there was actually more headroom in the soft top version than her car.
I’ve had two U.K. NCs and am now on an ND.NCs are an absolute bargain for what they deliver.I’m also not surprised the inspection failed find any major faults.Cracking little cars.
Just had to put a new bumper on my wife’s 2017 Soul Red ND RF (5k miles!) coz she parked it badly and I hit it with my F Pace. Cost £500 for the bumper from Mazda and £700 to fit and paint it. They are truly brilliant little cars. The folding roof on the RF is really clever bur it means there is even less space inside - it is totally lacking any interior storage. The handbook has to live in the boot (ok trunk to you guys!) Having said that I am 6 foot and weigh about 280lbs with 2 false knees and I can get in and out of it fine. If you are thinking of a fun car buy one. They are great and the latest ND RF styling is really cool - like a mini corvette!
We bought my car from carvana we had the title from day one. The only reason I can think as to why that was is because carvana was still pretty new at that point so they probably could easily get titles at the time. Once carvana got bigger is when the title issues stated.
@SuperDan810 You still need the title in your name to tag it. That's the real issue. If the temp tag expires and they haven't gotten a title to you yet, you cannot legally drive it. That being said, in answer to the original question, yes, I got my title exactly two weeks after I took delivery. I was actually sitting at the tag office when this video released, lol.
They say the answer is always Miata ... unless you're like the Wizard (and me) and are over 6 feet tall and, uh, "broad-beamed". My 5' 8" brother in law has had 2 Miatas over the years. One time when he was visiting, I sat in his Miata and found that the windshield header was right smack in my line of sight, and my knees were up around my ears :-)
Mazda's are a pain to respray. Complicated paints, without the use of primers. As an owner the colour looked amazing when new, but several attempts at repairing minor damage means it's now a quilt of attempts by professional sprayers to get an exact match: especially a problem with Soul (Candy) Red.
I work in the dealership recon business. I can give a reasonable guess on why the front bumper was painted. When a car comes in a dealer on trade or auction, the dealer mechanics test drive the car and inspect. They tally up everything the car needs in order for sale like brakes, tires and maintenance. They then get with a contracted automotive recon company (which is what I do) to inspect the cosmetics of the car. Paint repairs, PDR, wheel and interior repairs and sometimes bumper replacements or repairs are some of the repairs that are performed. The front bumper was resprayed due to some visible bruises and scrapes that could not be saved by buffing. One key thing about the bumpers is to look inside the bumpers while the car is on a lift. If the manufacture stamp isnt present or if the replacement bumper was used and it was a different color, then yes most likely the car was in a minor accident.
No touchscreen! Thank God! Lol I always thought that touch screens and color screen navigation can date a car, anything that is not being leased temporally or rented is better off without the extra tech unless it can be upgraded with a new tablet in the future not just software updates but actual hardware updates then they will get old and slow quick
My 2007 Buick Lucerne had to get a post-purchase inspection because the dealership was 50+ miles away from my mechanic. I was relying on the Carfax, the reliability of the 3800 V6, and the fact it performed really well on the test drive. Going into the inspection, I knew the trunk didn't open and the driver's door handle was broken, but neither of those was truly the "smoking gun" as to why the previous owner dumped it. Well, he found it: the air ride suspension in the back was going bye-bye. No other issues were noted, except for bad/missing sending units in the tires, causing the air pressure warning light to come on (I'll just live with it until the tires need replacement, then replace/install the sending units).
Drove my Miata for 16 years... Only sold it because (Like the Wizard) I'm older now and require more room. Probably the most fun and awesome car I've ever owned. I just wish they were wear and longer!
It never ceases to amaze me those that buy a car without an inspection. On the bright side, they provide no end of work for mechanics trying to help make their purchase a little more palatable, after buying it.
True. Sometimes you buy from a dealer that has claimed to have inspected it. If the dealer inspecting is also selling the car I suppose they have incentive to "overlook" a few flaws or minor problems as long as they feel it wont come to bite them in the butt later. The inspection is only as good as the shop doing it. Even with a 2 hour inspection some really hard to find problems might be missed. Sometimes without taking the car apart to some degree, you cant find all the damage. Especially from mechanics or body shops who seem to spend as much time trying to hide issues rather than just fix them properly.
@@CouchMan88 Thanks for the reply. You make some very salient points. The ability for some sellers/shops to outright lie, and deceive, to ensure a sell, never seems to end. Regardless of the nature of the transaction. From my own experience, I typically only buy new cars. My last car I bought was used, however was a lease return to the original selling dealership. It was certified, had all the service records and was fully reconditioned, and had an extended warranty.
All..and I mean it all depends on the repair quality...my dad had a cheap to run shopping box as his last car...bought direct from Nissan UK,a 1.5turbo diesel silly low miles top of the range...bought a cat s uk car as a runabout...identical model/year but repaired properly.....just as good...won't always be true granted,but you can only go by experience..
The pearlescent white on the MX-5 Club Edition (were the club emblems removed?) is gorgeous in person. It’s not uncommon for these little cars to suffer some paint chips - perhaps the previous owner tired of looking at ‘em? Great little car.
Mugen crap 🤣🤣🤣 I’m pretty sure that mugen is to Honda as Trd is to Toyota. I’m seriousness though, I’ve performed dozens of PPIs on carvana cars and most of them are used and abused. Pretty on the outside but ya look underneath and its full of rust. I just inspected a ford fiesta last week. She only had it 3,000 miles and her front brakes went metal to metal. 😮🤯 get the pre Purchase inspection always!!!!
I know some people have had sketchy experiences with Carvana, but I got my 370Z from them and it's been dead reliable for a year. The only thing it needed was a new set of tires.
Carvana doesn’t actually do inspections, so it’s luck of the draw if the previous owner took care of the car selling it. A lot of people took advantage of the ridiculous prices they were offering for anything that started, and dumped their unsalvagable but running cars at Carvana for cash. And since no inspections are done, that means the buyer is typically the one left screwed. Bring a four leaf clover if you plan to buy from Carvana lol
@@jst_TV Many of the crappy trade-ins Carvana gets end up at the dealer auctions. A lot of them actually sell as "green light" which means that any issue that costs over $600 to repair can be arbitrated with the auction.
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on UA-cam! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs with Pantera's WALK as the background music!
Is there no standard anymore? What it takes, who I am, where I've been, belong. You can't be something you're not! Be yourself by yourself, stay away from me! A lesson learned in life, known from the dawn of time!!🤘🤘 That is a PERFECT idea!! Someone should totally make a compilation or a loop using that song!! Vulgar Display of Power is one of my favorite albums!!
@@Rose.Of.Hizaki Love your name. Saber Tiger is life! Eternal Loop is such an absolutely amazing song. I am so thankful they used it in Hajime no Ippo, so I could discover the band!
This is an awesome car-the NC Miata Club. Comes with upgraded suspension and appearance details. The blacked out headlights are correct for the car-this is not due to wear, it’s how they should look.
Here in the UK there is a company specialized in tunning those cars, is called BBR, they even sell DIY kits too, they do from re-maps to intakes and even turbos with some MX-5 having 300hp+. All their modified cars are Mazda approved do they keep the factory warranty and at the same time they update suspension and brakes to handle the increase in of power... Funny that the best MX-5 is the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth lol
At 4:36 in the bottom left corner of the video there is a brown-rust discoloration in the white paint.... I wonder what that is from as the rest of the car appears to be so clean. The rest of the bits and bobs look to be regular maintenance.
Im confident Carvana resprayed the bumper.Buyers have a week to return the car for any reason or 400 miles I believe.If this is all they did it was a inexpensive repair for them.I bought a F 150 Crewcab Platinum a yr.or so and they replaced ths Sony stereo/cd player for me among a few other items.The Sony and antenna cable came to over $1300...Didnt cost me a thing.I have only good memories dealing with Carvana.
I like the "buy this not that" videos you make. Maybe you could do one on these fun little roadsters? Miata, Fiat 124 (also a Mazda), BRZ/FRS, any others you can think of. I'm really feeling my mid life crisis and need an appropriate car to go with it. Haha
The Saturday Night Joke A Short Story Students in a Hebrew University writing class were told they had to write a short story. It had to be in as few words as possible. The instructions were: “Your short story has to contain three elements. (1) Religion (2) Sexuality (3) Mystery” Below is the only A+ short story that was awarded in the entire class. “Good G-d, I’m pregnant; I wonder who did it?” (H/T Ron)
One thing to note about Carvana is that they will purchase vehicles and repair them internally, avoiding any insurance claims, CarFax reports, and title issues from previous damage. This is not to say that they are good nor bad, it is simply part of their business model. My ex bought my daughter a Mini from them. I first saw it 4 days later and noticed that the only panel not repainted was the driver's door. I suggested that it be returned under the 7-day guarantee, but I was overruled and now it is regrettably under my maintenance responsibilities. It has good tires, the frame is straight, good alignment, etc. So the car does the job for a first car. However, did I mention that it was a BMW... er Mini 3 cylinder turbo? *Sigh*
I daily a '14 Club and that seems like all the normal bumper wear and woes. I got mine with exactly 70K on the odometer, it now has 117K Orlando Florida miles. Never been to the beach so no salt, but a lot of highway miles. The paint on the bumper seems to have the strength of glass, the rest of the car the paint is fine. I'm on my 5th windshield though, small cars windshields must have a magnet somewhere to attract kicked up highway road debris. Bone stock they are good little cars. Change that coolant expansion tank to a aluminum unit and forget about that worry ever again, seriously.
Since they bought it from Carvana i think they have been very lucky. Even here in the UK their reputation is well known thanks to UA-cam. Re the front bumper and oversprayed parts, i am sure a good bodyshop could put it back to mint condition. The Miata's we see here in the UK are imports from Japan, the rear number plate is a giveaway that it is an import. Having purchased an import Mitsubishi FTO, if you pick the right grade and the car has not been modified, they are a good way to get into cars that were never sold here.
Uk and Japan have very similar emission regulations. And both countries are right hand drive so you don't have to get used to it being rhd. Here In the US we don't have that luxury.
Can't say I've heard of Carvana and I'm UK based. Japanese imports are called Eunos in the UK, I think Miata is a North America only name, weird they have three names for the same car all built in Japan lol.
@@Mr-pn2eh We have the same issue with USA cars that are imported into the UK. It is only in the last few years that Ford made rhd Mustangs available. Why can't the world agree on these sort of issues?
Very familiar, The only car bought brand-new myself personally.. that was quite basic with no leather or Bose Sound system, Very fun car to drive, even on the track
On these Club trim models, the mirrors should be gloss black and both front fenders should have a Club badge. The paint match between the fenders/doors/hood looks a bit off in video - I'd take a closer look at the fenders to see if they're factory. Also, the yellowing expansion tank is a problem on these cars that will cause an engine to quickly overheat when they fail. You can replace with a plastic OEM tank and get 6-7 more years out of it, or replace with metal versions from typical Miata parts sellers. I love these cars - NCs get a lot of hate, but I've found that the hate is from those that have not driven one.
I found the hate provides a discount on NCs. I went to buy a lightly used ND, but couldn’t justify it over an NC which was half as much even though it was just a few years older and the NC actually had less miles. The ND is a better car, just not better by the amount the car market is at.
Hey Jim , this NC Club actually looks pretty good & I'll bet those front fenders are OEM. 12,000 miles per year is not bad. I have a 2016 ND Club & its my DD in Northern Illinois. Its been a reliable car & has been thru some of the worst weather I've ever experienced. Love my car !
Yep, very first thing to do on this car is replace that pressurized plastic expansion tank. I just went OEM on mine, 70 bucks I think, 10 minutes to swap out, cheap insurance. Yeah, I wonder where the little club fender badges went? Some people don't like them..I do!
There's two little brackets on the back you can undo, there's two torx bolts on each side you loosen and unbolt and that's where your hard top will bolt onto with the same brackets
Don't expect Carfax to have anything as minor as a bumper repair. My BIL and dad had deer hit their cars. My mom backed into a trailer and I had one jack knife into mine. None of those things show up with Carfax because insurance wasn't involved in the repair.
Get MeisterR dampers, assembled in UK, lasts long, ride well, handles much better than OE, and lighter than OE due to billet aluminum body. $1,000 kit is comparable to others for $2,000 from KW.
That coolant Reservoir needs to be replaced as soon as possible, this is a known issue with these cars. They fail underneath the cap where the cap flange meets the reservoir body itself. They are welded and they fail in that location, the system is under pressure so you lose coolant rapidly, many times the engine fails from this and should replaced as soon as possible if it hasn't already. Any Miata forum or group describes this with many failures and engine failures detailed.
11:10 When I worked at an Acura dealer we sold a new car and the customer brought it back like 45 minutes later smoking and smelling like plastic... A plastic bag got melted to the exhaust on their way home and it was sort of like that... Took a bit of wire wheel to buzz it away. Customer went from concerned to laughing, 😆
Had a customer come in who tried to do their battery on a jeep renegade. Car came in smoking under the hood. The guy left his tool box under the hood, and it lodged itself between the radiator and exhaust manifold. The box melted and fused onto the manifold along with a mess of tools. When we told the customer, the guy goes, “oh no, those were my dads tools…” 😂😂😂
Bet they ripped the front of the bumper on a dip and just got an aftermarket bumper and had it painted at Macco. It’s really easy to scrape in these. Ask me how I know 😂
I went to a Maaco one time and seen Carvana cars there. Boy its ashame to these nice preowned vehicle get bad paint jobs. They obvious cut corners unlike manufacturer dealerships.
Could you please show us how you can tell how much is left on the brakes pads. I can't ever see what your looking at or eyeballing. Maybe a entire short video on brakes and rotors? :-}
The MX-5 is just the best Sports Car. I can't wait to get one as my next car. Once my 16 Mazda6 gives up the fight i'm aiming to get one of the newer models of these. As a 6 ft guy I just fit haha
I've owned 2 miatas and both of them got black plastic bags stuck to the cat convertor while driving on the highway, which caused them to melt and smell (one was a black plastic yard bag, which really sucked)
I just left the employ of Carvana. Carvana only knows the reported repair history of any car they are sold. The inspection centers make sure the car is working on 135 points if interest. I absolutely recommend a post purchase inspection on every car sold from Carvana. It's a used car, not a new one!
The best little car on the planet. The most raced car on the planet and it’s still is. I would just tighten up the shifter but if you are a person who is smaller in stature and want a great car then this is it. I think they are fantastic!!!
My plans for this car are to turbo or supercharge it to around 200 whp, put a shrot shifter in it, Goodwin Racing exhaust (helmholtz mid pipe and Super-Q muffler). Probably going to go with the Fox suspension from Flyin Miata, and a set of 17x8 probably Hypergrams in bronze. I won't race it, but I do plan to find time to take it to some track days.
@@FlesHBoX They’re awesome cars and I really like them. Sadly it would be like fitting Sloth from Goonies in the car. Lol!!! Have fun and always remember to drive safely. Happy New Year
you know Wiz I wonder how many Car dealerships, and even independent mechanic shops perform your short video inspection of cars. I am being pessimistic, but I would say none! You are a diamond in the rough
Unless you really know what your looking at, always get a qualified mechanic or someone you trust to look over a car, I once took a car for a PPI & when I called the mechanic he asked if I was the buyer or seller, told him I was looking to buy, he said walk away it's 2 cars not 1, the body was a '87 BMW, the mechanicals were from a '84 BMW & he didn't want it back in his workshop, Rj in Oz
Wizard i am 6' tall and near 300 lbs, and i had to work on an MR2 AND a Karman Ghia. It was a nightmare getting in and out. I am also 50ish years old. So i understand, the getting in and out thing. 😂
mugen is honda haha i love your take on aftermarket stuff, though i absolutely love it but i can see your perspective as a mechanic. i gotta say though mugen is not crap, i would say mazda speed isn’t crap either
This is actually my dream spec for a Miata! Really interesting video and it’ll help me when it’s time for me to look for one. Thanks for all the great vids wizard!
That pressurized coolant reservoir needs to be replaced, once they turn yellow they can blow at any time. There are aftermarket welded aluminum tanks that last forever.
I was watching this while at a dealership bringing back a used car I bought 4 months ago because I found some structural damage to the unibody in the rear when only minor damage was reported on Carfax. I'm fairly knowledgeable when it comes to cars and buying used cars. I knew there was some paintwork done but a few things made me suspicious so I took off the rear trunk panels to have a closer look. I found a metal plate that was cut and welded on (poorly I might add) and also some crumpled metal on the inside of the rear quarter. Luckily I bought from a reputable dealer who bought the car back for the price I paid but I was still out some money ultimately. I'm glad they actually worked with me, I think many shady dealers would have told me tough luck and to kick rocks. I even had 2 dealerships inspect the car after buying and they didn't find the damage I found. I was left thinking of the song lyrics "You have to know when to hold em, know when to fold em. Know what to throw away and know what to keep." When it comes to used cars only the previous owner and God know what the car has been through.
I think it is a highway car with the amount of bugs in the radiator fins and the chipped nose. If so that car will last a very long time as it is estimated that engine wear for highway miles V city miles is about 10-15% Nice find sir!
If it was a salvage title that had been rebuilt I would just walk away. Now if it had only cosmetic damage that's fixable but when it was so wrecked that the insurance wrote it off you're better off just leaving it for someone else. What I look for is if it has a junkyard engine or transmission in it. Then you ask the question "why?"
Alot of the times sellers will replace the front bumper due to curb rash over the years to make the car look nicer. Doesn't necessarily mean the car was wrecked. Also I bought a car from repo auction with the front bumper ripped at the bottom because of the tow truck unloading it. Had to have it painted and replaced just the same but this car wasn't wrecked either. You just got to know what to look for when you open the hood. If all the body lines line up, and no paint scuffs on the fender bolts from sockets removing them, that's a pretty good sign it's not a wrecked repair. Even then you can have a minor fender bender and remove the damaged fender to have replaced with a new or paint matched used part and not even tell if it was changed if done right. Cars are like Legos people. Just remember that!
I've always loved Miatas! That's sweet! Carvana does allow you time for a post-purchase inspection and if there are any issues they give a refund so the customer's smart to take advantage of that.
@@nuthinbutlove Miata's is possessive, it means something that's part of a Miata. They were asking what part you were referring to. I think you meant to write "Miatas" (plural, not possessive).
I've always wanted a Miata as I had a Fiat 124 Spider when I was in college. At 6'4", I fit fine in the Fiat but the Miata is a fitment no-go if you are over 6' tall! It would have been so sweet to have a fun, dependable little sports car since the Fiat was fun, but not dependable!
You would be surprised. I am 6'3.5" and 230 lbs and fit into my 1991 Miata. I am more legs (36" inseam) than torso so that could be why. Granted the seat is as far back as it can go, and the seat back is tilted back also (although there isn't much space behind the seat back to start with). I daily drove this car 40 miles one-way to work and had no issues with comfort. I bought the car new and have put 260K on it. Most reliable car I have ever owned. Most of my driving was done with the top up and I had enough head room too. The only nagging point is the zippered rear window. The zipper is a POS. The zipper can easily come off its track, and as the top ages it shrinks which makes the zipper very tight to operate (the main reason I drive with the top up). On the 1991 model, one has to first unzip the plastic rear window and lay it flat on the back ledge before folding back the top. If you keep the rear window zipped to the top and then fold back the top, the plastic window gets creased and folded up in at least three areas and, with repeated top up/top down operation, will crack and fail. The rear plastic window eventually clouds up and is expensive to replace.
I bet it was repainted only due to rock chips. Both Miata's I have had the front bumpers have been peppered with rock chips when I bought them. The 2003 NB with 64k miles about 8 years ago and also my current 2007 NC GT with only 49k miles that I bought a little over a year ago.
As usual Wizard the video was very good and helpful to many people. I have 2 corvettes and a Scat pack i wish you were in Birmingham. Take care my friend and God bless you and Mrs. Wizard. Oh and by the way i hope y'all are enjoying the beautiful Jaguar.
With dirt underneath, blown shocks, pulled bolts repainted bumper etc, it went off the road through brush or something during a snowstorm or something like it.
HAH! I didn't think you made a video with it! YAY!
Also to note, this was within the 7 day period after you take delivery when you can return the car at no cost, so had Wizard found something wrong, I would have simply told them to come pick it up.
I actually noticed the paint on the driver side tire after I went through the process of purchasing it, and managed to get the full res images from the site, and got really concerned that something shady had happened, considering carvana's reputation. With a clean bill of health from the Wizard, my assumption is that the front end just got sandblasted over the years. It started life in AZ and then moved to Dallas with the second owner a couple years ago.
The trip odometer in this video was how many miles I had driven it since taking delivery (they have a limit of 400 miles within the 7 day return period).
Since then I have added a couple hundred more miles and gone through about a tank and a quarter of gas with it. It's an absolute blast to drive, even for me, a larger fellow. I got to get some miles in a day ago with the top down since the weather here warmed up quite a bit, and I am extremely happy with the purchase. I've wanted a miata since a friend let me driver hers back in '98, and when I made the decision to finally get one I decided that the requirements were a manual transmission and the limited slip differential, so I ended up going with the Club edition.
I definitely need to get those headlights sorted, they look awful, but I will wait until it starts warming up to do that. Thanks everyone for the compliments on my car :)
This one is a winner for sure, depending on price of course. Could have been a home gamer job to fix some rock chips. Overall, solid! Would love to work on a car that rust free.
I thought the same about the headlights. Being a small car, they take a significant proportion of the front fascia, and their shape doesn't serve the looks well. If you polish them, you can put a ceramic treatment and it could last a while. But for the best results, if replacement lenses are available on eBay or something, I recommend removing the bumper, the headlights, remove the lenses with a heat gun and replace them. Once the clear coat is gone, there's no guarantee how long a polishing step will work
Enjoy your car! The much maligned NC is indeed the best Miata 😉
LS swap!! But in all seriousness great deal of a car and a fun one at that! Enjoy it and tear the canyons up!
@@R0bertCc If only we had canyons to carve around here, lol. And while I'm not into the LS swap thing, I'm open to a 2.5 swap if I find myself needing a new engine :)
As difficult as these types of videos probably are to make, I actually find them incredibly helpful so that we can always avoid getting burned on car purchase
Hiiiii can you see my comments?????
@@alexalox741 yes
@@bigdbrowne are my comments visible?
@@alexalox741 still yes Alex 😂
@@bigdbrowne thank you David👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
I've owned an NC MX-5 for 8 years and everyone says the coolant expansion tank on these likes to crack around the cap as it's just plastic, which leads to no coolant and a dead engine. Any yellowed tank like this is a good item to replace for assurance, though I've seen them go for a long time on the original tanks. Perhaps it depends on the area the car lives in. Mine is over 100k miles and has been one of the most reliable cars I've ever owned.
As noted below, those coolant expansion tanks are a known failure point on the NC Miata - they become brittle and the filler neck can crack with catastrophic results. Easy DIY fix with a new stock tank for $75, or so, or with an aluminum piece from Moroso or others in the aftermarket.
+1 for the Moroso coolant tank. For others' reference, the coolant tank on the NC is pressurized along with the whole cooling system, so a crack in the tank can lose your whole system. (It's not just an overflow tank like on other cars.)
I definitely plan on getting that replaced this spring or summer. I know that 100percentjake has replaced his, so I might see if I can hook up with him, lol.
I put the Moroso tank in my '06 NC. Cost isn't much for the peace of mind.
@@TurboHappyCarThank you. But how can I check the coolant level on an aluminum expansion tank?
@@Hilighted It's got a sight glass in the side where you can see that the coolant level is where it should be, when cold.
Congrats on losing weight, Mr. Car Wizard! Keep up the good work!
I’ve owned an NC Miata, I’ve also owned an AP2 S2000, 981 Cayman and now a 718 Cayman and can tell you this is such an underrated platform. My favorite out of all the MX-5s’ and this will give you 60-70% of the driving experience of an S2000 for half or sometimes even 1/3rd of the price.
I also own an NC3 MX5. And currently own a 987.2 and a 370Z. I chop and change through a lot of cars. And the NC is the only one I refuse to sell. It just drives so damn well for the money. Hell. I sold my old rough Malibu Gold NA MX5 for the same price as my NC3. NCs are the best and you can actually fit passengers in them compared to the ND.
I've never driven an NC Miata but I've always thought that it was underrated. Thanks for the insight.
Mugen is a high quality Honda tuning company that know what they are doing, Honda used them for OE upgrades. Not cheap intakes.
The front bumper looks like it had a lot of rock chip damage and got a cheap respray. Looks like a nice car that could use a nut and bolt once over and a detail!
Gives me some perspective on the condition of my 2006 MX-5 GT ... about the same mileage, cleaner underneath (original shocks with no leaks), engine and interior is cleaner. Also had the front bumper resprayed from a bike-racked car backing into it. Glad I kept it when I bought a new car. Thanks for the video!
I'm 6 feet tall and carry a few extra pounds. The Miata fits me fine. It is not the best daily driver but as a second car for pure driving pleasure nothing beats a Miata.
i drove over a hundred of 2018-2019, maybe its true with the older models, but this one is a turd, i got more fun to drive a hyundai with a 1.6t, the mx5 is completely gutless and the handling is bleh, unless you live in a country that you cant go faster than 80kmh and theres no straight line, you dont need that
I would say a used well-maintain ed 911 could offer a bit more driving pleasure than a Miata does.
Don’t the y have a shit-ton of leg room?
@@agnesf2659 I'd love a Porsche but the prices are out of this world. I have considered the Boxster. It's a maybe. The Miata is bullet proof reliable and cheap to maintain. Hence the reason it's so loved.
I'm 6'2'' i fit fine, had to put
a steering wheel spacer in.
Took half an hour. Nothing beats
A miata. ;)
I have have a 2litre 2013 MX5 in this colour from new. A headlamp bulb, fog bulb and internal bulb. are the only repairs. Same colour, 35000 miles. A wonderful, rust free and clean car. Folding aluminium roof and a fabulous car to drive (around the Swiss Alps). Soon to be retired in favour of an Ev. These really are fun cars.
when looking at the dipstick, pinch the oil, If its sticky, there is STP in it to try and keep it from blow Bying . also put a lighter to the oil. If the oil spits, it has antifreeze in it .. something we were told.
Carfax isn’t foolproof either! Was car shopping in 2020 and one of the cars we test drove had some major suspension work and panels repainted on the front passenger corner, nothing on carfax.
Turns out the car was a rental for the first year of it’s life and if car rental company can, they will fix damage without making an insurance claim, avoiding issues on carfax when selling the car later down the road.
Most people aren't aware that rental companies often handle their own body repairs so they report nothing to Carfax unless it's totaled. Unfortunate for the customers who wind up purchasing using Carfax thinking they're getting a "clean" car.
Cars repaired in Mexico don't show up in a Carfax. In Southwestern states, this is more common than most people realize.
Awesome! An NC Miata! They're very reliable, easy to work on, and the aftermarket is flush with parts for your hearts desire.
Nice looking car I bet it’s fun to drive. The front was probably repainted due to rock chips. Overall it looks like the car has been well maintained and not abused. I had a plastic shopping bag catch on the exhaust of my Camry like that and it still has that hot plastic smell periodically.
That's what I was thinking. Cars low to the ground like that get a ton of rock chips especially if you do a lot of freeway driving.
@@CouchMan88 and parking curbs, speed bumps, big dips out of parking lots, kansas bug swarms on highway...it was probably just ugly so seller/dealer wanted to increase value.
That kinda applies to all small cars and this one, obviously this car has black plastic lowers unscraped.
As I Miata owner, I concur. The front picks up stone chip driving across a parking lot.
Sure seems like it. All the vehicles my dad owned had rock chips as well. On his 2017 S8 he got this year it probably needs to have some paintwork done eventually. Previous owner drove it in the city so it has quite a bit of cosmetic issues. But it is a dream spec. Black on black interior with the rear massaging seats and rear screens, the only one I’ve seen so far that was up for sale. Front end had paintwork as well from a cyclist hitting the car. So it’s not really unusual to see a repaint. As long as it was done correctly I’d never worry.
Nothing feels worse than doing a post-purchase inspection and finding out a nice customer got burned. Thankfully this owner seemed to do alright. These are really great cars.
That coolant expansion tank needs to be replaced ASAP. It’s pressurized and cracks at the neck near the cap. Coolant blows, engine overheats and head warps. I think it’s $50 for an OEM replacement or get the Morosso stainless steel replacement from flyin miaita or Goodwin racing.
I love how ridged the drive train of Mazda sports cars are, the mx5 and rx7 have that center brace and I love the concept for extra structure linking the drivetrain front to back and without them the car will basically twist and bent like a soda can
*Rigid
That last bit is fairly absurd hyperbole. The PPF (PowerPlant Frame) doesn't actually do anything for the chassis rigidity, it connects the transmission with the differential so that there is less driveline lash and thus better throttle response.
Going to Miata club events in my 1996 led to us getting a 2008 power hard top one for my wife. We love them both. I've appropriated hers as my cold weather car when it's not raining because my RX-8 is down with a transmission tailshaft leak. She prefers to drive her Mazda 6 if the weather isn't suitable to drive the Miata open. Interesting that one had leaky rear Bilsteins. The rear ones on ours will also need attention soon.
I have a 2006 "NC" Miata with 20+ track days on it. The chassis is fantastic and with a 2.5L engine swap it's an absolute blast to drive. It doesn't chew through tires or brakes that fast (until I destroyed my brakes at Sonoma Raceway 😅) so it's cheap to run. Great car. 👍
The yellowing of the coolant overflow tank is a sign that it may need to be replaced. There are examples of it cracking around neck after a while.
Own a 1996 , recovery tank is still good
@@roma8111 I'm referring to the NC Miata, not the NA/NB
@@oldatarigamer 👍🏼
They fixed it for the NC Facelift, at least in Germany.
NC weakness
11:15 . . . . it was a plastic witches-hat ! It got stuck under the car during a Gymkhana / track day when it went off track ! 🙂
Really enjoyed this walk-thru of an inspection. Even though it's high level, it's nice to see that I have some super dooper basic understandings because it is so informative and useful for me as a car noob. :D Thank-you for making these videos and showing us these different kinds of cars. :) :) :)
I have a ‘14 NC just like this. Original owner and only 33k miles.
Minor changes but for this 6’2” owner, it is the most fun of all the vehicles I’ve owned.
FYI, there are two storage bins behind each seat.
My ‘93 MR2 has zero cup holders. My Miata has 4. One in each door and a separator under the arm rest to add two more cups.
Keep up the great work. Happy new year to you and yours.
My 2023 be your best year yet. 🙌🏾
I think it just had a lot of rock chips and they repainted it. Cheers Wizard!
I wouldn’t agree more. Can I suck you guru pimp?
I agree. Or the paint just started to look thin and sketchy.The abrasion on the headlights is a clue that the paint was probably a bit sandblasted too. I would guess that bumper cover was never removed, given the overspray on the hood seal and foglight. Probably just masked, sanded and sprayed in place. Quick and dirty, but in this case, why not?
That’s what I thought. The fact they taped off the bumper trim makes it look like the bumper was never off and painted on the car.
This was my thinking after I got the car back with the clean bill of health. The original owner was in AZ, and the second owner was also in AZ for a year or two before moving down to TX, so I suspect it just saw a lot of highway miles in a dry dusty place. I didn't actually notice the overspray on the tire until after I had made the purchase, and was kind of nervous given carvana has a kinda shady reputation, but I figured worst case, if it ended up with undisclosed damage, I would just return it.
I bought a 2010 with 60K miles, heated leather seats, Bose, retractable hard top. Great car. Tons of fun and very reliable. 👍👍
Carvana is in BIG trouble right now. One of the biggest issues is they don't inspect the cars before sale and their has been payments bouncing for sellers
My 6'2" son just bought a new 2022 MX-5 RF club. He loves it, and I get a good laugh watching him fold himself up to get in it.
Long as he stays in shape it's no big deal
Interestingly, a friend in Vegas has an RF, and I rented a soft top ND Miata while visiting, and she said there was actually more headroom in the soft top version than her car.
I’ve had two U.K. NCs and am now on an ND.NCs are an absolute bargain for what they deliver.I’m also not surprised the inspection failed find any major faults.Cracking little cars.
Just had to put a new bumper on my wife’s 2017 Soul Red ND RF (5k miles!) coz she parked it badly and I hit it with my F Pace. Cost £500 for the bumper from Mazda and £700 to fit and paint it. They are truly brilliant little cars. The folding roof on the RF is really clever bur it means there is even less space inside - it is totally lacking any interior storage. The handbook has to live in the boot (ok trunk to you guys!) Having said that I am 6 foot and weigh about 280lbs with 2 false knees and I can get in and out of it fine. If you are thinking of a fun car buy one. They are great and the latest ND RF styling is really cool - like a mini corvette!
It's from Carvana. Better question is... Did they get the title?
We bought my car from carvana we had the title from day one. The only reason I can think as to why that was is because carvana was still pretty new at that point so they probably could easily get titles at the time. Once carvana got bigger is when the title issues stated.
@SuperDan810 You still need the title in your name to tag it. That's the real issue. If the temp tag expires and they haven't gotten a title to you yet, you cannot legally drive it. That being said, in answer to the original question, yes, I got my title exactly two weeks after I took delivery. I was actually sitting at the tag office when this video released, lol.
I worked for a paint shop and because paint often cracks or chips on fascias, dealers we worked with often would have only the fronts sprayed
They say the answer is always Miata ... unless you're like the Wizard (and me) and are over 6 feet tall and, uh, "broad-beamed". My 5' 8" brother in law has had 2 Miatas over the years. One time when he was visiting, I sat in his Miata and found that the windshield header was right smack in my line of sight, and my knees were up around my ears :-)
i love mx5s no matter the gen
Mazda's are a pain to respray. Complicated paints, without the use of primers. As an owner the colour looked amazing when new, but several attempts at repairing minor damage means it's now a quilt of attempts by professional sprayers to get an exact match: especially a problem with Soul (Candy) Red.
91 Miata, made in Japan August90,251,300,miles,,everything, works,cold,r134a, a/c. Famous too.
I work in the dealership recon business. I can give a reasonable guess on why the front bumper was painted. When a car comes in a dealer on trade or auction, the dealer mechanics test drive the car and inspect. They tally up everything the car needs in order for sale like brakes, tires and maintenance. They then get with a contracted automotive recon company (which is what I do) to inspect the cosmetics of the car. Paint repairs, PDR, wheel and interior repairs and sometimes bumper replacements or repairs are some of the repairs that are performed. The front bumper was resprayed due to some visible bruises and scrapes that could not be saved by buffing. One key thing about the bumpers is to look inside the bumpers while the car is on a lift. If the manufacture stamp isnt present or if the replacement bumper was used and it was a different color, then yes most likely the car was in a minor accident.
No touchscreen! Thank God! Lol I always thought that touch screens and color screen navigation can date a car, anything that is not being leased temporally or rented is better off without the extra tech unless it can be upgraded with a new tablet in the future not just software updates but actual hardware updates then they will get old and slow quick
Actually it’s not that tough to install a touch screen in a NC and it looks like it was always there
My 2007 Buick Lucerne had to get a post-purchase inspection because the dealership was 50+ miles away from my mechanic. I was relying on the Carfax, the reliability of the 3800 V6, and the fact it performed really well on the test drive. Going into the inspection, I knew the trunk didn't open and the driver's door handle was broken, but neither of those was truly the "smoking gun" as to why the previous owner dumped it. Well, he found it: the air ride suspension in the back was going bye-bye. No other issues were noted, except for bad/missing sending units in the tires, causing the air pressure warning light to come on (I'll just live with it until the tires need replacement, then replace/install the sending units).
Drove my Miata for 16 years... Only sold it because (Like the Wizard) I'm older now and require more room. Probably the most fun and awesome car I've ever owned. I just wish they were wear and longer!
My experience of owning many small, low sports cars is that about 50% of minor front end damage comes from people backing into them.
It never ceases to amaze me those that buy a car without an inspection. On the bright side, they provide no end of work for mechanics trying to help make their purchase a little more palatable, after buying it.
True. Sometimes you buy from a dealer that has claimed to have inspected it. If the dealer inspecting is also selling the car I suppose they have incentive to "overlook" a few flaws or minor problems as long as they feel it wont come to bite them in the butt later. The inspection is only as good as the shop doing it. Even with a 2 hour inspection some really hard to find problems might be missed. Sometimes without taking the car apart to some degree, you cant find all the damage. Especially from mechanics or body shops who seem to spend as much time trying to hide issues rather than just fix them properly.
@@CouchMan88 Thanks for the reply. You make some very salient points. The ability for some sellers/shops to outright lie, and deceive, to ensure a sell, never seems to end. Regardless of the nature of the transaction. From my own experience, I typically only buy new cars. My last car I bought was used, however was a lease return to the original selling dealership. It was certified, had all the service records and was fully reconditioned, and had an extended warranty.
All..and I mean it all depends on the repair quality...my dad had a cheap to run shopping box as his last car...bought direct from Nissan UK,a 1.5turbo diesel silly low miles top of the range...bought a cat s uk car as a runabout...identical model/year but repaired properly.....just as good...won't always be true granted,but you can only go by experience..
The pearlescent white on the MX-5 Club Edition (were the club emblems removed?) is gorgeous in person. It’s not uncommon for these little cars to suffer some paint chips - perhaps the previous owner tired of looking at ‘em?
Great little car.
Mugen crap 🤣🤣🤣 I’m pretty sure that mugen is to Honda as Trd is to Toyota.
I’m seriousness though, I’ve performed dozens of PPIs on carvana cars and most of them are used and abused. Pretty on the outside but ya look underneath and its full of rust. I just inspected a ford fiesta last week. She only had it 3,000 miles and her front brakes went metal to metal. 😮🤯 get the pre Purchase inspection always!!!!
I know some people have had sketchy experiences with Carvana, but I got my 370Z from them and it's been dead reliable for a year. The only thing it needed was a new set of tires.
Alright wait another year then let us know
Carvana and the like are basically pot luck. May as well buy off craigslist and just judge the car by the wealth of the street they live on.
Carvana doesn’t actually do inspections, so it’s luck of the draw if the previous owner took care of the car selling it. A lot of people took advantage of the ridiculous prices they were offering for anything that started, and dumped their unsalvagable but running cars at Carvana for cash. And since no inspections are done, that means the buyer is typically the one left screwed. Bring a four leaf clover if you plan to buy from Carvana lol
@@jst_TV Many of the crappy trade-ins Carvana gets end up at the dealer auctions. A lot of them actually sell as "green light" which means that any issue that costs over $600 to repair can be arbitrated with the auction.
the biggest hurdle with carvana is did you get a title?
The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on UA-cam! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs with Pantera's WALK as the background music!
or 'Walk this way' by Aerosmith.
Is there no standard anymore? What it takes, who I am, where I've been, belong. You can't be something you're not! Be yourself by yourself, stay away from me! A lesson learned in life, known from the dawn of time!!🤘🤘 That is a PERFECT idea!! Someone should totally make a compilation or a loop using that song!! Vulgar Display of Power is one of my favorite albums!!
@@Rose.Of.Hizaki Love your name. Saber Tiger is life! Eternal Loop is such an absolutely amazing song. I am so thankful they used it in Hajime no Ippo, so I could discover the band!
Miss the warm weather with Mrs Wizard's interior reviews and her shorts and blue toe nail polish!
This is an awesome car-the NC Miata Club. Comes with upgraded suspension and appearance details. The blacked out headlights are correct for the car-this is not due to wear, it’s how they should look.
Here in the UK there is a company specialized in tunning those cars, is called BBR, they even sell DIY kits too, they do from re-maps to intakes and even turbos with some MX-5 having 300hp+. All their modified cars are Mazda approved do they keep the factory warranty and at the same time they update suspension and brakes to handle the increase in of power...
Funny that the best MX-5 is the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth lol
At 4:36 in the bottom left corner of the video there is a brown-rust discoloration in the white paint.... I wonder what that is from as the rest of the car appears to be so clean. The rest of the bits and bobs look to be regular maintenance.
Im confident Carvana resprayed the bumper.Buyers have a week to return the car for any reason or 400 miles I believe.If this is all they did it was a inexpensive repair for them.I bought a F 150 Crewcab Platinum a yr.or so and they replaced ths Sony stereo/cd player for me among a few other items.The Sony and antenna cable came to over $1300...Didnt cost me a thing.I have only good memories dealing with Carvana.
I like the "buy this not that" videos you make. Maybe you could do one on these fun little roadsters? Miata, Fiat 124 (also a Mazda), BRZ/FRS, any others you can think of. I'm really feeling my mid life crisis and need an appropriate car to go with it. Haha
A great way to help the people learn about what FYI look for when buying a car ❤️❤️❤️👍
The Saturday Night Joke
A Short Story
Students in a Hebrew University writing class were told they had to write a short story. It had to be in as few words as possible.
The instructions were: “Your short story has to contain three elements.
(1) Religion
(2) Sexuality
(3) Mystery”
Below is the only A+ short story that was awarded in the entire class.
“Good G-d, I’m pregnant; I wonder who did it?” (H/T Ron)
Been an NC miata owner for nearly 10 years. Rock solid reliable
One thing to note about Carvana is that they will purchase vehicles and repair them internally, avoiding any insurance claims, CarFax reports, and title issues from previous damage. This is not to say that they are good nor bad, it is simply part of their business model. My ex bought my daughter a Mini from them. I first saw it 4 days later and noticed that the only panel not repainted was the driver's door. I suggested that it be returned under the 7-day guarantee, but I was overruled and now it is regrettably under my maintenance responsibilities. It has good tires, the frame is straight, good alignment, etc. So the car does the job for a first car. However, did I mention that it was a BMW... er Mini 3 cylinder turbo? *Sigh*
I daily a '14 Club and that seems like all the normal bumper wear and woes. I got mine with exactly 70K on the odometer, it now has 117K Orlando Florida miles. Never been to the beach so no salt, but a lot of highway miles. The paint on the bumper seems to have the strength of glass, the rest of the car the paint is fine. I'm on my 5th windshield though, small cars windshields must have a magnet somewhere to attract kicked up highway road debris.
Bone stock they are good little cars. Change that coolant expansion tank to a aluminum unit and forget about that worry ever again, seriously.
Since they bought it from Carvana i think they have been very lucky.
Even here in the UK their reputation is well known thanks to UA-cam.
Re the front bumper and oversprayed parts, i am sure a good bodyshop
could put it back to mint condition.
The Miata's we see here in the UK are imports from Japan, the rear number
plate is a giveaway that it is an import.
Having purchased an import Mitsubishi FTO, if you pick the right grade and
the car has not been modified, they are a good way to get into cars that were
never sold here.
Uk and Japan have very similar emission regulations. And both countries are right hand drive so you don't have to get used to it being rhd.
Here In the US we don't have that luxury.
As far as I know all mx-5s are made in Japan.
Can't say I've heard of Carvana and I'm UK based. Japanese imports are called Eunos in the UK, I think Miata is a North America only name, weird they have three names for the same car all built in Japan lol.
@@turquoisecat761 I stand corrected, the rear number plate still gives them away.
@@Mr-pn2eh We have the same issue with USA cars that are imported into the UK.
It is only in the last few years that Ford made rhd Mustangs available.
Why can't the world agree on these sort of issues?
Very familiar, The only car bought brand-new myself personally.. that was quite basic with no leather or Bose Sound system, Very fun car to drive, even on the track
On these Club trim models, the mirrors should be gloss black and both front fenders should have a Club badge.
The paint match between the fenders/doors/hood looks a bit off in video - I'd take a closer look at the fenders to see if they're factory.
Also, the yellowing expansion tank is a problem on these cars that will cause an engine to quickly overheat when they fail. You can replace with a plastic OEM tank and get 6-7 more years out of it, or replace with metal versions from typical Miata parts sellers.
I love these cars - NCs get a lot of hate, but I've found that the hate is from those that have not driven one.
I found the hate provides a discount on NCs. I went to buy a lightly used ND, but couldn’t justify it over an NC which was half as much even though it was just a few years older and the NC actually had less miles.
The ND is a better car, just not better by the amount the car market is at.
Hey Jim , this NC Club actually looks pretty good & I'll bet those front fenders are OEM. 12,000 miles per year is not bad. I have a 2016 ND Club & its my DD in Northern Illinois. Its been a reliable car & has been thru some of the worst weather I've ever experienced. Love my car !
Yep, very first thing to do on this car is replace that pressurized plastic expansion tank. I just went OEM on mine, 70 bucks I think, 10 minutes to swap out, cheap insurance. Yeah, I wonder where the little club fender badges went? Some people don't like them..I do!
@@usaclaimsthemoon4198 NC are still overpriced imo. Hard to find a manual club below 10k
There's two little brackets on the back you can undo, there's two torx bolts on each side you loosen and unbolt and that's where your hard top will bolt onto with the same brackets
Don't expect Carfax to have anything as minor as a bumper repair. My BIL and dad had deer hit their cars. My mom backed into a trailer and I had one jack knife into mine. None of those things show up with Carfax because insurance wasn't involved in the repair.
Get MeisterR dampers, assembled in UK, lasts long, ride well, handles much better than OE, and lighter than OE due to billet aluminum body.
$1,000 kit is comparable to others for $2,000 from KW.
Happy new year Mr. Wizard
Please do a what to buy and what not to buy Lexus video please. Thank you
That coolant Reservoir needs to be replaced as soon as possible, this is a known issue with these cars. They fail underneath the cap where the cap flange meets the reservoir body itself. They are welded and they fail in that location, the system is under pressure so you lose coolant rapidly, many times the engine fails from this and should replaced as soon as possible if it hasn't already. Any Miata forum or group describes this with many failures and engine failures detailed.
I always wanted one of the MazdaSPEED Miata
Well somebody overpaid buying from Carvana - wow - not like it's tough to find used Miatas from sellers that will actually negotiate -
11:10
When I worked at an Acura dealer we sold a new car and the customer brought it back like 45 minutes later smoking and smelling like plastic... A plastic bag got melted to the exhaust on their way home and it was sort of like that... Took a bit of wire wheel to buzz it away.
Customer went from concerned to laughing, 😆
Had a customer come in who tried to do their battery on a jeep renegade. Car came in smoking under the hood. The guy left his tool box under the hood, and it lodged itself between the radiator and exhaust manifold. The box melted and fused onto the manifold along with a mess of tools. When we told the customer, the guy goes, “oh no, those were my dads tools…” 😂😂😂
Bet they ripped the front of the bumper on a dip and just got an aftermarket bumper and had it painted at Macco. It’s really easy to scrape in these. Ask me how I know 😂
I went to a Maaco one time and seen Carvana cars there. Boy its ashame to these nice preowned vehicle get bad paint jobs. They obvious cut corners unlike manufacturer dealerships.
How do you know?
@@Mr-pn2eh I scraped and cracked the bumper on a 2017 mx5 hahaha.
Could you please show us how you can tell how much is left on the brakes pads. I can't ever see what your looking at or eyeballing. Maybe a entire short video on brakes and rotors? :-}
I’ve had a 16 Mustang GT convertible for the past 2 years, I bought it used from Carvana. No issues, driven it 20k miles.
Since the bumper was painted on the car, it was either a minor accident (just some scratches) or, there was a few chips over the years.
The MX-5 is just the best Sports Car. I can't wait to get one as my next car. Once my 16 Mazda6 gives up the fight i'm aiming to get one of the newer models of these. As a 6 ft guy I just fit haha
I'm 6'2" and 230lbs and fit in my '93 Miata just fine. Bought it new, and still drive it.
Mine has 200k miles on it, but then, it is 29 years old now.
Happy New Year to the Wizard crew. Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2023.
I've owned 2 miatas and both of them got black plastic bags stuck to the cat convertor while driving on the highway, which caused them to melt and smell (one was a black plastic yard bag, which really sucked)
I just left the employ of Carvana. Carvana only knows the reported repair history of any car they are sold. The inspection centers make sure the car is working on 135 points if interest. I absolutely recommend a post purchase inspection on every car sold from Carvana. It's a used car, not a new one!
The best little car on the planet. The most raced car on the planet and it’s still is. I would just tighten up the shifter but if you are a person who is smaller in stature and want a great car then this is it. I think they are fantastic!!!
My plans for this car are to turbo or supercharge it to around 200 whp, put a shrot shifter in it, Goodwin Racing exhaust (helmholtz mid pipe and Super-Q muffler). Probably going to go with the Fox suspension from Flyin Miata, and a set of 17x8 probably Hypergrams in bronze. I won't race it, but I do plan to find time to take it to some track days.
@@FlesHBoX They’re awesome cars and I really like them. Sadly it would be like fitting Sloth from Goonies in the car. Lol!!! Have fun and always remember to drive safely. Happy New Year
Guess bumper would suffer from stone chips ..so maybe just a repaint to sell on 👍🏻
Look forwards more videos in 2023 young Wizard 👏🏻👏🏻🇬🇧
you know Wiz I wonder how many Car dealerships, and even independent mechanic shops perform your short video inspection of cars. I am being pessimistic, but I would say none! You are a diamond in the rough
Unless you really know what your looking at, always get a qualified mechanic or someone you trust to look over a car, I once took a car for a PPI & when I called the mechanic he asked if I was the buyer or seller, told him I was looking to buy, he said walk away it's 2 cars not 1, the body was a '87 BMW, the mechanicals were from a '84 BMW & he didn't want it back in his workshop, Rj in Oz
Wizard i am 6' tall and near 300 lbs, and i had to work on an MR2 AND a Karman Ghia. It was a nightmare getting in and out. I am also 50ish years old. So i understand, the getting in and out thing. 😂
@10:43 Those are shocks, not struts. That is a double-wishbone suspension, no struts present.
mugen is honda haha i love your take on aftermarket stuff, though i absolutely love it but i can see your perspective as a mechanic. i gotta say though mugen is not crap, i would say mazda speed isn’t crap either
This is actually my dream spec for a Miata! Really interesting video and it’ll help me when it’s time for me to look for one. Thanks for all the great vids wizard!
I have a nb2 but would love this spec!
Holy cow! look at that rust free metal! us snow belters are envious
That pressurized coolant reservoir needs to be replaced, once they turn yellow they can blow at any time. There are aftermarket welded aluminum tanks that last forever.
I was watching this while at a dealership bringing back a used car I bought 4 months ago because I found some structural damage to the unibody in the rear when only minor damage was reported on Carfax. I'm fairly knowledgeable when it comes to cars and buying used cars. I knew there was some paintwork done but a few things made me suspicious so I took off the rear trunk panels to have a closer look. I found a metal plate that was cut and welded on (poorly I might add) and also some crumpled metal on the inside of the rear quarter. Luckily I bought from a reputable dealer who bought the car back for the price I paid but I was still out some money ultimately. I'm glad they actually worked with me, I think many shady dealers would have told me tough luck and to kick rocks. I even had 2 dealerships inspect the car after buying and they didn't find the damage I found. I was left thinking of the song lyrics "You have to know when to hold em, know when to fold em. Know what to throw away and know what to keep." When it comes to used cars only the previous owner and God know what the car has been through.
I think it is a highway car with the amount of bugs in the radiator fins and the chipped nose.
If so that car will last a very long time as it is estimated that engine wear for highway miles V city miles is about 10-15%
Nice find sir!
“Customer bought it from caravana” yep that’s all I needed to hear lol
If it was a salvage title that had been rebuilt I would just walk away. Now if it had only cosmetic damage that's fixable but when it was so wrecked that the insurance wrote it off you're better off just leaving it for someone else. What I look for is if it has a junkyard engine or transmission in it. Then you ask the question "why?"
Alot of the times sellers will replace the front bumper due to curb rash over the years to make the car look nicer. Doesn't necessarily mean the car was wrecked. Also I bought a car from repo auction with the front bumper ripped at the bottom because of the tow truck unloading it. Had to have it painted and replaced just the same but this car wasn't wrecked either. You just got to know what to look for when you open the hood. If all the body lines line up, and no paint scuffs on the fender bolts from sockets removing them, that's a pretty good sign it's not a wrecked repair. Even then you can have a minor fender bender and remove the damaged fender to have replaced with a new or paint matched used part and not even tell if it was changed if done right. Cars are like Legos people. Just remember that!
So many cars at dealers have refinished bumpers its super common, some do a good job some don't.
I've always loved Miatas! That's sweet! Carvana does allow you time for a post-purchase inspection and if there are any issues they give a refund so the customer's smart to take advantage of that.
You loved Miata's what?
@@tim3172 they're fun cars, but you would have to drive one to know it.
To each their own. If you don't like them great for you.
@@nuthinbutlove Miata's is possessive, it means something that's part of a Miata. They were asking what part you were referring to. I think you meant to write "Miatas" (plural, not possessive).
@@nicholasvinen I can blame that blunder on Swype but you're absolutely correct!
I've always wanted a Miata as I had a Fiat 124 Spider when I was in college. At 6'4", I fit fine in the Fiat but the Miata is a fitment no-go if you are over 6' tall! It would have been so sweet to have a fun, dependable little sports car since the Fiat was fun, but not dependable!
You would be surprised. I am 6'3.5" and 230 lbs and fit into my 1991 Miata. I am more legs (36" inseam) than torso so that could be why. Granted the seat is as far back as it can go, and the seat back is tilted back also (although there isn't much space behind the seat back to start with). I daily drove this car 40 miles one-way to work and had no issues with comfort. I bought the car new and have put 260K on it. Most reliable car I have ever owned. Most of my driving was done with the top up and I had enough head room too. The only nagging point is the zippered rear window. The zipper is a POS. The zipper can easily come off its track, and as the top ages it shrinks which makes the zipper very tight to operate (the main reason I drive with the top up). On the 1991 model, one has to first unzip the plastic rear window and lay it flat on the back ledge before folding back the top. If you keep the rear window zipped to the top and then fold back the top, the plastic window gets creased and folded up in at least three areas and, with repeated top up/top down operation, will crack and fail. The rear plastic window eventually clouds up and is expensive to replace.
Hey Mrs. Wizard, you don't "scroll down" with a camera, you pan down! 😂
Thanks for showing us this little cute faced car Mr and Mrs Wizard. ☺👍👋
I bet it was repainted only due to rock chips. Both Miata's I have had the front bumpers have been peppered with rock chips when I bought them. The 2003 NB with 64k miles about 8 years ago and also my current 2007 NC GT with only 49k miles that I bought a little over a year ago.
As usual Wizard the video was very good and helpful to many people. I have 2 corvettes and a Scat pack i wish you were in Birmingham. Take care my friend and God bless you and Mrs. Wizard. Oh and by the way i hope y'all are enjoying the beautiful Jaguar.
With dirt underneath, blown shocks, pulled bolts repainted bumper etc, it went off the road through brush or something during a snowstorm or something like it.
Probably a budget shop outta pocket rebuild to keep title clear and or a auction buy
Oh HELL YES! I'm so happy to see a car I own featured on this channel.