Quick answer needed if poss

Quick answer needed if poss

Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to purchase mode and I have
a nagging question about ownership that I have seen on more than two of
these.

I run a carfax report on any car I might be seriously interested in. I have
noticed a trend with the Miata's where I see them only owned for a year or
more before being passed off. I have my eyes on a 2006 touring w/ 10,000
miles and two owners already and a 2007 same mileage, same deal. I have
seen others like this as well. Why is that? My better half thinks people
buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to drive, and then
realize that they are not exactly practicle. What do you think? Why are
these things turning over so much? Thanks!

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

Your better half may be right. On the 2005 and earlier miatas I'd say
they're nearly bullet proof but I'm not sure if the same is considered true
of the new 2006 and newer. Research miata . net and see what to look for on
the new car. Should be plenty of owners now putting in their 2 cents!

Chris
99BBB

"WendyC88" <ddlld23REMOVE@XXcsiREMOVE . com > wrote in message
news:OMydnVxSYqotJgrVnZ2dnUVZ g-dnZ2d@giganews . com ...
> Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to purchase mode and I
> have a nagging question about ownership that I have seen on more than two
> of these.
>
> I run a carfax report on any car I might be seriously interested in. I
> have noticed a trend with the Miata's where I see them only owned for a
> year or more before being passed off. I have my eyes on a 2006 touring w/
> 10,000 miles and two owners already and a 2007 same mileage, same deal. I
> have seen others like this as well. Why is that? My better half thinks
> people buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to drive, and
> then realize that they are not exactly practicle. What do you think? Why
> are these things turning over so much? Thanks!
>

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

It's sort of "flip a coin" to me. There is a possibility that there was
something that was not quite right, and the dealer did not get it fixed, so
the previous owner sold or traded the car.

I currently own a car, top of line 95 model, (not a Miata) that the dealers
have worked on until there is seemingly only one "unsolvable" problem left.
A low frequency rumble associated with the front end of the car. Since it is
"set off" by road surface and chassis tuning, the vibration analyzers are
(naturally) tuned to ignore the frequency range of the rumble. As a result,
I may be replacing this car at 36,000 miles with something from other than
GM.

"Chris D'Agnolo" <cdagnolo@alltel . net > wrote in message
news:ceafd$4897c68f$97d5b04f$19425@ALLTEL . net ...
> Your better half may be right. On the 2005 and earlier miatas I'd say
> they're nearly bullet proof but I'm not sure if the same is considered
> true of the new 2006 and newer. Research miata . net and see what to look
> for on the new car. Should be plenty of owners now putting in their 2
> cents!
>
> Chris
> 99BBB
>
> "WendyC88" <ddlld23REMOVE@XXcsiREMOVE . com > wrote in message
> news:OMydnVxSYqotJgrVnZ2dnUVZ_g-dnZ2d@giganews . com ...
>> Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to purchase mode and I
>> have a nagging question about ownership that I have seen on more than two
>> of these.
>>
>> I run a carfax report on any car I might be seriously interested in. I
>> have noticed a trend with the Miata's where I see them only owned for a
>> year or more before being passed off. I have my eyes on a 2006 touring
>> w/ 10,000 miles and two owners already and a 2007 same mileage, same
>> deal. I have seen others like this as well. Why is that? My better
>> half thinks people buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to
>> drive, and then realize that they are not exactly practicle. What do you
>> think? Why are these things turning over so much? Thanks!
>>
>

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

Chris D'Agnolo wrote:
> Your better half may be right. On the 2005 and earlier miatas I'd say
> they're nearly bullet proof but I'm not sure if the same is considered
> true of the new 2006 and newer. Research miata . net and see what to look
> for on the new car. Should be plenty of owners now putting in their 2
> cents!
>
> Chris
> 99BBB

Not to rag on the 2006+ Miatas, but it is a completely different ride
than the previous models. I have mixed feelings about the way it drives.

I have a person who is/was interested in my 18 year old car, with the
intentions of dumping their NC. The comment that I received, which was
from his wife, was that the car drove like a Ford. Even Leon called it
his SUV Miata.

Not everyone buys them for the same reason, but I am willing to bet that
a number of the trade-ins are for people going back to a pre-2006 model,
as well as people with 2006+ rag tops who decided that they want that
folding hardtop.

I'll bet that reliability is going to be good, we'll see. Still haven't
heard of a PRHT failure.

Pat

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

pws <pwshelton@austin.rr . com > wrote:

> Not to rag on the 2006+ Miatas, but it is a completely different
> ride than the previous models. I have mixed feelings about the way
> it drives.

More than that, the NA and NB Miatas fit me, the NC does not, it's
extremely difficult to drive and very uncomfortable. I really wanted
to like the car and spent a very long time with one from the local
dealer but just could not get comfortable nor would I consider getting
one unless something changes in a later model.


--
XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project:
* improve-usenet.org

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

* pws wrote in rec.autos.makers.mazda.miata:

> I'll bet that reliability is going to be good, we'll see. Still haven't
> heard of a PRHT failure.
>

Still loving mine and just hit 15,000 miles. I am the only owner so far ;)

I am not a small guy[tm] so getting in can be a challenge sometimes but I
love the car.

--
David

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

In article <OMydnVxSYqotJgrVnZ2dnUVZ_g-dnZ2d@giganews . com >,
"WendyC88" <ddlld23REMOVE@XXcsiREMOVE . com > wrote:

> My better half thinks people
> buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to drive, and then
> realize that they are not exactly practicle.

Probably correct. The Miata is not for everyone, a fact that sometimes
disappoints owners who had wanted one for years, only to find that they
weren't prepared to accept the compromises in comfort and space. You're
either a roadster person, or you aren't.

Still, I'm happy for them that they got to taste Miata ownership--it's a
shame to wonder and never know. I certainly wouldn't worry about the
cars themselves; they were likely babied mercilessly.

Of course, you aren't seeing ads for the Miatas whose owners love them
and will never let them go.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

I really think that buyers remorse is a big reason. My second Miata I bought
with about 1,000 miles on it - the original owner had a bad back and finally
had to admit he couldn't get in and out of it (an '04). I recently moved up
to an '08. I ended up buying new because I got a phenomenal deal, but I was
going to buy a used one with 400 miles. I talked with the original owner -
he was 6'1 - he ALWAYS wanted a Miata but then had to admit that there is
only so much leg room!

It's such an Oh I Want One car that often people's bubbles just get burst.
Which is our gain! ;-) -Carol

"WendyC88" <ddlld23REMOVE@XXcsiREMOVE . com > wrote in message
news:OMydnVxSYqotJgrVnZ2dnUVZ_g-dnZ2d@giganews . com ...
> Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to purchase mode and I
> have a nagging question about ownership that I have seen on more than two
> of these.
>
> I run a carfax report on any car I might be seriously interested in. I
> have noticed a trend with the Miata's where I see them only owned for a
> year or more before being passed off. I have my eyes on a 2006 touring w/
> 10,000 miles and two owners already and a 2007 same mileage, same deal. I
> have seen others like this as well. Why is that? My better half thinks
> people buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to drive, and
> then realize that they are not exactly practicle. What do you think? Why
> are these things turning over so much? Thanks!
>

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

Carol wrote:
> I really think that buyers remorse is a big reason. My second Miata I bought
> with about 1,000 miles on it - the original owner had a bad back and finally
> had to admit he couldn't get in and out of it (an '04). I recently moved up
> to an '08. I ended up buying new because I got a phenomenal deal, but I was
> going to buy a used one with 400 miles. I talked with the original owner -
> he was 6'1 - he ALWAYS wanted a Miata but then had to admit that there is
> only so much leg room!
>
> It's such an Oh I Want One car that often people's bubbles just get burst.
> Which is our gain! ;-) -Carol
>
> "WendyC88" <ddlld23REMOVE@XXcsiREMOVE . com > wrote in message
> news:OMydnVxSYqotJgrVnZ2dnUVZ g-dnZ2d@giganews . com ...
>> Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to purchase mode and I
>> have a nagging question about ownership that I have seen on more than two
>> of these.
>>
>> I run a carfax report on any car I might be seriously interested in. I
>> have noticed a trend with the Miata's where I see them only owned for a
>> year or more before being passed off. I have my eyes on a 2006 touring w/
>> 10,000 miles and two owners already and a 2007 same mileage, same deal. I
>> have seen others like this as well. Why is that? My better half thinks
>> people buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to drive, and
>> then realize that they are not exactly practicle. What do you think? Why
>> are these things turning over so much? Thanks!
>>
>
>
I predicted that this would happen to Lotus Elise owners. There seem to
be a lot of them turning over at relatively low miles. The Elise is
simply not a "car"; the Miata is practical transportation by comparison.

Having said that: I'd still be willing to take my chances :-)

Ken

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

WendyC88 wrote:
> Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to purchase mode and I have
> a nagging question about ownership that I have seen on more than two of
> these.
>
> I run a carfax report on any car I might be seriously interested in. I have
> noticed a trend with the Miata's where I see them only owned for a year or
> more before being passed off. I have my eyes on a 2006 touring w/ 10,000
> miles and two owners already and a 2007 same mileage, same deal. I have
> seen others like this as well. Why is that? My better half thinks people
> buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to drive, and then
> realize that they are not exactly practicle. What do you think? Why are
> these things turning over so much? Thanks!
>
>
Pregnancy is a very common reason to sell up. Another is that people
simply can't afford to keep them, what with the insurance costs, fuel
cost (not gas-guzzlingly bad, but much worse than a supermini) and the
cost of vandalism when parking on the street.

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

Zog The Undeniable wrote:
>
> WendyC88 wrote:
> >
> > Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to
> > purchase mode and I have a nagging question about
> > ownership that I have seen on more than two of these.
> >
> > ... What do you think? Why are these things turning
> > over so much? Thanks!
>
> Pregnancy is a very common reason to sell up. Another is that people
> simply can't afford to keep them, what with the insurance costs, fuel
> cost (not gas-guzzlingly bad, but much worse than a supermini) and the
> cost of vandalism when parking on the street.

Might also have something to do with this:

Foreclosure Rate Hits Historic High

* w w w .washingtonpost . com /wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/14/AR2007061400513.html

or this

Bankruptcies Back on the Wrong Track
Bankruptcy Rates on the Rise Again Despite the Bankruptcy Abuse
Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005

* w w w .americanprogress.org/issues/2008/06/bankruptcy_report.html

or this

USA TODAY survey: We're in recession, economists say
The U.S. economy is in recession, or soon to be in one, according to USA
TODAY's quarterly survey of leading economists.

* w w w .usatoday . com /money/economy/2008-04-28-economy-survey-recession_N.htm


yrs jp

Re: Quick answer needed if poss


"Zog The Undeniable" <hrothgar19@yahoo . com > wrote in message
news:g7a7g8$189$1@energise.enta . net ...
> WendyC88 wrote:
>> Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to purchase mode and I
>> have a nagging question about ownership that I have seen on more than two
>> of these.
>>
>> I run a carfax report on any car I might be seriously interested in. I
>> have noticed a trend with the Miata's where I see them only owned for a
>> year or more before being passed off. I have my eyes on a 2006 touring
>> w/ 10,000 miles and two owners already and a 2007 same mileage, same
>> deal. I have seen others like this as well. Why is that? My better
>> half thinks people buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to
>> drive, and then realize that they are not exactly practicle. What do you
>> think? Why are these things turning over so much? Thanks!
> Pregnancy is a very common reason to sell up. Another is that people
> simply can't afford to keep them, what with the insurance costs, fuel cost
> (not gas-guzzlingly bad, but much worse than a supermini) and the cost of
> vandalism when parking on the street.

Hmm. Insurance is low, it seems to me. When I replaced my 1985 Dodge
Caravan with a new 1996 Miata, my insurance went *down* a lot. It's priced
as a 4-cylinder subcompact, is it not? Regarding vandalism, it can't be
that bad if I'm right about the insurance. Not to generalize from my own
experience, but the only problem I've ever had was having a pair of
expensive prescription sunglasses stolen. Never a problem with the top,
which is almost always down.

I'm not sure that a weakening economy would produce more 2006's and 2007's
available for re-sale than, say 2005's, but it could be.

Re: Quick answer needed if poss

WendyC88 wrote:
> Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to purchase mode and I have
> a nagging question about ownership that I have seen on more than two of
> these.
>
> I run a carfax report on any car I might be seriously interested in. I have
> noticed a trend with the Miata's where I see them only owned for a year or
> more before being passed off. I have my eyes on a 2006 touring w/ 10,000
> miles and two owners already and a 2007 same mileage, same deal. I have
> seen others like this as well. Why is that? My better half thinks people
> buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to drive, and then
> realize that they are not exactly practicle. What do you think? Why are
> these things turning over so much? Thanks!

I bought a 2003 Miata (MX-5) here in the UK about 18 months ago. When I
was shopping around for my car, I noticed that it is not uncommon for
these cars to be owned for a year or so then sold on.

It is also not uncommon here for dealers to register new cars in their
name in order to hit sales targets then presumably write the
depreciation off against tax and sell the 1 careful previous owner, 'as
new', very low mileage cars at a significant discount compared to new ones.

I'm not sure the system works like that where you are, but personally,
I'd only be concerned that a car was a lemon if it had changed hands
more than once per year on average over its lifetime. I think they are
often bought as playthings. I guess that people with disposable income
can afford to change often.

That's what I think.

--
Douglas

Re: Quick answer needed if poss


"Douglas Payne" <douggie@cheerful . com > wrote in message
news:6fs0f3Fd46fhU1@mid.individual . net ...
> WendyC88 wrote:
>> Sorry and thanks. I have my eye on two Miata's to purchase mode and I
>> have a nagging question about ownership that I have seen on more than two
>> of these.
>>
>> I run a carfax report on any car I might be seriously interested in. I
>> have noticed a trend with the Miata's where I see them only owned for a
>> year or more before being passed off. I have my eyes on a 2006 touring
>> w/ 10,000 miles and two owners already and a 2007 same mileage, same
>> deal. I have seen others like this as well. Why is that? My better
>> half thinks people buy them on impulse, the fact that they are a blast to
>> drive, and then realize that they are not exactly practicle. What do you
>> think? Why are these things turning over so much? Thanks!
>
> I bought a 2003 Miata (MX-5) here in the UK about 18 months ago. When I
> was shopping around for my car, I noticed that it is not uncommon for
> these cars to be owned for a year or so then sold on.
>
> It is also not uncommon here for dealers to register new cars in their
> name in order to hit sales targets then presumably write the depreciation
> off against tax and sell the 1 careful previous owner, 'as new', very low
> mileage cars at a significant discount compared to new ones.
>
> I'm not sure the system works like that where you are, but personally, I'd
> only be concerned that a car was a lemon if it had changed hands more than
> once per year on average over its lifetime. I think they are often bought
> as playthings. I guess that people with disposable income can afford to
> change often.
>
> That's what I think.
>
> --
> Douglas

Thanks all!! Picked up today...what a blast!!

Re: Quick answer needed if poss


Tell us about it! Congrats!

Chris
99BBB

>
> Thanks all!! Picked up today...what a blast!!
>
>