Dilemma I can't Resolve - Please help

samji

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You would honestly pick the Miata, functionality aside, over the Type R if you drove them back to back? That's tough to believe lol. I love a lot of cars but a Miata out 'enjoying' a Type R would be hard for me to believe honestly...
I think you're forgetting that the whole top down thing. It's part of the experience and it's definitely not for everyone. There's a lot of aspects of the miata that isn't just about handling or going fast. If power is the only metric you are going by, then yes, I don't think anybody can deny that a CTR will be much more enjoyable if that's your thing. But there are people who aren't seeking more and more power. The only thing that would bring me back to an S2000 would be the top down aspect. It was the reason I bought that car to begin with and the reason I would buy it again.
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NapalmEnema

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I think you're forgetting that the whole top down thing. It's part of the experience and it's definitely not for everyone. There's a lot of aspects of the miata that isn't just about handling or going fast. If power is the only metric you are going by, then yes, I don't think anybody can deny that a CTR will be much more enjoyable if that's your thing. But there are people who aren't seeking more and more power. The only thing that would bring me back to an S2000 would be the top down aspect. It was the reason I bought that car to begin with and the reason I would buy it again.
Def not speaking from the aspect of more and more power, just overall driving enjoyment. For instance I looove how a Subaru BRZ looks. Amazing design - but then you drive it and the power is so anemic the car is essentially zero fun, at least to me. I need 'some' power. I actually like the Type R stock and think it feels about perfect. My issue with the Miata is personal taste, and lack of power. I do enjoy a convertible in the right environment, but I don't, personally, put a ton more on no roof over four windows down. I do however, with the Type R had a sunroof option that would have been a nice feature that I enjoyed on my Evo MR.

Based on driving enjoyment, awesome power and handling, the Type R has it over the Miata, to me - then on top of that you add all the functionality and additional seating. Also I think it looks badass - the Miata - not really my thing, but the newer ones look MUCH better than the older ones, to me.
 

02SilverSiHB

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CTR Pros:
-Amazing power, especially with simple mods and a tune
-Amazing handling and driving dynamics, throttle response (esp for a turbo)
-Adaptive suspension
-Looks

CTR Cons:
-FWD
-Looks
-Some people have transmission issues
So I'm confused...you say it's a pro and a con for looks...that's really subjective I guess. I like the looks, could care less if other don't...if that's what you were getting at.

FWD is perfectly fine, as you mentioned, amazing handling.

As for transmission, it's the drivers, they will hate on me, but it has to be the drivers. I have over 30k miles, no issues
 
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O Haiii

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I rented a 2019 miata (updated engine) for this coming saturday. I'll rent the R one more time next weekend. Who knows, may end up with both. 2020 Rs aren't available yet anyways so maybe buy the miata now and the R at year end. Problem is where to park 3 cars!
 

02SilverSiHB

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I rented a 2019 miata (updated engine) for this coming saturday. I'll rent the R one more time next weekend. Who knows, may end up with both. 2020 Rs aren't available yet anyways so maybe buy the miata now and the R at year end. Problem is where to park 3 cars!
lol, who rents out CTRs?
 


VinRRR

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I would not have gotten rid of it had I got the M2 Competition. However, I got the M2 because it was November of 2018 and the M2 Comp was already on sale, so they offered me 10k off msrp on the M2. I thought the comp model cannot possibly be 13k better of a car (after taxes) than the M2, so I went ahead and bought the M2. Boy was I wrong. M2 has pretty much the same engine and identical turbo from the M235i, just with a more aggressive tune. It is completely maxed out from the factory. It's a 3500 lb car that loves to get heat soaked and dynos 330 to the wheels. Spending 5k on FBO will get you to 380 whp on the most perfect day on 91 octane. Any less than ideal, you've spent $5k to get some nice mid range torque. The M2 is not a real M car. It is well balanced but that's about it. In fact, driving both the CTR and the miata was a far better experience than driving my M2, despite less power and it being much cheaper.
That's weird. Everyone car reviewers said that the M2 is the only "real" M cars left. Looks like making more power is a priority to you, then the Type R is a better choice than the Miata.
 

CivilciviC

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I was 28 when I bought my Miata. DD'ed it for 18 months (living in Phoenix) then moved on to something else. Bought an S2k a few years after that...

Mid life crisis cars are Corvettes and Porsches… :D
I was part of the local Miata club when I had mine. The demographic was largely what I stated earlier.

That's not to say there isn't outliers like yourself and myself. But dammit you couldn't pay me enough to be back in that geriatrics ward :p
 

BryanCO

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I was part of the local Miata club when I had mine. The demographic was largely what I stated earlier.

That's not to say there isn't outliers like yourself and myself. But dammit you couldn't pay me enough to be back in that geriatrics ward :p
:thumbsup:
 


BABY NSX

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Ok, first lemme say I never drive a Miata but heard lots of nice things about them but your out in LA. I would opt for a convertible but that’s just me.

The Prius is your “practical” car and it seems you can afford another car. I would go “more different” meaning convertible and RWD. Granted the Prius is not a performance car but (and I never drove one of those either) being its electric might have some low end torque but it’s a FWD design. I miss having a RWD car as a daily driver that you can kick out the rear end. The “more different” would be why I would get a Miata if i wasn’t looking for more power. Like I have ‘72 Challenger and sometimes I’m tempted to get another car like an old Firebird but since it’s still RWD I would want something “more different” like a Shelby Cobra replica since it’s a small convertible. Just so I have “different flavors”. But since getting the CTR it’s cool because it’s a different flavor completely from the Challenger.

So it’s all up to if you want something different or more performance i guess if I were in your shoes.
 

fatherpain

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O Haiii is here in LA? I’m in Fullerton. If he rents the Miata, tempted to meet him in the middle somewhere then he can compare the cars side by side, take it for a spin. Pretty sure that would decide it then and there, heh.

Of course the Miata rental would be at a disadvantage as my car is modded, though yet not tuned. If he likes the Type R in modded form, it’s cheaper than buying a 2nd car... well maybe, lol
 
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willskiGT

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If you are buying new, I think you can cut the transmission cons from both lists. Nobody likes a car with problems, but I think these are minor and a warranty will cover it.

The FWD con may not be as big of a deal as you think it is. I know its impossible to get a test drive, but Its pretty unanimous by reviewers and owners that the FWD aspect of the CTR is well hidden.

Since you mentioned tuning as a pro for the CTR it might be important to point out that finding performance parts and accessories might be easier for the Miata. It has sold many more units and the history of performance parts support is a lot longer.
I think he probably meant what you can extract with a tune. The latest Miata is a pretty high strung N/A engine - you would need to spend a ton of money (or buy a forced induction kit) to make more than 200hp.

To me the CTR is a no-brainer over a Miata. They aren't even in the same league (performance or price wise). The CTR is much faster and much more practical. I haven't had any transmission issues and I don't mind the looks.

I would say the Miata competes with the BRZ/Toyota 86 and WRX. I would take a Miata over those cars. But a CTR is (as I said above) in a different league.

To be honest, if you have a ~$35k budget and a practical car that you can commute in, you really ought to get something more hardcore. If you stretch a bit, you could get a Lotus Evora/Elise/Exige, GT350, last gen Z28, or a 997.1S. Those are probably going to be more fun than a Miata or a CTR.
 

TypeSiR

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I rented a 2019 miata (updated engine) for this coming saturday. I'll rent the R one more time next weekend. Who knows, may end up with both. 2020 Rs aren't available yet anyways so maybe buy the miata now and the R at year end. Problem is where to park 3 cars!
Where and when will you be testing the ND2? Is it manual? Maybe we can meet up with my '19 CTR (mostly stock) along with Fatherpain's '18 CTR (quoted him below). I'm curious to test out the bump in power on the ND2 (181 hp) vs the ND1 (155 hp). PM if interested. Sunday looks like there's chance of rain, just keep that in mind.

O Haiii is here in LA? I’m in Fullerton. If he rents the Miata, tempted to meet him in the middle somewhere then he can compare the cars side by side, take it for a spin. Pretty sure that would decide it then and there, heh.

Of course the Miata rental would be at a disadvantage as my car is modded, though yet not tuned. If he likes the Type R in modded form, it’s cheaper than buying a 2nd car... well maybe, lol
 

fatherpain

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I’m down lmk ;)
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