Moto plaything alternatives

[hacksaw]

2001 Miata a bit high priced . It said 12500 but marked now at 11500 only 35000 miles .
If it’s an LS model it could be worth something near the asking price .
Not a huge fan of the color . But  it is in sweet condition .

[Fatfatboy]

That does seem a bit steep but I guess a guy can ask what ever they want if they aren't in a hurry to sell. You can always go down but never back up.
Miatas are fun. Like an MG are Austin Healey except you get home with clean hands.
IMO they are more fun than a trike on a back twisty road.

2001 was the first year for variable timing that had issues.
If you can find a 1999-2000 that is in good shape those are the ones to buy.
Look for rust. It's why I traded my Miata in 2018. Ran good but was falling apart because of rust.
Avoid the six speeds. They took a front wheel drive tranny guts and put it in a rear wheel drive gear box.

The 2016 is much more advanced and a good one as long as you aren't the one who has to work on them.

This knowledge is brought to you from Terry. He shared much of it when I was looking for one.
I called him to make sure my dates were right.
He said hi BTW.

[Fatfatboy]

Since this third knee infection I started looking for a toy to fill my needs. A little sport car is something I have been looking for.
My first car at 16 was a 72 MG Midget with spoke wheels and spin offs. I paid 700 bucks for it. Fun little car until I blew the motor. I didn't have the funds nor free time to rebuild it. Sold it to a guy for four hundred bucks who proceeded to put a Chevy small block. I never saw it around. If memory serves me correctly I used the four bills I bought a 72 Dodge dart. The dart was more dependable and could drive it in the rain without shortening out a electric fuel pump. Unlike the MG.

[hacksaw]

Big hello back at Terry.
This particular car looks super clean .
With 35k on a 2001 it appears to have lived a nice life .
From What I understand is 2001 Miata LS came with 17” wheels and a upgraded suspension package .
Six speed does seem overkill.
A friend of mine has had at least 3 Miata’s over the course of their availability. At some point I will ask her opinion on the years . If I am going to get into later years then I may as well buy a new one .
I am not buying anything today anyway. I actually would love an MG. But in any case I need to make room in the garage first. Miata being the lesser of the evils.

There is a Pontiac 2 seater out there someplace (not the one that fell apart , a later car ) and something mopar called a crossfire? But idk if they came in ragtops .
And some corvette prices are somewhat  plebeian .
I now get Hemings motor news .
Reading is a lot easier than actually doing any work or spending any money!

[hacksaw]

https://www.hemmings.com/auction/2006-mazda-mx5-miata-manassas-va-809458

Sweet looking 2006 Miata luxury model
10k reserve not met.
I don’t think I would pay more than what’s bid at the moment

[Fatfatboy]

You and I like a lot of the same cars.
I’ve wanted to try both the Pontiac Soltice and the Crossfire.
Both cool looking cars. The Crossfire does come in a convertible but the coupe looks a lot better IMO.

The Beemers are cool looking and so is the Mercedes SL.
I like how the Benz convertible works. The trunk lifts up at the front and the solid roof lifts and drops into the trunk. Cool but pricey if repairs are needed.
Of course so is BMW service work.

My pop had a Z3 for awhile. Fun little roadster but horrible seats. A ultra glide has a more comfortable seat.

I’ll have to check out Heming Motor News again. I e not read one in quite sometime.

If I were to sell all my bikes off, except the Fatboy, I’d probably look for a Prowler or a Viper if I sold the 55 F100 as well.

[hacksaw]

Good  comments . Thanks!

I had posted the BMW but the link didn’t work so I replaced it with this Miata.
Un comfy seats is a non starter .
As to Mercedes’ perry Masons “57? Ford had that feature .
Coupes often look better than the rag versions.
For the sake of this thread I am concentrating on top down stuff as moto alternatives .
 Doubt I could afford an oil change on a Mercedes’ .
Maybe a 230SL. Lol . But many cars , including yiur viper and prowler, I really couldn’t consider  daily drivers.

[hacksaw]

https://www.hemmings.com/listing/1994-chevrolet-corvette-908117

[Fatfatboy]

I hated the C4 body style when it came out. Didn’t like the C5 either. The convertible would be nice.
They started looking better by the time they switched to the C6. The C7 is hot. The C8 is ohhh la la sweet but way to pricey for this kid. Same with the C1 and C2.
If I were to go to a vette it would be a C3 model. Still sleek but not stupid expensive.

When I had the T-bucket for sale a guy with a 40th anniversary vette with 40k miles in dark green. He asked if I wanted to trade. I thought about it but after talking with a mechanic friend he said I made the right decision. He said the C4 model was a electrical money pit because Chevy cheapened them to make them more affordable for the average guy. I’m glad I held out for the 55 F100

[hacksaw]

Well I like trucks , but trucks that have been hot rodded don’t come with gremlin guarentees. I would have been a sucker  for dark green  .

I don’t like the looks of later model corvettes .
They look like 1970’s kit cars or HO slot racers .

[hacksaw]

Actually according to Wikipedia, the prices on C-4 vettes rose.  The C-4 set a 5,000 Mile land speed record of 175 mph . So somebody is spewing bologna.



Good clean looking car imho.

[Fatfatboy]

hacksaw wrote

Well I like trucks , but trucks that have been hot rodded don’t come with gremlin guarentees. I would have been a sucker  for dark green  .

I don’t like the looks of later model corvettes .
They look like 1970’s kit cars or HO slot racers .

It’s was a nice almost British racing green.

I used to play with 70’s slot wheels. Maybe that is why I like them more.
And yes, there are gremlins lurking in a hot rod but I can fix those typically in my driveway.

[hacksaw]

Which brings up another issue .
I have enuff stuff to work on . And I am not crawling under anything anymore .
So anything I get I need to make sure there is local support for.
I could deal with trikes . Idk if , or Whst year 45 came with E start and reverse!
I think I decent one could be had for 15k which is about the price for used older Freewheelers.

Howz’bout a R65 trike kit?
I have trouble getting my foot to the rear brake pedal on my stocker

[Fatfatboy]

A servicar would be a killer trike if you’re just putting around town. Kind of like the freewheeler. Great around town and the straight roads. It’s not as much fun on a twisty. Requires a lot of leaning to keep the rear tire from coming off the ground if you’re really having fun. Especially two up.
If the time comes that I had to give up two wheels I’ll have to think hard about a trike again. Unless it’s a really cool one.
If the were independent suspension on the back it would be a better ride than the straight axles that are used now.
I’m not sure if any trike has independent suspension.
I must check.

[hacksaw]

Idk either . I would think they are at least limited slip .

[Fatfatboy]

Something I have noticed about newer convertibles than the older convertibles and the Miata.

Most newer convertibles the windshields lean down and come back further for aromatics than the old more straight-up windshields. This causes less wind in the cockpit and more closed-in than say a Miata or MG.

My wife has a 2013 convertible Mustang. The windshield comes so far back it's just above and past my forehead and feels more closed in and less wind. This is great if you want to have a conversation but honestly, I do prefer the more open cockpit.

A Morgan 3 Wheeler would be cool. One with a V-Twin motor but I don't think I could get myself to spend that kind of jack unless I were to sell all my motorcycles, the F100 and the skid-steer. This would almost get me enough for one but I would have to be done with bikes at that point.
Not there yet.

[hacksaw]

What’s a skid steer? A fork lift?

Morgan lol. Ones with a JAP motir would be cool .
There is somebody making a speedster looking set up in the USA. I wish I could recall the name.

We are talking here 3 wheeled cars as opposed to 3 wheel motorcycles.

That’s a good point about convertible windshields.

[oldironnow]

https://vanderhallusa.com/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanderhall_Motor_Works



.

[hacksaw]

YES!!!
50k for the GT
That’s in line with some Harley bagger trikes.
Which is about what I paid for my house in 1984.
Crazy.
I have got to really try to ride. It’s not the back pain  as much as tge weakness in my knees. I have to be able to put my foot down with confidence . I don’t have it

[Fatfatboy]

hacksaw wrote

What’s a skid steer? A fork lift?

It’s a Mustang who eventually merged with Gehl.
Samething as a bobcat. Just less money.
If I say mustang everyone thinks car so I just say skid steer.