New math

I have 95 Miata. the fan works only when it feels like, roughly 20% of the time. it may work if i hit a big pot hole or fiddle with the fan /temp /position switched for 3 minutes. i know the a/c is still working. what's wrong with my fan?

kenneth chow, san francisco, california

Something's not working properly. As strange as it may seem, for me to be able to accurately tell you what's wrong requires that I get my hands on the car.

A Qantas business class round trip ticket to San Francisco starts at about US$3500.

A trip to a local mechanic is likely to be considerably less expensive.

I'll let you do the sums. If you somehow determine that 2 + 2 = 11.025, you know how to reach me.

bwob

T minus 8 and holding - for a brief while only

My son's '90 flashes the "air bag" light in a sequence of 8 flashes then a pause, then 8 more. Is there a code to this sequence to help diagnose the problem ???

Steve Wilson, Welcome, N C 

Yes it's a countdown to a dealer visit, and the 'zero' point is rapidly approaching. The airbag is an explosive pyrotechnic device, so unless you know precisely what you're doing with one, it's best to leave maintenance and diagnosing the system to the guys with all the gear - and training - to do it.

bwob

One wheel for the price of eight...or more

I have a Eunos, with a damaged wheel, it is a LORBER 7x15-JJ, any idea where I can get a new one? please

mark, aylesbury/UK

Given the fact you've got a grey import and the wheel brand's one I've never heard of, I'd wager it's a Japanese market item from one of the third-tier wheels retailers. It certainly has a name like one of the dorkier of Japan's aftermarket wheel suppliers. Considering how those fringe outfits seem to go in and out of business the way Italy has changed postwar governments, the only way you could ensuring getting a replacement - or the same wheel with somebody else's name on it - would be to take a trip to Tokyo and do a crawl around the parts shops on Kan Pachi dori. If those guys don't have a 'Lorber' (or identical replacement) nobody does.

Mind you, replacing all four wheels would probably be considerably cheaper than a trip to Japan. But a lot less interesting.

bwob

Pain, Captain!

Is there any way to get Mazda to offer a Sunburst Yellow Miata in the USA? They offer it in Europe.

Yorick Wahaus, Corvallis, Oregon, USA

Hell, I'd like to see it here in Australia as well. The US importer will take whatever the marketing people think they can sell and/or like. Here in Australia the Managing Director of the local importer really dislikes yellow (the yellow 1992s didn't sell too well down here) and makes no bones about it. I have no idea if the same prejudice exists in the 'States at some decision-making level, but it might. In which case I suspect one-on-one lobbying for yellow would be as much an exercise in futility there as it is here. However I suspect with equal conviction that if there were enough letters, the yellow could appear. Letters - enough of 'em - got Star Trek renewed once. They might also convince Mazda to ship a few hundred yellow Miatas 'Stateside. A yellow NB/M2 is certainly more worthy than an all-new version of "Turnabout Intruder" is...

bwob

Well blow me down!

I know you might get this one all the time....supercharged? or turbo for my 94 Miata....
and why?

Philip, union city, ca , usa

Yup, I do. And the answer's always the same - atmo. The Miatas all about balance, and the formula was set up to highlight that. When the power goes up, the balance goes right down the gurgler. Depending upon the generation, when power starts to get near 115kW/155hp the chassis tune starts to go off key, and quickly. The NB8B/M2 2001 and later models have had changes to the chassis to accommodate the increased power of the variable valve timing engine, but the margin built into the chassis above that unit's output is not exactly generous.

I've got some philosophical problems with both types of forced induction in the context of Otto-cycle engines as well. One problem common to both systems is that the increase in the intake charge should ideally be accompanied by a reduction in compression ratio (to reduce the likelihood of pre-ignition - pinging), but none of the kits I know of do this, relying on intercoolers instead. Which raise underhood temperatures in most cases. Premium fuel pretty much becomes a 'must' all of the time with forced induction.

Also, since the underhood layout of the Miata was never designed to accept forced induction of any kind, both must comprise the installation to work with the available real estate and/or induction plenum while allowing (in some cases) the owner to install the system.

In the case of a positive-displacement supercharger, even the best of 'em have parasitic and frictional losses that are the equivalent to one or 1.5 cylinders, as well as an increase in fuel consumption in most (but not all) cases. They also add to the underhood complexity and increase underhood temperatures, the latter of which has a major effect upon oil life. On the plus side, the throttle response with a positive-displacement system can be pretty sharp, and the system works throughout the engine's speed range.

Turbo charging shares some of the disadvantages of supercharging, though the parasitic losses are far, far less. However the turbo increases underhood temperatures to an even greater degree than a positive-displacement system does and there's even greater scope for oil depletion, as the lubrication requirements of the turbocharger normally rely on sharing oil with the engine. Turbochargers also can introduce lag to throttle response (the degree is largely consistent with an increase in turbocharger diameter and turbine mass) and tend to improve power primarily in the middle to upper engine speed ranges. Right where a spark-ignition four cylinder usually gets along quite fine, thank you. Turbochargers and diesels go together superbly (aided in no small part to the diesel engine's far more efficient heat cycle), but even with a turbo a diesel Miata is a pretty dumb idea in my book. Then again, I like anchovies on pizza. And like my cars to breathe on their own.

If I lived in Denver, La Paz or Quito, I'd probably be singing another tune as well. But between sea level and 1750m/5700ft, normally-aspirated music is the kind I like most of all.

bwob

Never been there, never done that

I'm looking for performance shops around the Philadelphia area that you would suggest for installing Miata parts.

Michael Thomas, Philadelphia, PA

Sorry, inasmuch as I've never been to Philly, I can't help you any more than you could give me the name of similar shops in Sydney. You might want to consider joining the local Miata club chapter (they're all listed at Miata.net. Your nearest might be DelVal), since you'd probably find like-minded individuals who not only know of such shops, but they may have wrangled club discounts from a couple of 'em.

bwob

If you can breathe unassisted, so should your Miata

Hi Bob,
I live close to a wonderful Miata only garage. The proprietor insists that a supercharger is the best way to add punch to my 92' with 125,000 miles. I am the original owner and have enjoyed the car very much. I've begun to modify the car's appearance, only slightly, and would like additional power. There's apparently a second camp which insists that the new turbochargers are superior. I realize that you are perfectly happy with the existing power, but I find the car a bit sluggish. I value your opinion and would like to ask which you would use if you had to have either the supercharger or turbo?

Marty, Los Angeles, CA U.S.A,

If my garage proprietor seriously suggested that a car with 125,000 miles should have a turbocharger or supercharger, I'd admire his chutzpah (and be positive he's looking out for himself) but I'd be looking for another garage in a flash . I'd also suspect my garage owner might be better off with another job. Like rubbish collector. But so far he has not proposed turbocharging or anything else to me, beyond paying him on time.

In the inconceivable event someone places a gun to my head and makes me take one or the other form of forced induction, it'll probably be the supercharger. Please bear in mind that this is only because they're usually simpler to remove and there's less to toss in the garbage bin. Perhaps the former proprietor of the garage I used to frequent will come and collect it with the rest of the household refuse.

If I felt my Miata needed more power, I'd remedy the problem with an engine swap, relying on a Nissan SR20DE until Mazda comes up with a suitable 2.0 litre four. But inasmuch as I feel the car needs nary an additional pony (or kilowatt), the situation is hypothetical. I'm really sorry I can't give you an answer you want to hear.

bwob

The "Ask Bob!" whatzit of the month

Sun shade for 2001 Miata.

J. Norvin , Naples Fl. USA

Uh, okeh. I can beat that;

Lace seat covers for 1971 Toyota Crown.

bwob

Go ahead - cut it...there are more than 500,000 others left

I have a moral and ethical dilemma. I recently picked up a well-worn '91 with the intention of rebuilding the mechanical bits and building a Lotus 7-type vehicle around them. After a few weeks of work, however, this Miata has been mostly repaired and I believe she is ready for a return to proper society.

If I'm not able to find a more suitable and accident-damaged car, is it morally acceptable to use a Miata for parts while it's still perfectly drivable? There seems something evil about depriving mankind of even one neglected, base, crystal white Miata.

On one hand, I wouldn't euthanize someone simply because I wanted their organs. On the other hand, I'm not exactly making it into a planter (or a Z3 look-alike). Thoughts?

Pete, Plymouth, MI, USA

Pete, don't worry. Unless you're going to carve up a 91 BRG, 92 Yellow or 10AE, why not? Mitsuoka in Japan makes (or maybe made - I don't know if it's still in production) a VERY Lotus Seven like thing called the Zero-One which is all Miata guts under the cycle fenders. And it's not bad at all.

Look, Mazda's built more than half a million Miatas, with many, many more to come. I can't really come up with any reason why you wouldn't. If only to me it seems a far better use for a Miata than as a receptacle for a V8.

bwob

Death of the Miata, coming soon to a wacko website near you

Is the Miata Finished?

I read your bio, and something struck me when I took my 91' in for normal service. New Miata's are muy $$$$ A new 2001 with decent options runs about $22-24k, whereas, in 1990, a fully loaded Miata could be had, theoretically, for $18k. In fact, I had a neighbor who bought a brand new Miata with A/C, power windows, locks, and limited slip differential and alloys for just under$17k in 1991. Do you believe that, like Toyota with the MR2, Mazda is journeying too far away from their original concept, and, are there any virtues to the rumor that Mazda plans on dropping the Miata line in a couple years?

Mark Ratto, Arlington, VA?

In answer to your first question, not hardly. I'd say it may even have a more secure future than the Explorer. Unless Mazda starts using Firestone tires. Then all bets are off.

As for Mazda moving too far away from the original Miata market positioning, I think you'd have to compare the price relativity against the rest of the market over subsequent years, or relating the price of a 1990 Miata to a 2001 in the context of weekly earnings. Also, the price positioning of the cars is different between markets. Here in Australia the NB8A/M2 was in fact cheaper as regards price relative to weekly earnings than a 1990 by about nine percent. And this doesn't take into account the NB8A/M2 is better equipped than the Aussie-spec NA6A/M1 was. Not being au fait with what average weekly earnings are in the US nowadays, the situation Stateside might be better or worse. But ask yourself what the dollar amount of a base 1990 Miata ($13,800) buys nowadays in the 'States and it will probably help to see how far 'out of it' the Miata has shifted. For that dollar amount nowadays, you can't snag the only Mazda Protege that's really fun to drive (at least till the even more expensive MPS model comes out), the ES. For reference sake, a 1990 Honda Civic (which was one of Automobile Magazine's 'All Stars', just like the first Miata was, based for $8695. The Civic is now up around $13,000, but I don't hear many people opining that Honda's lost the plot or that the Civic's days are numbered. Hell, what can you buy now for the same price you paid back in 1989?

This doesn't mean I believe that Mazda has been without guilt as regards positioning and marketing of the Miata. I have a suspicion that if anything, Mazda - especially the US sales and marketing arm - has been taking the 'easy' way out in this regards (especially since they've lost some of the team who had an instinctive feel for the Miata), letting it age with the original owners. It is a helluva lot tougher to keep a car that shouldn't be changed too much in too short a time fresh than it is to just go the mica paint, leather, chrome and cynical market edition route.

As regards the rumor about the Miata being dropped, well, I'll accept the one that George W. Bush owns a factory on the dark side of the Moon where slave labor from planet Klystro has been brought in to build the WiLL Vi for Toyota before I'll buy the one on the impending death of the Miata.

bwob

How early is early?

What was the earliest Eunos Roadster sold? I have found a 1989 classic red Roadster for sale, with the chassis number NA6CE10...37 (I forget how many zeros). I've been told the production started at number 23 (were the first 22 used for crash testing etc?), so this appears to be the 17th Eunos/Miata/MX5 ever made. How many did Mazda provide to the press at the launch?

For such an "old" Roadster, its in pretty good shape; the paint is largely original (one fender has been replaced at some time), the soft-top predictably has fallen apart, but the interior is the cleanest, most unused Roadster interior (i.e. mint and all original) I've seen at this age (most of the older Roadsters I've seen have started to look a bit beaten up).

Unfortunately the seller says unless he sells it pretty soon, it will be broken up for part....:(

Andy Thompson, Belfast

There's no way of telling with any certainty, short of polling all Eunos Roadster owners across the globe. Mazda, like almost every other volume manufacturer, has neither the facilities nor inclination to maintain a database that exact. Such things, especially as regards the Japanese Domestic market, are of low or Zero priority. Remember, unlike the British Isles where old cars are to be revered, the psycho-social dynamic of Japanese society as it regards imported things (like the automobile as an accessory to society) means that the only thing which counts is new. The Japanese government has done nothing to alleviate this situation, as it goes out of its way to make owning a car more than ten years of age exceedingly inconvenient and expensive. This (along with the fact that nobody wants to be seen in last year's model) is one of the reasons so many Japanese used cars are being shipped to New Zealand and the British Isles.

Regarding a specific build number for the first production Eunos off the line, I've never heard anything about the sequence beginning at 23.

You've got a few misconceptions in there with your assumptions. Cars used for crash testing are not serialized in the production series. This is because all the crash testing must be completed and passed and filed with governmental authorities well before the car goes on sale. So to get the vehicle certification before production starts, the testing has to be wrapped up and signed off before production models are going down the line. Think about it...if you waited till production started and the car failed in the crash testing program for whatever reason, every car built would be unsaleable. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of cars would have to have been scrapped.

And strictly speaking, production of a mass-produced car usually begins before car XXXXX000001 rolls off the line. It's called pilot production, with most manufacturers building from tens to hundreds of pilot cars to get the line workers used to working on the new model, find assembly niggles that cannot be simulated without actually building the car in a production environment and generally making sure the start-up goes well. Or at least not too badly. There are tens of thousands of parts in a car (many if not most coming from outside companies), so orchestrating bringing a new car online is a very, very, very tricky exercise. Not to mention time-consuming. Pilot production is usually phased in over a period of time, with earliest pilot build starting sometimes a year ahead of the car's launch or official 'Job One' mass production, though usually begins three to five months ahead.

Japanese press launches are considerably different to those for the Western press, with the launch taking place one or two weeks ahead of the car's on-sale date. Production cars are used for those launches, normally pulled off the line about two weeks prior to the introduction so 1200 or so kilometres can be put on the clock. Since production for the Japanese market usually starts from five to nine weeks ahead of the car's launch (to ensure sufficient deliveries are on-hand for dealers), press cars for Japan are normally well into the build sequence, not earliest production. Mazda, like other Japanese companies, wholesales ex-press cars (I think there were 8 to 12 cars for the initial press launch) to the dealer network, enabling them to have low mileage used ones in place within 90 days of launch. In the case of the Eunos Roadster, those early used ones (bought by dealers at a hefty discount) were going for as much as a new car. The dealers loved it.

Also please bear in mind that Eunos Roadster production started well after Miata production did, since the Eunos introduction date was after the Miatas (Miata official launch was 4 July, 1989 while the Eunos was officially introduced in September of the year). But in the case of the Eunos, cars didn't have to be shipped 12,000km away for introduction but were just loaded onto car carriers or coastal freighters for (at most) a four day trip.

bwob

Stop me if you've heard this one, but...

My car is a 93 B Pkg. Randomly, I lose power to my windshield wipers, power windows, and blower motor at the same time. The strange part is that if I restart the car, they work again.

David Ruppell, Pirmasens Germany

Sounds like an electrical fault to me. Now if it were my car and I happened to live in a place as prone to inclement weather as Germany, I'd be getting it to a mechanic well-versed in things electrical with no lack of speed. Of course, I could try to fix it myself, but I've got this really odd rule of thumb which says if I cannot even diagnose a problem by myself, I certainly don't have the ability to fix it. After applying that guideline, I've found I've saved a ton of money, since I don't go off on fishing expeditions, screwing things up which aren't broken, and generally making things difficult for the pro who could have fixed the problem in ten minutes if I had taken it in straight away.

If you had severe difficulty breathing that would come and go, would you see if you could find a diagnosis via e-mail and (effectively) delay seeing a doctor? I know I sure as Hell wouldn't, but then we all have choices.

Inasmuch as you're trolling for a diagnosis from a guy who's more than 16,500km away (and cannot even lay his hands on the car, let alone run a circuit checker on it) it might be time to take the car to someone who can actually get their hands on it to give a far more exact idea as to what's wrong and what it will take to fix it.

bwob

Limited edition? Special edition? Or what?

I recently purchased a '92 Black Miata with tan top, tan leather interior. I have seen a few pics on the internet of this same car and understand that it was a special edition for that year. My question is should there be a Mazda emblem on the nose of the car between the two parking lights? Some have and some don't.

James Ball, San Antonio/TX/USA

There's a great deal of confusion regarding the Brilliant Black 1992 Miatas. Strictly speaking, they were not special editions in the United States. The black paint was open availability (meaning that volume was effectively limited purely by demand) however package B and the tan leather were de facto mandatory options if you wanted black paint. Additionally, there was a 'C' option package that, in 1992 at any rate, was offered solely on black Miatas. When 1993 rolled around, package C lost some items (BBS wheels , cruise control, headrest speakers, Nardi wood shift knob and handbrake handle, stainless steel door sill scuff plates and a power aerial), becoming effectively the tan leather interior and tan top offered on any 1993 Miata except Mariner Blue. As a result, in 1993 you could duplicate a black/tan 1992 Miata package B merely from the option list. The items deleted from 1992's C package were incorporated into 1993's one-year special edition, 1500 US-bound units of a black car with red leather interior.

Miatas didn't start getting a badge on the nose till the 1993 model year started. While there are pre-1993 Miatas with one for or another of a Mazda badge at the centre of the front fascia, such adornments were done my owners, not at the factory. Cars before 1993 had a 'Mazda' corporate tape logo on the driver's side of the fascia, at bumper striker level, at least as they were delivered from the plant. I hope that all clears things up. If only a little.

bwob

BANG, you're dead!

I have a 92' Miata set up for autocross. My airbag light is flashing four times. I understand that is a problem with my model. I read in a Miata performance handbook, authored by Norman H Garrett that I could jump the two airbag wires together under the steering column. My airbag is still in place. Does that quick fix apply to my problem too? If not, do you have any suggestions.

Michael, Richmond, VA

Well, first off I cannot answer for something Norman wrote, especially as he was/is more aware of specific context he meant his comments were to be taken in.

I also consider the airbag system off-limits as regards DIY fixes. The airbag is a pyrotechnic device, sort of like a 20mm cannon shell. To me, jumping the electrical connections of the airbag system is like having no idea of how to defuse a bomb and begin by just crossing wires till something happens. My rule of thumb with airbag-related problems is to take it to someone who knows what they're doing with an airbag and knows how to safely deal with the things. If you are dead set on doing it yourself (and disregarding my reservations based on the danger aspects of the airbag, my personal rule of thumb with my own Miata problems is that if I cannot diagnose the problem myself, I cannot safely or properly fix it) good luck.

bwob

Bob Asks!

I'm planning on buying my first Miata this Spring. I'm debating between the limited edition and the basic 5 speed. Any ideas on how to get the best deal or on which to purchase in order to hold the price for possible resale? They have a 2000 orange they can't move, but I haven't seen the new teal yet. Any thoughts?? Thank you!

Sheldon Taylor, LaCrosse, Wi. USA

First and foremost, don't make a decision without driving both cars. If possible with your wife/partner/friend/sister/maiden aunt/7th grade algebra teacher along and without a sales representative. Most good dealers will allow this after a drive with a salesperson and when you sign a loan form.

I should warn you that I am not the person to talk to about resale. I've got this really weird idea that if I like a car enough to go out and buy it, I will buy something I can live for a long, long time. I'm also not rich enough to buy a car with the intention of selling it. It's not a requirement for me to be seen in the latest and greatest. In that regard the mandate is for me to be seen in what I like.

My selfishness knows no bounds, since the car buying process I am involved in is solely focused on getting something I will enjoy driving. For a long, long time. Once I got through puberty, most of the cars I owned I kept for eight to twelve years. At the end of that time (and with a few hundred thousand miles on the clock) resale value differences are pretty insignificant. If I like it and it does what I want - to Hell with anyone else - I will buy it. In fact I'm famous on four continents for not listening to the opinions of others when it comes to buying things for myself. I am probably the sort of owner which car companies hate, buying once a decade or thereabouts.

As regards getting the best deal, step one - as well as steps two through twelve - in that process is to shop around (visit a ton of dealers if at all possible) and if don't be afraid to play one off against the other. Although I will buy from anyplace the price is right and I can get what I want, not what the salesman wants to sell me, I am very, very picky when it comes to service. You don't need to take your car to the same dealer you bought it from for service, though while the car is under warranty it is essential that the service recommendations in the service handbook be adhered to. I tend to do that through an authorized dealer to minimize any potential problems and get the most from my warranty. Sure, it might cost more, but considering I'm going to be owning the car for the long haul it's always struck me as a far, far better investment than taking a chance on a zone rep arguing with you over service performed away from an authorized dealer than things would be with the dealer's stamp in the service booklet.

This is also another area where being in a local Miata club chapter has benefits galore. The members usually compare notes and can steer you on to a dealer with an especially good service department. Also in many cases, the local club chapters have been able to extort discounts from Mazda dealers for goods and services and that sure beats a window decal! Especially when you can get the magazine via direct subscription.

So as regards the leftover Evolution Orange now or perhaps Teal later, Ask Bob! will answer your primary query with a question to you. The only one which matters in these circumstances; which one do YOU like?

bwob

Better late with an address than never

I don't want to sound like a complainer, but why was it I never got an answer to my question I sent you on December 10th about the Mazda Protege-based Capri's development in relation to the Mata's? I was under the impression that you answered all the questions we posed. Or you at least tried to. It wasn't even one of the stupid, common sense questions about having a broken Miata and being too thick headed to take it to in to get it fixed, nor did I complain about missing horsepower, my valve tappets burning out all the fuses or the number four thrust bearing.

I know I was asking about the Capri, but don't I deserve an answer? After all. it wasn't like I mentioned the Honda DelSol.

PS I own a 1993 white B-package, not a Capri. My wife owns a 1994 Capri.

Jeff King, Oasis, New Mexico

Sorry Jeff, but I tried to send you one, however your return e-mail address in the original question was incomplete. I cannot answer any questions without a valid e-mail address which I can reply to. First off regardless as to how valid or informative to other Miata.netheads a question might be, we won't run 'em without a return address, even though we don't display the e-mail addresses. There have been one too many ringers (including a particularly attention-starved bloke from somewhere in The Empire State who lobs in tons of ringers (he even has his own 'Ask Bob Morons' inbox here) leaving a number of bogus e-mail addresses. Sorry, but bad eggs like him have caused this to become policy.

We can't run every question but I will try my damnedest to get a reply back, even to pass along the obvious or - frequently - say "I don't know", if only because if I were on the other side I'd sure appreciate a real reply from a person, not a machine. The number of questions lobbed in here can range from 300 to a little under 700 a month, so keeping up with them is not exactly easy. And I am about at the stage I'm going to stop making an effort to resolve improperly entered e-mail addresses which can result in as many as a quarter of all the replies bouncing back under the title of "Returned mail: User unknown".

Regarding your Capri question, here's what I tried to send you on the 13 December last year;
We became aware of the Capri officially when Ford management asked Mazda management if we had a 323-based sporty convertible under study (which we didn't) and if not would we like to join the project they wanted to start. Basically they got a (polite) 'no' to both enquiries and that was that. For a while.

At the time the Ford questions came into Mazda, what was to become the Miata was being developed by what was then Mazda's 'skunk works', Kaihatsu Kenkyu-sho (Technical Research Division), a maverick part of Mazda that outwardly existed to investigate new material and manufacturing technologies. In fact, the group was doing the early hardware development of the V709 (later to become the Miata) in deep secrecy. The people at Shohin Kaihatsu (Product Development Division - the guys doing all of Mazda's production cars) were totally unaware of the vehicle development work being done by Kaihatsu Kenkyu-sho. A fellow who's job was to make sure the product development links with Ford were going fine was really put in the hotseat on this, as the gang at Ford developing the Capri chatted with him and he assured them that Mazda had no small, affordable two-seater in development. And from his side, the company didn't.

A little less than a year later, the Miata was dropped into the Product Development Division as a new production vehicle, and the cat was out of the bag. It appears that Ford's product development people learned of it real shortly (minutes) after the word was out. This poor Mazda staffer caught hell from the Ford guys, but in fact he had no idea what was going on during the 'black' development stage of the Miata. Needless to say, he gave a fair ration to some of the people who had put him in a bad situation (myself included), though I suspect we deserved at least a portion of it.

I have never looked upon the Capri with the disdain some Miata owners do. First off, to me it's not so much a sports car as it is a nice small convertible. In the early 1990s context, kinda like a pleasant ragtop to own instead of a red Nissan Sentra two door. Maybe even 'training wheels' for a future Miata owner. The normally aspirated Capri wasn't a bad little econobox, but the combination of the tuning of the front-drive chassis and reduced levels of structural stiffness (compared to the Miata) conspired to make the turbocharged version of the car pretty poxy. The final (SE30) series of Capri were in fact pretty good little things when allowed to breath at ambient air pressure, but in the end the fact it was given to Mercury to sell as much as the frumpy styling ensured that it would never find a target audience in the 'States. But in my mind the Capri was never a sports car and, as a result, was never a Miata rival. period.

I suspect that the success of the Miata was also a factor with the car. The Capri theoretically had a one year lead on the Miata, but it was tossed into the bin when somebody at ford in the 'States didn't pass the word along to the development team at Ford Australia that airbags would be needed. The car was all wrapped up as regards development and - effectively - put to bed when this problem arose. There was a Herculean effort by the development guys to re-engineer the car for the airbag which delayed the car's launch till after the Miata's appearance. In that time, I strongly suspect that the Mercury people saw the popularity the Miata was having (remember California dealers asking - and getting - $10,000 over sticker), and went tapioca. It appears someone at Mercury - I suspect somebody with a Gran Marquis company car who hadn't driven anything with a clutch pedal in 20 years - decided that the fact the turbocharged Capri XR-2 had more power than the Miata would make it a better sports car, so the model mix was changed from heavily biasing the lower priced base Capri to shift more of the volume to the Miata-priced (but hideous to drive) XR-2 Turbo.

While I'm not going to rush out and buy a used Capri, I'd have one (a non turbo) in my garage long before there'd be a delSol dropping oil dropping oil in there.

bwob

To plate or not to plate...that is the question

I just bought a 96 Miata with no front plates. I am require to have front plates and I'm not sure how to attach one to the front. Can you suggest what I could do? Thank You

John , San Francisco/Ca

Well, the cheap way out involves some double-sided foam tape. Of course you always could live dangerously and go to a Mazda dealer's parts department to order a front license plate mount along with the hardware to mount it and the plate.

For what it's worth, the last car I owned when I lived in California (which was from 1953 through 1993) with a front license plate was the 1978 Isuzu Gemini I had from 1978 till 1990, and the plate was only on the car till mid-1981. After I put my alloys on my Miatas, the next thing I did was remove the front license plate and store it in the trunk. Only twice (once on Mullholland Drive at in 1972 at about 1.00AM in my Renault 8 Gordini and once in my Yellow Miata in 1992) did I get an equipment violation for no front plate. In both cases they were 'attitude adjustment' tickets which I well-and-truly deserved. However, as equipment violations neither carried any points, merely requiring me to put the plate back on and visit a local CHP substation to get the thing signed off by a (normally) cool CHP officer. The last I heard is that there's now a $25.00 fee involved, but still no points and no permanent record.

Even now I'd much rather pay a $25.00 fee than have some low-grade, mouth-breathing moron in an SUV back into me when they're using the touch parking method, pushing the mounting bolts for the plate through the front bumper fascia.

bwob

Chill out!

Do you know of any recalls in regards to the '98-'01 Miata? I purchased my '01 about 3 weeks ago, but noticed it had trouble starting it the mornings or when the engine was cold...what I mean is that it DOES start every time, but sometimes there's that initial delay you experience, like with older vehicles in the winter. Is this one of the reasons why Mazda has offered the engine block heater as an accessory?

John Touleng Vang, Bakersfield, CA

No, but living in Australia my access to US recall information is limited. Not to mention of little use in my work here. Perhaps strangely, I usually spend my free time on other things than collecting product recall information. I love cars, Miatas especially, but I love my family and time with them more.

There is an FAQ question at Miata.net with links to possible sources of information or recalls, potential recalls, secret warranty programs and even service bulletins. That's probably worth a look if you're concerned.

Just about every car manufacturer offers a block heater, as the northern tier of the United States as well as 99.9 percent of Canada need the things to keep the coolant from freezing in ongoing sub-zero temperatures. Visit a Canadian shopping center and take a notice of the power outlets in parking areas and you'll understand that the requirement is as pervasive as having automotive emission control gear has been in California since 1963. Only it's been chilly in Canada a lot longer.

bwob

Am I blue?

I remember I almost bought a 90' white Miata. But 3 months later I ended up buying a 90' Mariner Blue Miata. What are the advantages the blue has over the white one..

Dustin, IL

In spite of all the propaganda generated by the red brigade, blue is faster. White is the easiest color to keep clean (translation: "you can let your white car go longer between washes"), though scientific research has proven that Miata owners tend to wash and wax their cars 4.9 times more often than Z3 owners and 11.3 times more often than Honda DelSol owners, so that really shouldn't matter much.

And don't forget that God drives a Mariner Blue Miata. It's her favorite color.

bwob

...and then you might want to add 3D glasses to those headphones.

Are ear phones a risky embellishment to an AE10's stereo system? What about the noise-counteracting ear phones? Would they keep me from hearing traffic noises I should hear? With the top down and a speed greater than 40 mph, my high-priced stereo is about as audible as a boom box in the trunk. This is especially annoying because I prefer classical music and thus the actual details of the music--piano, harp, violin, oboe, viola, etc--not just the beat from the rhythm section.

Walter Pagel, Houston, Texas

I have no idea what the laws are in the Lone Star State, but here in Australia (as well as California) wearing a pair of headphones is illegal while driving. One thing in the ear is acceptable, but two will get you a ticket with astounding speed.

Disregarding any legal aspects, my version of common sense tells me it's about as safe as wearing sunglasses at 11:00 PM while driving with only your parking lights on. And no, I am not talking about Anchorage on 21 June.

Of course I've got this really weird idea that cars are for driving, not a form of self-propelled concert hall.

bwob