Dad is at that point in life, where those things happen, and he wants a Corvette. Since he can't have one, he has been looking at Miatas, and Z3's. My brother wants him to get a Z3, because "Miatas are gay". I want him to get a Miata so I can buy it from him when he gets tired of it. He wants it to drive, and I want it to mod. I don't know anything about Z3's, so I can't tell him about them. Anyone have thoughts on what to say about the Z3?

 

Z3s are gay.

 

What does your brother drive, a 6 cylinder mustang? Anybody who refers to a miata that has had the performance touch from a respectable member of this forum, as gay... either is gay themself, or is actually jealous of the simplified performace you get from owning a miata.
As for your dad, he can easily pick up a decent C5 vette for under $20,000. Perhaps he wants something that stands out, and isn't the normal car, and also something he doesn't need to do more that bolt on a few aftermarket items. Maybe point him in the direction of a mazda speed miata?

 

I think the problem is that he is looking for the $5-8K area. He has had some setbacks with money/health, so the vette isn't gonna happen soon. I would love for him to pick up a vette. He already has a 5.3 truck, so the v-8 is there, and he has had several vettes before.

Brother is a pilot that has killed as many cars as I have owned, He has a 99 Maxima. You have to understand my parents live in Austin, where alot of the aformentioned alternative lifestyle people like to live. I think an NB with rims and a drop would be far from gay, but I think dad is more looking at the NA spectrum.

 

Yeah, you want a MANLY car.
Like a miata

 

mx5 > z3.... I have proof of course time in my area lol!!

 

One of my best friends has a 2.8 Z3 and a Z3 M Coupe. The coupe grips like crazy but can't compare to my miata in any way really. My miata is also quite a bit more reliable.

 

Have him drive both, jeez. Why doesn't he find out what he likes better, since it's his money?

 

Seems there is an LSX swap kit for both cars. hm..

 

Honestly the Z3 is a terrible driver. I have good experience in a 01 2.8, and it just doesn't even feel like a BMW.

MX-5 is an obvious choice to me.

 

Hmmm... he's got $8k to spend on a car and he's set on a roadster?

For the NA route, start scouring your local area for a 94-95 low mileage enthusiast's car. The local Miata clubs are a good place, should be able to find one with under 100k no problem in the $4-$5k range that's damn near perfect and has a few choice mods already, like tires/wheels/rollbar/basic suspension. Torsen is mandatory.

Buy the car, go through it and perform any regular maint it hasn't had (but if you buy correctly, it will be well-maintained). A full round of synthetic fluids, new radiator (if still on the original plastic-end-cap'd one) new motor mounts, new fuel filter, spark plugs, wires, Seafoam treatment, etc... Should still have in the $3k range for mods.

'99head w/exhintake swap and adjustable cam-gears ($500-$800) should get you up in the 125-130whp range. A local shop can fab you up a decent 2.25" catless exhaust for cheap... and you should still have $2k leftover.

With an $8k budget and still needing a car, I'd leave a turbo off the menu unless he knew exactly what he was doing and didn't mind that it was a "project" car. I place a good deal of value in starting out with a quailty platfrom on which to build. Other's might say buy the most horrible piece of **** you can find for cheap, and throw everything at speed. Lots of options here.

 

Honestly, if just looking to cruise around, I'd rather have the Z3. There's something about a straight 6 that a 4-cylinder just can't match. Then again, if looking to drive hard, race, modify, tweak or, well, do anything but just cruise around, the Miata is the better choice. But let's be honest, 99% of the driving population just wants to cruise around.

 

I drove both cars when I was a tire monkey. My impression:

1. Z3 - sampled the 4 and 6 cylinder versions, neither drove very well IMO, and for a 6 there wasn't much power there. Besides, how the Z3 escaped the gay stigma the Miata got is beyond me. One James Bond film and suddenly the cutesy light-blue Bimmer is a butch vehicle? w/e

2. Miata - Lady brought in a silver '90 with a few problems. Time came to move it into the shop overnight and I took the long way to the bays. Handling was crisp, throttle input was immediate, everything was great. I ended up buying one the next week (my '93 that I have now) and selling my mint condition CRX Si.

 

The Z3 is garbage. I think its ugly and have heard plenty about its lack of performance. That's like the people that drive del sols and would call a miata gay.

 

What about maintenance costs?

I found a non-running Z3 around the corner and lusted after it for a while (before I got second go round with the family Miata). My mechanic uncle told me to stay away from it. This may have been based on his perception of me as a poor college student, but he told me I wouldn't be able to afford getting it on the road or keeping it there.

A Miata on the other hand is a known quantity in the dependability and upkeep departments.

I was sad to see that Z3 go...but then glad I never got it when I got the Miata back a year later. I hate those tempting dusty sports cars you see under someone else's carport.

 

My buddy let me drive his 2000 M Coupe with r-compounds at the autocross and I nearly had FTD on my second try. But it had less interior room than my Miata. And a smaller trunk. And he had recently changed the right side lower ball joint, for $800! It comes pressed into the whole lower control arm. How much for one on a Miata? And how often do people have to change them on Miatas? And in the BMW the CEL was always on. Owner cited electrical gremlins as the problem.

And the "M" is far from the standard car's performance. Standard models are weak. Those cars are heavy and complex.

If money is a bit of a problem, you want the Miata for reliability and cost to own. I imagine that your dad is beyond having to justify his sexuality to anyone and just wants to enjoy the ride. I wouldn't go screwing with his suspension. Old guys don't usually dig kidney rattling rides. That's why Buicks and Cadillacs still sell well with them.

Get the Miata, turn the key, and drive.

 

the new M coupe is bad *** but i would never want to own one, z3 is teh gayer then a fagata.
step 1 get NB
step 2 ????
step 3 profit

 

GET THE Z3...
if you want to understeer into curbs.

 

I sayz getz miataz.... I have no respect whatsoever for Z3.

 

I'd much rather have a 6-8K Miata than a similarly priced Z3. You can get a low mileage 99-2001 Miata for that. You'll only find older high mileage z's for that same money.