Positive Review
I've owned mine for 14 years. Purchased with 55K miles on it. As far as all the high maintenance stories you hear, it really depends on how it is cared for. Two things must be done if it is absolutely stock. First, remove the primary catalytic converter and replace it with a downpipe - otherwise it will kill the engine. Second, you must get a boost gauge. Mazda did not include one and without it, you cannot tell if the turbos are over boosting or not. After 20K miles of owning mine, it started overboosting - I immediately detuned the engine (turned the boost almost off) until I could figure out why and fix it. Turned out to be vacuum hoses that went bad and started to leak. One week later it was back on the road and solid. That was about 9 years so, all else has been everyday maintenance. If you plan to drastically increase the horsepower - which is easy to do - the engine won't last long. But relatively stock it is not much more trouble than any other performance car.
Critical Review
Apex seals.. Catalytic converters will fail eventually due to ethanol in the fuel..Fuel consumption is very high.. Endless money pit
Showing 8 of 60 reviews.
Apex seals.. Catalytic converters will fail eventually due to ethanol in the fuel..Fuel consumption is very high.. Endless money pit
very fast and fun to drive
not many mechanics who can work on the turbos.
The sequential turbos on this car make it perform like a high output V8. Since the car only weighs about 2800 lbs, acceleration, handling and stopping are like a car costing much more. I added some aftermarket modifications that increased the performance even more. The Bose stereo is first rate and the leather interior and placement of the gages and controls make the car user-friendly. The only disadvantage is that the car is so fast it is easy to exceed the posted speed limit, so keep an eye out for cops and radar speed traps. The value of the cars has recently gone way up, since there are not a lot of them in good condition still on the road.
It just is
Way too much fun.
Try finding a worthy mechanic.
I went to the Mazda dealer to look at the Miata in 1994. I never even sat in one. I made the mistake of trying out the Rx7 first and ended up driving it off the lot. I have owned or driven just about every sportster made and in all honesty, this was the funnest car of them all. EVERYBODY looks at it, trying to figure out what it is. Driving up a freeway on-ramp was like taking off in a rocket ship. The nose drops down and out of sight at high speeds, making the pavement all you see from the windshield forward. I blew doors off Porsches and Corvettes regularly. That little baby scared me sometimes. Mine was white, which is rare. I wish I still had it.
It has no cup holder and you need both hands to dr
I've owned many sports cars in my life from Dodge Chargers to Corvettes and nothing I have driven or owned comes close to this machine. The design is like nothing else except the many car manufacturers that have stolen styles from this car. They have never equaled the look I might add. This car with minimal modification goes from 210 hp to 295 hp at the wheels on a car weighing in at 2900 lbs max. The sequential turbos perform flawlessly and the brakes are the best. The seats though made for a smaller person are the most comfortable I have had the pleasure to sit in. The handling for a mid nineties sports car is years ahead of its time as the styling inside and out. it's really unique and just plain beautiful. There are only a handful of these cars with under 20K miles left and I am lucky as heck to own a pristine example that is literally perfect. So if you ever find one of these cars with low miles, you need to have a look and a test drive. You'll be blown away.
amazing telepathic driving machine
lots of nits, rough ride on CA bad streets.
Owned since new. Amazing car. Fun to drive. Even more fun to drive on the track. For people who want a true sports car, it is amazing
The big three, looks, power, and handling.
Kids always want to race me.
I've owned mine for 14 years. Purchased with 55K miles on it. As far as all the high maintenance stories you hear, it really depends on how it is cared for. Two things must be done if it is absolutely stock. First, remove the primary catalytic converter and replace it with a downpipe - otherwise it will kill the engine. Second, you must get a boost gauge. Mazda did not include one and without it, you cannot tell if the turbos are over boosting or not. After 20K miles of owning mine, it started overboosting - I immediately detuned the engine (turned the boost almost off) until I could figure out why and fix it. Turned out to be vacuum hoses that went bad and started to leak. One week later it was back on the road and solid. That was about 9 years so, all else has been everyday maintenance. If you plan to drastically increase the horsepower - which is easy to do - the engine won't last long. But relatively stock it is not much more trouble than any other performance car.
every single thing about it
nothing
i love this car to death it is the greatest car i have ever driven