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Overprice Miatas?!?!?!

21K views 196 replies 120 participants last post by  '91Radio Flyer 
#1 ·
is it just my area that every NA miata is over priced to the max? Im talking about stock ones on craigslist and autotrader and such, some even on other miata forums. Most high mileage 1990-1993 miatas (150k+ miles) are in the 3000-4000 range when they bluebook for <2000. The owners wont budge on price either. Im in the market to buy a miata for a project but geez! i have yet to find one in decent enough condition to pay 3500 for an NA around here. Its starting to drive me crazy
 
#4 ·
its almost making me rethink buying one. And im talking about individual sellers, not stealerships, thats even worse. Most of the time they need paint, slight rust, small oil leak, interior shot, etc from being used 20 years and people wont budge on the price. I have been trying to buy one between kbb retail and kbb private party value but thats impossible. It seems like a better deal to buy a NB then a NA. but i need a NA due to the fact north carolina has emissions
 
#27 ·
It seems like a better deal to buy a NB then a NA. but i need a NA due to the fact north carolina has emissions
It's not as if you have to worry about having to pass a tail pipe sniff test. Just a quick OBD II systems check. Though I understand if you want something that only requires the cheaper visual inspection. Which still limits you to '95 and older NAs.

And hey, if you're really worried about the inspection, just buy something 35 years or older. No inspection what so ever.
 
#6 ·
Seems like prices have gone up around 800-1k as of recently (atleast here in Vegas/Cali). I picked mine up last year for 2700 with 111k on it but I think I may have gotten lucky. Speaking of overpriced Miatas, here's one in Las Vegas:

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/cto/2927796600.html

Baller paint job on it lol
 
#13 ·
Sadly enough these occasionally low mileage Miatas have probably begun to rot away merely by sitting so much without use and getting up to temp. Belts, hoses, gaskets.. yeah probably a good idea to change them DO'h.
 
#12 ·
That's so true I bought mine almost 3 years ago for 2 grand it would probably cost me double that now but than agian I just bought a NB1 in febuary for 3600 and it was in great condition. So there's a couple of deals out there you just have to wait and keep looking. Good luck and don't give up
 
#14 ·
I blame all the wanna-be drifters who wrecked every 240sx in America for the sudden influx of Miata ownership. I bought my NB for half what I could sell it for today, and I'm not talking about listing it and waiting a few weeks for the right buyer, I'm talking listing it for exactly double what I paid and it would be gone within the hour.
 
#23 ·
#24 ·
i got my 93 miata with 100k on it in a straight trade for a 01 ford expedition with 155k & a CEL on. Can't even tell you how happy I was to get rid of that thing. almost $100 for a tank of gas? **** that.

the miata i got was owned by some hispanic dude in West Palm Beach, FL...and it was thoroughly riced out, red wheels, custom strobe lights, cut springs and ZOOM ZOOM in big red letters across the windshield.

honestly one of the only things I kept on the car since I got it was the white soft top.

I doubt I'll ever leave the miata scene now that I own one.
 
#25 ·
kbb, nada, edmunds, i feel like no one really cares about those guides as much anymore....i have been searching for a NA and across the board kbb and nada have been showing about 1-3.5k 97's go for a bit higher, but jesus i see people in my area selling 97's with close to 200k miles for almost 6k....wtf.... oh and not to mention some NA's that have lots of problems for 3-4k. (problems such as: torn soft top, power windows not being able to close fully due to blown motors, dents in fenders (not just small ones, actual oh crap accident dents, etc...)
 
#28 ·
4 hours south of your area is http://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/2931259065.html and although he didn't include pictures he did include the tidbit that the top needs new paint. The fact that hard tops typically fetch $1000 +/- 20%, this could be the deal you're looking for.

Just a tip... pick cheap states around you when you search. Oklahoma typically has cars for less than Texas, South Carolina is cheaper than North Carolina, et al.
 
#29 ·
thanks for the link, i found one in northern VA, 193k miles, soft top, 1993, has steel wheels but the paint looks really good in the pictures as well as the top. its at a small dealership and they are asking 2250. Im wondering how low i can talk them down. Im willing to pay the 2250 for it however. Im basically looking for one with paint that looks good from 30 feet away that runs fine. I will dump it, add wheels and drive it till the motor goes and 1.8l swap then turbo.

And the reason i wanna go with a '95 or earlier JamieH is due to the fact that sometime in the future i wanna turbo the car.
 
#44 ·
And the reason i wanna go with a '95 or earlier JamieH is due to the fact that sometime in the future i wanna turbo the car.
Understandable, though it's not difficult to get a OBD II non-stock boosted car to pass the inspection.

But yeah, look up and above NC for your search. I ended up getting mine 200 miles away in VA. Did you say how long you've been searching? Took a couple months for me to find the one that met all my criteria.
 
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