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Is it worth it?

3K views 32 replies 15 participants last post by  shame126 
#1 ·
I am thinking of getting another maita.I was looking toward an nb this time. I saw that there is a 10th anniversary edition. I what to know if it is really worth it or should I save my money and get a normal nb. I kow that the anniversary has factory 6 speed and torsen and a. Ice suspension. Along with abs power windows, power door locks, and a nice interior. All of which my current na does not have.
 
#4 ·
If is within a $1,000 of NBs of the same year with similar mileage, yeah sure I'd get it.

It will hold value better as long as you dont rape the car. It will also be worth more in a part out if you ever needed to. The 6spd, 10ae carpet, 10ae seats, 99 engine, and 3.9 torsen all fetch more in the used parts market than their other options. Other than a mazdaspeed, it is basically what I would call the best starting point for a turbo miata, ofcourse with the addition of a 3.6 r&p.
 
#11 ·
10 ae are really nice, But I would still prefer an MSM. I rode in a 10ae at the gap with roll bar, 15x9 6uls, and rs-3s stock and a 202 hp MSM... The ride in the ae was really nice very solid and it stuck to the road amazingly well. The MSM was just scarey fast! It was on star specs so it stuck to the road as well. Starting with a turbo car is a better starting point imho. Besides aren't the internals different... Like the MSM is built to handle boost as opposed to the regular nb or 10ae? not thread jacking, it's along the conersation :)
 
#12 ·
Well if it is worth it then let me ask a few questions. ow much should i expect to pay for one assuming it was in nice condition with the original certificate saying it was a 10ae. How much price difference would there be between it and a msm.
 
#13 ·
Well this is the dilemma i am facing so it is easier to understand. I have a 92 NA. Love the car and will never get rid of it. I was going to install fm stage 2 vmaxx suspension. Fm frame rails. oem 15 bbs rims, Boss frog double hoop roll bar, boss frog frog arms, get ac fixed, fix the throw out bearing i think. install the sport package brakes, maybe install torsen limited slip diff and then when it was all done paint it because the paint if falling off literally. I realized this is really adding up and was thinking of getting a 10 anniversary. The 10 AE has power steering, power windows, power door locks, and a 6 speed. All of which i do not have. So that is my dilema here. If i get the 10 ae. I will still get the car painted nice to look like it did when it came out of the factory and then i will have a nice 10 ae and a nice 92. What do you guys think
 
#15 ·
As in get the 10th anniversary, get the mazda speed or save some of my money and get a normal nb. I am leaning toward the 10th anniversary, but also the normal nb.
 
#17 ·
Is the MSM even in the question?

Go with the 10AE. If you want to go turbo, then weigh the costs in each hand. One hand you will have a car you have to put an entire turbo kit and engine management on. The other hand is the cost of the MSM and engine management only to have the same power (up to about 250hp). If you can find a MSM and a ecu for cheaper than buying a kit and putting on the 10AE, well then you have your answer.
 
#18 ·
I ended up getting a MSM. I love it for a stock car, but with me being in college and money is always tight, upgrades are in the future. I couldn't find 10AE with low miles, everything was 150,000+ and I wanted a Turbo. By the time I spent the money and hours to have the motor refreshed and then a kit, fuel, management, I was running a few thousand off. I found a 16,500 mile MSM and well, I ended up with that. I willing to pay a couple extra thousand for a low milage car. I think of it as a starting point for a car with a turbo.

Car + T Kit + Fuel + Mang + eng refresh = Price

7000 + 4000 + 300 + 2000 + 800 = 14,100 est.

Plus add ons like the MSM bumber and rims and stuff. I was better off buying a MSM and I get to play around with a basic turbo. I didn;t have the time right now to refresh the motor and put a turbo in it. In the long run, I will spend more money when I do the turbo upgrade to go past 250HP but for right now, I am more happy with it than anything else. I like the factory rims and I like the Velocity Red. I like everything about a MSM and well, that is the route I took.

I still want to buy a 3.6 r&p though. I don't think the 4.1 with a 6-speed was the right choice Mazda made but o'well.
 
#19 ·
There is a big price gap between a MSM and a 10AE at least around here in GA. you can pick up nice AE for like $6k-$7k and MSM for closer to $10k-$12k. I have driven both cars and if I had to pick one I would go for the MSM. I love my 10AE but I like the MSM body kit more, part of the reason I have a MSM rear spoiler on my car. Also with the power goals I would have I could easily achieve them in a MSM with a few modifications. You really need to drive both cars and sit down and figure out what you want to do with them in the future.
 
#20 ·
But in the same sense, if you are looking for a Miata, and you don't really want a turbo, for an extra 1000-1500, I say go with a 10AE. I love the 6-speed and you will like it in the long run. I like having that extra gear. I feels more fun that way.
 
#23 ·
I gotta be honest here... If i were to do this again, i would NOT buy an MSM. The gearing is downright hideous for boost, and the 6spd doesn't seem to shift as nice as the 5spds. I don't find its advantages to be worth the money.

Suspension and bracing is easy to add. Exterior styling is easy to add.

I'd buy an early Touring/base car, or a Sport.
 
#24 ·
The gearing is easy to change if you do not like it and IMO the 6speed shifts as good as the 5 speeds assuming both are in good running order. The 6 speeds are picky about what kind of fluid they want in them and I have heard problems with un smooth shifting when using cheap fluids.

Really it just depends on each person all of that was much my opinion. Which is why you should drive both of them and not just for a 5 minute test drive. Any good used car dealer will let you drive the cars around for a while if they think your serious about buying it.
 
#26 ·
I wouldn't bother with 3.63 gears tbh. Fuel mgmt that can raise redline to 7200rpm would go a long way in improving the gearing. Reason I'd prefer that over 3.6 gears is first the install, its not diy, and you will end up paying $600+. Add on price of the gears themselves (went up in price not too long ago), and you're looking at over $1k for a more usable 1st and 2nd, and your acceleration will be hurt. Depending on who you ask, you need anywhere from 200whp to 250whp for the acceleration to make use of the 3.63s. 200whp you can reach cheaply, 250whp will cost you about 3x more. One more thing, the 3.63 gears aren't strengthened like the stock gears, so they aren't as durable.
 
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