Talk:Mazda MX-5/Archive 1


 * The following discussion is an archived debate of the . Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section. 

move. &mdash; Nightst a  llion  (?) 20:51, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

Requested move

I think the title should be Mx-5 since that name is used in all markets except Japan (where it's just the Mazda Roadster now AFAIK). Mazda seems to also have a policy of playing down the Miata name in North America (to better connect it to the Rx-8 and any future Mx cars I would guess), where it's sold as the "Mx-5 Miata".
 * TBH The whole territory issue needs discussing as most of the detail in the page is US-centric. Regards name I'm not so sure - I don't think people outside the US would object to a redirect but if the name is changing in the US too ... Ian
 * A redirect to MX-5 gets my vote. Stombs 09:58, Jan 9, 2005 (UTC)
 * Seeing as the NC is now officially just the MX-5, I second that. Ayocee 05:58, 13 October 2005 (UTC)
 * I also vote to redirect to MX-5. I am an American NB owner and my car is badged MX-5 Miata. AKADriver 00:23, 1 March 2006 (UTC)
 * I'd agree as long as a redirect was kept for the Miata like there is for Eunos Roadster. Galant14b 00:18, 6 March 2006 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

Miata is not the highest selling sports car
In 1990 Nissans Z-car broke the 1 million mark and has since sold many more. Nissans Z car has been the highest selling sports car in history since 1990.


 * Do you have a source for that? The item you removed was properly cited... &mdash; AKADriver &#x260E; 11:58, 12 June 2007 (UTC)

There are plenty of sources on the internet, just search. Heres a Japanese clipping of the total Z car sales That is 1.4million before the 350Z was even released as this clipping ends with the year 2000.


 * So somehow the Guinness fact-checkers missed this when they gave it the record at 600k in 2002? I'm far more inclined to classify the Z as a GT car and not as a sports car, at least not in the same sense as the Miata. Ayocee 18:21, 12 June 2007 (UTC)

While the Miata may be a more pure sports car the Z car is still a sports car. You can search the internet and find a number of sources all claiming the Z car as the best selling sports car of all time. Really only the 300ZX was a GT car as the 240-280Zs and the 350Z are more pure sports cars...


 * Wikipedia's own articles peg the S130 and Z31/Z32 cars as Sports Cars / GT cars. Sure, there's more Z's than Miatas, but with the publicity given to Mazda and Guinness' claim that the Miata is the record-holder, what source is there that actually calls the Z the "best selling sports car"?  One would think Nissan would want a piece of that action.  Ayocee 21:55, 13 June 2007 (UTC)


 * How much of a developmental connection is there between generations of Z car, though? If you look at the two cars most cited as the most sold, the Beetle and the Corolla, even though they were completely different cars at the start and end of their life cycles, there was always at least some overlap in between any two adjacent generations.  That's definitely true of the NA and NB Miatas (not sure how much that holds true with the NC), and while it's definitely true of the first 2 generations of Z car, and at least to SOME extent the third (and I'm not sure about the fourth)...how much does the 350Z have in common with the Z32?
 * What I'm asking is...where do you stop counting Fairladies?Andy Christ (talk) 05:55, 15 February 2008 (UTC)

The 911 and Corvette have also outsold the Miata. The 911 did it with one generation. I believe the record was actually something to the effect of best selling open top sports car or some other such phrasing indicating a roadster, not car available in closed top configurations. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.59.71.23 (talk) 16:56, 26 March 2008 (UTC)


 * This makes sense though it would probably be wise to find the original source pegging the Miata as the best-selling sports car and see exactly what criteria they used so it can be noted. I wonder if the retractable hardtop and rumored fixed hardtop NC will have any effect there, and I'm at least somewhat curious as to what the Boxster's sales numbers are like since that's the only other modern ragtop-only car I can think of off hand. Ayocee (talk) 20:35, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

Here we go: It was The little Mazda then entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s top selling, lightweight, open-top, two-seat sports car (beating, we suspect, the MGB) when production clicked over to unit number 531,890 in May 2000.  At the time the record was set at 531,890 I suspect a number of sports cars were produced in higher numbers. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.209.216.200 (talk) 05:45, 5 April 2008 (UTC)

Is it a sports car?
Please vote (with a one-line answer, indented) on the following question:

Is this vehicle a sports car? --SFoskett 13:22, Oct 9, 2004 (UTC)
 * 1) Yes
 * 2) No - it's just a sporty roadster
 * 3) No - its a Small Roadster


 * It's a sports car. It's basically a modern MG, and if classic British sports cars are sports cars, so is this. &mdash;Morven 18:38, Oct 9, 2004 (UTC)
 * Yes. SamH 17:07, 10 Oct 2004 (UTC)
 * Yes. Pmeisel 22:26, 2 Jan 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes, for Morven's reason. Stombs 09:57, Jan 9, 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes. TimothyPilgrim 05:12, Mar 8, 2005 (UTC)
 * Of course its a sports car [jambo]
 * What is the point of this? Of course it is a sports car! A roadster is by definition a small open-top sports car. --213.202.140.203 19:27, 30 July 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes.--David R. Ingham 17:38, 11 August 2005 (UTC)
 * YES! It's the epitome of a sports car! Lightweight, FR, and 2-seats. --IvanYQu 04:52, 11 December 2005 (UTC)
 * Yes. It's general consensus that the Miata is a Sports Car.  The Guinness Book of World Records have named it the "Best Selling Sports Car of All Time" (http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=80631).

Autocar quote
On page 66 of the 5th October 2004 issue of Autocar magazine they say:


 * "The Mazda MX-5 is one of the purest sportscars ever devised..."

I'm not suggesting this is necessarily more valid than anyone else's opinion, I just think it's interesting. SamH 12:32, 10 Oct 2004 (UTC)

New Miata
is it just me or does the newest miata look horrible? i was pretty disappointed with mazda when i saw the pics of the new roadster. I think mazda has gone overboard with the whole rx-8 styling and should've kept the looks of the 2nd gen. -k.chao

Photos
Does anyone have any proper, BETTER photos for the NA and NB? The two we have now are crap - the NA is a flat-out low quality photo of a modified car (hardly representative of the NA...I vote for either a bone-stock Classic Red or a bone-stock '95 M-Edition as the photo for the NA). The NB is a better photo, but it's a car on snow wheels with a front plate...even a Mazdaspeed would be more fitting, though a LS would probably be the best representative. Ayocee 05:58, 13 October 2005 (UTC)

I have better photos of the Mark 2.5 - see Mark 2.5 Front Mark 2.5 Rear Hope this helps,(these are my photos, so feel free to use them)--GazzaK 09:51, 5 January 2006 (UTC)

Uploaded a picture of my 91 BRG NA. Clean, stock looking car. Galant14b


 * Thanks for the updated photos across the board, much better :) Ayocee 18:13, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

Defamation of the Page
Some jackass came through and made a bunch of homosexual references to the car including "the Gay wagon"??? I'm going through the page, but if anybody who has the time could double check and make sure I didn't miss anything.
 * I'm sure that this problem has bee resolved but in the future why not just roll back to the version before the guy vandalised the page? It'll save you alot of time. TheEnlightened 18:13, 9 July 2006 (UTC)
 * Ah, well, I didn't know how to do that way back then.71.235.66.254 23:25, 24 August 2006 (UTC)

As a hetrosexual man who has had a Miata since buying it new in 91, I think that this does belong here. I have heard that it is a "gay car" so many times since I bought it that I am inclined to point out that I am not gay to people when they see me in it for the first time. I have dated some women who have worried that I was trying to "pass" but that the car gave me away. While it is a great car it does carry some cultural baggage. comment added by 75.191.157.40 (talk) 02:00, 12 February 2008 (UTC)

Cleanup tag
A cleanup tag was put on the article on August 17, 2006. It was put there by IP address 192.195.49.10, who did not a) give any reasons on the edit summary, nor b) start a discussion on this Talk page, nor c) leave a comment on the Cleanup page. Therefore, I am removing the cleanup tag. If anyone feels the article does indeed need a cleanup, please reinstate the tag but please give your reasons. --maf (17 August 2006)


 * I agree that article needs a cleanup. It is supposed to be an encylopedia entry.  It is beginning to read like a collection of random facts.  A featured article about a car is Ford Mustang.  A cleanup that makes the article read more like that one would be desirable.203.129.41.222 12:39, 17 August 2006 (UTC)


 * I wonder if there should be a separate article dealing with colours and special editions. A reader with a general interest in the topic probably doesn't need the level of detail currently provided on these topics.192.195.49.10 00:10, 18 August 2006 (UTC)
 * I second this proposal. And I volunteer to do it. --maf 09:41, 18 August 2006 (UTC)
 * OK, I've done it. Next, I will move the 10AM entry to a new article.


 * I've followed today's example from user 203.129.43.176 and went through the whole text, putting it in narrative form and removing all bullets throughout. The Ford Mustang article was really useful and I have to admit I am very happy with my own work. Aside from some more content that could go into the NC section, I think this article is pretty much in the bag now. What do you guys think? --maf 03:31, 27 August 2006 (UTC)
 * Just found about the peerreview procedure. Going to create one. Place your comments in there. Thank you. --maf 17:03, 27 August 2006 (UTC)

Honda S2000
I removed the the Honda S2000 as a similar model. The S2000 is considered similar to the Porsche Boxster and the BMW Z4. For their (better) performance figures and (higher) price points, these models do not compete with the MX-5. When the RX-8 was introduced, there was a rumour that there would also be a convertible, which would then compete with the aforementioned models. --maf 20:53, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

MG Midget
I would also remove the MG Midget but my only argument is that it is a classic car that might have been the MX-5 of its day, but I would like to see stronger support for removal. --maf 20:53, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

Fiat Barchetta
I added this model as it was effectively a competitor to the MX-5 in the markets where it was sold; however, I just remembered this is not an FR but rather an FF. If this is grounds for dismissal of similarity, please go ahead and make your point. --maf 21:18, 26 August 2006 (UTC)

Gran Turismo Trivia?
In Gran Turismo 1 and 2, the engine sounds for opponent cars was that of the Miata's, a fact I do recall coming from an old EGM issue that previewed Gran Turismo 3. The reasoning for this, if I recall, is because of limitations, unique engine sounds were restricted to the cars the players controlled. They had to choose which engine sound would be used for other opponent cars and they choosed the Miata's. However I misplaced the issue so I can't add it with proper citation. Does anyone have this issue to confirm this? Chicobo329 19:28, 3 September 2006 (UTC)

From idea to production - TOTALLY WRONG
I'm ready to stir the boat here, because the whole story under the from idea to production is wrong. It is in fact that Bob Hall's role in the whole process is overinflated by the internet communities, his role in the whole process (after the idea) is in fact a minor one. Any visitor who read more than one book on MIata/MX-5 production could have deduced the same..

In the book by Tohi Hirai, perhaps the most romantic TRUE story of creation of this legendary roadster, Bob is mentioned only once, as a part of US team...

Please, review this subtitle ASAP not to do any more wrong to the people who really did all the magic!

For further reading, do not miss this book:

http://www.veloce.co.uk/shop/products/productDetail.php?prod_id=V329&prod_group=Cars%20Vans%20&%20Trucks&
 * Suggestion: BE BOLD and do the changes yourself. Lest we think that Bob Hall himself wrote that section to inflate his ego or that someone is out there looking to p*** you off, the most probable explanation is due to the sources used (and cited) by whoever wrote that - could have been me, don't remember anymore. --maf 12:17, 29 December 2006 (UTC)
 * I have found a new source and added a few more details and names to the section, namely Tom Matano, who nevertheless is still underrepresented IMHO. --14:39, 9 February 2007 (UTC)

eXperimental?
The designation of Mazda's rotary powered vehicles outside of Japan was RX, for "Rotary eXport," while internally they carried their original names, such as Capella (RX-2) and Savanna (RX-3) etc. Given that the MX-5 designation wasn't used in Japan, isn't it more likey that the MX-5's X also stands for eXport? 124.176.29.88 22:56, 13 November 2007 (UTC)

Can anyone tell me if there is clearcoat on my 1999 black Miata? I am considering having it repainted, hoping to make it showroom new again, but after visiting two body shops for quotes I get two different stories. One says the paint fades and chalks on Miata's because there is no clear coat on the car. The other, says the paint fades and chalks because it's not high quality clear coat on the car. Does anybody know the facts? Thanks...WrickD (talk) 11:27, 29 March 2008 (UTC)

Engine details
I've updated the description of the NA's 1.6L engine as follows: FWIW, all of my shop manuals, including the factory manual for my 1993, refer to a "crank angle sensor," despite showing it clearly mounted on the intake camshaft. I left that alone, though. This might all be too much detail for this section; if it's kept, we might want to add that the 1994's 1.8L changed to a hot wire air flow meter. Interestingly, the same book that I cited says that the change from a rotary distributor to the more compact crank angle sensor + dual coil system was done to allow moving the engine closer to the firewall, to improve the car's front-to-rear weight balance. I'll add that if anyone else thinks that it belongs. mahler3 65.33.248.110 (talk) 18:40, 30 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Replaced "L-Jetronic" with a more generic description. This engine's EFI uses an air flow meter of the same type as that of L-Jetronic system, but the latter is a specific Bosch brand not used in the Miata.
 * Added requested citation for whole sentence-- i.e., EFI, air flow meter, and camshaft angle sensor.