Photo: Craigslist
The Miata is one of the best choices for an entry-level sports car. A weekend warrior that corners as well as it can put a smile upon your face, the MX-5 is the world’s most popular two-seat roadster for these and many more reasons.
A guy from Seattle, however, doesn’t agree. “This thing’s a piece of $#!t” is how – let’s call him Sean – describes the 1990 model in the photo gallery. Listed for sale on Craigslist for “2,569 or maybe even much less,” the car has seen better days both from a visual standpoint as well as in terms of driveability and reliability.
Having bought the MX-5 used in the summer of 2018, Sean used the car to lean the art of going sideways. As it’s often the case with inexperienced drivers trying to find the limits of grip, chassis number JM1NA351XL0104215 was sent into a ditch on multiple occasions. Sean has also slammed into a curb at 40 miles per hour, sideways, ruining the alignment beyond repair. But wait, there’s more!
Take the Miata past 80 miles per hour, and you’ll need massive you-know-what between your legs to keep the car driving in a straight line. The tires are bald, the brakes squeak, there are holes in the trunk lid covered by duct tape, it’s rattly, the clutch is making noises, and “the car’s been in a few accidents as well.”
And now, prepare for something you wouldn’t expect from a Miata. The impeccable reliability record of the four-cylinder DOHC engine has been stained with oil leaks and oil burning, the driver’s window regulator isn’t working, and both belt receivers are kaput. Not long now, the button that flips up the pop-up headlights is expected to give up the ghost too. So, is the car worth it?
No, for the love of your personal safety, not at all! You can – at most – haggle for a lower price in order to source bits and pieces for your own Miata. But better still, it doesn’t cost a cent to read the ad’s laugh-out-loud description on Craiglist.
“I swear this $#!t will change your life if it doesn’t kill you.”
Having bought the MX-5 used in the summer of 2018, Sean used the car to lean the art of going sideways. As it’s often the case with inexperienced drivers trying to find the limits of grip, chassis number JM1NA351XL0104215 was sent into a ditch on multiple occasions. Sean has also slammed into a curb at 40 miles per hour, sideways, ruining the alignment beyond repair. But wait, there’s more!
Take the Miata past 80 miles per hour, and you’ll need massive you-know-what between your legs to keep the car driving in a straight line. The tires are bald, the brakes squeak, there are holes in the trunk lid covered by duct tape, it’s rattly, the clutch is making noises, and “the car’s been in a few accidents as well.”
And now, prepare for something you wouldn’t expect from a Miata. The impeccable reliability record of the four-cylinder DOHC engine has been stained with oil leaks and oil burning, the driver’s window regulator isn’t working, and both belt receivers are kaput. Not long now, the button that flips up the pop-up headlights is expected to give up the ghost too. So, is the car worth it?
No, for the love of your personal safety, not at all! You can – at most – haggle for a lower price in order to source bits and pieces for your own Miata. But better still, it doesn’t cost a cent to read the ad’s laugh-out-loud description on Craiglist.
“I swear this $#!t will change your life if it doesn’t kill you.”
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