CD Article: 2007 Mazda MX-5 Power Retractable Hardtop

[mdxtasy]

PHRT  …Lepew

Strong words for a guy who likes the car that's known as having the "Flying Vagina" for a front end...

  Ha-ha…a little touchy are we? I was thinking the acronym PHFT would be a new way to spell fart…. but whatever. Not like you would see the front of a WRX from inside a MX-5 anyways.

I'm sure daft and 84im would put up for those fighting words, as would Richard's old MX5. 

[MX5 Miata Guy]

I'm sure daft and 84im would put up for those fighting words, as would Richard's old MX5. 

True...I miss the old girl, and look forward to seeing it again this summer, as the new owners have promised me that I can drive it again during our autoslaloms.

[MX5 Miata Guy]

Ha-ha…a little touchy are we? I was thinking the acronym PHFT would be a new way to spell fart…. but whatever. Not like you would see the front of a WRX from inside a MX-5 anyways.

No, actually.  I much prefer the Mazda Europe moniker of "MX-5 Coupe", and am trying to acquire one of those badges from a UK dealership.

[Seafoam]

I agree with L Yap in that the Miata has become heavy and bloated.  Even the cockpit looks too busy. I thought I was in the minority in that the car should remain simple, without all the bells and whistles.  I guess Mazda, being a business, must follow the money.

Initial D,  nice videos... You should have had the MX5 with the top down...would have made losing just as sweet.

I have an NC and it's still a very tossable car in the twisties.Had an NB
it was great. The NC has become a bit heavier but is much faster and the fuel mileage is actually better.

[Snowman]

Ha-ha…a little touchy are we? I was thinking the acronym PHFT would be a new way to spell fart…. but whatever. Not like you would see the front of a WRX from inside a MX-5 anyways.

No, actually.  I much prefer the Mazda Europe moniker of "MX-5 Coupe", and am trying to acquire one of those badges from a UK dealership.

 

[MX5 Miata Guy]

You're a Subaru guy...don't try to "get it".

[Snowman]

You're a Subaru guy...don't try to "get it".

Ha-ha….I was talking about farts! How does one interpret that as discussions about badges? I only thought Honda owners raced up their Civics with badges 

[Ed]

PHRT  …Lepew

Strong words for a guy who likes the car that's known as having the "Flying Vagina" for a front end...

  Ha-ha…a little touchy are we? I was thinking the acronym PHFT would be a new way to spell fart…. but whatever. Not like you would see the front of a WRX from inside a MX-5 anyways.

PRHT? PHFT? PHRT? 

I know the first one is Power Retractable Hard Top, but what about the others?

[Giant Dwarf]

Ach, geez, who let that obnoxious, Subaru ogre in here anyway?  Snowy, you're just uptight 'cuz you'll never see the INSIDE of an MX5.  And as for an MX5 driver seeing the front of a WRX... after the first, or second corner, it shouldn't be too hard.  What was that WRX pullin' again?  .79 g?  I think I could take a Mazda SUV around a corner with greater grip.  I seem to recall my buddy in his modded WRX couldn't produce as quick a time at AutoX as I was able to last year... and that was my first time!   

***

As to the others (including Yap) who lament the increased weight and size of the MX5 versus previous gen Miatas, it's still all relative.  My car is still usually the smallest vehicle in most parking lots.  It still gets great fuel economy.  It's still exceptionally nimble and tossable (even more so with the stock springs swapped out for stiffer ones).  It's still lighter (by what?  400lbs?) than the Solstice.  It's lighter than the S2000 by a few hundred pounds (and nobody complains that it's too portly).  For that matter, it's lighter than virtually any other sporting car this side of $60,000.  The added weight from safety goodies mean it's a better daily-driver for me -- and enables me to be a passionate, fantatical Miata-driver which I wouldn't otherwise be able to do with the previous generation cars. 

I've been loving roadster ownership for nearly a year and a half now -- through all sorts of weather and there's not a car out there that I would rather have for the same $$$.  Sure a Boxster S or S2000 would be nice, but at $31k for my GS model '06 (with no unnecessary, fancy electro, power-operated-tin-tops; leather seats or pointless Bose stereos or HIDs), I don't believe there's as pure a new sports car for the investment.

[mdxtasy]

Hey Dwarf boy, nice to see you around. 

The NC has grown up a bit but like you said, still very agile.  Still small, and still nimble.  Nothing wrong with growing up, and the Miata has done it very well.  Aside from the 911, I don't see any other car hold steady in its commitment to the original design and purpose.  But a lightweight Club Sport version would be awesome.  White paint, red cloth seats, lowered, some extra power, and a red top.  I'm all over it.

[Mitlov]

Oh my god, are people arguing about whose car is better in a manner that hasn't devolved into "imports versus domestics?"  This is a great day in history for CTC 

[Snowman]

Ach, geez, who let that obnoxious, Subaru ogre in here anyway?  Snowy, you're just uptight 'cuz you'll never see the INSIDE of an MX5.  And as for an MX5 driver seeing the front of a WRX... after the first, or second corner, it shouldn't be too hard.  What was that WRX pullin' again?  .79 g?  I think I could take a Mazda SUV around a corner with greater grip.  I seem to recall my buddy in his modded WRX couldn't produce as quick a time at AutoX as I was able to last year... and that was my first time!   

***

As to the others (including Yap) who lament the increased weight and size of the MX5 versus previous gen Miatas, it's still all relative.  My car is still usually the smallest vehicle in most parking lots.  It still gets great fuel economy.  It's still exceptionally nimble and tossable (even more so with the stock springs swapped out for stiffer ones).  It's still lighter (by what?  400lbs?) than the Solstice.  It's lighter than the S2000 by a few hundred pounds (and nobody complains that it's too portly).  For that matter, it's lighter than virtually any other sporting car this side of $60,000.  The added weight from safety goodies mean it's a better daily-driver for me -- and enables me to be a passionate, fantatical Miata-driver which I wouldn't otherwise be able to do with the previous generation cars. 

I've been loving roadster ownership for nearly a year and a half now -- through all sorts of weather and there's not a car out there that I would rather have for the same $$$.  Sure a Boxster S or S2000 would be nice, but at $31k for my GS model '06 (with no unnecessary, fancy electro, power-operated-tin-tops; leather seats or pointless Bose stereos or HIDs), I don't believe there's as pure a new sports car for the investment.

Ha-ha...I can actually fit in the new MX-5’s easily. And can get in and out with the top up. Pffffffffff 0.79 gs…not with SO3’s on my summer wheels….more like 0.91. 

[The Mighty Duck]

But a lightweight Club Sport version would be awesome.  White paint, red cloth seats, lowered, some extra power, and a red top.  I'm all over it.

  I agree!  Drop the luxo-bits, give it a soft top, stiffer springs, and a six speed, and it would sell.

As for the PRHT: I think I would rather take the soft-top Miata and buy a removable hardtop for winter.  Less weight to lug around in the summer (and the roof is down most of the time anyway ), and probably better insulation during the winter months (anyone have a hardtop to comment?).

Still...  PRHT Miata would be a neat toy.

[airbalancer]

But a lightweight Club Sport version would be awesome.  White paint, red cloth seats, lowered, some extra power, and a red top.  I'm all over it.

  I agree!  Drop the luxo-bits, give it a soft top, stiffer springs, and a six speed, and it would sell.

As for the PRHT: I think I would rather take the soft-top Miata and buy a removable hardtop for winter.  Less weight to lug around in the summer (and the roof is down most of the time anyway ), and probably better insulation during the winter months (anyone have a hardtop to comment?).

Still...  PRHT Miata would be a neat toy.

I can not speck off a Miata hardtop but for the BMW hardtop, it is much quieter, more insiding lights and has a larger rear window. Need 2 people to put on.
I think if you live in Ontario the PRHT would be better as in winter you could run into a couple of days were you want to take the hardtop off, but it is a pain to do it. With a PRHT you just drop it

[MX5 Miata Guy]

As for the PRHT: I think I would rather take the soft-top Miata and buy a removable hardtop for winter.  Less weight to lug around in the summer (and the roof is down most of the time anyway ), and probably better insulation during the winter months (anyone have a hardtop to comment?).
Still...  PRHT Miata would be a neat toy.

Well, first off, with the removable hard-top (RHT), you need a place to store it for the seven or so months of the year you're not using it.  Then, when you've got the RHT installed on the car, you can't go top-down during winter.  I can, and did.  My first two weeks of ownership (took delivery on Dec 23) was top down.  There are plenty of winter days when it's nice enough to be top down...and now I can be...nearly year-round.  The PRHT-equipped cars have a larger trunk (it's a tick taller), and offer a cleaner look when the top is down as compared with the soft-top cars, given that all manner of debris can fall in the openning where the top goes when down, as there's no longer a top-boot as with the 1st and 2nd gen cars.  Insulation is about the same, regardless of RHT or PRHT.  Wind-noise is significantly reduced during top-up driving as compared with a soft-top Miata...which makes the car less tiring on long drives if/when the top's up.

[initial_D]

As for the PRHT: I think I would rather take the soft-top Miata and buy a removable hardtop for winter.  Less weight to lug around in the summer (and the roof is down most of the time anyway ), and probably better insulation during the winter months (anyone have a hardtop to comment?).
Still...  PRHT Miata would be a neat toy.

Well, first off, with the removable hard-top (RHT), you need a place to store it for the seven or so months of the year you're not using it.  Then, when you've got the RHT installed on the car, you can't go top-down during winter.  I can, and did.  My first two weeks of ownership (took delivery on Dec 23) was top down.  There are plenty of winter days when it's nice enough to be top down...and now I can be...nearly year-round.  The PRHT-equipped cars have a larger trunk (it's a tick taller), and offer a cleaner look when the top is down as compared with the soft-top cars, given that all manner of debris can fall in the openning where the top goes when down, as there's no longer a top-boot as with the 1st and 2nd gen cars.  Insulation is about the same, regardless of RHT or PRHT.  Wind-noise is significantly reduced during top-up driving as compared with a soft-top Miata...which makes the car less tiring on long drives if/when the top's up.

That would be the exact reason why I would buy this model. Able to go Hard and Topless at will. 

[AVToller]

That would be the exact reason why I would buy this model. Able to go Hard and Topless at will. 

This post would have been more interesting if it had come from Brigitte. 

[airbalancer]

As for the PRHT: I think I would rather take the soft-top Miata and buy a removable hardtop for winter.  Less weight to lug around in the summer (and the roof is down most of the time anyway ), and probably better insulation during the winter months (anyone have a hardtop to comment?).
Still...  PRHT Miata would be a neat toy.

Well, first off, with the removable hard-top (RHT), you need a place to store it for the seven or so months of the year you're not using it.  Then, when you've got the RHT installed on the car, you can't go top-down during winter.  I can, and did.  My first two weeks of ownership (took delivery on Dec 23) was top down.  There are plenty of winter days when it's nice enough to be top down...and now I can be...nearly year-round.  The PRHT-equipped cars have a larger trunk (it's a tick taller), and offer a cleaner look when the top is down as compared with the soft-top cars, given that all manner of debris can fall in the openning where the top goes when down, as there's no longer a top-boot as with the 1st and 2nd gen cars.  Insulation is about the same, regardless of RHT or PRHT.  Wind-noise is significantly reduced during top-up driving as compared with a soft-top Miata...which makes the car less tiring on long drives if/when the top's up.

That would be the exact reason why I would buy this model. Able to go Hard and Topless at will. 

that last statement is burning my eyes

[sirAQUAMAN64]

I know GD has shown how easy it is to raise and lower the top, but I would imagine some women and smaller framed people (not big hulking studs like GD  ) may have trouble raising it as that particular muscle probably isn't used often in everyday life.

For myself, I like the hard top for security or if it had a glass section (which it doesn't). I would probably buy the hard-top, but would definitely try the rag top on for size first. Would be a hard decision, as the MX-5 Miata's simplicity of design is appealing, so is the price.

[Giant Dwarf]

I know GD has shown how easy it is to raise and lower the top, but I would imagine some women and smaller framed people (not big hulking studs like GD  ) may have trouble raising it as that particular muscle probably isn't used often in everyday life.

True... lot's of wrist exercise does help with the erection of the soft-top.   

MDX, you're dead-on about the desire to have a proper club sport edition of the NC Miata.  Apparently the NC's are getting eaten alive in stock class in AutoX by the club-spec equipped Solstices -- there's a lot of complaining that Mazda has forgotten its die-hard competitor base.  Given the impressive results of the most recent Mazdaspeed cars, I know a lot of people (myself included) are holding their breath waiting for an MS NC.  Use all the MS suspension bits already available, delete some of the unnecessary luxuries (you know, like leather seats, HIDs and hard-tops, heh heh) and throw a turbo on that 2L and away ya go!  Yeeeehaw!