Sorta OT , worked on my first boxster yesterday..

[Bill R.]

hopefully it will be my last. There's even less room to get at the engine than the 914 by far.. makes the 914 access panel look postively roomy.. I'm not impressed.

[Hector]

I heard a common problem with these cars is that the engine blows... something about crankshaft bearing problems. The GF likes these cars but I've discouraged her from getting more interested in them...

[George M]

say whaaa?...all kinds of room working on a Boxster...hehe. Having owned a 914 in my 20's...if the Boxster is anything like it...that engine was a nightmare back when I could touch my toes...hehe. Of course who can forget the valve adjustments under the car?...with the spring clip valve covers and always getting burned on the heat exchangers :(
I liked the car tho.
Your reward should always be a brisk test drive :) on a nice twisty road.
Cheers,
George

[bahnstormer]

new boxster is being praised as perfect
i can't wait to see how it performs
u guys see the new miata? looks really
rounded off... =\

[George M]

only thing that has keep me from not picking up an old Miata to buzz around in the summer months is its size. A friend lent me one for a week one time when he was out of town and it was a lot of fun. Bahnstormer...you know if they have lengthened the dam thing yet?
George

[bahnstormer]

ya it did get bigger i think


http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Exterior_1_2s.jpg
http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Exterior_1_3s.jpg
http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Exterior_1_4s.jpg




Sixteen years and 700,000 units ago, Mazda launched its back-to-basics Miata onto a roadster-hungry public. And while the aging two-seater, last redesigned in 1998, still finds favor among legions of driving purists the world over, Mazda felt that it was about time to give the fun little sports car a much-needed makeover.

This third-generation car, which debuts in early March at the Geneva motor show, will draw power from a new 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder, up from a 1.8-liter engine in the Miata today. The bigger engine will turn out about 20 more horses as well, reaching upward of 160 hp. The torque climbs to about 140 lb-ft

Shifting duty will fall to one of two six-speed units, either a manual or automatic with a shift-it-yourself-via-paddles option.

Physically the Miata has grown in just about every measurable dimension, with a 2.6-inch longer wheelbase, as well as a 3.0-inch wider front track and 2.1-inch wider rear track. Overall length and height have increased nominally, each by just 0.8 inch, but the Miata is now measurably wider, by 1.6 inches.

That extra width comes courtesy of a departure in styling for the little roadster, which for the first time abandons its characteristic Coke-bottle shape for a more RX-8-like design, complete with flatter flanks and bulbous front fenders. The additional space afforded by this move not only benefits passengers with more hip and shoulder room, but also allows for the addition of side-impact airbags.

Look for a more complete review of the new Miata closer to the car’s on-sale date, which Mazda says will be sometime later this year.

[bahnstormer]

http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Interior_1_1s.jpg
http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Interior_1_2s.jpg
http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Interior_1_3s.jpg
http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Interior_1_4s.jpg

[bahnstormer]

http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Exterior_4_2s.jpg
http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Exterior_4_3s.jpg
http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Exterior_3_2s.jpg
http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Exterior_2_1s.jpg

[bahnstormer]

last one

could the mods/admin PLEASE remove the 4 pics per post requirement?????


http://www.autoweek.com/files/specials/2005_geneva/mx5/images/Exterior_4_1s.jpg

[George M]

looks very nice Bahnstormer..wonder what the net change to interior room is?
Previous models like the Z3 are constrained by the rear wheel house in terms of how far back you can push the seat. Some clever souls locally remove the carpet padding to gain a bit more room. The marketing guys are clever. The guy shown in the pic is likely about 5'2"...lol.
Thanks for posting the pics!
George

[PatrickPGH]

looks very nice Bahnstormer..wonder what the net change to interior room is?
Previous models like the Z3 are constrained by the rear wheel house in terms of how far back you can push the seat. Some clever souls locally remove the carpet padding to gain a bit more room. The marketing guys are clever. The guy shown in the pic is likely about 5'2"...lol.
Thanks for posting the pics!
George

I've sat in the current model Miata at the Pittsburgh car show and found it very comfortable, I'm 6 foot. The car with the most leg room by far that I've ever sat in was the Honda CRX. And like the Miata it had no back seat and was able to make use of all of the cabin.

Patrick

[warton]

:D


ya it did get bigger i think

This third-generation car, which debuts in early March at the Geneva motor show, will draw power from a new 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder, up from a 1.8-liter engine in the Miata today. The bigger engine will turn out about 20 more horses as well, reaching upward of 160 hp. The torque climbs to about 140 lb-ft

:D :D :p

[DanQ]

I owned a 2000 Miata SE 6-speed. Bought it new for spring driving in the Boston area.
It was a fun car and I fit very well in it. I am, of course, 5'3" tall.
That car handled very well and you could row through the gears quickly from a dead stop. The downside to it was that there were no legs on it after 80MPH.