2002 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Convertible

1.8L

Manual

JM1NB353X20225727

Clear

Gasoline

Some cars are made for practicality. They are made for getting you from point A to B in the least amount time, getting the most amount of miles to the gallon, or for carrying everything you own along with you for the ride. The Mazda MX-5 Miata is not one of those cars. This car is made to enjoy getting from point A to point B, and rewards those who chose windy side roads as opposed to the open highway. That is not to say that it can't get you to your destination quickly, its 0-60 time of 8.0 seconds is lively if not pin you to your seat fast. At 25 MPG you aren't going to dread every gas station pit stop (although, it does take premium fuel). And with a cargo capacity of 5.1 cubic feet you can fit up to three Snickers bars in your trunk! But the thing that should draw you to this vehicle (as it drew me to it) is the fun factor. On a nice autumn afternoon there is nothing quite as enjoyable as throwing on a jacket, putting the top down, and flicking through the gears of this beauty down some windy roads. It is automotive bliss! Performance The Miata has been popular with track enthusiasts since its inception due mostly to its flawless handling. What it lacks in off the line performance it makes up for in an amazing ability to just stick to the road. The reason for this sure-footedness is the Miata's 50/50 weight distribution. Mazda has focused on balancing the weight of the front of the car and the back of the car to ensure the best possible handling performance. If you give it too much power you can induce some over-steer in a corner (due to the rear-wheel drive), but otherwise it is perfectly balanced. Think of it as a go-kart that you can drive to work. The 0-60 time is around 8.0 seconds, which isn't enough to make your eyes water, but feels more than adequate for this car. And the 6-speed manual gear-box, which was unique to the Special Edition this model year, is just sublime. I've driven manual transmissions on several sports cars over the years (Miata, Honda Prelude, Honda S2000, BMW M Roadster, Porsche Boxster S) and this feels better than any of them. You feel at one with the engine as you flick through the gears. Full disclosure: Just so you don't think that I've been driving this car like a banshee for the past few years, I would like to point out that my most spirited driving in a Miata was done with my previous Miata, a '99 10th Anniversary Edition (yes, I've owned two... I love these things). I owned that car for 7 years and put over 116,000 miles on it without any issues and sold it when I purchased the aforementioned Honda S2000. This Miata has lived a much more pedestrian life, getting me to and from work for the last 4 years with a few side trips sprinkled into the mix. And since I also own a Hummer I've never had to take this Miata out in bad conditions (in the rain it does fine; in the snow, not so much... There is something about lightweight and rear wheel drive that don't mix well). * Acceleration: 0 to 60 mph in 8 seconds * Engine Type: Displacement: 16-Valve DOHC; in-line four cylinder, 1.8 liter * Drivetrain: Rear Wheel Drive * Transmission: 6-speed Manual * Horsepower: 142 @ 7000 rpm * Torque: 125 ft.-lbs. @ 5500 rpm * Torsen limited-slip differential * EPA Mileage: 23 city, 28 highway * 48,700 miles * 3 owners Interior Since this is a Special Edition Miata, Mazda threw a couple extra niceties into the cockpit compared to the base and LS trim Miatas of this model year. Leather seats with embroidered headrests, leather lined Nardi steering wheel, leather shift knob, embroidered Special Edition floor mats, aluminum pedals, and chrome rimmed instrument panel gauges are all unique to this edition of the Miata. Also included are standard items such as power windows, A/C, cup holders. This Special Edition also came with a 6-Disc Bose Audio System, which I have replaced with a Pioneer AVH-X1500DVD head unit (Bose Speakers are still installed and sound great). This system allows you to plug in the Mp3 player of your choice in the glove compartment and enjoy (there is also an aux cable routed to the center console compartment). Also you can watch DVDs, which I would highly recommend against while driving because it is (a) dangerous and (b) illegal... but if you are one to want to watch a movie under the stars, here's your chance. One thing to note about the system, the FM Antenna is not connected to the stereo. The reason for this is that when you turned on the radio with the antenna attached the radio antenna on car would automatically extend, making the car look like a remote control toy car. If you are a glutton for punishment, the factory Bose head unit is coming with the car, so you can feel free to pull out the current head unit and plug in the old one, or you can just sell the old one on ebay for a nickel... your choice. And in case you are interested, I'm a non-smoker, so thanks for being concerned about my health (and the smell of the interior of the car). One last thing to note about the interior: the convertible latch on the passenger side is loose. The passenger side visor covers it and keeps it in place, but if you are so inclined, you could swap out the latch for the one on the hardtop (more on that later), or you could more than likely find a replacement online on ebay or at a local scrap yard. * Leather Embroidered Bucket Seats (Special Edition Feature) * Nardi three-spoke steering wheel (Special Edition Feature) * Nardi short-throw 6-speed leather wrapped shift knob (Special Edition Feature) * Special Edition Embroidered Floor Mats (Special Edition Feature) * Chrome Rimmed Speedometer/Tachometer w/ White Facing (Special Edition Feature) * Aluminum Pedals (Special Edition Feature) * Remote Trunk Release * Air Conditioning * Cruise Control * Pioneer AVH-X1500DVD Stereo Head Unit (Aftermarket Addition) * Bose Speakers * OEM Bose Head unit provided Exterior If it were up to me all sports cars, like this one, would be Blazing Yellow Mica. If you want a car that gets compliments where ever you go, then this is the car for you. Two separate people complimented me on what a pretty car it was on its final trip taking me to work a week ago. The second generation Miata has aged very well. The exterior of this car is in great condition, all though it does have a few bumps and bruises that should be noted. The front left bumper has some paint rubbed off of it from a parking incident and there is a small paint blemish on the back bumper from another parking incident. Long story short, avoid parking lots at all costs, the uncleansed masses have some parking issues. Also there is a small door ding on the driver side door (again, avoid parking lots), but it is barely noticeable and would be very cheap to have pulled out (I would have gotten someone to do it myself, by I literally just noticed it while taking photos of the car for the sale). Some items that are included on the Special Edition that weren't with the standard models are fog lights, a chrome gas cap, 16-inch Enkei wheels (these were Special Edition Only), a spoiler, and that Blazing Yellow Mica Paint which has a metallic reflection to it in the sunlight. The tires were replaced a little under 10,000 miles ago and still have a ton of tread left on them (see previous statement on this car's pedestrian life). Also, a rarity for even these special editions, is a color-matched OEM hardtop. The hard top was a fairly expensive factory option (a little over $3000), and consequently you don’t see many OEM hard tops out in the wild. The top looks great on the vehicle, essentially making it look like a different car! Oh, and it’s got a brand new windshield I just had installed, if you are into those kinds of things! * Blazing Yellow Mica Paint (Special Edition Feature) * 16 Inch Enkei Wheels (Special Edition Feature) * Fog Lights * Headlight/Taillight Styling Kit (Feature around lights to give fixtures more aggressive look) * Chrome Fuel Lid Door * Rear Spoiler * Black Leather Tonneau Cover * Color Matched Mazda (OEM) Hard Top (Rare Feature) * BFGoodrich g-Force Super Sport Tires w/ ~10,000 miles of wear * Mazda Blazing Yellow Mica touch-up paint included Maintenance The Miata is practically bulletproof. As I have mentioned, my previous Miata lasted me 116,000 miles before I sold it with nothing other than preventative maintenance items and this car has been no different. The only thing I've had done with this car outside of oil changes/air filter changes is to have the oxygen sensors replaced a few days ago. Oil changes have been performed regularly, even though they may not show up on carfax... apparently all the oil changes I did in the driveway don't show up on the carfax report :-( With that being said, oil changes on this car are relatively easy if you've got some low profile ramps (regular ramps are too steep) and average or smaller than average arms and hands (the location of the oil filter is somewhat tough to reach for those with larger appendages). If you treat this car right and keep it clean it should last a long, long time! Overall This Miata is a great car, and if I could justify having three vehicles, two of them being two-seat convertibles, I wouldn't be selling it today. This car gets a ton of attention and will last the next owner many, many care-free and fun-filled years. I'm asking $12,000 for this car which is a great deal for this low-mileage, rare special edition Miata. Add in a color matched OEM hard top for the colder months and you have one of the rarest Miata's ever made... Only 1000 of this color special edition were sold in the United States and very few of those were sold with the hard top.