2000 Mazda Miata Mx-5 Silver Manual Transmission Great Deal! Won't Last! on 2040-cars

Up for auction is my 2000 Mazda Miata with a manual transmission.  I bought this car new on April 12, 2000 from Ricart Mazda in Columbus, Ohio.  I have the title in hand—free and clear—for a quick transaction.  The asking price for this is very, very reasonable for any good, running car.

I would respectfully ask you to read this description in its entirety before bidding—there is a lot of good things about this car and there is a lot things that you need to know about.  My goal is to give you the most honest car pitch in history so you can make an informed decision.

First, this is not a concours show winner we’re looking at.  It’s an honest 14 year old car that runs well and has some stories to tell, both good and bad.  I envision the perfect buyer to be one of the following kinds of people:

1.       Someone who is handy with cars and can save a lot of money doing their own work.

2.       Someone young or old who just wants to feel the wind in their hair, have a reliable car and isn’t too concerned with image or fixing anything.

3.       Someone who races Miatas with a club or the SCCA (i.e. someone who is going to bend some more metal on the car very soon).

4.       Someone who is going to put one of those awful body kits on the car and ditch the quarter panels anyway—please don’t tell me if you’re this person.

5.       Someone who is going to build their own Miata Monoposto and needs a good base.  If this is you, we will be fast friends and I expect a ride when you’re done!

Brief History of the Car:

1.       It was purchased brand new on April 12, 2000 and was my daily driver for seven years.  It was not stored in a garage during this timeframe.

2.       In July of 2007, I changed jobs and got a company car as part of the deal.  Aside from about 2,000 miles per year, the Miata sat until April of 2010 when my wife’s car died.  It was not stored in a garage during this era, either.

3.       From April of 2010 until September of 2013, my wife used the car as her daily driver.  During this timeframe, it was stored in the garage at our house and parked in a parking garage at her place of work.

4.       In September 26, 2013, a lady backed into the front quarter panel with her Toyota Matrix in the parking garage where my wife works.  The damage is cosmetic and it didn’t even break the paint.  We were issued a check for $1,000.81.  My wife bought a car the same week and the Miata has sat in our garage since.

5.       My intention was to wrench on the car and have something fun to tinker with, but I was involved in a motorcycle accident a month later and it really isn’t practical for me anymore.  I bought a BMW Z3 Coupe last week and I need the space in the garage, so the Miata needs a new home.

During the time I had the car, I took meticulous care of it.  It got oil changes every 3,000 miles and it was usually early for scheduled service.  The car has been really reliable overall and, if something broke, it was fixed right away. 

The Bad Stuff:

That said, the car has sat on and off for the past seven years and there are some things that are wrong with it.  Once the rust appeared about a year and a half ago, it slowed the immediacy of some of our fixes.  So, in the interests of full disclosure, here is the list of everything that is known to be wrong with the car:

1.       There is some rust on the car:

a.       The two main areas are over the rear wheel arches.  The spots are about four or so inches long and I took detailed photos of them.  The hard rust appears to be limited to this area only.

b.      There is some rust on the bottom of the current trunk lid, but it appears to be surface rust.  The trunk lid was actually replaced under warranty in 2003 due to a rust bubble that appeared near the Mazda logo.  I was told it was due to a bad weld that affected thousands of trunks in 1999 and 2000.  You will see this on the CarFax report as “repainted”, but it was a totally new trunk lid with new paint, not an accident.

c.       There is a bubble of rust coming up from the paint on the windshield frame.  It has been there for about five years, but doesn’t seem to be getting any bigger.

d.      The front of the hood has a tiny bubble near the headlamp.  It hasn’t broken yet.

2.       There is a dent on the front quarter panel on the driver’s side.  As mentioned above, it happened late last year when a lady backed into the car in a parking lot.  The door opens fine and the paint did not break.  The insurance company paid $1,000.81.  It would be an easy fix for someone mechanically talented.

3.       The front windshield is cracked.  A giant rock hit it and put a baseball-sized crack in it.  The crack is water tight and not expanding, but the windshield will need to be replaced.

4.       The driver’s side window does not go down.  Probably needs a new window motor.

5.       The turn signals/hazard lights don’t work.  Probably a relay or a short.

6.       The A/C isn’t cold.  Probably needs a recharge.

7.       There are holes in the convertible top.  Both of the holes are just behind the door windows so it is probably a high wear area.  It is surprisingly water tight when driving, but you would want a new top unless you just plan to drive on sunny days and park it in a garage (which was our plan).  A new top costs $450.00 for something that will do and $600.00 for the one you should get.

8.       There is a tiny oil leak.  You will have a silver dollar sized stain on your garage floor.  We checked religiously between oil changes and never had to add any oil, so it is minor.

9.       The car smells like gas if you fill the tank more than 3/4 of the way.  We stopped filling it past half way and it was fine.

10.   The trunk light doesn’t work.  Probably a $5.00 bulb.

11.   Like any 14 year old car, there a some dings and paint chips.  It’s really minimal for the age and the mileage, however.  I think you will be really impressed with how it appears overall.

The Good Stuff

There are a lot of good things, too—it’s easy to get mired down in the list above, but this car really looks good and runs really well overall.  Here’s the list of good things:

1.       The Miata drives like a car half its age.  It’s quick, sharp, darty and responsive.  It’s tight and a ton of fun.  It just feels good to drive.  It will make you smile.

2.       The car has been really reliable, like a Honda Accord or a Toyota Camry.

3.       The paint is shiny and looks good—I always waxed it several times a year to protect it.

4.       The interior is really, really nice.  Take a good look at the pictures—the dash is perfect (no cracks, no fading).  The seats are like new (except for a small tear on the driver’s seat in an area on the side that is very difficult to see).  The carpet is really nice since I always used mats—you will get the used mats as well.

5.       I have an upgraded Alpine stereo installed that was almost $500.00 new.  I have owned several Alpine units throughout the years and this is my favorite of all time.  I wish they still made this one—Sirius satellite radio and iPod/MP3 connectivity.  It even pulls the album artwork up onto the screen.  I have the original box for this unit.

6.       The original radio is included if you prefer that.  It works fine, I just wanted to have my iPod with me for tunes on the road.

7.       The convertible boot is like new.

8.       The tires still have some good life left in them.

9.       The car has a bunch of new parts:

a.       New battery:  139,609 miles, 8.25.14

b.      Ignition coil:  139,326 miles, 9.24.13

c.       Spark plugs, plug wires, mass airflow sensor: 138,947 miles, 8.27.13

d.      Fuel pump, fuel system cleaning:  137,731 miles, 6.30.13

e.      Rebuild front brake calipers, brake fluid flush: 137,195 miles, 6.2.13

f.        Coolant flush, new lamps, sway bar kit:  133,395 miles, 11.24.12

g.       Clutch:  127,082 miles, 1.24.12

h.      New brake pads front and rear, brake system flush:  115,028 miles, 8.14.10

Summary:

I really hate to see this car go, but it’s time.  I really hope that it goes to someone who can love and appreciate it the way my wife and I did.  Please feel free to ask any questions you like and I will answer them.  I am a reasonable person and I really hope you will be too.  Let’s make this a fun transaction!

I would kindly state the following:

1.       Please bid only if you intend on paying and following through.

2.       Please ask all questions prior to bidding.

3.       The car is available for inspection—I encourage it.

4.       A $200.00 non-refundable deposit will be required via PayPal or in person within 24 hours.

5.       The car is sold as is, where is.  No warranties express or implied.

6.       I will accept cash or a cashier’s check only.  No trades, loans, etc.

7.       I will not let the car go on my plates—this was a hard lesson learned in college.  Please plan to spend an hour getting your temporary plates in or bring them in from out of state.

Thanks—have fun bidding!