Recently rented a Miata and I'm confused

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by QUiKSR20

I drive a GR86 these days for exactly what you stated!!! I dont want to drive an appliance, Its one of the most driver focused analogue cars you can buy for that reason.
I dont want all the nannys and nonsense I want a pure drivers car, Its also why I drove BMW's for the last 15+ years prior so we are in agreeance..

Cars have been my hobby for over 30 years, its not just a tool to transport me places.

Either way its Friday!!!!

Even if we don't all choose to buy them, I think we should all be thankful that cars like the GR86, Miata, etc. exist. Two door sports cars – with available 6MT! – are a dying breed, to say the least, and we should celebrate and support every single one that exists. Anything in this class being available to purchase is an absolute win, and every GR86/Miata/Whatever buyer today is a potential BMW/Porsche/Audi driver tomorrow. The only way to convince people of how great this kind of car is is to have a way for them to be able to try it without the need to spend $80k or more.

[QUiKSR20]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

Even if we don't all choose to buy them, I think we should all be thankful that cars like the GR86, Miata, etc. exist. Two door sports cars – with available 6MT! – are a dying breed, to say the least, and we should celebrate and support every single one that exists. Anything in this class being available to purchase is an absolute win, and every GR86/Miata/Whatever buyer today is a potential BMW/Porsche/Audi driver tomorrow. The only way to convince people of how great this kind of car is is to have a way for them to be able to try it without the need to spend $80k or more.

Well said, We have to be glad they are making these cars, People say the same when they complain the Supra is just a BMW..
"Just be glad your getting a sports car" Cars like thee GR & Miata always come up next to way more expensive cars,
Because at the core we want a drivers car and nobody makes them anymore or they are 100K+ to buy.

I saw something not too long ago from Hagerty that said the new Mustang Dark horse is a better M4 then the M4 is these days...
We are not talking who has the best soft touch plastics we are talking performance.

I just hope to see BMW return to its roots and not be an SUV Lease mobile company but thats where the money is.

Engine / Braking / Handling etc.. It was a great video to watch.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by QUiKSR20

You honestly believe they both have the same reliability? Honestly?

.......I dont care about how reliable it is for the first 5 years / under 100k.. How is it after? I think I just saw a video where they were saying a 90s Corolla was more reliable than a modern one long term.

My 2016 M235 was my first BMW and German car. Over nearly 8 years, that was the most reliable car I ever owned. Minus my 1994 Z28 back in the day (which was a POS), all my prior cars were Honda, Nissan, Infiniti, and Subaru. Not a single broke on the M235 in nearly 8 years and 80K miles. Nothing. Not a gasket or seal weep either. I did maintain it well and did the common preventative maintenance and I knew the common issues to watch for too.

My 2018 M2 with around 50K miles is proving to have similar reliability to my M235 as well, but slightly worse. I did have the T-stat stick open ($150 OEM part, DIY job), the right front speaker sounds blown ($50 from Ebay, easy install), and the passenger side rear diff seal is weeping. That is a very common issue and saw it the day I got the car about 1 year ago. It's not any worse so I'm not bothering to fix it.

As I said earlier, I fully expect the common N55 and F87 series issues to occur to my M2 at some point between now and the next few years. But as a DIYer, I can address most of them so it's not a huge bother to me and I enjoy working on cars. I get that for most, the intensive maintenance (both routine and preventative) can be annoying for a BMW owner. But to me, averaging around $1000 or less per year in maintenance/preventative maintenance/repairs on my M2 and Cayman is completely affordable and not bad at all. And like I said, EVERY car has common issues. Thank goodness though, that for most late model BMWs, they usually aren't related to major engine or transmission issues. Look at how many makes have issues with short blocks and transmissions now even Toyota with their "new" V6 turbo motors and 6MT transmissions in the Tacoma and transfer cases in the 5th gen 4runner and Lexus equalivent. GM's 10 speed auto is trash, their v8s are very problematic, Ford has hella issues with the newer 5.0 and Ecoboost motors, Subaru and their short blocks, Hyundai with damn near everything, and so on.

I don't know what to say about your X3. My buddy has a 2020 X3 M40i, bought used, and he is aware of the OFH issue on those cars as he heard horror stories of the housings breaking when trying to release the filter housing cap. It does seem common for those OFHs to have all sorts of issues and is unfortunate. His wife has a 2018 X5 (bought used) and it's been stellar for them for 5 years and 60K miles.

And no, I do not think present day cars, especially German ones will be as reliable as some like a 1990s Sentra SE-R which is literally a tin can with a stellar suspension and motor. There is hardly anything to those cars as for most cars from the 1980s-1990s. Just like my buddies NA and NB Miatas. However, Miatas leak oil from all their seals like a mofo after 10+ years.

[QUiKSR20]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

My 2016 M235 was my first BMW and German car. Over nearly 8 years, that was the most reliable car I ever owned.

That generation of your M235i - F20 I think ( same gen as my F30, was pretty rock solid... Never had a single coolant issue ).. I dont think it ever went to the dealer for much..

Ive owned a bunch of bmw & vw's between me and my wife, Just seems these newer G series models have been worse with the issues.

Im glad your 2016 has been reliable, To be honest like I said my F30 ( 2013 328i ) was pretty damn reliable and exactly the same as yours until I sold it 110k and it still didnt have any issues.
I will own another in the future I just needed a break for a while and Ill enjoy the E36 for my fix for now.

I hope that car stays reliable, It seems the previous generation like we both owned were more reliable. My E90 was also amazing to own, It was the last of the NA I6..
That N52 had almost zero issues, Just dont forget to change your serp belt, They had a history of sucking them somehow into the crank case and ruining the engine.

This was last summer before I sold the X3 & 328i ( full house of BMW's )

[QUiKSR20]

If anything I got a bunch of car nerds talking about cars and cool to chat with another wrencher on here XutvJet lol.. TGIF!!!

[Alfisti]

I'm thinking an 86 for my boy when his time comes in a few years, stick so he cannot drive and text.

[QUiKSR20]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I'm thinking an 86 for my boy when his time comes in a few years, stick so he cannot drive and text.

It is a fun basic sports car, Reminds me of a modern 90s car.

[Davil]

Originally Posted by QUiKSR20

I agree, My E36 composite / plastic thermostat housing made it 20 years as well before failure.. So I agree plastic can be used in some spots, they must have changed something.
When I had my X3 repairs made my indy who is very very reputable said this is happening way more than it sure with 2018+ cars like the G01/G20 BMW's that have the B48/B58.

So much more heat with turbo engines.

[QUiKSR20]

Originally Posted by Davil

So much more heat with turbo engines.

Totally 100%

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I'm thinking an 86 for my boy when his time comes in a few years, stick so he cannot drive and text.

The 86 is going to be the next generation's 240SX. A solid driving car that will eventually become scarce as they're all destroyed by getting so cheap. I often think a Scion 86 would make for a great cheap track car.

All that said, I think I'd get my little guy a Fiesta ST over an 86. Similar power but more fun.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by wtwo3

This thread took an interesting twist

Reliability is something the Lexus forums use as the silver bullet to justify getting an IS over a 3 series. I've played both sides of the coin. I've owend a lexus IS and I own a 3 series. The IS felt like a brand new car even after 145k miles (when I eventually sold it). But I'm taking the 3 series 9 times out of 10 - it's simply more fun to drive.

I similar experience, but not relevant today, when we owned the '89 E30, which my wife originally purchased in late 1988, months later in April 1989 I bought a 1989 Acura Integra. We ran both cars concurrently as our dailies for 9 years. I was driving more per day, so by 1997 when she acquired the Z3 and I "bought" the E30 from her, the E30 had just 120,000 and the Integra had 230,000.

Outside of scheduled maintenance the E30 had the following issues (miles are estimates from memory):
120,000 - thermostat housing failure
100,000 - recall for heater core failure (installation of an emergency coolant cutoff valve)
80,000 - probably two radio antenna replacements by then (common E30 problem)

The Integra had (miles are estimates from memory):
90,000 - left side halfshaft
130,000 - Igniter failure (later upgraded and replaced under a recall)
150,000 - muffler replacement
180,000 - 2nd left side halfshaft
190,000 - clutch replacement
200,000 - repair of the rear hatch wire harness
210,000 - rust under the paint on the left side rear fender lip (common 1st gen Integra problem)
220,000 - 2nd muffler

Since both cars were nearly the same age by just a few months, the BMW aged far better than the Integra. By 9 years old the Integra interior was faded from the sun and had rust spots on the body and undercarriage. The E30, which spent 4 years in NYC of that time, was in far better shape. No interior issues and no rust. The BMW was just better built using better materials.

[KillerExcessive]

Light, wiggly and entirely controllable. AFAIK those are the 3 things the Miata offers (stock).

[QUiKSR20]

Originally Posted by KillerExcessive

Light, wiggly and entirely controllable. AFAIK those are the 3 things the Miata offers (stock).

The Miata & Twins remind me of the E30, You can get it sideways whenever you want and then control it like your a pro and when your ready to go straight just point it straight..

Very balanced and controllable with the LSD diff.