The seller of today's Nice Price or No Dice MX-5 claims it has undergone a thorough restoration and touts it as "a turn-key, investment-grade car for someone who wants the best." We'll have to decide if "the best" can also be a bargain.
On April 14th, 1927, Volvo's very first production automobile, dubbed the Ö4 but nicknamed the "Jakob," was driven off the assembly line by Volvo engineer Eric Carlberg. It was supposed to debut a day earlier, but someone mistakenly installed the differential the wrong way, causing the car to go backward when a forward gear was selected.
The 1996 Volvo 850 estate we looked at yesterday has done a lot of going forward over the course of its existence, to the tune of nearly 400K racked up on its tattletale odometer. That had a significant effect on opinions about the car, and countered the presence of a rare manual gearbox and what appeared to be decent overall condition. What resulted was a sizable 85% No Dice loss for its $4,500 asking price.
Read more: Everrati's Electric Porsche 911 RSR Has Me Driving Into The Future With Open Arms
Many A Mile
For all of you who took issue with the miles on yesterday's Volvo, I'd like you to sit down. Are you ready? OK. Today's 1996 Mazda Miata M edition has 218,000 miles on the clock. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Put down those pitchforks. Extinguish those tallow torches. You see, while this Miata has gone the distance, and then some, its seller assures us that it has been totally and completely restored and rejuvenated.
First of all, the deets. This is a clean title M edition car presented in Starlight Mica Blue over a tan leather interior. Power comes from a 1.8-liter DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder, which is mated to a slick-shifting five-speed manual gearbox. This being an M edition means it has a limited slip diff in back, and a wooden Nardi shift knob and a complementing hand brake lever in the cabin. It would have come initially with unique seven-spoke polished alloy wheels, but those have been replaced here by a set of refurbished five-spoke alloys.
Better Than New?
The wheels aren't the only restored parts of the car. According to the ad, every aspect of the car has been reviewed and redressed, from the driveline to the top to the interior. It's to the point that the car, in the seller's words, "drives like it just rolled out of the factory — actually, better."
There has been plenty of time for the work to be tested, too. Per the ad, the engine rebuild was done 27,000 miles ago by a Mazda dealer. Who knew that a dealer service department would even tackle such a time-intensive job? Everything else in the car has received similar attention, with the installation of a new clutch, refurbished cooling and brakes, fairly new Toyo tires, and a battery that's just a bit over a year old. No corners are claimed to have been cut in the restoration, and, as an outcome, everything on the car is claimed to work as it should. In addition to a new top with a back window you can see through, the car comes with a same-color tonneau to keep the dust out when that top and window are down.
A Binder Full Of Receipts
It all looks very neat and tidy, and most importantly very stock. That's something sorely lacking in many old Miatas these days. Is it a perfect encapsulation of its era, a time capsule? Not quite, but it's close. In the cabin, which has been fitted with new leather and carpet, there's a modern double-din Sony stereo that looks a little out of place. The rest of the interior is so nice, however, that the intrusion hardly matters.
Another issue of note is the wheel center caps. Those are plastic and only one (the left-rear) looks to be in as-new condition. The rest have been denuded of finish and present as sickly yellow. It's a bit jarring that such a small detail would be missed, considering the work that has gone into the car elsewhere. All that has been documented in what the seller describes as a binder full of receipts, which they say totals over $40K in parts and labor.
Add To Your Collection
Nits having been picked, this Miata does come across as a well-done restoration. Perhaps the greatest surprise is that someone felt it prudent to spend the effort and the cash on a car of such modest prospects. That's until you get to the asking, which is $32,500, a number that is pretty astounding for any NA Miata, regardless of how nice. Could it actually be worth that? Even though the asking price is high for the model, it seems the seller is taking a loss on it, based on the proffered expense of its restoration. The reason given for the sale is the seller's desire to cull their collection, as family growth is making a two-seater less of a viable option for around-town activities.
What do you think? Is this "turn-key" car really worth that $32,500 that the seller has set as their Bring a Trailer reserve and Craigslist come-on? Or, nice or not, is that just too much for any Miata?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Seattle, Washington Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
Help me out with NPOND. Contact me at [email protected] and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.
Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox...
Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Comments