1996 Mazda MX-5 Miata - POV Driving Impressions & Ownership Discussion (Binaural Audio)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.พ. 2025
- Check out Chris's channel here: / drivenbydreams
Curb weight: 2,293 lbs
MPG: Up to 23 city / 29 highway
Horsepower: 133 hp
Engine: 1.8 L 4-cylinder
Fuel tank capacity: 12.7 gal
-Filmed with the Sony FDR-X3000 4K Action Camera amzn.to/2s53Bna
-Audio recorded with Roland CS-10EM Binaural Mics amzn.to/2qKRbwA
-Zoom H2n recorder amzn.to/2pQqVkq
-Escort Radar Detector: goo.gl/GqRNWA
-Hat Clip mount: amzn.to/2GW7nmd
A slightly outdated list of video equipment: kit.com/TheTopher Patreon: / thetopher
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Facebook: / thetopheryoutube
The audio in this video was recorded with in-ear binaural microphones. If you wear headphones, your mind won't be blown, but it will go, "woah, that's cool."
I'm also the producer for the Winding Road TH-cam Channel:
/ windingroadmagazine
Here on TheTopher, I'm known for putting a camera on my face and driving cars. Whether it's about any of my personal cars or reviews on weekly press vehicles, the goal is to give you an idea of what a certain car is like to drive or live with. Most of my videos are filmed in POV, with my clothes on, and (for like the 5th time) with in-ear binaural audio. Which, if I haven't made it clear yet, is why you should wear headphones. Because of the whole "woah" factor. It's there, trust me. Try it, it's pretty nuts. Or don't. As long as you whitelist me on your adblocker I'm okay with whatever you do or don't do with regards to headphone usage. That is all. Oh and I guess you should also probably subscribe. Why are you still reading this, you should be watching the video. With headphones! Hah, had to sneak that in there one more time. Later!
Come hang out at APX Boston! This year is going to be a blast - it's a great chance to meet me and a large group of other automotive TH-camrs. They're holding it at K1 Speed in Wilmington, MA on Sunday, September 16th. We'll all be karting and hanging out with everyone that day. If you're down, you can get tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e/apx-boston-2018-tickets-46879045487
He's a smart man---leaving it stock.
What is stock?
@@coreev Yes.
Depends on how much you value reliability
@@ExistentialFart Reliability AND originality
Absolutely agree
That's an incredibly clean NA. Worth every penny
3k for this clean is ridiculous. today im going to see a m edition 94 and its 8k USD its pretty much as clean though, wonder if I will love it or not
@@tonytouchz757did u get it lol
@@watchdogs295man I bought a 45K miles miata M edition… it drives very well except it seems like it was kept outside for 20 years… it was repainted and the inside smells like gasoline. Will get the inside shampoo’d and see if it will help. Maybe will sell it in 6 months and get a 911 manual.
For a moment I thought you were gonna use second for the donut! the suspense leading up to that downshift was immense!
Tedward gotta keep ‘em guessing until the clutch dump!
if you initiated a second gear drift in an NA miata from idle...I'd cry with joy
Hi thetopher
This is one of my favorite videos on the internet. The in-depth discussion and pure joy of driving a Miata made this so entertaining to watch. If I wasn't longing to own an NA already, this video would have changed my mind. Prices suddenly went up in my area just as I was almost able to afford one.
Miata!
Is!
Always!
The!
Answer!
A Miata as nice as this would go for around 7k in my area. I'm jealous.
A Miata would go around for £700 in my area
SBass Jam 2k for me
$1500 for me for a crappy one but 5K for a good one
like this it would go for 15k smh
A simple Miata would cost under 18k here. (Australia)
A 3000 dollar miata, the good days are behind us 😢
So true!
@@TheTopher Someone is selling a 96 M for 12.9k near me... :(
@@jeaholland if you can get to portland or area, there are tons for under 7k
@@GunzyHD I'm in Ohio... so... not likely lol
Man hearing the stock exhaust gives me nostalgia when I first picked mine up, love the content
But oh, in my previous post I didn’t say anything about how great this review is! Seriously, this is great, great work! You let the sound of the Miata speak for itself. Perfection! You’ve gotten a new subscriber today because of this video. Keep up the great work!
Literally just bought a ‘96 Miata a couple days ago. Without a doubt, it’s one of, if not the most fun I’ve ever had driving a car. Can’t wait for this project. 🤞🏽
👋 can I ask how tall you are cause this year im saving up to buy a miata but i dont know if im too tall for it
Great video. I haven't had an MX-5 yet, but I think your really demonstrate what the magic is here. It looks like so much fun to drive!
It is a lot of fun to drive
Watched this video when I was looking at NAs. Got a 96 a few months ago a lot of it was thanks to this video
Wow. This reminds me so much of my 1997 leather package. Bought it with 25k miles and should have left it stock and never sold it. I agree with everything he’s saying about what modding does to these vs leaving them alone. This video reminds me of my first drives in it over ten years ago!
"There's a reason why they're so popular," and it's NOT because they are the only game in town, even if they ARE the only game in town! They started out being the best small, front engine RWD roadsters ever, and amazingly, after 30 years, they are still the best. Even the originals, the NAs, are still the best! They are of course specialized for driving, so they don't do everything else quite as well, but they're also cheap, tons of fun, bulletproof and also quite pretty! What more could one want?
Such high quality, love watching your videos!
This is one of my dream cars, I just wish I could find one to get my hands on
I love the NA generation, I've never driven the 1.8L engine and never gotten to experience the extra stiffness of the car. I owned a 1991 and a 1990 (maybe might own a 1992 in a couple weeks!), and I adore it! Sure, the 1990-1993 has less stiffness in the body and less horsepower, but I love how it both sounds and feels. It's fun, engaging, and kinda sketchy in a way! A good way. The less stiff body makes it more exciting to me in the corners, as it feels like you are riding on the razor's edge, but the car feels so lively. It feels like it wants you to push the throttle down more, put it in a lower gear, throw it into that corner, and grip the wheel with excitement and daring. It's a sketchy feeling car in the corners, but it also feels exceptional in them too. Love the styling, it is both a homage to the British Sports car, and the definition of the early 1990's bubbly Japanese cars I so adore. I can't wait to own another, as my 1995 Honda Del Sol Si is fun enough, but it falls so far from the Miata in feeling. It's a nice car, it's debatably better in every way to live with, if you don't value experience. But the Miata? You can never get the memories of how it feels away from you, it'll haunt you if you don't have it, it'll excite you for your next time in it if you do. I love these cars, oh I love them. NA6, NA8, any NB, they are wonderful. Own one if you can. I like the NA6's revving, like I said, never drove an 1.8L, but they've been known to rev faster. It's very lively.
I just picked up my first miata today and its a 96. Such a fun car
One of the best car ever made ! Lovely.
I want a lsd in mine and do a few mods, but nothing crazy like turbo. It's good to know it has enough power to spin the tires. My friend was giving me grief about it not having the power to spun tires on asphalt. I love my car to bits. It doesn't have much of a rattle or squeak only when you go over the occasional bump but not anything major.
So fun to roll back the clock and see these older videos where Substitute Topher was simply "Chris" :D
Nice invisible brake pedal at 11:46
Lol
Props on the Speedmaster
I love my stock NB Miata 💜. Idk why people complain about the speed, it’s very fast, but then again I drive like a grandma so. I really wanted an NA but they are expensive where I live now.
They aren't fast, but they most certainly ARE swift! I owned a 1990 and a 1991 (might be owning a 1992 soon! So excited!), and I can say? They are remarkable at how quick they feel like they are, they don't ever feel slow, unless you are comparing them to other cars. Inside of one, the feeling of speed is so clear. It feels very fast, when in reality, it's not incredibly so, it's swift in its take-off and acceleration.
A new miata video!! What a great day
2 comments that are the same, what a great day
@@Guest-hn1vm 4 replies that are the same, good day
The good days when Miata’s were still affordable!
that car is amazing, looks to be in good condition and sounds great!
Crazy clean
Lots of love to that NA
This is definitely one of the most cars of all time.
I have a 94 Laguna Blue and Tan and everything he says about modding the car is true. Less is more with this car.
Your videos always have a close to home feel for me. I live about a mile from there lol
Great video! Keep up the good work.
7:35 also preserves collector resale value. These cars are going up.
I was like Miata...have to watch it !
Saving up for this car as a weekend fun car. Was considering an frs but I think I want this more.
Miatas are so good lol. I love my 96. Not nearly as clean as that one.
It's probably up for much debate but would you pick an NA2 or an NB2 Miata? Reading lot's of thoughts on this it seems the NA is the way to go if you want raw driving experience. NB is the way to go if you want a more lax, comfortable experience.
I've owned my NB for almost 2 years and its still a pretty raw experience, but you've got a lot more modern features and it just generally improves upon what the NA does. Honestly though just go with whichever you like the look of more. In terms of driving experience they're pretty similar and you can't go wrong with either. Great cars.
5 years late, but I really want a Miata now :(
Sadly they are now over 5 grand in Germany, and it isn't even guaranteed how good they are.
7-8 grand here in U.S bro😔
Nice review! What are your thoughts when comparing this NA to an ND1 or ND2? I found a very low mileage NA and I’m thinking of going this route vs. having a monthly payment However if the monthly payment is worth it (buying an ND because it’s way better than a NA) I would like to know.
They’re all just as fun, honestly I’d swing for an NA8 or NC and save a bunch of money 👍
TheTopher thanks for the input. I know you owned an NA yourself and enjoyed it! I enjoyed those videos and the rest of your videos. The NA8 I’m looking at is a single owner with only about 61k miles but it has some dings and and scratches in the chassis so it’s not perfect cosmetically however it’s pretty mint inside. They want a pretty good chunk of cash but it may be worth it due to freshness of the powertrain.
Wow! I also live in Michigan but sadly I never see any Miatas. I want a 1996 but black and with tan/gold interior.
Good point about hopping up Miatas... they lose some of their fun driving personality, in fact, they may lose most of it! In it's place you get something else, i.e. muscle and speed, but if that was what you wanted, maybe you'd have done better with a Mustang? I am modifying my '97 slightly, for handling and sound (Koni adjustables, Cobalt cat-back, real oil pressure gauge) but not power. I want the original, exemplary driving experience.
I had a '94 for 11 years, and I NEVER (or seldom) felt a need for more power. I guess I like working with limitations!
this is awesome, ur awesome, i hope u r still having fun with ur miata! i just got a 96' totally stock
This video makes me want a miata mate. Do you think that I can comfortably drive one since I'm 6"3 ?😬
The NC and ND generations supposedly fit larger people better.
doug demuro is like 6' 4" and he reviewed one recently. Im 6'0 and have about 2 1/2 to 3" to the top bar of the soft top
@@TKA905 can confirm the NC offers more room
Lol im 5'6 and i can barely fit in cars
Tonton Vincent it's the most mod friendly car bro, search up "foamectomy".
@TheTopher, I'm working on a 1990 NA Miata right now! It has 176K, no rust, but it's still a fixer upper.
I'm in the process of changing the starter, and so far I've changed the battery 40A(twice) and 80A fuses. I tried to jump the diagnostics box by using the Gnd and TEN pins but all that did was blow the 40A fuse. I read somewhere that if it doesn't have a CEL light, you have to put an LED with a resistor in the cabin fuse box to prevent shorts, do you know anything about getting it to flash trouble codes?
I want one so bad! They're so hard to find now (red, manual, 1.8, LSD, low mileage, good condition). Does the one in the video have LSD? Loved the donuts!
they said it had a torsen limited slip diff. i think the 1.8s came stock with them? i may be wrong i know the limited editions have them
I own a 1.6 from 1992. Is the 1.8 really that much better in terms of power? I know its only like 20 hp more but does it feel a lot different or similar?
It’s a pretty big difference in both sound and power, after owning a 1.8 I don’t think I’d get back into a 1.6
I went from a '92 1.6 to a '94 1.8
The 1.6 is about as fast, hardly any difference powerwise. The 1.8 feels much bigger. Its a whole different car torque wise and the gears seam to be longer, at least i can stay in gear much much longer. In the city im hardly ever in 3rd gear up to 50kmh. But in the 1.6 i was shifting non stop. Also highway engine noise is much, much less.
1.6 would do 3,5krpm at 100kmh(60mph)
1.8 does 2,5krpm
Like i said it feels like a much bigger engine.
@@daigosaito888 I will admit, as someone who owned a 1991 and 1990, I did have to shift ALOT more than I remembered when I stepped into a 1992 I might be buying soon if the owner fixes it and we hold to the price we settled on. I loved my NA6, but would you say you rather have the 1.8L?
why does it look and sound like the stock spring rates on the NA offers more stiffness than the ND from factory
I am currently trying to get a 1996 mx5 Miata, 5k, a little modded but stock engine stock tires stock everything, there is a spoiler, hardtop, and the taillights are blacked out.
At 4:32, a Cherokee trying to pull ahead xD
Lol Miata go vroom
This is beautiful ❤️
Just got myself a 94 Miata 🤩
Edit: That's why Im here😂
Does it have the Torsen 2 diff? I just found out mine has it :)
A Miata, in Michigan, been looking for ages and can never find one..
what RPM do you guys usually shift when you are cruising?
2000-2500
full send or no send
Full send you make sure not to pass the red 7 and 8
Cruising, it depends really on circumstance. Manuals aren't just about points to hit, but based off of your needs. I personally shift at 3K normally in any car, but if I am driving for pure economy, I shift at around 2500, or any RPM below 3000 that is still high enough in the conditions to not lug the engine in the new gear. Never lug your engine, always give it a healthy amount of rpm to work with.
Nah civic type r got the best shifter imo I just recently sold my 21 CTR made profit on it and now imma get a Miata on Monday
Fully stock 130k miles for 5k
I prefer Miata, rides smooth.
Why you no have headlights up
Aerodynamics
I'm doing some research.. a lady in town, who her husband just died a few months ago, has a 1996 Miata and my friend contacted her because I was interested in a 1950's MG she had...it was sold, but I also learned she had a Miata...a red 1996 and she texted him saying it has 3,600 miles on it...I'm totally unbelieving this can be correct, which would be about 150 miles per year..I'm thinking 36,000 miles is more realistic or maybe 103,600...I'm hoping to check it out soon...she told him $4,000 firm which seems like a lot for a car this old... any suggestions???
for such a low mileage, the price sounds all right
I'm buying one of these but it's an automatic. I'm so sad. Not shifting feels weird and wrong!
Sell it. Buy stick.
ohheyleighannn - There’s plenty of manual Miatas out there. I’d say sell the auto and wait for the right 5MT Miata to come along. It’ll be worth the wait!
Lovely little mk1 miata :D We got a mk2 but it aint running lol
Here I've got a 1994 green 1.8, electric windows, mirrors and antenna, no rust and no mods (except radiator, thermostat, coolant reroute and 12degrees advance). This convinced me not to mod it.
I’m looking to buy an NA MIOT. Any tips?
does it have powered steering? my 1990 doesn’t have powered steering lmao
Yes, it has power steering.
Ah man, I have the 1.6L :(
Mike E F
Thetopher can you make a video about the 2019 ford mustang gt
3 GRAND, INDIANA, YES PLEASE PLEASE LET ME BE THIS LUCKY
I recognize the city lol I live there
133 hp? Thats a stretch even for the 1.8s😬
How is the reliability compared to Honda and Toyota ?
Definitely up with them if you maintain it well, (change oil at regular and recommend intervals, trans fluid, coolant etc)
Nice kar! Got a 96 manual meself
God loves you 🙏❤️
got jumpscared by young substitute topher
No joke this video got me in to Miatas look at my profile Picture
7 grand. Thank you for that answer I desperately needed lol
sorry if i miss in some word
Where do you get these cars?
Buy them from a previous owner or used dealership. The new miatas are nothing like the old ones.
Being in the rust belt, PLEASE, OH PLEASE, do whatever the best rust proofing, weather proofing available to you. Spend the extra money to get the absolute best treatment. Treat it twice a year. These things will rust at just the hint of salt on the road. I mean seriously. They WILL rust! It’s a sad, sad reality in the Miata realm.
Alpha Romeo Giulia quadrifolio next?
Nice!
3 grand he said..... me out here in 2022
Mx5😍😍😋
The answer is always miata 😁
It’s not necessary to redline it on every shift
Only on full send, when normal/comfort, go about half way to the redline (3 or 5)
Lolll bruh I do work at that bar Louie!
0 dislikes wow
Wow
He backed the car out of a space in an empty lot.
Never let them know your next move 😂
I want one But i want the 95 not 96
$16 a tank😪. Good times
you actually back up out of your spot in an empty lot. wtf
Do you know how much he paid for the car?
He said it at the beginning of the video
Indiana gang
I own a 1999 Miata, not gonna lie I dont go passed 4k rpms..
Gotta rev it out man, go have some fun!
@@BananaXiphos redline the shit and do a burnout
talk to much that make the video so borring but it's ok that still amazing
The forced small talk was brutal in this video.
I'm sorry you're socially awkward, but nothing was weird about this video
Wow that thing is dirt shirt slow
No shit it’s a miata
You👏Don’t👏Need👏To👏Use👏Your👏Turn👏Signal👏Evertime👏You👏Turn
yeah you do.....
yes you do idiot.
the suspention is awoful
Wrongo pal
Buddy this is the best handling car in the world pretty much, shows how people know nothing about cars
seeing your spelling, you’re a kid who doesn’t drive.
I've never seen an NA that didn't have a blinking airbag light
A new miata video!! What a great day
2 comments that are the same, what a great day
@@Guest-hn1vm 4 replies that are the same, good day