Random guy in Tokyo giving his random thoughts and opinions on rental cars as a side hobby... if you're looking for professional reviews from a person with deep knowledge and experience... this is definitely not that.
I hear that the S is a better car and would definitely love to try one... but if the gearing of that 6 speed transmission is anything like the base Boxster's 5, this isn't the country to try it in.
I've driven both the 987 Boxster and the MX5 NC (both the hard top and soft top versions of the NC). Both are very different cars, despite being convertibles and aimed at sporting drivers. The 987 was made between 2005 - 2011, so is a closer contemporary of the NC (2005 - 2015). It is bigger and heavier than the NC. Definitely faster in a straight line. Clutch and steering feel weightier. You sit in a Boxster, whereas an NC gives more of an impression of sitting on the car. The NC feels much lighter on its feet. Revvy engine for a 4 cylinder and better manual gear changes. Chassis not as stiff. The rear end breaks traction in a predictable fashion that I could never do in a Boxster. But the biggest difference between the 2 cars is felt when you throw it into a corner. In the NC, despite its excellent balance, you still know you're in a front engined car. But in a Boxster, you quickly realise the engine is just behind you and the car is rotating around your hip point. Strange, but very satisfying feeling. Budget aside, would I take the NC or the Boxster? Definitely the NC if the choice was against a 986 like the one here. The NC is much better screwed together and things are less likely to break. But against the 987, I'd lean towards the later version (987.2) with the better engine. Both are excellent cars though and I wouldn't kick either out of my garage.
That sounds about in line with what I felt about the 986. I definitely liked the car and would like a chance to sample other Porsche products but... I'd like to sample them in a different country with reasonable speed limits and wider roads. The high school kid in me would still like to own a Porsche, but the adult in me can't imagine having one in Japan and not feel constantly annoyed that I can't really enjoy the car.
Hey mate, really enjoying your videos. Have you thought about making one about what it's like to own a car and drive in Japan? I think that could be interesting.
I actually have a couple of videos about that. The one about driving around Japan is quite old and some of my feelings have changed since then, so maybe I could update that. I then have two one year ownership update videos about my Mazda MX-5.
Loved this review mate, you covered a lot of interesting points that others don't. What's it like driving in Japan, do they have a points system for licences?
Driving in Japan has loads of annoyances and contradictions. There will be signs up that no joke say to go faster and not hold up traffic as a form of road manners... then the police will be around the corner to give you a speeding ticket. There's a point system here, but every ticket you get goes on your permanent record and never goes away, like a criminal record =/
Your summation of the Miatas is spot on. I totally agree with what you’re saying about the NB. Doesn’t feel like a collector car at all-a toy car I’d have no problem messing with by modding it.
I think I've driven a total of 5 different NC1s of varying trims and loved them all, but never got a chance to try an NC2. I'm curious if I can genuinely feel a difference if I ever get a chance to try one.
I have 2 P5's ( had 3 but it rusted out at 200k ) In my 45 years driving this is hands down the most fun car I have EVER driven. It is such a go cart!!!
Well said that man. I agree with the coil over springs, I live in the UK and the roads here in general are really bad, a little softer suspension is perfect how it is on my 2011 2lt mc2. I just love my car too. Liked and subscribed john
I recently drove my NC up and down Irohazaka in Nikko, which is fairly smoothly paved and dozens of hairpins in a row. Thoughts of upgrading the stock suspension were in my head for a bit... then I drove on a broken twisty mountain road somewhere else and I was back to thinking the stock suspension is perfectly fine =)
I'm very luck to own a 2011 nc2 prht 2lt, lsd. And I love it, it truly is a fantastic car, oh and if you like you can actually work on it, to make it your own. Great video liked and subscribed. John. In the UK.
I'm glad you liked the video! I'm tempted to customize my car now, but at the same time I like it the way it is... I'm sure I'll eventually break down and do something though.
I love my NC2. Yes, I modified mine, but you’re right, they’re are good right out of the box. I fell like you, I wanna drive it as long as I can keep it running.
The best MX-5 is the one you drive. I have a C and that is what ticked the boxes for me. They all look cool when I see them out. I wouldn't swap mine or change anything except the header, air intake perhaps but I love the RX styling and it makes me smile more than it should. I drive it daily and it rocks.
I used to think people/reviewers were being "politically correct" and escaping by saying all MX-5s are good, there is no best one... until I drove all of them and... now I agree, the best one is the one you drive and or whichever one ticks the most boxes for you. Funny how that worked out.
To me, the difference is the seaing position. In the NA/NB you sit higher with an on top of the car feeling and the NC you sit more in the car and the beltline is higher.
I've had an NA and NB. None of these cars are 'practical'. On doesn't buy a Miata for practicality so I think you should throw that aspect out the window in terms of a review to be honest.
I brought it up because my NC has actually been surprisingly practical for me. If you're in a position to own more than one car, yeah there's no reason to think about practicality when buying a Miata. Parking costs in Tokyo = renting a small apartment so one car ownership is the norm and practicality differences do play a factor at that point.
I forgot to add that for some reason in Japan, the 2009~ NCs are significantly more expensive and are often more expensive than an ND. I think they didn't sell well over here and relatively rare.
I test-drove ND 1.5 recently, and coming from NB, it was quite disappointing. Driving dynamics aside (you can't slide it or rev to 7k on a test drive), it felt too much like a normal car. I haven't tried other gens, so to me personally, NB feels more special and serious in performance car way. Sure, it's slower, but it feels like something's going on when you're accelerating, feels like the car is working on it. ND felt like: sure, it's quicker, and it can change direction quickly, but it might as well be a Yaris. I think it maybe have also had something to do with the seating position and how high/low off the ground you are - I think ND didn't feel as low to the ground as NB, and that may have made it feel like other cars to me.
I have to add that I hate the whole convertible thing in the NB - it feels like being in a tent. I don't care about the convertible driving to begin with, so driving that thing with the top up feels kinda crappy... So I sold my NB because I didn't like driving it for the most part due to the whole tent-like top, combined with smells coming in from the engine bay, the general feeling of kind of being almost like I'm not even in a car when it's raining (literally like camping in a tent)... But if they had not cancelled the NB coup, I think I would go for that - I think would be able to live with the other compromises if it didn't have that tent-like top (and the plastic hardtop that you can get for it doesn't seem confidence-inspiring to me) -- I'd take that over the ND. And I'm talking about dailying the car :) I guess I should try the NC PRHT - could just be the sweet spot!
I did notice that the ND felt "high up" when you're driving and it didn't feel as low slung as the other generations. The NB definitely felt more characterful and fun in my opinion. The ND being more modern, you need to cane it more before it feels fun compared to the older cars, so maybe you simply couldn't go fast enough on your test drive.
@@andycalifornia426 Yeah you need to be doing 40MPH around a very narrow twisty road rather than a straight line before you really feel anything special.
I love my NC and for me it will always be the best. You did purchase the right car my. My car is a grand touring 6 speed copper red with tan leather interior and a tan soft top. The RF is a targa top and will never be a classic roadster that whats a Miata should be.
Great color combination choice! I still find it funny that when I was younger I just wanted black interiors and now tan leather interiors are super appealing.
Your driving position observation is interesting. In the US, the driver's position shifts to your passenger seat. It does NOT have the transmission housing bump-out you mention. As such, the various peddles are comfortably aligned and you need not twist your body to conform. In fact, the USA-NC has a foot rest that improves driver leg comfort to longer drives. All-in-all, I agree with you that the NC design engineers learned a lot from their NA and NB experience. The NC is a better car.
I noticed US reviews of the NC and ND mention a transmission tunnel bump that intrudes on the passenger's leg room instead of the driver's. Makes sense given that the US and Japan drive on opposite sides of the car.
If I was back in the US I would definitely want the 2 liter. In Japan the average car on the road has 64HP and the highways have a speed limit of 50mph... 🫤
I loved how you choose your words carefully for possible and current ND owners xD Well put together video. I myself owned an ND2 in 2019, sold it after 2 years for a Lotus Elise but recently ordered an ND3 again. I actually testdrove an NB a couple of months ago and for me the interiour felt outdated. Also the suspension seemed worn out or something because it handled not sharp enough. That car didn't make me smile so i ended up to your point thats its all about personal preferences what generation we like the most. I have to admit watching your video i have never testdriven an NC because i was told it was the "fat" kid in the line-up. Now i have to go and testdrive one just for the sake of it :D
I was lucky that the NB I drove was in showroom condition. I also like a bit of a laugh and character when I drive a car vs having the car feel like a track weapon which could probably have skewed me towards liking the earlier cars. The Japanese spec NCs are listed at lighter weights than the rest of the world and the RF actually weighs more than my NC from the official weights which I find interesting. Definitely worth a drive though to satisfy curiosity.
I have a note about it at the start of the video. It's simply to hide my face. There are some bizarre stalker and harassment cases for youtubers in Japan, and I was advised to not fully show my face by others. Quite a few small car youtube channels here don't show their face at all or wear a mask.
Cali guy here so I can exploit the top down life year round- Owned all 4 cept the nd but drove a few on test drives. Quite disappointed on elusive yet desirable option on those which were connection to driver. I say nc too. Great vid btw
Yeah the ND felt too "modern" and lacks the same connection as the older cars. My friend who helped me make the videos was the one who pointed out that I wasn't laughing and smiling when I was driving the ND despite me saying I liked the car.
@@4speedauto I can buy a brand new top of line model if I wish as I’m 64. I’m torn though as I know they will be phased out soon in the platform it is now but it’s a dying n elusive Time Machine. Thx again from USA or what’s left of it.🥴
If I was in your position, I would go and order an ND3 and take care of it until the end of time. It is likely going to be the last of the breed and worth getting in my opinion.
I hope I get a chance to try an ND3 to see if I can notice the changes they made to the steering. The greatly improved infotainment system means you're definitely getting the best ND too.
There are a lot of ND Roadsters driving around Tokyo. It's hard to get through the day without seeing at least a couple of them. With that said though, there are a lot of much more exotic cars like Porsches, Ferraris, Lamborghinis etc. driving around too, so a MX-5 doesn't really get much attention. The only time you get attention in an MX-5 is if you lower the roof in a parking lot and people who have never seen a convertible top in action before do stop and comment.
@@andycalifornia426 370Zs are relatively rare here. I definitely see more 911s than 370Zs in the Tokyo area. GR86s, especially the older GT86s, are a fairly common sight.
In my experience in the US, the prices for used MX-5s seems to go down by mileage and not age. I ended up buying a newish, show room demo NC Grand Touring with PRHT. Best decision in years 👍.
Sounds similar to MX-5 pricing in Japan. Mileage really kills the price of cars in Japan. There's a very weird belief here that a car (even a Japanese car) with more than 100,000 km (60,000 miles), even if it's been well maintained, should be avoided because they're dangerous... It's ridiculous but that meant I could get my well maintained NC for a relative bargain =)
I have a 2005 NC too it's Brilliant Black. You're right about the vinyl tops mine is coming apart at the driver's side seam but not leaking, other than that it's been perfect. 100% agree I have no regrets getting an NC I love it more every time I drive it. Anyone that says it's not a sports car hasn't driven one, going from the same double wishbone Mazda has been using since the '80s in the NB to modern multilink suspension in the NC was arguably the biggest upgrade the MX-5 has ever gotten. People just associate performance with harshness but NC easily outperforms NB in both cornering and acceleration.
I'm glad you're enjoying your 2005 NC as well. It's been a car that I get into and just think "this is such a good car" even if I'm just driving to a shopping mall. It's just fun =)
Nice seeing you post after your long hiatus. Congrats on your Miata purchase. I figured you were going with that after our little back and forth after your Swift Sport review. Glad you like it and that you and your car had a little holiday of sorts. Also traffic law enforcement in Japan is vicious, makes me think that Animes like MF Ghost and Initial D were lying 😂.
My feelings on the Swift Sport are weird because logically and objectively, I really should have bought that instead the NC. It was exactly what I want in a car... but like people in romantic comedies, I chose the imperfect car that has more character 😂. Japanese traffic enforcement is a walking contradiction. No one drives the speed limit here because they are unreasonably low and the police usually don't ticket you for going even 20 over most of the time because they know it improves traffic conditions. In fact some driving schools tell you to go above the speed limit as to not piss everyone off on the road... yet randomly the police will set up a speed trap and ticket you for going 20 over then quote the law and say you should be going UNDER the speed limit and take away your license. Either you go the speed limit and piss off other drivers, or you risk your license... fun country =P
@@4speedautoi know that feeling all too well, for me it was the opposite, I got something a bit fun but practical when I should have gone with something way more practical but a bit less fun to drive. On the police, i know that vibe, all too painfully well.
I found your channel a few days ago through your mazda protege review. It took me on such a nostalgia trip lol. It's cool to see you're still making videos, living in Japan and enjoying the roadster life. Mazda did great with these little guys.
When I was looking to buy a car, I found a Familia S-Wagon (Protege 5) on the car listing sites... I was soooooo tempted, but then did some critical thinking and didn't buy it because there are simply no spare parts to fix it with if anything were to go wrong. Fortunately, that is not a problem with an old Miata.
Im thinking of trading my Cresta for one of these right now. I drove one years ago and remember loving it. I find light weight FR or MR to be the most exciting to drive on mountain roads. My wife had an NA and i had an MR2 Spyder/MRS few years back loved both of them as well. The NA miata felt like a refined version of my AE86.
That's quite an impressive car history! I did wind up buying an NC at the end of summer, and prices have continued to rise despite everything. Hopefully you can find a sorted one for non ridiculous prices.
@@4speedauto the prices dont seem to inflated on them in the states at the moment. Looking at NC's and 350Z's since they are around the same price here. If i could afford the time and money to do a 1jz-gte and r154 manual swap in my cresta i would keep it. But i still need to build my ae86 and want to spemd most of my garage time on that.
@@Nickoboss29 i wouldnt say more fun about equal fun but a bit different. The midengine set up really allows you to drive the car with the gas pedal in the corners. Also surprisinglin good in the snow with snow tires. Miata is just as fun but not as steerable with the gas pedal. Cant go wrong either way. Unless you will drove in snow i would say the mr2 is the win there.
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I did buy an NC at the end of it all and I have no regrets. If I stop being lazy, I will probably make an owner's review style video in the future.
It's difficult because they're both really good in the same Miata way, but each has different areas where they shine. The steering feel and engine of the NC are huge differentiators (especially since I'm biased towards cars with good steering feel), but the lighter feel, the superior fuel efficiency, and the slightly more playful nature of the ND are hard to ignore. If both were brand new and I was offered the car of choice for free... I would probably choose the ND. It's got the edge on the NC, but it is the newer car after all... however, since I have to pay for it myself... I would go NC because it's 1/2 the price and you can then mod it with the remaining money to be easily superior to the ND.
Find an NC with a six - speed manual and the PRHT and buy it. Rarer than the soft top models and you never have to replace the top.Please lose the mask. It doesn't prevent you from getting Covid and neither does the vaccine. Get on with your life and stop living in fear!
I'm not entirely sure why, but I'm naturally drawn more to the soft top. As stated in other posts, the mask isn't for COVID prevention. The usual Japanese car RU-vidr thing is to not show your face at all and sometimes even alter your voice because we have some weird laws and stalkers here. I just settled on the "fashion mask" as advised by people here. I would be surprised if that mask blocks anything, never mind viruses.
