1990 Mazda MX-5 Miata | Buyer's Guide 

I got a 93 supercharged NA with 101k miles and 0 rust. Best car I’ve ever driven. Definitely a car to keep for life !

I'm glad I picked up my 1995 Miata last year for $2500. I've been watching the prices creep up exponentially.

Sold my NA 1990 mx5 all stock a few years ago with just over 56k miles on the clock, i now drive a NC but sometimes i wish i had the NA :)

This video makes me so proud to own my White '91 Miata. Thank you

I bought my '92 Miata for $2000. It only had about 290,000 ish miles on the odometer and made it through a cross country road trip back home. It didn't make it much further though because I abused the hell out of it, I took it drifting on a dirt road in the mountains and it got rodknock so I headed back down the mountain because I'm not sure a tow truck could make it to where I was at the time. The engine completely exploded after I made it down the mountain and left chunks of the connecting rod in the road. RIP 1.6 engine, it had a good, long life. It's alright though because I swapped a 1.8 in it and the car still runs and drives to this day

Bought a 92 NA last December for $500, did water pump, struts and all maintenance. Runs great and blast to drive.

Rust is the death of the majority of these. I wouldn't mind a tired racecar that was all original rust free metal, definitely take that car over low mileage and rusty.

This guy is the best online reviewer I’ve ever seen. Knowledgeable, concise, and passionate.

I own 5 cars, every single one of them output my Miata, yet, I daily drive my Miata Na because of the feel.

This guy knows his NA Miatas! I miss my ‘94 all the time.

I had an '89 MX-5 as a 1990 model. I bought it during my last year of high school in 1993. It was my daily driver until 2004 when I got rid of it with nearly 700,000 kms on it. It saw all four corners of North America from British Columbia to the Florida Keys. I did oil changes and put gas in it and that was it. I've owned many different cars since then and nothing compares to my NA MX-5. I've since bought an NC and it is close to what the NA provided. I just can imagine paying more for an NC now than what I did nearly thirty years ago.

I've wanted a miata for a long time...I'm 19 and I've loved them since I was like 7😂

Great review and you nailed it when you said you drive it and then you want I drive it again. Have been fortunate enough to have owned 5 MX5’s, with a RF still in the garage that the wife drives daily . Great to drive, reliable, cheap to buy , drive and own. Would love a NA again ❤️

This video makes me so grateful that I got my completely stock, always-garaged, 92k mile, very clean 'A Package' 1990 Classic Red NA in February of this year for $4k. I always wanted a NC or even an ND, but now that I have an NA, I realize that I'm so fortunate to have started with the most popular color in the most popular year of Miata. There's something that's just so simple, honest, and fun about the NA, and I think I love it more with each passing day. Someday maybe I'll get a newer Miata as well, but I will never let go of My First Miata.

I picked up a 94 r-package dirt cheap years ago with low miles. Loved the car so much I don't care how much it goes up on value, I still drive it every day.

Sold my NA a few years ago. Bought an ND RF. I will drive it until the wheels fall off. Best car I’ve ever owned. If you’re looking at a user NA consider a used ND first.

It is a great car. One of the great cars perhaps ever. Yes, so many see it as a toy. Not the motorsports crowd. Those at the track or autocross. From day one it's been the sweetheart of this crowd. Heck, the SCCA has been called Club Miata. I'm an instructor at some of the northeast US racetracks. Pretty much to a person, us seasoned (uh, graying) instructors are happy to move pass the Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Corvettes, Mustangs, etc., to strap into into a Spec Miata. They aren't quick or fast, but corner complexes - where the skill and fun are - can be negotiated at a serious clip and with a poise, balance, finesse, and fun that's rarely matched this side of a full-on race car, like Formula Ford or Sports 2000. The Miata is an excellent car to hone a base of car control mastery. If you can drive a Miata skillfully, you can drive anything.

Owned the original 1990 Miata - I bought it new for 12,500 - incredible deal - the best car I have ever owned. I had the optional hard top but mostly used the soft top - I remember people restoring older British Race cars during this time and I did not want to go down that path as the original MX-5 scratched that itch in a more economical way - now looking at the newer model Miata's I can't imagine being able to afford one as the prices have quadrupled.

got my 92 almost a year ago, did some maintenance as soon as i got it and its been the best car ive ever owned so far. got it with 82k for 4500. was manual and LSD swapped.

I loved our 1990...we love Miatas...we can hardly wait to get our Miata car club on the road!

Had a red one. 5 speed manual 1990. Bought it brand new. Still kick myself for ever selling it.

I been waiting a Miata, I always love the style of it. I been saving up for one. Seeing this video makes me more interested in it

Watching a buyers guide for a car I know I barely fit in.

1st gen, mint condition, midrange power, aka my dream miata

Concise and well executed. Thank you.

I had a white '92 for a few years in the late '90s which I used as a summer DD, road trips, solo2, and many track days. I sold it in '99 to buy a Porsche 944. It was the first in a series of Porsches, but I've always regretted selling the Miata. Despite owning an amazing 997.2S, in 2016 I started looking for a rust-free NA or NB to keep the Porsche company in the garage. After combing through 30-40 "perfect" cars all of which had either visible or hidden rust, in 2018 I finally found a nice '99 NB. I don't expect to ever sell either of these cars!

Excited to get my 1990 Miata MX-5

I own a '99 Miata NB, is a very similar car, has the same chassis, same engine and just a different metal dress. The NB is even cheaper, a bit heavier, a tat slower, only has 110 hp (1.6) but I love it because it reminds me of what a baby between a Dodge Viper and a Jaguar E-Type would look like. Both the NA and NB are beautiful and uncomplicated roadsters that are incredible fun to drive.

The joys of the 1.6 Miata 😍

Beautiful little convertible- great to drive

I want to keep my Miata my whole life, so yes, I agree with this guide

"...it doesn't have a lot of grip..." 👌 very few people realise there's a difference between grip and handling. WRX, EVO et al... they have a lot of GRIP so can corner hard, but they don't HANDLE as well as a Miata. Just you made mention of the Familia GT-X, there is also the higher specced GT-R. I had an NA8 for almost 10years and currently own an NA6 LE (Neo Green) for over 5 years.

Sweet data you geting out there. Thnx

I have one but I’m still watching this

Stonks now my car gonna be worth more thanks hagerty!

Well done. Great tips on buying a (potentially) great car.

Bought a 1989 NA 4 years ago for $1800, no rust at all. Best purchase

Always learn a lot from you Sam

The miata is a great car to start with if you want to learn about cars and mechanics. My first car and it’s boosted now lol

I have my 1990 miata which I love so much, it had a lot of problems when I got it from some shady dealership. It was a POS but I repair all the rust and damage it had. Even turn it into a Kmiata, I want another one, just stock tho !.

If the car has been raced one other place I would look are the front sway bar mounts, these can tear, especially if a bigger than normal sway bar was used. Now this is not a big deal, the mounts are inexpensive and Mazda Competition Parts even sells reenforced ones but it's one more thing to take a look at. That said my 1990 Miata was autocross for 4 years when it was new (I even won the very first SCCA Solo Nationals trophy ever won by a Miata) and the only part that I've had to replace as a result was the jack which after 250 tire changes started to show its age. I've had the car 31 years now, travelled just shy of 317,000 miles and as noted in the video it still drives tight despite still having its original suspension bushings. The car still looks great too, so nice in fact that a local Mazda dealer borrowed it for their 30th anniversary celebration!

Just got my first car, 100% stock 90 na with 135k miles. Glad I got it now lmao

Love mine looks exactly the same ❤️

Had a late 2004 MX-5 as it's known here in England, from brand new with 6speed manual and the bullet proof 1.6 (as the better engine than the 1.8) I had the car fully loaded from factory sports EVERYTHING moe-hair roof and and removable hard-top aswell chrome and sports peddals, I drove it year-round in England from Sun to Snow! For 2 and a half years straight around Wyndy roads and also down the motorway, did a weekend away once to visit friends 350 miles away averaged 110mph and felt like 210mph but ate the miles up and was comfortable as hell which shocked me! It was a great car I then made the mistake of part exchanging it for a Brand New E90 BMW in 2007 and only got £8,500 2 years old and only 22k on the clock! Would probably be worth that now! Trouble is the all rust out over here, I looked for it online as I wanted to somehow see if j could find it to re-buy from whoever owned it but the licence plate didn't even come up on the database so I'm guessing it either rusted away from someone not keeping it maintained and clean, or ended up wrapped around a tree or a track car? (I used to slide it out round corners but even I span it once 3 times around and around on the 3 lane motorway! Hit oil or diesel and how I managed to keep it on the road and not hit the central reservation or another car or lorry was a miracle pulled out all my top gear driving skills with that little escapade lol 😅🤦🏻🙏💪🤣😎 Tbh I used to get ripped to shite from mates about hair dressers cat etc (until I took em for a spin in the little car and they couldn't believe the power to weigh ratio it was proper nippy against most cars and always felt twice as fast as it was) anyhow miss that car ever since I sold it, would love another one nearly bought one 3 years cheap(almost too cheap) needless to say it got snapped up and fell through as someone got in first. Great video mate and thanks for the nostalgia! Ps. My little brother also had one 2002 plate so we both had em he's 6ft 1 so his head stuck above the windscreen but he loved his aswell I think we both regret selling em..

Excellent presenter and video. well done

3 x Rx7's, R32 GTR... I now own a 92 BRG Miata. It's wonderful, LOVE IT, I won't be selling it :-)

great video, didn't know about the engine backstory...

Respect for a well done video. Is "short maintenance intervals and tend to take a lot of attention to keep running" a polite way to say "unreliable"? I have had my 1997 Miata for 17 years, still enjoy it, and never want to part with it.

I need one of those!

I've had my '90 A package for 27 years. Certainly not my daily driver (68k miles) but I make the most of the times I do drive it! Also have a '03 NB which is great, but not as great as the NA.

I was always told the Miata was supposed to be fun like the old British sport cars, with the exception that the Miata actually worked.

Here's a fun car to do a Buyer's Guide on; 1983-1988 first generation Nissan Z31 300ZX (maybe the Turbos, 200ZR, 300ZR, etc). It, like the Miata, is coming up in price and there is a lot to look for before purchasing one. Dynamically, they're not amazing. But they're fun, inexpensive cruisers.

my fav car until now

I just picked up a '90 with a 12a rotary in it, almost rust free.

Sam Smith is making some of the best car reviews out right now

I was wondering why this guy who I don't remember seeing on video before looked so familiar. It's Sam Smith, whose face I would see in Road and Track!

I'd love to see the 94-96 Impala SS

Here in Sweden the prices are mental. We bought our almost rust free NA last year with 140 000 miles on the clock for over $6000. The prices vary between $4500 for rusty ones to $10 000 for mint examples. They’re not very common over here.

Great video

Drive it to believe it, all is said here. Similar market phenomenon as First Gen Mustang. Miatas will appreciate, hopefully not too soon (I dont want mine to be stolen). And take care of a good one and it will last LONG.

The rear rockers are what go on these cars in areas with salt use during the winter. The salt gets trapped between the inner and outer rocker just above the pinch weld where water collects when it's draining from the top. Once it starts rusting, you're looking at at the very least $1500 in labor to replace the panels. Luckily replacement panels can be had relatively easily on Ebay for about $500 total. If the rust spreads above the door latches, there's pretty much no hope in saving the car without a serious investment. The sad truth is, if the Miata came from the Northeast and was driven AT ALL during the winter at any point of it's life, it's only a matter of time before mother nature starts blowing holes in it. Buy one from anywhere except the rust belt. Rain is fine with these things but you'll never wash that salt out of those rockers once it gets in there.

I got a 93 Miata with 120k miles with a hardtop for 5700 USD, it had been restored by a car collector who collected miatas and volvos, removing all the rust and cleaning it out. Its the best purchase ive ever made, ive never owned anything thats made me this happy. I am modifying it and changing it to what makes me happy, but its so easy to work on and bolt on parts that its just a joy.

Trying to find a replacement engine for my 97 and yes it is one of the best cars ever made!

I love my 93 NA ❤. I decided to not boost it and go down the rare parts rabbit hole. I just posted a walk around of it on my channel 😊

I like the company Monster Miata. V8 conversions for these small cars is like a modern day Cobra.

I need a video on that orange Cougar in the background

Thankyou soo much

I currently drive an ND and love it but would consider a NA or NB if I find the right one.

My lil brother purchased a 1990 Red Miata for $4500. The power steering, brakes and rpm have issues. As a big sister, I want to help, but wouldn't know how to proceed now that he purchased it. Any advice? :)

dream car

The Torsen limited-slip was in 1994 and up cars.

I often wonder how the prices of Australian NA MX5's are faring. I bought one from the first boatload that landed in '89 and it's still in great condition with around 105K kilometers on the clock. I don't drive it much these days as I bought an ND as soon as they were available here and that's now my daily. My heart says keep the NA, but my head says sell it to a good friend who will enjoy it more often than me.

Good review, but I have never heard of an NA with a blown differential - of any kind. The fact is that the Miata is one of the most durable cars around. I may be wrong about this - but I had read somewhere that the entire Miata driveline was lifted from the RX7 which was a much heavier and more powerful car - and that is why the driveline was so understressed. Mine had 325,000 km (more than 200,000 miles) and it is still going strong and the new owner is still having a ball with it.

An mx5 that clean, that is used on the road and that isn't a garage queen doesn't exist in the UK!! Lucky you guys, I had two NA (both sold because of very expensive rust problems) Absolutely amazing cars, but at least here the train is gone. For the money a rust free goes (a true rust free, as they rust from the inside out) you can nearly buy an early Mk4

The Cougar. When is the show on the Cougar??!!

Get one and do a exomotive exocet kit!

Would love to see i video about mk1 mr2…

Bought mx5 NB FL impulse edition (limited to 1500) for 5000€(around 6000$) great condition, air conditioning, heated leather brown seats. What do you think guys?

Miata is always the answer

I WANT ONE!

And that brings us to the final poi....

I know I'll get flak for saying it, but I just cleaned the snow off my red 91. Almost 80k mi., third owner. Once I get the top replaced/repaired, I'll get a cover for it until I can afford a garage.

I need a Miata in my life

This car really deserves better rubber than Barum Bravuris 2 :)

I would love one. But the ones I have noticed are beat to hell. Might as well get an ND2. But...I kinda need something practical as my first car...

I got mine for $2000 cad in 2012 .... How come it never dropped in your graph?

First view loved these cars, had two in my family. One of the most underrated Japanese sports cars of its time. Once you drive one few cars will deliver such driver connection to the road.

looks just like my 91 has 35k on it now bought it from 2nd owner with 22k in 2015 paid 7000.00 mostly sits in the garage

Paid €7.000 for my ´91 and it was worth every €

I need and want a miata they look like a fun car to drive 🔥

Loved my ‘96, but my ‘05 mazdaspeed is better in every way. NAs are going up in value because they are hitting classic status, but NBs are going up in value because people are catching on to the improvements over the NA. NA is the prototype, while the NB is the finished product.

Do one for a mk3 supra?

Yep prices for these are so much more then they where 6-7 years ago.....

Why not make a video about mk1 mr 2.. very simular miata

The Miata is one of the easiest cars to enhance to make handling even better and performance thrilling.

That's why MIATA is always the answer ;)

Dude rip to those frame rails! Only 10k miles?

Will I fit being 190cm tall?

At the point I was looking for a "fun appliance car" (contradiction in terms, I know), the fuel economy of a 1.8L Miata was 20% less than the 2.0L Focus I ended up with. Is a drop top more fun? ~!@# yes! I still have, and will keep, the Focus. The only way I would consider a Miata is one with more than 4 cylinders (which defies the hell out of economy).

Buyers guide *Don't buy into the scalpers asking 7k for a clapped car.