I am a proud NC aka "boat" owner. 2007 copper red GT. My brother-in-law and I both think this gen is the best looking of all. Screw those so called "purists".
lol :) I have a 2006 NC "3rd gen limited" now, after having enjoyed a 1.8 NA until it rusted out. Love my NC just as much as I loved my NA. Sure it lost a bit of the NA's purity, but it also more than makes up for that in other regards. I really like the chunky look of the NC. The 2.0L engine is just in another league; it's so much smoother and more willing, and in comparison it feels lighting fast. The breaks are also so much better. The soft top is much better designed and easier/lighter to operate. They don't seem to be as likely to rust out on you. They have options that make it much more livable (the traction control makes it actually an option when there's snow; you still have to be extra careful, but with the NA that was just outright too dangerous).
I own an NA, which will undoubtedly be the collector of the bunch. However my girlfriend owns the NC Grand touring from 2007 and it beats the pants off my car as a sports car. When my na is all used up I'll look for an old NC, the sleeper Miata and the one that all of us in the know will appreciate. Enjoy that car brother
The NC is the best. Has ESP, ABS, is reliable, does not rust badly, price is good, has better storage than ND, more leg/cabin space, does not look agressieve or expensive so people smile at you
Love this video /narration. The humor, the frankness, the candor and realness of it. It makes it harder to go back and watch the other 'polished' car videos where everybody talks the same.
Mazda MX 5 exceeds Porsche for reliability. The Mazda design team perfected the roadster with the Miata. Admire the Porsche Boxster, but the cost of ownership, not worth it.
Totally agree with your comments about the NC. I had an NA S Limited Edition, then an NB Euphonic Edition - and now I have an NC 2.0 Sport Tech. It's far more beautiful than the previous two, and it feels far more alive. It's also far more improved, refined, and has a premium price feel. I can't speak for the MK4 but this is my best Miata yet. I'm absolutely in love with it.
I absolutely loved this video. I swore a long time ago that I'd never step into another car dealership again after being jerked around again and again by different sales people. But I'd actually consider buying a used car from this guy. And his description of the NC is right on. I own one.
Thank you for a good, interesting and funny test drive. I have a 1997 modell, Toyota Celica, which I love and have had for 16 years in October now, but a MX-5, is my biggest dream, and have been it for 6 or 7 years now. I think it`s lovely to look at, and everyubody on the net which own a car like this, talk about how lovely it is to drive, and you got the right sportscar feeling in it !!! Thank you again. Best wishes from Norway !!!
Totally agree with your comment about speed. It feels fun at 40 which you dont get in a normal hatchback. You dont have to scream the nuts off it to have a great drive.
Very informative and practical review. I have that exact car 2008 GT with PRHT . bought it 4 years ago and have enjoyed it ever since. It is my 5th Miata and my first was a 1990 NA...then 3 NBs and now this NC. I am not a mechanical guy. I have always bought cars for their looks and how they feel when i drive them. I have never had a Miata that i didnt love in all respects but when i finally got into the models which had Automatics, power everything and last....and most...the power retractable hardtop, i was set for as long as i could be.In owning Miatas over 27 or 28 years, IU only had one which ever needed anything more than normal maintenance...phenomenal reliability...really amazing. The only complaints i have had owning Miatas are that as i have gotten to be a hell of a lot older than you are, getting in and out of my PRHT is getting to be a lot harder! More importantly, i HATE those lousy credit card looking remotes i have with my 2008! ...actually just dont like the oversophisticated AKE remote system!!! I was wondering if you would comment on the leather seats in the car you drove...i have the same seats and have always felt the letather was and is much too hard in texture....not really very comfortable.,..more like Mercedes " leather". I tried using sheepskin seat covers on one of my previous Miatas for improved comfort but it made the cockpit too tight for my taste. I would love to have an ND model...no particular reason...although i do like their styling, but I;m afraid i'm reaching the end of the Miata road fairly soon. In my earlier life i have had 6 Corvettes...loved them all, but they werent nearly as much fun as my Miatas. Thanks for the great review.
Your humor is so damn refreshing...and, I'm having this same car, except black interior, delivered to me by the end of the coming week...and I'm pretty damn excited about it....thanks for being you, you'ld be great to chat with at an after work beer and barbeque...just relaxing and shootin the shit....
We have owned 3 NC Miatas now. On one hand im glad they remain cheap and unloved. On the other I agree.... people need to get over it. Feels like all the hate for the 996 sometimes.
I never like this one, but when we bought this one ona road trip at United Kingdom, Mazda Miata MX5 (RHD, manual 6 speed) 2.0 125kw, and rode it 2500km back home to Czechia, i fell in love with this car. Driving over UK, France, Belgium, Germany and Czechia. Went to few trips with this car and, its awesome. When you try this car, you want it. If you never try it, you will never know what are we talking about and why are we even talking about it. It's so damn light for 2006 car, well dome job !!
Very informative review Bill-and funny too! After spending a year trying to talk myself into a used Boxster, I’m now in the market for my first Miata, and I definitely will get this NC 3rd gen version, probably with a hard top. I was always a fan of the RX-8, so for me, the styling is beautiful. As for your new review channel name, how about Billy Goat Reviews?
I have this exact same car - the color even matches (copper red mica), but my interior is black. I bought it used in 2013 with 23000 miles on it. I absolutely love the car - the cornering is wonderful, and it’s spirit is fantastic. You can’t be in a bad mood while driving this car. And if you are, the car pulls it out of you and away from you. We’ve done a few long distance road trips in it and it’s become a member of our family. Just had the clutch redone and the transmission rebuilt. New canvas top is on order, then a CarPlay radio and a little something to pep up the exhaust note. I’ll save the engine rebuild for next year. She’s been my daily driver for 10 years and only has 131,000. Basic repair and maintenance tasks are pretty simple and are a great way to get to know your car’s systems better. I like it too much to part with it, so I’m doing my best to keep it maintained and fun. These cars were the right revolution at the right time ✌🏻
You cant go wrong in a mint condition nc. I type from the cockpit of one right now. My last car was a Jag xk8 convertible and I love this just as much plus its more reliable. Sports exaust and aftermarket wheels beef it up a treat. Great review.
Great review, Bill! I have the exact same Miata/MX-5 as yours, Bill. Same year, color, wheels, top, and mine also has the automatic tranny. The Miata is a blast to own, and I recommend them highly. As a 60 year old man, the Miata is the most fun car I have ever owned. Maybe I should have purchase a 6 speed, but I live in Southern California where traffic is bumper to bumper. But even with the automatic -- it's a quick little bugger! My Miata is a 3rd car for me, I also have a Lexus SC430 and a Tacoma. Sadly, I only put about 800 miles on the Miata last year and I'm not sure why so little. Because every time I get behind the wheel of that little roadster it puts a smile on my face. Every time I drive it people will come up to me and want to talk about it, even at stop lights. No other car that I've owned in my life has received so much positive attention. It's damnedest thing that I've experience with a car. Maintenance and upkeep is nothing for these cars. Their really bulletproof as far as that goes. I put a new Robbins top on mine about a year ago, it ran about $1400.00, but that's about it. Love my Miata! I enjoyed your video very much! Thanks Bill!
Agreed Wayne/ Bill, I drove an NA and NB with the intention of buying one as a Sunday car then I drove an NC and realised that I could re-evaluate the whole MX5 ownership thing and run that model as an everyday driver (10,000 miles per year). The woman of the house has a 5 seat hatchback for sensible occasions but that's a rarity. I've just returned from driving a (deeply dull) Jeep rental car for 3 weeks and all I could think of on the flight home was starting up the MX5, now that's a powerful bond, unlike anything I've experienced before.
I have an '07 GT six speed that I absolutely adore. I live and drive my car every day in Los Angeles, never had someone stop and chat with me about mine. Ah well, one can dream. 😜
Definitely has power steering, pump clearly visible under the bonnet/hood. Yeah ok been driving, maintaining and modding them since 2007, had an NB before that but love the NCs.
I'm shopping and thank you for this very informative presentation. At 73 my motorcycling/cycling days are over. I had several British roadsters back in the day and still miss open top. Thanks again.
I love my 2008 PRHT I use it as my daily driver. Anyone who downplays this car more than likely is not intimate with it. I love NAs and NBs but as a daily, I will take an NC any day.
I finally bought a 2010 Miata 7 months ago. I’m 58 yrs old, 6’1”, and it’s my daily driver. The car’s A/T works great, and shifts faster in “Manual” mode, than any other car I’ve owned with a traditional stick. Your observation about sleeves and intelligence had me screaming! 👍👍👍👍
The handbrake is in a “weird” place over by the passenger because it’a Japanese car and as they drive on the right side it’s where the driver is. Changing to European/US configuration they left the tunnel as it was.
YeahI had the opposoite problem in my 370Z which was set up for LHD and sucked a bit as a RHD. The handbrake was far away and the cupholder (singular) was in exactly the wrong spot
Had an NB and NC and both are a hoot to drive but the NC is far more comfortable without being too soft and doesn't rattle anywhere near as much. If I was using it as a daily driver I'd take an NC over a B any day.
Great video and echoing prior comments...entertaining commentary! I recently purchased a 2008 6-speed retractable hardtop metallic green NC and agree that it is a blast to drive. Thanks for a fun and informative post.
I love Bill’s commentary, always makes me laugh. I agree that this generation is more compatible as an everyday driver and almost just as much fun to drive!
It is not possible for you to hold your phone camera in one hand and steer, change gears, open doors with the other hand. Strap a gopro to your head in order to have two free hands. Now for the car. The NC MX5 to me is the best because at 6'2" 240 lbs., it is the only 'Miata' in which I can fit. If your friend says Mazda installed a Ford engine, they should have used the 2.5 litre Duratec. Other wise, good value.
I'm a huge MX5 fan since I was a kid looking at the NA, NB I really liked it. now I can make my own money, and planning to buy a car. I decided to buy an NC idk why ppl hate on the NC and loved the ND but me prsnly I loved the NC much more. its my favorite MX5
Hah, another must-watch-beginning-to-end car tour! Firstly, thanks for the impressions of this NC as everything was VERY informative and helpful. But even better, loved the commentary on your coworkers. The honest disapproval and disdain is refreshing!
I have the 2012 UK mx5 mk3.5 2 litre sport black hard top in velocity red and love it. It has the larger wheels which fill the arches and just makes me feel so good when I drive it. The 3.5 had some useful improvements over the first mk3.
I had an nb & nc. The nb had quicker turn in, sharper stick and more "fun" than the nc. But the longer I drove the nc, the more I fell in love with it. It was more mature. It could handle back roads and highways. The biggest issue with early nc's was it's engine programing did not like alcohol gas. Putting in alcohol free gas changes engines personality. It was taken away from me at an intersection. I was hit by a guy in a Durango who laid down a 90 foot skid mark then skid 160 feet on three wheels and engine craddle. My Miata ripped his wheel off. No damage to me. The car was repairable and is probably racing today. Totaled due to age. Got a yellow convertible mustang to be seen better. You drive a mustang, you wear an mx-5. The mustang may be faster, but I miss the fun of the mx-5 everyday. A miata without a stick is like a 2 wheel drive jeep. The clutch is so easy, there is NO reason for an auto.
Hi Bill, early in 2021 after watching this video review of the NC I went on the hunt. Then in October of 2021 I found my dream car, a black 2006 grand touring with tan top and interior. With only 24k on the odometer the car shows it, still has the new car scent inside. Thank you for helping me find the perfect retirement gift. And thank you for all the fantastic video reviews.
Just a fantastic review! A mix of history and facts. Just bought my fifth Miata and second NC. I got a ‘15 Club, and I’m more pleased than ever. I tested the traction control on my local twisties yesterday. In my NAs, I might easily have spun out in a really tight turn, but my Club helped me regain traction quickly. People can all the NC what they like. But they should drive it first.
Have a lowered NC with coilovers and improved swaybars. Would put it against anything for the same money. So much stronger and more planted than my beloved NA.
Three NAs and two NCs for me. My latest, a ‘15 Club, is the best-driving, best-performing car I’ve ever owned. A joy to drive with the stock, sportier suspension on Bilsteins.
I never gave these cars any thought, except the V-8 conversions that go for around $90k plus. The fact that you had to pay for the car and send it to them with a $50k check, is what turned me off about them. But your review gave me a better impression of the car. It seems that they’re plenty peppy enough to get out of its own way, so if someone feels the need to add the V-8 conversion, they’re either showing off their income, or don’t like the latest Corvette. Either way, it doesn’t make sense, just take this car for what it is, and enjoy! Great review, Bill. I’m looking forward to the new channel. That way, I can listen to your humorous diatribes twice as much! By the way, why do you dislike the Canadians so much? I mean, aside from the fact that they have a loon as their currency, and they serve fries with the taco’s at Taco Bell up there.
I was only poking at you. Im sure it’s all in good fun. I really enjoy your humor. Your channel is just about the only honest as well as humorous thing I have in my life these days. One thing you said was getting old sucks. I have to agree. Getting old is rather difficult, especially when you become ill, at the same time. You’re the highlight of my day, and we seem to think alike, which makes it even better. Keep doing what you do, as you do it so well !
Thanks for this hilarious vlog, really impressive, 😆😃😅🤣👍😊👏👌 You're the one and only, Mr. BILL!!! GREAT CAR AND A GREAT JOB. IT'S a real driver's fun-car!! By the way, I wish you the best from Austria 👍👍🇦🇹😎 Take care.
I bought the 2006 because it had a lot of room. I could not buy the early models the were to small for me to fit in. My shoulder wold hit the convertible. When this model came out I sat in it and I liked it because it was roomy. So Mazda gave tiger guys a chance to get into there smaller cars.
I never clicked your videos because I thought it's just a car sales channel. Boy, was I wrong. This is hilarious. Thinking about getting an SC430 or Miata. Good thing you're separating review and sales now. I just subscribed.
Thanks for a down to earth review. I’m 57yoa and looking to slow my roll a bit as I reach the twilight years of my military career. Funny, but all the complaints the purists voice over the NC are exactly the reasons it appeals to me. Granted, I don’t have a reference point to compare with NA/NB, yet, ceteris paribus, the NC is an attractive option.
With a voice Like Humphrey Bogart and the wit and humor of Rodney Danderfield, Bill kept me amused and entertained. I think he learned to be kind and tolerant of people, but I think he would like them all to go away and be left alone....with his Miata!
Really enjoyed this. Coming from the Mini Cooper world I’m no Miata purist but have always admired them. In July I got a 2007 and absolutely love this car. I think it’s the best looking of the models so far. And a terrific deal. I didn’t find you cranky at all. Got a few good laughs along the way. Thanks!
100#'s is no big deal. But, the NC engine has forged internals, and that is a VERY BIG deal. It means it was designed for forced induction; this engine is an anvil! Wider fender flares means more rubber to the road is an option. I've had the NA & the NB. This is my next choice for next year.
Well aren’t you a warm cuddly kinda guy...the hubs just bought me an ‘07. I’m trying to soak up as much info as I can about them. We’re in Alaska and it’s in Idaho. I don’t get to drive it for another 2 weeks. Because of your video I understand why some folks say MX-5 instead of Miata...thanks!
The engines are not a leftover Ford part, nothing could be further from fact. They were developed by Mazda when Ford partnered them Ford elected to use the engine in their cars and did the manufacturing. MZR stands for MaZda Responsive. Hate reviews that are so inaccurate when the facts are so easy to find. Also on the facelift models key engine components were strengthened significantly.
The NC is just a particular kind of Miata, with different priorities than the others. The convertible hardtop is cool, and the bulging fenders were a characteristic of the Mazda line at the the time, and seemed to suggest broad-shouldered sportiness. I thought they were a styling success. I have an NA, so I tend to be conservative about Miatas, but I think I can get over the fact that an NC is in many ways an entirely different, more elaborate kind of car. Instead of thinking of it as "somewhat less than the others," we should think of it as "a gentleman's MX-5," and "a nice car for a drive in the country, with full Miata dynamics." I rather like it for what it is, and not worry too much about what it's not. It's close enough! And GOOD enough! If we looked at NCs as if they were an outside competitor to earlier Miatas, we'd see them as very strong competition! I can feel myself warming up to them! I might even(tually) get one myself.
If I ever get down to Florida...can we please hangout and just chat about what society has become...PLEASSSSE!...man, i just love your personality/outlook....very humorous, you just make me laugh...
Oh no! ! I have got to stop watching these, thanks to Bill my wife and I have purchased a NA, ND, SC430, LS430 and now will more than likely end up with a NC this week. Who cares, it’s only money. Well done Bill love your work.
My '06 MX-5 is the best car I've ever owned. I get excited driving to the grocery store. Got caught driving through a thunderstorm with the top down and I just laughed. At highway speed the rain blew right over my head. Beware. High torque on a rear-wheel drive on a wet surface can be nasty dangerous.
