Before starting a Barn Finds article, we try to search to see if a particular vehicle has been written up before, at least within the last few months. I had to go back to 2020 to find another red 1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata. They have this red Miata survivor listed here on eBay in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, there is no reserve, and the current bid price is $3,800.
We don’t see any photos of this Miata without its desirable hardtop in place and the seller doesn’t mention the soft top at all, but I’m assuming it’s there and in ok condition. They do show dozens of great photos inside, outside, and even underneath with all four wheels off, pretty amazing! In case you were wondering, the headlights do retract, here’s a profile shot with them in the down position.
Mazda made the first-generation (NA) MX-5 Miata (Eunos in Japan) from 1989 for the 1990 model year until the end of 1997. Known as the “NA”, it was followed by the NB, NC, and lastly, the ND model, which is currently in production. This car looks like a low-mile trailer queen but it has 107,717 miles on it. Being in Pennsylvania, I expected to see rust but it looks rock solid, even underneath. With an average of just over 3,100 miles per year over the last 34 years, I’d guess it didn’t do much winter duty but we don’t know. It does have new all-season tires.
The cockpit is tight but not oppressive, even for a tall and lanky person like myself. This one looks excellent, I don’t see a flaw inside at all and the seller has included dozens of great photos. They even show the undersides of the doors and other areas where you’d expect to see a hint of surface rust at least, but it looks fantastic. There’s an impressive list of maintenance and new parts, but the seller says it’s never been modified. The trunk looks as clean and nice as every part of the car.
The engine is Mazda’s 1.6-liter DOHC inline-four with 114 horsepower and 100 lb-ft of torque when new, going to the rear wheels. The tight five-speed manual makes 114 horsepower seem much better and they are incredibly fun cars to drive. This one runs and drives great, has new tires and brakes, a new brake booster and master cylinder, a clutch and slave cylinder, and many suspension bushings and other maintenance parts. Hagerty is at $8,800 for a #3 good car and with no reserve, this could end up being a steal. Have any of you owned a ’91 MX-5 Miata?
It looks really nice, and kudos to the seller for providing better photos than 99.99% of online sellers.
One nit to pick – if you are to put new tires on a sports car (or any car for that matter!) – what possesses you to put the junkiest most stupidly bad Chinese tires on it? The one most important part for handling and braking and you just ”wow, I can get these for $50/ea so that’s what I will waste the money on!” I bought a Miata for one of my sons and the dealer had put this kind of junk on. I thought it needed a full front end rebuild. Steering was vague, it wandered across the highway and was generally not very fun to drive. Then one day I drove the car on damp pavement – not even wet! – and there was so little grip that I at first thought the clutch was slipping!! Ordered a set of Contis, put them on and all the car’s ills were gone. Suddenly it drove like a sports car should. So no matter what, a set of real brand name tires of acceptable quality should be the first thing for the next buyer to get.
While this is accurately described as an NA, it is the first version, an NA6, designating a 1.6L engine. Later NA’s like my 95 M-Spec have a slight upgrade with a 1.8L and are considered NA8’s.
The top alone has a market value of roughly $2K as long as it is stock and fits well. Cheaper tops can be had, but like the tires, aren’t always value-packed. And there may be a reason why the soft top isn’t shown up (it is shown retracted, with a plastic window); they don’t last forever and the seller should be asked about it.
The daisy wheels look good, and it isn’t unusual to have a newer radio, though there are folks who rebuild the original Panasonic double din units (either the CD or cassette player craps out, or both, like mine did).
This one looks nice and clean and should do well.
An extraordinary value for such a fun car. My brother has virtually this same car and it delivers the highest smile per mile you can ask. Im going to follow this one.
They are fun little things to drive. I bought a locally owned 1994 for my wife’s anniversary…and in three years, it has accumulated a whole 274 miles. She uncovers it and pulls it out for parades and such. She said I could sell it if I replaced it with something else fun to drive…I’ve got about $9k in it. Soft top only, in good shape.
After 87 bids, this one sold for $8,033.
Thanks, sir! I was just coming here to say that! Small or not, that’s a nice, fun, reliable car for eight-grand.
I had a 1992. I really miss it! Nothing like the Triumph sports cars I’ve owned and restored. No white knuckles AND air conditioning!