Video: New Miata vs. BRZ

[Drako]

I went down to the local Mazda dealer yesterday to take a look at them. They are finally starting to come in. Anyway, they had 10 cars, all Grand Touring with AT. WTF

 

[SearchMaster]

I went down to the local Mazda dealer yesterday to take a look at them. They are finally starting to come in. Anyway, they had 10 cars, all Grand Touring with AT. WTF

How sad...I guess they're marketing to 40-something administrative assistants.

It is a tough market though - hard to justify a new Miata with a family, and hard to justify $30K as a second car. They've always appealed to the older male crowd who wanted to relive their youth in a British roadster but after 25 years that market has dried up.

 

[madoka]

How sad...I guess they're marketing to 40-something administrative assistants.

Or that's all that was left after the manuals were sold.

 

[jlee]

Or that's all that was left after the manuals were sold.

Haha. This is likely.

 

[Murloc]

Haha. This is likely.

yeah I don't think many people are buying this as their first and only car.....
If you already have an automatic daily driver, it doesn't make sense to have an automatic fun car as well.

 

[Drako]

Or that's all that was left after the manuals were sold.

Nope, talked to a sales-hole, and he said that's what the sales manager ordered. :\

Looks like they have two manuals in now. Maybe I'll stop by after work.

http://www.capitolmazda.com/new-inventory/index.htm?start=0&year=2016&model=Miata&driveLine=Rear-wheel+Drive&

edit: LOL, they now have 18 ATs and 2 MTs.

 

[smackababy]

Came in expecting one of those stupid videos similar to the "Tesla vs [some other car]" garbage that continues to be posted.

As much as I like to rag on the Miata as being a girl's car, in truth, if I was going to buy a second car for the purpose of fun, it would likely be a Miata. I just hope they have the hardtop convertible option.

 

[Sulaco]

I plan to buy one (2016 MX-5) either sometime late next winter or early spring, depending on deals and inventory.

I just can't justify paying a premium right now for basically another 2 and a half months of decent driving weather. Last winter I ended driving my current MX-5 a grand total of 900 miles between Halloween and mid-April.
Ohio weather sucks.

 

[Imported]

Nope, talked to a sales-hole, and he said that's what the sales manager ordered. :\

Looks like they have two manuals in now. Maybe I'll stop by after work.

http://www.capitolmazda.com/new-inventory/index.htm?start=0&year=2016&model=Miata&driveLine=Rear-wheel+Drive&

edit: LOL, they now have 18 ATs and 2 MTs.

Capitol Mazda always has a large number of autos for some reason. Made finding my wife's Miata easy though.. lol

 

[smackababy]

Capitol Mazda always has a large number of autos for some reason. Made finding my wife's Miata easy though.. lol

Most people who purchase cars, even Miatas, want automatics. And, for what it's worth, the manual's days are number. A human and a mechanical action based on their input is bested by a computer near 100% of the time. Once automatics that aren't terrible come down in price and increase in availability, those crying for "feeling the car" will go the way of those crying "ABS takes away from my braking ability!"

 

[MongGrel]

My little Mazda 3 Touring has a dual gate 5 speed auto in it, and to be honest for what I do with it I can't gripe much. Never use the manual one.

I grew up driving manuals, with what the autos are like these days it isn't a huge killer unless you spend a lot of your free time on a track i guess.

But for many that is the purpose of getting one I imagine.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Most people who purchase cars, even Miatas, want automatics. And, for what it's worth, the manual's days are number. A human and a mechanical action based on their input is bested by a computer near 100% of the time. Once automatics that aren't terrible come down in price and increase in availability, those crying for "feeling the car" will go the way of those crying "ABS takes away from my braking ability!"

If I'm buying a car to have fun driving it, the 5-3 and/or 2-4 down shift at a corner or roundabout is one of the best parts. Nailing a perfect shift is an important part of the sports car experience.

If manuals in sports cars die out, it will be due to general driver incompetence.

 

[thedarkwolf]

"The MX-5 Miata is still manual-friendly. In 2011, 63 percent of Miata soft-top models were manuals, and 41 percent of the retractable hardtop cars."

http://www.cartalk.com/content/stick-figures-last-days-manual-transmission

best I could do

 

[NAC]

Most people who purchase cars, even Miatas, want automatics. And, for what it's worth, the manual's days are number. A human and a mechanical action based on their input is bested by a computer near 100% of the time. Once automatics that aren't terrible come down in price and increase in availability, those crying for "feeling the car" will go the way of those crying "ABS takes away from my braking ability!"

I don't doubt that the automatic can out-perform me with a manual. It can and probably will be faster. But I LIKE driving with a manual. It is much, much more fun for me. And the car is meant for fun.

Call me an old fart, but I've only owned one automatic car - which I hated, all of my cars have been manuals. I would NEVER buy a Miata with an automatic.

 

[Drako]

I don't doubt that the automatic can out-perform me with a manual. It can and probably will be faster. But I LIKE driving with a manual. It is much, much more fun for me. And the car is meant for fun.

Call me an old fart, but I've only owned one automatic car - which I hated, all of my cars have been manuals. I would NEVER buy a Miata with an automatic.

Preach it brother.

I find manuals to be a much more engaging driving experience. To each their own I guess.

 

[tweakmonkey]

Lol comparing automatics to ABS

A real comparison would be a car that stops itself when you approach a corner instead of you having to press the brake. It'll be faster but is that any fun??

Look at all the used sports cars from the 80s-2000s. Many were available in automatic and manual. Nobody ever wants the automatics. Is it because they shift slowly compared to a dual clutch? Or is it because automatics are boring compared to manuals 100% of the time? I'd say the latter. Manuals will never go away as long as someone sells ICE equipped cars. If they're rare, it'll just make the enthusiasts that much more passionate about their favorite brands and further dilute the super cars brands like Porsche/Ferrari to be more and more weiner-centric.

 

[smackababy]

I don't doubt that the automatic can out-perform me with a manual. It can and probably will be faster. But I LIKE driving with a manual. It is much, much more fun for me. And the car is meant for fun.

Call me an old fart, but I've only owned one automatic car - which I hated, all of my cars have been manuals. I would NEVER buy a Miata with an automatic.

I get the feel argument, and I love driving a manual as well. However, the reality is initially manuals were out performing automatics in all metrics. As technology has improved shifting mechanisms and the computer controlling them, this isn't the case anymore in all but the highest performance applications, which don't use a human controlled clutches.

Lol comparing automatics to ABS

Not comparing the technologies. Comparing the idiots who bemoan the inclusion of ABS on every car and those who will (once manuals are phased out) will bemoan all the performance "lost". On this very forum, despite countless posts with evidence of the contrary, posters have continued to argue that they are more "in control" in cars without ABS. Manual loves will eventually be those posters.

 

[tweakmonkey]

Manuals will never go away unless we are all driving electric cars.

 

[Zivic]

Most people who purchase cars, even Miatas, want automatics. And, for what it's worth, the manual's days are number. A human and a mechanical action based on their input is bested by a computer near 100% of the time. Once automatics that aren't terrible come down in price and increase in availability, those crying for "feeling the car" will go the way of those crying "ABS takes away from my braking ability!"

I don't buy that one bit. there are certain things that I am glad are gone... like the foot button for high beams... but a manual trans, for certain cars there is no substitute. I have two 'fun' cars. if they weren't offered in a standard I wouldn't have bought them. I am not about the fastest lap time, or the most comfortable/easy to drive car. I have vehicles that serve a duty purpose and I am all for autos. I do agree that the manuals days are numbered... for major manufacturers. there will still be niche makers that will somehow keep it alive.

in all honesty, there was a time I was really figuring out what I needed to do to get into a GTR, not saying it was a deal breaker, but the fact it only has 2 pedals factored into my decision making (finances aside ) I know that I am in the minority now, especially when you factor in younger drivers. I guess I will have to hold onto my cars as modern classics and tell my grand kids about the days I had to shift my own gears... can you believe that?

 

[Z15CAM]

Miata or WRX. I would sooner take a 72 British TR6 over a Saburu or Triumph GT 6 Plus 2x's 2.

Even an MG.

 

[shabby]

Miata or WRX. I would sooner take a 72 British TR6 over a Saburu or Triumph GT 6 Plus 2x's 2.

Even an MG.

Saw a tr6 at an autocross event recently, for some reason it had a tr8 badge on it... under the hood was an ls2

 

[MongGrel]

I get the feel argument, and I love driving a manual as well. However, the reality is initially manuals were out performing automatics in all metrics. As technology has improved shifting mechanisms and the computer controlling them, this isn't the case anymore in all but the highest performance applications, which don't use a human controlled clutches.


Not comparing the technologies. Comparing the idiots who bemoan the inclusion of ABS on every car and those who will (once manuals are phased out) will bemoan all the performance "lost". On this very forum, despite countless posts with evidence of the contrary, posters have continued to argue that they are more "in control" in cars without ABS. Manual loves will eventually be those posters.

Those computerized main engine controllers on the space shuttle used to work pretty well.

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