Richard Berg

That was the last straw. New York had sapped my weekend funtime, subjected me to potholes & parking tickets, but I could never bring myself to actually sell my precious Miata...until thieves decided to slice thru the soft top 2 weeks ago. The door was unlocked, f*ckers! Must be a sign

Lucky for you, my baby is now spruced up for quick sale: the wax is shiny, the A/C recharged, the ride firm but smooth, the engine purrs nicer (or roars, if asked) than the day I bought it. And of course, I had to replace the stolen stereo. Took the opportunity to install Bluetooth audio / nav and a hands-free dialing kit. You're welcome.

Brief recap:
• '99 Sport - the lightest trim in several years. Everything you need (Torsen LSD, Bilsteins), nothing you don't.
• FM2 turbo kit professionally installed at 25K. Up to 195rwhp (easy to adjust).
• Rest of the car is also sprinkled with Flyin Miata kit: clutch, flywheel, intercooler, radiator, fans, complete exhaust system…
• Front brakes: Wilwood 4-piston calipers, lightweight 2-piece rotors. Rear: taken from a '93 RX-7.
• Ultra lightweight wheels (under 13lb)
• Hard Dog Double Diamond roll bar
• Matching hard top in good condition
• Busted soft top

Complete history: I purchased the car from the original owner, a well-known Miata & MR2 tuner. It was my daily driver + occasional race toy in NC from 2007-2011. Since moving to NY, I've only used it for errands and road trips. Total hard driving: 5 autocross, 3 track days, and a couple mountain trips, none in the last few years. In short, the hardcore racing equipment has tons of life left in it, but the car's prodigious abilities are wasted on me.

Well over $15K worth of upgrades at this point. Please take it away from me before I'm tempted to dig deeper...!

Misc details:
• The FM2 turbo system is powered by a Garrett T25 + Link ECU + 4 extra injectors. Tuned for AutoX @ 12psi with 93 octane, which I dialed back to 9psi when daily driving. Internals are in great shape, but best to stay on the safe side with piggyback ECUs -- if you plan to track it frequently, consider a Hydra.
• Dual boost gauges: one on the A pillar, one in the dash that projects a green HUD onto the windshield
• Passes NY inspection (sticker good thru June 2014)
• Aftermarket cruise control, cup holder, dual seat heaters, and turbo timer (currently removed -- it annoys me)
• 4-way component speakers in the cabin, dual 8" subwoofers hidden in the wind blocker behind the seats. Puts out incredibly clear sound for a convertible.
• Steel-braided brake lines
• Tires: multiple brands (low profile + NYC streets = flats!). Plenty of tread left, but if you plan to drive competitively, you'll want new (matching) shoes first.
• Wheels: SSR Type-V 16x7. Just had them laser straightened 2wk ago. The silver coating isn't as uniform (see pics) but the car rolls like buttah -- assuming you can find a smooth road around here!

Maintenance history:
• No collisions
• Full synthetic every 5K, always fueled with 92 or better
• Most mods were installed by the 1st owner about 10yr ago; exceptions noted below
• I upgraded the front brakes from his (custom??) stuff to Flyin Miata's top-of-the-line Big Brake kit
• Shortly after buying, I re-engineered his aftermarket sound system for safety on-track. Amps are now securely bolted to the trunk floor (in place of the spare tire); they will not budge under extreme cornering. Nor under assault from thieves, apparently The Bluetooth head unit is brand new, of course. It's super sweet.
• Replaced the catalytic converter earlier this summer. I'd previously upgraded the turbo exhaust manifold, downpipe, and midpipe to the latest Flyin Miata kit. (1st owner's tailpipe / resonator mod was plenty wide). This car LOVES a free-flowing exhaust…every change was very noticeable, even at "only" 9psi.
• Accessory belt, alternator belt, battery, air filter, etc all replaced within the last 1K miles
• A/C compressor and alternator have less than 10K miles
• All other consumables were replaced at 60K service
• Recently removed all pothole & curb rash from the wheels, as mentioned earlier
• Recently polished all the hazy gunk off the headlights
• All paper records available on request

Now the ugly stuff:
• Soft top has a giant hole. If you want a new one, I know a great shop in Bay Ridge. Quoted me $650 installed for a plastic window, $850 for glass, $950 for OEM glass (with defroster). Could have it done within 48hr, but I'm holding off until I find a committed buyer -- if you live in a cold climate and/or plan to track the car extensively, just stick to the hard top, IMO.
• The asswipes also took the front Mazda badge and broke the plastic hinges on the center console. Not planning to fix these. The lids still work fine, just have to close them gingerly.
• No spare tire.
• Paint isn't perfect. There's a fairly noticeable scratch across the hood, a few minor ones around the side, and several on the rear bumper. There's also a crack near the base of the hard top where the white material peeks through. (Note to next owner: always rest it on the metal hooks!)
• CEL has been lit for a few weeks. Code makes me suspect minor carbon buildup in the EGR, but haven't had a chance to dig further. For what it's worth, in 6 years of ownership, the turbo stuff has never failed emissions -- always ended up being something unrelated (e.g., the cat converter mentioned above).

After "sprucing up", I took it for a 500 mile road trip last week, putting it just over 80K. Sigh. It truly feels more fun & reliable on the open road than ever. But now it's back to just sitting around & looking pretty. Please rescue this worthy Miata from urban purgatory and give it the thrashing it craves.

Available anytime for test drives near Brooklyn, NY. Email, call, or txt 919-225-5883.

$9500 OBO.

Richard Berg

In response to some questions:
• Yes, cooling system is aftermarket: Flyin Miata aluminum radiator, chilled by their Stage 2 airflow system. Never had a problem with coolant temps, even at HDPE in the Deep South in summer.**
• Yes, the clutch is aftermarket: Flyin Miata Stage 1 (up to 318 ft-lb), plus their lightweight flywheel. Never drag raced. Syncros feel as smooth as ever.
• Suspension is stock. Which is not to say inadequate -- the '99 Sport was significantly tighter than the base model. But if your goal is a hardcore track toy, you'll probably want to pick your favorite adjustable coilovers etc etc.

** In fairness, exhaust temps were an issue at first. The turbo manifold & downpipe looked fatigued after my first couple races. My additional upgrades seem to have mitigated it -- beefy new (2008?) downpipe shows no signs of wear. That said, if your plans involve lots of WOT @ 10psi+, expect to replace the cat every couple years. We have to use Cali-approved gear here in NY, which is ill equipped to handle the heat & particulates coming off the turbo when the 4 extra injectors are firing full blast. Make friends with a muffler guy Even if the emissions sensor survives, this car REALLY likes to breathe -- worth considering further upgrades in this area, e.g. to 3" piping, if you can have it done cheap (or concurrent with a clogged cat).

Better engine mgmt (proper stoichiometry) would help even more, as mentioned earlier, but costs $$ and sacrifices OBD-II compliance.