All those who have gone Miata -> FC or FC -> Miata
 

Please chime in with your experience of both and what the largest differences are and what you disliked about each and loved about each more-so than the other. I'm trying to trade my '91 N/A with 99,600kms for an NA Miata due to the fact I drive 100% city and because I like to go WOT between lights, etc to make my day more exciting, I average 10-11mpg per fill-up. I've filled up 3 times since moving here and every single time I've gotten under 10.7mpg. It's too expensive as a college student.

Hmm. Miata is newer, more reliable, easier to drive at limits, very nimble/excellent handling even in stock form, parts are easy to source and way more aftermarket support. Miata community is pretty awesome too.
Mazda did a great job with the car, its no more complicated then it needs to be, everything is laid out in a logical spot, making it easy to work on(FC's are good here too). No common mechanical issues, besides for the early 1.6(pre 92) short nose crank problems. Show me how many sports have no common flaws/issues. These really are solid cars.

I average 32mpg hwy in a 1.8 manual, with mixed driving, I like to enjoy my drive and let the car stretch its legs from time to time.


The down side of the miata, well there really isn't one. lol. They are pretty expensive(at least in this area), 5k and up for a clean, low mileage one. And society seems to think your gay if your a guy and drive one. So if your an egomaniac, this isn't the car for you. And the interior is pretty tight. Aftermarket seats are a research project for ones that fit. If you're taller than 6', you might have a bit of an issue. I'm 6' even, and I wouldn't want to be any bigger.





Both the miata and n/a FC's wont be breaking any sound barriers in stock trim, but both are a blast to drive, both have just enough power to be fun, and the handling completes it. Acceleration wise, I think an n/a fc and 1.8 miata are about the same. I like a lower powered sports car that you can drive hard on the back roads, and not kill everyone. Try that in a 400hp car, you spend more effort trying to hold the car back.

For your situation, I think a miata is a more logical choice. Nothings better then going out to your car every morning and turning the key and going. Pop the hood to do oil changes and that's it.


But I would still choose the FC over a miata for a fun/project car.

Well in some cases they aren't (if I got a '90 or '91.) I have the option of trading my FC for a '91 in silver(IMO best Miata colour), with 82,000miles from a dealership in Michigan. I've read about the short-nose crank in the early models. I've been a member on Clubroadster for probably around a year now, maybe more.

The Miata is the logical choice in my situation, which is why I want one so bad. I want a 94-97 for the 1.8+LSD, but I'd settle for a 1.6 and do the swap later on. I'd eventually do a 13bt swap in my RX7, but that's in 3 years from now, so I don't see why I'd own this car for three years when the amount of money I'd save in gas alone over the next few years could buy me another RX7, ahaha.

If your going to spend the money, I'd suggest spend a bit more and get a 94+ with the 1.8. Do some research on crank failures on the pre 92 models if you're looking at one.

I miss my na6 mx5. And like nate said the problems are only really the crank (which did go wrong on mine, chipped the keyway slot but fixed it with liquid metal) and replace all the cooling system hoses and the tee-fitting in the thermostat housing. Soooo much fun to drive and even slide. Just seemed to take abuse all day every day. Only downside being the gay comments you WILL get.

I could care less about the homo comments, aha. 90% of the time my girlfriend is in the passenger seat. ;)

I raced a Cavalier Z24 the other day and lost. I only started around 2k rpm because I didn't think we were racing and then I couldn't catch up. That alone made me disappointed owning a car that looks like an RX7 that can't keep up with a Crapalier. Atleast everyone knows Miata's are slow, aha.

NA Miata + coilovers + wheels/tires = perfect car for me. The aftermarket possibilities are endless.

I've always wanted a 13bt bp or n/a 13b pp mx5. So if you do end up leaving the 7 for the mx5 that's always an option. But obviously mpg will be down the crapper again.haha

But by then I'll have a real job and not be in college. ;) I want a 20b in a Miata...

Na 20b to avoid upsetting the the balance. But hell yeah!

Of course I'd stick to N/A. 20b bridgeported, itb's and a tune would be one hell of a weekend and track car.

shit man. I'm with you on this. I've been battling my self in my head for about 3 months now, on whether or not i should get a NB Miata(and turbocharge that bitch) i'd have power reliability and mpg. i just think it would be so much of a hassle starting over :( and having to learn all about a new car, and never get to use what knowledge i have gained over the past couple years. it makes me sad to think I'd be leaving the rotary community, which i have grown to LOVE. there's no downsides to a miata, but there is definitely some downsides in that aspect.

even as i typed this comment i went back and fourth about 3 times. in the beginning of the comment i wanted a miata, and now, as i am about to click the "post quick reply" button, I can't imagine getting rid of my baby :(

I've been on clubroadster.net a lot longer than here and browse it every day, so I do know a bit about them. I've been on s2ki for over a year now and have never owned an S2000, but still have ~700 posts and now here. You can always still be a part of a forum without owning said vehicle.

The thing is that I don't "love" my RX7. My first car was given to me by my parents. It was a '97 Civic SI coupe with an automatic transmission and 97,000kms. I put 100,000kms in 2 years and love that car. I treated it like shit and it never let me down, aha. The RX7 I do take care of though. I've washed it more in 2 months than my Civic in 2 years. But it doesn't feel special. It looks bland because I don't have any wheels or springs/coilovers and can't afford them until spring.

My plans for spring are selling RX7 and buying either an SW20 MR2 (t-top) or turboing an NA8 Miata. I wish I could sell the RX& sooner, but it's not going to happen since winters coming up.

Don't think of it being a hassle to start over. I would think about it being a new beginning, new project, etc.

All I'm going to say is, you're missing out.

You have obviously never seen the limits of your FC even in stock trim.

As someone who has driven many different vehicles, from 07' Porsche 911 Turbo's to Evo 9 MR's to R32 GTR's and so forth, I have to say, I love my 91' JDM FC T2. Everything from the interior styling (stitched dash, gauge cluster, etc.) to the defined body lines of the car.

Not only does my FC3S compare in handling and capability in the corner to those vehicles but the feedback and feel that you get in an FC is unique to the RX7 chassis.

I have only suspension (Megan Track Coilovers) and braking modifications (Fluid Flush and fresh pads front and rear) on my T2 and have left the motor stock aside from a 3" catback, and having owned for for a combined total of 3 years now, I couldn't imagine owning another "fun" car. FD's don't feel as fun "out of the box" like my car is right now with very few modifications. I also daily'd my FC3S for 2 years without doing more than 1 alternator belt, 2 vaccuum lines, a coolant flush, and regular 3000km interval oil fluid and filter changes. In TWO years of hard driving, that's all I've had to do.

I'm not going to try and win you over on the FC chassis, but if you're looking for a FUN car with affordable modifications and infinite possibilities, you're missing out. WHO CARES about fuel mileage with a FUN car.

If you want fuel mileage, buy a $300 Honda beater and drive that daily and keep your RX7 for track/auto-x days and summer time.

You sir, is what makes the rotary community so passionate. I personally will never get rid of mine. I wanted it forever and now that she's almost done, I drive with my pinkys up, LIKE A BOSS. Fuck, gas mileage, fuck practicality, fuck if the girls have no clue what it is. When that idle settles and she begins to purr, I grin from ear to ear.

Spinning triangles FTW.

See, I haven't driven other sports cars, so I don't have anything to compare it to. I have drive my car to it's tires gripping limits since I drive it like I stole it on a daily basis. I honestly feel like it still rolls way too much in the corners. But compared to the other cars I have driven it's a go-kart. The mods for RX7 are not affordable at all. To do anything to this car you need money and lots of it. A Miata has affordable mods, anything from interior to performance. To make my RX7 any faster I'll need to get a T2 engine, transmision, drivetrain and then somehow manage to do that work myself when I have no clue what I would be doing and don't have even close to the funds to have someone else do it. Then I'd have a ~200hp car after the swap and thousands of dollars when I could sell my '7 and buy an MR2 which already weighs the same, has 200hp turboed or a Miata and turbo it for ~250whp reliably for less than it would cost to keep my car and do the swap. It's just not a logical choice for me. I live in the city, and I've finally started noticing how much a high-revving car sucks for that, a slow one at that.

And yes I understand I shouldn't care about fuel mileage, but c'mon 95$ and I get 330kms out of it? I'm not going to change my driving style, otherwise I'd buy a four cyl sedan if I wanted to be bored to death.

My farther has a 01 miata. I fucking love that car, full of fun in everyway. If i could afford it then it would be my next daily driver. But in the mean time i enjoy daily driving an fc.
Shitty gas mileage? OK, just drive to and from work. Shitty wipers? No problem rainx that shit. Loud/leaking exhaust? More fun to piss of the neighbors at 6am! Manual steering rack? Handles the roads like a boss. :lol: It can be a hassle driving a car that isnt perfect but it makes it that much more interesting. Doritos on sticks forever! Stay unique my friends.

Miata's are gay. (there i was the first for ya.)

I actually had a miata as my first stick shift, it was a FUN car! Unfortunately I'm 6'-5" tall and can't fit into many fun cars anymore, including the maita. Heck, back in high school the steering wheel was still between my knees when I drove the thing. That being said, no other car has grabbed me like the FC. I've driven lots of other cars, and while they were amazing and fun, something about the FC excites me. It's almost like driving an old MG or TR6; bare bolts, seat of the pants driving (compared to modern cars at least.) Even my Dad's FD, which is amazingly fun to drive and very fast, just doesn't have the loose dirty feel that I liked about the FC.

If you are worried about affording gas then you shouldn't be getting into modified sports cars anyway, IMO. That's why I sold mine.... Soon I will be able to afford having a fun car again, but it's a hard lesson to learn and an expensive lesson as well. For a college kid, if you want to keep the FC around as a side project / weekend warrior, go get a 98 honda for $4000 and use that to get around.

I drove a supercharged '01 Miata for years. At one point, I had a Miata and an FC. I dunno if I agree with natenumbers about which car is easier to drive at the limit. The Miata corners better, but the FC is much more "flickable".
IMO, The FD's handling is more like a Miata. Super grip, but not the easiest car to reel back in once it's sideways. The FC is MUCH more forgiving.

If it's an early Miata (89-90) with a 1.6, look out for the short nose crank issue that some of them have. Other than that those little cars are bulletproof compared to an RX-7


EDIT for pic of old Miata:
http://www.mazdas247.com/members/Nat...Miata.236a.JPG
http://www.mazdas247.com/members/Nat...percharger.JPG

the Miata has its good points and its bad points. the good points, its easy, and simple. the cars are reliable, fit everywhere and 90% of the stuff you need to do is easier than the FC. the top goes down, which is a plus. the cars are really light, and handle great, even stock. the suspension is fully adjustable stock too, so you can realign it to something not gay.

for power the 1.6 cars are lighter, so they have the same power to weight ratio of the 1.8's, stock.

the bad points. the other 10% of work you need to do is harder than the FC, getting the engine or trans out of the miata is a PITA. the other bad point about the miata is that the hp/$ ratio is bad, NA mods do almost nothing, and a turbo is $$$. because the miata isn't a factory turbo car you actually NEED to buy the whole package, fuel system, clutch, turbo, manifold, exhaust, ECU, intercooler.

so get one, its perfect to just beat the crap out of going to school. make the FC fast

My wipers work really well and the exhaust is perfect other than a leak. Manual rack is something I plan on doing eventually.

[QUOTE=texFCturboII;11256848 If you are worried about affording gas then you shouldn't be getting into modified sports cars anyway, IMO. That's why I sold mine.... Soon I will be able to afford having a fun car again, but it's a hard lesson to learn and an expensive lesson as well. For a college kid, if you want to keep the FC around as a side project / weekend warrior, go get a 98 honda for $4000 and use that to get around.[/QUOTE]

This FC is my first stick car. I'm not worried about gas mileage but 10mpg is a little ridiculous for a car that can't even keep up with Civic's and old people in their sedans. I'd atleast like I know I can tear other cars apart while getting this terrible mileage. MR2's and Turbo'd Miatas will double that MPG no problem even pushing 300whp, etc and be just as fun and a fuck ton faster. Also, I don't have that kind of money, I can only have one car. Buying another car for 1,000 - 4,000 would defeat the purpose of trying to save money. I want to do the swap and will do it come spring time if I don't find something decent or maybe I'll come to love my car then.

1.8 Miata 18lbs/hp
1.6 Miata 19lbs/hp
NA S5 FC ~17lbs/hp

They're not that far off.

NA mods do nothing to FC's as well. I already have an exhaust and will buy Atkins aux sleeves next paycheck, but a rebuild + streetport/bridgetport to achieve the same power as a turbo FC stock, meh. Not worth it at all.

I really want to do a turbo swap, but I'd need it done within a few days considering it's my only car and I will have work to get to. Come spring time I'd be happy to pay gas/fly someone up to come help out. I'm just worried I turn my reliable FC into a nightmare after doing a swap.

Also have a new fuel filter ready to be installed and new spark plugs and wires have just been ordered. Then I'm going to get the atkins sleeves and get my injectors cleaned.

Why don't you just sell your FC and buy another near stock turbo FC?

Instead of spending all that money to make yours faster, why not just trade it for one that's already faster? I bought my RX-7 pushing ~300whp. I haven't done anything to my car except pull the engine to get it rebuilt.

it really sounds like you want 2 cars. the reliable, fun, good mpg, miata, and then the FC turbo/toy.

But unfortunately I can't afford a second vehicle both on cost and insurance. I want a car that does everything well. MPG, Speed, Handling and outright fun.

The problem with just buying a clean T2 is that if I sold my RX7 I'd most likely not think about getting a T2 and prefer the chance of getting a Miata or MR2, but obviously I'd test them all first. But also considering I am not mechanically inclined, I could probably find an already tuned T2 for 7-8k that will serve all my needs, aha. Other than MPG, of course.

Just for an example of how bad my mileage is... I am broke and only get paid Friday and have between 1/4 and empty. So I put 10$ that my girlfriend lent me last night, drove to school and back twice today and I'm already back to where I was before I put that 10$.

Dude, really, I'm trying to help you out. Unless you've got money to throw at this car and have a means to get around whilst the car is being repaired. DO NOT get the T2. Even if you find a nice one for 8k, it WILL break down and if you don't know how to work on it you will spend good money finding someone who does. Get a miata.... get a honda... when you've got more time and money and can afford a fun car do it then.

Another reason why I'm trying to get out of the rotary scene. I don't have the funds in case of a problem. But that would change come spring time when I'm working full time, which is when I plan on buying another car.

I say go for the miata for what you need it for. The older the FC's get, the less practical they're going to be for a daily driver. Plus, if you have no real passion for the car, there's nothing holding you back.



I'm no professional car reviewer, but comparing stock to stock, I have it in my head that the miata is more controllable with the tail out, and the miata is more predictable. FC's always seemed twitchy to me. I compare the miata handling to be very close to the RX-8's handling. I've never driven an FD hard, so can't comment there.

But that is not a fair comparison considering the FC has nearly 10 more years of age on it.

Which isn't a fair comparison? Miata and FC, or RX8 and FC.

And yeah, the only advantage the FC has in the practicality department is more trunk room, which is useful sometimes when I just get in my car and throw my schoolbag behind me. Would be neat showing up at school with a RR platform car like the MR2 and watch people be confused when I open the bumper to place my schoolbag.

I've only driven a handful of vehicles in my time, Moms Chrysler 300 (v6 -.-), Dads Silverado, friends Ford Ranger, girlfriends Grand Prix (also v6 -.-) and my '97 Civic coupe. So I don't have much experience knowing different cars. I'll have to test drive the Miata before making a decision. I can't see myself buying an NA6 due to the fact it's so slow and I find the RX7 to be a bit too slow. I may even pick up an S2000 come spring. I've wanted one forever now and almost picked up one two years ago.

I'm not a rotary-head like most of you. I bought this car because it was by far the coolest car for sale within a 200km radius. It was either this or a 300zx non-turbo automatic... I didn't really buy it because I wanted it. Basically was the best I could find at my price range that would be reliable. I could have got T2's for 4,000 but not with 97,000kms.

You obviously do not care about the car itself but rather the image that the car produces for you as well as other factors that don't matter when it comes to liking cars (gas mileage, practicality, etc.).

The RX7 is obviously not for you, neither is a Miata or any turbocharged/naturally aspirated rear wheel drive car for that matter.

That's just the cold hard truth. You are trying to live and breathe beyond your means and it doesn't seem like you'll be making any sacrifices to make any of it work.

The Miata won't be your saving grace. You can't guarantee the workmanship and the reliability of a used 20+ year old car.

There's just too much dreamer talk, my friend. You need to come back down to earth, weigh your current options, and if you have a goal, work towards that goal. Gain the experience necessary to be able to pursue the cars you want.

If street racing and looking cool is what you're after, then please sell the RX7 to someone who will appreciate it, and step away from cars altogether. That kind of mindset is what is ruining cars for young people like you and myself.

You don't need to be a rotary-head to enjoy an RX7, you just need to actually like cars.

P.S. There are people here who have given great advice but you so quickly dismiss their opinions when that's all you've asked for.

My opinion: Buy a cheap 1.5L 4cyl front wheel drive beater and save up till you can actually afford to own a car of a higher caliber...full time job or not. Or just take the bus and stay off the roads till you can understand that driving is a privilege, not a right.

10 bucks?..hahahaha..
That would get me into town(live at the edge)..not back though!

ive also had both and can relate to your current conundrum. to be honest tho, as much fun and exciting as my old fc was, i fell in love with my miata day 1. i would say go miata and eventually boost it. you wont regret it.

also, im glad you turned down my miata xD

Everything you said is a complete joke.

You're right, the RX7 isn't for me. ;) And I'm excited to move on into something that will still be as fun, be faster, handle just as well or better, be more reliable and get better gas mileage!

My school is only 4k away. I basically drove 16kms and was back to where I started.

Not everything he said. While his statements about your reason for driving a fun car may be a stretch, his recommendations are absolutely correct. I've been in your shoes, college kid and I bought myself a fun car. 5 years later, 3 rx7's and probably close to $20,000... I wish I had waited until now. Save the headache and get a reliable and economical car for now. Focus on school, then when you find yourself with shitloads of spare time working a 9-5 or whatever it is you will be doing, get a fun car.

Or do what I did and don't listen to anyone and have a lot of fun and blow a lot of money while becoming a shade tree mechanic. :icon_tup:

Either way, it's your life and if you choose the latter route may I recommend: a Ford Mustang. Sure, it's a fucking mustang but parts are EVERYWHERE and CHEAP; they are easy to work on and decently reliable.

That's what I'm doing though... I'm selling my RX7 for a Miata. I'm doing exactly what some of you are saying (get a more practical car then buy and tune cars after college). I don't see why you're all saying I'm completely ignoring everything being said. I wanted to get opinions on people who have driven both a Miata and RX7 or owned both. Instead it turned into a "You don't know anything about cars, sell your RX7 and buy something more practical" which was already the whole point of this thread... I don't need four doors or four seats, I only need a fun car that's DECENT on gas. I'd like atleast 18-20mpg...

Never really thought about a fox-body Mustang but 157hp from the 5.0's? I'd imagine you'd need new heads, cams, exhaust, intake, headers, tuning to get it a lot higher.

/thread.

There sure are a lot of drivers using FC3S's as drift cars compared to people running Miatas. For good reason. :icon_tup:

So why sell the rx-7? My n.a engine is reliable as hell and gets close to that mpg. I been daily driving mine for awhile now and i do 95% city driving. Your getting 10.7 mpg you say? Fix the car then problem solved.

Do you rev past 5500 A LOT? I hit 3-4 lights in 4kms. It's constant stop and go. The traffic sucks ass too. A light will turn green 2 and sometimes three times by the time I go through it People in this town have no clue how to drive.

I've got a new fuel filter ready to be installed, I got new plugs and wires on their way. What else could I do? Clean injectors and new fuel pump?

Stop going to 5500 constantly while daily driving it. Thats your own fault....shift sooner. Your telling me about traffic? Im on a cluster fudge of a island, more hills than you can count, more lights and stop signs than i can handle. Traffic coming out the a$$ everyday. Just fix the damn car and learn how to drive properly and everything will work out in the end. Screw sellin the car, buyin another car, registering it, fixing problems that arise from the new car. Stick with what you got if it runs, drives and is already registered.
Trust me i felt like i was in your boat many many times. If your smart and do all your chores instead of constantly going out buyin food or tp or whatever and doing everything all at once to save on trips to the store it helps A LOT.

Many factors come into play on mpg. If you search you will find some super help threads. Dont get a fuel pump if you dont need it. Wont help worth shit. Clean injectors,new gaskets and orings/gromment may help. Making sure the water thermo sensor is working properly is a big factor. Making sure the o2 sensor going into close loop while in 5th gear after 3min is a factor. TPS settting a factors. How much weight your hauling. Tire pressure, dragging brakes, bad alignment, dirty air filter. Something soooo stupid is wrong with the car. Find the problem, fix it, start getting that better mpg and saving money.

How many miles do you drive a week? I gave you some good valid points/ideas. Do the searching like i have and you will find how to test everything. 3-4 lights in 2.4 miles (4kms)? Boy please, i hit easy double that on a good day.

Not sure why you guys are still trying to help this guy...no offense.

Its a forum, your suppose to help each other no?

The car revs to 8k, I'm not going anywhere until 4k... Why would I own a high-revving sports car if I'm told to "not rev as high". That defeats the purpose of owning this car. I just got 12mpg on my last fill-up which is the best I've gotten so far. But I just hate being told to shift at a lower RPM. I'm fully aware that will help with MPG, but it will also make me bored and slow.

I go to school 5 days a week, work 3-4 times a week and get groceries once every week or so. I drive 90kms (60miles) MIN. a week. In reality I usually drive double that because I go out for drives when I'm bored or take the long way home. I do enjoy driving the car, but I just wish I could squeeze out some more MPG while still driving the way I do since that will never change. If I buy a Miata I will drive the same way. I really just want a car that's as fun yet doubles the MPG I'm currently getting which a Miata fits the bill perfectly. Even once it's turbo'd I'd still double the MPG while having ~100 more WHP.

Also, people help me because they aren't complete assholes like you, flipkc, "no offense". I've been on a bunch of car forums, I've been bitched at a billion times when I first started posting on all of them, other than CR.net because of little things like not searching, asking questions that have been answered before. But sometimes I prefer to be told how to fix my problem in a different manner than what's already out there on the forum. I asked this question because I WILL be getting a Miata once I find one local. I already have multiple trades up for grabs, but they're all 500+kms away which wouldn't be a big deal if my car atleast got better gas mileage than a Lamborghini Aventador.

I don't have the time or money to continuously fix things on the car until I find that one issue which caused my bad MPG. I know it's not the fact I drive the way I do because even on the highway at 70mph for 3 hours I only achieved 20mpg and I didn't pass anyone and was driving behind my dad who had a trailer behind his truck.

I've got the following:
Fuel filter
Spark Plugs and Wires (Being shipped as we speak)

To do:
-Clean injectors or just buy new ones (clean ~120$, buy new ~200). The reason for just buying new ones is because I cannot have my car down for more than a day since I need it for school and work. Cleaning them requires sending them out.
-Replace coolant lines and hoses. When the dealership fixed my flooding issue they did a check up and everything passed but the coolant system got a "require replacement in near future". My S5's temp gauge is also around 5/8's and not 1/2 like I've been told it's supposed to be at. But I don't have the tools or capabilities to drill and tap into the water pump to put a new temp gauge... I figured I'd just replace everything on the coolant system, but since I spend so much on fuel I only have ~300 a month to spend on the car. Now that winters coming up I have no desire to work on it in -20 weather outdoors.

I've been trying to buy a new thermostat but can't find them anywhere (I've read to stay away from any of them beside OEM) Since I'm in Canada shipping is fucking me up the ass and takes 10-15 business days every time. I'm losing my patience with buying parts. I also have no idea how to see of the o2 sensor does that, especially since my car never see's 5th gear. TPS and voltage are both set perfectly, I don't haul anything, ever. I have a school bag in my car, that's it. I like my interiors clean and hate when shit rattles or moves around. Tire pressure is perfect, but I think I may need an alignment since my steering wheel is slightly turned to the left and if I straighten it out I go to the right. I'll get that checked when I head over to see family this weekend where I will also install my new fuel filter.

I helped my little cousin buy an NA miata, sadly he didn't keep it that long (I'm guessing his teenage friends probably teased him about having a girl's car and he couldn't give them all rides in it.), but the little time i got to drive in it, made me think about getting one.

It had no power steering but it just felt perfect. It had influenced me to depower my steering rack.

Now it is a much smaller car, I didn't feel too safe on the freeways. I would hate to get into an accident in that thing.

I even feel small in an RX7, aha. When I'm on our narrow Sault Ste. Marie roads it's terrifying when trucks are coming up beside you on the right lane and oncoming.

I actually do love this car. I still wish I could get atleast 15mpg city. I just got my plugs and wires in the mail and changing them along with fuel filter this weekend. Let's hope I could squeeze out some more MPG!

This is an interesting topic to me.
I have owned my rx-7 for about 7 years now. only car and daily drove it. about a year and a half ago i got a 91 miata base. i have rebuilt the engine swapped in a torsen, upgraded the suspension, upgraded the brakes painted the car, and a bunch of other misc. stuff to it and through all that in the past year and a half Ive driven the fc maybe 10 times.
Don't get me wrong, I love the fc and there's nothing wrong with mine. but theres something magical about the miata. Its slower, worse equipped, the top leaks, and its not as comfortable as the rx7; but given the choice im always in the miata.

your post makes me think most FC guys are all about having a car with problems lol the never ending tinker toy

My RX7 is as reliable as a '7 could be. On the highway I got 23 mpg. I was pleased. I got 320kms and was half way between 3/4 and 1/2 a tank. But when it comes to city driving, which I'll be doing for the next 3 years of my life, I can't afford the gas for it. It's the smart thing to do.

I have had a few FC's and a 99 10AE Miata. I honestly enjoyed both for different reasons.

The Miata- awesome around town, good gas mileage, it handled great stock, plenty of power for the size, and the transmission was and still is one of my favorites. The thing I didn't like was highway driving. It wasn't the greatest because at 70mph you are pretty high up in the RPM's.

The FC- I enjoy rotaries so, it is a hard comparison. FC's are getting old and that was always in the back of my mind. The powerband was more fun to drive than the Miata, but I had transmission issues in the FC's. Maintenance is a little more costly, and gas mileage was crap, but that just comes with the territory.

In the end Daily/occasional track= Miata, fun car to own/occasional daily/weekend car= RX7