My miata has become a little too impractical. I cant live with it's small size anymore for a 2nd car daily driver. It chews 24mpg so I can accept the rotary fuel economy. What I can't handle, is being enclosed. I get itchy if im in a small enclosed space for too long, but I cant stand big cars. Maybe someone who has one could show some pictures/give me a general idea how much airflow I could expect from open windows/sunroof and the amount of light airiness (subjective) and maybe a general size of the opening?

I have searched, no luck

 

It's a common sized sunroof. Windows down-lots of flow

 

Take a test drive.

 

I feel the same way in small cars. Rest assured that an FD w/sunroof won't make you claustrophobic.

 

An FD isn't that much bigger than Miata inside, not compared to a lot of other 2 seat sports cars like a Corvette or a Z. Even a 2nd gen is significantly more roomy.

 

I have an FD and a Miata. If anything the FD is even less roomy. I don't think a sunroof will make up for that. An S2000 would probably make more sense for you.

 

I have a large dog and a girlfriend. The JDM rx7's have rear seats here. I did test drive one, but I was coming from a wrx sti so I didn't apreciate it. Now i've driven the miata for a while I want something that handles as good and feels as close as possible to the miata which it is. Theres certainly more room inside but im addicted to the open air feeling of the miata and I don't want to lose that. I have to show my girlfriend some pictures before she will even be interested in a test drive :/

 

Technically they do, but I would not put a small dog back there. The seats are only really there for insurance purposes.

 

Well you have 3 choices.
1) lose the dog
2) lose the gf
3) find a bigger car.

 

Now I have the miata, everyone wants to come and join the fun. Thats the problem, I didnt anticipate having to carry anyone in the car. I've seen the rear seats, its big enough to carry a dog (I sat in the rear seat when I took a test drive to see if it was too small, it's not.) The touring models aren't common enough for me to easily get a look at. Thats why I was hoping for some pictures instead.

Lastly the FD is a bigger car, the interior room is much larger with the two rear half seats. So anyone got a picture?

 

Wow you need to have your girlfriends permission to test drive a car. Who cares what she thinks she's a girlfriend I'd be more worried about the dogs comfort.

Buy an FD ,there is quite a bit of air flow with the sunroof open and the windows down I have a '93 touring model and there is enough airflow to make it annoying to people who don't care for that open air feeling.

The sunroof dimensions are 34"x 19"

 

Well, you appear to have convinced yourself of this. I have a first generation Miata and an FD and would not reach that conclusion. If anything, the FD interior is far more enclosed because of the lower seating position, high center tunnel, bucket seats, wraparound console, and in-your-face (non adjustable) steering wheel. Second and third generation Miatas are progressively larger inside than the first too.

 

^ i agree. esp with the top down

 

http://www.fd3s.net/rear_seats.html these.

I have a friend that lost both legs in a car accident He cant get out of his house much and the shape of the buckets are ideal for him. (legroom isnt required) Thats the other reason. I want to keep the airflow and sun above feeling while being able to take my dog and my friend/girlfriend out without having to drive the civic!

edit: Thanks phantom_works

P.S I dont need her permission I want her to split the cost haha.

 

I also have a 1st gen miata (NA) and an FD.

The space is pretty similiar. You are kidding yourself if you think you are getting any more appreciable room in the FD. Believe it or not, when I need to carry something it goes in the miata because there is MORE room to carry it. (more trunk space)

I also have friends who feel claustrophibic in my FD, yet are perfectly fine in my miata.

 

A. Sunroof = less head room due to mechanism
B. You're whipped.
C. I wouldn't put a filthy animal that eats turds in anything but a truck... much less an FD.
D. Get a new S/N and try again. You've given RX7club.com too much personal information.

 

I use to have a 99 miata. Felt a little tight at times, but I like the layout and feel of the cockpit in the seven better regardless of whether the interior room is more or less.

The one thing you will always sense is the mass of the hardtop/fixed roof no matter how many windows you have open. The convertible has virtually no blind spots. Its just a totally different driving experience.

I say get the car, drive it, and enjoy. If you decide it's not for you then sell it.

Update:

After spending a good half hour searching I found this info:

1994 Miata Headroom - 37.1 Legroom - 42.7
1999 Miata the same

1993-95 Rx-7 Headroom - 37.6, Legroom - 44.1

So there you have it proof that the rx7 is larger.

 

I have a 95 miata and a 95 JDM RX-7 w/ the rear seats. I honestly feel the RX-7 interior is not a heck of a lot roomier than the miata's, in fact i think w/ the rear seats in the FD i can get more legroom in the drivers seat of the miata.

If you're looking for something more practical as far as liveability goes, i find it equally difficult getting in and out of both cars, and really feel the FD isn't much better of a daily. That said, i have had a dog in the back seat and it's fine, i've also had some girls ride there too and people do fit!

 

While this is true of the cockpit, the FD having a hatch and the bins behind the seats really makes the interior feel larger than it is, IMO.

Also, FDs get 15MPG bone stock on a good day. If you stay out of boost and only drive on a highway, you might see 24mpg.

This is very true. In my FD(no sunroof) I can fit with a helmet, however in the touring(sunroof) I test drove a couple years ago, my head was touching the roof of the car.
You mean you didn't appreciate the power and handling abilities going from an STi to an FD? You're on crack...

Try an S2000, if you want something like a Miata.

 

To be honest I was a crap driver a few years back and I would've either got bored and sold it or killed myself. I was also a tight *** so I was comparing low compression badly maintained fd's (cheap end of market) vs a good sti coupe that I got from my friend - 300whp @ 16psi so of course if felt slow.

 

If you're looking for a good daily... get subaru. I miss mine

 

Yeah.... a FD isnt gonna be any bigger than a miata......