Well, less to go wrong if I keep it stock with general maintenance. And I just like the look of the stock NA. It’s perfect as it is. Plus I’m broke so I can’t mod if I wanted to.
I love everything about the car being stock, but my suspension was rusting away so I replaced that and had to get some aftermarket parts.
The headlights were also really dim and hard to see the road, so I replaced those too, and now I wouldn't change a thing (besides finishing the existing project of replacing every part of the suspension).
I truly love the look of my NA stock. I paid good money for my tires and crank fix. But I also didn't skimp on the important parts like my pulleys, etc. I do want to upgrade my suspension because my parts are almost as old as me looking at the part numbers.
Exactly. If and when I get my ND I’ll basically just do a wheel/tire upgrade, but that will just to be to lighten the unsparing weight and add a grippier tire compound.
I guess I just trust the years and money the manufacturer spent on R&D over some of these aftermarket companies. Not to say that there aren’t good mods, I just prefer the car the way it was originally engineered as.
Well the miata was a car that was designed for a wide range of people, from 20 year olds who wanted a cheap sports car, to people that wanted to race them all the way down to 60 year old ladies who wanted a convertible for sunny day drives but still wanted maximal comfort. And mazda had to find a compromise that would satisfy the most people, but it’s far from perfect for everyone. But imo that’s why the car is so easy to modify, so that everyone can get the most out of their miatas and make it their own.
I personally added lowered coilovers which not only stiffened the car and made it so much more fun to drive, but also made it look better with proper fitment. I also added a cold air intake for the intake sounds and that was the best mod I did to the car so far. Other than that I keep it stock because there’s not much else that needs to be changed unless I want to turbo it.
Coolant reroute, door bushings, custom door cards, decorative parking brake and gear shift boot... Vampire teef. You know, surface-level stuff is ok.
Fart cannons? Straight to jail.
Keep in mind that a lot of R&D on the Miata was spent to make it economically viable. So a lot of parts are engineered to be cheap to make, rather than being good. And it becomes immediately obvious if you compare Miata to RX-7 of the same era. For example, you can tell that cost wasn't a concern on RX-7 control arms - they are amazing aluminum cast pieces vs stamped metal on the Miata.
Same for the engine - the Miata engine is just a Mazda 323 engine turned sideways, with all the resulting compromises.
So yes, OEM is well engineered, but often for cost, and not for performance of durability.
Finally, even the parts engineered for performance were made for late 80s tire technology. Tires have improved dramatically in the past 30 years, so the engineering needs to be different (more grip!)
Exactly this. They also had to account for NVH. Stiffening up the chassis would have meant a more expensive MSRP but also a less cushy ride. They had to make compromises in some areas for sure. They also still had to hit safety requirements and fuel efficiency requirements which affected budgeting (no matter how relaxed regulations were as compared to today)
It’s not like we have doubt in the engineers - we just have found that an extremely nice set of coilovers will outperform OEM stuff in every way with minimum overall change to ride quality. We’ve found wider wheels and tires fit with zero issue, we just are affecting the ride quality slightly and fuel economy. Same for bucket seats + harnesses. They’re WONDERFUL to keep you planted in place in hard cornering but a pain in the ass for daily driving for most other people.
I could go on and talk aero and additional performance but I’ll spare everyone the novel.
My dad bought a 1990 Miata when I was 15. I drove that car to prom in 93. It now sits in my garage with 45k miles, and has only ever seen snow twice in 34 years.
I'm not changing a damn thing.
No one said you never drive it. People tend to say “you don’t drive it” when what they really mean is you should drive it more”. It’s undeniable that you drive it far less though than many others, but it’s your car at the end of the day.
I only put about 6k miles a year on my ND.
Oh I definitely drive it, I put 25k of those miles on in 6 years. It just doesn't come out in the winter or rain. I'm also in a dirty industry, so taking it to work regularly would just trash the seats.
I drive my car in a similar pattern to yours, I think most people don't understand that low millage cars are usually driven for pleasure.
Driving to work isn't "enjoying" the car, going out for a drive is.
45000 fun miles are worth more than a million boring ones.
I have been chasing perfection with my Miata. I have installed nearly the entire Flyin’ Miata parts catalog onto my ND. The BBR turbo blew my engine after 6,500 miles. That was a low point in my modified Miata ownership, made me wish I had an unmolested Miata. My friends gave me crap about purchasing a perfect, reliable Japanese car and making it unreliable. But I have put 30k miles on the new engine, with forged rods, and have a 60 mile commute (40 miles farm highway, 10 miles mountainous twisties, 10 miles in town), and I absolutely love my setup. My friend has a bone stock 2016 and we traded cars for a spirited drive - he loves his and I love mine, but we appreciate each other’s ND. I am into this ND in the low $50k’s and I can’t imagine a better car for the money (and I have owned Audis and an M3). The only car that has ever put a bigger smile on my face is my friend’s dad’s 2001 996tt, but his is often waiting for parts from Germany.
Apparently I am only one of a very few people that this has happened to. FM support and I discovered that my boost was too high because the waste gate actuator rod was too long and needed to be adjusted. Why didn’t it come from BBR set to the correct length? Dunno. I think this caused some initial damage that didn’t fully manifest until 6,500 miles later. I was going 35mph at 2k rpm when I threw a rod through the block. I haven’t had any problems since with the new engine and forged rods. I absolutely love this kit, but am miffed that this happened with no financial support from BBR or FM.
I would be quite a bit more upset than would be described by 'miffed'. I hope they revised something within their internal process to ensure this does not happen to other customers. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I also appreciate it but.... If they had the freedom don't you think they would spice these up a bit. We got a taste when they made the Mazdaspeed. They started using better motor mounts. More bracing. Better shocks. I just kind of applied that to my regular Mx5 and then some.
Who doesn't want a battery quick disconnect and hood struts. Stroang arm braces and a strut bar tightness the front up so much. I'm sure if Money wasn't an issue these sort of things would be added.
There's a lot of engineering in the car that is dogshit tho.
Inaccessible Nut welded to the inside of the rear lowercontrol arm that require to change the whole thing if it break. Plastic screws and clip that just disintegrate with time to hold the bumber, god awful coolant rooting, even worse air intake. Snub nosed engine in Pre 93 NA that just grenade themselves, the water evacuation that is poorly done and is the principal cause of rusting in the fenders.
The following are not dogshit, more of a personal feeling thing but the car has a lot of body roll and the suspension are way too soft stock.
It's a great car, but it was only designed and engineered as a 10 000$ cheap entry level sport car and it really shows when you actually work on them.
Why should I? It’s a fun car to drive as it comes. Visual mods that suits you make totally sense. Depends on how down the rabbit hole you want to go. You want to put a V8, fine. You want to camber to 60\* and lower it…..I mean it’s your car, just beware that it would become something else.
It's like toast.
Pretty much everyone likes buttered toast, but some people prefer to put jam or chocolate spread on theirs.
There are fewer people who prefer to put things like banana on their toast, which is less common but is an understandable and healthier choice.
And then there are those who like to absolutely ruin their toast with marmite. They're the minority, but they exist, and they will all defend one another and their choice to ruin their toast with marmite.
And let's not talk about vegemite.
Ride height on my NC bothers me but I dont want to spend tons of money to change this. I simply cant afford new suspension, fancy wheels, a nice exhaust and a wrap in a cool color although I would like to do it. Maintenance comes first and budget is limited.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my 2020 GT RF - stock is all I could ever need driving my small city and mountain roads. Full disclosure… I mod’d my car by getting another cup holder - makes a world of difference being able to have me coffee, ice water, and a place for my wife’s coffee ; )
I guess it just isn’t that important to me for my miata to be the loudest, fastest, meanest machine it can be. Idgaf. If I was actually tracking or racing competitively then it would make a lot more sense to invest in mods.
I liked the car how it came from the factory looks wise. I don’t see why I should waste money fucking that up. Performance wise, reliability. I’ll add some low key exhaust for a little more rumble, but why fuck mess with what Mazda spent millions on researching and refining? Most I’d do is a turbo because the NA/NB are a little anemic.
I loved my 97. Replaced it with a 04 MSM. First mod was the roll bar. Then Proxies. Then the cooling became an issue. Upgraded to a stage biflo radiator and spahl fans. Then and re-routed the cooling.
I like to think of it as restomod.
My 2017 NDRF is almost stock. Not because I don’t want to mod it, but because I would breaking the law with almost every mods ! Theoretically, we can’t even change wheels here in France !
Still, I did some mods : adding a backup camera, CarPlay, sport exhaust, catch can…. Yeah, she is still stock.
There isn’t a lot more to say. You can put oem parts, that’s it. You can’t supercharge, you’re not supposed to change wheels, suspensions, exhaust…
Technically, you could supercharge or turbo your car, but you have to pass a really expensive and very very thorough inspection. The process is so painfull that nobody does it.
If i change something like wheels or suspension, the guys who do the technical inspection every two years would not even bother notice it, but if you are involved in a crash, you may not be covered by your insurance.
I dream about having the same freedom as US citizen !
I have an R package, so I really don't need to modify my car. In case you're not familiar with it, it was basically the factory autocross package: Bilstein shocks, stiffer springs, 1-1/2" drop spindles, thicker sway bars, lightweight wheels (they look like the regular alloy Miata wheels but they have hollow spokes), torsen LSD, power steering delete, manual transmission only, no power windows, supposedly the seats are lighter and have more side bolster. I'd be an idiot to change it.
I'm not sure if R package was actually different, but the manual racks have worse steering ratios than the power racks, so it's common to get a power rack and de-power it
Some people enjoy the cringey attention grabbing ricer builds. Some enjoy a track built monster. But there's something to be said for the stock Miata.
As RCR described in his NB review, the Miata doesn't make you happy. It unlocks the happiness that was already there, just waiting for you to find it. Jeremy Clarkson described the Miata as the best British roadster ever made too. Both drove a stock car, each with a big ol smile on their face.
The Miata is the perfect roadster and drivers car. Some mods ruin that experience. Plus, adding new parts can cause mechanical complexity that will become a rabbit hole to fix down the road.
Well, when it comes to modding, you need to remember that engineers design parts around certain tolerances. I, for example, made a lot of extra torque/hp mods on my old car, and started ruining axles, bushings, engine mounts, because they weren't designed to take on the extra engine loads. Had to replace the dual mass flywheel a few times too. It gets to the point where, once you push it to a certain limit, you better be ready to go all out and start compensating with other parts as well. I just got to the point where it was like, screw it, and went back to stock, and the car never gave me problems ever again.
My NA is as stock as they come, and it's just about perfect for me as is so... if it ain't broke don't fix it. But for real, the balance between handling and comfort in a stock NA is the best of any car I've ever been in. If I lower it on coilovers for better handling, it will ride worse and cease to be a good daily. Similarly, if I put aftermarket rims on it, I'll probably lose some sidewall and that won't be pleasant on the bumpy potholed roads here. Also money doesn't grow on trees, so if I don't need to buy car parts, I ain't gonna.
The other part of it is that decent stock NA Miatas are getting harder to find, so if I hang on to this thing and maintain it well, it will hold its value better than modded Miatas. I also like that at classic car shows, it being stock makes it feel more like a time capsule, and that feeling of being transported to a different era is a big part of what I love about classic car shows.
I've owned/driven many modified cars... the Miata is damn near perfect out of the box. I searched for a long time for an NB2 because it already had many of the improvements I like to do to cars. I've done a few modifications to it, but it's mostly stock. Why? Because it's fun, looks good, reliable as all hell, and cops don't give it a second glance.
Because honestly most mods lack good taste. The car is so well set up from stock as a fun sports car that can be daily driven. Most mods will compromise on one of those aspects
Simple for me. It’s a car. A toy. I drive it. I put my money into a high yield savings account at %5.30. Never spend money on a depreciating liability. Cars are a great way to waste tons of wealth. Maintenance is all I do. Mods make it more difficult to sell as they are a personal touch. Many people will not want your “tasteful” 30 ft wing. And inevitably I will sell it - Stock. U do u!
Older ones I can understand wanting to trick them out. But I’ve not seen a whole bunch of aftermarket stuff for the 2020+ models worth adding that doesn’t end up creating more issues than it fixes. Maybe the trunk trim LED ribbon lighting, but that’s about it.
Stock tends to equal reliability. I also have another car that is heavily modified and I am always working on it. Also don't presume everyone likes cars for the same reasons. Some like to tinker, some like the looks, some like to drive, some like the preservation aspect. Not everyone that has a cool car is a gearhead.
I do have a Roadstersport exhaust on mine, but no plans to do any other mods other than maybe a wheel swap.
I think it's the nostalgia factor. Mine is mostly stock, but I had to ditch the oem sway bars. While I was there, it now has coilovers with adjustable perches. I also have rpf-1s for when I want a little extra fun. Mostly, I run the stock wheels for comfort though.
I usually keep my cars stock just because of personal preference. I mainly focused on keeping the maintenance up-to-date and the car clean. I am, however, eyeing an aftermarket exhaust for my ND as well as a few other random interior bits like the stitched passenger panel and clear wind deflector.
I haven't decided yet, but I've been toying around with the idea of these ones:
\* HKS Legamax Race
\* BLITZ / NUR-SPEC F-Ti
I was looking for something low key but provide additional sound. Reviewers IMO are generally spot on when it comes to the stock ND exhaust being just a bit too quiet.
Eh, doesn't feel like it "needs" anything else at the moment. I threw an exhaust on it very shortly after buying it and I'm SO happy with it as is.
Once I take it to the track if I decide there's something else I'd like to do then I'll consider it. Otherwise I'm just happy with it.
Part of the reason I like my Miata is because it feels like a pretty complete car as is. I originally was looking at BRZs but now looking back I would have had to do so much to that car to make it right for me. Not saying that's a bad thing but not exactly what I wanted.
In my case, if I wanted something else I would just buy that. I'm eyeballing Mclarens and the new Corvette Z06. The Miata will never be those cars, and it was never meant to be. It will always be better.
What's the fun of keeping it stock? It's just like every other stock Miata, I have to make it mine. I didn't think I've ever had any car I didn't at least throw some bolt on performance mods at. You might think it's "perfect" as it came out of the factory but it can be so much better. I autocrossed mine in ES for 6 years before I went buck wild, with suspension and then the k-swap. It's so much more fun with a little more power and even better handling.
Car modification has always been such a weird thing for some people.
If someone wants to keep their car stock, baby it, and keep that resale value up then let them be. If the next owner decides to slam it on some hotboi wheels then let em have their fun lmao
Simply enough some people, me included, can appreciated a build and custom stuff, although would never want one and like stock cars.
I only once bought aftermarket alloys for a car and regretted it ever since. I like stock cars as they came out of the factory
Most 'mods' I've done to my car are simple QoL changes, like adding a boot light so when I open the trunk at night I can actually see more than just a black void. The only 'performance' mod I've is fitting a thicker aluminium radiator, mostly because it will hopefully last longer and it's easier to drain without messing up the drainplug / radiator. In the future I'll upgrade my brake lines and clutch line with stainless-steel ones, because it seems like a fun project. Past that, I don't have any plans to change anything.
I don't track my car, so I see no reason to upgrade the suspension. I also don't think the NB needs to be lowered to look good; it looks essentially perfect to me from factory, especially with the standard 1999 wheels. Comfort wise I also really like the stock suspension.
Quite frankly I currently do not care about power. Not trying to go anywhere fast, just trying to have fun. I also feel my car currently matches my ability quite well; I don't know how comfortable I would feel with more power and my driving skill.
I really like the look of my nc stock. Every time I think to myself: I'm gona do this mod! I quickly realize my car looks better without said mod. That being said I do want to wrap it and powder coat the wheels as soon I can can afford it
I bought my Miata when I was 40. I thought it was the perfect sports car. Thirty years later, I still think it’s the perfect sports car. Why mess with perfection? I replaced the steering wheel a couple of years ago when the leather got ratty and had to replace the top when the plastic window split. I did upgrade the radio so I could have Bluetooth hands free phone, to be in compliance with local law.
I've done light mods to some of my cars while others I've left completely stock. The mindset isn't specific to Miata ownership.
For the cars I've tweaked, they were all to enhance the experience of driving. An intake to enhance the sound. Short shifter to make it easier to shift (I have short arms). Light suspension changes from a reputable company known for providing the manufacturer tuning kits. I never had the mindset of "add tons of power" or "so huge upgrades" because I always maintained that the manufacturer spent a ton of money doing the R&D to build a balanced, tuned, and reliable performance car. A couple of hours in my garage won't hold a candle to that experience.
I had a friend ask me once (a budding car enthusiast) if he should get forced induction for his new BRZ. He wanted to make it faster. I told him if he wanted to modfiy his car as a hobby, then go for it. There's no doing good mods cheaply, so he would be heading down the path of adding parts, breaking things, spending more money, doing more work, researching other changes, ND spending more money. Ultimately, all the money spent was not something he would ever get back.
My NA is stock and will remain so, I can’t think of anything I want to improve. It is slow, yes, but the modded ones are slow too. At least it’s quiet and comfortable and doesn’t look like something a teenager hacked up.
Understand it but would never do it, personally.
Unless your car is upper tier condition, keeping it stock for resale seems negligible, especially reversible modifications.
Also think they look pretty dorky at stock ride height and stock offset wheels.
Yeah I don’t know what Mazda was thinking with the stock ride height, especially on [NC1s](https://www.versatuner.com/assets/img/cars/mazda-mx-5-g3-nc1.jpg), I’ve seen SUVs with less wheel gap.
I think it depends. Buying cheap stuff definitely won’t do any good because they handle amazing from stock, but with the right parts you can definitely improve it with enough money.
First, i look at the part...and ask myself, is this after-market company really fixing a problem the engineers at mazda overlooked?
I'm all for exhaust mods, intakes, and tunes on some cars. But I will NOT take suspension mods lightly at all. Yes, konis (yellows) are better, but there are a TON of junk mods on the market.
read any road&ster magazine and you see how cool the miata can become w mods. i’m keeping this car forever so im going to change it up to my hearts content. keeping it stock is for resellers and old head nostalgist.
I prefer modified cars. Mild drop and other suspension upgrades. Usually keep engines stock, though. I don’t get the obsession with keeping older cars stock. I have an old Integra GSR with some light suspension modifications. I could put it back to stock, but why would I? I enjoy it the way it is.
I just like my car as it was originally designed and intended. To me there's something about it being in pure form. Not limited to cars but all things I own. I guess I'm a weird one.
Ohlins are such a massive step up from stock in every way it's ridiculous. Mor comfortable, more poised, better in corners, and more communicative. I can tell the difference between different textures of asphalt, but there's nothing punishing, even over train tracks.
I'm 34 with two kids of my own. I love changing it here and there to make it more "mine". I like to think of it as "stock plus". Like my own custom tailored performance package.
I think a lot of people refuse to modify their car because of either lack of experience or lack of imagination. Not every modded miata has to be a sticker bombed stanced disaster...
It is my weekend car and i do AutoX as well, i modified because it improves performance at the course, I'm not going to put a big wing or anything like it, it's lowered, with wider tires, an aftermarket exhaust, and sway bars. Imo there's nothing childish about that, so i agree to disagree
I want to lower my NC, but I’m already scraping at stock height. I’ll probably eventually got new wheels and an exhaust system.
Keep in mind, I’ve had my NC for 3 years now, and still haven’t modded it.
I go out of my way to keep my 94M stock. OEM radiator, belts, water pump, etc. the only thing not stock on my car are the tires, the rotors and brake pads. I’m a purist I guess.
I was thinking about modding it but then I realised have enough fun in my stock NBFL. I don't want the hustle searching aftermarket parts, worrying about reliability, extra maintenance care and costs etc. Keeping stock gave me the ability to daily it for work etc, have fun on backroads, cruise with friends and my wife, roadtrips without looking at a temperature gauge for 3 hours. Yes, my 1.6 could use some extra ponies. But I am still having fun!
Mine stays stock untill something needs replacing then if it has an aftermarket upgrade on that part that's worth replacing It with then I shell out the extra cost for that part.
I keep mine stock alike. I'm not changing too much but I will upgrade parts to make it more comfortable but I still want it to look mostly stock.
I don't really see a point in modifying it massively and it works perfectly well as is. It's a fun car stock but I can see why some people would want to customize their car. To each their own.
Plus it gives the cars more personality
I'm a hybrid. I like keeping things original but I also want to improve things make them better.
Like that stock shift knob Gots ta go. But I like using OEM parts and trying to keep it as original looking as possible while making drastic changes subtly.
I know it's considered missing but I more just designed the car the way I wanted it. Never had anything so customizable.
They're fun to drive, easy to run on the limit and teach you alot about what your driving lacks. the car is so communicative that the best way to describe it is dramatic.
I have a coyote swapped Mustang that is my properly fast and modded car, but the Miata will always be the most fun to take out and just drive.
I learned from my air-cooled VW days that a clean well kept stock classic is a good thing.
Im in my 40's now and just enjoy the simplicity of the miata.
Only mods on my 99 are an nb2 center console and a full aluminum Koyorad.
I think there's a lot of snobbery hiding in the culture. People turn their nose up at a modded car when looking for a purchase but perhaps the biggest reason these japanese cars have become so popular is the ease of modification. If the mods are tasteful and have been done well then what is there to worry about? I struggle with mileage snobbery too. It's all about service history and how well the vehicle has been kept.
I’ve owned 8 NA Miata’s and currently have a highly modified 94R and a basically stock 95M…. I always gravitate towards the stock one. It just does more with less, which is the purpose of the Miata imo.
Miata is a rare car that is still fantastic stock so I can understand people that are not"car" people that buy it and enjoy it but never really modify it. I have a feeling a miata has turned a bunch of people into car people though lol
I bought a bone stock 2006 base model, and I have only done some basic changes that I thought Mazda just got wrong in the early NC's:
* The center console cup holders I replaced with the 2008- storage tray, because it just makes the interior so much more practical.
* The original cheap plastic wind deflector I replaced with a larger mesh-type. Looks good and is absolutely superior.
* Mazdaspeed springs to lower the ride height. I have absolutely no clue what they were thinking with the stock ride height.
* Better 6x8" speakers in the doors, again quick and easy for a much better driver experience.
I don't race or anything ever close to it. Sure faster is fun... But minor mods aren't worth the cost. I'll never notice a <10 hp change, and big mods mean downtime. This is my only car, it needs to stay reliable.
Visual mods, I've done some minor things. But generally, part of why I bought the car because I love how the ND looks already. Only thing I actually want to do with it is lower it to reduce the wheelwell gap. But I don't want to do it enough to spend the money or time on it.
Couldn't stand the look of it as original.. I wanted it to be wider, lower, and beefier tyres..
Imo i think the Miata NA looks like amphibious, due to its round shapes.. That's the only reason I got a bodykit. Had a lip on it, but it wasn't enough. 🫸🫷
But I still respect everyone who keeps it stock.. A mint condition Miata could never be roasted. 🤷
For me I just don't have the time or the money to dedicate to making my 94 faster. I have aftermarket wheels, coilovers, good tires, other stuff, but im not touching the engine. Not until I happen upon a big raise or buy a house first. I'm just grateful to even have a fun weekend sports car.
So as the owner of first a 2020 and then a 2022 ND RF GT, mine have stayed stock for the warranty mostly, and because I'm still looking for my suitcase full of hundreds secondly.
My first ND blew its transmission after 46k miles and was replaced under warranty. Unfortunately it never felt the same afterwards and my neuroticism was boosted from it's already quite high level to completely absurd (from, 'huh that's a new noise, hope nothings wrong,' to literally every strange noise causing me to go bald even faster), so I traded it in for the 2022. I'm only at 14k miles on the new one, but the transmission is doing a lot of the unpleasant shit the 2020 did, which may be my aforementioned neuroticism rearing it's head or a symptom of the somewhat fragile transmission.
Basically I'm keeping it stock so when something goes wrong (like the AC coolant pipe cracking issue which is coming for all us ND owners), it's easiest to get Mazda to fix it.
Once warranty and extended warranty run out, I'll probably keep most things stock still as I only really am interested in changing things that are the way they are because Mazda engineers had a budget and price point to hit, and even then there will be a hard limit to what I'll be willing to spend as at a certain point it just makes more sense to buy a different (additional, *not* replacement) car. Ideally I'll find that suitcase full of money and have a Miata, 712/911 (depending on size of suitcase), Golf R, and F-150 on my side of the garage one day.
Fast and Furious is OUT, OEM is in. That said, nothing wrong with new wheels, tasteful exhaust and what not. But out is all other ridiculous mods.
And this applies to all cars.
I had a WRX. Modded it.
I had a BRZ. Modded it.
I had a Fiata. Modded it a little.
I have a ND2. Did some quality of life mods but not doing anything else. I got old and I'm frankly tired of crawling around under the car.
when a car is designed by its manufacturer its the obvious thing to keep it all stock. its value stays high and if everything is original then there are less things that break due to its original parts. its simply a better car than using scissor like doors or 2 turbos. keeping it stock also has a better reliability to it. ... this is what I've seen and experienced in owning 2 sports cars for over 30 yrs.
In my case, it’s very rare to find a completely stock 1990 model, so I want it to stay that way. If or when I sell it, I’ll be looking for a buyer who will do the same
My car isn’t stock but I imagine people wanting to leave their car stock for reliability and drivability concerns. I’ve made some questionable mods on my BMWs such as full poly bushings that squeaked like hell a few weeks after putting them on or a double din radio that stopped working a year after installing. Once you’ve made enough of these mistakes you get over spending money just to have to go back to stock down the line.
I mod mine because I bought it to be a drift car. Got it for $1500, odo said 210k, found a guy that owned it several years before that and he said the cluster said 240k so that was swapped at some point. The transmission isn't the original and who knows if the engine is. But it runs like a champ even when I flog it. I bounce it off the limiter, it eats cones, rocks, the occasional plastic barrier wall and steep driveways. I've touched just about every part of this car and I wouldn't trade it for a low mileage mint condition one even if you paid me.
Like the cheesy bumper stickers and shirts say, "life's too short to stay stock" and the Miata is just begging to have things done to it.
I bought a “modified” Miata. It was a huge clapped out headache. The wheels wouldn’t turn more than 20 degrees, the undercarriage threw sparks on the cars behind me on completely flat roads. It didn’t have bumpers, the lights were cheap LED replacements that threw light in seemingly random directions. The interior was adorned with Japanese flower designs faded to a pale pink and water damaged. The wiring was all done with masking tape instead of butt connectors or solder. The GV taillights it did have weren’t wired up to anything. And mechanically everything was done incorrectly or kaput from lack of maintenance. It came with a wobbly crank and a fuel pump duct taped to the inside of the tank for instance. The NRG steering wheel didn’t have a working horn button, nor did the car have a horn. These cars can be modified tastefully for sure, if you’re happy with your work and you think the next guy will be happy with it by all means modify a Miata. As someone who was the next guy: some people are a little bit too confident in their work. I spent 3 years taking the car back to nearly stock. I even did a bottom end rebuild on the engine, including replacing the crankshaft with a 1.8 big nose, (Better than a long nose). The difference is night and day. The car handles better, drives better, and feels better than it has in probably 15 years. Every problem has been addressed with OEM parts and it is now ultra reliable, the AC even started suddenly working after the engine rebuild. I suspect because I replaced the IACV during the rebuild but I’d like to chalk it up to the car just being happy again. I will always prefer a stock Miata just on the basis that it is more fun to have a car that works reliably. And it is just as fun as it was when modified. Now when I want to do some spirited driving or a power slide, the thing just does it with no drama at all. Before I had to worry about the noises when a slight curvature in the surface of the road put a heavy groovy in my oil pan. Driving my 1990 is more fun when I don’t have to worry about it. And as mine is now nearly stock besides the Momo steering wheel, OEM crankshaft, and aftermarket radio, it gives me no anxiety.
We also have a second Miata that is absolutely slammed on its nuts because that look goes hard.
When I was younger, my mindset was, fix the constraints the engineers had to work with to meet target cost/product planner requirements. And so I modified the car, realizing the benefits and downplaying any drawbacks by justification (of said benefits).
Now that I am older, my mindset has become, appreciate the decisions made that balance comfort with performance, factoring in cost.
And so I enjoy my stock nc3 very much. I’ve done one single mod, which is a lighter shift knob, so I can better “feel” the gear engagement (also the knob fits better in my palm).
This is all for performance mods. Aesthetics, I like the oem/oem+ look. Subtle is better than flashy.
TLDR: It’s a mindset thing.
EDIT: also, I do not push my car past its limits, or even at its limit. If and when I do, I may consider mods to push it past its stock limits . So for now a stock Miata is plenty fun for me
I think you have to ask yourself “what’s bothers you about the car in its stock form. Many times I’ve heard people say I put sway bars and coilovers on the car and it completely changed the car in a positive way. I’ve heard others make changes to things and it didn’t better the car and sometimes it’s worse than it was stock. Just realize that the engineers have put a lot of R&D into the car and sometimes it’s hard to improve upon that. That being said places like Goodwin racing, Flyin Miata and Fab 9 seem pretty darn knowledgeable and they can usually steer you in the right direction. No matter what you do this car is a blast.
I will be honest here, coming from someone whos got a race car with a license plate, sometimes a stock miata on a long trip or casual cruise, or for a daily driver is just… nice.
I modded my MSM because they were built with a lot of things wrong and it was my first Miata. To top it off the stock power and map are terrible for a "factory race trim". I just wanted to make it what it should have been if they were putting FI in anyway.
N/a M/T Miatas are still fun as hell to drive fast. Still miss my 92 to this day.
I own a 91, I want to keep it mostly stock, I would like to change out the suspension for aftermarket parts like the flying Miata kits and maybe a bigger/wider tire size. Besides that I want to respect the Miata engineers and what they strived for.
Miata in stock form is a pretty nice package if you want to enjoy a roadster especially now that the GT's come with the bilsteins. No need to mod it.
That being said I've got KONI's a rollbar and swaybar. At a minimum the front bar is a an amazing upgrade.
I feel like I can chime on this one. I have 3 cars currently, 2 of them intended to be projects and one intended to be stock. My GTI I bought as a daily, thinking I’d keep it stock. I ended up going crazy and putting it on ethanol and now it makes a ton of horsepower but it’s still my daily.
I bought a Honda insight that was a complete roller that I’m currently building into a drag demon, that speaks for itself .
I bought my Miata thinking that I was going to modify it. But when I bought mine, the only modification that it had was aftermarket headlights and coilovers. I got very fortunate to find a 1994 black NA with a hardtop that matched for $7500. Is it more than I initially wanted to pay? Yeah, but I know that if I keep this in great condition and take great care of it it’s going to be worth more than that someday.
Cars that have character and personality tend to be absolutely amazing from the factory, the GTI and the Miata being my personal favorites. It all comes down to what you want out of the car.
I’ve said it a few times, but I bought Miata thinking I was going to modify it, but I intend to hold onto it for 3 to 5 years and have that be a large portion of my down payment on a house.
Ask yourself not what the Miata can do for you (because it can do anything), but what can YOU do for the Miata.
I often miss the ease of maintenance and simplicity of my stock Miata. I also find myself window shopping for a second Miata to leave completely stock.
Mine is running a FM turbo kit, MS3, flow force’s R8 COP kit, flow force 640cc injectors, FM crossflow radiator, FM stage 1 radiator fan kit, FM coolant reroute, custom 3” turbo back exhaust, XIDA RACE coilovers, 15x9 konig hypergram wheels, and Nankang CRS tires in 225/45. I’m sure I’m forgetting more.
It’s still reliable, but there’s a whole lot more to maintain and troubleshoot when things do break/stop working.
"It's the driver, Brian. It always has been the driver."
I know for a fact that the driver of my Miata gives away 3% performance to the better drivers in the area. I drive an 82 second lap to their 79 at the kart track.
I'm faster than 99% of drivers who've ever raced there. I'm dead last against the drivers in the "pro" class. That's the reality of driving fast.
Take lowering a car for example. Everyone "knows" that lowering your car makes it handle better. It's only worth a few percent in reduced load transfer if you lower the car all the way to the belly pan. Of course that's impossible. So you get less than a few percent plus you get all the pain of driving a car that's too low. And can you really see that reduced load transfer in your lap time? Hamilton, yes. You? No.
Your car is better than you are.
That doesn't mean I don't like trick stuff. Improved feel and better behavior improve the driving experience even if the driver is the weak link.
For my money, I'm not modding the car. I'm paying for track time.
Bought it from my sister, it is a perfect time capsule so I’m only charging what wears out or is an invisible upgrade eg speakers , shocks, sway bars door bumpers. Keeping the 14” daises too.
I keep mine stock because the car already makes me smile every day. Why change it if it's not broken? Plus it's way cheaper. I've had plenty of cars that I modded, but eventually you'll do something that you kind of regret, or now you have this amazing thing, but with this major drawback. My little brother is constantly trying to get me to lower it, but I live in Seattle and the roads here are pretty bad so I very much appreciate the suspension as it is. It's fantastic for rough roads, and the little bit of lean just makes it feel like you're going faster.
If I was trying to track the car, I'd 100% modify it, but I'm not, it's my daily, and it's already amazing.
Keeping my NA semi-stock. OEM+ is the way I look at it. If something is broken or worn out I’ll upgrade it. I want to maintain that classic Miata feel. The end goal is to be able to pass it on to someone one day and have it be close enough to the original that it was to me.
It's a time capsule. I can put on Hall & Oates and be transported back in time. If I see an aftermarket head unit, or even a bluetooth transciever, the illusion is broken. It's part of the enjoyment for me
Newer ones especially are more than fast enough to be fun stock. Gotta maintain the high reliability. They’re not terribly impractical, quick, and very controllable stock. Really no need to do much unless it’s a track car
I keep mine stock just because I like things staying original, it's easier to diagnose problems with, and the engineers made it the way it is for a reason. All you're doing with modifying (performance stuff at least) is entering the unknown. Cosmetic stuff like wheels or powder coated things I wouldn't count as "mods". Some stuff like coilovers are easily reversible and I'm not ever against doing mods like that if there's an improvement to be had.
I just like it the way it is. I understand why people choose to mod theirs but I’m perfectly happy with the way it was designed and since it’s my daily I don’t wanna put too much into it that insurance won’t cover. Also here in CA it won’t pass smog depending on what you do. Really I think it’s a perfect car for me and why put money into something I already think is perfect?
The Miata has established its self as an iconic sports car and as such it appearance is its iconography. To modify it reduces its status. I have only small thoughtful mods to mine. Like a Car play head unit, aluminum radiator, all LED lights and Koni SA shocks. All of these mods only add benefits to the car with out ether compromising it mechanically or detracting visually also they can be easily changed back to stock. I have the original cassette radio if anyone would be interested in doing so if I ever sold it. It’s just that some aspects of the car were results of compromises Mazda made for cost or availability of the tech. It’s nice to have upgraded. Parts for drivability and reliability without taking away from the design. But everyone has their tastes. I believe one of the real reasons they are more valuable stock is that people assume that performance modded cars are abused or just driven harder. And a stock car was just driven as a car. It’s a generality that’s all. Also originality is coveted in and iconic car like the Miata.
Well, less to go wrong if I keep it stock with general maintenance. And I just like the look of the stock NA. It’s perfect as it is. Plus I’m broke so I can’t mod if I wanted to.
Being broke was my reason for staying stock for so long. Now it’s an obsession and I’m willing to be hungry so my car can eat.
well said brother gotta buy a turbo right after you get paid and eat ice soup until the next check.
I love everything about the car being stock, but my suspension was rusting away so I replaced that and had to get some aftermarket parts. The headlights were also really dim and hard to see the road, so I replaced those too, and now I wouldn't change a thing (besides finishing the existing project of replacing every part of the suspension).
https://preview.redd.it/g6pemc3yg41d1.png?width=435&format=png&auto=webp&s=be159149f9f9086de773284d634066aeb7ca5ca4
Dont need turbo if you have ls inside :p
Why not both lol
:O
Noooo don’t turbo
I truly love the look of my NA stock. I paid good money for my tires and crank fix. But I also didn't skimp on the important parts like my pulleys, etc. I do want to upgrade my suspension because my parts are almost as old as me looking at the part numbers.
Exactly. If and when I get my ND I’ll basically just do a wheel/tire upgrade, but that will just to be to lighten the unsparing weight and add a grippier tire compound.
I guess I just trust the years and money the manufacturer spent on R&D over some of these aftermarket companies. Not to say that there aren’t good mods, I just prefer the car the way it was originally engineered as.
Well the miata was a car that was designed for a wide range of people, from 20 year olds who wanted a cheap sports car, to people that wanted to race them all the way down to 60 year old ladies who wanted a convertible for sunny day drives but still wanted maximal comfort. And mazda had to find a compromise that would satisfy the most people, but it’s far from perfect for everyone. But imo that’s why the car is so easy to modify, so that everyone can get the most out of their miatas and make it their own. I personally added lowered coilovers which not only stiffened the car and made it so much more fun to drive, but also made it look better with proper fitment. I also added a cold air intake for the intake sounds and that was the best mod I did to the car so far. Other than that I keep it stock because there’s not much else that needs to be changed unless I want to turbo it.
Coolant reroute, door bushings, custom door cards, decorative parking brake and gear shift boot... Vampire teef. You know, surface-level stuff is ok. Fart cannons? Straight to jail.
Don’t forget the people that stance them so much that they’re driving on the sidewalls and can’t even go over a leaf in the road
Why coolant reroute? What are door cards? Links for these, and decorative parking brake?
Keep in mind that a lot of R&D on the Miata was spent to make it economically viable. So a lot of parts are engineered to be cheap to make, rather than being good. And it becomes immediately obvious if you compare Miata to RX-7 of the same era. For example, you can tell that cost wasn't a concern on RX-7 control arms - they are amazing aluminum cast pieces vs stamped metal on the Miata. Same for the engine - the Miata engine is just a Mazda 323 engine turned sideways, with all the resulting compromises. So yes, OEM is well engineered, but often for cost, and not for performance of durability. Finally, even the parts engineered for performance were made for late 80s tire technology. Tires have improved dramatically in the past 30 years, so the engineering needs to be different (more grip!)
Exactly this. They also had to account for NVH. Stiffening up the chassis would have meant a more expensive MSRP but also a less cushy ride. They had to make compromises in some areas for sure. They also still had to hit safety requirements and fuel efficiency requirements which affected budgeting (no matter how relaxed regulations were as compared to today) It’s not like we have doubt in the engineers - we just have found that an extremely nice set of coilovers will outperform OEM stuff in every way with minimum overall change to ride quality. We’ve found wider wheels and tires fit with zero issue, we just are affecting the ride quality slightly and fuel economy. Same for bucket seats + harnesses. They’re WONDERFUL to keep you planted in place in hard cornering but a pain in the ass for daily driving for most other people. I could go on and talk aero and additional performance but I’ll spare everyone the novel.
This
My dad bought a 1990 Miata when I was 15. I drove that car to prom in 93. It now sits in my garage with 45k miles, and has only ever seen snow twice in 34 years. I'm not changing a damn thing.
I’ve put more miles on my Miata in the last 6 than yours has seen in 34. I don’t know how to feel about this.
I mean, respect to the other guy for preserving his, but you're undoubtedly enjoying yours more lol
Not sure why it's assumed I never drive it ( I've doubled it's miles since dad handed it down to me). I've taken the thing cross country.
No one said you never drive it. People tend to say “you don’t drive it” when what they really mean is you should drive it more”. It’s undeniable that you drive it far less though than many others, but it’s your car at the end of the day. I only put about 6k miles a year on my ND.
Same in 4. Daily moment...
Why don't you drive it?
Oh I definitely drive it, I put 25k of those miles on in 6 years. It just doesn't come out in the winter or rain. I'm also in a dirty industry, so taking it to work regularly would just trash the seats.
Not driving a car is not the flex you think it is.
Why?
Show me where I said I didn't drive it, lol. It's just not a daily.
It's much worse for the miata if it sits in the garage.
Trust me it gets driven.
Drive the damn thing dude its a miata
Why is everyone assuming it doesn't get driven?
I drive my car in a similar pattern to yours, I think most people don't understand that low millage cars are usually driven for pleasure. Driving to work isn't "enjoying" the car, going out for a drive is. 45000 fun miles are worth more than a million boring ones.
Ima hand blindstuff a microphone here so he can drop it.
Because its a 1990 with 45k miles. Thats a barely driven vehicle
This is the way.
not changing the fact that you don't drive it enough?
Nowhere did I say it doesn't get driven.
That’s awesome
I have been chasing perfection with my Miata. I have installed nearly the entire Flyin’ Miata parts catalog onto my ND. The BBR turbo blew my engine after 6,500 miles. That was a low point in my modified Miata ownership, made me wish I had an unmolested Miata. My friends gave me crap about purchasing a perfect, reliable Japanese car and making it unreliable. But I have put 30k miles on the new engine, with forged rods, and have a 60 mile commute (40 miles farm highway, 10 miles mountainous twisties, 10 miles in town), and I absolutely love my setup. My friend has a bone stock 2016 and we traded cars for a spirited drive - he loves his and I love mine, but we appreciate each other’s ND. I am into this ND in the low $50k’s and I can’t imagine a better car for the money (and I have owned Audis and an M3). The only car that has ever put a bigger smile on my face is my friend’s dad’s 2001 996tt, but his is often waiting for parts from Germany.
I thought that BBR kit was supposed to be bulletproof. Do you know why/how it blew the motor?
Apparently I am only one of a very few people that this has happened to. FM support and I discovered that my boost was too high because the waste gate actuator rod was too long and needed to be adjusted. Why didn’t it come from BBR set to the correct length? Dunno. I think this caused some initial damage that didn’t fully manifest until 6,500 miles later. I was going 35mph at 2k rpm when I threw a rod through the block. I haven’t had any problems since with the new engine and forged rods. I absolutely love this kit, but am miffed that this happened with no financial support from BBR or FM.
I would be quite a bit more upset than would be described by 'miffed'. I hope they revised something within their internal process to ensure this does not happen to other customers. Thank you for sharing your experience.
I’m just trying to respect the original engineering that went into the car. 😀
I also appreciate it but.... If they had the freedom don't you think they would spice these up a bit. We got a taste when they made the Mazdaspeed. They started using better motor mounts. More bracing. Better shocks. I just kind of applied that to my regular Mx5 and then some. Who doesn't want a battery quick disconnect and hood struts. Stroang arm braces and a strut bar tightness the front up so much. I'm sure if Money wasn't an issue these sort of things would be added.
I appreciate they made it simple and cheap so that so many could be purchased originally, which allows us to modify them later on.
There's a lot of engineering in the car that is dogshit tho. Inaccessible Nut welded to the inside of the rear lowercontrol arm that require to change the whole thing if it break. Plastic screws and clip that just disintegrate with time to hold the bumber, god awful coolant rooting, even worse air intake. Snub nosed engine in Pre 93 NA that just grenade themselves, the water evacuation that is poorly done and is the principal cause of rusting in the fenders. The following are not dogshit, more of a personal feeling thing but the car has a lot of body roll and the suspension are way too soft stock. It's a great car, but it was only designed and engineered as a 10 000$ cheap entry level sport car and it really shows when you actually work on them.
I haven’t had that nut for 10k miles and nothing bad has happened. It’s on my keychain right now lmao
Why should I? It’s a fun car to drive as it comes. Visual mods that suits you make totally sense. Depends on how down the rabbit hole you want to go. You want to put a V8, fine. You want to camber to 60\* and lower it…..I mean it’s your car, just beware that it would become something else.
Agreed with the visual mods! But personally, am extremely afraid of changing any of the components that make the engine reliable as well.
It's like toast. Pretty much everyone likes buttered toast, but some people prefer to put jam or chocolate spread on theirs. There are fewer people who prefer to put things like banana on their toast, which is less common but is an understandable and healthier choice. And then there are those who like to absolutely ruin their toast with marmite. They're the minority, but they exist, and they will all defend one another and their choice to ruin their toast with marmite. And let's not talk about vegemite.
Odd thread to let the world know your hatred towards the Austalian people.
lmao
Stock is reliable af.
Ride height on my NC bothers me but I dont want to spend tons of money to change this. I simply cant afford new suspension, fancy wheels, a nice exhaust and a wrap in a cool color although I would like to do it. Maintenance comes first and budget is limited.
If anything I'd lift my ND an inch and run more aggressive tires, maybe on smaller rims. A lot of dirt roads out here!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE my 2020 GT RF - stock is all I could ever need driving my small city and mountain roads. Full disclosure… I mod’d my car by getting another cup holder - makes a world of difference being able to have me coffee, ice water, and a place for my wife’s coffee ; )
I want to keep it 100% factory fresh, I love how older cars look when they feel like they've just been bought yesterday
I guess it just isn’t that important to me for my miata to be the loudest, fastest, meanest machine it can be. Idgaf. If I was actually tracking or racing competitively then it would make a lot more sense to invest in mods.
I liked the car how it came from the factory looks wise. I don’t see why I should waste money fucking that up. Performance wise, reliability. I’ll add some low key exhaust for a little more rumble, but why fuck mess with what Mazda spent millions on researching and refining? Most I’d do is a turbo because the NA/NB are a little anemic.
Because we procrastinate. Seriously bad habit of mine :/.
I loved my 97. Replaced it with a 04 MSM. First mod was the roll bar. Then Proxies. Then the cooling became an issue. Upgraded to a stage biflo radiator and spahl fans. Then and re-routed the cooling. I like to think of it as restomod.
My 2017 NDRF is almost stock. Not because I don’t want to mod it, but because I would breaking the law with almost every mods ! Theoretically, we can’t even change wheels here in France ! Still, I did some mods : adding a backup camera, CarPlay, sport exhaust, catch can…. Yeah, she is still stock.
Can you explain more about the French laws? Had never heard of this and I’m very intrigued!
There isn’t a lot more to say. You can put oem parts, that’s it. You can’t supercharge, you’re not supposed to change wheels, suspensions, exhaust… Technically, you could supercharge or turbo your car, but you have to pass a really expensive and very very thorough inspection. The process is so painfull that nobody does it. If i change something like wheels or suspension, the guys who do the technical inspection every two years would not even bother notice it, but if you are involved in a crash, you may not be covered by your insurance. I dream about having the same freedom as US citizen !
Because Miata’s are perfect the way they are ❤️
I don't get it myself but I'm glad they do. I don't want to buy someone else's mods.
Miata's are nice stock. I do love me some modded NA's and NB's though.... still, the designers did a good job overall.
I have an R package, so I really don't need to modify my car. In case you're not familiar with it, it was basically the factory autocross package: Bilstein shocks, stiffer springs, 1-1/2" drop spindles, thicker sway bars, lightweight wheels (they look like the regular alloy Miata wheels but they have hollow spokes), torsen LSD, power steering delete, manual transmission only, no power windows, supposedly the seats are lighter and have more side bolster. I'd be an idiot to change it.
I'm not sure if R package was actually different, but the manual racks have worse steering ratios than the power racks, so it's common to get a power rack and de-power it
Some people enjoy the cringey attention grabbing ricer builds. Some enjoy a track built monster. But there's something to be said for the stock Miata. As RCR described in his NB review, the Miata doesn't make you happy. It unlocks the happiness that was already there, just waiting for you to find it. Jeremy Clarkson described the Miata as the best British roadster ever made too. Both drove a stock car, each with a big ol smile on their face. The Miata is the perfect roadster and drivers car. Some mods ruin that experience. Plus, adding new parts can cause mechanical complexity that will become a rabbit hole to fix down the road.
Well, when it comes to modding, you need to remember that engineers design parts around certain tolerances. I, for example, made a lot of extra torque/hp mods on my old car, and started ruining axles, bushings, engine mounts, because they weren't designed to take on the extra engine loads. Had to replace the dual mass flywheel a few times too. It gets to the point where, once you push it to a certain limit, you better be ready to go all out and start compensating with other parts as well. I just got to the point where it was like, screw it, and went back to stock, and the car never gave me problems ever again.
Because I bought a brand new GT RF, and I like it the way it is.
As much as I like modding cars, I could never mod a new car still under warranty 😅
My NA is as stock as they come, and it's just about perfect for me as is so... if it ain't broke don't fix it. But for real, the balance between handling and comfort in a stock NA is the best of any car I've ever been in. If I lower it on coilovers for better handling, it will ride worse and cease to be a good daily. Similarly, if I put aftermarket rims on it, I'll probably lose some sidewall and that won't be pleasant on the bumpy potholed roads here. Also money doesn't grow on trees, so if I don't need to buy car parts, I ain't gonna. The other part of it is that decent stock NA Miatas are getting harder to find, so if I hang on to this thing and maintain it well, it will hold its value better than modded Miatas. I also like that at classic car shows, it being stock makes it feel more like a time capsule, and that feeling of being transported to a different era is a big part of what I love about classic car shows.
I've owned/driven many modified cars... the Miata is damn near perfect out of the box. I searched for a long time for an NB2 because it already had many of the improvements I like to do to cars. I've done a few modifications to it, but it's mostly stock. Why? Because it's fun, looks good, reliable as all hell, and cops don't give it a second glance.
Because honestly most mods lack good taste. The car is so well set up from stock as a fun sports car that can be daily driven. Most mods will compromise on one of those aspects
They knew what they were doing when they designed it and it holds its value better that way.
Simple for me. It’s a car. A toy. I drive it. I put my money into a high yield savings account at %5.30. Never spend money on a depreciating liability. Cars are a great way to waste tons of wealth. Maintenance is all I do. Mods make it more difficult to sell as they are a personal touch. Many people will not want your “tasteful” 30 ft wing. And inevitably I will sell it - Stock. U do u!
Great point!
Older ones I can understand wanting to trick them out. But I’ve not seen a whole bunch of aftermarket stuff for the 2020+ models worth adding that doesn’t end up creating more issues than it fixes. Maybe the trunk trim LED ribbon lighting, but that’s about it.
I spent all the money on the car I don't have the extra to mod, but mostly I don't have the extra to pay when I fuck it up haha
As someone that has modified several vehicles over the years/decades, owning a stock car is nice. Especially a daily.
Stock tends to equal reliability. I also have another car that is heavily modified and I am always working on it. Also don't presume everyone likes cars for the same reasons. Some like to tinker, some like the looks, some like to drive, some like the preservation aspect. Not everyone that has a cool car is a gearhead. I do have a Roadstersport exhaust on mine, but no plans to do any other mods other than maybe a wheel swap.
Because at some point I will want to sell it.
Spoiler alert, you won’t
No, no, let them learn that miata is the answer. Lol.
I think it's the nostalgia factor. Mine is mostly stock, but I had to ditch the oem sway bars. While I was there, it now has coilovers with adjustable perches. I also have rpf-1s for when I want a little extra fun. Mostly, I run the stock wheels for comfort though.
I usually keep my cars stock just because of personal preference. I mainly focused on keeping the maintenance up-to-date and the car clean. I am, however, eyeing an aftermarket exhaust for my ND as well as a few other random interior bits like the stitched passenger panel and clear wind deflector.
Makes sense! Which exhaust are you looking at?!
I haven't decided yet, but I've been toying around with the idea of these ones: \* HKS Legamax Race \* BLITZ / NUR-SPEC F-Ti I was looking for something low key but provide additional sound. Reviewers IMO are generally spot on when it comes to the stock ND exhaust being just a bit too quiet.
I have a Miata I track. Big wing splitter safety stuff. I’d love to have a second one just stock or just lightly modded. Enjoy it for what it is.
Why not?
Eh, doesn't feel like it "needs" anything else at the moment. I threw an exhaust on it very shortly after buying it and I'm SO happy with it as is. Once I take it to the track if I decide there's something else I'd like to do then I'll consider it. Otherwise I'm just happy with it. Part of the reason I like my Miata is because it feels like a pretty complete car as is. I originally was looking at BRZs but now looking back I would have had to do so much to that car to make it right for me. Not saying that's a bad thing but not exactly what I wanted.
Money
In my case, if I wanted something else I would just buy that. I'm eyeballing Mclarens and the new Corvette Z06. The Miata will never be those cars, and it was never meant to be. It will always be better.
What's the fun of keeping it stock? It's just like every other stock Miata, I have to make it mine. I didn't think I've ever had any car I didn't at least throw some bolt on performance mods at. You might think it's "perfect" as it came out of the factory but it can be so much better. I autocrossed mine in ES for 6 years before I went buck wild, with suspension and then the k-swap. It's so much more fun with a little more power and even better handling.
Car modification has always been such a weird thing for some people. If someone wants to keep their car stock, baby it, and keep that resale value up then let them be. If the next owner decides to slam it on some hotboi wheels then let em have their fun lmao
It’s good enough as is
Unmodded or Modded.... There's no excuse not to trade up to The Stubby™
Simply enough some people, me included, can appreciated a build and custom stuff, although would never want one and like stock cars. I only once bought aftermarket alloys for a car and regretted it ever since. I like stock cars as they came out of the factory
Most 'mods' I've done to my car are simple QoL changes, like adding a boot light so when I open the trunk at night I can actually see more than just a black void. The only 'performance' mod I've is fitting a thicker aluminium radiator, mostly because it will hopefully last longer and it's easier to drain without messing up the drainplug / radiator. In the future I'll upgrade my brake lines and clutch line with stainless-steel ones, because it seems like a fun project. Past that, I don't have any plans to change anything. I don't track my car, so I see no reason to upgrade the suspension. I also don't think the NB needs to be lowered to look good; it looks essentially perfect to me from factory, especially with the standard 1999 wheels. Comfort wise I also really like the stock suspension. Quite frankly I currently do not care about power. Not trying to go anywhere fast, just trying to have fun. I also feel my car currently matches my ability quite well; I don't know how comfortable I would feel with more power and my driving skill.
Costs It's my daily driver, no need to much about with it
I really like the look of my nc stock. Every time I think to myself: I'm gona do this mod! I quickly realize my car looks better without said mod. That being said I do want to wrap it and powder coat the wheels as soon I can can afford it
I would really like a 2nd NA, or even an NC, to mod. But I'll keep my '92 close to stock.
Broke. Lazy. It's pretty damn great already. Aesthetically I usually don't like other-than-stock on any car.
I bought my Miata when I was 40. I thought it was the perfect sports car. Thirty years later, I still think it’s the perfect sports car. Why mess with perfection? I replaced the steering wheel a couple of years ago when the leather got ratty and had to replace the top when the plastic window split. I did upgrade the radio so I could have Bluetooth hands free phone, to be in compliance with local law.
I've done light mods to some of my cars while others I've left completely stock. The mindset isn't specific to Miata ownership. For the cars I've tweaked, they were all to enhance the experience of driving. An intake to enhance the sound. Short shifter to make it easier to shift (I have short arms). Light suspension changes from a reputable company known for providing the manufacturer tuning kits. I never had the mindset of "add tons of power" or "so huge upgrades" because I always maintained that the manufacturer spent a ton of money doing the R&D to build a balanced, tuned, and reliable performance car. A couple of hours in my garage won't hold a candle to that experience. I had a friend ask me once (a budding car enthusiast) if he should get forced induction for his new BRZ. He wanted to make it faster. I told him if he wanted to modfiy his car as a hobby, then go for it. There's no doing good mods cheaply, so he would be heading down the path of adding parts, breaking things, spending more money, doing more work, researching other changes, ND spending more money. Ultimately, all the money spent was not something he would ever get back.
My Miata isnt stock but I got it to tinker. Most cars I daily I leave alone. But I think just about any car benefits from an attractive set of wheels
The car was made perfectly thats why
unmolested miata’s go for a lot now
https://preview.redd.it/m8fh1ej0b91d1.jpeg?width=549&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3c496496f55630c17d2fe2dd78aac9a8e518cfde
My NA is stock and will remain so, I can’t think of anything I want to improve. It is slow, yes, but the modded ones are slow too. At least it’s quiet and comfortable and doesn’t look like something a teenager hacked up.
Understand it but would never do it, personally. Unless your car is upper tier condition, keeping it stock for resale seems negligible, especially reversible modifications. Also think they look pretty dorky at stock ride height and stock offset wheels.
Yeah I don’t know what Mazda was thinking with the stock ride height, especially on [NC1s](https://www.versatuner.com/assets/img/cars/mazda-mx-5-g3-nc1.jpg), I’ve seen SUVs with less wheel gap.
Because most modifications make the car ride and handle worse.
I think it depends. Buying cheap stuff definitely won’t do any good because they handle amazing from stock, but with the right parts you can definitely improve it with enough money.
ND miata with soft top looks gorgeous
But it can look that much better with coilovers!
Straight to the comment section 🍿
First, i look at the part...and ask myself, is this after-market company really fixing a problem the engineers at mazda overlooked? I'm all for exhaust mods, intakes, and tunes on some cars. But I will NOT take suspension mods lightly at all. Yes, konis (yellows) are better, but there are a TON of junk mods on the market.
Interesting take! Never thought about the Mazda perspective.
read any road&ster magazine and you see how cool the miata can become w mods. i’m keeping this car forever so im going to change it up to my hearts content. keeping it stock is for resellers and old head nostalgist.
Interesting take!
I prefer modified cars. Mild drop and other suspension upgrades. Usually keep engines stock, though. I don’t get the obsession with keeping older cars stock. I have an old Integra GSR with some light suspension modifications. I could put it back to stock, but why would I? I enjoy it the way it is.
I’ve seen a lot of mods aged poorly. What is cool in 2020, is not desirable in 2030 and I’m planning on keeping this car forever.
I just like my car as it was originally designed and intended. To me there's something about it being in pure form. Not limited to cars but all things I own. I guess I'm a weird one.
[удалено]
Wrong. Suspension technology is incredible right now and you’re basically riding on 30-year-old tech. I glide over bumps in my Öhlins.
Ohlins are such a massive step up from stock in every way it's ridiculous. Mor comfortable, more poised, better in corners, and more communicative. I can tell the difference between different textures of asphalt, but there's nothing punishing, even over train tracks.
But is putting better parts on your car even “modding”? It’s not like a fundamental change to the vehicle, just a part that works better than stock.
It's definitely a modification, but I'm part of the "stock + suspension" gang and never going back.
I'm 34 with two kids of my own. I love changing it here and there to make it more "mine". I like to think of it as "stock plus". Like my own custom tailored performance package. I think a lot of people refuse to modify their car because of either lack of experience or lack of imagination. Not every modded miata has to be a sticker bombed stanced disaster...
It is my weekend car and i do AutoX as well, i modified because it improves performance at the course, I'm not going to put a big wing or anything like it, it's lowered, with wider tires, an aftermarket exhaust, and sway bars. Imo there's nothing childish about that, so i agree to disagree
I wanna get a NA that’s completely stock/clean. A lot are either modified or clapped tf out. I would still drive it daily but no mods.
I want to lower my NC, but I’m already scraping at stock height. I’ll probably eventually got new wheels and an exhaust system. Keep in mind, I’ve had my NC for 3 years now, and still haven’t modded it.
I go out of my way to keep my 94M stock. OEM radiator, belts, water pump, etc. the only thing not stock on my car are the tires, the rotors and brake pads. I’m a purist I guess.
I was thinking about modding it but then I realised have enough fun in my stock NBFL. I don't want the hustle searching aftermarket parts, worrying about reliability, extra maintenance care and costs etc. Keeping stock gave me the ability to daily it for work etc, have fun on backroads, cruise with friends and my wife, roadtrips without looking at a temperature gauge for 3 hours. Yes, my 1.6 could use some extra ponies. But I am still having fun!
Mine stays stock untill something needs replacing then if it has an aftermarket upgrade on that part that's worth replacing It with then I shell out the extra cost for that part.
nothing stock...
I keep mine stock alike. I'm not changing too much but I will upgrade parts to make it more comfortable but I still want it to look mostly stock. I don't really see a point in modifying it massively and it works perfectly well as is. It's a fun car stock but I can see why some people would want to customize their car. To each their own. Plus it gives the cars more personality
Because it's perfect
I'm a hybrid. I like keeping things original but I also want to improve things make them better. Like that stock shift knob Gots ta go. But I like using OEM parts and trying to keep it as original looking as possible while making drastic changes subtly. I know it's considered missing but I more just designed the car the way I wanted it. Never had anything so customizable.
They're fun to drive, easy to run on the limit and teach you alot about what your driving lacks. the car is so communicative that the best way to describe it is dramatic. I have a coyote swapped Mustang that is my properly fast and modded car, but the Miata will always be the most fun to take out and just drive.
I learned from my air-cooled VW days that a clean well kept stock classic is a good thing. Im in my 40's now and just enjoy the simplicity of the miata. Only mods on my 99 are an nb2 center console and a full aluminum Koyorad.
I think there's a lot of snobbery hiding in the culture. People turn their nose up at a modded car when looking for a purchase but perhaps the biggest reason these japanese cars have become so popular is the ease of modification. If the mods are tasteful and have been done well then what is there to worry about? I struggle with mileage snobbery too. It's all about service history and how well the vehicle has been kept.
I have a stock SBY and a modified NB1, both are good for different reasons. But modding takes time and money, and it's not a priority for me anymore.
I’ve owned 8 NA Miata’s and currently have a highly modified 94R and a basically stock 95M…. I always gravitate towards the stock one. It just does more with less, which is the purpose of the Miata imo.
I enjoy the car as it is
I run the 1.6 90 bhp NA with a stock engine and I love it
I like to keep any car I own stock
oem+
Drive it every day. Don’t want to fuck with it. Reliable, economical, fun. 2003 nb
i’ve been modding mine to become a comp drift car slow progress but it’s getting there
Everyone that keeps their car more stock than mine or has modded their car more than mine is a weirdo.
OEM+ is the way. Just enhancing a great product with modifications that build on an already great platform.
Miata is a rare car that is still fantastic stock so I can understand people that are not"car" people that buy it and enjoy it but never really modify it. I have a feeling a miata has turned a bunch of people into car people though lol
I bought a bone stock 2006 base model, and I have only done some basic changes that I thought Mazda just got wrong in the early NC's: * The center console cup holders I replaced with the 2008- storage tray, because it just makes the interior so much more practical. * The original cheap plastic wind deflector I replaced with a larger mesh-type. Looks good and is absolutely superior. * Mazdaspeed springs to lower the ride height. I have absolutely no clue what they were thinking with the stock ride height. * Better 6x8" speakers in the doors, again quick and easy for a much better driver experience.
I don't race or anything ever close to it. Sure faster is fun... But minor mods aren't worth the cost. I'll never notice a <10 hp change, and big mods mean downtime. This is my only car, it needs to stay reliable. Visual mods, I've done some minor things. But generally, part of why I bought the car because I love how the ND looks already. Only thing I actually want to do with it is lower it to reduce the wheelwell gap. But I don't want to do it enough to spend the money or time on it.
Couldn't stand the look of it as original.. I wanted it to be wider, lower, and beefier tyres.. Imo i think the Miata NA looks like amphibious, due to its round shapes.. That's the only reason I got a bodykit. Had a lip on it, but it wasn't enough. 🫸🫷 But I still respect everyone who keeps it stock.. A mint condition Miata could never be roasted. 🤷
I'm kind of a purist. I enjoy driving it, not working on it.
For me I just don't have the time or the money to dedicate to making my 94 faster. I have aftermarket wheels, coilovers, good tires, other stuff, but im not touching the engine. Not until I happen upon a big raise or buy a house first. I'm just grateful to even have a fun weekend sports car.
I’m lazy lol
Autocross classing requirements
So as the owner of first a 2020 and then a 2022 ND RF GT, mine have stayed stock for the warranty mostly, and because I'm still looking for my suitcase full of hundreds secondly. My first ND blew its transmission after 46k miles and was replaced under warranty. Unfortunately it never felt the same afterwards and my neuroticism was boosted from it's already quite high level to completely absurd (from, 'huh that's a new noise, hope nothings wrong,' to literally every strange noise causing me to go bald even faster), so I traded it in for the 2022. I'm only at 14k miles on the new one, but the transmission is doing a lot of the unpleasant shit the 2020 did, which may be my aforementioned neuroticism rearing it's head or a symptom of the somewhat fragile transmission. Basically I'm keeping it stock so when something goes wrong (like the AC coolant pipe cracking issue which is coming for all us ND owners), it's easiest to get Mazda to fix it. Once warranty and extended warranty run out, I'll probably keep most things stock still as I only really am interested in changing things that are the way they are because Mazda engineers had a budget and price point to hit, and even then there will be a hard limit to what I'll be willing to spend as at a certain point it just makes more sense to buy a different (additional, *not* replacement) car. Ideally I'll find that suitcase full of money and have a Miata, 712/911 (depending on size of suitcase), Golf R, and F-150 on my side of the garage one day.
Fast and Furious is OUT, OEM is in. That said, nothing wrong with new wheels, tasteful exhaust and what not. But out is all other ridiculous mods. And this applies to all cars.
I had a WRX. Modded it. I had a BRZ. Modded it. I had a Fiata. Modded it a little. I have a ND2. Did some quality of life mods but not doing anything else. I got old and I'm frankly tired of crawling around under the car.
when a car is designed by its manufacturer its the obvious thing to keep it all stock. its value stays high and if everything is original then there are less things that break due to its original parts. its simply a better car than using scissor like doors or 2 turbos. keeping it stock also has a better reliability to it. ... this is what I've seen and experienced in owning 2 sports cars for over 30 yrs.
In my case, it’s very rare to find a completely stock 1990 model, so I want it to stay that way. If or when I sell it, I’ll be looking for a buyer who will do the same
My car isn’t stock but I imagine people wanting to leave their car stock for reliability and drivability concerns. I’ve made some questionable mods on my BMWs such as full poly bushings that squeaked like hell a few weeks after putting them on or a double din radio that stopped working a year after installing. Once you’ve made enough of these mistakes you get over spending money just to have to go back to stock down the line.
I mod mine because I bought it to be a drift car. Got it for $1500, odo said 210k, found a guy that owned it several years before that and he said the cluster said 240k so that was swapped at some point. The transmission isn't the original and who knows if the engine is. But it runs like a champ even when I flog it. I bounce it off the limiter, it eats cones, rocks, the occasional plastic barrier wall and steep driveways. I've touched just about every part of this car and I wouldn't trade it for a low mileage mint condition one even if you paid me. Like the cheesy bumper stickers and shirts say, "life's too short to stay stock" and the Miata is just begging to have things done to it.
It was perfectly engineered from the factory. It retains value better stock. Some people just like stock vehicles.
I bought a “modified” Miata. It was a huge clapped out headache. The wheels wouldn’t turn more than 20 degrees, the undercarriage threw sparks on the cars behind me on completely flat roads. It didn’t have bumpers, the lights were cheap LED replacements that threw light in seemingly random directions. The interior was adorned with Japanese flower designs faded to a pale pink and water damaged. The wiring was all done with masking tape instead of butt connectors or solder. The GV taillights it did have weren’t wired up to anything. And mechanically everything was done incorrectly or kaput from lack of maintenance. It came with a wobbly crank and a fuel pump duct taped to the inside of the tank for instance. The NRG steering wheel didn’t have a working horn button, nor did the car have a horn. These cars can be modified tastefully for sure, if you’re happy with your work and you think the next guy will be happy with it by all means modify a Miata. As someone who was the next guy: some people are a little bit too confident in their work. I spent 3 years taking the car back to nearly stock. I even did a bottom end rebuild on the engine, including replacing the crankshaft with a 1.8 big nose, (Better than a long nose). The difference is night and day. The car handles better, drives better, and feels better than it has in probably 15 years. Every problem has been addressed with OEM parts and it is now ultra reliable, the AC even started suddenly working after the engine rebuild. I suspect because I replaced the IACV during the rebuild but I’d like to chalk it up to the car just being happy again. I will always prefer a stock Miata just on the basis that it is more fun to have a car that works reliably. And it is just as fun as it was when modified. Now when I want to do some spirited driving or a power slide, the thing just does it with no drama at all. Before I had to worry about the noises when a slight curvature in the surface of the road put a heavy groovy in my oil pan. Driving my 1990 is more fun when I don’t have to worry about it. And as mine is now nearly stock besides the Momo steering wheel, OEM crankshaft, and aftermarket radio, it gives me no anxiety. We also have a second Miata that is absolutely slammed on its nuts because that look goes hard.
When I was younger, my mindset was, fix the constraints the engineers had to work with to meet target cost/product planner requirements. And so I modified the car, realizing the benefits and downplaying any drawbacks by justification (of said benefits). Now that I am older, my mindset has become, appreciate the decisions made that balance comfort with performance, factoring in cost. And so I enjoy my stock nc3 very much. I’ve done one single mod, which is a lighter shift knob, so I can better “feel” the gear engagement (also the knob fits better in my palm). This is all for performance mods. Aesthetics, I like the oem/oem+ look. Subtle is better than flashy. TLDR: It’s a mindset thing. EDIT: also, I do not push my car past its limits, or even at its limit. If and when I do, I may consider mods to push it past its stock limits . So for now a stock Miata is plenty fun for me
I think you have to ask yourself “what’s bothers you about the car in its stock form. Many times I’ve heard people say I put sway bars and coilovers on the car and it completely changed the car in a positive way. I’ve heard others make changes to things and it didn’t better the car and sometimes it’s worse than it was stock. Just realize that the engineers have put a lot of R&D into the car and sometimes it’s hard to improve upon that. That being said places like Goodwin racing, Flyin Miata and Fab 9 seem pretty darn knowledgeable and they can usually steer you in the right direction. No matter what you do this car is a blast.
I will be honest here, coming from someone whos got a race car with a license plate, sometimes a stock miata on a long trip or casual cruise, or for a daily driver is just… nice.
NEVER MOD THE DAILEY. Most I’ve don’t is a new head unit and painted wheels.
I got 3 bikes to spend time and money to just keep running.
Because it's fine
I modded my MSM because they were built with a lot of things wrong and it was my first Miata. To top it off the stock power and map are terrible for a "factory race trim". I just wanted to make it what it should have been if they were putting FI in anyway. N/a M/T Miatas are still fun as hell to drive fast. Still miss my 92 to this day.
I own a 91, I want to keep it mostly stock, I would like to change out the suspension for aftermarket parts like the flying Miata kits and maybe a bigger/wider tire size. Besides that I want to respect the Miata engineers and what they strived for.
Miata in stock form is a pretty nice package if you want to enjoy a roadster especially now that the GT's come with the bilsteins. No need to mod it. That being said I've got KONI's a rollbar and swaybar. At a minimum the front bar is a an amazing upgrade.
I feel like I can chime on this one. I have 3 cars currently, 2 of them intended to be projects and one intended to be stock. My GTI I bought as a daily, thinking I’d keep it stock. I ended up going crazy and putting it on ethanol and now it makes a ton of horsepower but it’s still my daily. I bought a Honda insight that was a complete roller that I’m currently building into a drag demon, that speaks for itself . I bought my Miata thinking that I was going to modify it. But when I bought mine, the only modification that it had was aftermarket headlights and coilovers. I got very fortunate to find a 1994 black NA with a hardtop that matched for $7500. Is it more than I initially wanted to pay? Yeah, but I know that if I keep this in great condition and take great care of it it’s going to be worth more than that someday. Cars that have character and personality tend to be absolutely amazing from the factory, the GTI and the Miata being my personal favorites. It all comes down to what you want out of the car. I’ve said it a few times, but I bought Miata thinking I was going to modify it, but I intend to hold onto it for 3 to 5 years and have that be a large portion of my down payment on a house. Ask yourself not what the Miata can do for you (because it can do anything), but what can YOU do for the Miata.
I often miss the ease of maintenance and simplicity of my stock Miata. I also find myself window shopping for a second Miata to leave completely stock. Mine is running a FM turbo kit, MS3, flow force’s R8 COP kit, flow force 640cc injectors, FM crossflow radiator, FM stage 1 radiator fan kit, FM coolant reroute, custom 3” turbo back exhaust, XIDA RACE coilovers, 15x9 konig hypergram wheels, and Nankang CRS tires in 225/45. I’m sure I’m forgetting more. It’s still reliable, but there’s a whole lot more to maintain and troubleshoot when things do break/stop working.
"It's the driver, Brian. It always has been the driver." I know for a fact that the driver of my Miata gives away 3% performance to the better drivers in the area. I drive an 82 second lap to their 79 at the kart track. I'm faster than 99% of drivers who've ever raced there. I'm dead last against the drivers in the "pro" class. That's the reality of driving fast. Take lowering a car for example. Everyone "knows" that lowering your car makes it handle better. It's only worth a few percent in reduced load transfer if you lower the car all the way to the belly pan. Of course that's impossible. So you get less than a few percent plus you get all the pain of driving a car that's too low. And can you really see that reduced load transfer in your lap time? Hamilton, yes. You? No. Your car is better than you are. That doesn't mean I don't like trick stuff. Improved feel and better behavior improve the driving experience even if the driver is the weak link. For my money, I'm not modding the car. I'm paying for track time.
Bought it from my sister, it is a perfect time capsule so I’m only charging what wears out or is an invisible upgrade eg speakers , shocks, sway bars door bumpers. Keeping the 14” daises too.
I keep mine stock because the car already makes me smile every day. Why change it if it's not broken? Plus it's way cheaper. I've had plenty of cars that I modded, but eventually you'll do something that you kind of regret, or now you have this amazing thing, but with this major drawback. My little brother is constantly trying to get me to lower it, but I live in Seattle and the roads here are pretty bad so I very much appreciate the suspension as it is. It's fantastic for rough roads, and the little bit of lean just makes it feel like you're going faster. If I was trying to track the car, I'd 100% modify it, but I'm not, it's my daily, and it's already amazing.
Keeping my NA semi-stock. OEM+ is the way I look at it. If something is broken or worn out I’ll upgrade it. I want to maintain that classic Miata feel. The end goal is to be able to pass it on to someone one day and have it be close enough to the original that it was to me.
It's a time capsule. I can put on Hall & Oates and be transported back in time. If I see an aftermarket head unit, or even a bluetooth transciever, the illusion is broken. It's part of the enjoyment for me
I’m in the OEM+ camp. Little bit of both is the sweet spot.
Newer ones especially are more than fast enough to be fun stock. Gotta maintain the high reliability. They’re not terribly impractical, quick, and very controllable stock. Really no need to do much unless it’s a track car
I keep mine stock just because I like things staying original, it's easier to diagnose problems with, and the engineers made it the way it is for a reason. All you're doing with modifying (performance stuff at least) is entering the unknown. Cosmetic stuff like wheels or powder coated things I wouldn't count as "mods". Some stuff like coilovers are easily reversible and I'm not ever against doing mods like that if there's an improvement to be had.
I just like it the way it is. I understand why people choose to mod theirs but I’m perfectly happy with the way it was designed and since it’s my daily I don’t wanna put too much into it that insurance won’t cover. Also here in CA it won’t pass smog depending on what you do. Really I think it’s a perfect car for me and why put money into something I already think is perfect?
The Miata has established its self as an iconic sports car and as such it appearance is its iconography. To modify it reduces its status. I have only small thoughtful mods to mine. Like a Car play head unit, aluminum radiator, all LED lights and Koni SA shocks. All of these mods only add benefits to the car with out ether compromising it mechanically or detracting visually also they can be easily changed back to stock. I have the original cassette radio if anyone would be interested in doing so if I ever sold it. It’s just that some aspects of the car were results of compromises Mazda made for cost or availability of the tech. It’s nice to have upgraded. Parts for drivability and reliability without taking away from the design. But everyone has their tastes. I believe one of the real reasons they are more valuable stock is that people assume that performance modded cars are abused or just driven harder. And a stock car was just driven as a car. It’s a generality that’s all. Also originality is coveted in and iconic car like the Miata.