Not a BRZ.
 

https://i.imgur.com/4Nmey6p.jpg
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2017 BRZ is gone. Sold. It was cool. I will get one again, as an addition next time.

2019 MX-5 RF Club is my daily driver/only car now.

Nice pick, looks good

I was tossing up between a 86 and a RF

I'm sure you'll enjoy it

How does the MX-5 (un-mod) compare with the post-facelift Toybaru (un-mod) for daily driving?

Ride Quality- probably just as harsh?
Agiity - MX-5 better, due to smaller size?
Fuel Consumption - slightly better in MX-5?
Noise - probably about the same (with top covered)?
Handling - ???
Acceleration - MX-5 should be faster?
Engine Harshness - MX-5 may be less harsh?
Seat comfort - Toybaru may be better?
Outward visibility - ???
Headlight brightness - ???
Steering (turn-in, under-steer, over-steer) - ???
High speed stability (against cross-wind) - about the same?

Any other significant attribute that is different between the two, especially that which was not expected before switching over?

Your subjective opinion will be much appreciated. (My other car is a 2016 Cayman, but all the difference between the Cayman and Toybaru has been well discussed, so I won't talk more here.)

Thank you for sharing.

Nice looking car! Good luck with it.

Ok!

Miata.net would probably love to read more!

I just sat in one at the dealership...half my noggin stuck out of the roof. Didn't think it'd be a good idea to drive it. Hope you like it!

I see the butthole camera so I know it's a 2019 w/ the higher redline. Great choice.
GF has one in White making my BRZ the "practical" car in the household :)

youre staring at my butthole :(
:scared0016:

love the RF...not a big convertible guy but I wouldn't mind having a RF next to my 86 for those perfect AZ winter days. My only gripe with the Miata is the damn antenna, if I owned one I would definitely delete it ASAP! Now that I think about it, if it comes with an antenna, what is the point of the shark fin on the trunk?

Ride Quality- much softer. 2017 with pp was amazing compared to most cars in NYCity i have driven. But the mx-5 club was even less harsh. Basically 0 harshness. "short wheelbase" makes it rock more on huge craters of NY City, but everything is pleasing soft on terrible roads.


Agiity - Yes, more agile. Yes, only due to size. And weight. Also, stock tires are grippier, stock for stock
Fuel Consumption - 35.9 MPG last night driving around manhattan and then on the highway with top down. I would say 20% better MPG. This is where the mx-5 is nuts, it gets over 38 on a highway going fast.
Noise - a lot louder than a sound tube plugged 2017 BRZ with pp. Big drawback.
Handling - different types of handling. I like BRZ p.p. handling the best, but this has more potential if you are aware enough.
Acceleration - hauls ass
Engine Harshness - Everyone says less harsh, I feel more harsh. that inline four design just isn't like a boxer sizzle.
Seat comfort - BRZ's alcantara seats were incredible. However, this is slightly more comfortable for a healthy body. I think the BRZ's alcantara seats are universally better for all body types. I am 5' 7" and quite fit for my age. It has perfect ergonomics, perfect. dialed in seats. Many need more support I read which is strange I feel, but they kinow themselves. It corrects bad posture. One thing is better is that it has even stronger side bolstering. Keeps you pinned.
Outward visibility - Slightly more front and side. Less blindspot, quite a lot less. Rear is about the same. MX-5 blindspot is countered by the intense acceleration when you want to dump the gear down. Blindspot is an issue with huge RF triangle piece in that viewing area. Mirrors are better than BRZ. I dont know why BRZ mirrors sucked in placement on a few levels. Strange. I loved that car though :)
Headlight brightness - i think they copied BRZ's lighting now for headlights. LED flat beam that stretches at same level, feels similar. I loved the BRZ headlighting, was kind of perfect. LIghting in general though is not as good as BRZ's lighting. Also, no fog lights. Weird! MX-5 has a lot of incandescent bulbs. Kind of a bummer. BRZ's lighting was superb and a one shot deal, long lasting. Figure a $34,150 car would have LED lamps all around. Not like it has a lot of lights on it. LEss than a BRZ by far.
Steering (turn-in, under-steer, over-steer) - turn in is wonderful. the car is truly balanced, very similar experience to brz/frs... BUT, the steering is more dangerous if you are not paying attention. My BRZ was easier to keep on the road. MX-5 needs more awareness to drive. It will let you die easier.
High speed stability (against cross-wind) - People complained the BRZ had bad cross wind, which i never found once driving in severe northern climates. I do not think the MX-5 is impacted by wind at all. That is something i noticed in 30 mph sustained crosswind. Could be my perception. High speed stability the BRZ with p.p. felt amazing. This thing also feels amazing. Wind noise makes you nervous how fast you are going, but it is pretty equal so far.

That will be my goal in about 1.5 years, the new BRZ will be my practical car. hah! true!

shark fin is to warn people of shark attacks. And XM/Sirrius radio.



The styling is so freaking amazing, no one on the planet notices the antenna. It works really well though, actually gets really great reception, which makes sense as it is a real antenna and a doubled length, rare.

well I noticed ;) I only use my phone for music so I could care less about reception but yes, besides the antenna the RF is indeed a beauty

Cool! I really like the mx-5, but sadly I do not fit in them at all and had to strike it from my list back when I was shopping for my car.

Enjoy the updated engine :)

First mod... Drop it a few inches.. congratulations, enjoy your new toy.

Love those RFs. Too expensive for my blood (in Canada). Starts at $42k. Meanwhile, the BRZ starts at $28k. Pretty much 1.5 times more.

Interesting to hear how much more compliant the suspension is, and that the engine seems more harsh.

Wow!! Such a difference, why?? UK prices are pretty much the same...

jeez! what is with the price difference???!!!!!?!??!


:confused0068:

It's a tiny car.

We get paid very well.

You bought the wrong car AGAIN!

See you back in one year after you bitch about it.

whatever you dont have, is the right one.

What if I told you I already have the same car you have?:confused0068:

Dammit ever since I saw it compared to that angry cat meme, I haven’t been able to look at a new Miata the same way again lol In all seriousness, it’s a sensible switch. Similar, but significantly different at the same time. They seem like a blast to drive. Hope you enjoy it :party0030:

Nice car man! The new nd's are deceivingly quick. Imo the better platform for lightweight, rwd performance. But they can't haul a guitar in a hard case, 2 amps, a pedal board, and another person, so frs it is for me haha. I'm hoping the nd miata puts pressure on toyota/subaru to make the next gen 86 even more nimble and quick. How awesome would it be to see an arms race between mazda and toyota in the lightweight rwd department?

Thanks, they are a blast to drive. Very fast, power is instant anywhere in the rev range. Harder to drive well than the BRZ.

when I do well, I hope, the next 1-2 years, I will get another BRZ. I hope they dont break 2800 lbs :(

2430 lbs currently is so much fun. 3100 of the nice Veloster N or VW GTI is just not the same as the BRZ and MX-5 for responsiveness. It makes me never want a "supercar". Unless it is a 2600 lb carbon fiber type job, then yeah sure.

I might need help to get in and out of the car. I don't think this will work in Houston flooded area.

It is 0.42" taller of ground clearance than a BRZ. I duno if that helps.

I actually just made the same move, and even spoke to the OP on the Miata forum prior to doing so. 2017 BRZ PP to 2019 RF Club w/ BBS/Brembo and Recaros. My thoughts:


Agiity - The ND is the smaller, lighter car. But it's not like the BRZ is a porker that can't turn. We're splitting hairs.

Fuel Consumption - Miata is around 15-20% more efficient. I still consider the BRZ to be quite efficient.

Noise - Miata is a bit louder.

Handling - The BRZ is the overall winner. Flatter cornering, better on-center steering feel, and less jittery. The BRZ has one of the more impressive chassis I've experienced and it's top-shelf from the steering and brakes to cornering abilities. The Miata needs springs and sway bars at a minimum to match the BRZ's capabilities.

Acceleration - Miata has a midrange. It feels faster.

Engine Harshness - No major observations.

Seat comfort - My thoughts on the BRZ's seats are similar to the OP's. They are *perfect*, even for my larger (6'2" 210 lb) frame. Great lumbar support, great driving position, great comfort even on longer drives. The ND Recaros are good, maybe an 8 while the BRZ seats are a 9. I need to lower my Miata seats 1" in order to be able to sit in the car properly. At that point, I think they'll be tied.

Outward visibility - RF has the driver side blindspot. No other major notes.

Headlight brightness - I have yet to drive the Miata at night, but the LED BRZ headlights are absolutely top-shelf. Probably the best I've ever used.

Steering (turn-in, under-steer, over-steer) - The BRZ is the winner here, period. Steering effort and feel is superb, as is the on-center feel and return to center. The Miata isn't quite there but I do believe stiffer sway bars will really make a difference. I also hate the Miata steering wheel, which is at the top of my list.

High speed stability (against cross-wind) - The BRZ is the more planted car at highway speeds and there's really no question. The Miata isn't bad at all (I drove it home 500 miles at 80-85mph) but it does require more focus.


Shifter - my BRZ had the STI short shifter, shift lever/support bushings and trans mount spacer. It was absolutely superb in all areas. I preferred it to everything I've ever driven, including an S2000 (of which I spent several hours driving) and the ND. The ND shifter is very good but it doesn't have the weight, feel or precision of the BRZ's shifter. It's lighter sprung and requires less effort. I'll work on that.


Brakes - The BRZ PP is a braking beast - awesome feel, modulation and bite. The ND Brembos don't feel as good, so I plan on new pads and fluid to start. The BRZ feels premium in this area.


To get the ND to the BRZ's level of crispness, feel and handling, it needs a different steering wheel, pads, stiffer sway bars, and probably springs. However, it has a couple things the BRZ can't have - open air, a major diet and looks to die for. I hope this helps people that are in the same boat. I still believe you'll be hard-pressed to find a better driver's car for $20k than a 17+ BRZ PP.

My mom's ND is a blast to drive, the engine is definitely a generation ahead of the FA20 in terms of power delivery and smoothness. The transmission is butter smooth. The ride is marshmallow soft.

It's too damn small, trunk is a joke. Passenger seat is a joke with that transmission tunnel. Legroom is tough and im not super tall or anything, 32" inseam. Big size 14 feet though so i feel clumsy driving it and have to be careful which pedal im pressing. Lovely toy but for me that's what it is. Do i take it out every chance i get? Of course :)

There is no way without smoking a lot of bad NJ newark crack that you could find the BRZ shifter to be better than the mx-5.

The handling is crisper on the BRZ. Absolutely. The MX-5 Handles better. It just feels bizarre. The BRZ handles in a more enjoyable way. The MX-5 can take turns at insane speeds. It just feels like youre going to die, but never do.

Also, the electronic stability control on the MX-5 does not need to be turned off when you drive it very hard. It is similar to Track mode on the BRZ, but you dont have to hit the button.



Overall the BRZ is more pleasant to drive. It is. I wont deny that. Unless you want to go absolutely nuts and just robbed a bank. Then you need an MX-5 and ignore the bizarre sensations. You will outrun most things on the road, quite high end things 3x more in price.

I had the factory STI short shifter, along with the shift lever bushing and trans mount spacer. I prefer a higher effort, notchy shift feel and the BRZ is perfection. The Miata shifter has a little radial play that I'd like to take out, and the effort is pretty low. It all depends on preference, but at this point the BRZ is really the better car from the input side of things (brakes, shifter, steering). I'll get the Miata where I want it to be, it'll just take some work.

I bought 2018 BRZ tS (205hp) for $30K, where will I get Miata RF Club (180hp) for $30K?

You guys should share with the class the process of replacing the front sway bar on an ND Miata.

Teaser: the quickest way to remove it is to cut the stock bar in half.

you do realize that the Miata RF Club accelerates much faster, yes? Why do people quote hp. My car weighs 2430 lbs and has a flat torque curve.


I believe that people should have both a BRZ and a RF Club, or BRZ and a soft top Miata Club or grand touring (Leather and some fluff).

An RF will be on my short list in a couple of years.

It really is the car to get. I can't think of any cars I want to collect aside from:

New BRZ
New Supra

New RF Club (or GT with the Club suspension upgrade)


That's about it.

Until you are bored with it in a year or so and then something else will be the one to get.

Like a cat who can't decide to be in or out of the room/ door open or close.

LOL, this is me

3 to 5 years then it's out the door to be replaced with my next toy car