Miata to BRZ
 

How many here have made the switch from a Miata and do you have any regrets? I recently sold my 2013 Miata and I test drove a 2017 BRZ with performance pack. I read the complaints about the engine in these cars, but I thought “I drive a 167 hp Miata, how bad can the 205 hp BRZ be?” Well, the powerband was a bit disappointing compared to the Miata but I did enjoy the razor sharp handling. I’m no stranger to peaky powerbands, having owned an S2000 before, but the BRZ didn’t have the high RPM payoff that the S2000 had.

Anyway, this rambling is not at all to bash the BRZ, I’ve been interested since the FR-S first became available... I’m just looking for some thoughts from folks that have owned both a Miata and a FRS/86/BRZ. The other decision would be to get a huge discount on a 2017 right now, or wait for a 2018 with Android Auto from the factory...

Drove an NA2 and NB1 Miata for a long time (quite heavily modded on both with header, full exhaust, coilovers, etc) and the BRZ felt like a Miata with more torque and the seating position and interior space of my old MKIII Supra. Power band feels a bit like the Supra as well as it was turboed... Basically the car feels like a Supra and a Miata had a kid, interior and seating position, etc of the Supra, but the lightness and sharpness of the Miata.

Header and tune really helps to wake the car up in the midrange and make it not feel so weird. I try not to mention tires, but...TIRES. Always had very sticky rubber on the Miata and while the stock tires on the twins are better than everyone gives them credit for, throwing Michelin Pilot Super Sports on my car was probably the best mod I made to the car. The traction control doesn't have to step in all the time so the car is noticeably quicker.

I came from an 2002 NB to my 2016 BRZ. Overall, I like the BRZ more.

But, the miata did edge it out in certain areas:

* The miata is more fun around town and at lower speeds
* No torque dip

I prefer the BRZ for it's more well rounded package. It's a better highway ride for when I daytrip some mountain roads. It can function as a regular car if need be. And it delivers about 80% the driving excitement of a miata in normal driving scenarios, and 100% in sporting road scenarios (empty mountain roads where you can open it up).

Paging @humfrz

Yeah, this was the same impression I had from my test drive. A car that is more fun around town/at low speeds is what the Miata is best at... it feels like you are going 100mph at 50mph.
I recognize that name from the Miata forum.
Ummm.... no, and the migration hasn’t taken place.

Yep. He is old and naps a lot though so may take him a while to show up.

http://www.netanimations.net/old_man...with__a_hc.gif

I've owned about... 4 miatas that I tracked. 2 NAs 1 of them was supercharged and 2 NBs.

I moved between subarus and miatas. But in the end, I decided to end my love of fun handling slow cars with a BRZ ...

With the BRZ I got what I wanted, the feel of a miata (cept a lil bigger) but I actually have some room to throw my stuff in. Never regretted my purchase. I still have a special place for a miata too.

I owned a '91 NA Miata for 22 years, purchased new and (regrettably) sold in 2013. The '91 MX-5 was with me in 4 states, from New York to Florida to California and Oregon (and 4 cities; Brooklyn, Miami, San Francisco, and Portland), it was like an old friend and when it was gone I didn't think I could ever replace that driving experience.
In 2017 I was ready for another new car purchase, I thought about an ND MX-5 but the BRZ (stock Premium) actually felt (in some ways) more like my old NA than the new Mazda ND. It was (to me) the more interesting choice than the ND.
Again, there was no way to "replace" the NA Miata, however I have been extremely happy with the BRZ (2017 Premium), it has more than provided a great new experience.

I've owned both NAs & NBs. My current NB which I've had for 5 years now has an FMII turbo with 12 PSI. Its a fantastic car and if I had to choose one car to take to shows, tracks, meets, canyon runs etc, its the Miata. Its in no ways however, practical or comfortable for daily use. That being said I just bought a BRZ as a daily driver. It gets me to work and back during the week and any fun I want to have in between. If I'm going somewhere on the weekend though its the Miata for sure. I really cant compare the two since one is turbo and the one isn't but I will say that the BRZ is about 75% the fun of my Miata with twice the comfort and reliability. If you are looking for a daily that's good all around I would suggest the BRZ. If your looking for the most pure driving experience... Miata Is Always The Answer.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4343/...5f2f22bc26.jpg

Well, I'll admit, it does take me a while to get around ...... :sigh:

I rarely get over to the BRZ part of the forum ...... because, when I go to switch over ...... I forget where I was going ....... and have to reboot my computer and it defaults back to the FR-S part of the forum ...... :)


humfrz

Yep, I'll second that ........ :thumbsup:


humfrz

Hello NCtoBRZ and welcome to our friendly forum ........ :clap:

Yep, ol humfrz here ....... I'm still kicking ...... or more accurately ..... shuffling along ........ :)

I bought our 2006 NC new in 2006 when mrs humfrz and I were in our 60s. Yep, I was looking for the MGB experience that I enjoyed back in the 70s.

I found it for sure ....... and it was more reliable ...... no more Lucas smoke.

So, in the 8 years we owned the NC, we drove over 88,000 miles, mostly touring miles, all over the US, from West of the Mississippi River and the two western provinces of Canada. Our trips would last from two to three weeks at a time.

In time, mrs humfrz tired of the "top down - roadster" experience. Nope, I didn't have the since to put the top up ..... :iono:

So, about 4 years ago, I got interested in a coupe (my FR-S). Why? I was looking for something to drive that was still "fun", reasonably priced, a bit quieter and had a bit more room.

The FR-S fit the bill nicely. I have found the FR-S to be a bit roomier in the cabin ...... I love mrs humfrz, but shoulders touching for days on end got to be a bit much. The "back seat" allowed the trunk to be expanded if necessary and made a handy place to toss stuff, making it reachable without stopping the car.

Being a coupe, it was quieter in the cabin, allowing easier conversation and listening to the radio. Having a spare tire, eased some of mrs humfrz's concerns.

Both cars were kept stock (except for the mufflers). I had no problems with the NC, nor have I had any problems with the FR-S (with 25,000 miles) ...... yes, grandchildren have slowed down our for weeks at a time touring.....:wub:

I found that both cars "drove" about the same (power, cornering and fun-ness).

HOWEVER ...... the one factor that a Miata can offer that a FR-S/BRZ can't is ....... yes, you guessed it ....... the top down driving experience......:w00t:

So, my advice is ...... if one is looking for a fun driving coupe .... get a FR-S/BRZ ...... if one is looking for a fun driving roadster ....... get a Miata.


humfrz

You have a build thread or something? Very clean miata, before jumped to the frs i was contemplating an NB