[Red Bread]

Miata is faster and lighter than the 124 of BRZ. BRZ is a bit of a mess between the torque dip, bad steering and 1987 interior.

[WestRace]

Originally Posted by stevenvillatoro

It's like the guy who bags the trophy wife and then realizes that there's a huge gap between fantasy versus the baggage of everyday reality.

Well he would probably be even more miserable with a plain jane :-) Life is full of contradiction isn't it. But thumps up with your purchase of the cute little Miata.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by stevenvillatoro

The car is amazing... glorious... stunning. I have NO criticism of the car, for what it is. But I misjudged what I wanted from a car. Rather than wanting a serious beast of a machine, I learned that (for me) the novelty of its high performance became 'ordinary' within a few days, and then failed to entertain me. The pursuit of owning a modern Porsche was more intriguing than the reality of actually owning one. It was too serious of a car, too big (again, for me), not light and playful. It stuck out when I wanted to blend in. And yet, it does what it does to near-perfection. We just weren't a match. I bought a '19 MX-5 Miata soft top last week, and put the Porsche up for sale. We won't be reconciling. (The new Miata is just what the doctor ordered.) If I hadn't given up my M240i for the Porsche folly, I'd still be thrilled with the excellent BMW. That's why I caution the OP to think and rethink before making an irreversible decision. Sometimes it's hard to imagine the reality of a new vehicle despite a good test drive, research, etc. Cars like Porsche models are phenomenal on paper, but that's no guarantee of an enduringly satisfying 'match'. It's like the guy who bags the trophy wife and then realizes that there's a huge gap between fantasy versus the baggage of everyday reality. I laugh at myself now for thinking that a 911 T would make my Trader Joe's and Costco runs so special. The new Miata makes those same errands an absolutely silly hoot, however, for a quarter of the price of the Porsche. And miraculously, you can open the Miata hood and actually see an engine. Try that party trick on a 911!

I think for the reasons you just explained is why the Cayman exists. I would definitely try one of those. They aren’t as small as a Miata but do drive small. I think with the 911 you’re getting more of a GT car and it’s more difficult to push to its limit. I think that’s why I like our base 718 so much. 300hp on 2944lbs is substantial enough to go fast but not so powerful that you can’t explore closer to its limits much like the Miata. I definitely understand the allure of the Miata but it has always been woefully underpowered for my tastes. Great overall driving mechanics overall though.

[c1pher]

Originally Posted by WestRace

Well he would probably be even more miserable with a plain jane :-) Life is full of contradiction isn't it. But thumps up with your purchase of the cute little Miata.

It depends on how hard plain Jane is willing to work and how adventurous she is. Sometimes you get a supermodel with a 4cyl, 100hp engine, but plain Jane can be a sleeper with the heart of a lioness and 500hp on tap.

[stevenvillatoro]

I didn't mean to derail this thread! Sorry to the OP.

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by c1pher

I think for the reasons you just explained is why the Cayman exists. I would definitely try one of those. They aren’t as small as a Miata but do drive small. I think with the 911 you’re getting more of a GT car and it’s more difficult to push to its limit. I think that’s why I like our base 718 so much. 300hp on 2944lbs is substantial enough to go fast but not so powerful that you can’t explore closer to its limits much like the Miata. I definitely understand the allure of the Miata but it has always been woefully underpowered for my tastes. Great overall driving mechanics overall though.

This is why I have a 718 Boxster base 6MT on order. I wanted something thrilling, yet within the bounds of being able to wring it out on the street, conditions permitting. The torque curve on these cars is so flat and wide that you can really have fun with this car as a daily driver. YMMV

John