atenzany62

i have done a quick test drive of his car. i liked it. i did research on those cars in like 07 cuz i wanted one back then and the s2k's were far more expensive than an msm. i know it can get 200whp with bolt on's. that's all that car needs. it's only 2500 pounds vs s2k's almost 2800 pounds curb weights.

my car:


i don't have pics of his car but it looks exactly like this:

newyawkballa

Idk if u had a Ap1 maybe. It's your choice though.

Grady

mmmm velocity red mica

derrickk

I went through this exact dilemma. I was supposed to pick up a clean '02 AP1 (55k miles) which was traded in to a Ford dealer, wired them the money but given that it took a few days to clear they sold the car to someone else. Luckily for me I was also in contact with another dealer with a clean 04 MSM (higher miles ~70k) but terrific condition. I pulled the trigger on the MSM as it came out to be ~$2,000 less than the comparable AP1.

Anyways, it's a terrific little car around town, much like the S2k it's pretty gutless in the lower RPM range, however boost (even in stock trim) hits hard. Gearing is incredibly short, and results in you inevitably bouncing off the limiter when being agressive on the throttle in first gear. It is a HUGE upgrade over a standard NB miata. Aside from a more stout motor, drivetrain, transmission components etc, the chassis is how the NB miata should be set up straight from the factory. Tonnes of extra bracing, Blistein struts, stiffer springs, slightly lowered, improved interior. Finally the car is reasonably rare. They only produced something like 4,000 and you don't see too many others around. As others have said the aftermarket community is strong (miata.net/mazda-speed.com), and simple bolt-ons ($1700 from flyinmiata) results in ~200whp, which is more than adequate in such a small car.

Reliability of these cars has proven to be comparable to stock NB miata's, AKA. bulletproof. There are guys with well over 150k miles, some of which were spent on tracks, still running stock turbos and clutches

One complaint is the larger 17" racingheart wheels (stock) make the car incredibly stiff for daily driving (even compared to your AP2). One solution that a lot of guys resort to is downgrading to 15" wheels, giving them a better ride and more tire choices (for track duty).

Although I LOVE my MSM, it would be a tough call over an S2000, the transmission, more usable space, power roof and standard HID's are nice features (although the MSM does have projector housings, so HID's aren't too tough of an upgrade). If I were you, I'd take one for a drive, it's a different animal from the standard NB miata, and has a different character from the S2000.

hkspwrsche

Recently drove a msm. Nothing like an S. I wouldn't trade. Test drive it first. Run it hard and you tell us what you think.

TheDonEffect

I maintain i wouldnt straiht trade, at least around here s2s aregoing for a premium and msms are sought after by a smaller crowd. I love them though and thought long an hard about one, still do in fact, but the s2 wins me over. I mean weare comparing hondas to mazdas here but i just feel the s2 is a lil more car and offers a better driving experience stock for stock. If i was a mod/track junkie, id go msm though, its more suited for that, but stoc or near stock id stick with the s2, and in neither case would i straight trade.

///Mizzou3

I cross-shopped the MSM and S2000 when I was looking to replace my NA Miata. On paper, the MSM is an awesome car. The Miata is already great, so how can more power be bad? In stock form, the MSM power delivery just sucks. Turbo lag combined with a lower redline and super short gearing makes that extra power very unusable. They seem to be a great platform to mod and respond very well. I personally wanted to leave whatever car I bought stock, so I went with the S2000 which is fantastic out of the box. Personally I didn't see the point in buying a car that I didn't like in stock form in hopes that it would be better after throwing more money at it.

There are some great things about the MSM. First it's a Miata and is a fantastic platform. I prefer the playful handling of the Miata over the S2000. I also like the visibility in the Miata better and can sense where the corners of the car are much easier than the S2000. The MSM is significantly lighter than the S2000 (~300 lbs) and feels much more tossable. As mentioned already, the Flying Miata upgrades give the MSM S2000 levels of horsepower and much more torque in a much lighter platform. If you are not satisfied with the S2000's power and still want a sports car, then a modified MSM may be your ticket.

madkimchi

damn i never knew mazdaspeed miata have a oem turbo engine. i bet it can get very fun to drive with few mods. to me miata will always be a poor man's s2000. i have nothing against the car. i like it. if i had some money laying around i would pick up a very old one and track the crap out of it but since you already have s2000 i would never trade it in for a miata unless your s2000 needs replacement like too much miles and you need to get a new car asap and you just got a killer deal on miata but that's not the case here. keep your s2000.

Christople

if it had a hard top then yes

Christople

want a turbo roadster get a solstice gxp