1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

It may look like a fragile British sports car; it’s not. As Car and Driver magazine described it, “the Miata marked the return of the honest sports car, but with all of the practical benefits of a modern automobile.” The Japanese MX-5 Miata has the same DNA as the tremendously reliable Mazda 323 and the 120 hp 1.6 liter DOHC four-cylinder mated to a great five-speed manual with suitably short throws is enough to “Zoom-Zoom” the 2,200-pound car to 60 mph in about 9 seconds.

Celebrating its British sporting influence, the 1991 Special Edition set the trend of what would be standard features for nearly every limited-edition MX-5 to come by including every option available except the automatic transmission. The interior on the Special Edition is tan leather with a tan tonneau cover, a striking contrast to the British Racing Green paint. This Special Edition is number 3,882 of the 3,997 produced, and along with every option it has the preferred five-speed manual transmission. Lightweight, nimble, and noted for its solid reliability, the Mazda MX-5 Miata delivers pure driving joy.

Highlights

• Special Edition number 3,882 of 3,997 produced

• British Racing Green paint

• Matching factory hardtop

• Tan leather interior

• 1.6 liter DOHC Four producing 120 hp

• Desirable five-speed manual transmission

• The chassis number (JM1NA3512M0232563) decodes as:

  • J – Japan

  • M – Mazda

  • 1 – Car

  • NA – Model M1

  • 35 – Convertible

  • 1 – 1.6 DOHC B6P 1597cc

  • 2 – Check Digit

  • M – 1991 Model Year

  • 0 – Hiroshima, Japan, assembly plant

  • 232563 – Sequential build number starting at 100000

• Clean CARFAX Vehicle History Report

Features

• Special Edition includes:

  • Tan tonneau cover

  • Nardi wood shifter and hand brake handles

  • Stainless steel sills

  • Air conditioning

  • Aftermarket CD stereo

  • Cruise control

  • Headrest speakers

• Black soft top

• Alloy 14-inch wheels

• Pop-up headlights

• Manually folding soft top

• Power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes

• Front and rear independent suspension

Known Imperfections

• Original paint has normal wear and aging

• Minor paint chips on forward edge of hood and headlight covers

• Soft top rear window is cracked and discolored with a broken zipper

• Air conditioning blows, but not cold

• Cruise control is inoperative

• Passenger's-side power window regulator is weak (the consignor reports it will not roll back up)

• Original factory tonneau cover needs the straps with snaps replaced, and the four special snap pins at the top of the dash are missing

• Factory bra needs the elastics replaced

• Car cover has torn at the side mirrors and antenna

• Crack across the bottom of the instrument binnacle

Included

• Tonneau cover bag

• Original AM/FM/CD/Cassette stereo with the security code in the owner’s manual package

• Original owner’s manual

• Original audio anti-theft system manual

• Three sets of keys

Ownership History

The accompanying CARFAX Vehicle History Report shows that this 1991 Mazda MX-5 Miata Special Edition was purchased in Arizona, then briefly located in Minnesota (1993-1994) before moving to North Carolina (1995), South Carolina (2017), and now Florida. The car was acquired by the consignor in early 2018 and now shows 114,479 miles. The owner states that the service is up to date, with the timing belt, water pump, and front drive belts recently replaced, along with a very recent oil change with 5W30 Mobil 1 and Mobil 1 filter. The consignor also notes that the engine control computer and air bag diagnostic module were recently replaced.