I have both an NA Miata and a MK6 GTI. I vote for the Miata, with one qualification - they are NOT, IMHO, great cars for lots of heavy traffic freeway driving. That said, they are cheap to own, a hoot to drive,easy to maintain, and offer an endless array of chassis tune ning options. As a 1.6l owner, I can tell you to get a 1.8, the former is really underpowered, and chasing HP is MUCH more costly than with a GTI.
I'm a neophyte mechanic, but have lost my fear of wrenching by doing a bunch of work on the Miata, including clutch slave cylinder, brakes, butterfly brace and other chassis stiffening parts. Look up Miata clubs in your area, go to an event, and seek advice. Good examples should not be hard to find in SoCal. Stretch your budget to get an example with a tighter chassis, chasing lost rigidity is also costly and not altogether successful.
I'm a neophyte mechanic, but have lost my fear of wrenching by doing a bunch of work on the Miata, including clutch slave cylinder, brakes, butterfly brace and other chassis stiffening parts. Look up Miata clubs in your area, go to an event, and seek advice. Good examples should not be hard to find in SoCal. Stretch your budget to get an example with a tighter chassis, chasing lost rigidity is also costly and not altogether successful.
