Newbie question: How high does your Miata rev at 70mph?

[EMMM]

Just drove a Miata for the first time today and I loved it around
town. But it seemed to be winding quite high at freeway speeds.
Something like 3700rpm at 70mph. Of course, I've been known to
hallucinate. Is this normal? It was a five speed, and yes I had it in
5th gear.

EMMM

[Ken Savage]

EMMM wrote:

*grin* 3700 RPM isn't high at all! Yeesh, you're hardly into peak
torque at that point. -- instead of 5th gear, 4th would have been
better. (Although getting CLOSE to wanting to pop it into 5th.)

In all seriousness, miata engines run at a higher RPM than what
most people are used to. Most manufacturers try to make an engine
that has a pulling peak at lower RPMs, dropping off after 4000, whereas
the engine in a miata is the exact opposite -- it doesn't get started until
4000 rpm, and drops off after about 6500. You won't hurt the car by
running it "hard" -- it's _designed_ that way.

Generalizing,

Mustang == high torque, low RPM
Miata == low torque, high RPM

Take your pick :)

Cheers!

Ken

[dustin]

that's funny.

mustang... high torque.

riiiiight.

"Ken Savage" <kens...@home.com> wrote in message
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[Lawrence]

"EMMM" <eenie...@mieniemoe.com> wrote in message
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In 5th gear, my '91 revs at just about 3,500 at 70. In fact, in 5th,
you can use the tach as a speedometer, just multiply the first two digits by
2 and you have your speed. (I guess you could use the tach as a speedo in
any gear, it's just that the math is easy in 5th gear). Comes in handy some
cold Colorado mornings when my speedo goes wacky because the cable needs to
be replaced.

[arthur]

That's about right. Note that the redline is 7k and speedometer goes to
140mph. Look at it this way, the engine was running at about 50% of its
top rpm. I believe there is a cutout if you try to push it past about
7.2k. Crusing should be say 75% of maximum so that's 100mph. ;)

Arthur
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In article <p6kunt0f7khffk21o...@4ax.com>, "EMMM"

[Thomas]

This was the same rpm I am at around 70 in my new 99 Miata. I'm pretty
happy with it as my 2000 Civic Si ran at 4 grand around 70 -- the VTEC
redlined at 8000 (yes, it's a sickness). I have no idea and little interest
i finding the topline of the Miata, but it's nice to know it can hum
comparably along at highway speeds.

Comparing the two, I would say that the slightly lighter Mazda compares very
favorably with the more powerful Honda in most driving. The acceleration is
stronger off the line and consistent throughout the dial. The Honda kicks
in about 3000 and feels like a turbo when the VTEC truly comes into play.
The Miata seems happiest between 60 and 80 so far. I'm coming up on my first
week and I'm still getting my legs with it. The Honda bowed only to exotica
above 80, however with tremendous acceleration and power. I drove to Miami
from DC and ran across an older (guessing 73) V8 Camaro that i had let past
at 80 and decided to make a quick run to 105 or so and the Honda latched on
for the ride the whole way up to 105. Not bad with a bike on the rear deck.

Still, around town, I feel the power of the Mazda is much more practical and
easier to use.

"EMMM" <eenie...@mieniemoe.com> wrote in message
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