Miata Life Hacks & Everyday Tricks

Learn a couple little tricks I use every day to make the car just that much better. Lock the door from the inside, disable the buzzer, manually raise/lower the headlights, driving with a drink in the cupholder. Have more? Comment and let us know!
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[@bobos245]

If you are wanting to buy a Miata and are used to driving 21st century cars, and you expect 21st century technology: don't buy one. However, if you are willing to put in a little effort and money, you can put in power locks/customize layout of center console. The Miata is literally one of the easiest cars to work on.

[@aaronh.2122]

bobos245 this is exactly what I did, just bought my 90’ yesterday!

[@8ball633]

Thanks for the tips, I am thinking of buying one.

[@EmmaDonado]

I don’t have my license yet but I’m a broke college girl and tryna get a Miata as my first car!!!😍😭

[@denniskelly9387]

nbs are a lil better for creature comforts

[@a.samatasss4731]

Good for beginners?

[@tylerlittle3418]

The only thing I could think about for the rest of the video was how flat his Coke was going to be

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

It wasn't even for me, I bought it for my friend! Hope she enjoyed it :P

[@TheCarPassionChannel]

Yoo another East County SD KZbin channel with a red Miata. Small world.

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+TheCarPassionChannel Definitely! Going to your meet Sunday, hope to meet you!

[@TheCarPassionChannel]

East County Garage Awesome see you there. You have all the caravan info?

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+TheCarPassionChannel Yeah, thanks. I've followed you on Insta for a while now. Should be tons of fun

[@geesecentralstation4263]

I live in mass and have a Miata what's this about

[@jtmora3365]

i m trying to put up a youtube channel for mine but dont know how to start one i have a red one as well

[@Cypress_green]

That is one very clean engine bay

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

I try!! Thanks for watching!

[@Forest__Spirit]

It really is, mines coated in dirt cuz it was a rally car😭. My fenders are also cut and I have a hole in the fender where a snorkel once was😆

[@ThierryTheuns]

The door handle thing is quite normal on cars.

[@ChadDrewery]

lol. Every Japanese car since the early 80s.

[@MB-nn3rx]

My 95 lexus doesn't care where your keys are, it auto locks no matter what lol.

[@subaruanon]

Weirdly my 96 Legacy has it but my 98 doesn't. Same body style.

[@mrmalavey1098]

lol love the cup holder tip, I usually wedge a bottle between the passenger seat ant the storage box centre console, saves it rolling off the seat

[@wingman703]

For a cheaper option to the cupholders, look up "travel buddy cupholders". For $40 and some cutting, you get a cupholder that fits next to the console, in front of the passengers seat. With a small screw inserted to help it, its very secure, I trust it with those massive 32oz cups during all my downshifting, hasn't let me down yet. I got the single cup option, because any passengers can hold their own dang drink, shifting is important bro.

[@pkendall99]

Wingman703 just go to Walmart and buy the $3 cup holder that you put on your window track

[@dekio9245]

2:25 "...intimidates some NBs" god I'm dead

[@pkonneker]

Yeah I lol'd at that also.

[@fraiboy829]

Man I remember watching this in 2016. I'm on my second miata and still love them. Cheers for the nostalgia bro!

[@marcinm4385]

You know a car is great when the worst thing about it is the cup holder design.

[@xTheNameisEthan]

I've actually gotten pretty good at hooking my arm around my drink and shifting when I go through the drive thru lol

[@doomsdaykitten5291]

lmao. i get a cardboard tray and buckle them in sometimes with a spare towel. xD that its a cold crotch on the road D:

[@tmg176]

miata is love, miata is life

[@marcusmacan7849]

Thanks for tips. I have a gold one of these earlier cars. Love it. Am currently building in the carport for better weather protection all year round. Worth looking after!

[@waynedriver1]

You can store a bottle drink in the space between the rear of the console and the seat back. fits most bottles. Good door hack, that has been aggravating me.

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Douglas Driver That's true, I've done that before. I just hate hearing the plastic noises the entire time I'm driving. Glad you liked it, thanks for watching!

[@defour6475]

that door thing is standard on older Japanese cars. and true explaining that to passengers is quite annoying so usually i just wait till they got out so i can close it from the inside. great video though some people might not have known the door thing

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Defour Thanks for watching!!

[@legendarytwig1324]

+East County Garage I think the nb miata or mx5 as we get in south Africa actually has a remote for the door locks and locks the roof release as well because robbers would just take the top down and steal your kit etc. .. I am actually buying one now. . . cant wait! just a little hack for you, in south Africa, car stealing is rife, and its really easy to pull the ignition wires out and jump it from the fuse box, most people swapped the normal screws for torque screws, (dunno what they might be called in the US or elsewhere) cos most robbers don't have those tools. . . small hack, keep a car!.. . any hacks for installing a bigger sound system? cool channel bro! love it!

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Brad Buchan Sound systems are pretty easy - the head units just require some wire splicing into a new harness and the speakers are pretty simple too! If you install a sub though, you'll probably need an amplifier. Thanks for watching

[@legendarytwig1324]

+East County Garage awesome, will brush up on my sound installing and amps etc! will Def subscribe to your channel dude. . . you gonna show any vids on how to put some wider whell arches on any slight mods on looks? I know a cool mod is a small lip spoiler on the boot lid. . . looks so good on the car. . . keep the vids coming! !

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Brad Buchan Ha I personally don't like spoilers, but we're definitely getting ready for a LOT of Miata mods, stay tuned :)

[@ItsSkyGuy]

That door lock trick is perfect and I can do a manual sleepy eye now ✌🏻

[@andrewburston9125]

that 1st one is on every car that hasn't got central locking.

[@jimlucas0]

my 91 miata has central locking and an alarm :D

[@cloroxbleach17]

I was going to say the same thing what the hell

[@Hentenzarohom]

Best style of showing tricks that i saw in my life :D that unplug , and throwing that holders away :D

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Hey, thanks man! Glad you enjoyed :)

[@estebunz]

I love this video! Haha. That buzzing was a love/hate type of thing with me but I'm glad for the easy fix :) thanks man!!!!

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Esteban Guadiana Haha, yeah dude. Thanks for watching!

[@DWinzZz]

you just saved my life with door locking trick love it 10/10 subscribed

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+D. WinzZz Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching.

[@flowaagurl1396]

i learned sooo much this changes the game 🥰

[@kimhungry]

Just got my miata recently, oh my goodness.. so glad i watched. not having to manually lock the door is game changer.

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Christina Kim Glad you liked it, thanks for watching! Be sure to subscribe for more Miata stuff, and enjoy the car :)

[@oliverkalamata2753]

The door lock thing, I did not know. Pre-she-ate-it! 👍😆

[@wlq95]

Will totally use the door locking trick from now on, thanks! :D

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+patrosp07 Glad to help :)

[@MontegoX5]

Video made me laugh. I remember when I went to test drive my first Miata and the buzzer came on and I was like "What is this hell screaming at me" lmao

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

LOL Yeah it gets annoying fast. Thanks for watching!

[@20054130]

Really happy there's a way to adjust ur headlights

[@trenthazbroek5602]

Enjoyed this video! I liked and subscribed!

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Thanks for watching! Appreciate it :)

[@trenthazbroek5602]

East County Garage no worries I enjoyed it!

[@justsaiyansteve]

Dang these are great secrets. I love it.

[@sambrown1786]

Great video!

[@miata100]

Thank you for not having some pointless "whats up guys" intro for five minutes before getting into it. Seriously, that earned you a subscription.

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Appreciate it! Haha

[@WarriorPaxo]

i love that drink holder one :)

[@walkerconway8053]

just saying that, that is the cleanest miata paint I have ever seen!

[@Eyes2kill]

Put your drink between the passenger seat and center console it works even with canned drinks just make sure you drink a little of it before you place it there... Love miatas, I actually have the same dent in my car as you my neighbor hit my car today awesome right..thanks for the heads up about headlights I didn't know that.. I have a 1st Gen 1990 red .. I wanna figure out how to stop the top from soaking my seats when it rains it's inevitable I do need to replace it... I did track event driving Spec Miata .. best feeling ever .. awesome video .. Zoom Zoom*

[@nickelndiminit5136]

Great video for sure! I totally lost it when you threw the cup holder! I hated the cupholder so much I literally have built a whole new center console that has useable cup holders and a sub. I literally just got the part 1 video up last week. Also, I think I will remove that buzzer now that I see where it is and might smash it with a hammer repeatedly, ROFL! Keep up the good videos, looking forward to seeing the progress.

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+NickelNDiminIt Hey, thanks man! I'll check out that video for sure! We're still figuring out our style and finding what works best, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. Please let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions!

[@nickelndiminit5136]

+East County Garage There are a few simple mods for daily driveability like adding the lumbar support foam, swapping out the NA steering wheel for an NB wheel, rebuilding the stock shifter, etc. (I have videos for those and other ideas, I also highly recommend Gregg's channel TheCarPassionChannel for AMAZING content and ideas) I have also been enjoying the finished console, LED conversion of the gauges, and some other videos coming soon to my channel. By far the greatest bang for the buck mod is the strut tower brace. Second to that is the stainless braided brake lines with the big brake kit I did. New brake lines and brake fluid will do wonders! The other major improvement was my roll bar. Night and day difference. No more flex as you pull in and out of driveways and entrances. I have dozens of other ideas on things I want to do but haven't gotten to yet. Next big project for me is a Koyo rad swap with a major fan upgrade to solve the cooling problems.

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

NickelNDiminIt Haha living in San Diego is so expensive, if I wasn't paying $600/month for one room I'd have so much more money to put into my car. I agree, Gregg's channel is awesome. Kyle and I are thinking about boosting his Miata based off of the Broke & Boosted series.

[@cyclefan1]

1. Slide passenger seat all the way back, then 1 click forward, your drink will fit snuggly wedged behind the seat 2. Raise the headlights, then disconnect the motor from 1 headlight. The lights still work, but you can then wink at other miatas by lowering and raising the other headlight😉

[@ThierryTheuns]

Protip: Use the center console without the cup holder to put your phone in. For any phone below 5.7" it's a perfect fit, for all of those with bigger phones, you can put it in in an angle to pick it up easier. Also bottles are great to put behind the seat. I can reach all around the seat so I have no trouble finding a lost bottle after a bit of 'spirited driving'.

[@JashAnon]

I don't have one *YET* but I will be watching for future plans :)

[@2fr783]

when you drop the top. the gap before the door jam where the top lays in the up position makes the perfect cup holder

[@Telexic]

drinks fit perfectly in between the seat and center console, against the back

[@alexhernandez67]

My mind is blown with the looking the door trick. I have to test it on my NB

[@Allride_]

1:25 and you already had my like. Fun car and a great and helpful video

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+allride Thanks! Glad you liked it :)

[@Allride_]

+East County Garage that door handle trick will surely come in handy for me. I just got my MX5 in September and it is in a garage over winter, so I didn't have too much time to gain experience with the car yet

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

allride I had my car for the better part of a year before I learned the trick. Learned it like the day before I filmed this and used it ever since

[@NG-kr8yb]

One trick for drinks is you can actually put them behind the seat and against the back of the console. It’s worked in my NA and the NB I had

[@nedm3193]

just bought a miata today, learned some stuff. thanks

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+ned m No problem, enjoy the car!! Subscribe for tons of other Miata stuff! :)

[@nedm3193]

+East County Garage your reply to the guy who said he thumbed you down had guaranteed this

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

ned m Lmao! It's weird, I've gotten a lot of random negative feedback on this video. Either way, I hope you really enjoy your Miata!

[@izzycroptik]

Your Miata looks in great shape man! (Y)

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+This.Co thanks! It's even better now! If you watch some of our newer videos, I got some body work done. All the dents are gone and she's got a fresh coat of paint. Thanks for watching!

[@collabskatechannel]

Thank you bro

[@MattR32]

we have a '92 miata and i was wondering do you have the link to the replacement center console? i tried searching and i cant find one, thanks

[@Jgotherwet]

You have a very clean Miata my brotha 👍🏼

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Thanks!

[@FaithQB08]

thank you for the door buzzer disabling!! haha

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Anthony Soto Haha no problem! Thanks for watching!

[@123salt]

Didn’t know about the manual pop-up control, thanks

[@modedchild]

Used to daily my Miata on an Hour long commute so drank coffee on the way. Well didn't have a twist cap so had to use the cup holders for the coffee so it became a race to drink as fast as I could until it was low enough it wouldn't fall over on mountain roads. Same with soda a can of pop is fine but you gotta drink it at least half way before it's good

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

I know the struggle all too well! Lol!

[@hondamotorsrider]

When I had an NB, I used to wedge my bottled drinks between the seat bolsters and the console.

[@R9ZSPACE]

Well Done 👏 Thanks for the Tips Miatas' are Definitely Cool R. Everett Fadden

[@moneek180]

We also sell the little double cup holders that can go near the trans tunnel on the in the passenger footwell. 😂 Cheaper than the redesigned center console.

[@mwapix3929]

Thank dude purchasing a 94 soon

[@theawesomegamer123]

Nice vid! Btw, the door locking without a key is in the Miata user manual, so Mazda did think about that :P

[@MrPeeeetaa]

i love that my 10 accord cup holders are insanely deep so it doesnt get in the way of my shifter taking for granted

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Peter Chavez You're a lucky man. :P

[@JuanGarcia-fv9ph]

ah yes but why have a practical car thats way too easy

[@owenkeown1810]

finally a local car channel I can watch😁😁😁

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Glad to have you! This video is super old, make sure to check out some of our more recent stuff!

[@fifadillon3819]

Wish to own a NA Miata one day:):(

[@joinmeifyourhurt]

Great looking car! Very similar to mine

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Thanks!

[@MrTjthegreat1]

I had this same exact problem with my drink in THIS same exact Miata!

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Tyler Cole First hand struggle

[@nel4763]

Thanks!

[@vincentbryan1962]

Nice video yo

[@Jackaroo]

@East country garage, could you send me a link to your shifter, shift bag and floor mats? I'm making a red, black and chrome Miata for myself and it would be super handy, thank you

[@nfscooterguy]

The cup holder fix I use: I bought a folding cup holder from a marine supply store, it is screwed in to the right of the center console, by the passenger. It cost me under $10 and it's black so it looks stock. Easy, easy installation.

[@joshbotelho1994]

I got rid of the pos cup holder as well and bought the ash tray. I don't smoke but it's alot better to put change in or w.e and looks nicer

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Haha yeah. For me, I still use the cupholder in the emergency situation of a drive-thru or something, so I'm not gonna revert to the ash tray.

[@TheCoolStuffHD]

You can also put your drink in between the passenger seat and center console. Works great for McDonald's drinks haha

[@viracobama]

What kind of is radio kit do you have for your dash? I have a 1.6 dash as well (yours looks like one too) and I liked the way your headunit sits flush instead of sticking out like other din setups I've seen for the 1.6

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Virac Bou Hey man! Thanks for watching :) I just took out the outer cage and screws from the stock radio, turned the cage upside down, and threw it in. Then I bought a cubby filler from Moss Miata that's designed specifically for the Miata, it just screws straight into the tombstone itself and fills the gap perfectly. I'd recommend it! It was like $30 i think. mossmiata.com

[@rachelpurity1]

Yo, what's that seal on the rear edge of your door? That's aftermarket right.

[@austinthornton4150]

And i got the newer center console from moss for around $60 cheaper and its awesome. If you dont mind spending the money its worth it.

[@twistedintentionsrnr7101]

In my miatas, because the cup holders are useless, I always tuck my drinks under my seat belt on my right hand side next to where the belt clips in. Perfect spot to hold drinks keeps them out of the way and they don't go flying all around like if they were laying in the passenger seat. I do this with all drinks both bottled and cups with kids from fast food places

[@adnamamedia]

I think the buzzer is pretty cute!

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Sure, it's cute until you gotta drive it every day and listen to it scream at you!

[@Cobra_427]

2007 Dodge Charger kind of has the cup holder issue as well but all "new" Chargers are automatics so it's not really a problem, I want to get a Miata as a project car at some point though

[@SK8EVRYDAY96]

Dude, you weren't parked Dan. I stumbled across this while scrolling Miata videos. You're famous

[@Auka1]

oh nice, thx for the tips for the ugly noise. I didn't know :)

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Absolutely!

[@tuomaskoistinen1563]

good tip to make it even better ;) turbo

[@DustyShedGarage]

Now that rally is a good tip ☺️

[@jackiebell9345]

thank you

[@nermket4849]

That's funny the aftermarket console puts the cupholders there because I was also thinking that would've been a perfect spot for them lol

[@robbie7108]

Let’s see where to start 😂 just bought my 91 na :)

[@dilonkao]

Search ‘universal cup holder’ on amazon, a 10 dollar insert type cup holder will pop up. It goes in between the passenger seat and center console. I’ve been using that for two years. Fits all drinks.

[@doomsdaykitten5291]

my cable broke in the drivers side window, so it doesnt roll up and down....i've been jamming a rubber doorstop in it, to keep it from slipping down into the door. works! Also mine came with a wedge cupholder from the previous owner. it holds 2 cups, and fits between the passenger seat and the console.

[@johnny-bracer6515]

lol, you're like me, you hate the cup-holder like me, bit yet still use it like me. very good video. thoroughly enjoyed it. i never knew about the door lock trick or about how to silence the keys-in buzzer which i think Guinness-Records is in the act of considering declaring it one of the most annoying sounds in the world

[@johnny-bracer6515]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXKQh396hql3gJY

[@johnny-bracer6515]

MAZDA got the idea for the KEYS-IN BUZZER SOUND at EXACTLY 1:01 in the video clip i just posted. this is a VERY true story!!!

[@jamiep4005]

For your drinks place then between the armrest and the passenger seat there is a gap fits most bottle and can sizes and I've never had a spill from doing that

[@kevinvargas3895]

Ik this is old but how did you get this car and what year and model is this??

[@EmmaDonado]

Also is it bad to unplug that buzzing sound thing?

[@ErikStone1]

I have that IL center console that you mentioned. Pricey, yes.....but worth every penny. It's all about the driving experience. Think about it; you spend most of the time INSIDE the car driving it. So why throw money at new rims and bling when you could fix up the interior for your driving pleasure. Do it!

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Erik Stone I'm sooooo broke right now!

[@x332433]

+East County Garage me too man me too and my miata needs a lot of work, from diffs to suspension.

[@ErikStone1]

I used my tax return to help pay for my center console...just an option to think about.

[@eel1331]

great vid

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+eel1331 Thanks for watching! :)

[@LiamDrives]

Always toss my drinks in the seat. Or just not eat or drink inside haha b

[@BinManSays87]

yeah for the cup holder believe it a McDonald's cup fits perfectly between the door and the seat/you in the back corner near the seat belt

[@ImaginaryMachines]

My '93 Mazda B2200 pickup is the same way, it doesn't even have lousy cub holders, it has NOTHING. It also has the same door locks.

[@NigeReviews]

I don't have the cup holder in mine but I have the ash tray with the sliding lid. The hack with them is to bend the metal tabs that hold the lid to the base and put it back on back to front, so the lid is over the deep end of the ash tray. It then works as a cup holder and holds a can, bottle or coffee cup!

[@NigeReviews]

Can also just fit an iPhone 6 in there too but it rests on the window switches.

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Nigel Honey That sounds pretty interesting, I'll have to look at that! Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the size of the opening in the ash tray is too small to hold anything that large? I have mine somewhere around here, I just don't feel like looking for it.

[@NigeReviews]

+East County Garage I'll put a video up later to show. But the idea of the mod is that it gives you access to the deep part of the tray. Unless the American part is different. My iPhone 6 fits, in a case too.

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Nigel Honey I understand what you're saying -- I'm just saying that from what I remember, the part that opens when you slide it isn't big enough to hold a drink in it.

[@NigeReviews]

+East County Garage yes, it is. I put a Keep Cup in mine daily. Also fine for 375ml can even a 600ml bottle. Don't know how you Americans will go with your "big gulps" though haha.

[@juliancorreia4292]

another place to put your drinks is in between the seats in the middle where the centre console is theres a little space between the seat and the centre console at the back of the seat you can put your drinks in there and it dosnt move

[@sergiobisonte]

the first step is on every car in the world for decades!!

[@toasty4000000]

When you have your seatbelt on, you can put your drink there, right by the buckle. Literally, any drink. Just between the seat belt buckle and the console. Holds it fine. Out of the way.

[@SeeeEmilyyPlayy]

I’ve mastered the art of shifting around a cup lol

[@coolaj321]

to fix lights without new relay you can jump the constant power and the power to the switch with an inline fuse and leave the messed up relay plugged in

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+aj gonzalez Really?? I'll have to take a look at that! Thanks dude

[@koumori7177]

Hell yeah now I can lock my driver door !

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

+Johnny Batz Haha isn't it great? Thanks for watching!

[@AmandaTimothy1]

Tricks..... To install LED lights without hacking into your lines with the resistor to fix the hyperflash just take circuit board out of flasher unit, locate the R1 resistor and replace it with a 1 OHM resistor. Eliminates hyperflash...just that simple. I learned that from a forum and tried it, with absolute success. 97 NA Miata. Oh, and cheap LED's are not bright at all, its best to pay at least 30 bucks for decent ones each end, rather than wasting money on cheap ones you wont be happy with.

[@AmandaTimothy1]

I could use some advice....I've cleaned the contacts on the power window switch about 3 monthes ago which worked great but just the other day had to go back in and do it again because they blackened up and stopped working again. Anything I can do to make the switch functional for longer? The switch is in good condition so it would be a shame to have to drop 180 to buy a new one.

[@EastCountyGarageSD]

Mmmmmm no idea, honestly. I kind of hate power windows in general. My Miata has manual and Kyle's has power for now but we're planning a manual swap. Sorry I couldn't help more :(

[@tylerstank2714]

You can't really put change in the former cupholder area as most coins are small enough to spill through the gaps. I'm working on finding an elegant solution to seal that but the whole center console has been out of my car for a while. One thing I'd recommend is to disconnect the light under the center console if you take out the cupholder/ash tray. It's really annoying at night.