"I've driven Miatas as an only car for many years, though I currently do not own one. Made lots of excuses not to drive one for too long.
Here's what I tell everyone asking this question. Miatas are sports cars and sports cars are impractical. By definition, there is always an excuse not to buy one or own one. Let me tell you how the rest of your life is going to go. You can't buy one now because you're in college and you need to routinely carry a bunch of stuff home from college, drunken friends around, or help friends move. When you get out, you'll be trying to save for a house, and how can you justify spending money on a sports car? Better to save that money for a down payment and drive the college beater as long as you can. Then, you'll get married. Can't have a sports car now, because you're preparing to have a family and what could be more irresponsible? Everyone knows you can't put baby seats in the Miata! Now you're a family man, and you need a truck to go to Home Depot and a minivan to haul the kids to soccer practice. Maybe you can get one of those when the kids are out of the house. Now they're in college and you can't justify the expense of another car with the cost of tuition and books. Besides, you're saving for retirement.
When you're 65, you finally buy your Miata and discover you're too old to properly enjoy it and you should have bought it decades ago -- but those years are long gone.
There is no better time to buy a Miata than right now. "