As much as I like Miatas... definitely keeping this one in the collection.
The engine was replaced with a new one last year, apparently with a lumpier cam and a bit of a piston/cylinder upgrade (the guy who owned it really isn't a car guy so I don't know the specs). It feels like the carb needs some love and it needs serious tune up... has a bit of a misfire until you give it some gas (and once it idles down, it goes away... but doesn't want to idle). But I'm pretty confident I can have her purring in like 10 minutes- the engine sounds mechanically perfect.
I didn't know it actually ran before I drove 2 hours to go look at it tonight or I would have brought a dealer plate with me to drive it home.
And yeah, I put more money into my daily driver for an alternator and a driveaxle last month (with me doing the labour) than this car cost... so I'm pretty pleased with the purchase.