The Quest for Miata #3
Posted: Tuesday, November 01, 2011
by Paul Kemp
My love affair with Miatas started with their introduction to the U.S. in 1989 and 1990. I quickly noticed the little Japanese cars with the retro looks. Suddenly the roads were flooded with these little convertibles that were reminiscent of the old British roadsters. It would be another ten years before I would actually own my first Miata and it was all thanks to a criminal act.
A few days later the Integra showed up under an interstate bypass. It was missing the steering wheel, stereo, bumpers, and some odds and ends. Interestingly, my insurance company gave me the choice of whether I could total the Integra or get it repaired. It was right on the border and my adjuster was leaving me the decision. I probably would have opted for repair but I had gotten such a deal on the car that to total it would have resulted in an over 100% profit from what I paid for it. I used that money to go car shopping and I knew what I wanted.
I spent the next few weeks looking in the classified ads until I found what I thought was the perfect Miata. Two hours away was a little, red, 1991 Miata with only 60,000 miles on the odometer. By contrast my Integra had 125,000 and my 280ZX before that had over 180,000. Sixty thousand on an odometer was a luxury I hadn't experienced in years.
For the first few months, I was in heaven. The Miata ran like a charm. I did find out that the Miata was a base package. This was the most minimalist Miata you could ever buy. There was nothing power on it. Its two add-ons at the time of manufacture were an AC unit and floor mats. Not exactly the height of luxury. Still though, it was fun to drive and very reliable.
Fast forward a few years. I am now a married man in an ever growing family. I knew the time had come to sell my little red Miata. I did so and with surprisingly little regret. It was a time to move on. After a while though, I found that I was missing the little red convertible. I started looking for Miatas again. Should I try to get a newer model? The ones made between 1994 and 1997 had a slightly bigger engine. I knew I didn't want red, for some reason I always end up with red cars, (my current vehicle is a red Wrangler). I decided that I would do what I did the last time which is to look for the best deal that I would be happy with. After a little bit of looking, I found a 1991 Miata that was a special run. Starting in 1991, Mazda produced a special edition Miata for each year. In 1991 it was a Miata in British Racing Green with tan leather interior, a Nardi shift knob, and power doors and locks. It became my little treasure. The BRG Miata really harkened back the day of the classic British roadster more than any other Miata. Each of the special edition Miatas came with a plaque stating what number in the production the Miata was compared to how many had been made in the run. My particular Miata had been recently repainted just prior to my purchase and it had been given a new top. Even though the car was almost fifteen years old, it looked showroom new. For the couple of years I owned it, I babied it. There are very few cars I have ever regretted getting rid of and the BRG Miata is at the top of my list with a bullet.
My reasoning for getting rid of the BRG Miata was a mixture of two things. One, I had been driving a Miata for the better part of a five year period and two, my other great love for a vehicle had always been a Jeep. I decided to sell the Miata and buy a Jeep. That was seven years ago. Now I find that my time of being a Jeep driver is coming to an end and I also find myself longing for the days of driving a Miata again.
Why a Miata? Obviously it's a fun and sporty car but lots of cars can be fun and sporty. In the image department, Miatas took a real beating in the late 1990s and 2000s. Frequently I was told that it was a "chick" car. It had become the unofficial, official car of mid-forties single women everywhere. Despite a growing image problem, the Miata comes with a support system second to none. www.miata.netwas and is an internet institution. It was one of the first websites for cars on the internet and it is still one of the largest. Beyond the camaraderie that you can get as a Miata owner, you are also treated to a wealth of information of technical know-how for the Miata. Chances are if you are thinking about doing some work on the Miata, there is a guide for doing what you are thinking. If you have a problem with the Miata, with a simple post in the forum, you can usually get the correct answer in one to two hours. I learned to change my fuel pump on my Miata. I learned how to do a diagnostics test on my Miata with the help of an unwound paperclip. I was able to tell a mechanic exactly where to look to find the original engine bore shavings that were creating a heating problem with the Miata. I even ran my own Miata internet website for a while.
Now I find myself in the market again. The Jeep is for sale and the proceeds will go to another Miata. I could probably swing a second generation Miata on my funds, commonly referred to as an NB, but I think I will stick with the first generation, NA Miatas. There is something classic about the Miata with the pop up headlights. I am aiming again for another special edition Miata. I liked the little additions that came with the special edition runs. I would like to think that I will be smart enough not to sell my third Miata but somehow I know one day I will do it. I will probably one day regret selling the Jeep and I try to remind myself of that right now but the torch is passing and its time for something else.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)I have a 1997 Mx5 Miata (green) and have had it since 1999. It has 140,000 miles and yes, I got the comments about that it is a chick car too or it's not macho. But, the car handles like a Porsche--second to none in the handling department. And I used to drive a police car and had my share of pursuits so I know how to get on a car and the Miata, can kick some major butt!
As a matter of fact, I was considering buying a Z series BMW roadster recently when I was thinking of selling my Miata. I did research and the Miatas blow the BMW's out of the water in ratings etc. The Miata was and is a great car...I love it!Please log in to respond to this comment.Is yours a Mariner Green M Edition? Those are beauties. Miatas do handle amazingly well. With a good set of tires they just grip the curves. Thanks for the read and the rating.Please log in to respond to this comment.Yup,with an after market spoiler and chrome wheels---but it is starting to show its miles!Please log in to respond to this comment.
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