Newbie

Davoud, Where have you been all of our lives!? I have no doubt that you can
assist in some sort of resurrection of sorts around here. This wonderful
newsgroup has been wilting from lack of interest / interesting discussions.
I think in part, what so many of us truly love about this newsgroup (it's
the most focused and on task newsgroup I've ever read) is what hurts it in
some ways because there is not a wide breadth of subjects / topics discussed
here. People tend to get board here and wander off.

I hope you'll hang around some, there are quite a few interesting characters
here, many of us kindred spirits with a wide range of experience. OK, so
you're our first foreign diplomat ;-) When I polled this group at the end of
07 (man, time flies!) 75 people responded. 59 were from a combination of 27
of the U.S. Nine foreign countries were represented.

On another subject, I too like your car, I've stolen the picture of it in
front of the .......azalea? bush quite some time ago from somewhere. I also
fell in love with your photos of the galaxy and such. IIRC I stole a bunch
of those too, amazing stuff.

Hang around and help make it more interesting, no doubt you've got some
Miata experience too although, judging from the miles / year, you've been
spending WAY too much time speeding in foreign countries and probably in
boring cars. I too recommend you get another Miata, it's a great platform to
enjoy or use as a building block. I hope your niece appreciates what she's
getting.

Chris
99BBB

We do have many more people who read than who post for some odd reason.
"Davoud" > wrote in message
...
> Grant Edwards:
>> >> I hope you weren't representing my country while behaving like
>> >> such a jerk.
>
> Davoud:
>> > Now that is funny! May I take it that you don't have a great deal of
>> > experience in the U.S. Foreign Service, and in the finer points of
>> > conducting foreign affairs in general?
>
> miker:
>> Naw, I think he just knows a jerk when he sees one.
>
> I'm not absolutely sure that's it. Firstly, he hasn't "seen" me and he
> knows nothing about me. Secondly, he really doesn't know about life in
> the Foreign Service, which is another way of saying that he's
> commenting on something he knows nothing about. You would never do
> that.
>
> And that's why I found his remark to be so funny. That, and the amazing
> fact that, by implication, he has led a Christ-like life since birth,
> so utterly pure that he has the brass to condemn someone for something
> so petty as a traffic citation. At least that's what I must assume; the
> alternative is that Mr. Edwards is a hypocrite, and since I don't know
> him, I wouldn't call him that. Ignoring a traffic ticket isn't a sin,
> even in the so-called Holy Land; just a misdemeanor for non-diplomats
> and SOP for diplomats.
>
> I hope Mr. Edwards doesn't lose any sleep over this, but diplomats from
> every nation and in every nation are disregarding traffic tickets by
> the thousands, every day.
>
> Incidentally, I got a citation once in Asia for I-know-not-what. The
> chief of the police station nearest the Embassy was a pal of mine, so I
> decided to stop in and say hello and pay the ticket. The entire police
> station was aroar with laughter; no one--no one--had ever come in to
> pay a fine before and they had no procedure for handling such a
> payment. Bribes and extortion, yes. Citations, no.
>
> Davoud
>
> --
> usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

See, I knew there were a bunch of NC guys here! Hopefully we didn't scare
off the new guy (the OP)! I haven't seen a comment back from him, have I ?

Chris
99BBB

"NetMax" > wrote in message
...
On Jul 28, 9:14 pm, "johnny p." > wrote:
> TRCSr wrote:
>
> > Hello All,
>
> > I just purchased a 2009 Miata MX-5 with retractable hardtop. This is
> > the first roadster I have had since the 70's when I had an Austin
> > Healy 3000. I have been a member of the Chev Tracker group for many
> > years, but as soon as I sell that little gem I will be dropping out of
> > the group. I hope I can get as much useful information from this
> > group.
>
> Where are you at? And what color is that baby? I went to look at the
> PRHT at a dealership but all they had on the lot was a couple of
> automatics so I passed on the test drive, but that robo-top was a ton of
> fun to fiddle with. Zoop! up, zoop! down, zoop! up, you could play all
> day. It looks great too.
>
> A guy who bought a new one last year told me that the tires that came
> from the factory on the '08s (the 16 inch ones on the base model) suck
> and you won't really appreciate how well it handles until you get your
> first set of replacement tires. By that he meant, if you're used to
> ordinary cars you'll be knocked out by the handling of a new MX-5, and
> when you put good rubber on it it will blow you away again.
>
> Also, get a hat, watch out driving wearing shorts with the top down (the
> front of your legs will get sunburned) and definitely don't leave a pile
> of valuable paperwork unanchored on the front seat like I did the second
> day I drove mine. That's all the useful Miata-oriented information I
> can think of right now. Happy driving!
>
> yrs jp

As the other newbie in this thread with a new 09 MX-5 PRHT, I went and
checked my stock tires.
Bridgestone Potenza RE050A
205/45R17
It handles the corners better than a go-cart : )

I did test drive the automatic to try out the paddle shifters. The
drive feel and performace were too similar to tell the difference,
though I know the horespower is lower and the shocks are softer on the
automatic. The shifting experience was ... interesting. If I was
going to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic every day, the automatic
has merit, but why would I buy an MX-5 to be stuck in traffic every
day?

The roof is a beauty. I chose the mica red because it's a cross
between black & red (I like them both but didn't want either) and it
had a black interior (the beige interior is not attractive imho).

Thanks for your advice jp
NetMax

On Jul 28, 9:14*pm, "johnny p." > wrote:
> TRCSr wrote:
>
> > Hello All,
>
> > I just purchased a 2009 Miata MX-5 with retractable hardtop. This is
> > the first roadster I have had since the 70's when I had an Austin
> > Healy 3000. I have been a member of the Chev Tracker group for many
> > years, but as soon as I sell that little gem I will be dropping out of
> > the group. I hope I can get as much useful information from this
> > group.
>
> Where are you at? *And what color is that baby? *I went to look at the
> PRHT at a dealership but all they had on the lot was a couple of
> automatics so I passed on the test drive, but that robo-top was a ton of
> fun to fiddle with. *Zoop! up, zoop! down, zoop! up, you could play all
> day. *It looks great too.
>
> A guy who bought a new one last year told me that the tires that came
> from the factory on the '08s (the 16 inch ones on the base model) suck
> and you won't really appreciate how well it handles until you get your
> first set of replacement tires. *By that he meant, if you're used to
> ordinary cars you'll be knocked out by the handling of a new MX-5, and
> when you put good rubber on it it will blow you away again.
>
> Also, get a hat, watch out driving wearing shorts with the top down (the
> front of your legs will get sunburned) and definitely don't leave a pile
> of valuable paperwork unanchored on the front seat like I did the second
> day I drove mine. *That's all the useful Miata-oriented information I
> can think of right now. *Happy driving!
>
> yrs jp

Thanks to all who responded with a welcome to the group. I am a little
put off by the preceding political discussions and tradings of
insults. That is the very reason I stopped going to another group -
they strayed from the main topic too much.

I just put in the first tank of gas yesterday (250 miles) and have a
question for you experts. The manual recommends premium, but the
dealer, salesman and service writer, state that it is OK to use
regular. What is the consensus of opinion on this? I have an average
mpg display on the dash and so far it has been in the 29.0 to 30.5
range. Of course, you have to take into account that i live way out in
the remote area of NC, so most of the driving is highway (with not
much chance of meeting a smokey). When I have done a lot of driving in
town or city areas the mpg has dropped to the 28 range.

One of the first things I did when I left the dealer was to stop at
WalMart and get a can of sun block, which I keep in the little storage
box between the seats.

I got this one at the Mazda dealer in Wilmington, NC. They had a
couple of soft tops on the lot and this one PRHT, which is silver.
Being in SE NC, I definitely wanted a light color. I would have
preferred the Yellow, which is not available in the PRHT, or the red.
This one is a model for wimps as it has the auto trans. But, the
paddle shifters are neat and fun to use. I always use engine braking
for slowing down and theses shifters make it easy, and fun.

I agree with the poster who complained about the cup holders. They are
rather pathetic. The door ones will only hold about a 12 oz bottle and
the center ones restrict movements a lot. Add to that that I always
have a reusable bottle of water with me, that won't fit the door, plus
a soft drink (usually southern sweet iced tea) in a large cup and if
my wife is along (which hopefully won't be too often) she also has two
drinks, so the limits on the cup holders is a big problem. I have
learned very quickly that any papers in the car with the top down
needs to be anchored somehow.

Another slight complaint is the sun visors - they are practically
useless, first because of their size and second because of their
construction. I have several things that are made to "clip-on the sun
visors" and they are not usable. So, the bluetooth sits in the rubber-
padded area in front of the gear shift and the CD's sit down between
the seats where ever there is room.

Thanks again for all the welcomes, and let's keep the site to Miata's
and leave the politics to the other sites. Have any of you ever
visited any of the NASCAR newsgroups? They are mostly racist and
politically incorrect.

Best regards to all,

TRCSr

Glad to see that you hadn't run off. This thread strayed about as far as any
do / have, in the many years I've been hanging around here. After years of
almost all 'on topic' you kind of learn to appreciate a touch of controversy
;-) Anyway, feel free to jump in.

I love the Miata silver (Sunlight Silver is it?) and I've heard the auto is
at least interesting. Not sure about the NC specifically but most cars just
'de-tune' themselves (retarding the timing) a bit with lower octane fuel.
Sounds like you're still getting great mileage. My 5speed NB gets about 25
mpg on a regular basis. Good luck on the cup holders!

Chris
99BBB

"TRCSr" > wrote in message
...
On Jul 28, 9:14 pm, "johnny p." > wrote:
> TRCSr wrote:
>
> > Hello All,
>
> > I just purchased a 2009 Miata MX-5 with retractable hardtop. This is
> > the first roadster I have had since the 70's when I had an Austin
> > Healy 3000. I have been a member of the Chev Tracker group for many
> > years, but as soon as I sell that little gem I will be dropping out of
> > the group. I hope I can get as much useful information from this
> > group.
>
> Where are you at? And what color is that baby? I went to look at the
> PRHT at a dealership but all they had on the lot was a couple of
> automatics so I passed on the test drive, but that robo-top was a ton of
> fun to fiddle with. Zoop! up, zoop! down, zoop! up, you could play all
> day. It looks great too.
>
> A guy who bought a new one last year told me that the tires that came
> from the factory on the '08s (the 16 inch ones on the base model) suck
> and you won't really appreciate how well it handles until you get your
> first set of replacement tires. By that he meant, if you're used to
> ordinary cars you'll be knocked out by the handling of a new MX-5, and
> when you put good rubber on it it will blow you away again.
>
> Also, get a hat, watch out driving wearing shorts with the top down (the
> front of your legs will get sunburned) and definitely don't leave a pile
> of valuable paperwork unanchored on the front seat like I did the second
> day I drove mine. That's all the useful Miata-oriented information I
> can think of right now. Happy driving!
>
> yrs jp

Thanks to all who responded with a welcome to the group. I am a little
put off by the preceding political discussions and tradings of
insults. That is the very reason I stopped going to another group -
they strayed from the main topic too much.

I just put in the first tank of gas yesterday (250 miles) and have a
question for you experts. The manual recommends premium, but the
dealer, salesman and service writer, state that it is OK to use
regular. What is the consensus of opinion on this? I have an average
mpg display on the dash and so far it has been in the 29.0 to 30.5
range. Of course, you have to take into account that i live way out in
the remote area of NC, so most of the driving is highway (with not
much chance of meeting a smokey). When I have done a lot of driving in
town or city areas the mpg has dropped to the 28 range.

One of the first things I did when I left the dealer was to stop at
WalMart and get a can of sun block, which I keep in the little storage
box between the seats.

I got this one at the Mazda dealer in Wilmington, NC. They had a
couple of soft tops on the lot and this one PRHT, which is silver.
Being in SE NC, I definitely wanted a light color. I would have
preferred the Yellow, which is not available in the PRHT, or the red.
This one is a model for wimps as it has the auto trans. But, the
paddle shifters are neat and fun to use. I always use engine braking
for slowing down and theses shifters make it easy, and fun.

I agree with the poster who complained about the cup holders. They are
rather pathetic. The door ones will only hold about a 12 oz bottle and
the center ones restrict movements a lot. Add to that that I always
have a reusable bottle of water with me, that won't fit the door, plus
a soft drink (usually southern sweet iced tea) in a large cup and if
my wife is along (which hopefully won't be too often) she also has two
drinks, so the limits on the cup holders is a big problem. I have
learned very quickly that any papers in the car with the top down
needs to be anchored somehow.

Another slight complaint is the sun visors - they are practically
useless, first because of their size and second because of their
construction. I have several things that are made to "clip-on the sun
visors" and they are not usable. So, the bluetooth sits in the rubber-
padded area in front of the gear shift and the CD's sit down between
the seats where ever there is room.

Thanks again for all the welcomes, and let's keep the site to Miata's
and leave the politics to the other sites. Have any of you ever
visited any of the NASCAR newsgroups? They are mostly racist and
politically incorrect.

Best regards to all,

TRCSr

My dealer didn't have any silver NCs but the brochure photos look
awesome. Being further north than NC, I opted for a darker color.

In regards to fuel, my salesman (who is on his 2nd Miata and had a ton
of really practical advice) recommended that I stick with premium.
The extra cost is basically offset by the slightly better mileage, and
you get to keep all the performance. Has that been the experience of
others here?

A new question regarding rain and having the top down. If I encounter
a light rain while the top is down, would I be better to keep driving
(ie: non-stop country roads) and does the rain stay out of the car, or
does the wind whip the rain in from the back. Also is the answer
affected by the speed you are travelling at?

I don't mind the off-topic. This is usenet and we're all free to
write what we want and ignore what doesn't interest us. Ideally
though, its great if everyone can stay civil about it. I'm posting
through Google, so I don't know if it stays top-posted or the post
gets truncated. Let me know if there are any group preferences I have
control over and apologies for the stuff I can't control.

I haven't noticed anything about the sun visors. We haven't had
enough sun so far ;~) I'm still get used to the sightlines out of the
MX-5. The thickness of the front window frame and the large rear view
mirror greatly reduces the view, actualy adding some blind spots while
turning. I probably just need to become accustomed to it.

For the bluetooth, the GT model has it built in, and with a car this
size, 'built in' is always a good thing ;~)

ps: also started my 2nd gas tank today. When asked how I like my new
car, my response (given with a large grin) is "it's like a 2nd skin".

NetMax

On Jul 29, 9:27*pm, "Chris D'Agnolo" > wrote:
> Glad to see that you hadn't run off. This thread strayed about as far as any
> do / have, in the many years I've been hanging around here. After years of
> almost all 'on topic' you kind of learn to appreciate a touch of controversy
> ;-) Anyway, feel free to jump in.
>
> I love the Miata silver (Sunlight Silver is it?) and I've heard the auto is
> at least interesting. Not sure about the NC specifically but most cars just
> 'de-tune' themselves (retarding the timing) a bit with lower octane fuel.
> Sounds like you're still getting great mileage. My 5speed NB gets about 25
> mpg on a regular basis. Good luck on the cup holders!
>
> Chris
> 99BBB
>
> "TRCSr" > wrote in message
>
> ...
> On Jul 28, 9:14 pm, "johnny p." > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > TRCSr wrote:
>
> > > Hello All,
>
> > > I just purchased a 2009 Miata MX-5 with retractable hardtop. This is
> > > the first roadster I have had since the 70's when I had an Austin
> > > Healy 3000. I have been a member of the Chev Tracker group for many
> > > years, but as soon as I sell that little gem I will be dropping out of
> > > the group. I hope I can get as much useful information from this
> > > group.
>
> > Where are you at? And what color is that baby? I went to look at the
> > PRHT at a dealership but all they had on the lot was a couple of
> > automatics so I passed on the test drive, but that robo-top was a ton of
> > fun to fiddle with. Zoop! up, zoop! down, zoop! up, you could play all
> > day. It looks great too.
>
> > A guy who bought a new one last year told me that the tires that came
> > from the factory on the '08s (the 16 inch ones on the base model) suck
> > and you won't really appreciate how well it handles until you get your
> > first set of replacement tires. By that he meant, if you're used to
> > ordinary cars you'll be knocked out by the handling of a new MX-5, and
> > when you put good rubber on it it will blow you away again.
>
> > Also, get a hat, watch out driving wearing shorts with the top down (the
> > front of your legs will get sunburned) and definitely don't leave a pile
> > of valuable paperwork unanchored on the front seat like I did the second
> > day I drove mine. That's all the useful Miata-oriented information I
> > can think of right now. Happy driving!
>
> > yrs jp
>
> Thanks to all who responded with a welcome to the group. I am a little
> put off by the preceding political discussions and tradings of
> insults. That is the very reason I stopped going to another group -
> they strayed from the main topic too much.
>
> I just put in the first tank of gas yesterday (250 miles) and have a
> question for you experts. The manual recommends premium, but the
> dealer, salesman and service writer, state that it is OK to use
> regular. What is the consensus of opinion on this? I have an average
> mpg display on the dash and so far it has been in the 29.0 to 30.5
> range. Of course, you have to take into account that i live way out in
> the remote area of NC, so most of the driving is highway (with not
> much chance of meeting a smokey). When I have done a lot of driving in
> town or city areas the mpg has dropped to the 28 range.
>
> One of the first things I did when I left the dealer was to stop at
> WalMart and get a can of sun block, which I keep in the little storage
> box between the seats.
>
> I got this one at the Mazda dealer in Wilmington, NC. They had a
> couple of soft tops on the lot and this one PRHT, which is silver.
> Being in SE NC, I definitely wanted a light color. I would have
> preferred the Yellow, which is not available in the PRHT, or the red.
> This one is a model for wimps as it has the auto trans. But, the
> paddle shifters are neat and fun to use. I always use engine braking
> for slowing down and theses shifters make it easy, and fun.
>
> I agree with the poster who complained about the cup holders. They are
> rather pathetic. The door ones will only hold about a 12 oz bottle and
> the center ones restrict movements a lot. Add to that that I always
> have a reusable bottle of water with me, that won't fit the door, plus
> a soft drink (usually southern sweet iced tea) in a large cup and if
> my wife is along (which hopefully won't be too often) she also has two
> drinks, so the limits on the cup holders is a big problem. I have
> learned very quickly that any papers in the car with the top down
> needs to be anchored somehow.
>
> Another slight complaint is the sun visors - they are practically
> useless, first because of their size and second because of their
> construction. I have several things that are made to "clip-on the sun
> visors" and they are not usable. So, the bluetooth sits in the rubber-
> padded area in front of the gear shift and the CD's sit down between
> the seats where ever there is room.
>
> Thanks again for all the welcomes, and let's keep the site to Miata's
> and leave the politics to the other sites. Have any of you ever
> visited any of the NASCAR newsgroups? They are mostly racist and
> politically incorrect.
>
> Best regards to all,
>
> TRCSr- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

NetMax wrote:
>
> The shifting experience was ... interesting. If I was
> going to be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic every day,
> the automatic has merit, but why would I buy an MX-5 to
> be stuck in traffic every day?

Because it's ever so much more amusing than being stuck in traffic every
day in a Camry or an F-150.

Beside which, you'd be surprised how much cheap fun a really bored
commuter with a stick can get out of precisely gauging shifting and
throttle so as to minimize use of the brakes (turn gasoline = motion
into heat NOOOOO!) while _at the same time_ keeping up with traffic at a
smart pace. Lot of attention involved, keeps the eyes and wits alive.

Whereas with a g. d. automatic you dont haveto do any of that cause it
just goes wuuuuuuh and when you wanna catch up with everybody you jam on
the excellerater pedal thats the one on the right an it goes WUUUUUH an
then whe u see all the red lites come on upahead you jam on the left
side pedal (thats the breaks) and it goes w u u u u h and all the ppl
behind you are like "W T F!!!!" and then when it starts going again you
just go wuuUUUH an like that.

yers jay pee

On 2009-07-30, johnny p. > wrote:

> Beside which, you'd be surprised how much cheap fun a really
> bored commuter with a stick can get out of precisely gauging
> shifting and throttle so as to minimize use of the brakes
> (turn gasoline = motion into heat NOOOOO!) while _at the same
> time_ keeping up with traffic at a smart pace.

Not to mention practicing up/down shifts without using the
clutch. [Disclaimer: if you do that too much and you're not
good at it, you might wear out your synchros.]

Chris D'Agnolo:

> Davoud, Where have you been all of our lives!? I have no doubt that you can
> assist in some sort of resurrection of sorts around here. This wonderful
> newsgroup has been wilting from lack of interest / interesting discussions.
> I think in part, what so many of us truly love about this newsgroup (it's
> the most focused and on task newsgroup I've ever read) is what hurts it in
> some ways because there is not a wide breadth of subjects / topics discussed
> here. People tend to get board here and wander off.

You'll find I won't have too much to say here. I've been a lurker for
quite a while, but I have little to add because 1) I'm not interested
in modifying my Miata--been there, done that; and 2) It runs just fine,
which may refer back to point 1.

I think you meant "bored here and wander off." The problem is that life
itself isn't on-topic; the brain is not wired to be on-topic. If it
were, life would be so boring that suicide before age 30 would be the
norm. My participation in this thread began very much on-topic; I
mentioned in passing a couple of traffic violations, one of which I
ignored and another of which I beat. That riled someone, and I came
under attack. My experience with off-topic Usenet threads is that they
fade away soon enough--and the old saw is true--one doesn't have to
read them. I'm in newsgroups where I kill maybe half the threads
without reading based on their subject lines and I have kill-filed more
than half of the regulars--not because they are OT posters or trolls,
or flamers, necessarily, but because I have found over a period of time
that they have nothing to say that is of interest to me. Yo,
sci.astro.amateur! Nothing personal!

> I hope you'll hang around some, there are quite a few interesting characters
> here, many of us kindred spirits with a wide range of experience. OK, so
> you're our first foreign diplomat ;-) When I polled this group at the end of
> 07 (man, time flies!) 75 people responded. 59 were from a combination of 27
> of the U.S. Nine foreign countries were represented.

Tiny correction. A foreign diplomat is non-American who is representing
her/his country in the U.S. I represented the U.S. abroad, so, while I
would be called a foreign diplomat by foreigners, in the U.S. I'm an
American diplomat--or I was, until I retired at age 49 :>)

Advice: keep your mind on the prize. Retire as early as possible. If I
had worked until I was 65, then (obviously) I would be 80-years-old 15
years later, and unable to do many of the things I enjoy. As it is,
I've been retired for 15 years, and doing the things I like, the things
that stimulate me intellectually, the things that keep me mentally fit.
I still go to college off and on, and I'm appalled to find that the
great majority of the kids aren't as smart as I am. If they're paying
attention, they're appalled at that, too. I hope it's just my life
experience that they lack, but I'm afraid it's a sense of curiosity.
We're all born with it, but watching television, which requires all the
imagination of a pine board, seems to kill imagination and its partner,
curiosity, dead. With any luck I'll never slow down mentally, just stop
dead (literally!) one day.

> On another subject, I too like your car, I've stolen the picture of it in
> front of the .......azalea? bush quite some time ago from somewhere. I also
> fell in love with your photos of the galaxy and such. IIRC I stole a bunch
> of those too, amazing stuff.

In front of the wisteria. Glad you enjoy my astrophotos. The purpose of
having an observatory is to be able to set up and get making photos
quickly. So sad that Maryland skies in 2009 have been the worst ever,
and I don't get out nearly as much as I would like.

> Hang around and help make it more interesting, no doubt you've got some
> Miata experience too although, judging from the miles / year, you've been
> spending WAY too much time speeding in foreign countries and probably in
> boring cars. I too recommend you get another Miata, it's a great platform to
> enjoy or use as a building block. I hope your niece appreciates what she's
> getting.

For reasons cited in my 1) and 2) above, I doubt I'll have much of
interest to offer here. I have been driving sports cars since I was
21--with gaps when I was in places where such cars were unsafe or
otherwise inappropriate. Now I'm 65. I don't work on my own cars--I had
my fill of that with English sports cars (BT,DT). Before I bought my
Miata I was looking for a Healey or a Jag, and I found a gorgeous BRG
Healey that had just had a frame-off restoration. It had an
all-aluminum body, an exhaust note that would have made Bach smile,
everything I wanted--but I said to myself "It's still an English car.
Do I want to spend my time in it or under it?" As for Jags, the early
XKE's I found seemed to be aimed at people who didn't know Jags and
their weak points, especially where to look for rust--the ones I saw
were superficially gorgeous pieces of junk. Hence the Miata. Besides,
my first sports car was an MGB and that appears to be the look and feel
that the Miata designers were after, but with incomparably better
reliability than a stock MG. Fortunately, mine wasn't stock.

If I buy another Miata it will be an automatic; while I greatly enjoy
moving up and down through the gears on mountain roads, it's just too
inconvenient to have a car that my wife can't drive.

While the Miata is nice car, a genuine sports car by any definition
imaginable, and a fun car for the money, I don't consider it to be very
special except in affordability. The 65-mph shimmy was due to a
resonance that stemmed from a basic design flaw and it was allowed to
go unfixed for at least 12 model years. Maybe it's still there?
Style-wise, I think the Miata is sort of cute (and we guys hate cute),
but basically an undistinguished Japanese committee-designed car--or is
it a California committee-designed car? Another thing is that I don't
fall in love with cars. I probably liked this
<http://www.davidillig.com/titan.shtml> as much as anything I have
owned, but I realized it was killing innocent people in Iraq and
Afghanistan, so I dumped it and replaced it with this
<http://www.davidillig.com/starcar.shtml>, which is unquestionably the
best car I have ever owned (BMW's included).

These heresies expressed here are my own, and, by definition, one's
_personal_ views on matters aesthetic are unassailable, so I shan't be
replying to flames!

The important thing to me is the open top. I belong to a religion whose
only dogma is that if God had wanted us to have a steel roof over our
heads, She wouldn't have given us the sky. I have trouble
distinguishing between a sports car that is a fixed-head coupe (some
Corvettes, Porsches, Nissan Z, and others) and a Ford Pinto; they're
all cars with cramped exteriors and fixed tops. The Pinto, too, was
capable of exceeding any speed limit in the country. For my money, if
it doesn't have a rag top, it's all the same.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

In article
>,
TRCSr > wrote:

> On Jul 28, 9:14*pm, "johnny p." > wrote:
> > TRCSr wrote:
> >
> > > Hello All,
> >
> > > I just purchased a 2009 Miata MX-5 with retractable hardtop. This is
> > > the first roadster I have had since the 70's when I had an Austin
> > > Healy 3000. I have been a member of the Chev Tracker group for many
> > > years, but as soon as I sell that little gem I will be dropping out of
> > > the group. I hope I can get as much useful information from this
> > > group.

<snip>

> I just put in the first tank of gas yesterday (250 miles) and have a
> question for you experts. The manual recommends premium, but the
> dealer, salesman and service writer, state that it is OK to use
> regular. What is the consensus of opinion on this? I have an average
> mpg display on the dash and so far it has been in the 29.0 to 30.5
> range. Of course, you have to take into account that i live way out in
> the remote area of NC, so most of the driving is highway (with not
> much chance of meeting a smokey). When I have done a lot of driving in
> town or city areas the mpg has dropped to the 28 range.

<snip>

>
> TRCSr

On the topic of fuel grade and mileage-
I presently have an 06 GT 6AT and always use premium. (90-91 octane).
My experience over the years is that with a compression ratio of a
little over 10:1, it is best to stay with premium. As noted, modern
electronics will retard the timing to accommodate the lower octane and
prevent detonation, but you loose performance and fuel mileage as a
result.
With the '93 I drove for 180k miles I alway used mid grade (89 octane
around here). Did a few mileage runs with regular and mid and thought
the mid fuel economy was better and that the engine sounded better with
mid. My son still has it as a daily driver at around 220k miles, and it
is still running strong. Also note that I am particular about where I
get the gas also. I avoid the discount fuel stations and try to stick
with top name brands of fuel. I know that they all get it from the same
refineries, and most of the additive talk from one brand to the next is
a bunch of bull. Just found that over the years, the name brand
stations tend to be more consistent with what you get, and seldom cause
issues with extra moisture or dirt from running their tanks too low.
The non brand name stations are cheaper because they will cut more
corners, and what you get may not be what they say you are getting.
After all, they take bulk delivery of whatever the tanker is carrying
after the name brand outlets have gotten their quota.

As for your mpg. It sounds about right. Some have claimed better even
with the AT, but I average 28 to 30 mpg in my normal driving. Have seen
it as high as 34 to 36 on long interstate drives, and as low as 24-25
with a lot of stop and go in winter when the gas around here has extra
oxygenators added (ethanol) to meet emission standards. That ethanol
just doesn't have the same energy density as gas, so the more there is
the lower the fuel mileage.

--
-------
Stephen Toth
white '93.
since a baby - passed to the youngsters
'06 Galaxy Grey GT 6AT

"Davoud" > wrote in message
...
> Style-wise, I think the Miata is sort of cute (and we guys hate cute),
> but basically an undistinguished Japanese committee-designed car--or is
> it a California committee-designed car?


I always thought it was Colin Chapman.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-19...-red-fa-lr.jpg

miker