Sigh. I miss mine.
In 2022 I bought a 2001 Mazda Miata, soft top, track ready. I've wanted a Miata since my high school days so to have the cash when a deal came along on one was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. Oh my goodness, the driving spirit of a Miata is everything they say it is. I can't wait to drive mine on roads like this one. I can't wait to take my little meep meep coupe on a race track and learn how to drive better. The feeling of the wind in my hair, the fun of shifting gears and feeling her respond, the maneuverability - ah.
Like most 20+ year-old cars, a small hard-to-obtain component can take the entire car down. She's in the shop for that reason, and every week that passes I'm losing hope of being able to drive her again. I've learned with her that getting her through the kind of shop that will care about her spirit and my love for her means LOTS of patience. Most people with zippy or race track-bound cars have much more expensive vehicles, the shop's moneymakers. My little meep meep deserves lots of respect, don't get me wrong, but I can't be an asshat to the shop that has taken her in - they have to make the big bucks and keep business going. Still, it's been a long time and I miss her so.
The emotional part of me is so attached to her that I am willing to throw any money at her to keep her in tip-top condition and help her age gracefully. The practical part of me says "Lady, this is your fun car and you have an average budget. Be real, you might have to part her out and recoup what you can financially. Plus, you'll save on car insurance and the extra parking spot fee". The pain!
To assuage that pain, maybe I'll buy a newer used Mazda Miata. . . . .
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