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Ginger's
beloved 1994 Mazda Miata R Edition, manual steering, windows, and mirrors and a
rock hard suspension, what's not to love?
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I recently purchased a 1994 R edition Miata in Laguna Blue.
I LOVE it!! The warm sun on my face, the wind in my hair and the freedom to
just drive where the road takes me. I
have had the pleasure of driving Marve’s 2000 Miata and thoroughly enjoyed the
experience. Which is why I decided to find
one for me. We kicked a few tires but the pickings were slim. The cars we found
were unloved, beat up or priced like they belonged on Park Ave. I was really
beginning to believe that I would never find my Miata. After a full day of
looking, we were headed home, a little bummed, but determined. Marve has a
wonderful eye when it comes to looking for cars, and just as I was about to
fall asleep, he whips the car into a parking lot, crossing 2 lanes of traffic
and scaring the pants off of me. There it was, MY Miata. It looked like it had
been loved in a past life but was starting to show the signs of neglect. We
took it for a spin and did a little research only to find out that we had an R
edition on our hands. 1218 made in the year 1994. The price was right and off
we drove with that wonderfully, cheeky, little blue car.
We also own a 1991 Mercury Capri XR2. Although I enjoy both
cars, for me the Miata tops the Capri hands down. I think it is because the Mazda is rear wheel
drive. When I put the spurs to her she responds without skidding around the
road; I find the torque steer in the Capri a little annoying when the turbo
kicks in and tries to wrestle the wheel out of my hands.
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Marve's 1991 Mercury
Capri XR2, sharing the Miata's 1.6L DOHC four cylinder (1990 to 1993 Miatas, the 1994 and later MX5's had the 1.8L) but with turbo charger,
front wheel drive and what you could a call a back seat if you were kind. This
one is about to have its body kit removed.
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My first response is usually, “Have you ever driven
one?” To which the response
is….uncomfortable silence….uhhh…no….but…. but nothing. I guess because I work
in a mostly male environment, they tend to forget that I am a chick so that
response is less insulting to me and more so to Marve, but I feel the need to
educate these Neanderthals from time to time. I have yet to find anyone who
called my beloved Miata a chick car has had the pleasure, and I do mean
pleasure, of driving one.
If the opportunity is there, I immediately put them behind
the wheel, that is, if they know how to drive a stick shift car. I have put 2
infidels behind the wheel of my beautiful Miata and they came back believers.
Both of them are now in the process of looking for and purchasing their own
“Chick car”.
If the opportunity is not there, I tell them that unless
they have sat behind the wheel of an MX-5 they are not allowed to make that
judgment because they don’t know. I usually get a very surprised look, but they
do concur most of the time that they don’t really know.
Secondly I ask, “What do you drive?” Surprisingly the
majority drive automatic tranny SUVs with pinky-finger power steering. (Did I
mention that my R edition does not have power steering?) What cries chick car
more than a power-assisted Mom wagon? It would seem that more women are driving
those than they are Miatas. So gentlemen and I do mean gentle, I feel sorry for
you. The Miata is a wonderful little car that is a blast to drive and I am
truly sorry that you are missing out. Make sure that when you are out driving
your “Wagon Queen Family Truckster” on the interstate, to stay out of the left
lane.
Ginger Harwell © 2012
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