The MX-5 Miatas of the Month from

May 2001

Sam Quiros and Sherrie

miata@sammysoft.com
www.sammysoft.com/miata/ (an excellent site)

Congratulations to Sam on the selection of his Miata Sherrie as our May
Miata of the Month!

I am one of those who hears the call of the open road. I was so enthusiastic about driving topless, I saved all my pennies and bought the roadster of my dreams .... a BMW Z3 2.8.

Hang on, hang on, it gets interesting in a minute. I promise. :)

So, here I am, driving my beautiful Jet Black Z3 down the road, but there is something missing. I don't know, it just doesn't feel right. Is the ride too plush? Is the handling too smooth? I can't even feel the road! Suddenly, the road calls no more. After five months of suffering through this ordeal, I turned it in to CarMax where they gave me enough cash to buy out the lease and walk away.

I wandered aimlessly through the dealerships and the Net, looking, searching, yearning for the call of the open road. I couldn't hear it anymore. One day, I was lurking in a Chrysler dealership when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a shiny green convertible in the used car lot. Hmmmm, that's odd. What kind of car could THAT be? As I approached the vehicle with trepidation, SURPRISE! It was a MIATA!

That's odd, I thought Miatas has pop up headlights. This one has a sleek, slightly bulging body, reminiscent of the much pricier Jaguar XK8. But this one seemed special somehow...

Some quick inquiries yielded much needed information - the Miatas had been redesigned for 99, and this one was a used 99. Obviously, the Chrysler dealership was not the place to be having this discussion. I quickly jumped into my 97' Ford Explorer (sorry, I confess -- I am an SUV owner! :( ) and headed over to the closest Mazda dealership.

As I made my way into the showroom -- BEHOLD! A brand new, shiny perfect 2000 Special Edition was adorning the show room floor.

"What the...????" I gasped. "Mahogany Mica" replied Shirley, the friendly Mazda salesperson.

"Wow. I want it."

Two hours later I was on the road. I just realized I hadn't even test driven the car! I don't know what got over me. But pulling out of the parking lot introduced me to a whole new sensation in roadster driving. I could feel the engine revving at my command. I could feel the road beneath my feet. And, above all else, I could hear the call of the open road once more. I was one with the road. Life was good.

Three weeks and 1500 miles later came a defining moment in my ownership of my new road machine... a five hour trip to Ft. Lauderdale. My wife wanted to visit her sister in law, and we would be driving down that weekend.

Should I take my new Miata? My wife, who I love very much, does not hear the call of the road. I stopped trying to get her to listen after she mentioned something about getting me an appointment with a psychiatrist. She drives a plush Acura 3.5RL, and her idea of a great car ride is to hear nothing and feel nothing. The road simply does not call to her. They say opposites attract! :)

Imagine her surprise when I said "honey, we're going in the Miata!". Well, actually, surprise is not exactly the word I'd use... But, me being the man of the house (and having to promise to do chores galore), we went in the Miata. I was a bit concerned at first, having shared those concerns with my fellow Miata owners in the Miata Forum. My topic received over 50 replies, from soothing words of encouragement to ridicule and requests to exchange my Miata for a Lincoln Town Car. Unwilling to let others decide for me, I paused, and I listened.

I could hear the road. It called to me. It beckoned me to go.

So off we went on a 750 mile weekend ride. Did you know that a stock Miata can do 122MPH with two adults and a full trunk? So they tell me, I wouldn't know. I personally obey all traffic laws ... :)

The trip was wonderful. I arrived with none of the expected fatigue or discomfort. I was impressed. My Miata had carried me through the traffic of I-275 all the way down I-75 and Alligator Alley. And back. And all I had to show for it was bug juice on my rear view mirrors and the memories of a great Miata ride.

I wash my car twice a week, and I always keep it nice and shiny, and I like to share pictures of my baby with fellow Miata owners. I won't drive it in the rain (if I can help it), and I change the oil frequently. These things I do to give back to my Miata for all the things my Miata has given me -- and especially for letting me enjoy the wonders of the roadster feeling, to feel the road under me as I drive, to listen to that voice that beckons us and asks us to put the top down, shift the gears and listen to the wonderful call of the open road.

Sam

Previous Miata of the Month Winners

Will you be next?