The MX-5 Miata of the Month from

February 2002

R C Cudney

rcudney@enservice.com

Congratulations to R C Cudney on the selection of his Miatas as our February Miatas of the Month!

Pick me! Pick me! I want my daughter to have something to show the grandkids when I'm a toothless old fart vegging in front of the virtual reality TV, totally hooked in SpeedVision/Smell/Sound/Feel.

I've on my 4th Miata, a (drum roll, please!) Vivid Yellow '02.In fact, it appears that I may be the first to take delivery!

I got Miata-ed in about 90, was out putting around in my MR 2 when this red not-quite-a-lotus whizzed by, followed by one of those faux-Porsches. I rolled up the windows, closed the sun roof, turned off the A/C, and hot-footed it after them to get a better look (MR 2's were pretty sensitive to aerodynamic drag, and the A/C would just about stall the motor). Followed that guy 65 miles before finally stopped long enough for me to get a look. Since I was still paying for the MR 2, I filed it away as a "next car".

In 92 my wife and I were test driving cars; the dealer had a yellow A pkg I loved, she hated--and it was a pretty crude little car. Thought about getting another wife, but she got a VW Cabriolet so I kept her.

In 93 I was feeling a little flush. It was the end of the month, the Mariner Blue base model, not even a radio, I'd been eying had been on the lot for 4 months, and they made me a deal on the MR 2 (yep. still had it) I couldn't turn down. Wonderful fun! but short-lived, circumstances changed and after a year I traded it on a Navajo.

Fast forward to '96, I'd been joking about wanting a Miata for Xmas. The ungrateful wretches, they didn't get me one, so day after Xmas the Montego PEP was mine.

Driving around Memorial Day afternoon, 1999, my wife innocently asks, "do you have any interest in the new Miatas? They have more trunk and a glass window". By 2 pm, after having driven three different cars, the Black'n'tan '99 went home with us.

Guess you could say I'm an impulse buyer sometimes. I still lusted after that yellow, though.

Daughter went to a local Miata club meeting in September when they announced the limited availabilty of yellow, special order only. This was Saturday;
Monday morning 8 am PDT she and I are in front of the computer placing my order. This is Sept 10th. 10 am, we're at the dealer with a check. Didn't
even think about discussing price, first time THAT's happened!. Looks like I was number 2 to confirm my order. Also first time I've bought a car where
color was the first consideration, not just an incidental.

Fast forward to last thursday; It's MINE! They even let me drive it out of the showroom where they'd stashed it overnight!

It's like driving one of those little smiley faces.......

Previous Miata of the Month Winners

Will you be next?