The MX-5 Miata of the Month from

February 2004

Nigel Deighton

ndeighton@hotmail.com

Congratulations to Nigel on the selection of his Miata as the February Miata of the Month!

"Only been in Blacksburg for 6 months. Emigrated from the UK, bringing the family over in May of this year. Working at Virginia Tech. Love the place, love the people.

For the first 38.5 years of my life, never really interested in cars. Public transport back home is so (comparatively) good, so many cars, so few roads and $5 a gallon, there really is no fun in driving. I had been over here for about 6 weeks before the blisters were annoying the hell out of me - life in the US without a vehicle is a complete impossibility!

OK, so what happened to me at the 6 week mark? - I had started looking at a few motors with a glint in the eye. All the usuals - Porsche, Mustang, TransAm, BMW, MGB and a real beaut in the shape of an RX-8; all out of my price range. Six weeks earlier I had bought the wife the delightful (NOT!), yet very practical Plymouth Voyager - great for the kids, tons of toys and all the usual McDonalds wrappers that build up in vehicles like that.

Took the theory test at the local DMV, failed. Phoned my dad for reassurance - got the answer "you always did think that you knew it all". Read the handbook that they give you - failed again; actually did slightly worse second time round. Just why is running down a police officer at a road junction a bad idea? <<Only joking.>>

Beginning to get a little pissed off (upset) at this stage, so we spend a Saturday morning going around the local garages to cheer me up a little. EUREKA. A 1992 Miata B, in need of a good wash & wax (that's about the limit of my motor maintenence - hell, I've never had a car!).

The car is bought (cash) that very morning.

I sit my theory test again the following Monday - passed! Strange what a little real motivation will do for you?! NOW, I need to learn how to drive. Back to the Voyager with my beloved, experienced driving companion. Anyone out there learnt how to drive in a Voyager with 2 noisy kids in the back???

Well, I did. The requisite 30 days later, I passed the test in the Miata, having only taken it out (short drives) 4 times. There was a small incident that involved me, a Plymouth Voyager in reverse and a 35' high telegraph pole, but I won't bore you all with that.

Nearly three months down the line, I'm still in one piece, better still, so is the car. Best of all, I can't get both of the kids in the car at the same time. I'm still a novice regarding motor maintenance, but I assure all concerned that at 124,000 miles I thought she was due for all new belts throughout. Oh, and that dreadful squealing from the rear nearside brakes has gone.

If you see an idiot driving a red Miata in the NRV with the top down in December / January - give us a wave; it will be me! The number plate is WBA FC - I know it means nothing over here to most folks, but it cost me a whole $10. Back home you could not get such a plate for less than $10,000. Nice.

WBA FC stands for West Bromwich Albion Football Club, pay them a visit at www.wba.co.uk -  at Christmas I shall."

Nigel Deighton
Blacksburg, VA
ndeighton@hotmail.com

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