Dick & Jean Fischer may have the fanciest Miata in the Club. They are on the cover because they built a tiki-hut in their yard and wrote an ...
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June 2021
Dick & Jean Fischer
may have the fanciest
Miata in the Club.
They are on the cover
because they built
a tiki-hut in their yard
and wrote an article
and sent in photos.
But their car has been on
the cover before,
so this time they get
the front and back covers,
personally!
Website:
http://www.miataclubofsouthwestflorida.com/home.html
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/mcofswf/
Front & Back Covers
Photos by Ron Lindensmith
Dick & Jean get the covers this month because they
Board Members sent in a story and photos of the tiki-hut they did in
their backyard. You may wonder why it’s not their
President: Feliza Lymburner Newsletter Editor: Ron Lindensmith Miata on the covers?
239-560-8470 239 699-6339 Well, their car has been on the cover before,
Lymburner23@yahoo.com mrhandyrsl@hotmail.com so we decided to do something different!
Get your car on the cover,
Vice President: Open and looking Secretary: Rayanna Edwards send in an article about your other hobby.
Phil Western is filling in for now 425 922-6059
941 661-9079 ayanna1@msn.com Upcoming Events
justducky1414@comcast.net Sunshine Lady: Sandy Cole In July, Aug, Sept and Oct there are 4 events
Past President:Allan Engler 239 997-7679 being done by other Miata Clubs
410 244-1100 colesandon@gmail.com in other parts of the country!
allanengler@gmail.com See pages 9-14 for details.
Treasurer: Noni Cockrum
239 810-0570 Welcome Back Picnic on November 3rd
Awards Officer: Ed Conrad
at Lakes Park
262 497-3011 nonicmh@gmail.com
edconrad@sbcglobal.net Christmas Party will be on December 2nd,
Webmaster: Dana Breda at the Olde World Restaurant
Events Coordinator: Donna Noyes 336 416-7464 details as they become available.
239 454-5665 dbreda@earthlink.net
miataeventsswf@yahoo.com Monthly Meeting
Dealer Liaisons:
Membership: Judy Western & Kathy Engler Put Tuesday, June 15th on your calendar!
941 661-9048 410 919-8261 Ed Howard Mazda: Bill Watts
It will be at Olde World Restaurant at
Both use memmx5swf@yahoo.com 941 779-7647
14415 Tamiami Trail #2728,
wawatts1@gmail.com North Port, FL 34287 .
Bill Watts
941 779-7647 O’Brien Mazda: Open Dinner at 5pm and meeting at 6pm.
wawatts1@gmail.com Please RSVP to Donna Noyes at
Cox Mazda: Open miataeventsswf@yahoo.com by June 9th.
By Ron Lindensmith
Welcome to the June issue of the Miata Club of Southwest Florida Our Membership Chairperson, Judy Western, was curious and told
newsletter. us she was going to ask what might be a politically incorrect question.
In this issue of the newsletter, Dick & Jean Fischer have told the She asked if everybody who had been vaccinated would please raise
story of their building a Tiki Hut in their backyard. So no matter how their hand. I think a lot of us were a bit surprised when almost every-
badly I wanted to use my new Miata on the front and back covers, they body raised their hand. Maybe 4 to 6 people didn’t. I think that’s great
get the covers for sending in a story and photos. But since their car news for the Club. Because now we can go to our summer dinner
has been on the cover before, I figured I’d do the next best thing and meetings at the Olde World Restaurant.
put Dick & Jean on the covers! If you don’t know their car, you should Hope to see you all at the next event!
make it a point to see it. There are a few photos of it at the end of the
tiki hut story.
The story about the sale of my 2008
Miata ‘hot rod’ and the purchase of a
2021 MX-5 Miata can be found on page
18. I also did a bit of a comparison of the
Miata to the Toyota 86 I’ve been driving
most of the time the last 4+ years while
the hot rod Miata was relaxing in the
shop waiting for repairs!
We held a General Membership
Meeting on Thursday the 6th of May. Al-
most 50 people showed up. That’s a
pretty good turn out for May, after more
than a year without any Membership
Meetings. And after so many of the
snowbirds have already gone north. It
Larry Larson was at the
was a very nice day to be outside and it
meeting sporting one fine
was REALLY nice to see old friends
looking T-shirt.
again as well as meeting some new Miata & sailboats, how
ones! could you go wrong!
Jump back and remember October 2nd. We have been invited to
join the South Florida Miata Club to attend Summer Crush Winery in
Fort Pierce, FL Let’s get a count that will attend.
By Feliza Lymburner Last but not forgotten. Please, please acknowledge the dedicated
time and information that Ron Lindensmith spends to prepare our
Hello board and Southwest Florida Miata Club Members, newsletter Wheels in Motion. Thank you Ron for your dedication. It
takes people like you to make the wheels on the Miata go round and
We are beginning to see getting back to normal. April 26 we were round! Remember to send your photos and stories to Ron, plus any
able to go as a group to Lowdermilk Park in Naples. We did have a articles you may want to share with the club.
small lack of communication but it was quickly resolved. Enjoyed by
Oh, I almost forgot to say congratulations to Dana Breda on his
all. We enjoyed a beautiful scenic ride with the Spanish moss over-
new wheels. If I didn’t mention your name, sorry, come over and talk
head on our way to the park. We thank Sharon and Ron Basil for
with me.
planning and hosting the trip. We were able to meet their son from out
of state. Again, on May 6 had another outing, this one at Lakes Parks. Please note new members:
We are very excited to see the attendance. We had a bring your own Tony and Joyce Armocida, Sarasota (3/21)
lunch picnic. Perfect day. Tom and Eileen Berichon, Naples (3/21)
Terry and Lyn Bivin, Sarasota (3/20)
Donna Noyes, our Event Advisor, had many possible ideas for fu- Jean Claude, Naples (1/21 to sell a Miata)
ture trips. Phil and Judy are planning a trip to a comedy club with a Harold and Carol Crane, Fort Myers (11/20)
family type show. TBA. We have had members willing to help and Dick Demerse, Sarasota (11/20)
work together. Many hands make the work light. We also had new Al Gaston, Venice (3/20)
members who were not introduced. I will acknowledge them and be Mark Höflich, Venice (6/20)
sure to give them a warm welcome. John and Nylene Henry, Sebring (6/20)
Thank you to Judy Western for keeping me on track. I’m new at Pat Kennedy and Greg Ocfemia, Cape Coral (11/20)
this title but have a desire to do my part. We would like to see 8 trips David and Cindy Obergefell, Englewood (1/21)
planned, new or past trips again. It’s our club, get involved and reach Knute and Susan O’Conner, N. Fort Myers (3/20)
out. We will only be as active as you are willing to participate. Al and Denna Rocco, Punta Gorda (8/20)
Patricia and Al Roth, N. Fort Myers (3/20)
Future meetings are planned to be at Old World Restaurant: Michael and Susan Semple, Naples (1/21)
Dates Steven and Kelly Wisniewski, Sarasota (3/20)
Tuesday, June 15 Dave Vance, North Port (5/20)
Thursday July 8: Walt & Joanne mainberger, Sarasota (5/21)
Thursday August 12 Ron & Carolyn Kerlin , N Ft Myers (5/21)
With or without dinner paid by members. Or just arrive with your
smiling faces to attend meeting. Let’s go, ZOOM ZOOM,
Mark your calendars for Christmas Party, December 2nd. Details Feliza Lymburner, President, Lymburner23@Yahoo.com
to follow. Please double check the email you use for Feliza
By Judy Western By Sandy Cole
Happy summer to all our members.
Hi to All of you,
Now is a great time to put the top down and go for a wonderful
drive, especially in the evening. It is amazing how time flies, but it is good to know things are be-
We again have 4 new members. Let's introduce: ginning to feel more 'normal', once again. We have had our first meet-
Don & Brenda Keith from Punta Gorda ing in 19 months and look forward to returning to the Old World Res-
Todd & Stacey Kubas from Bonita Springs taurant in June. Don and I will be traveling but look forward to seeing
many of you in July.
I wonder how they know that our club is warm and friendly and
SPECIAL. With several new members and all those months without meet-
The song " I'm so excited and I just can't hide it" is how I feel ings, everyone will feel like new friends. Please be sure to wear your
about our first General meeting in over a year!!!!!!! It will be at Old name tag, it will be a big help!
World Restaurant on Rt 41 in North Port..on Tuesday June 15. Din- Thankfully, most of the club members have maintained good
ner is at 5pm, meeting at 6pm. Dinner is optional but it's a great way health these past months. And to those who have had procedures
to socialize and get to know other members… Can't wait to see every- and/or issues, we hope you are recovering as expected. Noni Cock-
one… rum was due to have back surgery in May and Phil Western was back
With Blessings… Judy in the hospital with on-going issues. We trust both are doing well and
will soon be able to attend meetings and/or events.
June Birthday wishes go to : Carolyn Alvarez, Tony Armocida,
Jean Cheasty, John Cheasty, Nancy Chobrda, Lance Curran, Alan
Engler, Robert Jurs, Larry Larson, Robert Mauti, Guy Mendez, Al
Rocco, Paula Schutz, Neal Titer, Guy Waggy and Dottie Yost.
PLEASE WISH THESE MEMBERS A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
I hope this finds all of you doing well and look forward to being to-
gether SOON.
HUGS AND BLESSINGS,
SUNSHINE SANDY
BY Michael Gauthier | Posted on May 14, 2021
The semiconductor chip shortage has caused a number of auto-
makers to cut production or temporarily idle plants, and the delays are
starting to add up.
According to the latest forecast from AlixPartners, the chip crisis
will result in 3.9 million less vehicles being produced this year. That’s
a massive number and the firm said it will cost automakers approxi-
mately $110 (£78 / €90) billion in revenue. This is nearly double their
earlier estimate of $61 (£43 / €50) billion in January.
AlixPartners’ Dan Hearsch noted the typical vehicle uses up to
1,400 chips and that number will only increase in the future as the
“industry continues its march toward electric vehicles, ever-more con-
nected vehicles and, eventually, autonomous vehicles.”
Unfortunately, things are expected to get worse before they get
better. In particular, the company told CNBC the biggest impact on If you are a member of
automotive production will likely occur in the second quarter. That be-
ing said, Hearsch expects the situation will gradually improve and, by the Miata Club of South west Florida
the third quarter, there could be enough chips to “get everybody back and want access to the database
up and running for the most part.” However, things might not return to of the membership roster at our website,
normal until next year.
you need a password.
Help could be on the way as Reuters is reporting that several U.S.
Senators are preparing to unveil a $52 (£36 / €42) billion proposal to Contact Judy Western, Dana Breda or Ron Lindensmith,
significantly increase chip production in America. While the situation who are all members of the Board of Directors.
wouldn’t improve overnight, the U.S. only builds 12% of the world’s Their phone numbers & email addresses
supply of semiconductor chips and that’s a steep drop from the 37%
share the country had in 1990. are on page 2 of this newsletter.
You have to wonder,
just how fast was this kid going
when he lost control of the car!
Hey Guys,
Wanted to let you know that our club is planning a trip to Rev's Museum in July.
Not sure if you'd be interested in joining us. Information is below:
Our July 17th road trip takes us to one of the outstanding automobile collec-
tions in the U.S., Revs Institute. View a curated assemblage of the most pro-
found and rare automotive resources and innovations of our time, professionally
preserved or authentically restored to their original build standards. Revs Insti-
tute is more than a car museum — it is a place to see society through a different
lens. It is an invitation into a working educational institution dedicated to the
study, preservation, conservation, and restoration of historically significant auto-
mobiles. Explore the rich historic materials and images that define the automo-
bile’s role in society and sport. Step into another world at Revs Institute.
TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED ONLINE IN ADVANCE! There are no
box office ticket sales at the museum. When making your purchase, choose the
10:30 am time slot for your purchase. There are only 25 tickets available for
each time slot so if you plan on attending, buy your tickets early. If all tickets are Have you been
sold out for the 10:30 viewing, you can choose the 11 am slot but you will not be on a trip with
with the main group for the tour. the Miata Club
The group will be having lunch at Spanky's Speakeasy Restaurant after the of Southwest Florida?
tour. Did you have the
The club has been to the museum twice before and if you've never been and club logo magnets
are a classic car lover, it is a road trip you shouldn't miss. See you there. on your doors?
Web Site: https://revsinstitute.org/ Me either, but I’m going
Video: https://youtu.be/i5ugHN_4TgA to buy a set
Spanky's : https://spankysspeakeasy.com now that we are
going to start
Let me know if there is any interest. Sunriders Club out of Tampa may be doing trips again.
joining us also. Take care, Mark
Found on Facebook From: Mark Gilbert Subject: Miata Club Cruise In To Summer Crush Winery, October 2, 2021 Hey Folks, Been a long year for all of us, that's for sure, but the proverbial light is at the end of the tunnel now. Hopefully things will be getting back to some sort of normalcy very soon. In that vain, I'd like to announce that we are planning the next Miata Cruise In to Summer Crush Win- ery for October 2, 2021. Please save the date on your clubs calen- dars. We'd like to get a huge crowd going this year so please let your members know. Once further details are available, I will forward all the info to the clubs promptly. Looking forward to seeing you again and enjoying the comradery of all the Miata owners. Take care, Mark
TRACK DAY DRIVERS:
All track spots sold out completely in just 19 minutes last year, so you
will want to have all your info ready to go before 9am Pacific on June
5th.
When the big red REGISTER button at the top right of the page goes
live, follow the Track Driver link. Registered Track Day Drivers auto-
matically receive General Admission.
Please review the Track Day Driver section on the website to make
sure you have all your info ready.
We have provided you with a complete sample registration form to
practice going through the process and prepare all of the fields in ad-
vance.
REMINDER:
NJMP requires Snell 2015 or later full-face helmets, and your roll bar
Registration opens in just a couple of weeks – have you booked your must meet our technical requirements and pass the broomstick test.
hotel room yet? If not, please visit the Plan Your Trip section at (This is NJ State law).
https://miatareunion.com/plan-your-trip/ for links to our event hotels
with group discounts.
JZILLA TRACK DAY DRAWING:
A big thanks to the good folks at Jzilla Track Days, who are generously
GENERAL ADMISSION & MOSS MIATA CRUISE: giving away a drawing for a free track day at Road Atlanta in 2022.
On-line registration will open for everyone (Track Day Drivers and
General Admission) at 9am Pacific on June 5th. Unlike the Track Day When registering on-line, answer Yes to enter the drawing, or No on the
slots, we have unlimited spots for General Admission folks. So please registration form if you aren't interested or wouldn't be able to make
don't stress about signing up right away. You are guaranteed a Gen- it. We will announce the winning driver at the Saturday Party at NJMP.
eral Admission spot no matter what, so you can wait until the dust has
settle a bit to register. SATURDAY PARTY
Ready to join 400 of your closest Miata friends for dinner with guest
However spots for the Moss Miata Area Cruise are limited to 50 speakers Tom Matano and Norman Garrett? We're putting the final
Miatas per day, so be sure to click on the Moss Miata Cruise registra- touches on plans for the evening and will be in touch by the end of June
tion link as soon as registration opens. This will take you directly to with details, including how to get tickets.
Moss's signup page to get you on their list.
See you in October!*** UPDATED 4/16/2021 ***
We made a couple changes for the 2021
event below:
NASCAR race tickets include Track Day
event at no additional cost (same as before)
Moved Track Day to September 11 to
avoid conflict with Miatas at the Gap (MATG)
Added Track Day Only option for those not
interested in NASCAR race weekend
Per the organizer at Talladega, Track Day
consists of the following:
The track day will involve photos first. Group
photos on the track, with the Miata’s, in vic-
tory lane, etc.
Then, we will line up cars 20 at a time to do 2
-4 pace laps (all depends on time).
Hours will depend on number of sign-
Subject: Important Update! ups. The more signups we get, the more
Miatas @ Talladega Superspeedway 2021 time we will give.
The Miata Club of Southwest Florida has been invited to participate in this event at Tal- Nino Nuccio
ladega Superspeedway. Please note the new date for the Track Day option. If you
are interested in attending either or both events, please let me know so that I can ar- Group Sales Account Executive
range a group event for our club. Talladega Superspeedway
3366 Speedway Blvd. Talladega, AL 35160
Donna Noyes Office: 256-761-4723 | E-mail me!
Event Coordinatorwe stood by looking up with awe in our eyes and hearts. Next was the
wood deck. We hired our neighbor’s company to do this, but before it
was started, we had the foresight to know the outcome and knew we
need to run lines for Electric, Cable T.V., Internet. Back to Lowes
again. The next day we dug more, in order to bury and hide lines in
the earth, then coming up each wood pillar with electrical boxes that
COVID MADE US DO IT are hidden from sight.
The next couple of days we watched the wooden deck being built.
By Dick Fischer Feeling like our hands are tied and had to wait, as we had all these
Having gone through a rough year in 2020, like most all of us, and ideas for the area was challenging. Waiting was more challenging that
dealing with COVID put a toll on us. Being that we are an active and digging up the dirt for a full day. We took a trip back to Lowes again,
social couple, we found it challenging to create a new normal daily life getting ideas and stocking up on supplies. Then at home, we jotted
for us, as the infamous “Social Distancing” and “Stay at Home” in- notes for our endeavor. What to do, how to do it, when to do each of
structions was a huge strain on our daily life. them. The deck was finally completed and we could not wait to get
back to our obsessive creation now.
Like some folks in Florida, we have a nice large back yard on a
canal. But something was missing. We just had a Jacuzzi and grass Next came building wood walls and bamboo walls for the sur-
outside the screened in pool area. We took a ride to Lowes and rounding area. We just love working with wood. At the end of each
bough supplies for a 20 foot flag pole. After a day, the cement was dry day, we took turns using an air machine to blow the wood dust and
and our American Flag and Marine Corps flag was flying proud and shaving off of each other. This was almost a ritual for us… and a fun
high. But still something was missing. It was hot outside. Sunny with one. In the surrounding area, there is a perfect spot for a table and
no shade. Then it hit us, like a light bulb above our heads from a chair set-up. But first, thinking in advance, we wanted decorative
child’s cartoon! A Tiki Hut! We ran in the garage to get a tape meas- rocks for the floor. So once again, we tore up the earth to lay anti-
ure and paper and went to town creatively. In no time I had an amaz- weed-paper down. The ground at this point was not just soft dirt, so it
ing picture of our dream backyard. Being that COVID was unfortu-
nately still on the rise, this would be a fantastic task and undertaking
to conquer and created a new normal daily life, even if just temporary.
We hired a company that deals with Tiki Huts to lay and set up the
frame / foundation of this massive structure. Before they came out, we
had to dig up the grass and rocks and dirt in a 20’ X 15’ area. This
was the start of our new obsession. We loved getting in the earth,
feeling the energy, as we drenched out cloths with sweat and joy. This
did not feel like manual labor for us. We had the stereo blasting to old-
ies and really enjoying ourselves in the Florida sunshine. This was
almost like a self-test to see how things went. We thought “We Can
Do This!”. After watching the workers elevate these massive wood pil-
lars in the sky one by one and attaching the waterproof wicker roof,was challenging… so we thought. The challenging part was lugging
huge bags – a lot of them, filled with the decorative rocks from the
truck to the back yard. The weight of the rocks was amazingly heavy.
Moving a rock mountain from point A to point B was challenging to
say the least. But we loved it believe it or not.
Things started to take shape so-to-speak and started to look like
what we envisioned in our creative heads. Back to Lowes yet again,
and we scored a couple of beautiful wicker umbrellas. One for the Ja-
cuzzi and one for the picnic table. With each thing we do, we are in
amazement how it adds perfectly to the area. We put up a DYI clock
on one portion of the wood wall, weird yet beautiful marine decora-
tions everywhere. So much that I had to change my cordless drill’s
battery a couple of times.
night. The hammocks were such a perfect addition and used so
much, we call this area Hammock Heaven! We even made a sign out
of wood with the name.
In the Tiki Hut We hung two 60-inch ceiling fans, attached two fish-
ing rod holders from my boat and about eight fishing rods inside the
cathedral wicker ceilings. Large mellow yellow lights in each corner
pole and hidden out of sight we put LED mood atmosphere lighting Alexa is on demand and in charge of being the DJ for the oldies
that went everywhere. At night-time, the area has a beautiful and music for our Tiki Hut area. We hung a 4K 40-inch TV with sound bar
peaceful glow. The small water fountain sets the mood quite nicely. and sub-woofer so we can watch cable TV on the wicker love seat. A
hidden-tucked away drape system on pulleys makes for less sunshine
We have two double hammocks hung in mid-air in the center of for TV watching in the day. We encased and wrapped a mini refrigera-
the Tiki Hut, perfect for two couples to get cozy in the Florida sun- tor in wicker that came out pretty cool looking. A custom table that
shine, or watching the amazing Florida sun disappearing in the early looks like a turtle, carved with the most intricate details in the center.Editor’s Note:
Since I didn’t put Dick & Jean Fischer’s Miata on the front and
back covers of this issue, and just in case anybody doesn’t know
their Miata, here are some current photos. It is probably one of the
prettiest and fastest Miatas in the Club, and for sure the cleanest. I
know they take great pride in their Miata and it shows. And having
read their Tiki-Hut story, you now see they take the same kind of
pride in most everything they do. And just like their car which has
won a number of car show awards, we now see that their tiki-hut
could win one as well!
I also want to pass along congratulations to Dick as during this
COVID pandemic, he lost over 100 pounds! For comparison, the edi-
tor of the newsletter
Colorful Polynesian Tiki's are hung everywhere, giving a final touch for only lost 10
creativity. pounds!
All in all, we
are proud of what
we did, and how
we dealt with
COVID – turned a
negative into a
positive. Now we
sit daily and
nightly in our new
addition. Anything
from drinking morn-
ing coffee and tea,
to brunch outside,
to catching up on
out favorite shows,
and watching the
sunset at night time.
Signed a very relaxed couple, Dick and Jean Fischercountry for MX-5 Clubs with the options I wanted and taking notes of
what color they had. The closest red one was in Richmond, VA and
they wanted more than $500 over sticker price. I really didn’t want to
fly there and drive the car home, so I let Elaine talk me into a white
one we found in Ocala, FL instead. It seems white is even a more un-
common color for MX-5s than red. And there were more black ones
and even more gray ones. I REALLY didn’t want gray because the old
hot rod Miata that was such a problem was gray and I didn’t need to
be reminded of it with the new car. And because I do kind of like to be
By Ron Lindensmith different, I looked through or membership roster and found that out of
Lets start with a short story. First, on Tuesday the 4th of May I sold over 100 Miatas in our Club, there are only 4 white ones, 3 NBs and 1
the 2008 Miata ‘hot rod’ to the mechanic who has done most of the ND1… and now my ND2.
work on it. I made him a steal of a deal and he took it. Elaine is thrilled
that ‘Frankenstein’ as she called
it, is gone. And I’ll admit, I’m
happy to be moving on. We fig-
ured that in 4 years and 5
months since they blew up the
engine, the car has been in the
shop for 4 years and in our
driveway for 5 months! It was
long past time to let it go.
You may remember (if you
read my column last month) that
I wanted a red MX-5 Club RF
with the brakes, wheels and seat package. They are getting to be in
very short supply because Mazda isn’t building any new MX-5 Miatas
for at lease the next 3 to 4 months. Why? Maybe you’ve read or heard
something about the chip factory in Japan that had a big fire? Well,
that factory supplied Mazda with all the integrated circuits used in the The Comparison:
MX-5. So anything special ordered today won’t get built until the be- I’ve been telling almost anybody who asked about my Toyota 86
ginning of August or September. And then it takes 2 to 3 months to that it was very much like the Miata, and in many ways it is. It feels
get to Florida from Japan. like I sit lower in the Miata than my Toyota 86 even though the Toyota
So I looked at dealer inventories all over the eastern half of the has TRD’s lowering springs. But both cars are just about 50” tall. The
Miata is a full foot shorter and just 2 inches narrower than the Toyota,but from inside, the Miata feels considerably smaller. But then that is A senior citizen drove his brand new Mazda MX-5 Miata converti-
what a real sports car is suppose to be… small! And the driver and ble out of the dealership. Taking off down the road, he floored it to 80
passenger actually are a bit closer together than in the Toyota. mph, enjoying the wind blowing through what little gray hair he had
left. Amazing, he thought as he flew down I-75, pushing the pedal
even more.
Looking in his rear view mirror, he saw a state trooper behind
him, lights flashing and siren blaring. He floored it to 100 mph, then
110, then 120. Suddenly he thought, What am I doing? I'm too old for
this, and pulled over to await the trooper's arrival.
Pulling in behind him, the trooper walked up to the little red Miata,
looked at his watch, and said, "Sir, my shift ends in 30 minutes. To-
day is Friday. If you can give me a reason for speeding that I've
never heard before, I'll let you go."
The old gentleman paused. Then he said, "Years ago, my wife
ran off with a state trooper. I thought you were bringing her back."
"Have a good day, sir," replied the trooper.
In terms of driving impressions, the cars are very similar. Both
have very short first gears and even second gears. They accelerate at
the same rate, they both corner and handle very much the same.
Even the view out the windshield is similar as both cars have fenders
that rise up above the hood, which I think is a very sporty look! The
Miata ND2 is just a bit better as an auto-x car than the Toyota 86. On
the other hand, the Toyota has a glove box and with the small child
size rear seats folded down, there is a lot of trunk space. Oh, and it
even has a space saver spare tire!
I was a bit surprised that the RF feels very much like a convertible,
even with the rear ‘C’ pillars and the back edge of the roof still in place
after the top is down. Unlike the old NC RH models, the new roof
unlatches itself and it only takes 15 seconds for the roof to go down or
up. With the roof up it’s just as quiet as any other hardtop car, in my
opinion.
And sometime soon I’ll spend $1500 on new shoes for the Miata,
i.e. new light weight wheels and sticky tires so I can use it at auto-x!You can also read
