Miata Mailing List: May 1994, Message #93
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   From: buchanaa@meadow.mdso.vf.ge.com
Subject: Car History
   Date: Wed, 4 May 1994 19:25:47 -0400

Oh why not...

   I learned to drive in an '82(?) Volkswagen Rabbit Diesel, then moved into an
inherited '80 Honda Civic Wagon (The Metallic Green with Mustard Yellow Interior
beast) until my little brother crashed it into a parked boulder (no injury to
my brother or the boulder). 
   Then I was given a car by my neighbors. I use the term car loosely here. In 
fact they paid me to take the thing off their lawn, where it sat for a few 
years, unusable and rusting away. It was some type of Subaru, but I really 
don't remember what type. It was tan if that helps. I scrounged junkyards for 
parts and bought books on how a car is supposed to work and rebuilt the thing 
(more or less) to a drivable state. I then took it with me to college in 
New York, where anything that isn't powered a la Fred Flintstone will pass 
inspection :) Drove that for a few years until Pennsylvania said it was to 
rusty to pass inspection here. 
   So then I got my hands on an '86 Bertone X-1/9, which I drove in a state of 
mindless bliss for a few years until it needed a simple brake job. I made the 
mistake of taking it to the local Firestone since I was in a  hurry to leave 
town for a conference and I figured they could have it fixed for me by the time
I returned. I will spare you the gory details of the month that followed and 
the angry phone calls, etc. But suffice it to say, one month later it, the car 
could not leave the shop under it's own power! (It drove there just fine). 
Somehow they had managed to break bloody near everything.
   At this time I decided to do what any sensible person in my position would 
do. I ran out to the nearest Mazda dealer and bought a Miata. A nice black 93C 
with CD player (I like my music!). This is by FAR the nicest car I have ever 
owned and may ever own (it being the first NEW car I bought...).
   I still feel a little pang when I see an X-1/9, I do think they have 
beautiful lines, but I would never trade my Miata for one!