Miata Mailing List: March 1996, Message #13
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   From: jared.stack@amp.com (Jared Stack)
Subject: Cost of ownership (was: Great license plate)
   Date: Fri, 1 Mar 1996 09:17:28 -0500

Greg writes:
>So my point is if it takes $50K or $5k to make you feel this way, then by
>all means, (if you have the means) spend it.  It's only money.
[snip]
>Like my daddy used to tell me,  always buy the best, you'll rarely be
>dissapointed.

Part of the problem is the "cachet" associated with those high end German
marks (pun not intended), and the willingness of the dealership to remind
you of it. My manager took his 3 series to the BMW dealer for inspection;
$700 for minor tweaks to get it to pass - and they didn't bother to notify
him by phone, just broke the news when he picked up the car. Another friend
of mine was lusting over a used 750iL until he found out that the cost to
replace the burned out headlight was $1600 (xenon arc lamp with integral
igniter).

The Miata price has risen a bit over the years, but so has all cars. The
thing is the Miata is very inexpensive to maintain, even with work
performed at a reputable dealership. Nothing on it is ultra high tech, but
it's a sum of reliable and well designed pieces.

Dad might not be dissapointed with "the best" when it rolls off the lot,
but he might be in for a shock when he gets the maintenance bill.

Jared Stack
Classic Red, '91B
Harrisburg, PA