Prelude: this post.
Time to put a bookend to yet another project, I sold my Miata last week. The reason why I decided to part ways with the car is clear – and not a new one. Like my other cars, I did not make enough use of it. If something does not have immediate purpose or a potential for utilization, I break my attachment with it and move on. This is not to say I didn’t drive the Miata at all, I used it for occasional commuting. The principal motive behind my sale stems from a vast contradiction of a personal philosophy I imposed at the onset of this project. I stated with conviction how owning a fancy, name-brand car was unimportant. While my intentions may have been acceptable, I am now taking an opposite stance on this.
Owning a “normal” car, whether or not if it blends in with the crowd, is what I want. Driving around in the Miata, no matter how done up, was still driving around in a Miata. I thought I wanted a basic and raw car, spartan in every aspect. The Miata was exactly this, it was stiff, simplistic, and loud. Hence why I predominantly opted to drive in the refined and smooth convenience of the Prius. The nature of the Miata and how I built it would have made sense if I tracked the car, but realistically, I was never going to. This put the Miata in the same group as all my previous cars: filled with trinkets and bells & whistles, but served no significant function for me. At least with my bike, I fully plan on using it at the track.
All of this might be the old man in me talking, but I have to face it, it’s time to grow up. Pouring in copious amounts of money and time with my old RX-7 was enough. Doing it all over again with the Miata made it doubly stupid. I had ideas of how I wanted the Miata to be, and my stubborn ways forced me to persevere until my vision was realized. Simply said, modding a car is POINTLESS. I sound like a broken record-player now. I offloaded the Miata at a cheap price and lost a lot of money. This is the price I will have to pay, and is also a final lesson for me.
Up until now, all my cars have been Japanese and from the 90’s. I am breaking out of this horrid tradition and going with something newer and better. This way, I won’t be tempted to change out every single part and component on the vehicle. I really feel like I just came out of rehab and kicked a meth addiction or something. Yes, modding cars is a negative addiction and an expensive one too. I am no longer a child, so the moment beckons to add sophistication and maturation into my life.
So long Miata – yet another unnecessary car project – it was fun in a sadistic sort of way. You took away my money. You took away my time. And you added years worth of undue stress.
for the better, good sir.
Too right my man
It’s too bad you’ve been so soured on the whole modified car thing, but I certainly know where you’re coming from, having wasted untold tens of thousands of dollars on different project cars that never came near the intended fruition. In fact, I have a non-running money-pit project car in my garage right now. Not only has dinking with cars caused me tremendous unnecessary stress, financial drain, and frustration, but also has negatively affected my wife of many patient and forgiving years.
Good luck with staying away from tuner cars and being satisfied driving a “normal” car. Having the sportbike should make it a lot easier, though.
Damn… so sad. your rx-7 and miata were truly beauts… i could not have imagined how pristine that s14 would have been if you had built one up.