Today marked the end of an Era. Actually, the end was a few months ago, this is more like the beginning, but it is the end for me.
When I bought my first Miata back in 1989, I did so without the knowledge that this car is more than just a transportation module, but it is a way of life. About a month after buying it a magazine showed up in my mail, a magazine devoted entirely to my new little roadster. It contained columns, how-to articles, travel articles, pictures, letters to the editor and ads for parts. Because I waited so long to take delivery (108 days) this was actually issue #2. I immediately subscribed (by joining the Miata Club of America) and ordered back issue #1. It started out as a quarterly and grew to a bi-monthly about 5 years back. I have every issue stacked neatly in the base of my nightstand. It is great to look back occasionally, like looking at your kids photos from when they were in each grade of school.
Several years back the Miata Club of America folded because of accounting improprieties by the founder and president. The magazine soldiered on with out the support and database of the MCA. Then later, Mazda the corporation stepped in and formed a company backed club, the Miata Owners Club. The magazine found some support. Then less than a year later Mazda closed the Club. Again the magazine lost money and another database. Like the last time, word of mouth (or more appropriately word of electrons, email) saved the day by contacting subscribers so that they could still receive the magazine, now once again fully independent. A couple of times through this, I considered not renewing, I was tiring of it all, the net had replaced most of functions provided by the mag, but in a show of support for the poor publisher (mainly one woman and her family) I continued.
With dwindling subscribers and without the backing of a nationwide Club the magazine was facing hard times last year. A decision was made to embrace the corporate zoom-zoom strategy and now cater to not just Miatas, but all of Mazda?s “sports” cars including the new RX-8 and the new 3 and 6 models…
Today I got my first issue (of how many more I don’t know) and I can now break clean. I was barely hanging on when it was just Miatas, but I don’t care one wit for the other cars. I wish them luck with their new direction, but I’m doubling back on the old road. I may do like I do for the X-Files, every other month on the 15th, I’ll break out an old issue and read it, working my way back up to the end.