Oh Baby Say Miatago

– by Barbara Beach, Miata Club of America Promotions

Some may think the classic tune “Louie Louie” sang by the Kingsmen says “We Gotta Go”, but die hard enthusiasts believe differently. There’s just something about owning a Miata that makes us personalize almost everything. Some of us start small with just one Miata and a few accessories, while others become real collectors like a member who sports a stable of 28 Miatas. (Yes, they are real ones not models.) It used to be that Palomino horses with silver manes and tails would lead parades, but not any more. Today Miatas are called upon to lead the band. My how times have changed!

As the leaves of autumn turn colors, all the colors of the Miata turn up in football stadiums across the country, most with lovely homecoming kings and queens draped across their boots. When our local high school called and asked the club to provide the parade cars for the fifth consecutive year, I asked them why they hadn’t picked the new BMW Z-3 or one of the other new faces on the road. Their response was unexpected. They said “the Z-3 was just a fad, and the Miata was forever”.

This same spirit was experienced at the 96′ Classic Car Races in Monterey this year. While our person count exceeded last year’s event in total attendance, our car count was down. This mystery was baffling and would require some additional investigation. I first reasoned that unless a lot of people added a 2+2 or a rumble seat to their Miata, something was off. The problem was resolved when one of the enthusiasts explained that 1996 was the year of the BMW, and this year’s marque. This meant that any one that owned a “Beemer” would be lucky enough to take touring laps around the track. Any sports car enthusiast knows the excitement of driving Laguna Seca. For many Miata enthusiasts that also owned “the other car”, it meant some pretty exciting laps. However, the excitement ended there, expect them for lunch in the Miata tent — where the real fun was. Although they could have dined with their “other car club”, they much preferred to hang out with the fun people.

This family spirit replays itself over and over as Miata owners gather for National conventions. More like a reunion than a rally, people compare there latest accessories in the same manner that new parents show off their baby pictures. In fact, the Miata has become the baby for many owners. Many of us joyfully claim to be spending their children’s inheritance in the form of top down driving fun. Travel down any winding sports car road and catch a glimpse of the back of a Miata, (very few have license plates on the front) and you’ll see plates conveying such familiar messages as “No Kids”, “Kid Free”, “Fun 4 2”, “Fun Toy”. Other messages such as “MGB Not”, “Hada MGB”, “Jag Lite” proclaim their loyalty. Other plates such as “WTE Bird”, “Am I Blu”, and “Cra Z Red” fly the Miata Colors. We even know of one Miata owned by an aftermarket company known as “Lab Rat”. A recent M edition owner proclaimed pride in his car with a plate reading “Empower”.

Miata fans have a few of their favorite touring tunes, also. Favorite rally songs include, “She Drives Me Crazy, “A Long and Winding Road”, “Six Days On The Road”. As a group and indi­vidually we seem to create wonderful themes for our car’s. The truly amazing thing about our babies are that each is like a blank canvas, each is like a new child. It’s up to each of us to determine how that baby will grow and what it will look like. Some may grow-up to be muscle cars such as Rocky’s Mega-Monster, while others will develop into petite and feminine flowers, such as Bonnie’s Trixie. While each car appears to look the same to the untrained non-owner, those that have one, know our cars are as different as each of us. And as we love our children, we love our cars. Until next time, this is Miata Barb saying so long Miatago.