"The Driver" owned Montego. A love born in reluctance...

[The Driver]

My first Miata was a 95 Merlot, that I just LOVED to show of against Phat. Of course "The Phatness" was already worth my Merlot several times over, by the time I met Randy in the fall of 2002, but his car was still no Merlot, and I took EVERY opportunity to remind him! :Wink:

But by the spring of 2010, that Merlot had been to So Cal and back to FL, with long road trips throughout the original Confederate States (looking for places for a possible relocation) and a trip to NJ/NY to visit relatives. At this point the Merlot (Tamiko) had over 150K miles, using oil every 500 miles and the paint/interior had seen better days. Though I was planning to get a 99/00 engine and re do the interior, the car was hit HARD on the driver side quarter panel. Car had to go!


At this time, I was still unemployed (about 13 months and counting at that time) and my budget was for $5K or less. The car HAD to be clean with less than 90K miles and NA or NB with a stickshift. I didn't wanted a red car... or Montego...

I almost got a clean STO, in which I was going to transfer the cruise and the Torsen from the Merlot, but someone else snatch it. I criscrossed the State of FL, looking for the right car. No luck, everything was overpriced or flat out junk. The only car I liked was in Mazda of Sarasota. It was a white/tan leather car with 93K miles, but the car was PERFECT. Well, other than the ride height it was. They wanted $7,900 for it. I offered my $5K on the spot and they said no. I called a month later, the car was still there and they counter with $7,800!!! YEAH RIGHT!!!

Well, while perousing on Ebay, I found this CLEAN Montego/Leather package with a bad ad and the bids were staying low. Car was in Indianapolis where I have a childhood friend living. Low and behold my bid of $5K got the car! I bought two way tickets (just in case) and three weeks later I flew into Indy.

I was picked up @ the airport by the then owner (Lockheed Engineering Manager, good sign) and I showed him my certified check, but first I had to inspect the car. On our way to his house, a moron driver on burgundy 4door Gran Prix, hit us. We stopped after "giving chase", and there was no damage. That was weird... There was some surface rust, but nothing objectionable. The shocks were BLOWN, but everything else was good enough. Car came with NB '16's anchors. That is when I learned that heavy wheels on a Miata were no-no's!

In any event, before signing the pink slip, I told him that I wanted the car, but I wouln't pay $5K for that car since it had just been hit ;). We haggle for about 5-10 mins and he dropped the price by $300. $4,700 for a car with 47K miles, not bad!