Miatatude

Last Friday, May12th, the body shop guy said he needs a couple of hours to fix my laundry list of complaints. I told him that the Miata is my only car, so I would need a loaner. He said he’d call me back and let me know when he could arrange for a car. When he called me back he asked if the 29th was OK. With my always nearly empty social calendar, I instantly agreed. Later when I went to mark it on my calendar I realized that that day was the Monday of Memorial Day Weekend. It was too late to call back then and change it, so I waited until to today. When I told him of the conflict, he replied, “Well just bring it in the next day.”

Why did it take so long to reserve a loaner? Why was it 17 days in the future? If in the end he just goes bring it in one day later?

Were they hoping I would just give up?

The Emperor gets goes to the body shop tomorrow, so this evening I detuned it a little. Not that I don’t trust the body shop or anything, but I decided to remove a few of the add-ons I have added on, so they won’t accidentally lose or ruin something. I pulled all the junk tucked into the little cubby on the left of the trunk along with all the little tidbits under the carpet surrounding the spare tire. I pulled out the CB antenna, the cute little net thing and the CD changer. While I was at it I went into the interior and emptied out all the little storage bins, the console holes and the glove box. For good measure I removed all the pins attached to the mesh on the windblocker and swapped out the EJECT cigarette lighter for the stock one. And in case some one gets in with greasy shoes, I put the cruddy cocomats back in. I was going to wash the car to get the dead bugs off the nose, but I got sidetracked and forgot.

Cross your fingers….

I was going to break down and wash the car tonight because we are in for a no-rain stretch, but decided against it. It would have been a waste. The pine pollen has really started to kick in the last couple of days. When it is this bad, you can wash the car, dry it off, and by the time you have coiled the hose up out of the way to drive the car into the garage, there is already a small dusting of yellow powder back on the car.

I just cleaned off the pollen using my “Ernest Brush.” That is a California Duster, but was nicknamed that by my wife after a former MMC member who used to bring one out whenever we took a break during Club driving events.

Here is another chance to win a new 2006 MX-5 and this one won’t cost you anything. Road & Track have teamed up with Mazda to give away a car and a weekend at Laguna Seca raceway to watch the U.S. Sports Car Invitational May 5-7th.

One entry per customer: Enter Here

Can’t wait until then, here is link to a free 2006 MX-5, some assembly required…

The Kidney & Urology Foundation of America, Inc is raffling off a new MX-5. The drawing will be at the New York Auto Show on April 23rd. (Winners need not be present) Buy your tickets on line, a book of 6 tickets is $25.

I’ve bought 6 hoping to shorten my lead time to a new Miata by 4 years or so.