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A Proud Part of the 90%

Miatatude

Minty Fresh

Monday, December 29, 2003

When I posted my query about the permanent water spots on my mirrors over on the Miata.net forum I got one response: “I used Meguire’s Number 7 polish followed by Meguire’s Gold Class car wax.” Having neither of these products, but it got me thinking, what else I could use? I remembered that toothpaste is a very low abrasive that can be used as a light polish. So I took a tube out to the garage and swirled away for a while then washed with Windex.

I don’t think it worked very well, but at least my mirrors smell minty fresh. 🙂

Tagged: Miatatude

Baby Gets A Bath

Sunday, December 28, 2003

Finally bought some car wash soap and gave baby a bath. After only a month it has outgrown the kitchen sink so I had to do it in the driveway. Several neighbors stopped by to say, “Oooh, nice car. Is it new?”

Noticed a bitsy paint chip missing off the hood, so small you’d hardly notice it, but it is the first scar it’s gotten while in my possession. I also noticed that the outside rearview mirrors look like they have water spots all over them. At first I thought it was because I didn’t dry them off after the wash, but Windex nor 409 removed them. Hmmm. Acid rain spots? I wonder if the mirror is actually plastic? The car finish doesn’t have anything like that on it.

Tagged: Miatatude

Low Fuel Light

Wednesday, December 24, 2003

Up until model year 2003, if you wanted to start a nice little flame war over on the Miata.net Forum all you had to do was ask why the Miata doesn’t have a Low Fuel Light. On one side you had the pro camp who wondered aloud about how come the cheapest Hyundai has one. The con camp consisted of the sports car purists or the ones who actually use the normally included gas gage.

I guess Mazda figured if it sold a half dozen more cars they would add it, so in all 2003 Miatas you now get a low fuel light.

I was on my way to the local gas station this evening to fill up as the needle was about on ‘E’ when mine came on. Filled up the tank and I managed to get 10.4 gallons in there. The total capacity according to my brochure is 12.7 gallons, so I had 2.3 left to burn. Even at the lowest EPA city mileage of 23 MPG I still could go over 50 miles before actually running out.

Tagged: Cars, Miatatude

Shift For Brains

Tuesday, December 23, 2003

After much deliberation, tonight I removed the short shifter. I really liked the shortened shifts and even the slightly higher effort with added snick-snick, but the little whirring, spinning noises (only noticeable with the top up) were making me crazy. I’m sure they were there in the old car, just didn’t hear them, what with the older cars higher ambient noise level. Shifting is back to longer, but smoother and quieter.

Afterwards Donna and I went out and tested it of course. 🙂 It is about 60 degrees tonight and a beautiful night for a topless cruise. At one point Donna said it is a little brisk maybe we should raise the windows. When she mashed the switch, nothing happened. Rut-Roh! I must have messed something up, because you have to remove the switches to get the console out to change the shifter. I thought it took a lot more pressure to hook back up. I hope I didn’t break a pin. Turns out I did bend one, straightened out, hooked it up and now the windows fly up and down on command again.

I’ve got a question for the Miata.netters. Remember how I complained about there not being any oil in the turret? While reading in a post about notchy shifting 6-speeds, someone made an off-hand statement that you need to remember 6-speeds trannys don’t have oil in the turret. Huh?!? Did they stop putting it in 5-speeds too? If so, did putting some in muck up the works?

After Donna and I got back from our evening top-down drive (it’s like 60 degrees outside) there was a sticky note attached to my monitor, “Tim called” it read. My mother-in-law had taken the message. I guess Tim just said, “Tell him I called.” I only know one Tim, and he is a rare caller, so I tried his number. No answer. Hmmm. Did she mean some one else? Jim? I know a ton of Jims. Whoever it was, it must not have been important as he never called back.

Better send myself an email at work so I’ll remember to ask Tim if he did call me.

Tagged: Cars, Miatatude

No Soap?!?

Monday, December 22, 2003

After last night’s trip to see the lights at Hopeland Gardens (parking on a dirt road) and this morning’s shortcut to avoid a clueless driver (1.5 miles on a dirt road through horse country) I felt it was time to wash the car for the first time. After changing clothes, I headed to the garage to get my wash bucket. When I looked inside I realized that I had used the last of the car wash soap on the Laguna Blue when I washed it in prep for trading in. Sigh.

I took the hose and washed out the wheel wells real good and then used a wet sponge to clean off any dirt on the lower exterior. Dried with a towel and it likes shiny and new again (of course it helps that it is still shiny and new.)

Maybe over the Christmas weekend (Sunday is supposed to be near 70.)

Tagged: Miatatude

Oil Change – 1015 miles

Sunday, December 21, 2003

Went out and drove around a bit to get the car warm. Came home and put it in the garage to change the oil. Seemed like I had to unscrew the filter about 10 more turns to get it off the engine compared to the old car. While the oil drained instead of rotating the tire as I usually do, I went ahead and checked the pressure – 20psi all around, it should be 26. As I aired up, I took the time to wipe off the wheels because they were dirty (whatever tire shine stuff the dealer uses really picks up the brake dust.) Thanks go to Mazda designers for these wheels, there are no nooks and crannies that you can’t get into to clean easily with a rage. Canceling out the thanks, is an ah shit, the dip stick is black, not chrome and this makes it hard to read the level even in bright sunlight.

Tagged: Miatatude, Whatever

A Cold Winter’s Day

Saturday, December 20, 2003

Tried not to venture out at all today and managed to make it until 6 PM when my plans collapsed with a drive to the local Chinese place for supper. Tomorrow is supposed to be as cold, but I promised Donna a hike in the woods so that’s where I’ll be.

May try and change the oil on the car, it has 1010 miles on it as of today. I already have filters (bought a bunch for the old car and they are the same as on the new) and the oil. I will have to reuse the old crush washer from the drain bolt though, as they, unlike the filters, are a different size between generations.

Tagged: Miatatude
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sturgeon’s law

"Ninety Percent Of Everything Is Crap"
Derived from a quote by science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon, who once said, "Sure, 90% of science fiction is crud. That's because 90% of everything is crud." Oddly, when Sturgeon's Law is cited, the final word is almost invariably changed to 'crap'.

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