Just had to talk about my son and the "new" miata

I auto cross a mustang, and wanted my son to start.  I also rally crossed a mustang, but was told to get rid of it and get a miata.  A craigslist ad came up with a 1990 miata, 166,000 miles on it, some dents but inspected.  The kicker was it came with a hard top. The price was two grand.  I wasn't able to look at the car as the guy was working and I was going away for the weekend.  For reasons completely unknown, (God?) the guy put me second in line for the car.  We drove to the boonies in Maine and the car was surrounded by typical Maine mountain men.  My son lit up, love at first sight.  We drove it, looked at the hard top, found some issues.  I called SWMBO and she had thought I said five grand!  She said, "buy it!"

Now my son is so in love with the car, it is like he is in gear head heaven.  He is fifteen years old and has  a permit. The first time we drove it with the  top off it was freezing so much he was trying to warm one hand while holding the wheel with he other.  We drove for an hour, went home, put on heavier gear and drove some  more.  Hands down one of the best days I have ever spent with my son AND we have had some great days.

It has been more years than I'd like to think since I had my bug eye or midget.  I now get why people love these cars.  It is a complete blast.  So the plan is to have him learn auto cross in it and then rally cross it when the seasons change.  Good night, I wish you all could see this kid smile when he is driving the car.  We were watching him walk away from it in front of our house. He stopped and looked back three times!

I wish to shout I had father like me!

thanks all!

In reply to thedoc :

If you factor in the prices I'm seeing around here for hardtops (where they're likely more common), you paid about $800 for the car. Enjoyed your post! Have fun!

Sir....you are winning at the parenting game!  Well done! 

Well done and tell your son, Welcome to the world of the car-person.

Yup.  Mini-me was actually the one who found our Monster project back on Thanksgiving.  He’s been in the garage with me whenever possible all winter.  He just got his permit last month.......and i’m letting him autocross it Sunday.  I didn’t get to do gearhead stuff with my dad so I make sure I include my son in as much as possible.

Not the trick will be to see how long I can stay faster than him.

My 4yr old daughter always wants to roll the windows down, and if she sees me working on the car shes get real mad if I don't let her bring me tools. Can't wait for them to get a bit older

That’s AWESOME!

So what’d you and the boy do with the extra $3k mamma doesn’t know about? 

Look forward to seeing you and your son at an NER event. I remember pushing your Mustang at a Canaan event. 

(at least this sounds like Maine dude that posted on NER fb) 

In reply to poopshovel again :

I never thought of that!  Nicely played!

In reply to crxmike :

Was that Canaan?  I thought it was Vermont!  Yes that was me.  I was  going to put a lsd in the mustang and my wife told me to just sell the car and get something that we could "really" rally cross.  Chang told me to get this miata, so here we are.  We will get into the car in the next few weeks and see what it needs.  But we plan on going to whatever rally cross events in the fall.  Possibly some ner or devins events.  I will be at Devins this weekend with my other mustang.  Thanks for pushing me out.  I thought the rally cross crowd was really welcoming and were more than ok with my trying the mustang.

poopshovel again said:

That’s AWESOME!

So what’d you and the boy do with the extra $3k mamma doesn’t know about? 

That would get you a LONG ways towards making the Miata into a competitive STS machine. 

I hope you and your son have as much fun with your Miata as my son and I have had with ours over the years.  About 35 seconds after this picture was taken, the kid executed a perfect 4 wheel drift over a crowned, off camber corner that just about stopped my heart (I suspect there are still indentations from my fingers in the passenger door pull). 

Excellent! I bought mine in 2007 and I do not plan to sell it. They are great cars

They are not called the Answer by mistake.