Ahh right. I have a few friends who got their cars keyed in Franklin Park so I'm guessing teenagers just being dumb asses over there.

 

I'll bring this thread back up. I took a few days and went to the Hocking Hills in southeastern Ohio. Besides some great hiking trails and the like, it has some great roads. (Car & Driver has referred to the region as the Hockingheim.) The 3 handled them extremely well, and driving it through the undulations and curves was awesomely fun. It also was a great way to cool off after a lot of hiking. I did have to watch for deer and the occasional RV, but I mainly had clear roads to stretch out and see how I handled it. I suspect that the roads are a lot more congested during the summer and late fall seasons.

If anyone heads there, watch the curve signs. 664, 374 and 56 all have 55 mph speed limits, but with curves marked as low as 15 mph. Don't underestimate these, as there are quite a few very sharp, off camber or decreasing radii turns. A few have a nice mix of all of that.

The 3 isn't all that powerful nor has the dynamics of a rear wheel drive sports sedan, but it felt like it had been dialed in for roads such as those, all while being pretty stealthy.

 

Yeah, it's pretty fun car to toss around on the mountain roads. Feels weirdly neutral.

 

A couple of views from the driver's seat. These are straightaways. I'm not insane enough to try to get photos in the midst of the curves and hills. (Not a lot of room to safely pull over on a blind bend, either).





As a bonus, here's an example of where the hiking trails lead:

 

Great shots dood! Those roads look like a bunch of fun. Glad to hear the 3 made it entertaining. :zoomzoom:

 

I have had an incredible itch for an NA/NB. Something fun and cheap for a daily. Then some guy in a very clean RX-8 with a raucous exhaust (which I like) flies by me on my way home today.... argh.

Even a 1G MS3 for something a little nicer.... hmmmm

 

It doesn't get cheaper or more fun than a Miata. Period.

 

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...da-miata-phrt/

 

Thanks! I needed to get away for a few days, and that was perfect. I also learned how much more I could get done at night while staying in a non-connected-to-the-world cottage.



Costco - I've known a few people who have bought RX-8s and, while fun for a while, they all decided the cost and eccentricities were too much and sold the car within a few months. On the other hand I've known a lot of people with Miatas over the years. Every one of them absolutely loved the car.

 

 

^ That's pretty cool. Alcantra or suede? Just the hood or are you going to do the whole dash?

 

haha nice! when i look through yahoo auctions japan, they had a couple of those for the NA

 

It's Alcantara, from Redline. They recently started selling the real stuff.

Im doing the wheel and have done some other stuff in it...their fit and finish is ridiculously perfect. I wanted to do an orange stitch, but I really hate trying to keep things clean so black on black seemed the easiest and least flashy.







I've been finishing up the modding on the car the past month or so...I've bought a new exhaust, aluminum door sills, a Cobalt FSTB and wired in some custom footwell lights that when the doors open are bright white, and when they close turn a very, very dim red.

 

Very cool.

Just did a little recent dress up on mine, too. Crappy cell pic but you get the idea.

 

you have any pictures? haha This i'd like to see.

 

I'll take some pictures for you tonight when it's dark enough to see them.

The brighter strips are 6 LED strips from VLEDs and we're about $3/ea and the dim red LEDs are also from VLEDs, but only the single LED unit and were less than a $1/ea. I ordered all the wiring from them as well, and it ended up costing me less than $15 shipped.

I wired the reds to the interior fuse panel using an "add-a-fuse." They come on when I turn the car on, and run all the time. The whites, I wired to the dome light so I can have control over when they turn on.

Mazda sells their kit for like $200 and isn't nearly as bright or awesome.

 

Looks nice, dood.

I did some under hood painting as well. I need to install my new trunk lid so I can get some good new pics.

I was able to find a newish white trunk lid on www.car-parts.com for less than a quarter of the cost of a new one. I suggest you guys look there for anything from seats, to steering wheels to anything else that you might need.

 

^Thanks! Let us know how the alcantra steering wheel is from Redline. I've been thinking about having mine covered someday.

 

^^ Pic is overexposed to show the lighting. I really wanted it to not be noticed unless you are looking directly at it.

 

^ i like!

not a bad idea to do since the NA has absolutely terrible lighting inside.. lol.. realistically... none

I also wish I had dome lights... i struggle to find the ignition keyhole at night. lol




in other news.. Flyin' Miata just gave me a follow up call on my previous orders and asked if I had any questions or needed help on installs.. nice people.. awesome customer service.