Intro

Hi, just found this NG, don't know why it took so long, as I have been
active in rec.motorcycles for 13+ years and have owned Miatas for
almost that long. I guess we're a Miata family... thought I'd
introduce myself.

I'm in northern Virginia, USA, and my current Miata is a '97 M
Edition, green with tan top & interior; 50k miles on it. My previous
Miata was a red '92 that I bought back in about 1998 with 16k miles on
it, drove it for two years, then my wife drove it for five years, and
now my grown son has owned/driven it for the past five years. He
still has it and it is still his daily driver with about 130k miles
that he put on it in Blacksburg VA, Chicago IL, Dallas TX, and most
recently in St. Mary's County MD.

My middle son has a 1990 Miata that was his street car until he
started doing track days in it, then took NASA's High Performance
Driving schools in it, then SCCA's licensing school, then took it off
the street entirely, converted it to Spec Miata, and is racing in the
NASA mid-Atlantic region this year, and currently is third in the SM
standings with his 150,000 mile (head's never been off the engine)
former street car.

I'm currently looking for a reputable, high-quality body shop in the
greater Washington D.C. area to repair the left side of my Miata;
damaged when I spun off the road in West Virginia in the rain in mid-
June, when a truck spilled diesel fuel in the exit of a turn... and I
was the first of several to hit it, lose control, and - in my case -
fetch up against a stand of trees just off the road surface. My son
(a Ford tech by trade) has realigned the car and found no chassis or
suspension damage (the front left wheel hit a tree hard enough to ram
tree bark under the tire bead and deflate the tire) and the car,
thank goodness, drives beautifully.

The major impact was sideways, exactly where the driver's door meets
the rear quarter panel, crushing the door and the door sill and latch
area. Amazingly enough, the door still opens and closes, although the
wndow will only lower about 1/3 of its normal travel before
interferance from the crushed outer doorskin.

It needs the driver's side rear quarter panel replaced(!), the
driver's door replaced, a small repair on the sill beneath the
driver's door, and the driver's side front fender replaced or
repaired. I'm planning to buy new oem body parts, since the car is
pretty much perfect other than this damage.

I'm currently contacting local bodyshops that are highly rated in
Washington Checkbook magazine, but any personal experiences and/or
recommendations would be welcome.

Oh, and sorry that XS11E won't see this post, as I use Google Groups
these days, and I see that he filters them out. I enjoyed his
contributions to "Reeky" (rec.motorcycles) for many, many years.

Oh, other background information:

Previous sportscars owned:

1960 MGA
1969 Triumph GT6+
1971 Triumph GT-6 MkIV
1971 Triumph Spitfire
1973 Triumph GT-6 MkIV
1992 Mazda Miata
2001 BMW Z3 3.0i Coupe

Current motorcycles:
2006 Ducati S4Rs Monster
2006 Harley FLHXI Street Glide
2000 Ducati 750SS
2006 Ducati 1000SS trackday bike
1967 Honda CL90 pitbike

Hauler:
2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab LB, 8.1l, 2WD

Tim

Tim M. wrote:
> Hi, just found this NG, don't know why it took so long, as I have been
> active in rec.motorcycles for 13+ years and have owned Miatas for
> almost that long. I guess we're a Miata family... thought I'd
> introduce myself.
>
> I'm in northern Virginia, USA, and my current Miata is a '97 M
> Edition, green with tan top & interior; 50k miles on it. My previous
> Miata was a red '92 that I bought back in about 1998 with 16k miles on
> it, drove it for two years, then my wife drove it for five years, and
> now my grown son has owned/driven it for the past five years. He
> still has it and it is still his daily driver with about 130k miles
> that he put on it in Blacksburg VA, Chicago IL, Dallas TX, and most
> recently in St. Mary's County MD.
>
> My middle son has a 1990 Miata that was his street car until he
> started doing track days in it, then took NASA's High Performance
> Driving schools in it, then SCCA's licensing school, then took it off
> the street entirely, converted it to Spec Miata, and is racing in the
> NASA mid-Atlantic region this year, and currently is third in the SM
> standings with his 150,000 mile (head's never been off the engine)
> former street car.
>
> I'm currently looking for a reputable, high-quality body shop in the
> greater Washington D.C. area to repair the left side of my Miata;
> damaged when I spun off the road in West Virginia in the rain in mid-
> June, when a truck spilled diesel fuel in the exit of a turn... and I
> was the first of several to hit it, lose control, and - in my case -
> fetch up against a stand of trees just off the road surface. My son
> (a Ford tech by trade) has realigned the car and found no chassis or
> suspension damage (the front left wheel hit a tree hard enough to ram
> tree bark under the tire bead and deflate the tire) and the car,
> thank goodness, drives beautifully.
>
> The major impact was sideways, exactly where the driver's door meets
> the rear quarter panel, crushing the door and the door sill and latch
> area. Amazingly enough, the door still opens and closes, although the
> wndow will only lower about 1/3 of its normal travel before
> interferance from the crushed outer doorskin.
>
> It needs the driver's side rear quarter panel replaced(!), the
> driver's door replaced, a small repair on the sill beneath the
> driver's door, and the driver's side front fender replaced or
> repaired. I'm planning to buy new oem body parts, since the car is
> pretty much perfect other than this damage.
>
> I'm currently contacting local bodyshops that are highly rated in
> Washington Checkbook magazine, but any personal experiences and/or
> recommendations would be welcome.
>
> Oh, and sorry that XS11E won't see this post, as I use Google Groups
> these days, and I see that he filters them out. I enjoyed his
> contributions to "Reeky" (rec.motorcycles) for many, many years.
>
> Oh, other background information:
>
> Previous sportscars owned:
>
> 1960 MGA
> 1969 Triumph GT6+
> 1971 Triumph GT-6 MkIV
> 1971 Triumph Spitfire
> 1973 Triumph GT-6 MkIV
> 1992 Mazda Miata
> 2001 BMW Z3 3.0i Coupe
>
> Current motorcycles:
> 2006 Ducati S4Rs Monster
> 2006 Harley FLHXI Street Glide
> 2000 Ducati 750SS
> 2006 Ducati 1000SS trackday bike
> 1967 Honda CL90 pitbike
>
> Hauler:
> 2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab LB, 8.1l, 2WD
>
> Tim
I see you do not list any British bikes. Did your experiences with MG
and Triumph sports cars turn you off the idea?

Stuart H.
Previous owner of 1959 Bugeye Sprite, 1961 MG Midget, 1977 MGB, numerous
Austin saloons, 1990 Classic Red Turbocharged Miata, 1991 Silver Stone
Silver Miata.
Currently 1991 BRG JDM Eunos Roadster, 2001 Suzuki Grand Vitara, 2006
Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

On Aug 13, 7:22*pm, "Stuart H." > wrote:
> Tim M. wrote:
> > Hi, just found this NG, don't know why it took so long, as I have been
> > active in rec.motorcycles for 13+ years and have owned Miatas for
> > almost that long. *I guess we're a Miata family... thought I'd
> > introduce myself.
>
> > I'm in northern Virginia, USA, and my current Miata is a '97 M
> > Edition, green with tan top & interior; 50k miles on it. *My previous
> > Miata was a red '92 that I bought back in about 1998 with 16k miles on
> > it, drove it for two years, then my wife drove it for five years, and
> > now my grown son has owned/driven it for the past five years. *He
> > still has it and it is still his daily driver with about 130k miles
> > that he put on it in Blacksburg VA, Chicago IL, Dallas TX, and most
> > recently in St. Mary's County MD.
>
> > My middle son has a 1990 Miata that was his street car until he
> > started doing track days in it, then took NASA's High Performance
> > Driving schools in it, then SCCA's licensing school, then took it off
> > the street entirely, converted it to Spec Miata, and is racing in the
> > NASA mid-Atlantic region this year, and currently is third in the SM
> > standings with his 150,000 mile (head's never been off the engine)
> > former street car.
>
> > I'm currently looking for a reputable, high-quality body shop in the
> > greater Washington D.C. area to repair the left side of my Miata;
> > damaged when I spun off the road in West Virginia in the rain in mid-
> > June, when a truck spilled diesel fuel in the exit of a turn... and I
> > was the first of several to hit it, lose control, and - in my case -
> > fetch up against a stand of trees just off the road surface. *My son
> > (a Ford tech by trade) has realigned the car and found no chassis or
> > suspension damage (the front left wheel hit a tree hard enough to ram
> > tree bark under the tire bead and deflate the tire) *and the car,
> > thank goodness, drives beautifully.
>
> > The major impact was sideways, exactly where the driver's door meets
> > the rear quarter panel, crushing the door and the door sill and latch
> > area. *Amazingly enough, the door still opens and closes, although the
> > wndow will only lower about 1/3 of its normal travel before
> > interferance from the crushed outer doorskin.
>
> > It needs the driver's side rear quarter panel replaced(!), the
> > driver's door replaced, a small repair on the sill beneath the
> > driver's door, and the driver's side front fender replaced or
> > repaired. *I'm planning to buy new oem body parts, since the car is
> > pretty much perfect other than this damage.
>
> > I'm currently contacting local bodyshops that are highly rated in
> > Washington Checkbook magazine, but any personal experiences and/or
> > recommendations would be welcome.
>
> > Oh, and sorry that XS11E won't see this post, as I use Google Groups
> > these days, and I see that he filters them out. *I enjoyed his
> > contributions to "Reeky" (rec.motorcycles) for many, many years.
>
> > Oh, other background information:
>
> > Previous sportscars owned:
>
> > 1960 MGA
> > 1969 Triumph GT6+
> > 1971 Triumph GT-6 MkIV
> > 1971 Triumph Spitfire
> > 1973 Triumph GT-6 MkIV
> > 1992 Mazda Miata
> > 2001 BMW Z3 3.0i Coupe
>
> > Current motorcycles:
> > 2006 Ducati S4Rs Monster
> > 2006 Harley FLHXI Street Glide
> > 2000 Ducati 750SS
> > 2006 Ducati 1000SS trackday bike
> > 1967 Honda CL90 pitbike
>
> > Hauler:
> > 2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab LB, 8.1l, 2WD
>
> > Tim
>
> I see you do not list any British bikes. *Did your experiences with MG
> and Triumph sports cars turn you off the idea?

No, I just currently do not own any British bikes, though I'd like to
have a Triumph 675 Street Triple R. I gave my last modern one, a 1999
Triumph 955i Speed Triple to my middle son, who still owns and rides
it. Prior to that, I sold my last classic British bike, a 1971
Triumph TR6RV Tiger 650 5-speed, about two years ago. Before that,
and in no particular order, I owned:

1997 Triumph T509 (885cc) Speed Triple
1973 Triumph T100R Daytona (500cc twin)
1974 Norton Commando 850 MkIIIa Roadster
1967 Norton Atlas 750

Tim

P.S. I'd still love to own a Bugeye Sprite sometime!

On Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:44:14 -0700 (PDT), "Tim M."
> wrote:

>I'm in northern Virginia, USA, and my current Miata is a '97 M
>Edition, green with tan top & interior; 50k miles on it.

Hi, Tim. Where in NoVa?

I've had excellent results from Old Town Auto Body here in Alexandria. They were
highly recommended to me by USAA.

Nice to see someone else who's conquered his life-long Triumph addiction. 8

-- Larry ('95 R)

On Aug 13, 11:55*pm, wrote:
> On Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:44:14 -0700 (PDT), "Tim M."
>
> > wrote:
> >I'm in northern Virginia, USA, and my current Miata is a '97 M
> >Edition, green with tan top & interior; 50k miles on it.
>
> Hi, Tim. Where in NoVa?
>
> I've had excellent results from Old Town Auto Body here in Alexandria. They were
> highly recommended to me by USAA.
>
> Nice to see someone else who's conquered his life-long Triumph addiction. *8
>
> -- Larry ('95 R)

Hi Larry, thanks for the response; I'm in Herndon. But Alexandria is
certainly an option for the right shop.

Yesterday I got an estimate from D&V Autobody in Sterling, and
tomorrow I have an appointment for an estimate from Craftsman Autobody
in Chantilly. I chose those two shops because of their high rankings
in Washington Checkbook magazine. Also, my son says that his Ford
dealership sends their bodywork customers to Craftsman Autobody and
that they don't get "many" complaints about the work that is done
there. Seems that it's hard to quantify good autobody work!

I've been planning to get three estimates, and hadn't chosen a third
shop. Olde Towne is also highly rated by Washington Checkbook
magazine, so it makes sense that with that, along with a personal reco
from another Miata owner, I should make them the third.

In this case, I'm planning to supply the replacement oem parts, and
simply have the shop dismantle, cut & weld, install, and paint the new
components. Hopefully the only body repair will be to the rear 1/4 to
1/3 of the driver side door rocker panel. Everything alse should be
new sheet metal.

I'm fighting with Nationwide (30+ year customer, second claim, first
one over $1,500) about THEIR estimate, which is woefully low.

Meanwhile, I am excited about getting the car back on the road after
two months; now that it is driveable again, I'm driving it even though
the driver's door got stuck shut again today!

On Aug 13, 4:44*pm, "Tim M." > wrote:
> Hi, just found this NG, don't know why it took so long, as I have been
> active in rec.motorcycles for 13+ years and have owned Miatas for
> almost that long. *I guess we're a Miata family... thought I'd
> introduce myself.
>
> I'm in northern Virginia, USA, and my current Miata is a '97 M
> Edition, green with tan top & interior; 50k miles on it. *My previous
> Miata was a red '92 that I bought back in about 1998 with 16k miles on
> it, drove it for two years, then my wife drove it for five years, and
> now my grown son has owned/driven it for the past five years. *He
> still has it and it is still his daily driver with about 130k miles
> that he put on it in Blacksburg VA, Chicago IL, Dallas TX, and most
> recently in St. Mary's County MD.
>
> My middle son has a 1990 Miata that was his street car until he
> started doing track days in it, then took NASA's High Performance
> Driving schools in it, then SCCA's licensing school, then took it off
> the street entirely, converted it to Spec Miata, and is racing in the
> NASA mid-Atlantic region this year, and currently is third in the SM
> standings with his 150,000 mile (head's never been off the engine)
> former street car.
>
> I'm currently looking for a reputable, high-quality body shop in the
> greater Washington D.C. area to repair the left side of my Miata;
> damaged when I spun off the road in West Virginia in the rain in mid-
> June, when a truck spilled diesel fuel in the exit of a turn... and I
> was the first of several to hit it, lose control, and - in my case -
> fetch up against a stand of trees just off the road surface. *My son
> (a Ford tech by trade) has realigned the car and found no chassis or
> suspension damage (the front left wheel hit a tree hard enough to ram
> tree bark under the tire bead and deflate the tire) *and the car,
> thank goodness, drives beautifully.
>
> The major impact was sideways, exactly where the driver's door meets
> the rear quarter panel, crushing the door and the door sill and latch
> area. *Amazingly enough, the door still opens and closes, although the
> wndow will only lower about 1/3 of its normal travel before
> interferance from the crushed outer doorskin.
>
> It needs the driver's side rear quarter panel replaced(!), the
> driver's door replaced, a small repair on the sill beneath the
> driver's door, and the driver's side front fender replaced or
> repaired. *I'm planning to buy new oem body parts, since the car is
> pretty much perfect other than this damage.
>
> I'm currently contacting local bodyshops that are highly rated in
> Washington Checkbook magazine, but any personal experiences and/or
> recommendations would be welcome.
>
> Oh, and sorry that XS11E won't see this post, as I use Google Groups
> these days, and I see that he filters them out. *I enjoyed his
> contributions to "Reeky" (rec.motorcycles) for many, many years.
>
> Oh, other background information:
>
> Previous sportscars owned:
>
> 1960 MGA
> 1969 Triumph GT6+
> 1971 Triumph GT-6 MkIV
> 1971 Triumph Spitfire
> 1973 Triumph GT-6 MkIV
> 1992 Mazda Miata
> 2001 BMW Z3 3.0i Coupe
>
> Current motorcycles:
> 2006 Ducati S4Rs Monster
> 2006 Harley FLHXI Street Glide
> 2000 Ducati 750SS
> 2006 Ducati 1000SS trackday bike
> 1967 Honda CL90 pitbike
>
> Hauler:
> 2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD Ext Cab LB, 8.1l, 2WD
>
> Tim

Welcome to the group. I also post from Google since so many ISPs
dropped Usenet. It's crazy how many Miata owners ride motorcycles.
My rides are a 09 MX-5 GT and an 81 Yamaha XS1100S (probably one of
the worse bikes I've owned but it was cheap and I can't kill it). I'd
buy a new one if I could find something I really liked. The only one
that's caught my eye is the Guzzi Norge 1200 but I haven't ridden one
yet. Good luck with your repairs.

net

On Aug 14, 8:25*am, NetMax > wrote:

> Welcome to the group. *I also post from Google since so many ISPs
> dropped Usenet. *It's crazy how many Miata owners ride motorcycles.
> My rides are a 09 MX-5 GT and an 81 Yamaha XS1100S (probably one of
> the worse bikes I've owned but it was cheap and I can't kill it). *I'd
> buy a new one if I could find something I really liked. *The only one
> that's caught my eye is the Guzzi Norge 1200 but I haven't ridden one
> yet. *Good luck with your repairs.

Thanks. I'm off to the second bodyshop this morning before going to
work. I'm starting to get revved up about the prospect of the car
being put right again!

Welcome... I also had a 60 MGA, wonderful memories there. And a 70 Spitfire,
which was my first Brit car.

Had a few different 60's Triumph 650's back in the day. Besides my 96 Miata
I currently ride an R100 airhead, Yamaha 500 single, and a CB160.

miker

"Tim M." wrote in message ...
> Hi, just found this NG,

On Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:50:08 -0700 (PDT), "Tim M."
> wrote:

>Hi Larry, thanks for the response; I'm in Herndon....

Ah, OK. Are you a DC Mazda Club member? http://www.mscw.com/. Lots of potential
recommendations there.

Do you know Performance Buyers Club in Chantilly
(http://www.performancebuyers.com/)? They're highly recommended, and could
probably give you a recommendation based on their primarily Miata experience.

-- Larry

On Aug 14, 9:51*am, "miker" > wrote:
> Welcome... I also had a 60 MGA, wonderful memories there. And a 70 Spitfire,
> which was my first Brit car.
>
> Had a few different 60's Triumph 650's back in the day. Besides my 96 Miata
> I currently ride an R100 airhead, Yamaha 500 single, and a CB160.

Hi Mike, sounds like you really like the classics! I've had two
Yamaha SR500s over the years; my '79 I put in White Brother's 542cc
big bore kit, high compression piston, street cam, Kerker header pipe,
Ducati 750GT Conti muffler, 36mm Mikuni carb, converted it to XS650
wire wheels with shouldered alloy rims, stainless steel brake line,
fork brace, Koni shocks, Progressive Suspension fork springs, RD350
(round) taillight, and R90S handlebars. It weighed 340 pounds with a
full tank of gas, and that bike was a blast to ride! My 1980 was bone
stock, and a bit more sedate, but also a bit easier to start and WAY
better on gas!

Tim