So do you avoid poor weather?

Never mind about hurricanes...NO ONE should drive in those *

While I'm still in the preliminary mode of searching Miatas (NBs, and
low mileage ones at that) that I could possibly afford, I see some
people owning ones that state they've never drivien them in the rain
or snow. Certainly garaging is nice for any car and I don't fault that
(I envy that, in fact, I don't have any garage and the best I could
offer is a high quality cover); but do any of you seasoned Miata
owners avoid bad weather? I would never try to intentionally harm a
vehicle, but c'mon, it's a car, I would intend on driving it in all
weather (of course on the West Coast, we get some nicer weather than
any owners in, say, Michigan!). But you get my point, who drives it in
all conditions? What are your thoughts about the Miata as a daily
driver?

On the other hand the perfect car I would like to find is a one owner,
low mileage that was used as a weekend car and has been garaged the
whole time....asking too much? *

TIA

It's fine as a daily driver. On rare occasions, when the humidity was high,
the temperature was quite low, it was late, the rain was hammering down, I
was tired, the road was really dark and twisty and I had the feeling that I
was trying to drive a damp pup tent while wearing sunglasses, I hated it...
but otherwise, it's great. In a light summer rain, it's fun to drive around
with the top down. In a summer shower, with the top up and the rear window
zipped out, it's great. In the winter, with good tires, it's fun.

Stephen

On 2004-09-21, Rivergoat > wrote:

> But you get my point, who drives it in all conditions?

I do here in Minnesota. My Miata is my foul-weather, hauling
lots of people and stuff vehicle. Before this Miata as my
year-round daily driver, I had another Miata as a daily driver.
And before that, an Alfa-Romeo Spyder.

> What are your thoughts about the Miata as a daily driver?

It's great.

It's fun being out on snowy days when the gits with 4WD SUVs
stay home because the roads are too bad.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! RELATIVES!!
at
visi.com

Rivergoat > wrote in
:

> Never mind about hurricanes...NO ONE should drive in those *
>
> While I'm still in the preliminary mode of searching Miatas (NBs, and
> low mileage ones at that) that I could possibly afford, I see some
> people owning ones that state they've never drivien them in the rain
> or snow. Certainly garaging is nice for any car and I don't fault that
> (I envy that, in fact, I don't have any garage and the best I could
> offer is a high quality cover); but do any of you seasoned Miata
> owners avoid bad weather? I would never try to intentionally harm a
> vehicle, but c'mon, it's a car, I would intend on driving it in all
> weather (of course on the West Coast, we get some nicer weather than
> any owners in, say, Michigan!). But you get my point, who drives it in
> all conditions? What are your thoughts about the Miata as a daily
> driver?
>
> On the other hand the perfect car I would like to find is a one owner,
> low mileage that was used as a weekend car and has been garaged the
> whole time....asking too much? *
>
> TIA

As long as you have the right tires and your top is in decent condition,
it's great. Only exception I've had is a return trip from Colorado for a
ski trip a few yrs ago. I came accross Kansas the day after a blizzard
and the wind constantly blowing snow accross the highway made driving
conditions next to impossible. The traffic packed the blown snow down to
ice on the highway. I was "fortunate" to spin just barely off the
highway, got help from a friendly passerby to get back on the road, and
VERY carefully drive to the hotel at the next exit to wait for morning to
finish my trip. Of course, that was also w/ all-season tires that
shouldn't have been used for such a trip. Along w/ that trip, I've made
several "winter" trips (heavy snow/slush/etc) in my miata and driven in
plenty of heavy rain. Before I replaced my old top w/ a Robbins w/ glass
window, it would leak in heavy rain, but since I got the new top, it's
been almost completely dry. Anyway, my 94 is my daily driver w/ a 40
mile commute (round trip) in St Louis where we get our share of bad
weather. And I have no complaints (about the car at least ..

-Scott

"Rivergoat" > wrote in message
...
> Never mind about hurricanes...NO ONE should drive in those *
>
> While I'm still in the preliminary mode of searching Miatas (NBs, and
> low mileage ones at that) that I could possibly afford, I see some
> people owning ones that state they've never drivien them in the rain
> or snow. Certainly garaging is nice for any car and I don't fault that
> (I envy that, in fact, I don't have any garage and the best I could
> offer is a high quality cover); but do any of you seasoned Miata
> owners avoid bad weather? I would never try to intentionally harm a
> vehicle, but c'mon, it's a car, I would intend on driving it in all
> weather (of course on the West Coast, we get some nicer weather than
> any owners in, say, Michigan!). But you get my point, who drives it in
> all conditions? What are your thoughts about the Miata as a daily
> driver?
>
> On the other hand the perfect car I would like to find is a one owner,
> low mileage that was used as a weekend car and has been garaged the
> whole time....asking too much? *
>
> TIA

The only limitations I can think of (assuming you have the right tires) are
that the low clearance will limit drivability in deep powder, and you have
to be careful in heavy rain about other cars kicking up a huge spray the
limits your visibility for a couple of seconds. Also if that spray is
angled just right, it can force its way between the top and the top of the
windshield and give you bit of a bath.

Nothing really to prevent it from being an everyday driver in Texas, that's
for sure.

Rivergoat > wrote:

>but do any of you seasoned Miata
>owners avoid bad weather?

I sure do when I can. But usually, the bad weather is right
in the way of where I want to go. I wish they would make
a law restricting it to the Interstates only.

Leon

--
Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .)
http://www.dommelen.net/miata
EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen)

Dust. A friend had a convertible in SoCal and complained about the
constant dust on the dashboard. It is also a problem here in Indiana
during harvest season.

I love driving in the rain. I do drive the truck in the snow, so that
I will live in the case that someone else chooses to drive over me.

Joe

Rivergoat wrote:
> Never mind about hurricanes...NO ONE should drive in those *
>
> While I'm still in the preliminary mode of searching Miatas (NBs, and
> low mileage ones at that) that I could possibly afford, I see some
> people owning ones that state they've never drivien them in the rain
> or snow.

I avoid driving in rain or snow in my Miata, that's what an
SUV is for.

;-)

Dana

How about starting up on cold winter mornings?

LazyEights

On 2004-09-23, LazyEights > wrote:

> How about starting up on cold winter mornings?

The car starts way better than I do on Winter mornings.

After running on the same battery for 8 years, mine starting
cranking a bit slow when it got below -10F. With a new battery
it fired right up again. [I usually part in underground
parking at night, so I don't have to put up with really cold
starts in the morning.]

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! I know things about
at TROY DONAHUE that can't
visi.com even be PRINTED!!