Mazda MX-5 Miata: This thing's a real car

After 18,000 miles in just 11 months our Miata is in desperate need of a detailing. Nothing major mind you, but the carpet looks like it was last vacuumed when the Iraq war was popular and there's enough beverage spillage on the console to keep a CSI team buzzing for a week. The paint could use a little wax too.

So we're slobs...

This ain't news. But the fact that we've driven the Miata more than 18,000 miles in 11 months is front page stuff. And it's absolute proof that the third generation of Mazda's two-seat roadster is a real car and not some overly compromised toy.

The same could not be said for previous Miatas. Do that much driving in a first or second generation example and you'd be debilitated with severe hearing loss, lower back troubles and acute Hodophobia--the fear of road travel. But Miata owners no longer need to fear the interstate. In fact, our little blue convertible has been to Arizona, Las Vegas and Northern California several times without causing a single visit to an otologist, a chiropractor or a shrink.

Plus our car has been dead reliable, requiring only scheduled maintenance. Having driven it home last night I can also testify that its chassis is rattle free, its Michelin tires still have some life left on them and it's easily the most entertaining car in our fleet.

Scott Oldham, Editor-in-Chief @ 18,150 miles

Categories: 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata

4 Comments

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blueguydotcom says:

03:15 PM, 02/22/07

Great cars. My family swears by Miatas.

An 06 in 08 or 09 would make a great second or third car.

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autoboy16 says:

09:31 PM, 02/22/07

Thanks for the vocab lesson!! Mom mom is suffuring Hodophobia from her 02 miata...

-Cj

desmolicious says:

12:26 PM, 02/23/07

oh, I thought it said "hoBophobia", the fear of travelling for free in railroad container cars...

jay_laz says:

05:52 PM, 01/ 7/10

After noting, "driven the Miata more than 18,000 miles in 11 months", Scott Oldham whined, "The same could not be said for previous Miatas. Do that much driving in a first or second generation example and you'd be debilitated with severe hearing loss, lower back troubles and acute Hodophobia--the fear of road travel. " !!!FALSE!!! After three trips of 3000+ miles EACH, I assure you, I'm fit-as-a-DOHC-four, and itchin' to journey from Chicago via Denver, Yellowstone and Death Valley along all 1000 miles of the US Pacific coast. And while we're jibber-jabbering, what're you doin' on "Interstates" anyway, when twistie-turney-curvy-windy routes exist?