On Tue, 5 May 1998 07:33:09 -0700 "Lawrie Alexander"
<Lawrie@britcars.com> writes:
>Bill.......
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: William Elliott <William.Elliott@mail.mei.com>
>(SNIP)
>>Most Miata owners (except true enthusiasts using them
>>as an alternative to a generic commuter car) would not
>>consider owning an LBC. And vice versa.
>
>On what do you base that statement? Actual interviews with Miata
>owners?
>(How many?) Assumption? Prejudice?
>
>Would be interested in a serious answer. Making our living serving
>only
>British Cars (and having done so for the last umpteen years), we are
>concerned that daily use of LBCs is dwindling and are considering
>expanding
>our operation to include Miatas. Are we really going to have to keep
>their
>owners from seeing the LBCs in our shop?
>Lawrie
>British Sportscar Center
I made a point of keeping away from this one up to now since its almost
the same as prejudices against Triumphs and the like but Lawrie makes a
good point - much as with Moss diversifying into Miatas, the folk who
make their living keeping our hobby alive need as broad a base of
customers as can be achieved - since none of OUR cars have been produced
since 1980 a source has to be found and that source needs to be something
that will likely endure in the imagination of the enthusiast - you arent
going to come across an Olds cutlass ciera club in the new millenium!
My son is 13, and whilst he enjoys my cars with me, there are precisely
that - MY cars
He has no "history" with MGs and thinks Miatas and Z3s are WAAAAYY COOL -
he aspires to own one (admittedly as a 2nd choice to a Porsche 911 but
you dont need realism at 13!) - in a few years he will likely buy a 90-91
miata or similar for a couple of thousand bucks (you can already get them
for under 5000)and will spend as much time under it as in it and when hes
older still, and the kids have got out of baby seats and theres a bit of
disposable income to have fun with will likely want another "vintage" 20
year old car that reminds him of his youth! - its just the way it evolves
Miatas filled the niche that was void and since theres nothing new under
heaven, tend to "look" a bit like Bs, TRs,Lotus' and what went before -
but they arent supposed to be the same, or for that matter to be compared
- do we compare Bs to J2s? - the timing between inceptions is a lot
shorter than it was between Bs and Miatas......
I have driven Miatas - both the originals and the new design - theyre ok
-not for me but i can see how someone could get excited over them,
especially the new one; sure theyre light but i imagine if you drive one
every day you get used to it - i just switched parts/kid hauler from a
jeep grand cherokee to an escort and for the first few days thought id be
blown off the road by a good gust of wind! Now i dont even notice.
The Miata isnt bad, merely different - but remember it wasnt meant for
US, the true MG enthusiasts, it was meant for people who wanted a cheap
roadster and for a new generation who couldnt care what the badge says
(now, i wonder how many times that was written in the 50s and 60s by T
drivers!! hehe)
So much for the thoughts of chairman mike on that one - if anyone has
read this far, you really need to get a life!!!
mike robson
69 roadster
70 BGT
72 roadster
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