In a message dated 6/5/01 9:25:55 AM, soavero@yahoo.com writes:
<< The top-up people usually come back with "why do you care
if I have my top up?", which is actually a pretty fair
response. But one of the joys of owning my "other"
car is that with the wind block up and the heat on, I
can enjoy that top down feeling on a 15 degree clear
midwest winter >>
I'm not talking about 15 degrees. I'm talking about 70-75 degrees. Like I
said, I would say something to the driver, but they always have their windows
rolled up.
As for why do I care if the top is up, whether it is a fair question or not,
I just need some clarification. It goes as follows:
Dear Miata/Z3/SLK driver,
You've just spent some good money on a well engineered, sporting car. All
year round you tolerate the impracticalities of owning a two-seater roadster:
the road noise, cramped interior, lack of luggage space, etc. Now, on this
lovely, sunny, 72 degree day, your top is still firmly in place. These are
the days these cars were meant for, yet for some reason I cannot fathom, you
deny yourself of this joy that awaits you. To those of you who consider LBC
owners to be masochists, I say, touche....(sp)
I admit, I am not one of the hardcore top down guys that exist on this list.
If it's below 50, you will not see me in my MG. If it gets too cold during a
drive, yes, I do put the top up and turn on the heat. I very rarely drive the
Midget with the top up, but when I do, my wife and I like the coziness, but
I'll take driving her top down any day.
This thread has taken some interesting issues to the table. What we think of
Miata driver's and what they think of us, and the one's caught in the middle,
those who own both an LBC and a Miata.
An ex-girlfriend of mine had a Miata, which I always drove, and yes dammit,
with the top down. It was a damn fun car to drive. That shifter, and that
handling, it was great. But show me two keys, one to a Miata, and one to my
MG, I'll take the MG. Why? The MG is the real deal. Any faults you find with
the car are a part of its character. As good a car the Miata is, it is a copy
of the classic British roadster. And to borrow a line from Porsche, "There is
No Substitute".
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