End of An Era 1

I guess I have some sepanx issues to work on. LOL

My love affair with the Miata started in the mid-90s when 1st Gen (NA) was first introduced in the Philippines. Finally, an ‘affordable’ sports car, convertible at that! But it was still way beyond my means. The ‘means’ finally happened in 2010. But the model I eventually purchased, I first saw at an Ad Congress in SBMA around Nov 2009. I even took it for a test drive.

The unit arrived on August 15, 2010 at 5am!! The sales agent committed to finally deliver the unit in time for the trip to Tagaytay the family planned. I remember that drive to Antonio’s where I treated the family for lunch. I was so used to driving automatic that my left leg had some cramps for driving the manual transmission Miata for a few hours. 

I loved everything about it. I had to call it Simply Red, after the band. I loved looking at it. I loved driving it. I loved the looks and stares I got (yes, until now) when I drive it around. And when I finally changed the rims to ‘wire-looking’ (pictured), Simply Red looked stunning.

Was it a mid-life crisis? Hmm, I was 44yo when it arrived. I was single and dating during that time I purchased it. (I had been single for more than a year). The company was still at an upward trajectory. So maybe it wasn’t. It was a childhood dream come true. (But the childhood dream was actually a Jaguar e-type. Hehe)

But I knew I wasn’t going to keep it forever. For that reason, I was fastidious in maintaining the vehicle, and making sure all the documents remain intact. I planned to sell the unit in 2020, 10 years after.

However, in September 2017, I drove the unit to Camaya Coast. It was in the middle of a typhoon. On the way back, I didn’t realize that the streets of Mariveles, Bataan get flooded! I had to make a quick decision to enter a bus terminal rather than wade thru the floods. We (my bff secretatry fag hag and I) had to wait for about 3 hours for the flood waters to recede. That was the wake-up call. I was done with low-clearance sports cars.

I finally came around to listing this online last year. After many inquiries (and negotiations), I finally made a deal last week. The new owner came over to pick-up the car, with full payment in hand. It was time to say goodbye.

I feel blessed to have enjoyed years with Simply Red. No regrets about ‘indulging a fantasy’, even if it meant stretching my finances then. YOLO is so true. Choose those dreams that bring deep satisfaction. Make them happen.