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+--- Thread: Miata: The Fourth Awakens (/showthread.php?tid=12027)
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Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 12-09-2019
Well, I'm not really sure what I'm doing, but I suppose this car is going to be around for a bit.
Was working from home a few weeks ago at my girlfriend's house and got an email alert from Craigslist that met my criteria. It was a 1990 Miata in red with a lot of high quality photos and low mileage. The price was... well... very good, so I shot them an email and began making my case to the girlfriend that I needed to drive to the eastern shore that evening to spend 80% of my savings account on a third car. The next 20 minutes were fairly tense as I waited for the return email, fully expected it to be a scam or already be sold. Eventually, the phone rang and an older woman's voice on the other end said "Hello, I received your email about the Mazda. I'll be here all evening if you want to come take a look". That was all I needed to hear and I was ready to head out and grab the trailer, but there were a few more details I would learn on the phone before the conversation ended. First, the car was being sold as it was her husband's and he had passed away suddenly the week before, which was very sad, but re-assured me this wasn't a scam. The second fact was, the car was located on the eastern shore and it was about to be rush house, so it would take me at least 3 hours in rush hour to get there. I pleaded with her to not let the car go before 7 PM; she was a little confused about the question, but she agreed. Luckily, I was the first person she spoke to. I told the team at work I was leaving early and we set off.
My girlfriend tagged along and we brought the doggo. Why? I don't know.
We arrived right around 7 with the trailer as the owner and her daughter were finishing dinner. It was raining, dark, and cold. The garage door opened and I knew immediately I was purchasing it. The red paint shown brightly even in the dark garage and the car started quickly and silently as soon as I turned the key. As a formality, I checked the rockers for rust and drove it approximately 100 yards down the road and turned around. There was no point in dragging out the process, this car could have sold for twice what they were asking without issue. I returned to their house and said I'd take it.
"So, we realize we need to give you a death certificate in order to title the car. Do you have $25? Each copy costs that much and we only have a few"
I did not.
"Ooooh. That may be an issue. Do you have a check?"
At this point, I thought I was being pranked. Were they really about to not sell me the car over $25 that was never mentioned? I ran back to the truck and asked my girlfriend for any cash she said. I walked back over to the daughter, who was overseeing the deal, with $6 in cash. The daughter's face contorted as if she was really considering this to be a major roadblock, then she asked me to come inside. I sat down at the table with the mom (the owner) and eventually hashed out a plan where I would take the car and the title, along with the death certificate, get it titled, then mail a check for $25 back or mail back the death certificate. This whole situation struck me as extremely odd, but I realized they were in a turbulent time in their lives as well, so I wasn't going to make a big deal of it. We chatted for a minute, then I loaded the car up and brought it back home.
I'll glaze over the next couple weeks in this story, but it involved probably 7 hours at the DMV total and a lot of trips to the post office to get things mailed back and forth. Eventually the car was titled and a check for $10 and some keys I found in the car were mailed back to her.
The car:
1990 Miata in Classic Red
95,000 miles
Garage kept for the last decade.
Newer Soft top, top tonnea, full cockpit tonneau
Bags of spare bulbs
Touch up paint
AC Deleted for some reason
Mazda OEM Cup Holder with the Box
Tons of little goodies only a retired man living in St. Michaels would have like leather map pockets
The car was a base model with manual windows and wasn't wired for the seat speakers from the factory, but at some point, it seems someone had tan leather seats installed with some after market wiring to make the seat speakers work with the new head unit. I didn't like the look of those seats so I drove back over to Maryland to pick up some black cloth seats and swapped them in.
Changed the oil, gave the car a good inspection, and changed the trans and diff oil. Realized the soft top was installed extremely incorrectly, so I fixed that as well. The tires were over 15 years old, so I threw a new set of all seasons on as well.
This past week, I realized I was probably keeping the car until the spring, so I started the search for a hardtop, and within 2 days saw one pop up in Centerville for a stupid good price. I also happened to be off work that day, so I was at their house with cash within 45 minutes of it being posted. The moral of this story, being available to be anywhere with cash immediately is how you get good deals.
Plan for the car going forward, hopefully nothing. Drive it and enjoy it. It could use some shocks... and that's about it.
![[Image: mXcSL8a.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/mXcSL8a.jpg)
https://imgur.com/2VymxXm
![[Image: 2VymxXm.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/2VymxXm.jpg)
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Apoc - 12-09-2019
I thought the moral of the story was always carry cash?
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 12-09-2019
(12-09-2019, 12:17 PM)Apoc Wrote: I thought the moral of the story was always carry cash?Maybe I'll split the difference and just carry my check book.
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RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Apoc - 12-09-2019
Is that like 1980s venmo or something?
I always carry cash but recently forgot it for a cash only transaction. I found a stranger who had enough cash and bought some off him with venmo.
So is this your side hustle now? Buying cheap cars and reselling after six months?
Miata: The Fourth Awakens - JPolen01 - 12-09-2019
Did you bring the exact cash amount or fill out the check ahead of time? Either way, looks like a nice Miata. I kind of want it, but have nowhere to keep it.
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Jake - 12-09-2019
I've made a lot of comments about Taylor's past Miata purchases, many of them starting with "why" and ending with "did you do that."
This one is a nice car. I'm sure the seller appreciated your flexibility and how easy you made the whole process, even though it involved a lot of steps on both ends.
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 12-09-2019
(12-09-2019, 01:16 PM)Apoc Wrote: Is that like 1980s venmo or something?If I can own a fun car and come out even or ahead, have the time and energy, and have the cash, definitely.
I always carry cash but recently forgot it for a cash only transaction. I found a stranger who had enough cash and bought some off him with venmo.
So is this your side hustle now? Buying cheap cars and reselling after six months?
Ultimately, it's not much, but it does significantly help the track car. Sold the blue ETA to buy the E36. Sold the Vert E30 to buy much needed parts.
Perhaps this will pay for the roll cage?
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(12-09-2019, 02:21 PM)JPolen01 Wrote: Did you bring the exact cash amount or fill out the check ahead of time? Either way, looks like a nice Miata. I kind of want it, but have nowhere to keep it.Brought the cash, in $20 bills, haha. Feel free to come borrow it some time, although there's no place for the car seat
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(12-09-2019, 08:33 PM)Jake Wrote: I've made a lot of comments about Taylor's past Miata purchases, many of them starting with "why" and ending with "did you do that."I like to imagine the last few have been an upward trend in quality. Thanks! Can't wait to see the review on the ND.
This one is a nice car. I'm sure the seller appreciated your flexibility and how easy you made the whole process, even though it involved a lot of steps on both ends.
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RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Apoc - 12-10-2019
Like that guy who traded a red paper clip all the way up to a house on Craigslist. At least, I think that's the story.
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 12-10-2019
(12-10-2019, 12:16 AM)Apoc Wrote: Like that guy who traded a red paper clip all the way up to a house on Craigslist. At least, I think that's the story.I mention that story a lot. Can't say it doesn't fascinate me.
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RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Scott - 12-13-2019
(12-09-2019, 12:05 PM)Senor_Taylor Wrote:Great pick up!
https://imgur.com/2VymxXm
BTW, in between those two marks you are parked on the LF of the trailer is the perfect placement for a NA Miata in the trailer.
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 12-13-2019
(12-13-2019, 05:46 PM)Scott Wrote:I'm aware of those marks! The car moved forward a bit when I was tying it down. Tried using those with the E36 and that was not great.(12-09-2019, 12:05 PM)Senor_Taylor Wrote:Great pick up!
https://imgur.com/2VymxXm
BTW, in between those two marks you are parked on the LF of the trailer is the perfect placement for a NA Miata in the trailer. [emoji14]
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RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 12-21-2019
Car has been great. Somehow Scott convinced me to buy yet another set of seats since the ones I bought are actually the 95-97 seats. These look much better and hopefully smell better, so I'll be running out to Summit tomorrow to pick them up.
Jake also used this as a 30 year comparison to the ND he had for a bit.
https://outmotorsports.com/2019/12/2019-mazda-mx5-miata-rf-review-comparison/
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Evan - 12-23-2019
Spotted.....
![[Image: NH7ZTs7.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/NH7ZTs7.jpg)
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 12-23-2019
(12-23-2019, 12:31 AM)Evan Wrote: Spotted.....Where was this?
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RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Evan - 12-23-2019
Rt 29 Merrifield, 6 something pm. Car looks real nice in the flesh.
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 12-23-2019
(12-23-2019, 07:02 PM)Evan Wrote: Rt 29 Merrifield, 6 something pm. Car looks real nice in the flesh.Yup that was me! Thank you! Hopefully you didn't notice me driving like an idiot.
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RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 01-07-2020
This will be for sale as soon as the weather starts warming up. Need money to finish the E36.
MM Price, let's call it $4500?
Can't find a clean, low mileage, NA with a hardtop for less than that easily.
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Scott - 01-08-2020
(01-07-2020, 02:41 PM)Senor_Taylor Wrote: This will be for sale as soon as the weather starts warming up. Need money to finish the E36.
MM Price, let's call it $4500?
Can't find a clean, low mileage, NA with a hardtop for less than that easily.
Very fairly priced. Should sell quick (personally I'd wait until Spring)
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - Senor_Taylor - 01-08-2020
(01-08-2020, 07:05 PM)Scott Wrote:(01-07-2020, 02:41 PM)Senor_Taylor Wrote: This will be for sale as soon as the weather starts warming up. Need money to finish the E36.
MM Price, let's call it $4500?
Can't find a clean, low mileage, NA with a hardtop for less than that easily.
Very fairly priced. Should sell quick (personally I'd wait until Spring)
I wanted to wait as well, but I've got a big bill at Mach V to pay for in February.
RE: Miata: The Fourth Awakens - davej - 01-09-2020
(01-08-2020, 07:11 PM)Senor_Taylor Wrote:(01-08-2020, 07:05 PM)Scott Wrote:(01-07-2020, 02:41 PM)Senor_Taylor Wrote: This will be for sale as soon as the weather starts warming up. Need money to finish the E36.
MM Price, let's call it $4500?
Can't find a clean, low mileage, NA with a hardtop for less than that easily.
Very fairly priced. Should sell quick (personally I'd wait until Spring)
I wanted to wait as well, but I've got a big bill at Mach V to pay for in February.
Trade the meotter to Deren for the parts/work.