WeMiata Club

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We're the Windsor & Essex County
Miata Club

located in southwestern Ontario
... in Canada's Sun Parlour

email us at:

Note: The above is not a hotlink.

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Three generations of the MX-5 Miata
In the back from the left, the NC, NB, and NA

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FOR UPCOMING EVENTS

SEE THE SIDEBAR TO THE RIGHT

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Chatham Mazda is open for business!

Chatham Mazda has kindly offered to give all WeMiata members 'X-Plan' pricing (same as Ford employee A-Plan) on any new MX5 purchase. They will also give us a 15% discount on any parts & service. Don't want to drive all the way to Chatham to have your Miata serviced? Give them a call (519-354-1118, Toll free - 877-354-1118) and they will pick your car up in Windsor (and area) and deliver it back to you when the service is completed!

Chatham Mazda is located at 371 Richmond Street, Chatham, Ontario N7M 1P5. That's just a few blocks east of the Wheels Inn. (Click here for a map.)

Make sure you bring your membership card!

And thanks to Kyle Sacripanti and all the staff of Chatham Mazda for the BBQ!

Chatham Mazda hosted a BBQ for us!

A new MX-5 PRHT in the shworoom

Visit Chatham Mazda,

.... and take a test drive.

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New Honourary WeMiata Member nominated by Frank P.

"I would like to nominate a new honourary member of the WeMiata Club. We have truly gone international. This is Abrahan. He is the proud owner of a 1990 Mariner Blue NA.

Don't let his Antonio Banderas "outlaw" good looks fool you, ladies. Abrahan is a graduate of the University of Mexico City and is an M.D. and a Surgeon. He moved to Isla Mujeres several years ago and practices medicine in Cancun, Mexico.

He was looking for a quiet, simpler life and Isla definitely meets his requirements. The Miata originated in Ontario and found its way to Mexico via California. He is the third owner here on Isla and intends to fully restore the car, as the previous owner kind of let it go. We wish him lots of luck in his endeavour.

Abrahan is the one and only Miata owner here on Isla Mujeres. There are no other Miatas here at all. I am going to try to convince him to let me take it for a little spin today!"

Frank P.

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Volunteers Needed!

We've had requests for more events. If you would like to plan and lead an event, just send in the details and we'll post your event here. It's easy. You can do it!

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The 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata - What the Auto Press Says

"The 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata ranks 1 out of 5 Affordable Sports Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 65 published reviews and test drives of the Mazda MX-5 Miata, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata is a dream, especially for sports car enthusiasts on a budget. It's quick, agile, great on gas and reliable. Plus, the Miata holds its value longer than of its competitors. Because of these attributes, we picked the Miata as the 2011 Best Sports Car for the Money.

The Miata carries into 2011 largely unchanged -- which doesn’t bother critics and enthusiasts. Its combination of thrilling handling, impressive build quality and long-term value isn’t anything to scoff at. And though it’s no high-end luxury roadster, you can’t tell when you sit behind the wheel. "This little Mazda delivers as much driving enjoyment -- if not outright power -- as 2-seat sports cars costing thousands more," writes Consumer Guide.

In fact, many believe the Miata is the best sports car available at this price point. Edmunds writes, "The 2011 Mazda Miata maintains its position as one of the all-time great roadsters, mixing refinement and excitement in an affordable, compact package."

Last year, the MX-5 Miata was named a Consumer Reports "Top Recommendation" and Consumer Guide "Best Buy." The 2010 MX-5 Miata was also our pick for Best Sports Car for the Money. With little changed for 2011, it’s likely the accolades will keep rolling in."

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About WeMiata

A new Miata club began in the spring of 2008 in southwestern Ontario. It's the WeMiata Club, and it stands for Windsor & Essex Miata Club. It's a take-off of the name for the Michigan Miata Club - MiMiata. Many WeMiata members are also members of MiMiata, which has been around since the 1990s.

On the way to Miatas Doin' the Charleston, May 2010

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A Miata at the Top of the World

One of our members has been to the top of the world. Almost. Ok.... not verest, but as high as you can go on a paved road anywhere in North America . (Some Web sites say Mt. Evans is the highest paved road anywhere in the world.)

And he's been there twice - in a Miata.

Mt. Evans in Colorado, U.S.A.

If you haven't read about 'Iron Butt ' Bob, you should. It's tremendously interesting reading. (See the sidebar on the right.)

Bob has done many Iron Butt rides on motorcycles and has 13 or 14 records. OK, he makes us Miata people look like wimps. But we can take it.

And I'm pretty sure he'd prefer driving in a Miata, with his wife Lynn, when it's time to have some fun. Like on a WeMiata Wine Tour.

Bob Munden's Miata at the top of Mt. Evans

Mt. Evans would make a great WeMiata trip.It's about 50 miles west of Denver Colorado, not too far from Pike's Peak, which is not as high, and the road to the top is not paved.

Sunrise to Sunset

Kazoom (Kalamazoo Area Zealous Owners Of Miatas) sponsors the 'Sunrise to Sunset' event every year.

Sunrise at East Tawas, Michigan

It's a fall color tour in October that begins with watching sunrise over Lake Huron, then heads westward on some of Michigan's twistiest roads, then ends watching sunset over Lake Michigan. It's a great way to wrap up the Miata driving season. Many of us WeMiata and MiMiata members attend this event.

Gaylord and Michigan State Police escorted us out of town — as a courtesy,
we weren't being bad. (photo by Gail B.)

The Midwest Miata Gathering

The 9th annual Midwest Miata Gathering took place in Indianapolis, Indiana on September 26 and. Click here to see photos of the event.

It was quite an event, and we had perfect weather all weekend. Everyone got to drive on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and one of the members of the Michigan Miata Club got to a drive an Indy Car - and she loved it!

There was a guided tour of downtown Indianapolis Thursday for early arrivers. Everyone who took that tour gave it high marks. There were two covered bridge guided tours on Saturday - long ones, 160 miles! Those tours took most of the day. There will be a lot of photos of MMG 08 in the Past Events column on the right.... soon. They still build covered bridges in many states. Why are they covered? The structures are made of wood and covering them protects them from the elements.

There was also a self guided trip to Nashville. No, not the Country Music Capital, the Nashville in Indiana. It's supposed to be a place with a lot of great shopping, crafts mostly. But we found out there are TWO Nashvilles in Indiana! What is up with that?! We were given detailed directions from our hotel but some of us decided to go there directly from the Speedway. We keyed in 'Nashville' on the GPS and were on our way. We eventually arrived at the Nashville northeast of Indianapolis.

But we couldn't find it! The GPS took us to exactly where it was located on the map, but it was just a deserted road. Nothing. A real ghost town. (Two of us had the same Nashville entered in our GPS units. And when we reached the destination... there was nothing there!)

We got out the map again and our chief navigator found a second Nashville, Indiana, southwest of Indy. We headed off in that direction but cut our drive short because it was getting close to dinner time. We found some very nice roads though. One was like a roller coaster and our stomachs did a bit of a jump over some of the hills.

On Saturday the Indy Miata Club staged all the cars at the hotel - all 165 of them. There were 150 paid guests plus members of the Indy club who were not volunteering. The police closed down Interstate 70 and 465, plus surface streets, to escort us to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - over 15 miles. Incredible! And how much did the police escort cost the Indy Miata Club? Nothing.

The police said if they were allowed to drive on the track as well, that would be enough. They had as much fun as we did! One of the motorcycle patrolmen from Speedway (the Indy track is in the Town of Speedway) drove his motorcycle around the track standing up! I wonder if he had so sign a waiver like everybody else did.

The Indy club had a photographer at the 'finish line' and took everyone's photo as they crossed the line. We all got the photos at the dinner that night.

Hats off to the Indy Miata Club, they did a fantastic job!

The Midwest Miata Gathering takes place every year, usually on the Labor Day weekend.

A Road Runs Through It

A road runs right through Deals Gap, North Carolina.

It's not just any road, it's U.S. 129. And it made Deals Gap (population 6) world famous.

U.S. 129 - the Tail of the Dragon - at Deals Gap, North Carolina

The road that runs through Deals Gap has 318 turns in just 11 miles. This exceedingly twisty piece of asphalt is also known as 'The Tail of the Dragon' or, just "The Dragon." Drive it all the way and you have 'slain the dragon.'

Part of the road runs through heavily forested hills along the southwestern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Only one dirt road intersects 129, and it comes from Cade's Cove in the National Park. So there is almost danger of vehicles pulling out in front of those on the road.

Downtown Deal's Gap, North Carolina, and the road that runs through it. MiMiata group - May 1, 2008. Note the Minis in the background.

Gail and I were driving the Tail of the Dragon at a pretty good clip earlier this year. The turns come up so quickly you seldom get higher than 3rd gear. It was a spirited drive for sure. At one point we were coming around a blind switchback to the left when a Mini Cooper, coming the other way, emerged - skidding sideways toward us - in our lane! We slammed on the brakes, came to a screeching stop, and stared at him through his side window. Gail said he was a foot away when he stopped. I think he was about 15 feet away. Anyway, too close for comfort. He stalled the Mini. As he restarted and drove away he gave us a really cheesy little smile and a 'so sorry' wave.

It was a real 'Kodak moment' but Gail missed the shot.

Later someone in our group asked us if we saw a Mini Cooper go by the other way, going like a bat out of hell. We said, "Oh, yeah! Up close!"

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Many movies have been made on U.S. 129, including Thunder Road in 1958, which called 129 the hottest highway on earth.

And every year there is a Miata event on 'Thunder Road' called 'Miatas at the Gap.' What is it? It's like.... Woodstock. Yeah, that's it - Woodstock.

Only better.... Woodstock for Miatas!

It's a big deal. It's a really big deal. There probably isn't a bigger deal, for Miata people, than Miatas at the Gap. It happens every year in July.

MiMiata cars on 'The Dragon,' May 2008 (photo by Gail B.)

Deals Gap has always been a mecca for Miatas (and lots of other sports cars, and motorcycles). But the 'Miatas at the Gap' event brings a whole lot of Miatas together there at one time, in late July every year. It's an unstructured event, and it's FREE.

For a taste of Miatas at the Gap check out these videos from the 1999 event.

Miatas at the Gap III video (from 1999)

Miatas at the Gap III video, part 2

More Miatas at the Gap

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Miatas at the Gap XIV Web Site

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WeMiata Club Information

* Dues - no
* Fun - yes

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About the MX-5 Miata

Now in its third generation, the MX5's first generation, the NA, sold over 400,000 units from 1989 to 1997 – with a 1.6 L (98 cu in) straight-4 engine to 1993, a 1.8 L (110 cu in) engine thereafter (with a de-tuned 1.6 as a budget option in some markets) – recognizable by its pop-up headlights. The second generation (NB) was introduced in 1998 with a slight increase in engine power; it can be recognized by the fixed headlights and the glass rear window. The third generation (NC) was introduced in 2005 with a 2.0 L (120 cu in) engine.

The MX-5 was conceived as a small roadster – with light weight and minimal mechanical complexity limited only by legal and safety requirements; technologically modern, but a philosophically direct descendant of the small British roadsters of the 1960s such as the Triumph Spitfire, Austin-Healey Sprite, MG Midget and Lotus Elan.

The MX-5 was designed with a traditional front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout and four-wheel independent double wishbone suspension. It has a longitudinally-mounted four cylinder engine coupled to a manual transmission (5 speed for NA, 5 or 6 speed in NB & NC); an automatic transmission is a cost option.

The body is a conventional, but light, unibody or monocoque construction, with a (detachable) rear subframe. The MX-5 also incorporates a truss marketed as the Powerplant Frame (PPF) which connects the engine to the differential, minimizing flex and contributing to responsive handling. Some MX-5s feature limited slip differentials and anti-lock braking system. Traction control is an option available on NC models. The earlier cars weighed in at just over a ton, with engine power output usually 116 bhp (87 kW). The later cars were heavier, with higher power engines.

With an approximate 50:50 front/rear weight balance, the car has nearly neutral handling. Inducing oversteer is easy and very controllable, thus making the MX-5 a popular choice for amateur and stock racing, including, in the USA, the Sports Car Club of America's Solo2 autocross and Spec Miata race series and in the UK the Ma5da racing championship.

Beginning with the third generation, Mazda consolidated worldwide marketing using the MX-5 name, though enthusiasts in the USA still refer to it as Miata, a name that means "reward" in Old High German.

The MX-5 has won over 150 awards in its history,[citation needed] including making Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list seven times; Wheels Magazine 's Car of the Year for 1989 and 2005; Sports Car International's "best sports car of the 1990s" and "ten best sports cars of all time"; 2005-2006 Car of the Year Japan; and 2005 Australian Car of the Year. In 2009, Automotive critic Jeremy Clarkson wrote: "The fact is that if you want a sports car, the MX-5 is perfect. Nothing on the road will give you better value. Nothing will give you so much fun. The only reason I’m giving it five stars is because I can’t give it 14."

Miata Mono-Posto

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) unveiled the Mazda Miata Mono-Posto (One Seat) Concept, a one-off, one-seater throwback to fifties endurance racers at the SEMA show in 2000. The Miata Mono-Posto is an extreme expression of the Miata concept, "oneness between horse and rider," with no concessions made to practicality.

The Miata Mono-Posto was the first concept based on the second-generation Miata, introduced in 1998 as a 1999 model.

The Miata Mono-Posto sported custom bodywork, including half doors, air intake in the hood, one-piece valence front and rear fascias, cowl-mounted rearview mirror, a minimalist windscreen and aluminum rollbar. Only the headlights and taillights were stock. The paint finish is a custom Red Pearl Mica.

Modifications included an HKS turbocharger and intercooler, HKS intake and exhaust manifolds and an HKS stainless steel exhaust, which result in a 36% increase in horsepower and a 104% boost in torque.

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