I sat in the car after I got back to the apartment complex earlier. OtR’s “Poughkeepsie” had just started playing on the stereo, and I sat there in silence and listened to it all the way through. My eyes scanned the contents of the car in the dark, which I usually keep fairly clean, but was a bit cluttered tonight. The factory repair manual sat in the back seat, pages dogeared and greasy from use. Underworld’s Pearl’s Girl EP topped a stack of cds in a cardboard box on the passenger seat. And my toboggan perched on the front edge of the seat next to the little wicker basket filled with candy, my mom’s Easter gift. I fingered the car keys in my palm, running my index finger and thumb along the dull, serrated edges of the metal. The stop-start cadence of the song continued, just a guitar and her voice, singing words whose tone reached me more readily than their literal meaning.
It’s quiet in the apartment. I have a bad case of the Sunday nights. The heat, which we had turned off last week in the midst of the stellar weather, is back on again, though it only comes on for a few minutes at a time, very infrequently.
I feel like going for a nice long run. Hitting the blacktop is the ticket.
I’ll be gone in just a few short months, not too far away but far enough. I’m more than ready.
Hey Matt. Sorry i didnt get a chance to stick around on Saturday. I would have liked to catch up some, but i was in a time crunch with the bike…had to have it to the dealer by 3.
So i hear you’re good friends with Ashraf. Dont remember where i heard it…might have been from you…perhaps Fuller…anyways. No matter. So ya’ll are out in a few days? I think i still have a poster in the laundry closet i need to get…and my drinking glasses (which i could use since three of ours broke in transport a couple of nights ago). But i guess you’re keeping the garage until the move. Very nice. Dont worry about paying rent for my garage anymore: i can do it myself since you’re moving out.
Am trying to make an appt with a FD owner in Winston to take a look at her car. Ashraf said he would probably be able to come (it’s his hometown or something like that) and look things over for me. It’d be nice to get an earful of FD know-how if i’m really going to own one of these things.
Anyways, just wanted to say ‘hi’. Oh, and i saw that orange Elise behind me today. hehe…behind me…where it belongs. ;-P
ttyl matt.
John
Hey John. It’s alright. I know you were pretty busy on Saturday, as was I.
Yeah, Ashraf and I have known each other for years. He and Donald and I almost roomed together before we decided to spring for Summit Hill with you, and before that I knew him through the local RX-7 group. He’s a good guy, and he won’t hesitate to tell you what he thinks about a car or a prospect.
We’re going to have to figure out how to do the garage thing, since I’m not sure whether you can have a garage there without actaully having an apartment, except for that two-three month grace period I’ll be taking advantage of. But beyond that I’m not sure. I’m going to look into it.
So… Are you looking for an FD as a daily to replace the ’96? If so Ashraf and I will probably be on the same page in terms of discouraging that. The car is generally accepted to be just too high-strung for stop-and-go traffic duty. But as a weekend toy… It’s really beyond compare, unless you’re willing to shell out the additional bucks for an E36 M3 or JZA80 or some such. Hope everything goes well with the investigation this weekend! Keep us posted.
I just got another email back from Ashraf and apparently there is a Mazda club meeting this friday. He told me to come on out and we can chat about it all. Would you be up for that? I’d hate to go alone…but i will if i have to.
So you picked me above ol’ ashy, eh? hehe. I knew you were a smart man… ;-b
Well, i’d like to be able to sell the ’96 if i do get another car…the extra money would be nice, and having four cars for the two of us would be ridiculous. I know about the continual reliability problems, but now that we have the Xterra 1) we never take trips in my car anymore, 2) i haven’t used the back seat in over a year…except a place for junk, 3) the past two years i’ve only put about 10k/yr on the ’96, and 4) it would almost be a second car since we use the X so much anyways. Besides, i hope to have the ’69 in good shape for this year so that would be another option if the rx was down for a week or so. Between those two semi-reliable cars, i should be able to have something i can drive all the time…and if there’s an emergency, Kristi and i can share the X for a little while.
So anyways, that’s my logic. Ideally i wanted something like a S2000, but they still run $20k at the lowest. I’m looking to broaden my automotive horizons and i figured now’s the time to do it…before any lil’ chillins come along and i need a back seat again. ;) I think i’m in the mood for something light and agile…but i’m unwilling to sacrifice speed or power. And of course looks…it’s gotta have the looks. Sounds to me like i want a FD. I’ll save the sporty sedans for later. ;)
Sure, I can go. I had lunch with Ashraf last week and he bugged me about being AWOL from the meetings for the past few months, so it’d be good if I put in an appearance. One word of caution, though: Prepare to be slack-jawed and knock-kneed by the sight of several FDs on display in the parking lot. It’s very hard to overstate how good-looking those cars are, especially in person. Oh. And don’t call him “Ashy” to his face. I dunno what he do but I put money on him kicking your ass.
If you’re willing to spend the money and be patient you can probably find a low-mileage FD that’s usable as a daily. $11-13K will get you one in good shape, but $15K will get you a well-cared-for example. It goes without saying that you’ll want to do the reliability mods once you get it, too.
Ever thought about an E36 M3? More practical and reliable, if not quite as cheap to fix when it breaks. $15K is the lower end for an early (’95-’96) copy, and if you’re willing to spend up to $20K you can probably find a very nice one.
Yes, you should come.
I will duly prepare myself and attempt to keep my mandibles where they belong.
I’d never dream of calling him ashy to his face. Well, i’d be willing to bet he could only kick my ass if he were bigger than me…and since most people are, you’re probably right. You dont think he reads your lj much do you??? Hope not…forgot i was posting and not emailing… ;(
I can be patient…but it aint always easy. Most FDs seem to have the reliability mods already done…along with lots of other stuff.
Like i said, i’m saving the sport sedans for when i actually *need* a backseat. And $20k is still a little out of my price range…at least towards the top end of it. If i’m ever going to have something a little less practical, now is the time… ;-b