When you live in the middle of the corn fields like I do, "carpools" and "carpool lanes" aren't even in our vocabulary... Besides, I live on the extreme northeast end of town (right at the city limits) and I work right in the middle of downtown and it only takes me 8 minutes to get to work. Jealous?

And again, the funny thing is I have had people in my RSX's backseat and they've all said they find it more comfortable than the front passenger seat... go figure...

 

Well I'm gonna be driving it around northern NJ, and here we have a bit more traffic and a little more carpooling amongst friends and co-workers. Right now with my two-door hatchback I find myself inviting friends into the backseat all too often. They generally seem uncomfortable (the Focus has a horrible method of entry, and not enough legroom). However it really is all about what I'm comfortable and happy driving.

A couple days ago I decided that it really is about me and one passenger (gf). So I eliminated the Mazda3 from lack of love. However, I started to get attracted to the Mazda Miata (now THAT's different from all of the ones I was looking at! ). I'm not gonna purchase just yet, when I get an offer from the company that I'm courting, I'll see. Plus I wanna see if I can get the color I want - Desert Silver. The local dealership only seems to have Silver and Black. In fact all dealers I looked at online seem to have just Silver and Black with a dash of Milano Red. Go figure?

--Diamond

 

Well that's an about face -- from worrying about backseat comfort to looking at cars without a backseat!

About the RSX desert silver metallic color -- I briefly considered that color. I really wanted a darker (gunmetal) grey color, but I absolutely hate any shade of brown or tan. Under certain lighting the desert silver has a nice dark grey hue, but under different lighting it looks almost completely tan/brown. Also I preferred the black interior over the titanium.

 

LOL. Yeah, definitely an about face. But that's what happens when I decide that friends can hitch a ride on their own. If I don't care that it's uncomfortable, then I don't care if it exists. Problem with the Miata is that there is absolutely NO utility.

I DO like the titanium interior from pictures, but I have yet to see it in person. I also like the idea of a non-black interior as I may be driving lots in the sunbelt (Phoenix specifically). I agree on brown - yuck, but it's either that or white, white, and red. The red is do-able, I have to see...

--Diamond

 

Well, if you're going to be driving in/around Phoenix then I can see how you might not want a black interior. Either way I'd definately get my windows tinted pretty dark -- do they have many tint restrictions down there? Here it's illegal for any amount of tint on the front windows. :angry:

The titanium interior isn't bad. I just liked the black better because of the contrast between it and the stock titanium "metal" (plastic) accents, and it looks even better with the titanium trim option. The all titanium interior is just too monochrome for me. Oh and I also think the crimson red lighting looks a bit better against the black as well... (ahh, aesthetics...)

 

Good plan. Hope you get a good deal on the Miata. And I would agree that the gunmetal silver is awesome.

 

The dilema. It's more practical to take my girlfriend's Explorer camping - but it's a lot more fun to drive the Type-S on all those rural highways and canyons.

My camping gear doesn't complain about the cramped back seat, but I'd be screwed without the space.

 

Quick clarification - in love with RSX-S in Desert Silver (maybe).
Liked the Miata a lot, but it's very impractical.

--Diamond

 

quick note, since the 2005's are coming out desert silver metallic is supposed to leave, so you can probably pick up a 2004 model for a good price when the minor change 2005's come out

 

I've hauled around (this week) a GSR head. And then a Si tranny, axles, shift linkages, and a box with clutch/flywheel parts, and another box with alternator and dizzy.

The only thing is, I dont' like beating on such a pretty car

-PHiZ