Earlier this year, I hung an Antique tag on the back of my ’92 Miata, and I’m still not sure how I feel about that. How could a car that I bought nearly new now qualify for reduced fare?
[Our Miata is officially an antique | Garage Rescue Miata]
Back when I first met my Miata&nda…
When I got the Antique tag for the Miata, the woman behind the DMV counter goes, "30-year-old car? That should be something from the '70s."
Exactly, I told her.
My Miata doesn't feel "old car" in the way I understand "old car". It starts as well as it always has, and there is nothing finicky like setting the choke to be "just right". I wouldn't hesitate to drive it across the country, today, with only a cursory check of fluids and tires.
"Earlier this year, I hung an Antique tag on the back of my ’92 Miata, and I’m still not sure how I feel about that. How could a car that I bought nearly new now qualify for reduced fare?'
I suspect that you feel the same way about that as I did when someone invited me to enter my motorcycle in a vintage bike show. What do you mean vintage?! I bought it new!
APEowner said:"Earlier this year, I hung an Antique tag on the back of my ’92 Miata, and I’m still not sure how I feel about that. How could a car that I bought nearly new now qualify for reduced fare?'
I suspect that you feel the same way about that as I did when someone invited me to enter my motorcycle in a vintage bike show. What do you mean vintage?! I bought it new!
That isn't new, but it isn't a Triumph Bonneville either.
An MG TC is more vintage than a Miata, but it's also 75 years old. From a totally different era. There is a huge difference between old cars and older cars.
APEowner said:"Earlier this year, I hung an Antique tag on the back of my ’92 Miata, and I’m still not sure how I feel about that. How could a car that I bought nearly new now qualify for reduced fare?'
I suspect that you feel the same way about that as I did when someone invited me to enter my motorcycle in a vintage bike show. What do you mean vintage?! I bought it new!
Sorta related, but this weekend I'm showing a bike in a vintage BMX show–and it's a bike that I bought new.
In reply to ZOO (Forum Supporter) :
True, but someone the same age as that Miata understands "old car" differently than you and I. No ABS? You have to check tire pressures and fluid levels manually? Only one airbag? The dash lights don't change colors? NO BLUETOOTH? What an old hulk!
ZOO (Forum Supporter) said:My Miata doesn't feel "old car" in the way I understand "old car". It starts as well as it always has, and there is nothing finicky like setting the choke to be "just right". I wouldn't hesitate to drive it across the country, today, with only a cursory check of fluids and tires.
I did exactly that a couple of years ago. Car was fine, it never occurred to me it should be any different.
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/build-projects-and-project-cars/the-life-and-times-of-miata-338/160276/page1/
Okay, three years.
A few more years back, Tim was in town and we took my '85 CRX on a run out to Moab. He was surprised that I didn't bring a tool kit. Why would I? It's a Honda from the 80s going a couple of hundred miles. It's not a freshly restored Elan :) It might be as old now as an Elan would have been in 2000, but it's not as old as an unrestored Elan would have been at that age if you get my drift.
I was 29 years old when the Miata hit the showroom floor. Once you get to around 50 cars form your late teens & early twenties start to become classics.
My badass BMX bike that I just got from a friend is now 43 years old; I remember when it was brand new.
Time moves quickly.
I wonder, is "old" a sliding scale?
Hear me out.
In 1985, a 40-year-old song was old–like from the end of World War II with a big band and lots of horns.
Today, a 40-year-old song is early R.E.M.
David S. Wallens said:I wonder, is "old" a sliding scale?
Hear me out.
In 1985, a 40-year-old song was old–like from the end of World War II with a big band and lots of horns.
Today, a 40-year-old song is early R.E.M.
Old is a sliding scale but that scale is different for each generation.
There was a huge technology gap from say 1985 to 1975 and 1965 when it comes to cars. Same for music; the style hasn't radically changed in the last 20 years. In a 20 year period we went from 4 wheel drum brakes & carbs to 4 wheel discs and fuel injection on most cars. Musically we went from the Beatles to Black Sabbath to the Dead Milkman.
Cars from 20 years cars and cars from 10 years ago aren't radically different; other than the nannies cars haven't radically changed in the last 20 years.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
I definitely feel like there's a sort of "changing of the guard" vibe when it comes to what's new and what's old.
How did I know I wasn't part of youngins anymore? The first time I saw clothes from the early 2000s described as "vintage."
In reply to Colin Wood :
See also: Some friends dressed for 1996 at the latest Radwood that we all attended. To me, they looked normal....
In reply to Tom1200 :
I think cars have changed more in the last 20 years than we might realize: direct injection, EV, lane assistance, self-driving, touch screens, lightweight materials, CVTs, twin-clutch transmission, LED lighting, connectivity, hot spots, etc. Our 2014 Civic Si sports a CD player. Might as well have a cassette deck.
More importantly, though, Dead Milkmen rule. Insider tip: Check out Rodney Anonymous' side project, 7th Victim.
Compared to what an unrestored MGB looked like when it hit 30 years old
In reply to NOHOME :
Ow.
How many features from a post 2000 car do you want? Other than a USB port, I want none of them.
I have to laugh when ever someone a work referrs to a 2003 car as "old".
My DD's are a 2000 and a 1998!
I got my first car, a 1982 Accord, in 1989.
It seemed kinda old: carburetor, 13-inch steel wheels, standard square headlamps. Looking back, I'm surprised that it was only seven years old.
In reply to Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter) :
Radar cruise control is a pretty easy answer to that question. Dumb cruise is really pretty dumb because it will happily drive over the car in front of you. Not driving over the car in front of you is a very useful improvement without a lot of downside :) Safety is also up, emissions are down, lots of incremental improvements have been made.
Otherwise, there's a whole category of drivetrain that has become viable since 2000. While you might not want one, sales figures would indicate that lots of people do.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
1982 saw the release of "Thriller", "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Too-Rye-Aye".
RaabTheSaab said:In reply to David S. Wallens :
1982 saw the release of "Thriller", "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Too-Rye-Aye".
All hip, modern songs. :)
But, really, an '82 Accord is now 40 years old. And a '92 Miata seems so much more advanced.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
Gonna have to disagree with you here. I don't want to be held hostage to the speed of the car in front of me. Putting on cruise control doesn't mean stop paying attention. If you're closing on a slower car take appropriate action, slow down or pass. All of these "assists" are just dumbing down an already pretty dumb driving public.
As for the original post, I remember driving a Miata in 1990 when they were the hot new thing. SO much better than my 1976 Midget. In fact the Midget felt vintage when I got it in 1986. It was only ten years old!
In reply to parker :
You can still change lanes, you're not being held hostage. Heck, you can do all the things you can do with dumb cruise control other than drive into the back of another car. Unless that is your plan, there is no downside. If the speed of traffic is changing, your car will change with it. If not, then it acts like dumb cruise.
It's not dumbing down, it's taking away a really stupid design flaw. Being against radar cruise is like being against self-canceling turn indicators.
In reply to Keith Tanner :
To be honest I've never driven a car with it. I was under the impression that radar cruise would reduce your speed to match the car in front of you. All of this lane assist, self-braking, self-driving (that's really not) just make me feel like the average driver is abdicating all responsibility. Now get off my lawn!!
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