Hello, I like Miatas, but I realized I don't like owning one...
 

Hello everyone, I hope you are having a nice week.
Just wanted to drop by and say hello to fellow Miata enthusiasts.

Gradually over the last year of my Miata ownership, I've come to the conclusion that while I appreciate these lovely machines and everything they represent, I do not particularly enjoy owning one... Allow me to ramble without a real point.
My first Miata was a red 1997 base model, bone stock. I loved it and took good care of it. However, there was a nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I wasn't quite satisfied with what I had. Perhaps the solution was to add mods to it. Suspension, wheels, brakes, exhaust, and of course a turbocharger. So I got to planning the build and crunching numbers. But no matter how I looked at it, I could not bring myself to pull the trigger to get the ball rolling. Perhaps the solution to add mods was not it. That was fine with me and for a little longer I enjoyed it for what it was. Eventually, I put it up on the market out of curiosity but immediately had multiple bites. Before I knew it, I had sold the little red Miata and managed to turn a profit.

At this point, I still did not realize I did not enjoy owning a Miata. Foolish me went back to the online marketplace looking for another to fill the fresh hole in my heart. After some time, I stumbled upon a listing for a fully built green 1999 Miata with a tan cloth top. It was beautiful. Condition was excellent and everything that I planned to do has been done to it (and more!). The price was reasonable enough and I was in need of a new car, so to make a long story short, I bought it. I took a plane to the seller and drove it the nine hours back.

Many months pass and now here we are. Present time. That nagging feeling since the red 97 had now grown to a full on realization that what I needed in my life was not a faster car, but a more practical one. I wanted to take camping trips, help my friends move stuff, make large Costco runs, go on road trips with my friends, and etc. So now the green 99 has also gone up on the market.

What got me hooked onto the Miata was not only what it was and represented, but the avid community behind it. To be a part of that seemed fun and I unknowingly gravitated towards it.
From my short time lurking around the Miata communities, I have followed many builds and read countless help threads. Thanks to the expertise (and the classic mt.net sass) from the forum regulars, my knowledge in all things Miata have grown tremendously. Eventually, I will have no use for all the things I've learned, but the sense of community tied to these memories will be something to be missed.

I'm not sure where I was going with this post and I have no idea how to end it.
I suppose this is my hello and goodbye. Thanks for taking the time to read my stream of consciousness.