In the the fall of 2006, I was working as a mobile glass repair technician throughout central and southern New Jersey. One afternoon, I was driving between stops when I caught a glimpse of a Miata sitting in a front yard along Rt 79 in Marlboro NJ. The car looked neglected, but complete. Being the curious car geek that I am, I left a note for the owner.
I received a call from the owner later that evening, telling me he was looking to sell the car, but that it would need some attention to a variety of items. After a quick phone conversation,I arranged to come back for that car. Three days later, I bought my first Miata, a 1992 base model, for only $600!
I jumped the car and drove it onto a trailer. The seller provided me with a few "mystery boxes" of parts, which would soon come in handy. I was quite fortunate that the car ran quite well, despite having over 200,000 miles on the engine and transmission.
I put about 7000 miles on the Miata in just a few months, repairing many different aspects of the car. I installed new brakes, a new radiator, a new roof, and many other parts. The car was starting to look and perform significantly better.
As is the case with any neglected car, issues arise from being driven hard without the proper maintenance. The car developed an overheating issue at 220,000 miles, with some symptoms of a failed head gasket. Lacking the expertise and funds to repair the car properly, I listed the car on eBay as a project, and sold it for a loss.
Over the next five years, I worked on numerous other automotive projects, and gained confidence and experience under the hood. Until recently, I had always regretted selling my first Miata.
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