WHAT WE DO ON A RALLY
1. WAIT FOR THE CAR BEHIND YOU.
This is the club's golden rule. If you make a turn and do not see a Miata following you, pull over in a safe and conspicuous spot and wait for them. If you do not want to be in the lead once the others catch up to you, simply wave some of them past you. A run "leader" will be in charge of keeping us all together. All Miatas should drive with the parking lights "ON," and the designated sweep Miata (last vehicle in line) will have headlights "ON." This is universal with all Miata clubs. Always keep the Miata in front of you at a comfortable distance - if it is pulling away, please keep up. If the Miata behind you is lagging behind, slow down. Simple.
2. DRIVE WITHIN YOUR LIMITS.
If the run is going at a pace that you find uncomfortable, please don't push yourself (besides, that isn't fun). Equally, if you want to go faster than the run leader, you are welcome to leave the run and drive like a nutball on your own. We do not pass other Miatas to play cat and mouse (this is not an autocross event.) We save racing for the track.
3. GIVE THE MILES LOTS OF SMILES.
When we drive as a group, we tend to dominate the road. Therefore, we should be extra nice to the other motorists out there. Speeding up to push through an "orange" light, honking our horns in residential neighborhoods, cutting people off, and making unsafe passing maneuvers will just make Miata owners everywhere look bad and could lead to someone getting hurt. Also, use all available lanes when driving through stop signs and traffic lights. Example: form a double line if we're at a 4 or 5-lane intersection and are NOT going to turn.
4. BE TIMELY AND PREPARED.
Arrive to a run with some time to spare and a full tank of gas. When the group is ready to roll, don't dawdle. If we are eating as a group at a restaurant, be sure to have sufficient cash if you can (not a credit or debit card.) Use the restroom before the run starts.
5. COMMUNICATION ALWAYS.
Several of us now have CB radios (permanent or portable) in our Miatas. Generally we use Channel 13 on our rallies and try to space out radio owners to keep our run in tact. Handheld CB's are readily available from many sources for under $75.00 - a great investment to enhance communication. Cellphones come in handy, but be careful to "drive safely." Cellphones CAN detract from your attention to the road, so use them sparingly while driving.
6. HAVE REAL MIATATUDE.
We're all here to have fun, so remember that these rules exist to help ensure that everyone has a good, safe time. If something doesn't go according to plan - hey, that's life. If you do NOT know another Miata driver, make the 1st step to introduce yourself. For us "old timers," we have learned that this is a family - NOT a club. Welcome everyone with enthusiasm and enjoy the ride. Zoom - Zoom - Zoom.
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OWNER TIPS:
Over the years, we've seen just about everything that can happen to a Miata - good and bad. Each issue of MazdaSport Magazine lists new tips and tricks for keeping your Miata new and strong. To bring you up to speed, here are our several popular tips - Happy Motoring! 1. Unlatch your top latches before unzipping or zipping your rear window (for 1990-1997 Miatas) - every time. We've found that the zipper is the thing that fails due to tension on it when the top is latched. Beware of the temperatures in lowering (or raising your top.) If the outside temperature is below 50 degrees, do NOT lower or raise your top. This prevents sudden splitting or cracking of the plastic window (90-97) or damage to the inner lining of the 99-05 Miatas. 2. Unzip your rear plastic window every time you drop your top, no exceptions, unless you like a permanent crease in your back window. 3. Put a towel on top of the unzipped rear window (or purchase a window pocket protector) before you lower the convertible top onto it - this will prevent scuff marks. The folded top weighs a bit and its vibration will cut right into your clear rear window over time. 4. Always put your top boot on when you go out in the sun (again for 1990-1997 models) – the underside of your convertible top will deteriorate rapidly in direct sunlight. 5. Here's our favorite: Recline and push your passenger seat back against the rear bulkhead so it won't rattle. Better yet, take a friend along to keep the seat still. In 97 and newer models, a seat stopper can be removed to give the passenger an extra 3" of legroom. 6. Run 28 psi in all your tires - there is a dreaded vibration at 65 mph for most Miatas that can creep in at higher or lower pressures. This has been around since '89 but can be avoided. 7. Shift your engine at 6,500 rpm often – these motors make peak power at this level of rpm, so your Miata won't be very fast unless you go up there. Believe us, you won't be hurting anything (after you've broken in your engine, that is.) There is a rev limiter at 7,200 rpm to keep your engine safe from any damage. 8. To prevent hydraulic lifters from making noises after a cold start, use 10W-30 oil from a major supplier (Valvoline, Pennzoil, Castrol, etc..) If you get any lifter noise (ticking during startup,) try a thinner oil. 9. Change your engine oil at the first 500 mile mark, then every 3,000 miles after that. Change your filter at the same time and use ONLY Mazda oil filters. Almost ALL oils are of good quality in today's market, but we advise you to use the same oil every time you change it. If you are in the habit of having your oil changed at a place other than a Mazda dealership, keep a Mazda oil filter in your trunk......DO NOT USE A NON-MAZDA OIL FILTER IN YOUR MIATA, PERIOD!!!!! 10. Buy door sill protectors for your Miata. The painted door sills will get scratched up and rusty if you don't cover the paint with something more substantial. 11. Purchase a grill to protect your radiator and engine compartment from birds and bugs. This requires removing your tie-down hooks (or "baby teeth" as we call them.) |
12. Do you have stains or spots on your convertible top? Try Simple Green. You can find it at any auto parts store. It comes in a spray top container. It works great on black or tan tops. Just spray it on and scrub with a brush. WARNING: don't let Simple Green or any other cleaning agent get on your paint.
