This set of digits has an intriguing pattern, although that's not why I posted it.
The clicking over of 120000 kms is significant.
It marks a couple of milestones, one being that I've put 10000 kms on the odometer since purchase of the SE in September 2018.
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| Hardtop and wing resprayed |
The other is that I've actually spent some dollars on cosmetic restoration - $1500, in fact. This paid for a respray of the front bumper and the hardtop. The bumper was showing all kinds of gravel rash, typical for an MX5 of this vintage, and I had the hardtop sprayed maroon, a darker shade than the original cherry red.
Choice of colour is always a matter of taste, I suppose, but I chose this over respraying the top the same colour as the rest of the vehicle. which was my original intention.
I also had the rear wing resprayed, as it had deteriorated from (I think) sun damage. The finished job is excellent, and together with a windscreen replacement (which cost me nothing via insurance) has lifted the appearance. It's not concours, but is pleasing.
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| Gravel rash is gone. |
The car is now pristine, paint wise, and exhibits a striking interior which matches the hardtop. The upholstery wear (call it patina) doesn't bother me, and I feed the leather regularly.
I've also taken to using the hardtop only when parking in unsecured areas, which given my pattern of use, is not often. I've never been entirely happy with its fit, and it is noisy. At low speed, it creaks and groans no matter how it is adjusted, and at high speed, the wind noise is a problem.
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| Interior looks OK. |
Driving with the top down is the way to go, especially early in the morning, but my dermatologist, after observing my comprehensive skin damage from a misspent youth, demands that I put it up when in bright sunshine.
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| Top down is the way to go. |
This means I'll be looking for an after market version, something discrete that doesn't compromise the originality of the vehicle.
