Careful What You Wish For

You'll notice two posts before this one is titled "Let it Snow x3". Well, I'm not saying I caused the storm of the century (for DC), but I have to smile a little at the irony. Two weeks after that we get 23" of snow. I've got a picture I'll upload later of lil'Red absolutely covered, all the way above her mirrors.

Ofcourse, all that free time waiting for the snow to melt... between shoveling sessions, allowed me to play with the power window switch (now easier to get to, since the center console is out). After disassembling the switch (1x unsuccessfully, 1x successfully) I cleaned up the contacts and put it back together. Today, when I took the miata in to work I took the switch along and tried it. Bingo! Driver's side window works again. Although, both of them sound like they are working hard... so I may get to clean the mechanism after removing the door skins.

So, back to the snow part. I only had two 'oops' moment driving in to work both at the gas station. One time backing in to the pump, and the other trying to leave the station. I had to stop on a slight grade to let a car go by before turning onto the street. When I went to go again I couldn't get traction. Try 2nd gear start, still no traction. So I rolled back to the bottom of the dip, finally got traction, and took a different way around. I may have to take my father's advice and get ~100#s of sand to load into the trunk for better traction in the snow.

And So It Begins...

With about an hour in the garage I've started the miata diet. The weight loss began with the easy things. Removal of the rest of the bits and bobs that came in the trunk (removed mud flaps, sun shades, koni adjustment bits, exhaust damper bob), and then came out the jack, the spare, the jack 'crank', the carpet, and the rear trunk carpet thing.

Then I moved into the cockpit, and pulled the center console, the sound damper around the shifter, the center console surround (after a quick chat w/ Greer, thanks!), and ze ra-a-dio (for all those people who have seen Stalag 17; and if you haven't, you better go Netflix it). I put the hazard and light flipper back in, and hanging for now. I may have to put the surround back in if I get HOA complaints. This'll also give me a chance to fiddle with the power window switch that's been giving me some trouble on the drivers side... and then I might figure out some creative way to re-mount it.

So, I've taken a bunch of weight out; although the wife wants be to put the spare and jack back in. I was also amazed at how much more audible the transmission and engine are with the eyeball vents, radio, and surround missing. Before you could hear the muffled gear selected click, and felt it more. Now it's unmistakable. Cool.

I looked at removing the door skins too, but had other things to get to, and so will leave that for another day. After the doors, most likely it'll be the top, rear carpet and parcel shelf. I'll keep y'all posted.

Let It Snow x3

It's been snowing today. And I had some activities to go to... so what car did I take?

The very practical, FWD, what I should have probably taken Honda Fit?

or the small, RWD, Mazda Miata... which everyone thinks is a death trap in the snow?

I took the Miata. :D

Because, after all, the Fit is still on Kumho Summer Tires, and the Miata has All Seasons. I've already had one harrowing experience w/ a Ford Focus on Kumho summer tires in the snow. The miata performed admirably, especially once I got it out of the parking space it had sat in for 4 hours this afternoon... with the help of some scouts.

Only thing I regretted? Not getting a picture of the dude plowing a footpath with his vintage Farmall tractor. :( Maybe next time ;)