*** MX-5 Miata Of the Month ***
January/February 2009Juny Binamira with Natalie
Congratulations to Juny Binamira on the selection of his Miata as the MCP's Miata of the Month for January/February 2009. |
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January/February 2009Juny Binamira with Natalie
Congratulations to Juny Binamira on the selection of his Miata as the MCP's Miata of the Month for January/February 2009. |
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My love affair with the Miata began way back in 1989 when I picked up a Road&Track magazine which featured the about-to-be-released Miata. I have had a passion for cars and driving for as long as I can remember, and here, finally, was a roadster which seemed to answer everything I ever wanted in a small sports car. Only problem was it was not going to be available locally, and even if it was, there was no way I could ever afford one at that time. But that didn't prevent me from reading everything I could about the new Mazda, and dreaming...
Then I heard from friends in Manila (I was living down south at the time) that the Miata was available locally in ’96, but still couldn’t afford one. So back to dreaming... I even knew from my old friend Rene Mapua, that they had formed a club and that they had a club race called the “Miata Cup.” More dreaming. And lurking on the Miata Club website... Finally, in late 2005, I moved back to Luzon and had enough to get me a used Miata. The search began. I looked at sixteen cars, but did not get excited until one day in January ’06, accompanied by my childhood buddy, Georges Ramirez (son of Pocholo), we walked into the driveway of Rey Reyes in Valle Verde... And parked in his garage was this beauty of a Miata -- all original, gleaming in freshly-waxed porsche midnight blue metallic. Even before looking over the car, I knew this was the one. It just sat there and smiled at me as only a Miata can smile. Every car in Rey’s garage and driveway was immaculate. The garage was immaculate. The whole house was immaculate. This is always a good sign when shopping for a car. Going over the Miata was almost just a formality because in my mind, I knew this was the one. A deal was finally struck with Rey, and a few weeks later I returned to pick it up. I was so excited, I forgot to ask Rey how to open the gas filler flap. Just drove off and into the sunset. The first week, I put over 1000km onto the odo (when I drove out of Rey’s garage, the odo read 19,375 km). I was living and working out in Club Punta Fuego, Nasugbu, Batangas at the time, and the twisty roads were just PERFECT for the Miata. I’d get up before sunrise and drive to Balayan for breakfast, then back in time for work. In the afternoon, I’d drop the top and take the long, twisty route up to Tagaytay via Lemery to visit another buddy who runs the Taal Lake Yacht Club. I’d drive around Taal lake just for the heck of it. On weekends, I would just take off, with no clear destination in mind, just me, my Miata, a map and we would re-discover the many roads around Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, and Quezon. This car just blows my mind. Then I joined the Miata Club and it is great being a member and joining in some of the club’s activities. The camaraderie and new friends I have made are second to none. I even got to realize a life-long dream of one day racing on a circuit. But that’s with a different car, and that’s a different story. It&rsquos now almost exactly three years since I drove out of Rey’s driveway. Now I’m sitting at work in my office in Subic. Natalie is outside the building, parked in the shade with her top down. I’ve counted, and it is a mere twenty-two steps from my office and out the door to where Natalie sits, always ready, and always with that smile I fell in love with way back when. Her odo now reads 60,238. I love this car. I love this club. Mabuhay ang MCP! Juny Binamira |
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