Sheldon's NZ Vacation

[Sheldon McIntosh]

I got the chance to go back home over Xmas, and I ended up having almost 4 weeks over there.  After the Xmas family stuff was out of the way, we had a week spare before we needed to be in Wanaka for a friends wedding, and since my lovely partner and I hadn't seen much of the South Island, I figured we'd do a bit of driving to have a look around.  I'd almost settled on the right shade of colour for our hatchback rental, when on a whim I decided to type in "alfa rental car" to google.  Alas, there were no cheap Alfa rentals to be had, but after enough clicks I found a place that rented MX5s, and for about the same price as a new hatchback....

After chatting to the owner over the phone, and happening to mention that I do a bit of club sprinting, we were duly picked up at Christchurch airport by our host Ron.  "So, you do a bit of motorsport do you?" he said; "well, just some club stuff" I replied.  "Good, good", said Ron, "well, the car I've got for you isn't the most aesthetically pleasing one we have, but I think you'll like it.  It used to be my personal car, and I've done a few track days in it, it's called an RS model in Japan, it has the Bilstein suspension, a 6 speed gearbox, an LSD, it's got an aftermarket air-intake, extractors, and braided brake lines".  "Sounds perfect" I said as I tried not to smile.....

Now, I'm the first to admit that I wasn't expecting an MX5 to be anything special.  I'd got one in the knowledge that even just a smooth riding convertible would be a nicer ride than a hatchback, and would afford us better views of the majestic sights of the South Island, and that there is just something about the romanticism of a 2-seater.  If we'd got a standard MX5, I'm sure the story would end there....

However, the car was freakin BRILLIANT!!  It would be up there with the best handling cars I've ever tried; it was just that good, much as I'm loath to say so.  I'll link to my blog when I finish writing the whole story, but suffice to say that I could find little wrong with the car.  Handling, gearbox, engine note; all brilliant.  Brakes, power; could do better.

I was actually surprised by how good this car was.  If an Alfa was this good, we would all love it.  I'll leave it at that.

Oh yeah, and the roads were the best I've ever done in my life.  And the scenery was incredible. 

[Sheldon McIntosh]

A chocolate fish to anyone that can name the places we were at in the first post....

[Frank Musco]

Sounds like your having a good time. I suppose you're going to hang out with your new MX-5 mates at the next sprint.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Sounds like your having a good time. I suppose you're going to hang out with your new MX-5 mates at the next sprint.

That hurts Frank, that hurts real bad.  I thought you knew me better than that.

I've been internalising a really complicated situation in my head, vis-a-vis, the MX5 'can be made to be' a really good car, one that the missus would drive herself, and be driven fast in.  But no way do I want to be 'an MX5 owner'.

Guess I'll have to find an X1/9?  Shame they didn't have those for hire in Christchurch.

[Frank Musco]

That hurts Frank, that hurts real bad.  I thought you knew me better than that.

[/quote]

LOL, I see your point ,as I re-read my post, pardon.

BTW, you'll like the way an X1/9 corners, although like the early MX-5's, more power would put a bigger smile on your face.

[aggie57]

Lake Wanaka?

[L4OMEO]

I'd hazard a guess that the top shot is the Kaikoura Coast (or possibly the West Coast), second one Lake Wanaka, third no idea, fourth Lake Tekapo?

While we're on the prickly subject of MX-5 confessions, I interrupted my Alfa fixation with one when I lived in the South Island and traveled over many of the roads you've just described. Mine was also a Jap-market special with some chassis bracing & lightweight BBS rims, to which I added a cold-air induction system, exhaust mods and better brake pads. And yeah, it was a brilliant road car.

I also went to an MX-5 Owner's Club clubnight, something of a contrast to the AROC equivalent where the wealth and variety of subject matter (the cars through the eras, the heritage, the faults, the rise and fall of the company) lead to conversation and debate late into the night. With the MX5 group it was more like:

"So .... what colour's yours?
"Silver"
"Ahh, right"
[Awkward silence]
"Have you tried the dip?"


I didn't go back.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

The MX5 drivers that drive them on the track are bad enough, I can only imagine what a club-night would be like....*shudder* 

Pretty good guesses on the locations, but not quite chocolate-fish worthy.  Probably just as well as I forgot to buy some while I was back.

1.  West Coast, between Westport and Punakaiki
2.  Lake Hawea
3.  From the Crown Range, looking back towards Arrow Valley, Lake Wakatipu just visible. (Road between Queenstown and Wanaka.  Came across a Ferrari 458 going the other way on this road, and he was hammering it, jeez those cars sound good when they're being flogged).
4.  Lake Pukaki

[L4OMEO]

So, none from four. You're being a bit generous calling that 'pretty good guesses'  

I also had a Ferrari encounter on those roads years ago. I was heading back to Christchurch from Queenstown in my Merc 190E 2.5-16 and had pulled over in a rest area near Lake Tekapo (or maybe it was Lake Pukaki, what would I know   ) and for what seemed like minutes could hear a car approaching making a sound that was a cross between an F1 car and a Superbike. Eventually a red F355 burst into view through a gap in the trees and screamed past. Incredibly sight! Without any conscious thought I sprinted back to my car and gave chase, but despite clocking over 200 km/h at times could not make an impression on him. I caught him in the next small town and tailed him into the hills on the other side where we had a memorable drive and well-matched drive (he was a bit more circumspect here, probably due to the width of the 355 on tighter roads and numerous patches of ice, or more likely, my bigger cajones ), the whole event dominated by the sound of his wailing V8 echoing around the hills. Eventually he pulled over to take a phone call and waved me past. If memories could go straight to the pool room this one would be there.

[aggie57]

Spent many hours behind the wheel of a first gen standard MX5 both on the road and on the track, and then some time in a 2nd gen one a few years later.  Brilliant cars.  Without a doubt the 1st Gen was more fun straight out of the box.  No wonder they've sold over 900,000. 

[MD]

Performance is one thing but the Lightning McQueen image is hard to shake..

[Evan Bottcher]

I like this one (although to be a pedant it was the fan-girl twins that were mx-5s in that movie).

I had a fang over a very twisty hilltop road in Sheldon's toy car and it was definitely most entertaining.  Very disappointing to get back into the corolla rental 'car' after that.  But then I followed Sheldon into Christchurch and just couldn't bear the MX-5 image once we were back in the traffic.  Such a shame.

[L4OMEO]

Hard to argue those points, but I guess it all comes down to how important image is to you. For me, like everyone I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a factor at all ... but it sure as hell 'aint as important as driving enjoyment!

[MD]

Image is everything

..Andre Agassi

[L4OMEO]

"It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible."

Oscar Wilde

Not sure what he knew about the inner workings of the transaxle was though Mike