It goes all the way back to 1990 for me. That's when I found an '88 323 GTX on a dealer lot for super cheap 'cause they had no idea what it was. I enjoyed that car to the fullest for the next four years until it was stolen. That was the first "fast" car that I never wrecked or even spun (in the 2 yrs. prior I had been through an '84 GTI, '87 200SX SEV6, '88 Mustang GT and a '89 Suzuki Swift GTi, lol). The Mazda's handling was so effortless and it just seemed like the car was an extension of myself.
Fast forward a few years and was broke again and looking for a cheap ride, so bought a '96 Escort GT for $3,500 only because it had a BP and a 323 platform. I figured it would handle much like my GTX and I was right. I got six years out of that car. Thank God for the bulk of it being Mazda because the Ford parts continually broke or fell off.
Then in 2003 I saw the spicy MSP on the cover of Motor Trend at the grocery store and got simultaneous whiplash and a hard on. I read the article about 1000 times, as well as any others I could find. I found this forum and learned even more about it. Finally, I accepted the fact that I had to have one, ECU issues and all. It was the last chance to get something new based on the original 323 platform, and I could get it in that insane orange color! I started checking online and turned up only two new ones left. One was in Michigan (IIRC) and had been "tricked out" with nasty green paint accents and underhood treatment. I'm sure some of you remember that car. Now it's thankfully wrecked. They wanted $25k for it and wouldn't budge. I said "%*&# you". I called the dealer in Houston who had the last one left. They couldn't find a salesman that knew anything about it and said to call back in an hour or so. I did, and finally got a salesman that said some kid walked in 30 min. before and wanted it. He called back a while later to say it was gone. At 33 years of age, I cried over a car. I could have had the very last new spicy orange MSP.
I then started looking for low mileage used ones with a clean history and NO paintwork. I grew up next door to a bodyman and helped him color change my GTX years before, so I knew what a problem that spicy 3-stage paint would be if it had been worked on. I located one in Springfield, MO at Reliable (*cough*) Imports with 7,700 miles. The Carfax was clean and I was assured the paint was 100% original. I sent a deposit, then flew out to pick it up. It was dark and snowing when I got there, and it looked good to me at the time... Well, turns out it had been hit in the front and I didn't notice it until after I'd driven it 12 hrs. back home. They'd lied through their teeth since they knew I'd be getting there after dark. After threatening them with everything short of their lives, they paid a local shop to match the bumper and fender up better. It's better, but it's not as good as it could be. It turns out it didn't matter anyway, since someone carved up the opposite side of the car one day. Eventually it will get a full and proper repaint, even if nobody else can tell it's been painted on.
Regardless of the headaches and heartaches getting the car I wanted, I wouldn't trade Sparky for the world. Now it has 102k mi. and things have been relatively trouble free. With the only MSP around here and the spicy orange paint, it still turns more heads than a Ferrari. The looks, smiles, gawks and questions still sometimes hit several times a day. The car fits me like a glove to the point that I hate when I'm forced to drive something else. And that handling that I craved? Oh yeah, I got it in spades. I still love to rip up the same mountain road I loved in my GTX. It handles much like the car that got me hooked on Mazda, only faster... unless it's snowing!
Oh, and I still have that copy of Motor Trend with the cover carefully preserved.
