The end of an era

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck) 05/01/2017 at 22:25 • Filed to: miata

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My mom announced that after nearly 19 years of faithful service, she is selling her 1994 NA Miata. And buying a VW Rialta. She and my father will tour the country and visit grandchildren and all that jazz and live the all-American retirement dream. She’ incredibly excited for future her new toy, and thrilled to soon be fully retired.

I was in elementary school when my mom got that Miata. And oh man she loved it. She bought everything for it. Brand new interior with red “leather,” expensive ass radio, new wheels, aftermarket tail lights, replaced most of the dash with red inserts, short shifter, vanity plate, and other things I’ve forgotten. When I had to run errands with her, she’d blast the radio, smack the steering wheel like a bongo, and sing so loud at stop lights I would try to slide into my seat so now one can see me. Of course it’s a miata, so there’s no room to slide. I eventually utilized the hat-hoodie combo.

When she told me, I was legitimately shocked. Even though life is nothing but a series of changes, somehow this was one I just thought would always be . Mom. Miata. Red. 5-speed. Jon Secada on repeat. 

Vehicles are too closely linked with the passage of time. It was only a year ago my parents traded in their ‘01 MDX, a car they bought when I was still in middle school. I remember when I was 11, I watched my dad tear up when they hauled away the Audi 4000 coupe to the yard. It was just a machine, I thought. Oh how wrong I was.

I’m going to miss seeing that little red spec when I visit them.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 22:28

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*Que every Oppo trying to buy it*

Vicente Esteve > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 05/01/2017 at 22:32

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*Flaunts bills*

HammerheadFistpunch > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 22:33

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I approve of rialta touring

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 22:42

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Why get rid of the Miata, keep it.

hike > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 22:43

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We say it’s just a machine. But it’s something you group up with. I’m going to have to deal with similar emotions soon as my dad asked me to sell my childhood car. Granted it wasn’t quite as cool, we’ve had the Previa for 25 years now. The time had to come, but it won’t be easy.

wiffleballtony > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 22:46

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Rialta backwards is Altair. Altair is a character in a video game. Valve makes video games. Half Life 3 confirmed.

AestheticsInMotion > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 22:53

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Pouring one out for a fellow roadster. Hopefully it finds a good home

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 22:55

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Why do moms always buy the cool cars. My mom had a Mazda MX-6, then a Subaru 2.5 RS. Both were super fun cars. She is now driving a Mazda CX 5.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 23:01

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Buy it

Chariotoflove > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 23:07

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If I haven’t said this before, I like your Mom’s style.

I was 18 when my Mom, a thoroughly Oldsmobile Ciera kind of gal (or so I thought) came home one day and announced she had bought a shiny new red RX-7. She actually let me drive it to prom.

I learned that day, not only do I have the world’s greatest mom, turns out she has style, too.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > pip bip - choose Corrour 05/01/2017 at 23:11

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I was supposed to have a larger garage by the time she sold it. But time has betrayed me.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > HammerheadFistpunch 05/01/2017 at 23:11

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I GUESS

smobgirl > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 23:16

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No, your lust for old Toyotas has betrayed you.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > smobgirl 05/01/2017 at 23:16

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Only about half a dozen times

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 23:21

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I live in a Condo with no parking. I have a 335i and an NB. Suck it up for the things you love. It will be practically free to buy it.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 05/01/2017 at 23:28

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Free? No.

Speed > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 23:31

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How has no one asked how much yet!?

TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/01/2017 at 23:44

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Freeish? 1-2 grand?

camaroboy68ss > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/02/2017 at 00:13

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cars just become part of the family after so long, that you just make that assumption and when the car leaves its kind of a huge hole. I honestly wouldn’t know what to do if my grandparents ever decided to sell their 55 Chevy Bel Air 2 door Hardtop. They have owned the car over 45 years now, its a family member at this point. Luckily the future for the car is good since we are currently doing a frame off restoration on the car.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > TheNeonDriver - Now with More BMW! 05/02/2017 at 00:47

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No I think she’ll get more than that. Especially if she sells her matching hardtop separately

RallyWrench > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/02/2017 at 01:54

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In all seriousness, and i say this as a technician and manager of a German specialty shop that works on loads of Eurovans, do not allow her to buy a Rialta. I refuse to take them in for many good reasons, but mostly because they’re heinous and terrible pieces of shit. Eurovans are pieces of shit, and that makes the Rialta a piece of shit with a small fiberglass house on the back. Just... no. Just tell her to get some Big-3 based RV or a GM conversion van, or a poptop Sportsmobile Ford Econoline, or better yet a Sprinter. Why anyone buys Eurovans for batshit money when Sprinters exist is beyond me. She’s entering a world of pain, Smokey, a world of pain.

RallyWrench > HammerheadFistpunch 05/02/2017 at 01:55

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No you don’t, they’re horrible. I promise. Any shitbox old 80's Toyota-based RV is better.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > RallyWrench 05/02/2017 at 02:25

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Trust me, I tried. But when my mom wants something, there’s no stopping here. Really surprised by my dad’s compliance this time around.

RallyWrench > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/02/2017 at 02:30

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I cannot stress this enough, it’s one of the worst ideas in all of motoring. But I will say this: if you’ve tried to dissuade her, your “I told you so” is going to be righteous.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > RallyWrench 05/02/2017 at 02:31

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I’m more worried about them breaking down in the middle of nowhere more than anything... That motor is a ticking time bomb.

duurtlang > RallyWrench 05/02/2017 at 02:57

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I had to look it up, but the Rialta is apparently an American market camper van based on a 4th gen VW Transporter. I still see tons of 4th gens soldiering on (all manual diesels), so what’s wrong with these in the US? Something with the drive train?

AdverseMartyr > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/02/2017 at 03:16

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not if some rascally thief absconds with the hardtop before she can sell it. ;)

RallyWrench > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/02/2017 at 03:26

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Oddly, the engine is the best part. They built those with an inline 5 or the VR6, both of which will last a long time as long as the timing components are replaced. The transmissions are made of glass, the chassis is overwhelmed in stock form, let alone the Rialta, the electronics are crap, lots of stuff is NLA, they can’t really be put on a lift, the list goes on. It will break down in the middle of nowhere, and no one will know how or want to work on it, and even if they do, it’ll be a million dollars and days waiting for parts, if they’re even available. The newest Eurovan is 14 years old, and VW has largely disavowed them.

RallyWrench > duurtlang 05/02/2017 at 03:35

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The automatic transmissions are terrible, and the only manuals we got were very early (‘93ish) 5-cylinder gas versions. Any T4 is badly made, but especially tacked on US RV versions. It’s a bad van with a crappy house on the back, and given our huge selection of cheap and perfectly serviceable domestic RVs (big and small), they make no sense. Many parts are NLA already here. GoWesty is a mile from me, they make some helpful bits, but for the money required to buy a good Eurovan camper here you can get a really nice domestic camper van that’s much less headache. Buying a Rialta to suit your camper needs here would be like buying a clapped out ‘75 Eldorado to suit your sports car needs there. Literally any choice is better.

Cé hé sin > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/02/2017 at 04:51

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And buying a VW Rialta

Buying a what ?

(Googles)

Finds that it’s a T4 chassis/cab with a camper body and a variety of petrol engines. New one to me.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/02/2017 at 05:22

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I hope this doesn’t become one of those situations where they buy the camper van, use it once sparingly and it sits unused in their yard for years as seems to happen with 95% of the campers I see around here....

Also, for the love of God, do not let her buy a Rialta....I’ve heard horror stories. There’s a reason I’ve not seen one around here in at least 3 years yet still see 4-5 GM/Dodge conversion vans on a regular basis...

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > RallyWrench 05/02/2017 at 08:44

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A Sprinter, even sold as a Freightliner or a Dodge, is still a Mercedes, so it’s an Eurovan, or did I miss something?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > duurtlang 05/02/2017 at 09:21

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Ones in the US aren’t diesel.... they have the V(R?)6.

RallyWrench > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 05/02/2017 at 12:19

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Eurovans are FWD Volkwagens. This is a Rialta.

Now here’s some bleach for your eyes

carcrazydan738 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 05/03/2017 at 15:02

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why don’t you buy it and keep it for yourself?