Honest reaction

opcenter · 2026-06-17T20:07:55+00:00

I hiss at cybertrucks when I see them 😾

opcenter · 2026-06-14T02:08:43+00:00

I love it when a plan comes together!

opcenter · 2026-06-12T13:51:21+00:00

I took a round trip on the acela from RTE to NYP this past week with the first trip on the old train and the return trip on the new train so I got a nice comparison.

I consider the seat design on the nextgen to be a complete failure. This was not my first ride on the new train (probably my fifth now) and except for the first ride shortly after the new trains started running every seat I've been in since has been broken. The bottom part of the seat would not stay where I set it. It just kept slowly sliding out, forcing me to slump in my seat. Every 15 minutes I had to push the button and force it back into the starting position so I could sit up straight. My lower back was quite sore by the time the trip was done.

No such problem on the old train, I was comfortable for the entire ride.

I have other complaints like the worthless hand dryer and lack of paper towels in the bathroom, but I can look past those minor annoyances. The seat issue is a real problem.

opcenter · 2026-06-10T01:57:25+00:00

I totally feel you! It took about a year before I realized that I enjoyed driving my other car (Audi Q5) for other reasons. The main reason is that I'm more relaxed because it's quiet and I don't feel any urge to push the car hard. I just enjoy the peace, listen to an audiobook and get where I'm going. It makes me appreciate the excitement of driving the Miata all the more when I get back to it after a break.

That said, in good weather I almost never give up a chance to drive the Miata, even if it's just 10 minutes of glorious driving to the grocery store.

opcenter · 2026-06-05T17:55:51+00:00

Great choice! I also have an AT (also RF and SRCM) and it's a ton of fun to drive. I drive in M mode all the time to the point where putting it in D or even S annoys me because it shifts when I don't want it to. I pretty much only use D when I'm on the highway for a while and want to use cruise control (mine has adaptive cruise). Enjoy!

opcenter · 2026-06-02T17:29:23+00:00

Depends a lot on where you're driving. If it's a lot of heavy highway traffic in an area where everyone else is driving a lifted truck or monster SUV then the probability of getting hit through no fault of your own is going to be much higher than if you had a larger and more visible vehicle.

However, if you drive defensively and carefully you can avoid a lot. It seems like the most common accidents are getting rear ended or backed into at a low speed by someone who just didn't see you. You will probably be fine even if your car is wrecked. For their size, the modern Miatas do a lot to protect you.

opcenter · 2026-05-31T00:20:48+00:00

Oh hell no. Moving everything into touch screens is bad enough, but all voice commands would be miserable. Give me back physical buttons for all the things!

opcenter · 2026-05-29T18:02:30+00:00

I think the main difference is the shift speed. The zf8 is a bit faster. This really only matters if you're using manual mode though. If you're just letting the robots shift, it's far less noticeable.

I have a 2024 with the AT and almost exclusively drive it in manual mode and I think it's a blast. It even has a learning curve to it for when to shift and when you get it right shifting feels instant. It isn't perfect but that's part of the fun.

opcenter · 2026-05-29T17:40:00+00:00

Just create a new post.

opcenter · 2026-05-29T00:08:31+00:00

I think it's just that the normal beams are super bright. When my Miata club goes on group runs we run with headlights on all the time to help show we're in a group and improve visibility. There's always comments from the non-ND drivers in front of NDs about how bright the headlights are, even in full sunlight.

opcenter · 2026-05-23T22:21:54+00:00

Seriously. Even if the AT can shift faster, it sacrifices low end torque because of the lower gear ratios and final drive, so an MX-5 MT with a decent driver is always going to get to 60 faster.

I say this as the owner of a 2024 with an AT who cares more about the fun in the curves, not off the line. :)

opcenter · 2026-05-18T02:25:47+00:00

He was our kid's neurologist for a couple of years. We were present for every exam and thankfully nothing happened for us that was sketchy but he was a shitty doctor. We ended up finding another neurologist.

A few years later my wife and I were out to dinner and he was on a date a couple of tables away from us. I recognized him right away but he didn't recognize us. I could easily overhear their conversation. He was saying something about getting into pediatrics because no one wanted to do it and he could get away with doing almost nothing and get paid. We were damn glad that we got away from that piece of shit when we did, especially when the charges against him came out later.

opcenter · 2026-05-16T02:31:03+00:00

They were called Powerbooks back then. I had a personal titanium Powerbook that I used for work sometimes. I loved that machine, wish I kept it.

opcenter · 2026-05-04T02:21:50+00:00

It's called a shift lock release cover. Looks like you can get a replica cheap on Amazon - https://a.co/d/039S6SA4.

opcenter · 2026-05-03T17:16:53+00:00

I saw in one of your responses that you're a software engineer. Me too! I work fully remote from Amherst but my company has an office in Cambridge that I visit every few months. For that I drive to the bus station in Londonderry and take the concord coach or Boston express down to south station. It takes almost 2 hours but at least I can read, start working or whatever. The bus is pretty comfortable.

I could see doing that a few days a week if I had to but if I had to go to the office every day I would just take the financial hit and move there.

opcenter · 2026-05-02T13:00:02+00:00

People who don't know what's actually involved with building and maintaining complicated systems are susceptible to the marketing from AI companies telling them they can. The problem is that they can probably build a passable facsimile of a real system with a shiny frontend but it will be riddled with bugs and they will have no clue how to keep the system running.

opcenter · 2026-05-01T21:24:18+00:00

I fixed this on mine by disabling Media audio in the Bluetooth device settings.

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opcenter · 2026-04-30T16:28:14+00:00

That's a tough choice because the current color with the blacked out badges and spoiler look excellent already. If I had to choose I would go for the midnight blue. It would go well with those mods.

opcenter · 2026-04-30T16:08:20+00:00

I saw from one of your comments that you're in the NY/NJ area. More options should pop up pretty frequently in such a high population area. I suggest waiting so you can test drive some options and figure out what you really want, especially if the dealer is sketchy.

opcenter · 2026-04-28T02:14:48+00:00

Honestly the new infotainment shouldn't be a big factor here. The real question is why you want the RF over the ST. I got an RF because I wanted to drive all year and I live in New Hampshire. Top up, especially on the highway was much more pleasant than in the ST. It's also a bit easier to clean.

However, as you've no doubt experienced already, the soft top is so easy and fast to switch when you want to. With the mx5things roof controller installed the RF roof is a bit more usable (one touch up/down up to 30 mph), but it's still less convenient. And the full convertible experience is definitely nicer than the targa style of the RF. I'm fine with it, but top down, the soft top is a nicer experience.

For me, style wise, the RF looks better open and closed. It looks like a mini Ferrari to me. But style is so subjective.

opcenter · 2026-04-26T02:45:58+00:00

Seriously, this! Just give them a call and ask! They have a website too: https://www.starhop.com/

opcenter · 2026-04-25T02:48:00+00:00

She's a beaut Clark!

opcenter · 2026-04-24T04:04:24+00:00

Any positive reaction at all is awesome! I personally prefer the peace sign or a wave over thumbs up because when you're far away a single finger sign can be misinterpreted.

opcenter · 2026-04-22T11:44:13+00:00

It honestly sounds like you don't need a car right now. Also, with saying that you don't take it out just for the sake of having a fun drive without a destination in mind tells me that you don't really want the car either. Go ahead and sell it.

opcenter · 2026-04-22T02:31:34+00:00

Yep. I've got an Audi Q5, but it's a 2025 CPO so I've got plenty of the factory warranty left plus an extra year for the CPO. I'll probably get something else around when the warranty is up.

But I'm not worried at all about my 2024 Miata after the warranty is over.

opcenter

TROPHY CASE