It's back!

IT WAS my last enjoyable moment of motoring in 2011, but what a moment it was.

Regular readers will already know that last month I decided that what I needed in my life was a MK1 Mazda MX-5, the one with the funny pop-up headlights and the grinning owners. With a little pub-based help from eBay and a search through the classified ads in The Champion, I came up with a charming G-reg example in Mariner Blue, which despite having just over 100,000 miles on the clock came in surprisingly clean nick and felt tighter than a drum to drive.

Which I've gone on to tell you absolutely nothing about... until now.

The truth is that it's been off the road for the last few weeks because - and I'm not proud to admit it - the car's Camac tyres let me down in spectacular fashion. Since then it's had a few optional extras installed, to follow on from my earlier efforts to fit a slightly more tasteful steering wheel.

The little blue sports car now has the spec to match the looks, with bigger brakes, a stronger rear axle, and new diff and propshaft. Oh, and some much meatier tyres, which still haven't arrived yet, making the drive from Rainford to Southport on the original budget rubber a not-at-all nerve-racking experience!

But then the rain stopped and - seeing as I never decline a chance to get a ragtop's roof down - I got reacquainted with why the MX-5 is still the best selling sports car the world has ever seen. Yes, the car hadn't been run for ages and the idle control was a bit iffy, and that somehow water had made it into the driver's footwell in its enforced holiday and made the interior smell like a damp dog. Worst of all, it was still on the heart-stopping (but sadly not car-stopping) budget tyres, meaning every roundabout was a choice between dawdling, wheelspinning or heading backwards into the nearest hedge.

In truth, it was rubbish because the car badly needs some decent rubber and a bit of TLC, but it was still an MX-5 with the roof down, which is one of motoring's great experiences.

Even I'll admit the little Mazda hasn't been the luckiest car I've ever owned, but maybe it's just that 2011 hasn't been its year. 2012 - and a summer of winding down leafy country lanes on tyres that are actually up to the job - is just around the corner.

My eternal gratitude goes to Ian, Anthony and Gareth Jackson of Parkhill Garage, based in Rainford, for having the patience to put up with my MX-5. I'm not terribly good at plugging things but if you live anywhere near Rainford, give them a ring on 01744 882749 if you need a repair.