Lotta Miata

Lowcountry hosted the regional Miatas Doin’ Charleston fest

PROVIDED BY LOWCOUNTRY MIATA CLUB

Many of the 150 or so Mazda Miatas that took part in the regional Miatas Doin' the Charleston festival May 1-4 were snapped in an organized photo at Patriots Point on the morning of May 2. This is the first time the Charleston area club has hosted a regional event.

Jim Parker
The Post and Courier

Tom Anderson of Milwaukee, Wisc., installed metal shark’s teeth in the grille spacing on his 1999 silver Miata. He also has an unusual vanity plate HY OH AG (the chemical symbol for silver). Anderson displayed the car at a May 3 show at Stokes Mazda as part of the Miatas Doin’ the Charleston event.

The 007 insignia on the 1995 classic red Mazda Miata convertible was a clue that something was up, but why would a guy named Bryan from Uniontown, Pa., have such a marker? It may have been his given first name James, and last name, Bond.

"I've had a lot of fun with the name," said Bond ... James Bond.

His was one of close to 150 sport cars, currently titled the MX-5 but known for years and still nicknamed the Miata, in Charleston for a "regional" four-day fest May 1-4.

Hosted by the 120-member Lowcountry Miata Club, the event was dubbed Miatas Doin' The Charleston. About 285 people attended from as far away as California and Canada, driving models from 1990 to 2007.

"This was the whole reason I joined the club," said Tari Wood, "to meet other Miata owners and have a good time."

Registration for the event, a yearly festival that switches locales, opened Sept. 1, 2007, and filled up in 20 days.

"This normally takes six months for other Miata events but ours sold out so quickly because people were really wanting to come to Charleston," said Robert McElwee, club member and an organizer.

Events included a car wash where the club cleaned the cars of the visitors, a themed "beach bash" party, car show at Stokes Mazda, dinner cruise on Charleston Harbor, self-guided tour and a sunrise photo of 92 Miatas and their owners, which included a police escort from downtown to Mount Pleasant.

"Southern hospitality was the key to our success," said Marsha Inabinett, club member and chairwoman of the Charleston program.

Bond said he's involved in the Miata club in western Pennsylvania, which held a regional show a couple of years ago.

"They came to ours. This is our turn," he said. "These (Miata owners) are fun-loving people."

Robin and Jodie Perry of Moncks Corner are new members of the Lowcountry club. Robin Perry owns a 1992 Miata that she showed at the May 3 car show.

"I really have enjoyed it," she said.

"Out of all regionals I have gone to, this one was the most organized," McElwee said.

"Our members really shined in the event. Their support made this event special," said his wife and Miata owner, Bunny McElwee.

Besides its intrinsic value as a reasonably priced roadster, the Miata has a few other perks. It lasts, evidenced by the fact that a number of owners had models with at least 100,000 miles. And it's thrifty on fuel.

"We get 31 miles per gallon," said Louise Donner, who rode with husband Harold "Bud" Donner in their 2004 Titanium Gray Miata convertible with six-speed manual transmission from northern Virginia.

The trip was half the fun, she said.

"When you're driving, the whole world opens up," she said. "You don't feel like you are in a small car."

Reach Jim Parker at 937-5542 or jparker@postandcourier.com