My Year With Sophia

Just a quick little intro before we get to into it, I am Cole Hickman, I am 19 years old from Chattanooga Tenn. I would say that the surrounding Appalachian Mountains have acted as a gate to my passions over the past year. This weekend the calendar reads the 1 year mark since I first drove my beloved 2006 mx-5 (lovingly named Sophia) home from her previous owner’s place of living. It’s hilarious to think of how fast this year has gone by, all the places we’ve visited, mountains climbed, minds blown, and smiles had. Before I go on, I’ll introduce you to her:

She’s a beaut. I know. Lovingly named Sophia, after a beautiful young lady, who - like the car - is half Japanese, half American. She is actually completely stock ( the car) despite 11 years and 3 owners (before me). 2.0L DOHC 4 cylinder under the hood, 6 speed manual in the middle, drive in the rear, and I don’t think anything special elsewhere. I’ve been meaning to check the vin’s and see if it has any optionals but I just haven’t gotten around to it. Anyway, The car was wrecked at one point in its life and the rear bumper has been replaced, and the PO apparently had some troubles with the clear coat on the car and thought he could fix the paint with spray paint. Turns out he couldn’t so in spots the paint is a bit wonky. But other than that and a loose tire pressure sensor in the front right, the car is in perfect knick. Actually it really surprises me because I bought the car with 111k on the odometer and in the past year I have brought that up to 129 and some change to date. and I know for a fact that most of those last 18,000 miles have been hard miles. Carving through those mountains like I was some Takumi inspired pro or something (which I am not). The whole reason I am attached to this car is that it has taught me how to drive, and really drive at that.

// // // Humble Beginnings // // //

I started my humble driving experiences in a big ole Ford Expedition. 2000 year model with the 5.4 V8 to be exact. The ABS was gone, the steering was horrendous and basically everything else was broken. After a couple years of saving, I found her. My future Mx-5. Not spotless by any means, but in perfect working condition. I learned how to drive a manual in Honduras, on a Toyota Hilux, 2 years prior to my purchase, and knew I would have to re-learn to daily this car. Needless to say the test drive was pretty rough. But I picked up on it sort of quick, the clutch release became instinctive on the drive home (not smooth on the throttle, but not killing it every time). Driving home, my 1st solo drive in a manual,also my first solo drive in my new car just so happened to be in a freaking monsoon that left the visibility around 0 and the roads flooded like a river. Needless to say I was pretty nervous. But that rain washed away all my worries of not liking the car, and that night marked the beginning of a great friendship.

As it happened I got better at driving it, running the daily circuit and all, before too long I was setting off on my first drive. Pointlessly going no where just to get some wheel time. I remember this drive vividly, as it was on the road that has become one of my favorite drives in Tennessee. For the first time in my life I could feel the road through the steering wheel, I could feel the 205 mm tires gripping the apex, the rush of adrenaline that comes from a surge of power out of the corner. Intoxicated by the road, the noise of the engine, and the whipping wind from not having a roof, before I knew it I had driven 37 miles from home. As the sun set I remembered I had class the next morning so I turned around and headed back. The next morning I woke up and my face hurt from smiling so much the day before.

// // // Learning // // //

After about two months of taking it easy I had gotten comfortable behind the wheel so I started pushing myself. Seeing how fast I could go, learning new techniques such as the Heel&Toe, trail braking, even experimenting with power slides (not a good idea). I mean, I never exceeded the limitations of the law or anything… Who am I kidding, of course I did! Now, I normally don’t toot my own horn, but I started to get pretty good - pretty fast. Sure I’ve had quite a few close calls, like trying to power slide, but I’ve always lucked out and got out pretty clean. My favorite part about the car is that it tells me when I mess up, but it doesn’t make me pay for it. Honestly the Mazda Mx-5 does not need a talented driver because it makes one.

Mind you, I’m no pro. I wont even pretend to be an epic driver for a moment. I still mess up, I still have a lot more to learn but I have become a far better driver than I ever imagined I would. The faster I get the more addicted to the drive I become. The more addicted, the more I drive, the more I drive the more I push, the more I push the more I learn, the more I learn the faster I get. Until now, now driving has become a major key of who I am. I thirst to attack a curvy B-road or cruise a highway. Honestly I just long to be behind the wheel.

Now a-days I drive just shy of every chance I get. Whether its just on the “long way” or its a straight up drive I’ve worked wheel time into my daily life. Sometimes its to relieve stress, vent, get away from people, spend some time with my thoughts or even just to not think for a few hours. And there is one constant in all of it: Sophia, that beautiful machine which goes beyond being a machine and becomes an extension of my body. That beautiful machine that serves a far greater purpose than just A to B and back again. The whole purpose in my writing this is to tell of the relationship with that beautiful machine.

// // // That Beautiful Machine // // //

This bond, this relationship between car and driver is one I’ve always read about - one I’ve always dreamt about - yet, I did not think I would get to experience it with this Mx-5. I had heard that it is not a car with much personality or charisma, and sure at times I felt more attached to that broken expedition. But here I am, what started with worry was washed away with rain. Perhaps I did not fully realize how much that car means to me before writing this. Sitting down a few hours ago I knew it would be a good opportunity to express my love for driving and for how good of a car the Mx-5 is, in terms of drivability. I said at the beginning what I loved most about the car was that it taught me to drive… I lied. I wasn’t planning on focusing too much time on the relationship that it was going to form, but I am deeply moved by the thought of my beautiful Sophia. Jeremy Clarkson, along with many others once said something along the lines of: “I drove it [talking about the Mx-5] across the middle east and it just never got up under my skin like most cars on our trips do.” Now sure, ‘many others’ haven’t driven across the middle east in an Mx-5 but my point remains. The Mx-5 is a drivers car. It is made for mountain roads in the middle of fall, it is made to give a driver the greatest satisfaction in driving. It makes a driver a better driver. But most of all, it makes a great friend. I cannot think of a person who I have gone to with my problems more than my Mx-5, and I consider myself a pretty open guy. I can’t think of someone I have gone just to be around more than my Mx-5. No one person has brought me more smiles, more thrills, more scares, more procrastination from homework, and yes, more happiness.

In short, if you are thinking about getting an Mx-5, do it. You will not regret it if you treat her right. (Pro tip, she likes to be ridden. A lot. And hard). Yes that joke was on purpose. Now go out and drive, I hope you can uncover the greatness of it as I have!

// // // How will you drive? // // //