Historic Moments in Miata Ownership

Today I pulled my Miata out from its annual winter slumber in my In-laws pole barn.

As a 1990 model (but with a build date of June 1989) the state of Ohio now recognizes it as 25 years old and a Historic Vehicle. As such, Historic plates in Ohio are $30 and never have to be renewed. That's right, $30 one time for the rest of your life!
I put those plates on today!

The old metal plates were last replaced in 2003, the year of the Ohio Statehood Bicentencial, which was a year that Ohio required new metal. Every year since then you just have to add a sticker. That means I have like 12 stickers piled upon each other.

She's not perfect but the old Miata still looks pretty good. She only has 98k miles and last summer I only drove her about 1.2k miles. When I got in today, I found that my autox, extra air, airtank was still in the passenger footwell which reminded me that the last time I drove here was an autox event in Toledo. Oddly enough, I pulled her out today, Weds, because I plan to autox her this weekend.

I bought the car, used in May of 1993 from a private party seller who bought her new and early since she is VIN #8869. He was selling it because he had ordered a brand new, bright green, just released Honda Del Sol. I am pretty sure that I got the better end of this deal.

This year, the top will need to be replaced. It is the original. The window itself is still good but the zipper mechanism exploded last year. There is now no way to unzip the window and should it happen to unzip, not way to re-zip or close it. What am I going to do, bitch about it? I think the original has served me pretty well.

Isn't there also a mileage restriction? Something silly low like 2500mi/year. I have blown through that in two weekends.

Nothing specific like a recorded mileage but the actual wording is:

General Information
To qualify, motor vehicles must be at least 25 years old. They are solely collector's items and are used for participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and similar uses. A historical motor vehicle shall not be used for general transportation, but may be operated on the public roads and highways to and from a location where maintenance is performed on the vehicle. They are NOT for general transportation.

I figure that since I put on less than 2k miles per year, I am not general transportation.
I will happily wave from the driver's seat as I go down the road so that everywhere I go is a parade.

In reply to JohnRW1621:

Man, those historic plates have gone up! What a rip off! I only paid $15 for them the last time I bought them. Going to get some for my 88 CRX when it's done in a month or two.

While out today in the Miata, I came across a Volare wagon sporting Historical Plates.

I was looking up our states historic plate rules. Going by your state's, I could register my F150 as little as I drive it.

Knurled wrote: Isn't there also a mileage restriction? Something silly low like 2500mi/year. I have blown through that in two weekends.

At least if you were driving to work you could always say you are driving it to a repair shop.

In reply to N Sperlo:

I have them on my 78 dually work truck. Its a POS, but legal to run them in Ohio.

We should really stop discussing this. If any politicians pick up on what a deal it is, it won't be for long.

Nice! Theres a fellow that goes to a church up the street that also has a clean 90 miata with a historic tag, only one ive seen so far, cant wait for the 3 years until mine is okay for a historic tag!

Congrats! I still have 3 more years (and 2 more emissions inspections) to go :(

I can run a historic plate on the MX6, but it doesn't save me any money. Same fees every year.

30 years in Ontario. Two more emissions cycles for me . . .

Interesting - I used to run historic plates on the '86 CRX here in NV just for fun (and to mess with people my age as in "is it really that old?") and they're a little more expensive than regular plates.

If I lived in an emissions part of the state they'd get me out of emissions, but that doesn't apply to me anyway.

In SC:

http://www.scdmvonline.com/DMVNew/PlateGallery.aspx?q=Specialty

'To obtain an antique license plate, your current title must be surrendered and the department will issue a new title marked Antique. The fee for a new title is $15.00. To qualify for an antique license plate, the automobile or motorcycle must be at least 25 years old. The vehicle is to be used in club activities, exhibits, tours, parades and similar events, but shall not be used for general transportation. When the vehicle is sold, junked, or otherwise disposed of, you must surrender the antique license plate to the department. The fee for the plate is $10.00.'

Soooo... if it's a nice night and I decide to go for a late night top down ride or take it on a date and something bad happens...?

JohnRW1621 wrote: ...but may be operated on the public roads and highways to and from a location where maintenance is performed on the vehicle...

I do all my own maintenance in my garage. I park in my garage. Therefore whenever I go out my ultimate destination-my garage-is a location where maintenance is performed.

Right?

EvanB wrote:

Knurled wrote: Isn't there also a mileage restriction? Something silly low like 2500mi/year. I have blown through that in two weekends.

At least if you were driving to work you could always say you are driving it to a repair shop.

That, actually, is a reason I've cited when I used to get stopped for various equipment violations. Oh okay, let's not beat around the bush: It's always been loud exhaust. On a rotary. No, I'm not kidding, some people think rotaries are loud.

"I'm taking it to the repair shop tomorrow." (then taking it right back home again, then taking it to the shop the next day, then taking it home again...)

So, since my Exocet will be made from a 1991 formerly Ohio registered donor car, would I qualify for the OH historic plates? Hmmmm ...

If your Exo is still registered as a '91 then next year you're good for Ohio Historics.