March issue of Miata Musings

For those that didn't pick up their newsletters at last night's club meeting (and for those that I knew wouldn't be there and out-of-town members, whose newsletters were dropped in the mail this past Tuesday), your newsletters will be posted this weekend.

Look for them no later than mid-week next week.

There are a number of Calendar of Event tweaks since the February issue sent out last month, all of which are high-lighted on page 2.

More on the Show 'n Shine(s) will be forthcoming soon, as things develop with the entre week of festivities leading up to the Edmonton Indy race in late July. Bob, Randy, and Will are working hard (Will's now on the organizing committee for the festival as well, so we have an in).

Targa Newfoundland - Keith & Janel Tanner's Miata Adventure

Want a taste of what it's like to run the Targa Newfoundland?

Forever MX-5 magazine has just published an 8-page article written by Flyin' Miata's Keith Tanner about the experience at the 2008 event.

Click the title text to link to the .PDF file.

Meeting Reminder - February 18

The club's February meeting is Thursday, February 18, at 7pm in the 2nd floor boardroom at Park Mazda in Sherwood Park.

Hope to see you there.

The March issue of the Miata Musings newsletter will be available for pickup at the meeting (I just printed it)...so get it first!

Further Update on Landmark Mazda

I dropped in today and spoke with Paul Pandur (longtime manager at Jarman Mazda). Jim Berg's gone. Landmark Mazda is not offering (at this time) discounts to WRMC members for parts or labour.

Welcome to new members:

Darren & Melissa P. of Edmonton - 2001 Sunlight Silver Metallic, and
Yvonne A. of Edmonton - 2007 Sunlight Silver Metallic

Congrats to Brandi & Martin...

on the birth of their daughter Grace Sylvia on January 18.

Our Events Director Martin will now have more to do than usual...so event updates and such may be a little sporadic for the next month or two.

Meeting Reminder - January 21

The first club meeting for 2010 is Thursday, January 21 at 7pm in the second floor boardroom at Park Mazda in Sherwood Park.

The February issue of the Miata Musings newsletter and your 2010 membership cards will be available for pickup (mailed thereafter if you're not in attendance).

Membership renewals for those of you who have yet to do so can be done in person.

Jarman Mazda no more...now Landmark Mazda

From the Hicks on Six column in the January 20 Edmonton Sun.

VROOM, VROOM

Heading into the annual Edmonton Motor Show next week, Edmonton auto dealers have emerged from their 2009 industry turmoil remarkably unscathed. Sales overall in the Edmonton area were flat last year. But these days, "flat" is excellent. The General Motors re-structuring meant some 240 dealerships across Canada were closed, but we lost just five in this area -- Stedelbauer Chev-Olds, Saturn West, Grove Pontiac in Spruce Grove, and Murray Chevrolet in Leduc.

Stedelbauer principal Ron Gibson bought and moved Jarman Mazda into the Stedelbauer building on 97 Street, re-naming it Landmark Mazda. Grove Pontiac is now Grove Motor Products. Welcome Ford in Fort Saskatchewan just declared bankruptcy, but not because of the economy. Otherwise, the local auto biz has been all about consolidation and improved presentation.

The Ericksen Auto Group (Ericksen Nissan, Ericksen Infiniti, and recent acquisitions Weber Motors Mazda and Weber Motors Mercedes-Benz / Smart) was itself fully acquired by Mike Priestner's Go Auto group. Crosstown Motors, the flagship of brother Pat Priestner's AutoCanada group, left the downtown to be the Crosstown Auto Centre at the Yellowhead and 156 Street.

AutoCanada's Capital Chrysler Jeep Dodge moved to the Gateway Auto Mall on Ellerslie Road, just off Calgary Trail. It's now the Capital Auto Centre. Yellowhead Honda moved and reopened as Pointe West Honda, selling other Honda products as well as cars. Once its new premises is ready in Sherwood Park, Healy Ford will move out of the downtown. So things weren't that bad. It'll be upbeat at The Motor Show. It always is.

Hopefully the staff at Jarman / Landmark are still there...as most at Weber Motors have changed over the past year. More details in the March issue of the Miata Musings once I know.

Membership Renewals

A reminder that it's now 2010, and all club members who received a membership renewal notice with your Volume 16, Issue 1 newsletters back in November, your memberships have now expired.

There are still about 50 some-odd members who have not sent in their renewals (an e-mail will go out this week).

Don't let the benefits of being a WRMC member pass you by.

Happy New Year!

It's 2010...seems like only yesterday that it was clicking over to 2000...yet here we are, in the last year of the decade (it's amazing how much the media has this wrong).

The Miata's turned 21....and it's -21C outside, with a bitter wind, yet I hope to see a lot of you at today's Polar Bear Run at 2pm.

Cheers!