Welcome back to another Members’ Rides! For the second iteration this year, we are heading to the windy city of Chicago, where it is my pleasure to introduce Matt, aka Trust Doesn’t Rust. Matt is an IT worker living in Chicago with a couple of awesome rides. One is always a fan favorite, and the other is far less common.
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How did you get into cars?
My folks will claim that my love of cars started with my Little Tykes Cozy Coupe. I’ve never been into sports; LEGOs, Star Trek, and cars were my main interests as a kid. My dad and grandpa had a casual interest in cars, but they weren’t gearheads. For some reason, I just gravitated to all things automotive. I’ve had a subscription to Car and Driver since I was nine.
My dad and I have attended every Chicago Auto Show since 1995. While most kids were watching cartoons before heading to church, I was watching Motorweek. I was really into Saturn in the 90s, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. While most folks were partying in college, my friend Patrick and I were bombing back roads in his R53 Cooper S and my Saturn SC2. I don’t work on my cars, but I love driving and keeping up on the automotive industry.
What’s currently in the garage?
- 2021 Polestar 2
- 2021 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF
How long have you had the Polestar?
This is my wife’s car. She bought it new and took delivery on December 25th, 2020. It was a bright spot on an otherwise isolated peak-pandemic Christmas. Around the time we would normally open presents with her family, we instead met a transporter in an empty Home Depot parking lot.
How did you come to choose the Polestar?
When we started dating, she had a 2010 Mazda3 hatch and, while it was a great car, she hardly drove it since her daily life is much better suited to walking, biking, and public transit. As a result, she started having problems with the car and decided to replace it. She’s the perfect candidate for a BEV. She’s had it for over five years, and it only has 33,000 miles on the clock.
Did you cross-shop it with anything else?
At the time, the only EVs that had any sort of appeal were the Tesla Model S, Model 3, and Audi A3 e-tron. When Polestar announced the 2 and the official launch, I put a bug in her ear, and it latched on like a Ceti eel larva to a cerebral cortex.
Has it given you any issues?
The car hasn’t given her any major problems; most things have been annoyances. The Infotainment can be slow at startup (“She’s doing her best, she just needs a minute!”); the keys have gotten flaky and need reprogramming, and the rear pass-through is stuck closed. Also, the upholstery material on the doors and seats is a bear to keep clean.
What is the best thing about this?
We both love the car; it suits her needs perfectly. Given how little she drives, the minimal maintenance requirements are fantastic. Since it’s roughly the same dimensions as her old Mazda3, it’s great for city life, and the hatch makes it much more versatile than a sedan. My wife works with a local chicken rescue (yes, it’s a thing), and the interior has plenty of space for friends and hens. For an electric car, it handles really well, and the off-the-line acceleration is effortless. It’s also just a really great-looking car. Polestars are pretty uncommon here, so it still turns heads.
Anything you don’t like?
There is not enough space in this article to thoroughly document my hatred for auto-braking. It’s so goddamn sensitive and jarring. The first time it went off when I was behind the wheel, I had my in-laws in the car, and I had to explain to them that I didn’t actually hit anything. I still don’t think they totally believe me. Aside from that, the turning radius is crap. Every U-turn is a fun game of “Will I make it or will I be the recipient of honking and rude gestures?”
How long do you think you’ll hold on to this?
How long it stays in the garage is not up to me. We’re both still smitten with the car, and resale isn’t exactly stellar. I think she’ll keep it for a while longer.
Any idea what will replace it?
That’s a great question. If I were in her position, I would be hard-pressed to find a good alternative. Most of the PHEVs and BEVs being launched are crossovers, and we are not crossover people. Tesla is out of the question. The Ioniq 4/5 and EV4/6 are appealing, and the BMW i4 has potential. That said, nothing really lights up my eyes enough to warrant a change.
How has the Polestar experience been overall?
The ownership experience has been pretty uneventful. Polestar was still getting its legs when she bought it through the New York space, so the actual purchase process was a learning experience for all involved. Fortunately, the Lisle space has opened, which offers convenience and peace of mind. It’s not close, but it’s certainly closer than Detroit.
Have you ever road tripped in the Polestar, or do you stay local?
I hate that this is still the rub with BEVs. Charging infrastructure has gotten better, especially with access to the Supercharger network. Unfortunately, there’s still a level of planning, uncertainty, and time management that cannot be overcome by my current anxiety medication. My wife’s family is just outside of Kansas City, and driving down would add an extra hour or two for recharging. Adding two hours to an eight-hour trip is just not something we want to do. The farthest she’s taken it was to Indianapolis, where she was able to charge at the hotel. If we go on road trips, we usually wind up renting something.
What led to you buying the Miata?
What led me to finally buying an MX-5 was my wife imploring me to just buy the damn thing already. I have always had a thing for MX-5s but I couldn’t justify the impracticality of the car. When the ND RF came out, I knew I had to make it happen. It took 5 years to pull the trigger, but it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
When did you get it?
This was another pandemic-era purchase; I picked it up new in May of 2021. COVID was wild, man.
I know you mentioned some lighting upgrades, any other changes?
Lighting upgrades is putting it generously; I just installed LEDs where Mazda should have installed them in the first place. A manufacturing defect in the stock muffler made itself known last year in the form of a very annoying rattle. I used it as an opportunity to replace it with the Goodwin Racing RoadsterSport SuperQ muffler. Aside from throwing on winter tires every year, the car is stock.
Plans for additional upgrades of any sort?
Honestly, no. I know that’s a weird thing to say here, but the car is perfect. I might get the urge to do some small things here and there, but nothing is planned.
Was this your first Miata? What preceded it?
This is my first Miata. I like to say that my first car was a 1994 Saturn SW2 (thanks Torch for the birthday drawing!), but let’s be honest, it was my mom’s car that she let me drive in high school. I just treated it like it was mine.
My first car was actually a 2002 Saturn SC2. We were a Saturn family; we owned four. I replaced it with a 2007 Audi A3, which was followed by a 2014 Mini Cooper S. I don’t buy cars often, so when I do, it has to be something that I really want.
How long do you think you’ll keep this?
So, despite the fact that I do keep cars for a while, my brain has this habit of getting designs on the next car shortly after making a purchase. I’ve always got something else on the radar. This is not the case with the Miata. I absolutely love this car, and I’m prepared to keep it for a very long time.
What makes this the best car for you?
Most importantly, the car is an absolute blast to drive, even in the city. Since its power and dynamics are accessible at low speeds, I don’t feel like I’m holding the car back. When I’m able get out of the city, the car is a complete joy.
My good friend lives in rural Wisconsin, and while I love hanging out with the guy, sometimes the drive to and from his place is one of the highlights. Aside from that, it’s small, unusual for this environment, and the fuel efficiency is a nice bonus. The fact that the car is gorgeous doesn’t hurt either.
Do you drive this daily. How is it usually used?
Not many people would choose to daily a rear-wheel-drive, manual transmission sports car in the city, but here we are. I throw on a set of snow tires every winter and, as long as we don’t get a foot of snow, I will take it out. If the weather gets too bad or I need to carry something larger than a carry-on suitcase, I’ll borrow the Polestar.
Any fun stories of your time with the RF?
Shortly after I purchased the car, my wife gifted me a performance driving class at Autobahn Country Club for my birthday. It was a ton of fun and really helped me to get comfortable with the Miata, especially since it’s my first RWD car. Despite participating with Corvettes, 911s, a Lotus Evora, a CT-5 Blackwing, and, oddly enough, a Kia Forte GT (no judgment, I fully support it), I was able to keep up just fine. Best of all, my friend decided to join me with his 50th anniversary Mustang GT.
What would you like to see Mazda do with the fifth-gen car, whenever that comes out?
I would love Mazda to just stick with the current formula. There are rumors running around about hybrid power, which is fine. As long as they still offer a four-banger, a manual transmission, RWD, and an option for some kind of hardtop, I will buy the next car. There are plenty of folks who think it needs more power, it needs AWD, it needs more space. Those people are fools. If Mazda somehow fails to live up to my personal expectations for the next car, I will buy a new ND3 and keep it for as long as I can.
What’s in the dream garage?
- 1994 Saturn SW2
- E28 M5
- Triumph Dolomite Sprint
- 1977 Ford LTD Landau Sedan
- MGB GT
- Audi Ur-Quattro
- Datsun 280z
- Ferrari GTC4Lusso
- McLaren F1
- Mk1 GTI
- Saab 99 Turbo
Why would each of these earn a spot in your dream garage?
It’s an eclectic selection, for sure. Aside from the F1 and maybe the Ur-Quattro, I don’t think many of these would find their way into most dream garages. The SW2 is a pure nostalgia move. Everything else is what I find to be the most interesting and unusual vehicle in its respective class. Land yacht? Check. Supercar? Got it. Roadster? You betcha. Quirky foreign car? Look, this is gonna start sounding like a song from The Little Mermaid. The point is, I think all of these would bring me actual joy while being brushed off by the uninitiated and appreciated by those who know.
Thanks Matt!
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That was a great read, Matt, well done! I gotta know… was your wife’s rescue org involved with the guy who had the cops come shut down his rowdy party celebrating the 5th birthday of his rescue chicken?
Ha! No, I think that took place in Colorado. That said, I would absolutely attend that party.
Miata, well yes of course. And don’t ever change, Miata.
But what’s the EV that just works? No “quirks” that will put me in a c-collar, or make me want to redecorate the dashboard with a ball pen hammer.
Honestly probably a Chevy Bolt. It’s basic, no frills, but the few times I’ve driven one it just drove like a car. It was obviously an EV, but it was not trying to be so massively different like many of them do. And if you go for the first gen, you could get it in orange, tennis ball yellow, blue, red, such an awesome color palette for a basic car!
Matt,
Well done with your tidy, efficient, two-car garage; it looks like there are plenty of fun times to be had. When I see those cathedral ceilings, though, I’d like to fill them with more bicycles or one of those car lifts for a special project 3rd car!
The problem is always the actual garage door. If/when I ever get around to building a garage, it’ll have to have the roll up door so it doesn’t conflict with a lift.
Thanks. I have a love-hate relationship with the garage. On the plus side, it’s brick and extra deep. On the other hand, it was once a 4-car garage that got chopped in half and pieced back together. Poorly. There’s a giant wood post in the middle that you have to scoot around to get into the car. It needs tuckpointing. Three of the four exterior walls are different colors. Part of the interior is lime green for some reason. I just put a new roof on it last year because it was leaking in four spots and a garbage truck snagged a dead utility line and ripped off two parapets. The only reason it’s still standing is because demo, haul-away and building a new garage built to my specs would be astronomically more expensive that maintaining it. There are more pressing projects to be done on the property.
As the owner of a Volvo V60 Recharge Polestar and a Honda S2000, I strongly approve of this garage!
Love both of those! That’s a fantastic garage!
I’ve had a Polestar 2 for about 7 months and love it. It has its quirks and shows its age in the infotainment department. But its a blast to drive, its comfortable and very good looking. But with the tax credit, $20,000 was a steal of a deal.
Dang there are so many more of these here than I would have expected! $20k for that is a great deal for sure!
Apparently the updated infotainment system may be available for (paid, ~$1,000) upgrade in the next few months. Same basic software, but drastically better performance.
The Polestar 2 experience didn’t scare me enough that I came back for more with the Polestar 3.
The car wasn’t bad, the dealer experience gave me PTSD, looking at you Galpin. I know there has been recent improvements, but I’m still skeptical.
I also have a Miata in the garage, not as nice as this one though.
That’s awesome! Wanna show them off? I would love to do another Polestar and hear about your experiences with them.
Sure thing!
Go here to submit your garage: https://www.theautopian.com/how-to-sign-up-for-autopian-member-rides/
What year is your Miata?
It’s a beat up looking 1990 Miata that I own for track duties.
Love it. Man there are so many of us with NAs, tons with NDs, and a few with NDs, but I cannot find a member with an NB which is so weird to me.
NA to ND is a huge step, maybe NA to NB wasn’t enough to justify the extra costs.
I mean if you’re picking one up these days, NA is often more than a comparable NB. I actually wanted an NB, but found an NA that met my needs and it was BRG and I couldn’t say no.
I think I got my Miata is 2009, so it’s been a while since I checked prices. I know NAs went up a little, but I figured NBs would have gone up too.
I have a BRG hardtop on my red because it was cheap. You know I bought it a long time ago if I said my hardtop was cheap! hah.
Haha BRG with red, I love that! I had a hardtop for mine but I never used it so after a year or so I sold it. The freaking top alone sold for more than I bought my first NA for back in 2018. They’ve gone way up in recent years for good ones.
I have owned my Polestar 2 for 3.5 years now, and I still think it’s the best choice I could have made if I needed a brand new EV. While depreciation hasn’t hit quite as hard here(Norway) I still like it more than any of the alternatives.
Even though I rationalize it by saying it’s the right size for a family car, it can tow a caravan,it has 4wd and being a liftback it’s more practical than a model 3, the truth is I just really wanted it.I think it looks great for a modern car, and considering I haven’t even built a garage yet it’s faster than any ice powered car I will be able to afford to buy/build.
Recently added a ‘classic’ car for my 16 year old to learn how to drive, a 1996 Civic EK4 Vti Sedan. Which is more or less the polar (pun intended) opposite of the Polestar in almost every way apart from the number of side doors, seats and wheels.
It’s a bit like a fwd Miata sedan, except it has almost the same turning radius as the Polestar. Tighter than a ’01 V70 or ’90 Accord CB7, but still not great.
Interesting. You’re at least the second person to sound off in the comments that you also have one of these. I didn’t realize they were that popular. I’m glad to see they have some strong fans as I would love to see Polestar succeed. Even if I’m not sure where Polestar begins and Volvo ends these days.
They seem to be one of few electric cars that attract car enthusiast in more ways than just being an acceptable nr.2 car. (I am a bit biased though)
And yeah, I’m not really sure how Volvo and Polestar had planned for this to work out. The Polestar 2 was basically a cheaper XC40/C40, and I feel the price jump up to a 4 or 3 is way too far, while the Volvo EX30 feels (and looks) like a cheaper hot hatch version of the Polestar.
Also, launching the Polestar 5 without any colour options feels like a huge mistake, especially if they want to challenge Porsche.
I’ll make it a 3rd, I had one of these, and upgraded to the 3.
1000 Nerd Points for the WoK reference!
I definitely had to look that one up.
I never forget a face
I used to have a Polestar 2 PPP, and I understand the auto braking while reversing. The first time it happened, I had to step out of the car thinking I hit something, my neck was not happy about it. The interior materials looks nice and feel nice but what a pain to clean them. I kept the cleaning cloth for the screen lol one of the best cars I ever had.
That door upholstery picks up EVERYTHING. I’ve lost track of how many bottles of Chemical Guys Interior Cleaner I’ve gone through.
The Performance Pack makes such a difference, I drove a Plus and mine that was a PP and it was night and day. I also really like the yellow seat belts!
I also carry a cleaning cloth in the glovebox for the screen and really have never done that with previous cars. This one just attracts finger prints and dust very easily.
There’s a lot of Miatas in Members’ Rides. While this is a good thing It always reminds me that I just don’t fit in them. Heavy sigh.
haha I usually try to avoid doing them too often, but I decided to intentionally go with two in a row this time. There are lots of great alternatives to Miatas fortunately. Or I have seen some tall people do some significant modifications to make it work for them too.
In Magnum PI, they had to remove the seat stuffing so Tom Selleck could (barely) fit in the 308! He was basically driving around on the floorboards.
Yep. For the Miata they call it a “foamectomy” and it’s very common. Being short, I have not done so and have no need.
My dad had a NA Miata back in the 90s. He’s a very large man who always wears suspenders and would ride around town with the top down looking like Magilla Gorilla.
Nothing wrong with that!
My sad story. My sister had one when I was in my mid fifties. I fell in love. Ten years later upon retirement I decided to treat myself to one. I’m 6 feet tall, 32 inch inseam, 200 pounds. The killer was my age. The bendy factor defeated me. My legs laughed, my knees laughed, and I told my sales rep to forget the test drive. I got that close.
I get that. They are not the easiest to get down into for sure. Especially with the top up. And yet I still want to lower mine.
I am also a Matt that owns a Polestar 2 and (previously owned) an ND Miata. Are you me? Clearly you’re a person that enjoys driving, I don’t think there’s a better driver’s EV than the Polestar 2. Especially with the changes they made to the ’24, changing it to RWD first. Shame that all most people seem to want is bland blobs that get from A to B.
Interesting. Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed it!
Dude, what are the odds? I haven’t had much experience driving other electric cars but we’re very pleased with the driving dynamics of the P2. I agree with you though. I think the popularity of the Tesla Model Y over the Model 3 is a good indicator of people’s priorities.
Yeah… shame the ’24 RWD is so hard to find, otherwise I’d be looking for a used one when my lease ends (because buying it off the lease makes no sense with the depreciation). There’s really nothing else out there that comes close. The Ioniq 6 is another one I looked at, but that’s a luxury car first. It definitely doesn’t drive how it looks. BMW i4? I liked it more than I thought it would, but it’s softer than the Polestar 2.
That’s a garage I could just sit in, enjoying the view. Good choices.
They are both gorgeous machines for sure.
I recently traded my BRZ for a used Polestar 2 and so far have enjoyed everything about it…except the occasional software glitch and OMG that stupid effing autobraking. There’s a gap between slabs in my driveway and I never know when the car is going to think that shadow is a wall and slam the brakes without warning. I love everything else about the P2 though.
Glad it’s not just me.
My wifes car is a 2024 Prologue and that auto braking system is so much worse than the Polestar in my opinion. It is terrified of puddles and will autobrake so hard it seems like we backed in to something. Living in the PNW its almost a daily occurance.
I definitely thought I hit something the first 2 times it went off.
Member Rides, always such a good feature. One day, one day I’ll bite on form for real and submit things… The passion that comes out for the Saturnses and, ahem, *quirky* vehicles delights me so much more than people that buy Ms and AMGs and even Lambos (ok, that was in Miami, not here, but still) because they were the Most Expensivest and have no idea, interest, or care for what the vehicle actually is.
Thanks for sharing Matt!
I would love to show off your truck, bikes and Z4 any time!
I guess I can write in to the boys, but is the “Members’ Rides” feature randomly selected (they reach out and ask if you’re interested) – or – you pitch your garage and then wait for a decision??
Inquiring mind wants to know…and thanks!
Great question. If you go to the link below, you can fill out the survey and I randomly pick and choose what sounds fun that week. No real rhyme or reason to how I select people. I mean I have my logic that makes sense to me, but believe me it wouldn’t make any sense to anyone else.
https://www.theautopian.com/how-to-sign-up-for-autopian-member-rides/
Funny you mention the Lisle space the world head quarters for my job is there though I work and am stationed outside South Bend. I actually traded the 2023 Miata RF I had for 6 months in there for a Polestar 2 (which I still have and really have had not issues with it besides the mentioned software glitches). Kind of miss the Miata (especially the soul red color) and kind of don’t was a blast to drive especially in the nice weather but no way I would drive it to South Bend this time of year and that damn 3rd gear synchro going out just ruined any trust I had for the car.
Lisle – is that where the tools come from, too? I had a Lisle wheel stud puller bearing tool I gave away to a (much more qualified, competent) tech that was using old Pittsburgh wrenches to eventually convince new studs into place.
Quick Google search shows Lisle Corporation their HQ is in Iowa and they are named after their founders last name so no relation to Lisle IL.
Thanks! I didn’t even think of crosschecking Lisle IL vs Lisle tools
Your (mom’s) Saturn wagon looks more or less like a twin to my dad’s ’94. Color was Blue-Black, right? That was a transitional year; it still had mouse-motor seatbelts and the original dash, but it got a driver-side airbag (with a steering wheel shared with the Pontiac Bonneville and Lotus Esprit!). My dad’s was a five-speed, and we bought it at the first Saturn dealer, Saturn of Santa Ana. Solid little thing, but by the time he was twelve my brother had size 13 feet and could no longer get them in and out of the back doors, so we had to get something roomier. Fun memories!
Yep, it was blue-black. I knew the Esprit shared the same steering wheel but I can’t tell if the Bonneville is actually the same wheel or not. The Bonneville is missing the two horn pads at 9 and 3 and the airbag cutouts are different. It’s a very similar design; maybe they just swapped out some parts.
The Saturn SW2 (2nd gen) was a car I wanted all through Elementary school. They must have done something right if there were a few of us kids into them. I also had a car and driver subscription from a very young age and kept a lot of the old ones to this day. Great read Matt!
Great, everyday pragmatic but everyday fun collection – that’s a hard combo to nail – and I love the classic Chicago-spec garage!
But I’ll admit, it’s the pic of the SC2 that really did it for me. I loved Saturns from the beginning, and even though I was very happy with my Chevy Beretta back then, part of me still wishes I’d instead gotten an SC – would have been a first gen with the popups no less.
I knew the Saturn pics would be a hit. Couldn’t not show off something that funky!
Always enjoy your picture selection – given how many you probably have to choose from for a given piece, the choices always complement your narrative well!
I appreciate the kind words!