#MiataSummer with Mazda USA and the 2019 MX-5

The beginning of August brought along a wonderful opportunity to work with Mazda USA on a project which they called the #MiataSummer road trip campaign. Several pairs of influencers, photographers, travelers, and more set off on a two day road trip up the Northern California coast, from San Francisco to Mendocino, then down to Healdsburg. 

While I generally have a focus on classic cars, the Mazda Miata is a car that is special to me for a few reasons. My husband's NB Miata was the first car that I conducted an "official" photoshoot with, and it helped to spark my love of automotive photography all those years ago. That car has been gone for several years now, but when Mazda proposed a road trip in the NB's most modern descendant, there was no way I could say no. 

It's thrilling to see that Mazda has carried on the spirit and the true core of what the Miata is - a light, balanced, no frills roadster. Even the 2019 MX-5 has the same analog feel that its predecessors had, which is difficult to achieve in an era of complex electronics and computers on wheels. 

I could go on for quite some time about how much I adore this car, but I'll let the photos from our trip do the talking instead. Below you'll find images that I shot over the two day trip, featuring both cars that we had access to: a soft top MX-5 and an RF, loaded with Recaro seats, BBS wheels, and Brembo brakes. Needless to say, there was no shortage of driving fun!

I have been given compensation for this post by Mazda North America Operations. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. #sponsored #MiataSummer #FeelAlive #MX5

If you'd like to see a larger gallery of my coverage from the trip, check out my "Work" section!

On the Way to 500k: Austin's BMW M5 for Turtle Wax

The Caccavo family takes their cars seriously. It's rare to find a family in which every member is unquestioningly dedicated to the automotive lifestyle, but here we are. Austin and his family may have only recently moved to Northern California, but they have wasted no time immersing themselves into the car culture here. Austin in particular spends much of his time working on his vehicles, and finding new roads to explore. 

On this day, my husband and I went out to explore the mountainous range of El Dorado and the surrounding region with Austin in his E28 M5. This car has been in his family since 2004, and it has lived a life that many would call unusual for an M5. Think: 100k miles on the clock when purchased by the Caccavos, daily driven, given a fully rebuilt 3.6L transplant at 293k miles, and still driven today. In 2017, Austin's father decided he no longer wanted the car, but instead of shipping it away, offered it to his son to purchase. It was an easy choice for Austin. 

Not many M5s have the privilege to see this amount of road time, as most people try to follow a "low mileage, high value" mantra. Austin however has run over 14,000 miles on the car in the last eight months of ownership, so I don't need to tell you that he drives it. A lot. We spent most of this day driving up winding, vast mountain roads, cruising the freeways in between, and stopping at a couple of Austin's favorite spots. 

Once we reached a high point on the mountain, Austin took a quick stop to clean up the bug casualties on the front of the car. Austin uses Turtle Wax ICE Spray Detailer for on-the-go spot cleanings. 

Our next stop was at the base of the mountain, where we took some time to photograph Austin doing what he loves most: driving. Most of us aren't fortunate enough to hear an S38 at wide open throttle every weekend, so I have to say that there may be a tint of jealousy somewhere behind these photos...

Our next stop was another region a short drive away. This space fell victim to a wild fire some years ago, and it's rather eerie to see the resulting landscape even after years of healing. 

In addition to the ICE products that Austin carries with him, he also has the Turtle Wax Express Shine Carnauba Spray Wax for deeper cleaning after washes. 

We wrapped up our day of driving at a nearby historical bridge (scantily built yet surprisingly sturdy, might I add). Beneath the bridge were incredible river rock formations, crafted by the water over decades of time. 

This is a sponsored post. I am a Turtle Wax Shine Squad Influencer, although all opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Turtle Wax ICE Combo!

Hey everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve actually managed to keep up with blogging. I’m going to attempt to get back into it in the coming months, so bear with me. 

The focus of this blog is simple: combine multiple products from the Turtle Wax ICE line and tell you what I think! In this example, I’ve combined the ICE Spray Wax, Interior Cleaner and Protectant, and their newest product for 2016: M.A.X. Power Car Wash!

Seeing as California is still struggling with its terrible draught, I only get to thoroughly clean my cars one every few months. It’s not really fun to see your neighbors frown at you when they see you running the hose water on your car… That said, my daily commuter, this BMW 740iL, was filthy, to put it lightly. Covered with a thick coat of dust and bugs, a good wash was definitely needed. 

Before I go further into detail about the results of this combo, let me explain the science behind the M.A.X. Car Wash. The idea is to have a wash soap that, quite simply, has layers. These layers operate on a variable pH scale. A good way to think about it is to compare it to cooking. When cooking from scratch, there are sometimes specific ratios of ingredients you must combine. This car wash is no different! For example, adding 3 oz. of wash to one gallon of water provides a more Moderate level of clean. This is more for light dirt and other remnants from commuting. This is the most pH-neutral layer. The middle layer, which is about 6 oz. per gallon of water, is a more potent one (Aggressive). This increases the pH levels so that you’re able to clean more inset grime, like stubborn bugs. The final and most powerful layer, Xtreme, is a whole 9 oz. per gallon of water. This is the amount you want to use when you’re trying to remove problematic stains, like sap or even hard set dirt or brake dust on your wheels. Pretty cool concept, right?

Well, as cool as it sounds, it produces the results to match! I have to admit that I was surprised by the amount of suds the soap produced. I’m used to extreme bouts of bubbles, but this was a bit more mild on that front (which I didn’t mind). The M.A.X. wash feels thin and slick, not slimy and syrup-like. It made contact with the paint easier in my opinion. As far as removal goes, I didn’t have to drown my car to get the soap off—which, again, is great for conserving water. I have used thicker soaps in the past that just didn’t seem to come off unless sprayed with an obscure amount of water.

Once I had finished drying the car, I applied a coat of the ICE Spray Wax. This wax is meant for more casual use, and doesn’t take nearly as much time to apply as the other waxes that the ICE line offers. It’s great for quick cleaning, or even for those who might be a little intimidated by pastes or other compounds. After I had waxed the car panel by panel (which took quite a while—do you see how huge this car is?), I was extremely happy with the result. Not only did my paint shine brilliantly, but it was such a clear clean. There were no swirls nor residue to be found; that’s what you want from a good wax, after all! 

On to my interior… This is one of the most stress inducing interior colors— next to pure white— that I can imagine. Dirt shows up immediately and I need to be aware of clothing (like dark wash jeans) rubbing off on the seats. The ICE Interior Cleaner and Protectant worked wonderfully to scrub out dirt that somehow stained the side of my passenger headrest. It also worked well for wiping down the leather dash (which I’m paranoid about keeping in good condition). 

 

One of the parts of this process that made me happiest was how nice my wheels looked after! I had scrubbed them thoroughly with the M.A.X. Car Wash and coated them with ICE Spray Detailer to finish. The wash really did a great job of breaking down the immense layer of brake dust I had accumulated. 

Ultimately, I’m very excited with the combined result of using these products together. My car is 15 years old, but you wouldn’t think it! It certainly isn’t perfect; but it just goes to show that if you take that extra measure and maintain your vehicle, it can look great even decades down the line. By no means am I a professional when it comes to detailing and car care, but the products that Turtle Wax offers give me the confidence to take charge of my car’s cosmetic health!