NC modification suggestions
Discussion
Hi all,
Some of you may have seen that I've recently purchased a NC 2.0 Sport as my first project car. I've serviced the car and it's very shortly off to be assessed for rust issues and repaired if necessary. I have a very loose plan on what I want to do with the car but I wanted to ask for suggestions on good mods to carry out as I'm very much a beginner!
Phase 1: Handling
New ARB (suggestions please!)
Replace bushes all round
Coilovers (I was going to just stick with shortened springs but I thought I'd just pay the extra for adjustability.
New wheels and tyres (I was going to go for Michelin P4S all round but I never seem to see these on MX5s, is there a reason for that?)
A thorough alignment after all that!!
Phase 2: Cosmetic
Body kit - I've seen a few tasteful ones that I like
Lip spoiler (I know that's a dirty word but I'm rather fond of them!)
Wrap, I need to cost this up vs a respray but the car is in a very boring and quite scratched silver which I'm very keen to replace.
Phase 3: Power (we may never get here!)
BBR 225 kit or forced induction of some kind. My preference would be supercharged out of the two.
Improved brakes of some kind
I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on what's good to do to get the most out of these cars. I'm fully aware that this is going to cost far more than the car will be worth but that's not really why I'm doing it.
Thanks in advance!
Some of you may have seen that I've recently purchased a NC 2.0 Sport as my first project car. I've serviced the car and it's very shortly off to be assessed for rust issues and repaired if necessary. I have a very loose plan on what I want to do with the car but I wanted to ask for suggestions on good mods to carry out as I'm very much a beginner!
Phase 1: Handling
New ARB (suggestions please!)
Replace bushes all round
Coilovers (I was going to just stick with shortened springs but I thought I'd just pay the extra for adjustability.
New wheels and tyres (I was going to go for Michelin P4S all round but I never seem to see these on MX5s, is there a reason for that?)
A thorough alignment after all that!!
Phase 2: Cosmetic
Body kit - I've seen a few tasteful ones that I like
Lip spoiler (I know that's a dirty word but I'm rather fond of them!)
Wrap, I need to cost this up vs a respray but the car is in a very boring and quite scratched silver which I'm very keen to replace.
Phase 3: Power (we may never get here!)
BBR 225 kit or forced induction of some kind. My preference would be supercharged out of the two.
Improved brakes of some kind
I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on what's good to do to get the most out of these cars. I'm fully aware that this is going to cost far more than the car will be worth but that's not really why I'm doing it.
Thanks in advance!
http://wheels-inmotion.co.uk/mazda-mx5-handling.ph...
I'd talk to these chaps re ARB ends/ suspension set up/ suspension kit/ alignment, they fitted stuff that I bought elsewhere but were still first class in terms of talking through set up options and fast road was perfect for my PRHT NC 2.0.
Join https://mx5oc.co.uk/ as really are a good bunch (shout out to N Thames lot) and the odd track experience too.
Tyres I went Khumo route and more than capable all rounder for UK use- there is a chap on MX5OC who I got those from not far from MK, have you checked sizes as I seem to recall MX5 are a little odd (but that could be just my poor car related memory).
Performance? I came from a Golf-R estate to the MX5 you just have plan a bit more, but for me that is part of the fun and it's certainly fast enough and fun enough for UK. One of those 2 cars I miss and it wasn't the Golf!
I'd talk to these chaps re ARB ends/ suspension set up/ suspension kit/ alignment, they fitted stuff that I bought elsewhere but were still first class in terms of talking through set up options and fast road was perfect for my PRHT NC 2.0.
Join https://mx5oc.co.uk/ as really are a good bunch (shout out to N Thames lot) and the odd track experience too.
Tyres I went Khumo route and more than capable all rounder for UK use- there is a chap on MX5OC who I got those from not far from MK, have you checked sizes as I seem to recall MX5 are a little odd (but that could be just my poor car related memory).
Performance? I came from a Golf-R estate to the MX5 you just have plan a bit more, but for me that is part of the fun and it's certainly fast enough and fun enough for UK. One of those 2 cars I miss and it wasn't the Golf!
Evoluzione said:
See how rusty it is and what that will cost, then drive it for a while and see if it uses oil.
If it passes both those tests then start to think about modding.
Ah yes, did the previous owner let the oil go below maximum at all, did they sell it overfilled with oil to hide a problem (dealer).... once it's to normal maximum stick it in third at low speed to labour the engine and accelerate; if it sounds/ clatters like a diesel the engine is shot...how do I know? If it passes both those tests then start to think about modding.
I've driven it a bit since I bought it in December, both in anger and cruising. Oil consumption doesn't seem to be an issue, and it has an extensive service history with oil changes every year despite low usage. Previous owner gave me a genuine answer when I asked him about the oil that it's never been an issue for him.
At this age, rust checking is the prudent first step.
I put a set of MeisterR coil-overs on mine as most of what I read about putting lowering springs on the Sport model's Bilsteins said you'll regret it and go to coilovers to fix it. These, matched with aftermarket wheels of a slightly smaller offset made for a really pointy car with great feedback that still worked as a daily. That was lucky accident more than planning on my part.
Cosmetics wouldn't bother me more than having it sit right and look tidy. The cost of a wrap would be better spent on some discrete engine tuning
I put a set of MeisterR coil-overs on mine as most of what I read about putting lowering springs on the Sport model's Bilsteins said you'll regret it and go to coilovers to fix it. These, matched with aftermarket wheels of a slightly smaller offset made for a really pointy car with great feedback that still worked as a daily. That was lucky accident more than planning on my part.
Cosmetics wouldn't bother me more than having it sit right and look tidy. The cost of a wrap would be better spent on some discrete engine tuning
DWDarkWheels said:
At this age, rust checking is the prudent first step.
I put a set of MeisterR coil-overs on mine as most of what I read about putting lowering springs on the Sport model's Bilsteins said you'll regret it and go to coilovers to fix it. These, matched with aftermarket wheels of a slightly smaller offset made for a really pointy car with great feedback that still worked as a daily. That was lucky accident more than planning on my part.
Cosmetics wouldn't bother me more than having it sit right and look tidy. The cost of a wrap would be better spent on some discrete engine tuning
Why not both! I put a set of MeisterR coil-overs on mine as most of what I read about putting lowering springs on the Sport model's Bilsteins said you'll regret it and go to coilovers to fix it. These, matched with aftermarket wheels of a slightly smaller offset made for a really pointy car with great feedback that still worked as a daily. That was lucky accident more than planning on my part.
Cosmetics wouldn't bother me more than having it sit right and look tidy. The cost of a wrap would be better spent on some discrete engine tuning
Would you recommend the MeisterR coilovers then?
Majorslow said:
I think that if you go down the BBR225 route they change stuff on height as part of the deal.
I would love to "upgrade" mine, but at £4k it is a shed load of money
BBR don’t include VAT in their prices, so the BBR225 route is more like £5.2k!I would love to "upgrade" mine, but at £4k it is a shed load of money
A Corten-Miller supercharger is a few hundred more for more power & torque - that’s where my money would go.
CarlosFandango11 said:
Majorslow said:
I think that if you go down the BBR225 route they change stuff on height as part of the deal.
I would love to "upgrade" mine, but at £4k it is a shed load of money
BBR don’t include VAT in their prices, so the BBR225 route is more like £5.2k!I would love to "upgrade" mine, but at £4k it is a shed load of money
A Corten-Miller supercharger is a few hundred more for more power & torque - that’s where my money would go.
RM10 said:
Why not both!
Would you recommend the MeisterR coilovers then?
I also had those fitted to mine, standard wheels with fast road set up by chaps in earlier post, good compromise between better handling without smashing your spine through your skull at the smallest bump bump in the road. Would you recommend the MeisterR coilovers then?
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