Which MX5 to purchase?

[taminga16]

My second car is a PRHT NC fitted with a GWR Roadsport II muffler, Whiteline sways F&R, TEIN Suspension, SS braided brake lines and a set of B/stone S001's. It is my third MX-5 and I do not want for anything else. It is fuss free and I love it.
Greg.
P.S. I have fitted a Voodoo shift knob, the OEM part is long and awkward.

[Gavatron1]

I appreciate the feedback!

I am really looking forward to driving th NC tomorrow.

Did the NC come standard in Australia with Bilstein shocks and LSD? I am reading reviews from countries like the USA where it sounds these were an option. As was the 2.0 litre motor.

I am 6 ft 2 in the old scale. I am also reading the NC has a little better room for larger folks. And adjustable steering.

Getting excited...

[davekmoore]

NC was 2.0 litre only. No other engine size options.

Remember all MX-5s will be sporty cars rather than sports cars unless you at least upgrade the engine from being merely the same as a Mazda 3 or 323.

[jaycrab]

I appreciate the feedback!

Did the NC come standard in Australia with Bilstein shocks and LSD? I am reading reviews from countries like the USA where it sounds these were an option. As was the 2.0 litre motor.

Getting excited...

Bilstein's came with the limited edition NC, but they aren't really an improvement over standard shocks.
All manual NCs in Australia came with the 2.0L, LSD, and 6speed box. They had cheaper options in the states.

[Gavatron1]

Got it! Thank you

What about the NC series 2? From what I am reading the 2nd series had a hard auto roof. This made a tad more weight and changed the rag top look. Did the 2nd series offer any other improvements that may be worth extra dollars?

The NC I am looking at is a series 1.

Lastly, would I be right in thinking the NC offers a little more room for a talker person than a NB?

[jaycrab]

The smiley face NC2 had quite a few minor changes but the main improvement was the forged crank.

The NC1 also had the power retractable hard top (PRHT) and stability control in 07 and 08, so if you want the PRHT you don't need to pay for a NC2. My NC1 PRHT was very cheap at the time.

[Lokiel]

The SE is really not much quicker than standard.

NB8B = 146hp
NBSE= 162hp.
This small increase in power is also made smaller with the significantly taller gearing the SE has.

Expensive modification path fraught with driveability issues.

Factory downgrades compared to NB8B which usually arent mentioned by the SE fans.

Add an AEM CAI to an SE and a MBC to bump the boost to 10psi and you'll get ~135rwkw which is a LOT of fun - cheapest and most bang-for-buck power you can get.

You'll wonder WHY the car didn't come like this from the factory and wonder why you even considered the NC as an option.

Unfortunately once you head down this path you're doomed to the "MOAR POWA" virus which is all-consuming, it's even MOAR powerful than "The Darkside" or Salma Hayek's eye-catching cleavage (OK, was exaggerating with that last one).
Around 140rwkw (after adding larger exhaust) is where you'll have issues, the injectors aren't large enough and the ECU wasn't designed to cope with the extra power.

[1green5]

http://mx5cartalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=76&t=31669

[Gavatron1]

Thank you all very much for the feedback.

I drove a NC yesterday and was not too impressed. The car had rattles from th dash and roof. The buttons on the radio were all worn as well as general scratches inside the cabin. Paint was average and faded. I was expecting better condition even though it was a 10 year old car.

I had resigned to going back looking for a NB SE. Then, I found a blue NC. I arranged to meet it today and after an inspection of 5 minutes purchased the car...

I am very happy. I plan to do the suspension modification and sway bar upgrades reasonably soon. I'll then do a full exhaust system with ECU in the near future. Diff oil and wheel alignment also on the list. And then that is it!

Tron.

[Black_Penguin]

A reflash is a better option than a ECU swap for an NC.

[Gavatron1]

A dyno reflash?

[pie5]

Sounds a lot like my NC.
Springs and Sways. Exhaust and Tune.
I just need to replace my factory shocks soon as they are almost end of life.
If it's an NC1 don't forget to get the IL Motorsports center console to replace the factory center cup holders.

[hks_kansei]

A dyno reflash?

ECU reflash.

So instead of removing and replacing the ECU they simply plug a thing into it and change the tune on the factory ECU.



I think some companies doing it do have Dyno access, but there are also a few that simply do the flash based on their estimates of what your engine needs.

[StanTheMan]

NC was 2.0 litre only. No other engine size options.

Remember all MX-5s will be sporty cars rather than sports cars unless you at least upgrade the engine from being merely the same as a Mazda 3 or 323.

I was always under the impression power had nothing to do with a sports car.It more about handling at high speed.

could be a COW. I always thought the MX 5 was a true sports car. Lightweight. 2 seats & so on. i mean lets look at the MG's & bugeye sprites.....30 kw at most.

A sports car (sports car) is a small, usually two seater, two door automobile designed for spirited performance and nimble handling.According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the first known use of the term was in 1928.

Sports cars may be spartan or luxurious, but high maneuverability and minimum weight are requisite They may be equipped for racing, "especially an aerodynamically shaped one-passenger or two-passenger vehicle having a low center of gravity and steering and suspension designed for precise control at high speeds."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_car

[minipete]

Congratulations on your NC. I have had mine for 5 years and I love it. I am a big guy and appreciate the extra space over the NA and NB.

Even stock standard it has great performance, it has more power than you can use safely on the road.

I also have a Lotus Elan which a lot of people consider one of the greatest sports cars ever and the NC has similar performance, better brakes, more grip and is more comfortable.

Pete