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I was at Wakefield park yesterday iwth a few friends.
I own an NA6 and my friend drives a 98 NB. The difference in handling was surprising.

Besides the extra power his car had, the car felt very taily, where I could turn in and jump on the power, his car would step the back out just by turning in. This wasn't due to trail braking, I was definitely off the brakes and found his car very twitchy. It was great to get it drifting around the tight 2nd gear corners, but in the end I found my NA much easier/confident in pushing it hard around the track.

Is this a common exxample of the two cars, is an NB really that 'unbalanced' in comparison? My friend commented that in the wet he can easily face the wrong way at roundabouts, which I thought was him pushing to hard but after driving his car yesterday in the dry I can see it would be quite scary in the wet.

In terms of tyres, he's running some Goodyear ventura (or something like that) but the difference between the cars was more than just a set of tyres. We also played with tyres pressures but it made little difference.
The two cars were like chalk and cheese.

How have others found this?

I've owned both, and I thought the NB was more balanced, until I lent on the throttle and boost came in, then it was taily... but generally more neutral.

Before we go any further, was they ANY modifications to any of the cars or where they both stock as a rock?

The NB is differentto to NA's. But that sounds more like suspesion set up to me.

StanTheMan wrote:The NB is differentto to NA's. But that sounds more like suspesion set up to me.

Agreed, could just need a bit more toe in at the rear...

Boags

I'm pretty sure the NB was stock bar Mania CAI, my NA has the lower braces. That's about it.

Alignments must be way out to have that much of a difference, the car was perfectly stable under brakes and tyre wear was even so I don't think alignment is the answer. But I'll recommend he get's it done as a starting point.

I can understand the NB stepping out under power but this was just at turn in at speeds my car would easily take completely neutral.

It didn't feel right and I just wanted to hear opinion of those who have dríven both before. Either my car has super handling or there's something wrong with the other one, I think it's the latter, it just didn't feel like a car many ppl would rave about which is so not like an MX5 in terms of chassis balance.

I'm just gonna have to drive a few other models to test this out ... who wants to lend me their keys?

All the NBs I'ce dríven are the opposite of how you described it, they're more \"planted\" and stable than NAs. Could possibly also be shagged rear tyres on the NB?

Thanks for the feedback guys, I'll let my friend know. Even he agreed that my car was much more neutral and easier to push to the limit.
Sounds like he may have some suspension/wheel issues and it's not a good example to base NB's on.

Tyre's were 50% worn but possibly old and hard, he's only recently bought the car.

smiles wrote:Tyre's were 50% worn but possibly old and hard, he's only recently bought the car.

When I bought my NB it still had the original tyres and chances are it'd never had an alignment done either. World of difference afterwards.

I'd try alignment. It can make a HUGE difference if it's not set up right. Dodgy tyres wont help either.

My NB8B felt big, bargey and rolly polly compared to my NA8. My NA had AGX dampers and a good alignment. When stock the NB seemed to understeer into corners and was a bit light at the rear through the corners, like all the weight was on the front wheels. It felt much more detached from the road and not as confidence inspiring as my NA. Some sway bars/new dampers and a good alignment and it feels as good as the NA.

From my experience Mazda set up the NB8B's a lot softer than NB8A's. The NB8A's I've experienced felt very similar to my NA8.

I know you said they were nearly stock but I notice most people around here have either a rollbar or a style bar, with my NB the BD rollbar seemed to make a really big difference to the way it handled or maybe it's all in my head

Having never been near a NB I feel fully qualified to answer this!
Just jokes, I agree with Garry, wheel alignments have made a massive differences to my NA6. Before my first alignment the car would understeer badly on off camber roads, and do some crazy oversteering too under throttle, then after after the alignment the car was super glued to the road. I also notice on a low tank that the car will get slightly tail happy.

In my experience the NB is a better handler than the NA.


Jules

jules wrote:In my experience the NB is a better handler than the NA.


Jules

*SLAP*

Babalouie wrote:

jules wrote:In my experience the NB is a better handler than the NA.


Jules

*SLAP*

with the NB SE you may have a point
NB8A.....you must live in a different Universe.

Let the can be officially opened