Page 1 of 1

ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 9:35 am
by Code4
Are there any reasons to buy a ND with a 1.5 litre engine ?
I'm not interested in all out performance but is there any added 'fun factor' for the reduced price of these models ?

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 9:44 am
by rascal
You’ve listed the single biggest reason for buying a 1.5. Price!

If as you say performance isn’t a concern, then the significantly slower 1.5 for a significantly less price is a winner.

No first hand experience so just going on heresay but people say the 1.5 revs more nicely than ND1 2.0s. (ND2s less so)

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 10:10 am
by bruce
In my view, the first complaint regards MX5s are the lack of power. Thus a 1.5 is a huge drawback.

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 1:44 pm
by greenMachine
Yeah, I'm not the best source of advice, as my sig suggests ...

The 1.5 is the slug of the family. That is relative of course, they are ALL slugs, but the 1.5 is ... well, a 1.5.

You can still have a ball in one though, that is the name of the game. It will give you pretty much all the thrills of its faster brethren through the twisties, it will put as many smiles on your face as its quicker brethren cruising top down to your favourite picnic spot, or picking up the BF/GF for date night. And so on.

You want to track it? You will probably be running in a 'up to 1.6l' class, so giving away 100cc to a full 1600, but you will have a weight and handling advantage. It should do well, but I don't know of anyone doing that, so can't confirm - others might be able to.

So have at it. Go in with the knowledge of what it can do, and what it can't, and how that shapes up for you. Know that whatever you get, over time what you want from it will inevitably change, maybe a little, maybe a lot. But you are not locked into it, you can alter it, replace it, or just walk away and do something entirely different.

Zoom Zoom 8)

:mrgreen:

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2025 7:41 pm
by bootz
The biggest reason for a lowly 1.5 is a very tasty AVO turbo upgrade made just for the engine and Australian compliant.
I would jump on a nicely built one. Zoom Zoom.

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 11:11 am
by bruce
What is the new price difference between a 1.5 and 2 litre?

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 11:21 am
by PaulF
bootz wrote:The biggest reason for a lowly 1.5 is a very tasty AVO turbo upgrade made just for the engine and Australian compliant.
I would jump on a nicely built one. Zoom Zoom.

Why not just get the 2.0L and turbocharge it though? The kit costs the same.

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 1:18 pm
by rascal
PaulF wrote:
bootz wrote:The biggest reason for a lowly 1.5 is a very tasty AVO turbo upgrade made just for the engine and Australian compliant.
I would jump on a nicely built one. Zoom Zoom.

Why not just get the 2.0L and turbocharge it though? The kit costs the same.

Hope you like changing gearboxes..

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 1:42 pm
by bootz
What??
You saying the 1.5 box is different than the 2.0 one, would not have thought so.

Also I believe AVO has not got an Australian compliance 2.0 kit. Prove me wrong.

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 1:55 pm
by rascal
I was referring to putting a turbo on either...
ND gearboxes arent exactly robust....

Re: ND 1.5 ?

Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 3:19 pm
by bruce
Drive both the 1.5 and 2 litre and see which you prefer.