Emily's 04 VR SE

emily_mx5 · Postby **emily_mx5** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 8:07 am

I love the wheels!
I wish Mazda had them made in 16" size, as the 17's really are too big.
But I'm certainly happy to keep them for now, they are wrapped in brand new Hankook tyres.

Colour wise, I think that they look "better" in Ti, BUT also more boring. I have plenty of time to have grey boring cars, may as well have a sportscar that is funky and bright!
The VR in the sunlight is phenominal, the gold pearl just shimmers like crazy.

Spoiler ruins the NB curves and hides the little ducktail in the boot!

Also who keeps changing the thread title! I'll think of a better one.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

Nevyn72 · Postby **Nevyn72** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 8:16 am

emily_mx5 wrote:I love the wheels!

Lokiel has just 'unliked' you on this forum......

Nevyn72 · Postby **Nevyn72** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 8:52 am

emily_mx5 wrote:Spoiler ruins the NB curves and hides the little ducktail in the boot!

Just had a bit of a thought on this one.

This is a very personal thing but I think the spoiler is just the right size and shape to enhance the curves of the NB body, to each their own though, that's what great about this process, you get to make your own statement of style with these vehicles..... :wink:

As for removal, look seriously at sourcing a secondhand boot and get it repainted to match. There are two bolts that secure the spoiler and those bolt holes would need to be plugged and painted so not too much additional cost involved. At least this way, if you change your mind all you have to do is swap the boots back over!

BTW: I don't think the Ti colour is even remotely boring!

You said you've been hoarding bitz for a while now, what are the mods you have planned?

emily_mx5 wrote:Also who keeps changing the thread title! I'll think of a better one.

It's out there now......
Place your suggestions here for what you think the new thread title should be! :mrgreen:

I'll start it off, how about 'Em's Red Rocket'?

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:50 am

Nevyn72 wrote:
emily_mx5 wrote:I love the wheels!

Lokiel has just 'unliked' you on this forum......

Nah, you missed her comment: "I wish Mazda had them made in 16" size, as the 17's really are too big." - Bro-Fist right there!

As for VR, when clean (not necessarily spotless) it does look better in real life than it does in photos, photos don't capture the "shimmer" Emily mentioned.

I still haven't seen a VR in photos that looks as good as a Ti (see MINX's and Crapweasels photos) or Black Mica (see Okibi's post-detailing photos - probably not-so-much after he's dríven it 50m

).

emily_mx5 · Postby **emily_mx5** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:01 pm

Lokiel wrote:I still haven't seen a VR in photos that looks as good as a Ti or Black Mica.

Thank you for that challenge. I will not rest until I prove it equal! :twisted:

emily_mx5 · Postby **emily_mx5** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:19 pm

Nevyn72 wrote:As for removal, look seriously at sourcing a secondhand boot and get it repainted to match. There are two bolts that secure the spoiler and those bolt holes would need to be plugged and painted so not too much additional cost involved. At least this way, if you change your mind all you have to do is swap the boots back over!

There are 5 holes associated with the spoiler, so I will definitely be getting a standard oem bootlid to re-paint.

Nevyn72 wrote:You said you've been hoarding bitz for a while now, what are the mods you have planned?

Alot and also not alot.

I want to not loose any of this beautiful smoothness it has. Which means I will probably wait untill I can afford to do everything at once including a full standalone ecu and tuning time. I'm not the 1st to mod an SE so there is no point making mistakes others have.

1st real mods will be boost, wideband O2 and dual oil temp/pressure gauges. I Will fabricate a tri holder out of fibreglass and paint in satin black, to wrap around the instrument cluster hood, off the right side. As I am not willing to sacrifice a double din headunit, and they are pretty useless down there anyway. And on the A-Pillar is just asking for trouble.
I will keep you all updated on this little project and hopefully have some for sale if it works out how I have planned.

For now I will up the boost with a bleed valve, whack on a Blitz VTA bov and put on a pod filter.
Why? #dosefordayz :lol:

fastfreddygassit · Postby **fastfreddygassit** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:28 pm

Congrats on the car :BROADY:

(keep the wheels but plastidip them black, along with all the badge work......)
:mrgreen:

emily_mx5 · Postby **emily_mx5** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:41 pm

fastfreddygassit wrote:Congrats on the car
(keep the wheels but plastidip them black, along with all the badge work......)

Ah no, not in a million years.
Wheels are staying until I can afford a set of 16x9 Work S1R Meister's.
And will get some things resprayed soon including a de-badge.

emily_mx5 · Postby **emily_mx5** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:42 pm

Day 1: 6am Flight to Coolangatta

Previous owner picked us up from the airport, and we went back to his house to carry out the inspection.
All went well, nothing really wrong with car, some tiny things like:
deep 2" scratch on bonnet
cigarette lighter socket doesnt work
window squeals when going up or down
antenna broken
non-original floor mats

So yeah nothing to cry about.

On the other hand, service history is to die for, 100% dealer serviced on time at a mazda dealer with genuine mazda parts that are oem genuine replaced at a mazda dealer.
Log books stamped and itemised bills stating everything.
genuine mazda water pump!
and amazingly a genuine mazda softtop + rainrail!
Really well looked after and 110% stock, which was exactly what I was after.

Unfortunately there was some issues with the REVS/PPSR check as it was listed as Encumbered due to finance owing on it.
I overcame that by having a chat to the finance company on the phone and getting their bank details to to a direct transfer to them for the exact amount owing.

After all the money and paper work changed hands, set off for the drive home.

Roof down and big smiles :mrgreen:

Spent 1 night in Port Macquarie with family.

Day 2: 7L/100km Fuel Economy
Then continued on the next day and made it back to Sydney.
Zero issues to report.

Day 3: Mods Start :roll:

Threw away the awful universal super cheap auto floor mats, and put in my black JDM Roadster floor mats.
Will keep an eye out for good condition SE floor mats.

Put the clear indicators and reflectors on, should be everyones first mod haha.

The aerial extends with the radio and retracts when the car is off, however does not go all the way down as the lower sheath is bent and restricting the others from lowering fully. Don't care because 1.5m tall antennas make me very sad, so an angled stubby has been ordered.
Decided to spray it black until I can get the replacement in, now it nearly looks like its supposed to be like that.

Love it

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:55 pm

I prefer the smoked or crystal black side repeaters (but then they wouldn't match your reflectors):

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mazda-MX5-Smoked-Side-Indicators-Repeaters-Pair-with-Chrome-Trim-mx-5-miata-/141097734350?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20da1490ce
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MAZDA-MX5-CRYSTAL-BLACK-SIDE-LIGHT-REPEATER-INDICATORS-/370912735884?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item565c1f328c

Have you wired in the reflector globes to your indicators? Looks great at night, the whole side of your car lights up.

davekmoore · Postby **davekmoore** » Fri Jan 03, 2014 11:24 pm

Welcome to the SE club.

Great looking car and no doubt about to get even better in your hands.

Plus one for clear reflectors.

The Racing Harts are the best looking wheels on an SE.

I also dislike the SE boot spoiler and reckon there are better options.

You've convinced me to get a stubby aerial.

Top work with the PPSR. Did the vendor forget to mention the encumbrance?

Postby **Okibi** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 12:53 am

emily_mx5 wrote:.... wrap around the instrument cluster hood,..

Been pondering similar but with added shift lights along the top bit.

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 9:15 am

Okibi wrote:
emily_mx5 wrote:.... wrap around the instrument cluster hood,..

Been pondering similar but with added shift lights along the top bit.

Back in 2011, I suggested to Bill from Miataroadster that he make a modded instrument cowl to add additional gauges and this is what he came up with:

I suggested he move the gauges out a bit more because this version looks like a frog face (imagine it in green).

emily_mx5 · Postby **emily_mx5** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 10:17 am

lol omg that is hideous who in their right mind would want to use that hahhahaha.

the closest image i can find is this:

however off to the right side instead of the left. and not so large or wavy. and not silver bezels.

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Sat Jan 04, 2014 11:16 am

I think the ATI 01+ WRX/STi triple gauge pod would look good mounted above the centre vents since its curves match the centre air vent curves, but back as far as possible:

- but the price, OUCH!: http://www.tuspeed.com/ati-wrxsti-triple-gauge-pod-p-1181.html
- you'd need to do some custom work to mount it to the dash, those clips probably wouldn't work.

The Ford Racing BOSS Gauge Pod might be OK, MUCH cheaper and an excellent base mount that you can screw to your dash and attach the hood over:

http://www.americanmuscle.com/boss-gauge-pod-1012.html
- would try and mount the gauges so that they face towards the driver

The twin Saleen Gauge Pod could be fitted closer to the instrument cluster (ie. not in the centre of the dashboard) but I don't think it mounts solidly enough:

See http://saleenforums.soec.org/showthread.php?t=8719
See bradk04's post for his install in an MSM: http://www.mazda-speed.com/forum2/index.php/topic,28617.0.html
- Id prefer them angled towards the driver and between the cluster and closest centre air vent (althoough being closer to the driver, they probably don't need to be angled so much).