Long Term Track Car - Short Term Daily

[LeroyM]

Hey all

Would like to get some advice on buying an MX-5 for mainly track use. Will need to be road legal to use as a daily until I get a company car.

- Currently leaning towards 2001+ NB (keeping daily duties in mind), but which MX-5 do you think is best bang for buck?
- What's a reasonable mileage of engine for track use - assuming compression, leaks etc checks out? I tracked my EK civic @ 240,000km without issues - are MX-5 engines as reliable?
- Trying to keep costs low to start (house deposit coming up), aiming to do 4-5 track days a year. Any advice appreciated!

Cheers

[manga_blue]

The BP engines in the NA8, NB8A and NB8B are all pretty tough. Mine has done over 200,000kms and 4,000 competition laps on the original block. In that time it has done two heads (thermostat failure and cracked bottom hose) and has taken new rings and bearings, but that's about all. Gearboxes suffer from abuse at the treack,. I've done three gearboxes but you can pick up decent used 5 speed ones for around $200. Chassis and running gear are all very tough. You just have to keep throwing quality oil, fi!ters, pads and tyres at it and it'll carry you through event after event.

Reliability is also affected by the level of mods. Less mods = less failures = more track time. Club competition is usually more intense in the standard and low mods classes. Those in the highly modified classes share a common bond of suffering.

NB8Bs are faster. NA8s are more fun. ABS in the NBs will save you an absolute fortune by not flatspotting tyres. My pick for bang for your buck as a startup is an NB8A with ABS and spend the first year learning how to drive it fast stock.

[jezman]

Just happen to be selling my daughters NB 2000 Heritage model with only 41,000kms.
Was a bonus from her boss but her partner has an MX5 ...........................
Car was stored for 6 years by the ocean so has some surface salt corrosion on some metal parts.
Just re registered (May) so no structural issues, just cosmetic.
body good, paintwork ok soft top fair.
Drives very well, tyres 90%. Ideal for daily drive and a clean slate for mods.
Only asking $9,000 due to the corrosion.
In Sydney (Balmain)

If interested cal 0419 25 30 14.
Phil

[Guran]

Great advice there from both Phils.

You might also consider a high km stock NC1. They're a much better proposition as a daily-driver and much quicker on the track. The brakes are awesome compared with NBs and NAs. Downside is that tyres are a bit more expensive, although there are cheap alternatives (eg. I use Kumho KU36 on my stock NC1 and have done 1:13s at Wakefield Park). Asking prices are down around the $12k-$13k mark ... in case that's within your budget.

[plohl]

^
I have been discussing this heavily with sailaholic latey. I still think they'll need to drop a bit more to make them as cost effective as an na/b chassis.

Could pretty much end this thread at the first reply Haha

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[sailaholic]

We were probably discussing based on the car being on the opposite side of track / daily ballance.

For one more towards daily then I was looking at I would shop heavy and hard for a NC1. There are lots of NCs on the market with some owners not being willing to consider what the realistic price may be (or not really that motivated to sell).


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[lightyear]

I don't get how you guys can suggest an NC as a budget MX5. $13k plus another $7k in track prep. You can buy an NB8B for $7-$8k and if you spent the same dollars, you will always be quicker than an NC.
I will have a track prepped NB8B up for sale soon. $7k.

[Guran]

When you buy a stock NC for $13k you get a car that's not much slower in pace to a well modified NB8B, while retaining the comfort and reliability for daily driving. You also don't have to stuff about with modifying the car to make it fast and can just concentrate on tightening the nut behind the wheel.

[lightyear]

You sound like your not joking when you say that. I did a 1:52.2 with a mildly prepped track NB8B ( under $10k) and 1:43.8 with the SE turbo and other home made bits ( around $13k).
Well prepped NC's are lucky to get into the 1:55's. And mild prepped ones are around 2:00. All times from Phillip Island.

I am not saying the NC is not a good car, it's just not a good value for money car.

It costs about $6-$7k on any model to do what I would consider a good track package.

[Dan]

Is it possible you are a significantly better driver and the car isn't actually faster?

The results are basically the inverse of that in NSW.

I'd agree with you in disputing Guran's claim that a well modified NB8B is not much faster than a stock NC, I think that's a stretch to say that.

But saying that, I can't even think of a logical argument for how the NB8B could be faster than an NC with similar mods. In weight it's only 20kg lighter than the NC with no roll bar but it's significantly down on power/displacement, has a poorer chassis and is less accommodating to wider tyres.

Why do you think a similarly modified NB8B is faster than an NC?

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[lightyear]

From what I see on the track. Even if given the same mods the NC is faster. You have spent a lot more money on the NC. So dollar for dollar the NC is not going to give lap times for an equal amount of money.
If you give me $15k budget to spend on an NB8B, and give someone like Deckers or anybody that has a clue $15k budget to spend on an NC. (This includes paying market value for the registered car)
I bet I will win.
A budget MX5 to me is around $10-$15k for something that will do respectable lap times. And not just respectable to other MX5's, I am talking all track cars.
Someone can let me take a track prepped NC on the track so I can eliminate driver differences.

[NitroDann]

What lightyear said.

Its not than an nc with equal mods isnt quicker, its that you cant have an nc with equal mods for equal money.

What i believe is the quickest australian mx5 right now has a total cost of 12kish including purchasing the car.

Its not an nc.

Dann

[LeroyM]

Thanks for your response guys.

The car will be more for track than daily. I only need it road legal until I get a company car, also to get to and from the track.

Apart from the fact that NC's start from $11000 on Carsales, I have a set of 15x7 +35 wrapped in AD08Rs that I can pop on an NB. Plenty of cash saved from the get go. I also have a pair of Recaro SR3s that I can drop in - just need to buy the rails.

I am also considering NA, but not exactly sold due to it's age. I want one that's effectively ready to take to the track with minimal tinkering. I will most likely be doing a full suspension overhaul though - bushes, fit coilovers etc; just personal preference.

So I think NB is still the one to go with, however:
- Gearbox; 5 speed or 6 speed and why?
- ABS (thanks magna_blue); do NBs all have it, or only NB8Bs and a handful of NB8As?
- Engine; if you were in my position, what sort of engine mileage would you be looking at to purchase?

What i believe is the quickest australian mx5 right now has a total cost of 12kish including purchasing the car.

Its not an nc.

I want one, any details?

Cheers

[NitroDann]

I can sell you all of the parts, build it from scratch, or just advise for a fee.

Buy an nb8b, miles dont matter as long as its got compression, no bad noises, and doesnt use oil.

Nb8b has

Abs
6 speed
Bigger brakes
Vvt motor.

Its cut and dry.

I can hook you up with a 200rwkw stock motor package posted or installed and tuned, all the supporting mods, or you can build it yourself with some of the right advice and setup info.

Dann

[rascal]

So I think NB is still the one to go with, however:
- Gearbox; 5 speed or 6 speed and why?
- ABS (thanks magna_blue); do NBs all have it, or only NB8Bs and a handful of NB8As?
- Engine; if you were in my position, what sort of engine mileage would you be looking at to purchase?

6 speed has closer ratio gears so when combined with a shorter ratio diff 4.3 or 4.1 (ie not std nb8b 3.6) the car accelerates quicker through the gears, as doesn't drop off too far down the rev range with each change.
ABS was only standard on NB8B or 10AE or heritage models. Alll other NB8As didn't come with it.
Engines are very reliable so wouldn't let Kms affect your decision too much. Condition and maint make more of a difference.