15 years later, is the SP much chop?

madkeen · Postby **madkeen** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 4:52 pm

Hi all. So I've seen a couple of SP's hit the market lately and that has me wondering. I didn't want to hijack anyone's 'For Sale' listing so I thought I'd spark a discussion topic here instead. I know that back in 2002 the much anticipated SP was the hot-rod of the Mx5 world. But 15 years down the track I'm now wondering... does an SP stack up? I've heard and read probably most of what there is on the internet about spicing up SE's, boosting NA's, NB's and NB2's (including Dann's big recommendations that a NB VVT is the best way to go.) But amongst all this evolving development of turbo mx5's... where does the SP stack up? Is it just old technology now? Surely in the past 15 years power development has come a long way.

Before the current SP owners reading this sharpen their voodoo pins, I will say that I understand the SP has an inherent collectible value, of course. I'm purely talking in terms of performance. Is an SP much chop in 2017.

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:04 pm

The SP is still an SP. especially if its a stock. there is only 100 of them ever built.+ 1 phantom....
Its a car for a special appreciation and it depends why you want it.

Power wise its not huge. You can pick up NB's with 300whp complete engine build & engineerd for $20K or so. If you were to build your SP it would cost you that much again.

the SP came out with 153 kw. that would translate into roughly 120rwkw or160 whp. It can be modded easyly to get anther 30 or so hp or is that KW? If youre after hp.....SP has a premium attached to it. My opinion is, Id offer BB $20K for his.Off the forum. cause he promised never to advertise it on here ever again. Otherwise Bruce will get it. However BB may not want to sell it. Or sell it to you.

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:12 pm

Everything 15 years later is not much chop!
Only us idiots on the forum covet the SP (not me though, even when new it was never quick enough).

Tezzax5 · Postby **Tezzax5** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:45 pm

It's old tech...yep
Are there faster options out there...yep ( especially for a track pig )
Any other MX-5's sold in Australia supported by Mazda Australia won anything similar to a Targa Tasmania ( production class ) ? Not that i know of ?
Limited production run?...yep
Will it be worth anything in years to come ? Possible as more standard cars disappear ?
Would i swap mine... yep "BUT" only for a SLR 5000/Monaro or something similar to relive childhood memories.
Having mates that deal in VW help as well as having a current VW GTI and a fairly current FJ Cruiser parked in the garage the SP would be gone in a second if i had to downsize the fleet.
The GTI is a much better drive.
At this stage of the game the real collectors haven't come looking with the correct dollars yet.
Collectable ?
Curiosity More so ?

Daffy · Postby **Daffy** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 5:52 pm

bruce wrote:Everything 15 years later is not much chop!
Only us idiots on the forum covet the SP (not me though, even when new it was never quick enough).

+1 bruce (and STM). If we have to put things into context consider this- the Torana SLR5000 was (and is in A9X format) a dream car of mine..... however, the thundering 308 back then has less power output than an average familymobile top end Toyota Aurion of today. Great question though madkeen, but if I review my vehicular history, what I have now is the SMALLEST motor in any vehicle I have owned (inclusive of big 6's and up to mopar fireball V8's)...... but nothing I ever had before would stack up performance wise to the 1.8 4 cylinder I have now.......... (ps, if I could do it again, I would have kept the SE pure and unchanged from factory, and just worked a standard 04 NB. But then again, I cant see myself parting with the Problem Child :mrgreen:

)

KevGoat · Postby **KevGoat** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 6:09 pm

A car's character over performance is what defines longer term ownership to me. Performance can be built in, character is in built.

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 7:02 pm

Of course its still something= same for any of the MX-5s. Rarity will mean more as the years ticks over and the car will still be a fine drivers car. I agree its not just about horsepower/ KW.

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 8:23 pm

This one is still for sale as far as I'm aware:
http://nsw.mx5.com.au/classified/richar ... 30-mx-5-sp

bigdog · Postby **bigdog** » Fri Aug 11, 2017 9:23 pm

Well, after 12 years of owning an SP, and no plans to sell anytime soon; yes they are "much chop". Nothing I've dríven gives me more joy for the dollar than the SP, and I've dríven 150,000 km in it, including road trips to the Gold Coast and Melbourne. A couple of years back I swapped it for a day with a friend's Boxster S. At the end of the day he asked which car I preferred. When I replied "the SP", he said "yes, me too!" I'm sure a well sorted turbo NB with current ECU etc would be just as much or even more fun, but like any 'replica' it can never be the original.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Sat Aug 12, 2017 12:27 pm

As OP lives in QLD, get an NB8B & turbo it.

billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Sat Aug 12, 2017 1:54 pm

years back I always wanted an SP - only drama it was the Jenson Interceptor SP :lol:

still remember the salesman telling me the back grass window weighed in at 56lbs :lol:

\
I was about 18 then. now who at 18 would give a stuff about the weight of the rear window when looking at it. :lol:

I was more interested in sitting in it - in those days that's about as far it went :lol:

Postby **NitroDann** » Sat Aug 12, 2017 2:03 pm

bigdog wrote:Well, after 12 years of owning an SP.... any 'replica' it can never be the original.

Its a base NB with a poorly managed turbo kit.

Thats literally what it is. If you believe anything else you're a fool.

Dann

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Sat Aug 12, 2017 2:47 pm

Each to thier own.

I still drive a NA6 with a 1.6 in it. But I have no illusions about it being the fasted car on the block.

StanTheMan · Postby **StanTheMan** » Sat Aug 12, 2017 3:06 pm

If you take the emotion out of it.

FIRC the SP wasnt numbered on purpose. Mazda didnt want any profiteering 20 years later.

If youre Like Nitro Dann Who builds cars for customers. Of course the SP is not such a good option. He basically throws out the factory bits & replaces them with better bits. With the premium of the SP, economically its not such a good option. Same with the SE. & lets not go to which is better....

If you want an SP. You would want to want it for it being an SP. It will make you happy. because thats what you want. Nothing else matters

If you want massive hp. There are cheaper options available for you because in that case. Nitro Dann is right. Its going to cost you a lot more for an SP to have the same amount of HP.

For big HP modifications The stock NB8B is a better base
The SP will give you some extra hp. And for some that would be enough.

Its like we are now seeing a few very original NA6's coming on. I love that. But its a different game.

billybunter · Postby **billybunter** » Sat Aug 12, 2017 5:12 pm

plus if you keep looking in the for sale section -the right car will come up....not sell! come up again ...not sell and then the seller probably thinks...you can all go out to lunch! :lol:

not me!...I respect all :lol:

especially those with $$$$ :roll:

gasp. my weaker point :wink: