BradK - New Member intro

[BradK]

Hi

Just thought I would introduce myself so I can put my future posts in context. I intend to buy an MX-5 as a motorbike replacement. I’ve been into motorbike touring for quite a while and always thought that when I was too old to ride I would buy a Lotus 7 Clubman. Now I have actually decided to give riding away, and with 60 approaching, I’m not sure if I want to climb over the side of a car with no doors, that has no luggage space and a pretty narrow cockpit. My partner was particularly unimpressed with this scenario.!!

So the closest thing to a Clubman was an MX-5. It comes with the bonus of doors, a soft top, a small boot, a heater and A/C. So far my experience is limited to test driving the local dealers ND RFGT. Based on this I’ve decided that this is the right car, although my preference is for the soft top and the new price was more than I wanted to spend on a weekend toy.

I live on the NSW Central Coast so if someone can suggest an MX-5 meet up where I can pick the brains of other owners that would be great!

Cheers

Brad

[Mr Morlock]

If you are set on buying an ND then its not a conversation but there are other options.

[BradK]

Hi Mr Mortlock

I’ve phrased that badly. What I meant to say was that the MX-5 was the right car, not necessarily the ND version. The cheapest early model ND I have seen advertised is pretty much at the top of my budget so something older will probably give me better fun for my $.

I am leaning towards an NB8B as they seem to be plentiful and there are some really nice examples advertised. There also seems to be lots of performance improvements available.

There are also some nice NC’s in my budget but there seems to be less information available on them. I’ve read vague comments about issues with early NC’s but nothing specific. I’m not sure if I should be considering one or not?

Cheers

Brad

[KevGoat]

Welcome Brad. Same advice as for anyone starting out searching for an MX-5 is to try to get some time around each model and test drive them all if you can. They each offer a different experience. The NA is FUN but heading upwards in value. The NB is stylish, a better chassis and more power. The NC's refined and becoming great value, and the ND modern. The one common thread between them all is driving enjoyment. I've had NA-6, NB8A and now drive an NB8C SE, and each one had a very different personality. To me the best value at the moment appears to be the NC PRHT Sport models around $17k or so. For this you get 2L engine, folding hard top, BBS wheels, Recaro seats and I think Bilsteins (but not sure on that). I'd quite possibly consider swapping my SE for an auto version of one of these with low mileage if I could!

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[ManiacLachy]

Welcome.

The NC is really coming into it's element now, and is definitely worth a look. Prices have come down to a really good point, but they're still not old and thrashed. Companies are starting to devote more R&D to them as well. Seems like the best power swap for an NC is a 2.5L. There are some turbo kits out there as well, but I don't think they've been well explored on Australian cars yet.

I personally hate PRHT cars, my pick would be one of the very few ST NC2s, but if you like the RF when looking at the ND then the power hard top is probably what you'd be into for the NC.

[93_Clubman]

Welcome!

Information online about the NC seems contradictory and I’m unsure about the Ford engine it uses?

There are also some nice NC’s in my budget but there seems to be less information available on them. I’ve read vague comments about issues with early NC’s but nothing specific. I’m not sure if I should be considering one or not?

NB8B/C/D, in other words a build date of Oct 2000 onwards is a good option, but so is the NC. Yes, the NC1 (2005-2008) motor (crankshaft) was revised with the release of the NC2 in 2009, which came with a forged crank.

Don't recall a forumite on here posting about a problem with their NC1 crank, but I did see an ad for an NC1 about a decade ago that mentioned it had a problem with the crank, so a new crank was included in the sale. Don't recall a forumite on here posting about a problem with their NC2 crank. With the NC2 now going for $ high teens k that's what I'd be looking at, but of course drive them both as the NB8B/C/D may satisfy you at half the price.

[Nevyn72]

I live on the NSW Central Coast so if someone can suggest an MX-5 meet up where I can pick the brains of other owners that would be great!

Join in on the run or meet them at the finish.

http://nsw.mx5.com.au/events/pie-in-the-sky-run

[Mr Morlock]

we had an NB P2 for about 9 years and it was a good choice at the time. Many touring trips and vehicle could be packed for 2 and mostly dríven with top down. Finally it was changed for an NC auto ( 2010) and this car has retractable hard top- virtually all were retractable hard tops from around 2007. The retractable top is terrific - better than canvas and real open air feel when down. The NC is really a better car than NB- it simply more modern and more comfortable . Personally I reckon the auto with paddle shifters is another improvement on a manual and less work in driving and enjoying the vehicle- its fun and no crunching gears or tedious around town. You can set the cruise on the NC and it holds speeds very well. The boot on the NC is larger than an ND by quite a margin and the car has a proper glove box. The NB is really a pretty old car because it started with the NA whereas the NC was a new platform.

[KevGoat]

The NB is really a pretty old car because it started with the NA whereas the NC was a new platform.

Mirror Mirror on the wall ... and the prettiest of them all ... remains the NB8B/C ...

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[BradK]

Thanks Kev

There is an NC PRHT “Sports” MX-5 sitting on Gumtree cars. Its in SA too but I think its a manual. I really need to find a local MX-5 coffee meet or something - even if I can’t drive the cars at least I can have a good look at them and chat to the owners. I’m still getting my head around pricing, some advertised prices seem to defy logic but maybe thats not what they are selling for :-)

Hi Lachy

I guess I don’t know what I don’t know as I have only dríven the RF and not a soft top, howeverI think I would prefer a soft top. I can see why you would want a hardtop - say if I was commuting to work or needing to park regularly in dodgy locations but otherwise it seems like more weight and complexity? Watching the RF work was very cool but I can imagine it being a nightmare if something got bent or it didn’t want to work properly.

If I had a need for a hard top will all NC’s accept a “lift on” hardtop?

Hi 93_Clubman

My concerns about the engine came from a comment by Nitro Dann in this thread. viewtopic.php?f=81&t=54262&hilit=RHD+NC+Turbo He said something to the effect that the NC1 engine was not suitable for a turbo. I wasn’t sure why and hadn’t come across any other info. However a change to the crank would explain it.

I don’t know if there are any other changes (other than cosmetic)

Cheers

Brad

[Nevyn72]

I really need to find a local MX-5 coffee meet or something.......

Don't know why I bothered posting.....

[BradK]

Hi Nevyn72

Unfortunately we are away this weekend but I will keep my eye on the clubs page to see if I can find another run that I can turn up to.

Thanks for everyone who has replied - there is only so much information you can get from YouTube. Especially when all of the video’s are about NA’s or NB’s :-)

Cheers

Brad

[StanTheMan]

Hi



I live on the NSW Central Coast so if someone can suggest an MX-5 meet up where I can pick the brains of other owners that would be great!

Cheers

Brad

head over to the Mx5 club of NSW web page. They ave a meeting at the Pie in the Sky every month. You'll fit right in. There is also a hunter chapter you can get involved in.
Otherwise there are Facebook groups. But the ones im part of have been reasonably in-active. I think people are a little shy organising events. There are a few meets in Sydney which tend to go in a southern direction. Mostly

occasionally we get blessed with a visit from our maddest of mad hatters from QLD. People tend to make an effort when he turns up & the meet/drivre is always a success.

[ManiacLachy]

NA/NBs have been the main focus for modification and the aftermarket for the last 15+ years, so you won't find too much about the NC just yet, but believe me, it's coming. Almost everyone agrees the NC is the better car, but that's not to say the NA/NB aren't, it's just they're old technology. And yes, there are NC hardtops to fit on over the softtops, but they are even more expensive and rare than the NA/NB hardtops, which have really gone up in price the last few years. Lucky I prefer the ST life!

If you want to do a power build, the NA/NB is a good platform as long as you start with a 1.8 motor, the best option being the 2001+ NBs because of the VVT head, and the square top manifold, with a turbo you could make a good 250-270whp on the stock motor. On the NC, I would stick naturally aspirated and look at the 2.5L swap, there's a couple of threads with the swap lately, do a search on the forum and if the search engine is co-operating you should be able to find them.

SE/SPs are nice in that they're already turbo, but they weren't the greatest turbo solutions and have a lot of short comings. They require quite a bit of modification to make the most of what they've got, and then you're almost in the hole for as much as it would cost to turbo a regular NA/NB. The only advantages of going this route (as I did) is you can make the mods one at a time and experience the difference, which is fun; and the SE has a nice body kit.

I would advise going for a ride in a few different models if you can, many owners are happy to even let you have turn at the wheel as well. And if you want to take the plunge, forget the turbo/SC life to begin with, and just experience the drive and identify what you like/don't like. And if you want to invest more in the chassis there are so many well document options. And you could likely sell the car for what you buy it for if you don't love it, or if you want to buy a pre-modded car.

Good luck!

[Mr Morlock]

maniac covered it pretty well. Insofar as detachable hard tops they are just a darned nuisance for very obvious reasons. If you are actually using a car say in touring the retractable top is decades ahead in convenience. Park the car for a stroll and the top goes up for security and when it rains then pull over \ and push the button which does not even require getting out of the car or switching off the engine. Performance - unless one is a boy racer then the NC has plenty of go and flexibility - I would not bother with any engine enhancement apart from say a sports muffler . You want quicker then there are other choices - Boxsters are affordable but more likely to cost more to run and repair. As for driving is very easy to seek out vehicles for sale and get a test drive. In retrospect I should have sold the NB earlier- great car but an NC is easier to live with by quite a margin.

Kev I thought the NB looked really good but now if think the NC PRHT is even better. I alsoonce thought the ND was a cool but its worn off.