Educate Me on NC Miata

Track Night, Time Trials General Bad Road Manners

Sport Suspension

Reduced Weight

Which one to buy

Which NC?

Depends on your goals and budget.

Track night = roll bar

Roll bar generally means soft top

Soft top weigh less.

folding hardtop is more comfortable on the highway and less noisy, rollbar options are very minimal though and weight is higher

In general, the OE dampers are junk, spring rate isn't great, viscous LSD generally doesn't last long, so the "sport" package isn't worth it over a similar, less equipped model.

Get the best and cheapest one you can and put your own suspension and limited slip under.

The automatics are actually 6-speeds and have the same gearing as the manual, so not the penalty they once were.

I thought you said you don't want a miata?

Dude.. drive cars... buy one.  You don't like it.. sell it and buy another.

So, You want a soft top. The PRHT will not fit a roll-bar without a kind of messy install. 09+ gets a better look. All years can fit in plenty of motor options. For a trackday, I would go 09 soft top high-mileage with a 2.5L conversion personally. 

Right, I did not want an NA or NB

Turns out the answer is a Miata

Track Night

Local Autocross

Track Time

Thanks

I believe Track Night In America apparently allows 06+ convertibles without roll bars (obviously still a good idea).

I'm on my second NC1; and agree the looks of the NC2 are vastly improved. GWR has plenty of info on how quick and cheap a 2.5 swap can be. Its really a no brainer if the stock 2.0 ever pops.

Overall its a much more refined chassis, without much penalty in my opinion, and prices keep dropping. 

Also loads of fun in STR for autox as long as your local region doesn't have NDs starting to sneak in...

I've done STR in NCs the last few years, no track time yet but I'll get one on a track in the spring. We've managed to run midpack nationally with a 2500 lb PRHT.

09+ has a better engine: forged internals, higher redline, just better. With a tune I run my '10 to 8000 RPM over and over. NC2 also has a nicer interior, especially where you rest your elbows.

When set up well the thing is an absolute hoot to drive. I've had plenty of drivers in mine and everyone comes away impressed and grinning.

Ohlins are easy button coilovers but there are plenty of other options.

Installing a header is a royal PITA.

Roll the rear fenders, stick a set of 17x9 +45 RPF1 under there with 245s and have a ball.

I didn't think the LSD in the NC was viscous. I thought it was cone/clutch type.

Fueled by Caffeine said:

I thought you said you don't want a miata?

 

Dude.. drive cars... buy one.  You don't like it.. sell it and buy another.

 

 

^This. Not sure if you're trying to put together a fleet of different cars, or just changing your mind a lot.

What is it about the NA and NB that you don't like, yet the NC and the MR2 Spyder are being considered?

Brett_Murphy said:

I didn't think the LSD in the NC was viscous. I thought it was cone/clutch type.

Super chigi. It's not viscous. It's cones and springs though. My NC is leagues better than my '97 NA was. Need spring and better dampers. That's it. 

I would add sway bars to the springs and dampers and some wide sticky rubber. You can fit 235s on all four corners without a fender roll with the correct offset. I'll go the 2.5 route once my engine goes, but it is not slow with the stock 2.0. One of my favorite cars and I have had quite a list over the years.

I drove a well prepped NC on a road course and it was an absolute blast. 

Thank you all for the follow up

i don't FIT the NA or NB

Cant locate a Mustang or Camaro that aren't POSs for <10K

So popular opinion says N.C.

Thanks

Suggestions for a Miata site to review/join?

this place is the best miata site..  miata.net is ummm.. wow..  lots of people arguing about vented and unvented batteries and silly things that are inconsequential..

My NC is possibly the best NC1 out there.  If you're serious about one we can talk about a price.

It's an STR prepped GT with MCS suspension and fairly low miles.  And a racing hard top for track use.

armstrong390 at the googleplace

If not mine, the GT package is much nicer than the Sport package.  The super-fuji diff works phenominally well.  A competitor of mine in an S2000 is always going on about how jealous he if of how much better my diff works than his.

Aftermarket suspension is crucial, the factory stuff isn't great.  Upgrading the brakes is easy with pads, if you want more than that RX-8 brakes are a bolt on upgrade.  In fact many RX-8 parts are direct bolt ons.

The fears of blowing the 2.0 aren't without basis but I don't think they are nearly as prevalent as the internet would have you believe.

This effectively is a Miata site.

Fueled by Caffeine said:

this place is the best miata site..  miata.net is ummm.. wow..  lots of people arguing about vented and unvented batteries and silly things that are inconsequential..

miataturbo is the spot for aftermarket/track stuff.

m.net is the spot for old folks partaking in cheese/wine groups proselyting how the Miata is perfect stock and shouldn't be modifed. 

Clubroadster is a dumpster fire of old BMW car trends for POS miatas

z31 has got it.  Go to miataturbo to read, not to post.  There are some real jerks over there but as a general rule they know their stuff.  They have a whole thread on the NC that started in the last month or two.

In reply to RacingComputers :

How big a boy are ya? I'm 5'10", 225, and built like a shed. I was snug in the na8, I'm comfortable in the nc. The seats form fit my man handles. 

Sounds like we could wear the same driving suit

Armstrong390

email from Racingcomputers at yahoo sent