Newbie with new miate MX 5 speed

[volito]

hi there I just purchased the 2004 miata speed as a second car. I was just wondering if this is a issue with me or all the hype about the car. It actually doesn't bother me much as the car is actually for my wife but it is definatly a fun car to drive. Ok here it goes I find the car to be fun to drive and handles well but as for speed and power it doesn't ad up to all the hype. I drove stick before and find the mazda speed (MS) smooth through gears but no way I consider it fast as to other sport cars. It has some power at high RPMS in the gear ranges but still not quick as the hype. I tried shifting at high RPMS and tried going through gears quicker than normal but still can't seem to get this little car going. As for the turbo when those this thing kick in or is it always working.Maybe it is just me but I just don't see the quickness in this car.I havent really got to try out the six gear to much at top speed and testing the power there.Now my real question is is it me or the car really isn't that fast I reallly can't get a test from internet on 0-60 as they all come up different or most sites don't have any test results.Well I'll leave it at this for now and see what replies i get.

and as always thanks in advance for any input!

 

[jersey_emt]

They're quick, but definitely not fast. 0-60 is in the mid 6-second range, quarter mile is in the high 14's.

Mazdas aren't generally known for being fast cars, but they make up in handling prowess what they lack in straight-line grunt.

 

[cbcbd]

Get bigger exhaust, bigger intercooler, and turn up the boost!!

Like emt said, Mazdas aren't known for their quickness and huge HP numbers, but the handling, fun-to-drive quotient, and driver confidence is what sells them.

On this board I think the majority already ignored the hype as we've had many test drivers (me included) that reported back with what we expected and exactly what you said- great handling, fun to drive, quick, but not fast - just like the MS protoge.
The plus here is that the car, just like the MS protege, already comes turboed, so squeezing more HP out of it will be much easier and cheaper than for a non turbo car.

As for the turbo quicking in, I think I remember it hitting boost at around 3K rpm. Get a boost guage and you'll know for sure when and how much.

The one thing I didn't like when I test drove it was the shortness of 1st gear - but then again, that's probably better for autox.

 

[jred321]

it was hyped to be fast? i didn't know that
it only has what, 180hp? not exactly a sports car

 

[cbcbd]

it was hyped to be fast? i didn't know that
it only has what, 180hp? not exactly a sports car

It's true, I don't really remember there being any outside hype about this car, just mostly Mazda fans excited about it.
Define sports car? FYI - the 2.5 liter Z4 only has around 180hp. That's all motor too, so they can't turn up the boost like you can - and I'm pretty sure the Z4 weighs more - so go pick on some of those and I'm sure you'll feel better having paid $10K less.

 

[volito]

newbie owner

Well have it for two weeks now and enjoying the car as it is a second car.Got around 150 miles on it and I have to say it is a fun car to drive "quick but not fast and great handling". Maybe I"ll try some after market parts if I feel the need for speed. the car is now in royte to Chicago from NY by wife and she called and said she is loving the car. So i'll leave it at this and thanks for the interesting thoughts.

PS How many miles will it be considered broken in?
What are some quick mods? ex. Dual exhaust.


My last expierance with after market parts was a nightmare it was hard to find a shop that did good work .They where butchers.

 

[KpaBap]

it was hyped to be fast? i didn't know that
it only has what, 180hp? not exactly a sports car

so to be a sports car it needs some sort of minimum hp number?

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Sports_car

 

[jred321]

no, but it's going to need more power than that to contend with sports cars. i consider a miata a roadster, not a sports car. adding a little turbo and a bit of boost doesn't change that

 

[jflo]

haha, that's funny, my insurance seems to think otherwise and charges quite a bit just 'cause it's a 2-door drop top

oh yeah it's a '91

 

[p5sundevil]

Yah the new MSM was directly compared to the z4 and it killed it in direct power-to-weight rations and handling.

 

[DigitalHeadShot]

I dont know what peoples problem with the car is, my wife just bought one and that car drives like a dream. Im not a newbie to mazda or sports cars by anymeans. My wife had an 04 black cherry and traded it for a msm and that car is awsome. The pure 50,50 weight distrubution and only 1/10 sec slower than an rx-8 leaves me speachless. I will take that msm on a track over the rx8 anyday. No its not super fast but it acts just like a an s2000 or any other top of the line roadster the power band is up on the rpms and driving it right has more thrill than my msp and almost as much fun as my lancer evo VIII. Its not made to be a monster but know this when mazda made the car they built it with well over 200 hp and turned that down because it seemed to fast. What this means to you and I is that the extra hp is in easy reach. *hint hint turn the boost back up.

pieces
B

 

[volito]

"hint hint turn the boost back up."

How? new to this after market as said before bad expierance.

 

[DigitalHeadShot]

"hint hint turn the boost back up."

How? new to this after market as said before bad expierance.

well first you would need to buy a mbc manual boost controller. should cost anywhere from 45-100 bucks depending on brand etc. If uncertain on stuff like that because when playing with boost there is a chance you can pop your motor from boosting to high I would goto local speed shop and talk with some people there about it. I havent been able to boost mine higher yet so I dont know a number to tell you to boost to. I would say you could give it an extra couple of pounds and be safe. So from 7.3 lbs of boost (stock) take it to say 8 or 9 possibly ten. Just need to watch your a/f to make sure your not going lean. Again I would talk to local speed shops for details on that.

 

[rx7gslse]

8.5psi is max for stock... Flyinmiata kits routinely run 9 safely for 100k+ miles....

much beyond that they say that the 99+ rods start to become an issue.. .I dunno if that's any different for the MSM or not.. Older miata's easily took 12 in stock form (again, assuming all else is adequate)

 

[volito]

"Altering any motor vehicle from its stock configuration can cause catastrophic engine failure, and may cause personal injury or death. Those that choose to modify their vehicle assume all responsibility for doing so."


Seen this quote around alot researching the MBR ,"paronoid LOL"

as they say the car was originally 200 hp when mazda made it and knocked it down to 170 HP. Shouldn't there be a simple way to get that 30 back A stated new to this car stuff as I am amuch better with the computer stuff .

 

[rx7gslse]

well, that all depends on what they changed to knock it back to 170....

I'vegot a greddy e-manage system that will allow me to tune the car a bit more aggressively, and that should gain some power... What I'd like to see is a solid 175rwhp with simple bolt ons and no major changes in boost level.

Is it possible? I dunno yet...

BTW, the MSM runs a lower compression than the rest of the NB miata's, so it *should* be able to handle a higher boost level... Again, no proof, just conjecture.

 

[DigitalHeadShot]

here is info

 

[rx7gslse]

that article isn't exactly new...

and whiel it does say they could have made more power, it does not say they could have made more power with all teh same parts that are on the car. I know for a fact that there will be more than just tuning required to make those power levels. It cane be done, but its' not like Mazda built everything for 250hp and the just decided to tune it back so it only puts out 178....

 

[Black Majik MSP]

So you're racing around in your MSM when it only has 150 miles on it? Ever heard of BREAK-IN PERIOD? I'm also curious to know more about the hype you kept mentioning...what were you expecting this car to be?

 

[volito]

newbie

well as for the break in period, so far for the last past 6 years I been in 4 new cars and all the mechanics at the dealers say you really don't have to break in cars nomore like the old days. So for the controvercy I take it easy on new cars (kinda).For what I expected it to be "nothing" it is actually a second car for my wife but wha is hers is mine right. So i figured why not boost it up alittle while I got it.Maybe dual exhaust or a K&N filter (not sure but as I said bad experiance with after market parts (butchers).If they make aftermarket parts for this car then they should fit perfect right?



And now the car has about 2k wife just got back from chicago with it (16k drive) and by the way she said she loved it and hit over 100 mph. Now I know she doesn't drive fast usually just the handling of the car made her feel comfortable.So i really guess a few more ponies won't hurt...I goign to ask a guy at Mazda soon have to go back (says he is a test driver or something) try to pick his brain LOL