Non-turbo power gains??

[merckx racer]

Almost bought a 2010 MS3 yesterday and while at the stealership noticed
a pretty neat looking car...a Miata MX-5.
Being 6'5" I never thought I'd fit but there was room for my 37" inseam..
and the car is an '06 with only 5K miles!

Drove it and loved the handling..in fact I dove down into a parking lot in both the MX-5 and the MS3 and the MX-5 won that battle!

Of course..the MS3 has just brutal power..so if I could just get a bit more
power out of the MX-5 I just might buy it!

Would intake...exhaust...headers..maybe better plugs make any type of
noticeable improvement?
Not looking for huge gains...just more torque..and it's an automatic.

 

[mx-p5]

had you looked at the MSM ( Mazdaspeed Miata) before buying the mx-5?

as to gains, i won't say yet as I too am just getting started in the Miata world

 

[merckx racer]

Yes I did consider the MSM but when sitting in one the steering wheel was positioned
right below my knees...impossible for me to drive that car unless I could remove my legs!

But today..I got my hands on an '09 MX-5 5M....WHAT A GREAT CAR!!!!!
I still trying to make the decision....MX-5 or Mazdaspeed3!

I love the MS3...but the MX-5 is a darn race car!!
What a super-handling bundle of joy! I love the whine of the engine as well....
my family is all over me to not buy a 2-seater...to go with the speed3...but
I do love the slick shifting relatively high revving MX-5!

 

[mx-p5]

I just stepped up from a Protege5 to a Miata

Question for you is. . . . . straight line speed or more fun in the twisties?

Also, consider this. . . get the MS3 and get an early 90's miata. I picked up mine for $2k

Best of both worlds then!

 

[aMaff]

Biggest torque improvement? Probably getting a manual instead of an automagic will be your biggest gain. I'm not familiar enough with the MX-5 engine to tell you what kind of gains you'll see with I/H/E.

I can tell you, however, that I'd almost rather undergo a root canal than ever swap another MX-5 header. The root canal wouldn't be noticeably more painful, and would take a lot less time lol

 

[mx-p5]

even on the NA?

*EEEK*

 

[aMaff]

even on the NA?

*EEEK*

No. Swapping headers on an NA takes about 20 minutes with the right tools by myself. Swapping it on an NC? IIRC it was 7 hours with a very large tool box and 5 gear heads who know their way around a wrench working often at the same time on the car.

 

[mx-p5]

ah, ok! Whew!

Cause i have a line on a Bosal for $50 in Orlando with a cracked main tube, but, i can get it rewelded.
anyways, sorry to threadjack

 

[merckx racer]

thank you aMaff....I did test a 5M and like it much better
than the automatic!

Never did care for those paddle shifters anyway..and the car does
feel much faster....it was nice testing by myself...while the salesman
is a very nice guy...he's got to be pushing 300lbs.!

Kind of throws off the power-to-weight ratio of a 2500lb. car!

 

[aMaff]

lol I know right? Best non-turbo power gain: throw the lard-ass out of your passenger seat haha

 

[merckx racer]

Yeah...the poor guy...had to put down the top so he could
get in the car!

Nice guy...smart...would really suk to be that big..I mean..
just think if you lost 20lbs....then you would think...wow..
I've only got to lose another 100!

 

[mx-p5]

lol. . . cold. . . but funny none the less

but, when it comes to light cars, yeah, weight makes ALL the difference in teh WORLD!


Either way, i think you'll be happy with whichever car you choose *cough*mx-5*cough*

PLUS, with the MX5, every boy racer in the world won't try racing you off the lights, where as with the MS3, even grannys in Buick LeSabers try to race you

In the Miatas, the grannys are hitting on you

not sure which is better though. . . .