RE: BBR spices up MX-5 1.8

RE: BBR spices up MX-5 1.8

Author
Discussion

Riknos

4,700 posts

203 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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mrdemon said:
would you keep up though 220BHp is hardly going to scare most peoples track day cars.
He has a 2.0, so it's 235. In a car that weights 1095kg, that's not exactly in the slow end of cars out on a track.

NickGibbs

1,243 posts

230 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Ionican said:
Well I've been running one of the 2.0L BBR SC's for 18 months now (and will be shortly track-daying it at Silverstone).

I bought a 7000 mile mk3.5 specifically to have the conversion put on. Total price all in was almost spot on £20k. I guess I was comparing with what else I could get for around £20k that was near-new. The only other expenditure has been to have Wheels-in-motion sort out the springs and do the geometry. It definitely rides 'low' now - speed bumps have to be taken cautiously but IMO it does look great - a real roller-skate.

Brakes I believe are traditionally strong on the MX-5 - I guess Silverstone will be a test for them though. Economy stayed exactly as it was (about 35mpg) once I'd had the conversion done which was a pleasant surprise.

Performance is very progressive. I'd say the engine is a little more grumbly below 2500 rpm but once it gets there it pulls nicely all the way to the red line with increasing ferocity.

I bought this car for a quite specific reason - I wanted to learn how to drive better on the limit. The power and weight distribution mean I can get on the limit at pretty much any speed. Thanks to P1 I've driven most of the supercars and the issue for me was that liberties had to be taken to reach the cars' limits... I guess I didn't have the bottle to put the car at risk - and therefore just wasn't learning any more about car control.

Anyway - it's been great fun. I don't really expect to get any of the SC expenditure back on sale. Next car will quite possibly be a new Boxster - but I'm hoping that once I've saved up the cash I'll have enough confidence to push that nearer its limits in a vaguely safe manner!

Will report back from Silverstone!
R
Excellent, I knew there'd be one on here! Very interesting to hear your experiences.
That's EXACTLY why'd I'd imagine someone would spend the cash on one.
The sort of reason why one might buy a GT86, if it had a smidge more power.

pmr01

314 posts

149 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Interesting thread...on the same kind of line.

I have a Mk3 MR2 and have had an SP240 turbo kit fitted to it and it has been a never ending thing of joy. I hear you all about buying boxsters etc but the nice thing about the Toyota is the lack of worry about huge bills that may arise. I have a Porsche as well and I continually worry about things going wrong because of the potential bill. That is a REAL, tangible plus for modifying the MX5 / MR2 over the 'more expensive' option.

It is extremely fast in comparison with what people expect (which brings pleasure), is probably over the limit that the suspension can handle...although it now has coilovers / 888 / yellow stuff and goodriges / bracing (which as someone said previously you should factor in). As mentioned, the other car is a Porsche and the Toyota is probably the more exciting.

There is also a certain amount of pride...I made that..its different.

I bought the kit second hand and there is a thriving market of reselling so the exposure is not as great as you would think.


adma23

68 posts

140 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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I have an MX 5 and had an S2k. With 10k budget I would definitely buy an AP2 S2K and spend the money saved on the car on track days and tuituion. 240bhp NA and 350% all round reliability.

tommyhilla

56 posts

182 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Wait 3 years or so and buy one that someone else has shelled out for a conversion on, mods never make money back. I just bought a 300hp, 335lbs ft golf gti mk5 for 7kish that has 7k worth of mods in the last 3 years. Simples

threespires

4,289 posts

210 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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What would be the price difference between a new BBR Mazda and a new Mini Roadster JCW
I wonder which would be more fun.

oilburner

21 posts

224 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Fascinating stuff. What if.... there was a kit available that, for about the same money, put a 3.0l Duratec V6 into you Mk1/Mk2/Mk3 Mx5?
Similar weight and weight distribution so all the good things we know and love of the '5 remain but with the addition of 250 reliable, torqy horses and a sweet, revvy, melodious V6 sound track.
V8 roadster in the US drop Corvette V8s into Miatas but that seems to me a bit 'overkill'
What would people think of that?

threespires

4,289 posts

210 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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MX-5 V6. I believe this car was built by Ford US.

Mazda MX-5 V6

scz4

2,491 posts

240 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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How about fitting the 2.3 Duratec engine then supercharging? 280 bhp should be feasible and a lot more torque.

oilburner

21 posts

224 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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threespires said:
MX-5 V6. I believe this car was built by Ford US.

Mazda MX-5 V6
Indeed they did. The reason I mention the idea is because I am nearing completion of such a project and wondered about marketing the 'kit of parts'. the engines themselves can be had for about £300 and are plentiful. The kit would consist of an adapter plate, a subframe, ECU and a pile of brackets, wires and hoses. And of course the exhaust. It's all 'bolt-in' so no welding required. If you're handy with the spanners you could do it yourself or ask your local garage.

V8RX7

26,739 posts

262 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Riknos said:
BBR will buy back a used supercharger install (for £1000) and will also fit you a used package slightly cheaper than the brand new one - complete with warranty still.
So they sell it for £6k and buy it back for £1k then sell it again for slightly less than £6k

How generous of them.

threespires

4,289 posts

210 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
oilburner said:
Indeed they did. The reason I mention the idea is because I am nearing completion of such a project and wondered about marketing the 'kit of parts'. the engines themselves can be had for about £300 and are plentiful. The kit would consist of an adapter plate, a subframe, ECU and a pile of brackets, wires and hoses. And of course the exhaust. It's all 'bolt-in' so no welding required. If you're handy with the spanners you could do it yourself or ask your local garage.
That's interesting to hear. Do you have any pix? Please keep me updated with progress.

Terminator X

14,886 posts

203 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Not a fan of MX5 however this one sounds nuts which is very good!

TX.

kilarney

483 posts

222 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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Seriously looked into this but when I drove a stock 2 litre mx5 admittedly tired it was awful - I dont get the mx5 never did when my sister had a new mk1, way overrated. Ended back in an elise, really no comparison even though you need a second car for spares.

Danstable

203 posts

216 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
quotequote all
I bought the £10k BBR in the classifieds.....although not for £10k. I considered (and have driven) most of the alternatives mentioned in this topic and I considered each one to be a compromise based on my requirements.I love that it surprises everyone that encounters it, it's not snappy on the limit, repairs won't break the bank, the fact I get 34mpg is a welcome bonus, and the sheer fun factor is brilliant.

Like another poster, I have driven most modern supercars thanks to a well known supercar club...the better one with multiple international clubhouses ;o) Whilst I loved every minute behind the wheel, I agree with everything said about the limits (and the financial stakes) just being too high to fully enjoy the cars on the public roads.

Would I shell out for a BBR conversion myself? Probably yes...but I would have wrestled with the decision for much longer than I did when presented with the opportunity to buy a converted car for little more than the sum of all its mods.

P4ROT

1,219 posts

192 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
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Rob_the_Sparky said:
How about this
lol thats mental!

rossi1

773 posts

201 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
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after doing a few track days and noticing how MX5`s perform I don`t understand the MX5 hype. If its a well balanced cheap fast road/track toy you want there are so many other other options that are out there.

Also every time I see one I cant help but think its going to launch into the nearest lake thanks to this gorgeous looking thing wink



oilburner

21 posts

224 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
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threespires said:
That's interesting to hear. Do you have any pix? Please keep me updated with progress.
Have a look here:
http://www.mx5nutz.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6...

It's a bit out of date but hoping to get updated today.

V8RX7

26,739 posts

262 months

Thursday 11th October 2012
quotequote all
rossi1 said:
after doing a few track days and noticing how MX5`s perform I don`t understand the MX5 hype. If its a well balanced cheap fast road/track toy you want there are so many other other options that are out there.
Such as what ?

Front engine & RWD is the only option IMO.

So you're left with E30 / E36 BMW, 924 / 944 Porsche, S2000, 200SX and a few kit cars etc

then take running costs, aftermarket parts and fun into account.

It's not the only option but it is a good one.

Greg_D

6,542 posts

245 months

Friday 12th October 2012
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eg2 said:
I'm sure Skuzzle in Winchester could do the same standard of work for a lot less than 6k...
I'm sure he couldn't.... and i'm not saying that in defense of the repackaged Cosworth conversion ;-)