RE: Mazda MX-5 25th Anniversary Edition | PH Fleet
Discussion
I got an NC after wanting and planning to get one for a long time (mostly waiting until I had a garage as it's purely a weekend toy).
My plan WAS to buy the best NC I could...probably an anniversary like this as I liked the colour combo.
Then to take it to BBR to have the 225 (ITBs!!!) fitted.
I did struggle with the man maths a bit. After all a late, low mileage 3.75 NC like this example, still costs up to 15 grand. After you have spent another 15K on BBR upgrades including suspension and brakes etc you have a 30K car. I did wonder for a while if it would make more sense to get something like an elise. Perhaps an S1 with a K20 fitted.
In the end I thankfully found my admittedly early 2008 NC with a lot of the money already spent:
Unfortunately, the 225 conversion was completed as an early sort of POC by BBR so it doesnt run as well as it should. I am taking it back there in early April to have it updated. Even with that, not insignificant additional spent, it will still work out to be a fantastic car from a smiles per mile / value perspective.
I have owned a few other sports cars (including an S2000) and I am convinced this is the most fun you can have at this price point.
PS - Ben, if my car at last years Sunday Service inspired your purchase then you are very welcome
!
My plan WAS to buy the best NC I could...probably an anniversary like this as I liked the colour combo.
Then to take it to BBR to have the 225 (ITBs!!!) fitted.
I did struggle with the man maths a bit. After all a late, low mileage 3.75 NC like this example, still costs up to 15 grand. After you have spent another 15K on BBR upgrades including suspension and brakes etc you have a 30K car. I did wonder for a while if it would make more sense to get something like an elise. Perhaps an S1 with a K20 fitted.
In the end I thankfully found my admittedly early 2008 NC with a lot of the money already spent:
Unfortunately, the 225 conversion was completed as an early sort of POC by BBR so it doesnt run as well as it should. I am taking it back there in early April to have it updated. Even with that, not insignificant additional spent, it will still work out to be a fantastic car from a smiles per mile / value perspective.
I have owned a few other sports cars (including an S2000) and I am convinced this is the most fun you can have at this price point.
PS - Ben, if my car at last years Sunday Service inspired your purchase then you are very welcome
!GrahamNorton said:
I got an NC after wanting and planning to get one for a long time (mostly waiting until I had a garage as it's purely a weekend toy).
My plan WAS to buy the best NC I could...probably an anniversary like this as I liked the colour combo.
Then to take it to BBR to have the 225 (ITBs!!!) fitted.
I did struggle with the man maths a bit. After all a late, low mileage 3.75 NC like this example, still costs up to 15 grand. After you have spent another 15K on BBR upgrades including suspension and brakes etc you have a 30K car. I did wonder for a while if it would make more sense to get something like an elise. Perhaps an S1 with a K20 fitted.
In the end I thankfully found my admittedly early 2008 NC with a lot of the money already spent:
Unfortunately, the 225 conversion was completed as an early sort of POC by BBR so it doesnt run as well as it should. I am taking it back there in early April to have it updated. Even with that, not insignificant additional spent, it will still work out to be a fantastic car from a smiles per mile / value perspective.
I have owned a few other sports cars (including an S2000) and I am convinced this is the most fun you can have at this price point.
PS - Ben, if my car at last years Sunday Service inspired your purchase then you are very welcome!
I think you are right about the maths. I got the best lowest miles 25th with a view to BBR'ing it. Then the thought of an extra £10k on top of a £17k car did not make sense.My plan WAS to buy the best NC I could...probably an anniversary like this as I liked the colour combo.
Then to take it to BBR to have the 225 (ITBs!!!) fitted.
I did struggle with the man maths a bit. After all a late, low mileage 3.75 NC like this example, still costs up to 15 grand. After you have spent another 15K on BBR upgrades including suspension and brakes etc you have a 30K car. I did wonder for a while if it would make more sense to get something like an elise. Perhaps an S1 with a K20 fitted.
In the end I thankfully found my admittedly early 2008 NC with a lot of the money already spent:
Unfortunately, the 225 conversion was completed as an early sort of POC by BBR so it doesnt run as well as it should. I am taking it back there in early April to have it updated. Even with that, not insignificant additional spent, it will still work out to be a fantastic car from a smiles per mile / value perspective.
I have owned a few other sports cars (including an S2000) and I am convinced this is the most fun you can have at this price point.
PS - Ben, if my car at last years Sunday Service inspired your purchase then you are very welcome
!I should have got a £10k car or one with the bits done (as you have). After getting my std car a few other 25th anniversaries with BBR Turbo & suspension came up for similar price to my std car.
Additional problem is how do you choose between Supercharger/Turbo/ITB's. The CarWow drag recently done pretty good. But Turbo actually seems to generate more torque lower than supercharger (which I thought was S/C's USP)
Other problem is now the bubble deflating slightly (high 30's reduced to high 20's) on GR86 is a 10 year old tuned Nice MX5 puts it at a similar place as newish GR86.
irish boy said:
Very nice. Love the colour!
Colour is amazing really pops in the sun. I got a touch-up stick and its a silver base coat with a red lacquer. A pain to make work perfectly but better than a chip.I think 25th Anniversary was first to get Soul Red. Now it seems on everything from Mazda ( like BMW with Estoril Blue a few years ago) although I think the lines on the NC with the bonnet & wheel arches suit the colour and how it changes in different lights. More than a flat bonnet or side on a Mazda 3 or big SUV.
Nice one. IMO one of the best looking MX5's ever.
Never got on with the drive in the NC. Coarse engine which became coarser the higher up the rev range you went which defeated the object for me, for a roadster. And still had no steering feel. A real disappointment. 2 strikes and it was a "No" for me.
The ND improves on the engine but still lacks steering feel.
But the NC has a stronger gearbox as far as I know. It is the reason they used the NC gearbox on the Abarth/124 as it could withstand the higher torque of that cars turbo'd engine.
Never got on with the drive in the NC. Coarse engine which became coarser the higher up the rev range you went which defeated the object for me, for a roadster. And still had no steering feel. A real disappointment. 2 strikes and it was a "No" for me.
The ND improves on the engine but still lacks steering feel.
But the NC has a stronger gearbox as far as I know. It is the reason they used the NC gearbox on the Abarth/124 as it could withstand the higher torque of that cars turbo'd engine.
Great choice, I'm now on my 3rd NC - have a 2012 Kuro in white / black with JR wheels, BC coilovers and a duplex rear box - they really are excellent and pretty much bullet proof. I've done the trans / diff fluid with MT 90, popped in a decent panel filter and have the BBR 180 kit on the horizon. Look forward to the fleet updates on this one. Enjoy!!
Have tested four NC’s over the years including a 25th anniversary recently. I must be missing something or have had four lemons but i find them very underwhelming. Good gearbox and decent steering however definately lacking in performance, crashy ride and very lacklustre.
Interior of the 25th was in excellent condition but it felt very claustrophobic with the roof up. The panel between the roof and boot had some bubbling and the soul red paint was definately not the same match as the rest of the body, am guessing it had already been touched up (badly) at some point.
My plan was to buy one then have some BBR work done, i fancied the supercharger version however the cost of the car plus the BBR mods pushes the car into Boxster and Z4 territory which i find are better all round cars, even SLK’s seem to ride better to me.
It could be the roads here in Kent which are really bad, maybe not suitable for a small sports car.
Interior of the 25th was in excellent condition but it felt very claustrophobic with the roof up. The panel between the roof and boot had some bubbling and the soul red paint was definately not the same match as the rest of the body, am guessing it had already been touched up (badly) at some point.
My plan was to buy one then have some BBR work done, i fancied the supercharger version however the cost of the car plus the BBR mods pushes the car into Boxster and Z4 territory which i find are better all round cars, even SLK’s seem to ride better to me.
It could be the roads here in Kent which are really bad, maybe not suitable for a small sports car.
Krikkit said:
Iamnotkloot said:
Yep, that's a nice shade of red, and despite some not liking them, I like the look of the NC too.
I love my NA but keep having pangs about swapping it to an ND, with a possible BBR upgrade on top.
The ND is better at everything but pop-up headlights than the NA - it still has bags of character, great handling, really light. It's a fantastic thing.I love my NA but keep having pangs about swapping it to an ND, with a possible BBR upgrade on top.
Try before you buy
Why do you do this to me?
I sold my NC a few years back to buy an Evora S. As awesome as the Evora was I miss the mx5 more. It was just more fun more of the time.
Everytime I see an article on them I scaper off to the classifieds to see if I can find a nice bbr or corten miller car. Thankfully nothing at the moment as Mrs goatboy would murder me!
I sold my NC a few years back to buy an Evora S. As awesome as the Evora was I miss the mx5 more. It was just more fun more of the time.
Everytime I see an article on them I scaper off to the classifieds to see if I can find a nice bbr or corten miller car. Thankfully nothing at the moment as Mrs goatboy would murder me!
Thank you for all of the kind comments, very much appreciated.
I had a good chat with Neil at BBR GTI about my options and it's highly likely I'll be going down the BBR180 route to start with, so manifold and remap 
snotrag said:
4 branch manifold (BBR, Racing Beat etc). Remap. Do it now!
Honestly, its such a huge, transformative change and how the car should have come from the factory. Don't put a backbox on first, dont buy an induction kit first... Just doing the manifold and map, nothing else, nothing before or nothing after, is the key to these NC cars. It should be in the user manual.
Lovely that.
Dammit, I've already put a stubby aerial on, am I too late? Honestly, its such a huge, transformative change and how the car should have come from the factory. Don't put a backbox on first, dont buy an induction kit first... Just doing the manifold and map, nothing else, nothing before or nothing after, is the key to these NC cars. It should be in the user manual.
Lovely that.
I had a good chat with Neil at BBR GTI about my options and it's highly likely I'll be going down the BBR180 route to start with, so manifold and remap bluesierra said:
Great looking car - and for an NC that looks properly proportioned, not on stilts. Was that a facelift thing, or part of the 25th Anniversary package?
And why folding hardtop rather than soft top?
I could be wrong but I think all of the later NC3.75 cars all came with a power folding hard top rather than soft top. I'm pretty sure it's on standard suspension, seller claimed it was standard but perhaps it isn't as I agree, it does look lower than usual.And why folding hardtop rather than soft top?
Not a Diesel said:
I got my Wife a 25th Anniversary 2 years ago to keep my LY 275 Cup-S ( a previous car of yours Ben?) company.
I had similar ideas to BBR it up. But I don't drive it a lot & standard is easier to use/maintain & sell on. Even as standard its still a much more intimate driving experience than most other cars.
The rust thing has been well covered with loads of people poking at undersides on YouTube. Mostly on cars nearing 20 years old. So should be no surprise. But when you buy an ultra low miles can that has hardly seen rain never mind salt the clock has not really started ticking. This was what mine looked like at 8 years old and just under 4k miles. Put 9k on it since then driving in all conditions but cleaning and garaging and a couple of squirts of Bilt Hamber Atom Mac on the underside. Still looks much the same.
Yep, still desperately miss the Megane! Blimey that looks exceptional underneath. Mine has been rust proofed and covered in Waxoyl, but I like to think it was like that before the gunk went on.I had similar ideas to BBR it up. But I don't drive it a lot & standard is easier to use/maintain & sell on. Even as standard its still a much more intimate driving experience than most other cars.
The rust thing has been well covered with loads of people poking at undersides on YouTube. Mostly on cars nearing 20 years old. So should be no surprise. But when you buy an ultra low miles can that has hardly seen rain never mind salt the clock has not really started ticking. This was what mine looked like at 8 years old and just under 4k miles. Put 9k on it since then driving in all conditions but cleaning and garaging and a couple of squirts of Bilt Hamber Atom Mac on the underside. Still looks much the same.
Highway Star said:
From reading the article do BBR do servicing as well as tuning? I always assumed they just did tuning. If they do servicing, I might well take a short trip up there (and discuss ND tuning too).
Yes they don't promote it on their website for some reason, but they do plenty of servicing. I went to town with oil and filter, spark plugs, coolant, brake fluid, and gearbox and diff oil. All due to age really rather than mileage.GrahamNorton said:
PS - Ben, if my car at last years Sunday Service inspired your purchase then you are very welcome !
Absolutely, it looked stunning!!Garystewartdms said:
Great choice, I'm now on my 3rd NC - have a 2012 Kuro in white / black with JR wheels, BC coilovers and a duplex rear box - they really are excellent and pretty much bullet proof. I've done the trans / diff fluid with MT 90, popped in a decent panel filter and have the BBR 180 kit on the horizon. Look forward to the fleet updates on this one. Enjoy!!
Which BC Racing coilovers do you have? How do you find them compared to the stock suspension?
benboy123 said:
That looks mighty low to be on standard suspension. Perhaps last owners had fitted a decent set of coilovers of springs?
Soul red is one of the best colors ever, along with Renault liquid yellow and Ford Spirit blue
It really does look low for OEM suspension. Here is a photograph of Ben’s and a picture taken from an advert for another 25AE for comparison:Soul red is one of the best colors ever, along with Renault liquid yellow and Ford Spirit blue
Edited by chirurgus on Saturday 24th February 05:40
Edited by chirurgus on Saturday 24th February 05:41
Looks lovely. Best colour for the NC, the stance looks spot on, and a folding hard top too. I keep trying to persuade my OH to get an MX5 as I don't want to sell either of my cars but they look like so much fun. The interior leather sounds very nice as well, photos in the next update please Ben!
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