Mk3 MX5 Sport - Grey and Tan

[HorneyMX5]

Having had lots of MK1s and a MK2 I thought it was time to try a mk3. Also, I'm bored of the Yeti daily, it seems that I just love driving MX5s. I went to view this one and bought it on the spot.

2006 2.0 Sport with optional Bose and AC. It's done 61,000 miles and is pretty tidy. There's a few marks but nothing to really bother me. Interior is perfect except for a scratched glove box lid. It's got 4 brand new tyres on it, they're no name canoee. Soooooo much TC flashing lol. Skids nice on them though.

Plans are:

2016
Uniroyal Rainsport Tyres
Eibach lowering spring
Full wheel alignment
Apple CarPlay compatible touchscreen head unit.
All red rear light tint
Yellow fog tint

2017
Some rims
An exhaust
Carbon Miata ducktail
Front splitter of some sort
Skuzzle remap for more powerz and better throttle response

2018
Sell and buy ND Sport.

I think that's it for now.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

Yeah it's terrible isn't it. Shame as it rides and handles lovely. Headhunt is first priority, after that springs and alignment will be done.

[HorneyMX5]

So I popped in to see Skuzzle on my way home from work to show him my latest purchase. This then happened:

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Power at the wheels. They came with 158bhp at the flywheel so now its around 165bhp at the flywheel. Just a map with no mods at all. Not a huge power increase which isn't surprising but the changes to the throttle peddle map is a revelation! The car is transformed.

[HorneyMX5]

I'm surprised at the amount of love for the tan. I figured it was a bit too much for most people. Certainly divides opinion amongst my friends. For me I think the centre console takes it to far and I'll be looking to swap that out for black plastics.

[HorneyMX5]

also this is in the post:







Should add a couple more ponies a bit of induction noise.

[HorneyMX5]

Went to Reading Jap Meet. Took some pictures.

IMG_5787 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

IMG_5788 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

IMG_5789 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

Mx5 Parts exhaust won on eBay for £165. Barely used and local. Result!

[HorneyMX5]

Exhaust fited this morning. Sounds fruity but not too loud. Glad to be rid of the pea shooters.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

RobDickinson said:

HorneyMX5 said:

Plans are:

2017
An exhaust

lol 2017 came early.. looks good

It's only because I was browsing eBay to look at options and it was at £30. Cheapest NC backbox new is £280 so I thought a bud of £175 would see me lose out but worth a go. It does mean lowering springs will be delayed unless I manage to sell my Yeti for a good price.

[HorneyMX5]

Induction kit arrived yesterday and -30mm lowering springs arrived today. Mission on tomorrow to get that lot fitted. It's also booked in for a fast road alignment at The Wheel Alignment Centre in Southampton next Saturday.

I've also chosen the wheels it's getting, just need to save up for them now.

[HorneyMX5]

Spent saturday fitting the -30mm Eibach lowering springs and the Induction Kit kindly supplied by @andymk2

Lack of pics (and fitting guide) because time was against me.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Sunday went out to bed the springs in by hacking across the south downs to Goodwood for Breakfast Club.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Dead chuffed with the results. The springs have not only made the car look a lot better but it now handles like a proper MX5. Gone is the twitchyness over small undulations, the ride is slightly stiffer but still very complaint and the body feels much better controlled. Pressing on through a series of switchbacks the car and steering loaded up beautifully and massive grin spread across my face.

The Induction Kit has added some more aural drama and seems to have made the exhaust sound better as well! I need to get it on the Dyno to see what improvements to HP the zorst and Induction kit have made.

Booked in at The Wheel Alignment Centre in Southampton on Saturday to have it properly aligned.

I've done a lot on the two weeks I've owned it but now there's likely to be few changes until the new year. It nopw sounds, goes and handles properly as well as no longer looking like a 4x4. The wheels, tyres, ICE, boot spoiler and light tints can all wait until after Race of Remembrance and Christmas has finished battering my wallet.

[HorneyMX5]

Anyone who knows me knows I love stickers. A pair of nice gold Mazdaspeed ones turned up today.

This one is a nod to the MK1 UK cars that had the Mazda logo on the front passenger side bumper.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

The other I thought would look cool on the dash.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Should probably buy at least one Mazdaspeed part for it to justify the stickers, lol.

[HorneyMX5]

Overdue update time!

New springs have settled a bit and I'm dead happy with the ride height and how it now handles. A fair bit sharper but still totally fine for daily use.

I sold the Yeti a week ago and got more for than I expected so the sensible thing to do was blow the extra cash on some brand new wheels and tyres. I've spent a long time looking at options as the high offset of the MK3 limits what fits without having to start really messing around with arch rolling etc. I settled on something flat faced with lots of spokes and as I have a thing for gold wheel they have to be that kind of colour. In the end I went for Sparco Assetto Gara's in Matt Bronze. They're 17 x 7.5 ET45 and shod in 215 45 R17 Uniroyal Rainsport3s.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Super chuffed with the fitment and how they look on the car. Also added the obligatory Pistonheads Smiley.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Finally in this update I'm up in Sheffield tonight for 2 days of work meetings and a post on the local MX5 Facebook group resulted in an impromptu meet up at Meadowhall for a McDs and a chinwag.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

You gotta love the MX5 scene.

[HorneyMX5]

A nice close up of the new wheels which I am utterly in love of.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Some pics from the West Sussex Breakfast Meet on Sunday.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

New Voodoo knob (2nd hand bargain). Gear change improved as the throw is now shorter and it's better weighted. Happy Horney.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

RenesisEvo said:

HorneyMX5 said:

New Voodoo knob (2nd hand bargain). Gear change improved as the throw is now shorter and it's better weighted. Happy Horney

I've got this too, fitted by the previous owner. Wasn't sure about it but I've really grown to like it.

The obnly down side is it's a bit chilly in the mornings. I've ordered a bobble hat for it. lol.

I meant to say it was good to meet you briefly at the SS the other week. I was originally looking for a silver MK3 as I think that colour works so well with the orange indicators and the general shape of the car. I went to view mine as it was very local and I wanted to compare a few, I'd planned to view a silver one later int he day. Fell in love with the grey/tan on first sight and never even bothered to view any others.

[HorneyMX5]

Update time:

it was running cool on long motorway runs and I thought the heaters were just not as good as the earlier cars. Some googling confirmed by theory, a common problem of the thermostat being stuck open. A new stat was ordered and and fitted. Easy job to swap, ball ache to bleed the bloody coolant. I did how to guide here: http://mighty5s.proboards.com/thread/1301/mk3-nc-t...

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr


I now have to do the same in MrsHorney's MK3 this weekend!

Next up www.fast5.co.uk had a Black Friday sale on. I'd already decided the Carbon Miata TRD spoiler was on my wish list and at half the price from one direct from Carbon Miata it was a no brainer.

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Untitled by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

Stuck on with 3m tape for now while I decided if I liked it or not. I do, Tiger seal ordered and I'll bond it on properly over the weekend.

That's it for now, next up some tint film for the lights and some ICE changes. Also what do we think about a colour for painting the calipers? Red would be too in your face but I'm thinking gold or yellow.

Answers on a postcard.

[HorneyMX5]

Planet Claire said:

Looking good!

I think would go for gold calipers.

With so much of your 2017 wishlist already ticked off what will do next year??!

Buy a MK4 and start again.

[HorneyMX5]

IMG_6770 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

IMG_6771 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

IMG_6774 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

IMG_6772 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

IMG_6773 by Nicholas Horne, on Flickr

[HorneyMX5]

Accelebrate said:

HorneyMX5 said:

Mx5 Parts exhaust won on eBay

How are you getting on with that exhaust? I'm off to collect the same one tonight, reviews on MX5 Parts seem... Mixed!

Yeah I like it. It's quite a low tone and not as raspy as I would like. It's loud enough for the car to sound like a sports car but not too loud to be annoying. I only have the back box though and no other exhaust mods. The guy I bought it off was selling it as he had a manifold already fitted and adding the back box made it too loud for him.

It's fairly common for performance exhausts to make the trim rattle behind the seats on these cars but I've not experienced that at all with this one. My wife has a GoPerform back box and center section with de-cat and her car rattles everywhere plus it's horribly loud. She love it though so I guess that's fine.