ND experiences please
Discussion
I would say that the ND is a fabulous car for the money.
Yes the steering is a little light but not really a problem at sane speeds.
Ditto the suspension is a little rolly ... but great in the wet loading it up ... add the eibach dampers and springs if you wish but really, it is a road car.
The 2.0 engine ... I would definitely try for the new version ... a much better engine as confirmed by BBR ... adds another 1000 rpm to the top-end to which it revs smoothly and it is amazingly economical ... 45mpg at around 78mph on the motorway.
I bought one of the 30th Anniversary cars and sold my early 2.0 Sport ... I wouldn't go back at any price.
Yes the steering is a little light but not really a problem at sane speeds.
Ditto the suspension is a little rolly ... but great in the wet loading it up ... add the eibach dampers and springs if you wish but really, it is a road car.
The 2.0 engine ... I would definitely try for the new version ... a much better engine as confirmed by BBR ... adds another 1000 rpm to the top-end to which it revs smoothly and it is amazingly economical ... 45mpg at around 78mph on the motorway.
I bought one of the 30th Anniversary cars and sold my early 2.0 Sport ... I wouldn't go back at any price.
roddo said:
Nuisance said:
^^^ Increase caster as far as possible (7 to 8), up to the point of it being detrimental to camber - assuming you're going full "fast road" type alignment
NOOOOO that will make it far too pointy, to the point it will feel horrendous.
Only guessing but I have run my 944 race car like that, not a million miles different and I found it worked really well.
Guys it would be silly of me to give all my secrets away as I race mk4's very succesfully.....
I did however help a fellow competitor out recently after I drove his car and now he will tell you it's miles better...........
Most of you know how to contact me should you want further help.
Paul
Ps mods this is not a sales post
I did however help a fellow competitor out recently after I drove his car and now he will tell you it's miles better...........
Most of you know how to contact me should you want further help.
Paul
Ps mods this is not a sales post
I have just done 2000 miles in my new 2.0 litre ND. To be honest I am a bit disappointed with it. I love the style and the hood is a work of genious but some of the tech- lane control etc who needs a computer to tell you to take a break after an hours driving and as for heated seats with three different settings- why its supposed to be a sportscar. I would love to drive a BBR modified car as comparism. The ND is a good car but its not just special enough. At the age of 64 I fancy a Caterham. Your granny could drive an MX5, and that's what wrong with it, why cannot Mazda make their own hardcore version
I came to my ND 2 litre from a 220 bhp Seven and any comparison is pointless , really . One is hardcore , visceral , great at what it's good at and awful at what it' s not. It took me a long time to 'get' the MX5 - I do now , because I regard it as an open sports tourer - and it excels in that role. It is not a hard core sports car .
I fitted Michelin PS4s-much better - then the Mazda lowered springs , which was transformative - harder ride but all the daft roly poly feel on brisk direction changes is gone . And I 've just had suspension set up and remap by Roddison motorsport in Sheffield - excellent upgrade and I now have the car it should be - revvy , pretty quick and it even sounds the part with new exhaust manifold.
Stick with it - I was so so about mine but like it a helluva lot now . It's no Seven - but what is ? And I like heated seats -and turn off the silly lane change thingy .
I fitted Michelin PS4s-much better - then the Mazda lowered springs , which was transformative - harder ride but all the daft roly poly feel on brisk direction changes is gone . And I 've just had suspension set up and remap by Roddison motorsport in Sheffield - excellent upgrade and I now have the car it should be - revvy , pretty quick and it even sounds the part with new exhaust manifold.
Stick with it - I was so so about mine but like it a helluva lot now . It's no Seven - but what is ? And I like heated seats -and turn off the silly lane change thingy .
these cars respond brilliantly to well judged mods. there's plenty of expertise and parts available too, as this car rarely remains standard. "jinba ittai" is quite roly-poly, but seriously, you can get these very Caterham-esque. BBR is not the only drive-in drive-out company, but when you consider the result with £10k of mods it's outstanding. i wouldn't blink at spending that (again!).
coppice said:
You don't need to spend 10k , but you can if you want. Mine is a different car with less than 3k worth of upgrade ...
for sure. my point is that if you did spend the full amount on you'd have a car that could be compared to much more expensive machinery and still be light. that would one hell of a keeper.i did spend a fortune on my NA to change power, chassis, suspension and brakes. dynamically it was superb. telepathic. A Porsche really was lardy by comparison. Went Lotus & GT86 afterwards.
coppice said:
I fitted Michelin PS4s-much better - then the Mazda lowered springs , which was transformative - harder ride but all the daft roly poly feel on brisk direction changes is gone . And I 've just had suspension set up and remap by Roddison motorsport in Sheffield - excellent upgrade and I now have the car it should be - revvy , pretty quick and it even sounds the part with new exhaust manifold.
Good info, thanks. That sounds exactly like what our car needs. Need to check out Roddison Motorsport by the sounds of it. You're not the first person that's suggested them.
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