New Ride (Miata is the Answer?)

[CSM]

Decided to pick this up this week. 2021 ND2 miata, club spec with BBS+Recaro package. Tasteful mods (coilovers, catback, short shift kit) and a really good price. Excited! I got a little tired of waiting on my GR86 to come in (oh and the current crop of RTV + engine detonation issues worried me). Decided to go after the ND2 after autocrossing a few in recent weeks. Just fell in love with the car.

Plan for this is to convert to C-Street use in autocross for 2023 season and sell the FRS once it is repaired (someone hit me 3 weeks ago in that car!)

Fiesta isn't going anywhere

 

[rhennin]

Very nice Chip! What’s the going price range for a SSC frs these days?

 

[WutApex]

Great choice!

 

[dhminer]

Beautiful. Congrats

 

[CSM]

Very nice Chip! What’s the going price range for a SSC frs these days?

Really depends on the year and mileage. 2016 models under 50k miles are fetching $20-23k. My 2013 has 112k miles but has been well kept. I'll be looking for $15k most likely

 

[Zormecteon]

Miata is always the answer. ......

I sold mine to get a new C8 and I still miss it, and am looking to acquire another..... (NC2-PRHT)

The FiST ..
gets better fuel economy
corners just as well (on the street)
is quicker
hold more .. people and cargo

But the top doesn't go down.

 

[TDavis]

Miata's aren't bad, I've driven them. The typical open top, low, and light car is really nice. Just the no power thing drives me insane

 

[dhminer]

Miata is always the answer. ......

I sold mine to get a new C8 and I still miss it, and am looking to acquire another..... (NC2-PRHT)

The FiST ..
gets better fuel economy
corners just as well (on the street)
is quicker
hold more .. people and cargo

But the top doesn't go down.

And FWD which is a big difference for some. I’ll never buy another FWD car.

 

[Dpro]

And FWD which is a big difference for some. I’ll never buy another FWD car.

This, I am not buying another FWD sports car. Love my FiST but ya RWD. No plans to get rid of it, just need RWD!

 

[dhminer]

This, I am not buying another FWD sports car. Love my FiST but ya RWD. No plans to get rid of it, just need RWD!

Amen sir!

 

[rhennin]

Any more pics for us to ooggle at? How are the seats?

 

[Zormecteon]

About Front Wheel Drive...

World Champion Erik Carlsson used a technique wherein he used left foot braking WHILE using the right foot on the gas in corners. There's some sort of gyroscopic action (every rolled a bicycle wheel along and rubbed one side with a stick?) that changes the dynamic such that the rear end of the car moves out to allow FOUR WHEEL DRIFTING! Since I learned about this years ago I've used it to great effect.....

Normally a front wheel drive car tends to understeer--- plow that is--- and giving it throttle, exacerbates that understeer, unlike a rear wheel drive car where adding power helps to tuck the front end..... By adding just a touch of braking to the front wheels, THEY tuck in and the effect is of having the rear step out... With very light application of left foot braking you can actually adjust the angle of the car in the corner... a little more brake tightens the line, a little less lets it open up. ...
I used this at Octane Academy during the "final" around the figure 8 part to tighten the line and was able to come in third in my class.

There's a ton of info about this on the web.. I've been doing it for 40 years... The FiST is so neutral not much is needed, but it is still a technique worth exploring.

(As a side note, I mentioned this a Corvette Driving School, and was verbally ridiculed for even bringing it up. I was careful to mention it only applied to FWD but they were having none of it. The judicious thing to do was to let them live in their ignorance and prejudice.)

 

[unclefester]

This is one the few cars around today that you genuinely sit IN rather than ON. I find the seating position (and the stock seats) just about the most comfortable thing out there. It is a completely natural driving position.

I had an S2000 before the Fiesta and that was similar to the Mazda, it was a car that you wear rather than just drive. The thing that S2000 had/has that the Mazda didn't was power / revs but the new shape ones are not that far down on power and they are a nicer thing to be in.

If (when) i go back to owning a ragtop, it will be one of these - for the price they are an absolute bargain. I think once you've had an open topped car, nothing else (except a motorbike) gives the same feeling. Although for me it'd be the RF not the ragtop, i like the security of a folding metal lid ( other car is a Del Sol) and the fact that it feels like two cars in one.

 

[TDavis]

I will say the FiST doesn't understeer as much as one would think. I remember before I got my sticky summer tires on and had all seasons I could easily lift off oversteer the thing.

 

[tri-pedaler]

About Front Wheel Drive...

World Champion Erik Carlsson used a technique wherein he used left foot braking WHILE using the right foot on the gas in corners. There's some sort of gyroscopic action (every rolled a bicycle wheel along and rubbed one side with a stick?) that changes the dynamic such that the rear end of the car moves out to allow FOUR WHEEL DRIFTING! Since I learned about this years ago I've used it to great effect.....

Normally a front wheel drive car tends to understeer--- plow that is--- and giving it throttle, exacerbates that understeer, unlike a rear wheel drive car where adding power helps to tuck the front end..... By adding just a touch of braking to the front wheels, THEY tuck in and the effect is of having the rear step out... With very light application of left foot braking you can actually adjust the angle of the car in the corner... a little more brake tightens the line, a little less lets it open up. ...
I used this at Octane Academy during the "final" around the figure 8 part to tighten the line and was able to come in third in my class.

There's a ton of info about this on the web.. I've been doing it for 40 years... The FiST is so neutral not much is needed, but it is still a technique worth exploring.

(As a side note, I mentioned this a Corvette Driving School, and was verbally ridiculed for even bringing it up. I was careful to mention it only applied to FWD but they were having none of it. The judicious thing to do was to let them live in their ignorance and prejudice.)

interesting. I find left foot handy for trail braking, but this sounds different. Any videos out there in this focused on fwd?

 

[Dpro]

About Front Wheel Drive...

World Champion Erik Carlsson used a technique wherein he used left foot braking WHILE using the right foot on the gas in corners. There's some sort of gyroscopic action (every rolled a bicycle wheel along and rubbed one side with a stick?) that changes the dynamic such that the rear end of the car moves out to allow FOUR WHEEL DRIFTING! Since I learned about this years ago I've used it to great effect.....

Normally a front wheel drive car tends to understeer--- plow that is--- and giving it throttle, exacerbates that understeer, unlike a rear wheel drive car where adding power helps to tuck the front end..... By adding just a touch of braking to the front wheels, THEY tuck in and the effect is of having the rear step out... With very light application of left foot braking you can actually adjust the angle of the car in the corner... a little more brake tightens the line, a little less lets it open up. ...
I used this at Octane Academy during the "final" around the figure 8 part to tighten the line and was able to come in third in my class.

There's a ton of info about this on the web.. I've been doing it for 40 years... The FiST is so neutral not much is needed, but it is still a technique worth exploring.

(As a side note, I mentioned this a Corvette Driving School, and was verbally ridiculed for even bringing it up. I was careful to mention it only applied to FWD but they were having none of it. The judicious thing to do was to let them live in their ignorance and prejudice.)

very true and applicable but there is something about power driven oversteer on a rwd car that’s just a blast as well.
Like I said earlier love my FiST no plans to get rid of it just no need to buy another FWD . I have one I love already but another RWD why yes. One can only own a collectors item rare lightweight M3 for so long before the desire to have RWD car to drive whenever they want takes over.

 

[CSM]

Any more pics for us to ooggle at? How are the seats?

I'll try to get some later this week after the bad weather clears and I've had a chance to clean it up. The seats are amazing. They are in a different league than the Recaros in the Fiesta. You can tell the leather/cover material is more premium.

 

[CSM]

About Front Wheel Drive...

World Champion Erik Carlsson used a technique wherein he used left foot braking WHILE using the right foot on the gas in corners. There's some sort of gyroscopic action (every rolled a bicycle wheel along and rubbed one side with a stick?) that changes the dynamic such that the rear end of the car moves out to allow FOUR WHEEL DRIFTING! Since I learned about this years ago I've used it to great effect.....

Normally a front wheel drive car tends to understeer--- plow that is--- and giving it throttle, exacerbates that understeer, unlike a rear wheel drive car where adding power helps to tuck the front end..... By adding just a touch of braking to the front wheels, THEY tuck in and the effect is of having the rear step out... With very light application of left foot braking you can actually adjust the angle of the car in the corner... a little more brake tightens the line, a little less lets it open up. ...
I used this at Octane Academy during the "final" around the figure 8 part to tighten the line and was able to come in third in my class.

There's a ton of info about this on the web.. I've been doing it for 40 years... The FiST is so neutral not much is needed, but it is still a technique worth exploring.

(As a side note, I mentioned this a Corvette Driving School, and was verbally ridiculed for even bringing it up. I was careful to mention it only applied to FWD but they were having none of it. The judicious thing to do was to let them live in their ignorance and prejudice.)

Good post. What you are talking about is using the brake pedal to shift the cars weight forward, and then using that to rotate/plant the front end. This is an advanced technique that I've noticed sets a lot of the top autocrossers from the rest.

Case in point - Solo Spec Coupe (SSC), which I've done ~75 events in since last season.

What sets the top SSC people apart from the rest is usually 1) how early you are on throttle and 2) whether or not you are using light brake to set the car. I regularly co-drive with the current SCCA Solo Spec Coupe national champ, and we always compare data. I'm usually faster than him in the high speed "hold on to your butts" sections, but he DESTROYS me in the tighter turns because he uses a very light brake pedal to get the car to rotate and "set" the front end of the car. You can literally see in the data where it settles the car faster than me, and it gives him a lot of "free grip" that he uses to get through the element quicker.

 

[CSM]

Thought I'd update this thread. Since I have another autocross car (SSC Scion FRS), I decided to do an STR "lite" build on my Miata.

Setup is 1WNR MCS with revised Karcept spec valving, 650/300 springs, front and rear karcept sway (.250 bar up front). Offset bushings and 17x9 wheels with 245-40-17 RE71RS

Initial driving impressions are very good. It rides SOO well on the street. I can see why people love the MCS. They are very pricey but worth it.

It's sitting a little low as is (about 12.5" all around), so it isn't ready for events quite yet. Rubbing fender liners pretty bad near full lock.

In a couple of weeks we are going to raise ride height (targeting 12.7" front 13.0" rear), corner weight the car and tweak the alignment (-4.0 up front, -2.5 rear, 0 toe front, 1/16" toe in rear). Then should be good to go

 

[oldedub]

Man that thing must have heroic levels of grip with those tires.