More Information on the Mazdaspeed MX5

[Kestrel]

Well, I didn't see an area specifically for just plain old "Car Talk", so I'll post this here. Moderators / God, if you have a better place, feel free to move this :) .

Here is another link to a lengthy review of the Mazdaspeed MX5 (we gotta stop calling it a Miata... it isn't badged as a Miata). Although it's not written by real sports car enthusiasts, I think it's worth reading what "normal" people think about the car .

[altiain]

Sounds like a winner. Still, I can't help wondering if it would have been even more fun with a set of 15"x8" or 16"x8" wheels and commensurate tires instead of those riceboy rims.

[Miatamaniac92]

Do they make good commuter tires for a 16*8 or 15*8 that Mazda could've put on there?

Chris

[altiain]

A 225/45/16 size would work very nicely, being about half an inch bigger in overall diameter. Plus, there is a good tire selection in this size - Potenza S-03s, ES100s, Michelin Pilot Sports, Toyo T1-s, etc. Even better, although the overall diameter of this size is within half an inch of the OEM 205/40/17 size, the sidewall height of the 225/45/16 combo is almost 7/10ths of an inch greater, which would greatly increase ride quality.

Or equip it with 15"x8" wheels, and use 225/50/15 tires. Potenza S-03s, BFG G-Force T/A KDs, Dunlop SP9000s, Pirelli P-Zeros, Yokohama A022As, and ES100s are all available in this size, and it's even closer to the OEM overall diameter (within 4/10s of an inch). Better yet, this size increases sidewall height by 1/2 inches, and would lend itself to a much more comfortable ride.

Both of these sizes would provide almost an inch wider contact patch at each corner, as well as benefits in ride quality, decreased unsprung weight, and better gearing (since it appears that the Mazdaspeed MX-5 is going to be somewhat ridiculously short-geared).

Personally I'd prefer a 16"x8" wheel, but mostly because it would offer racers the ability to mount a huge choice of 245/45/16 competition rubber, which only increases the gearing approximately 5% (over the stock 205/40/17s) while offering a 20% increase in contact patch width. But I guess they wouldn't offer the "bling factor" of 17" boat anchors.

[Miatamaniac92]

So since it comes with 17s, you have to stick with 17 inches to keep it in the stock class? I thought you could use the same sizes offered on base miatas?

Hmm. 17 inch tires are pretty expensive too.

Chris

[Kestrel]

So since it comes with 17s, you have to stick with 17 inches to keep it in the stock class?

Yep, you'd have to stick with those bling-blings to remain in Stock. But I'd be tempted to change the wheel/tire combo out to one of those that altiain suggests anyway... and maybe keep the big monsters for AX. That's very counter-intuitive, but...

[altiain]

So since it comes with 17s, you have to stick with 17 inches to keep it in the stock class? I thought you could use the same sizes offered on base miatas?

Only if you've got a base Miata.

Cars must be run in Stock class with wheels (and suspension, and brakes, and engine, etc.) that match what came with that particular option package. So, in the case of a Miata, if your car came with 14" wheels, you gotta run 14" wheels. If your car came with 15" wheels, you gotta run 15" wheels. If your car came with 17" boat anchors... well, you get the picture.

You can run wheels from an alternate package only by converting your car to meet the specifications of that package. For example, you could run 15" wheels on your '99 Base by converting it to a '99 Sport... but you'd also have to add all the other things the Sport came with - different springs, rear bar, shock tower brace, front airdam, rear spoiler, Torsen diff, etc. There are comfort and convenience allowances to theoretically allow you to add/keep non-performance options that your car didn't come with (for example, I've added power windows to my Sport under that allowance), but you can't mix and match any performance related parts between models or option packages.

Clear as mud?

[Kestrel]

And there is always the alternative... screw SCCA and ER, and just run at S2000, BMW, and Porsche events. There it's pretty much "anything goes".

[Miatamaniac92]

I like that idea better.

Chris

And there is always the alternative... screw SCCA and ER, and just run at S2000, BMW, and Porsche events. There it's pretty much "anything goes".

[joe.MIATA]

I like that idea better.

Chris

And there is always the alternative... screw SCCA and ER, and just run at S2000, BMW, and Porsche events. There it's pretty much "anything goes".

That's where I'm headed....

[Flyin96M]

And there is always the alternative... screw SCCA and ER, and just run at S2000, BMW, and Porsche events. There it's pretty much "anything goes".

I don't care what they say about you Kestrel you're ok

[Kestrel]

I don't care what they say about you Kestrel you're ok

Thanks Flyin. See that POS?

[altiain]

And there is always the alternative... screw SCCA and ER, and just run at S2000, BMW, and Porsche events. There it's pretty much "anything goes".

I don't care what they say about you Kestrel you're ok

You've obviously never seen the famous "suntan dance"...

[POS Racing]

I don't care what they say about you Kestrel you're ok

Thanks Flyin. See that POS?

Flyin, I take it the check must of cleared!

[Flyin96M]

Yep I accept all forms of currency Place your orders now and I will guarentee a polite response in 5-7 working days.