MazdaSpeed3???

[dark shadow]

I love mine so far other then being wrong wheel drive and got is brand new 2009 sport for 21.5k. i like new cars for the fact i want to know whos been beating on it and how hard and if the maintance has been done. i have seen some messed up stuff from people not taking care of cars properly.

[smartmx5]

Did not see that as an option.

I have not looked at the details. When we bought our CX-7, it came with a 'technology package'. I should not have assumed.... Get a red or white one with black wheels and polished lip and then I can buy it from you later...

[2K Miata]

Picked up a Black '07 Mazdaspeed 3 GT last week. Fun little car, well not so little but it is a lot of fun to have some power on the street again.

On Saturday I took it down to MSR for a session on the 1.7. The car really did well considering the ambient temperature and running stock tires. I haven't driven a FWR drive car that hard since my '84 GTI. I'm figuring the FWR drive will be murder on the front right tire. But with a rear sway bar and playing around with tire pressures it should help the car rotate better and lessen the understeer (which wasn't as bad as I expected).

I also picked up some 18x8 Rx-8 wheels from craigslist for a real steal and was wondering what tires would be good match for doing occasional sessions at MSR. I'm keeping my '00 Miata for a dedicated track car, but the MS3 might be good for when I'm chasing my brother in his STi on the 3.1.

I've always had good luck with Azenis but the Nitto NT-01 looks like it could be a good tire also. So does anybody have any thoughts or heard anything about the NT-01 as a track day tire. I don't want to go to the expense and hassle of R compounds (RA-1s, etc.). I do like the idea of having a non-directional tire because I can see me rotating tires between sessions at the track to keep the front right from being destroyed.

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Mike

[Miatamaniac92]

Looks good Mike.
What kinda times was it running? Just curious how quick a stock MS3 is.

As for tires, I really like the new Kumho EcstaXS for Street and Track use and they aren't directional.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Sizes....model=Ecsta+XS
It looks like they have some pretty wide sizes for 18's (too bad only one size in 15). How wide can you go on an 8 inch wheel, 265?

I don't know how these would compare to the NT-01 though.

Any big power plans for the Miata now? Gonna gut it or cage it up?

Chris

[altiain]

Mike,

The NT-01 is an R compound. Similar to the Toyo R888 or RA-1.

[altiain]

How wide can you go on an 8 inch wheel, 265?

A 245 is probably ideal on an 8" wide wheel, but I have no idea if that will fit under an MS3's fenders.

[goofygrin]

the issue with a 245 on a 8" wheel is that the sidewall will bulge (especially with the current crop of cheater width tires), so you won't get as much lateral support.

245 star specs on my 8.5" stock wheels was a little bulgy. The NT-05's which run more "true" are "just right" looking.

[altiain]

the issue with a 245 on a 8" wheel is that the sidewall will bulge (especially with the current crop of cheater width tires), so you won't get as much lateral support.

245 star specs on my 8.5" stock wheels was a little bulgy. The NT-05's which run more "true" are "just right" looking.

I guess it depnds on the tire. I've got 245/40-18 HTRZ-IIIs on my OEM 8" wheels, and if I'm not careful when I set them down the wheel rim will still hit the ground before the tire.

[goofygrin]

Talking to Fair this weekend the AD08's are even wider than the star specs in the same size (and the star spec is wider than most). *cough* cheater tire *cough*

[2K Miata]

Thanks for the tire information guys. I wasn't sure if the NT-01 was an r-compound or not. But its priced more like a street tire in the sizes I need. So I'm looking at this tire seriously. I'll be switching out tires if I take the Speed 3 to the track, so these tires might be the answer for me. The MS3 is not going to the track that often but when I do I hate to kill my street tires.

So any report on how the NT-01 holds up doing track events?. I'm thinking of going with 235-40-18 on the 18X8 RX-8 wheels. It shouldn't rub at stock height but if you drop the car and inch or so there might be some rubbing at the rear - but I can't find a definite answer from the forums yet.

Chris, no big power plans for the Miata. Door bars and some race seats and mild gutting of the interior, but some creature comforts are staying.

I personally feel that adding horsepower is great for drivers who can't figure out how to go fast with stock power.

I look at this way - the lap record for a spec Miata is 1:24:XX or somewhere around there on the MSR 1.7. When I get down to those lap times then maybe I'll consider going forced induction. But I've got a long way to go to get even close to those times. To me its more fun driving the snot out out a naturally aspirated car than to be always messing around and worrying about a boosted car on the track. I've been there and done that in the past when I had a SC Miata with 210 RWHP. I have a lot more fun with 116 RWHP and I learn more about how to make up time on the track than just pressing on the right peddle to make up time on the straights. You don't learn anything doing that.

But hey I'm a so what do I know.

[Miatamaniac92]

A 245 is probably ideal on an 8" wide wheel, but I have no idea if that will fit under an MS3's fenders.

Emilio, on 949 racing, says that 225 rs2's run faster times on 9 inches than on 8 inches. 225's looked a bit stretched on 8's and 9's IMHO, but lap times don't lie.

Chris

[dark shadow]

my plan was to go 235-40-18 on 18x8 later on

[2K Miata]

my plan was to go 235-40-18 on 18x8 later on

Are you staying at stock ride height for this tire/wheel combo. I'd like to know for sure that they fit under the car without rolling the fenders. And I was wondering if you do lower the car will they still work. Can't seem to find a definitive answer for this combo (235-40-18 on 18x.

Thanks for any information you can provide.

[dark shadow]

i really dont know yet for now i probably will but its going to be awhile and got more research to do.

[altiain]

Are you staying at stock ride height for this tire/wheel combo. I'd like to know for sure that they fit under the car without rolling the fenders. And I was wondering if you do lower the car will they still work. Can't seem to find a definitive answer for this combo (235-40-18 on 18x.

Thanks for any information you can provide.

Grassroots Motorsports had a blurb about their MS3 in this month's issue. Seems they added 235/40-18 Yoko AD08s on 18"x8" OZ wheels (no mention of offset) and lowered the car ~1". They said they had to roll the rear fenders, and even then they still get some rub in the back with 4 people or a full load of stuff in the back of the car.

[2K Miata]

Thanks for the information altiain. Thats the kind of solid information I was looking for. I really don't want to be rolling fenders if I can help it.

I'll have to get the latest issue of Grassroot Motorsport.

[miataspeedracer]

Thanks for the information altiain. Thats the kind of solid information I was looking for. I really don't want to be rolling fenders if I can help it.

I'll have to get the latest issue of Grassroot Motorsport.

Remind me, and I can bring our issue to MSR on Saturday. It's only a little blurb about the MS3. I think the next issue will have an in-depth report on the suspension mods they made...

[smartmx5]

Ken-o, oh Ken-o!! Have you decided on the MS3 yet? Again, I suggest a red or white GT and then get the larger intercooler, air intake and exhaust. Perform these upgrades as soon as you get the car. I will buy the car from you a month or two after you complete these upgrades....

[ken o]

Nah. Lucky I was over it before I bought it. I have decided that FWD is just a freak of nature and we should chase all FWD cars down with torches and pitch forks.

Ken-o, oh Ken-o!! Have you decided on the MS3 yet? Again, I suggest a red or white GT and then get the larger intercooler, air intake and exhaust. Perform these upgrades as soon as you get the car. I will buy the car from you a month or two after you complete these upgrades....

[altiain]

Yet out of all the cars you've bought in the last couple of years, the only one that has lasted longer than a month is FWD...