86 or MX-5

david_syd_au · Postby **david_syd_au** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:38 am

Red_Bullet wrote:However, the oil filter. So easy to change on the 86, it's at the top of the motor...simple. This alone might sway me and to hell with the lack of performance!

Install an oil filter remote kit.
Not expensive, and it makes changing the oil filter easy.

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:52 am

I had the NB and my wife has an 86. Hers is auto. Personally, the 86 is good but not as enjoyable as the mx5, especially considering the price difference. Pay more for something newer but less fun.. Not for me.

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 3:39 pm

I'm a sucker for a pretty face and I think my NB8B is drop-dead gorgeous while the 86 is "OK".
I love the fact that the MX5 feels like part of me when I'm driving and is totally reassuring when I put it under a bit of pressure through a series of winding corners.

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 3:52 pm

From what you guys have said, the 86 is different to an MX5. I think that's to be accepted and appeals to a slightly different audience.

trader · Postby **trader** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 8:18 pm

Same gearbox though?

Red_Bullet · Postby **Red_Bullet** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:26 pm

The 86 has a drop dead beautiful gearbox. The car is firm and feels completely stuck to the road. But it's kinda slow, it would be faster than Rockies NB. I should know as I have one. The stock NB is slow, the diff has too high a ratio, the 86 diff also suffers from this but less so because it has more power, but alas the diff ratio is wrong, takes too long to run through the gears. The 86 is a very sweet package but needs power at lower RPM, it's flat and boring below 5500 rpm.

Otherwise I'd really have one. I've been rather spoiled by having a supercharged MX-5 and more recently having access to my sons ridiculously quick RS Megane. The 86 is TOO SLOW. TOO SLOW, otherwise a very sweet package indeed.

Red_Bullet · Postby **Red_Bullet** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 10:31 pm

Trackphotos wrote:I had the NB and my wife has an 86. Hers is auto. Personally, the 86 is good but not as enjoyable as the mx5, especially considering the price difference. Pay more for something newer but less fun.. Not for me.

Damn, did you sell your MX-5? Fast driver in a slow car.

Trackphotos · Postby **Trackphotos** » Fri Aug 03, 2018 11:01 pm

Sold it last week. Gonna take the boxster to some sprints here and there, but that'll be about all the track work I do now. Looks like it'll get to QR on the 24th of this month, see how it goes on new sport cup 2 tyres.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

MikeVictor · Postby **MikeVictor** » Mon Aug 06, 2018 1:48 pm

JBT wrote:Get one of these beasts for sub 20K. Two door coupe but with 220+kW and 400Nm. You can spend the money you save fixing it.

Bernie 1.JPG

JT is right, a "new to you" E82 135i is still one of the best two door coupes you can buy for the money and want a fixed-roof car IMO.

Regarding the dip in response for the 86, it's easily tuned out by an ECU flash from the likes of Openflash or similar. That, combined with a header, apparently makes the car come alive a lot more. Not surprising I know, and can be done and still have change from $2k.

NDs are becoming more common now they've been around for 2+ years, have you tried piloting one of those, OP?

yertimer · Postby **yertimer** » Mon Aug 06, 2018 5:44 pm

SKYHI what would you recommend for a track day car between the two - including driving to and from track (1 to 2 hours each way)?

Red_Bullet · Postby **Red_Bullet** » Mon Aug 06, 2018 6:43 pm

MikeVictor wrote:
JBT wrote:Get one of these beasts for sub 20K. Two door coupe but with 220+kW and 400Nm. You can spend the money you save fixing it.

Bernie 1.JPG

JT is right, a "new to you" E82 135i is still one of the best two door coupes you can buy for the money and want a fixed-roof car IMO.

Regarding the dip in response for the 86, it's easily tuned out by an ECU flash from the likes of Openflash or similar. That, combined with a header, apparently makes the car come alive a lot more. Not surprising I know, and can be done and still have change from $2k.

NDs are becoming more common now they've been around for 2+ years, have you tried piloting one of those, OP?

No I haven't dríven an ND. Won't really fit a set of track tyres in it. The E82 135i does sound interesting though.

rascal · Postby **rascal** » Mon Aug 06, 2018 6:52 pm

Red_Bullet wrote:No I haven't dríven an ND. Won't really fit a set of track tyres in it. The E82 135i does sound interesting though.

A 135i won’t fit a set of tyres in it either....

Dan · Postby **Dan** » Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:11 pm

rascal wrote:
Red_Bullet wrote:No I haven't dríven an ND. Won't really fit a set of track tyres in it. The E82 135i does sound interesting though.

A 135i won’t fit a set of tyres in it either....

Yes it does, fits them easy unless you want to transport more than 2 people.

135i is a very fast track car. Only significant downsides is weight (~1,400kg), lack of a factory LSD in the non-M cars and much more expensive consumables/maintenance.

JBT · Postby **JBT** » Mon Aug 06, 2018 7:35 pm

...and with the 135i, it's worth thinking about aftermarket suspension as the OEM is set up for autobahns, has a serious understeer tendency and is probably stuffed anyway by Australian roads. I just fitted MCA Street Essentials to mine and the improvement is astonishing.

MikeVictor · Postby **MikeVictor** » Mon Aug 06, 2018 10:07 pm

JBT wrote:...and with the 135i, it's worth thinking about aftermarket suspension as the OEM is set up for autobahns, has a serious understeer tendency and is probably stuffed anyway by Australian roads. I just fitted MCA Street Essentials to mine and the improvement is astonishing.

Nice one! I'd love to see how that feels, I still have fond memories of my E82 and I've become a big fan of MCA since fitting their coilovers to my ND.

On second thoughts maybe I shouldn't... :lol:

I'd like to keep the ND a while longer and need to resist the temptation of a new project!