in his dreams... hahah.



me driving Hong's car in group 4.



T11 hairpin.



under hard braking @ T7.


[Modified by GhettoRacer, 1:24 AM 10/28/2002]

 

How's the Spyder on track? I've autocrossed Mom's before, and it's pretty freaking good.

 

it's one of the most fun car i've driven on track in the handling department. the brakes are outstanding. better than any honda, including nsx on big brakes. as a matter of fact, it's the best braking in my recent memory! stock braking it is already right up there with 996 TT (something like 60-0 in 109 ft.). this car just has decent pads, not even race pads. and still on street tires.

more fun than miata's.... if that can be true. 10 years from now spec spyders would be sick.

 

What's the suspension setup? Wheels and tires?

 

How heavy are they? If my memory is serving me correctly, they weigh in around 2000lbs...

 

I too was highly impressed with the brakes. Mom's car is, as you'd imagine, bone stock. Haven't even aligned it, and it's brilliant. A local autocrosser tells me they can be made even better with a LOT of front swaybar (less wheelspin apparently). Those cars just do exactly what you tell them to, oversteering all the way. GREAT fun. I want one.

I've heard Toyota is pulling the plug in 2004. Apparently the Miata is killing it in sales. A pity really - sports car enthusiasts ask for this kind of car all the time. When someone finally steps up and makes it, they go and buy Miatas because they need trunk space.

 

pulling the plug in 04? shoot I'm gonna have to get one soon then!

 

stock spyder around 2150. this one is about 100 lbs lighter. Tein coilvers, SSR compe's. stock front tire, Azenis rear.

the problem with spyder is they're too expensive. around 25k MSRP. plus the 1st year dealer were marking it up a lot and people were stupid enough to pay for it.
if it was 20k to start with i'm sure it would do a lot better.

 

you guys are selling me on the spyder, despite its low hp numbers. i just dont like how all the cheap rwd sports cars are roadsters (miata, s2000, boxster). i want a cheap rwd coupe dammit. and no i dont want to hear about hardtop accessories, i mean a REAL coupe.

 

Z3 coupe? although it has the unfavorable rear suspension....could possibly find an inexpensive 2.3 Z3 coupe.....but I don't know if i'd want to drive a 'bread-box' on wheels! too bad the 350Z is soo expensive and big.....hopefully dodge will build the Razor, and it will have the supposed sub $20000 price tag....should be a screamer!!

 

Go drive one. Seriously. The steering is lightning fast, the brakes are great, and it's just a perfect driver's car. The cloth seats are outstanding, as is the steering wheel. Pedals placed perfectly. The tub is pretty solid (esp. by convertible standards). Not a lot of storage space but you won't care.

Don't be deceived by the lowish HP numbers. It makes slightly less power than a Miata but is lighter. Plus, there's something about the way a mid-engined car handles that can't be reproduced any other way.

I'll buy one someday. Used ones haven't gotten much cheaper than new ones unfortunately though.

 

boxter and s2000 = cheap for you? if your budget is 50k, then M Coupe is a very capable car. what is wrong with hardtop? karl is right, sypder is pretty stiff. no noticable crowl shake at all. s2000 also super stiff. and the new 350z has the stiffest "stock" chassis i've ever driven. you want a fun open track car or race car?? heck 50k just about buy you a z06. can't beat that.




[Modified by GhettoRacer, 6:58 PM 10/28/2002]

 

no really, you guys are already selling me on the mr2. didnt mean to emphasis too much on the power, just kinda bugs me when i know they could have put the GTS engine in as well. but i hear from celica owners that the MR2 engine is better to make more power from since the GTS is already pretty maxed out with high compression. the looks of the headligh tand tailights bugged me at first, but they are growing on me, the tailights at least, something has to be done to those ugly headlights. i just dont like the looks of a convertible in general, even with the hardtop. i dont care for roadsters. im sure they are a hoot to drive, i just like hatchbacks. and i have seen the Miata Coupe concept Mazda actually built when it first came out, man what a friggin awesome looking car. i dont know why they didnt produce that. looked like a little RX7 or a 240z reincarnated.

well, boxster obviously isnt cheap, but its generally the trend that there are no inexpensive sportscars that are RWD. i like the old mr2 actually a lot. hard to find a turbo in good shape tho. the 240zx engine sucks, and i dont care about doing a sr20det swap although the S13 body is cool.

speaking of 350z, yeah, thats pretty much the only car i would buy new on the market now. awesome body, i dont know what the (few) critics are smoking.

somebody mention american sportscars? oh god...

 

Spec Spyder? I wouldn't count on it, sales numbers haven't been big enough.

 

I remember a rumour of a gt-s engined mr-s a while back. I doubt there was any creedance to it .
The miata coupe looks promising (simply for the fact that it might be a little roomier inside).


[Modified by joseph h, 1:14 AM 10/29/2002]

 

amazing what a little search can find.


http://www.miata.net/news/editions.html

 

>$25K..

Its the cheapest mid-engine rear drive you'll find in the US market. Too expensive? One can always look into sporty fwd cars in the same price bracket.

 

i drove rob's s14 pretty hard. it has stock KA24 still, but with good suspension (GC's, 550/350, whiteline swaybar, custom valved koni's). it feels like a slightly bigger miata. lots of grip, turns in well. it was a VERY fun car. and the KA24 with intake/exhaust was plenty peppy. Bob Stretch's well developed 240sx is probably the fastest ITA car in the country, period. did you guys see his crazy *** winning streaks? trunk motor or not 240sx's can be made fun and fast pretty cheaply.

 

How's the steering feel in the s14? I've kinda been considering one, but it seems like the more cars I drive, the more I like my non power steering. I have a feeling the 240's steering is overboosted. Am I wrong?

 

it feels fine. steering wheel feeling are over rated IMO. use your butt to feel what the car is doing. no power steering = a good work out. my friend Gary's S14 powered by RB25DET is was a fun work out.

 

now that is a car I'd like to drive! yeah, not having power steering sucks! my nationals ride was a 84 RX-7 EP road race car that the owner autoX/road races...no pwer steering.....after the south course I was outta breath from sawing at the wheel! shoulders were sore for a couple days too

 

Bah. Try autoxing a car with 285s up front, a tiny steering wheel, and super-fast rack... THAT is a workout.

 

steering isn't bad, but could be a bit heavier.......i have one so i can speak for it

it's not old school BMW heavy, but it's not exactly geo metro light either. as far as the engine goes, it sucks compared to the rest of the car, which is a damn shame. fact of the matter is, i still get rolled by miata's at the track. the car likes to hang its tail out around long sweepers, so it's still fun (no i'm not a mAd PhAt DrIfTa Yo, people at the track just tell me the car looks all kinds of sideways goin through turn 5 at blackhawk farms). well.........i'm sure you guys are sick of hearin about Nissan's..........if it makes you feel better, i'm lookin at trading in my 98 S14 for a CW ITR. for engines

 

well, i know of about a dozen of s13 complete clips (front end, including full front body, and rear suspension) that'll be here by jan. so if ya ready for sr20det power, step on up. heheh.

 

i'd love an SR but.......
1) i'm broke
2) the bank still owns half the car
3) i'm in college still, so i won't be making any money until i graduate in may

hey.....if you wanna work out a sponsorhip deal, i'm always open to that