"daender" (daender)
12/23/2014 at 17:06 • Filed to: miata, help, choices
1
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"daender" (daender)
12/23/2014 at 17:06 • Filed to: miata, help, choices | 1
| 19 |
Here's the rundown. I'm saving up funds for the Miata and there are only two major long-term items left on my list: getting the paint corrected once and for all or getting a more enthusiast-oriented suspension under it. I'll list the reasons why I need each upgrade and the opposing sides of them.
Paint:
The Miata hasn't been perfect in terms of paint since its purchase nearly 2 years ago. There's scuffing on the rear bumper from previous owners. The front bumper has a noticeably scar from the front license plate mount cutting into it along with numerous rock chips. The driver's side door has a ding and poorly touched-up paint (thanks, dad) along the edge of the door. The trunk has a ding right along the ducktail-tip and scratches on it from a cat. There's one more ding on the passenger side door. The hood also has two scars covered with touch-up paint. The '99 Emerald Green Mica hardtop is showing its age finally as the clear is slowly starting to go on the top along with small chips along the edges from debris and the PO badly-handling it.
Upsides: I get a clean-looking Miata with either a matching silver hardtop or a deeper metallic green hardtop. Increases the value of the car, this is the third (OEM hardtop and boot-cover being the first two) time I'd be able to improve it with an upgrade rather than decrease it.
Downside: It's still gonna sit outside my apartment while I'm in college for another year, potentially exposed to cats again and idiot students door-dinging it. Also planning on going on a long-distance road trip over the summer to a potential internship so it'll likely see more rock-chipping abuse and whatnot. Price is potentially under 900$ since it's more of correction than a full-body spray.
Suspension:
Let's be honest, while the Miata's suspension is good at a stock point-of-view, it's not great. A major complaint among autocrossers, trackdayers, and mountain enthusiasts is that the factory suspension is just too soft and nonadjustable. As you can tell by the picture, the whole car just leans like a ship under hard cornering instead of staying planted. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! setup is a fan-favorite among the Miata communities for an all-in-one package for any conditions. A cheaper route is buying used Bilstein shocks and having them re-valved for similar spring rates and sourcing the springs separately through 949 or Flyin' Miata.
Upsides: Having a proper suspension setup for more mountain trips and autocrosses with minimal body roll. I can lower the car 1 or 2 inches all around and get rid of my notorious "4x4 stance" that's preventing my from getting a proper auto-x alignment.
Downsides: 949's package is nearly 2k$ on its own, the Bilstein path is approximately 700$ and neither include installation costs. The ride might become harsher due to decreased travel and stiffer springs. I stand a higher chance of scraping the bottom of my car on curbs and speed bumps. This effectively throws me into STR class instead of staying in E-street (stock class) so I'll be facing down Honda S2000s which are overall, and by far, faster cars with richer owners.
So, Oppo,once I accumulate enough funds, which path should I focus on more?
WRXerFish - WRX-Wing pilot
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:12 |
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Might I recommend TURBO.
That is all.
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daender
> WRXerFish - WRX-Wing pilot
12/23/2014 at 17:14 |
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One of my friends is trying that on his NB1, he's still in the process of putting it all together and it's about the same price as the 949 complete suspension setup. I'm going to see if I can drive it once it's fully tuned to see if I really want that much more power.
SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:15 |
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Exocet all the things!
WhereAreMyPants
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:15 |
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Suspension.
Paint is a waste of time. First, it's still living outside, so it'll get fucked up. Then you have to know that large scale paintwork never ever pays for itself. I'm sure, if done well, it will look nice, but it won't really add to the actual value of the car.
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daender
> SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
12/23/2014 at 17:17 |
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If I had a sitting beater Miata or if I wrecked mine, then maybe but my car is too nice to cut it up for Exo-parts.
7:07
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:17 |
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Sounds like a form vs. function argument.
I'd put my pickle in the jar that has "suspension" written on it.
Jedidiah
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:19 |
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Suspension. Who care about how pretty the paint is on a miata? Drive the shit out of it.
Tohru
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:21 |
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Suspension.
It doesn't have to look pretty to get the job done.
Besides... I saw a thread where a guy re-painted his Miata with a roller and housepaint for under $100.
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daender
> 7:07
12/23/2014 at 17:22 |
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This is basically what it boils down to. I'm trying to maintain a combination of function and form, I don't want my car to end up looking too beaten up like a track-rat since it's my only car and I need to look presentable driving it.
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WRXerFish - WRX-Wing pilot
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:23 |
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OMFG, you want to be able to support the power before adding power. Do not blaspheme.
I think suspension is probably the way to go but I can understand wanting to do the paint.
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daender
> WRXerFish - WRX-Wing pilot
12/23/2014 at 17:25 |
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Nah, he's doing turbo power first, suspension maybe second. Says he can enjoy the turbo more often than a well-sorted suspension.
I'm leaning toward suspension little by little.
Decay buys too many beaters
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:25 |
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Allow me to echo, suspension.
I wouldn't bother with paint at all if the car lives outside and sees regular hard driving.
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WRXerFish - WRX-Wing pilot
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:27 |
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If it's a DD I can see that. Turbo noises in traffic > most things.
Justin Hughes
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:40 |
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I don't know what you mean about body roll...
Do you spend more time driving your car, or looking at your car? Driving. So go for suspension, which you'll enjoy from the driver's seat. You can also save some money by doing the job yourself, assuming the components haven't molecularly bonded to each other due to rust.
Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
> daender
12/23/2014 at 17:52 |
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Since you're doing autoX, do the suspension first. Also, as you said, your car sits outside right now. And when you go on a long trip, you'll probably appreciate the improved suspension.
Sn210
> daender
12/23/2014 at 19:03 |
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why not plastidip your bumpers and/or hardtop? Then use your money for a suspension
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daender
> Sn210
12/23/2014 at 20:43 |
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I've thought about plastidipping the hardtop but I can't figure out what other matte color besides black would look good.
ienjoyautomotives
> daender
12/23/2014 at 21:00 |
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Might I suggest white? whats the worst that could happen? you don't like it and take it off? But as unoriginal as it sounds, I would still go with the black. you really can't go wrong with it.
afils
> daender
12/30/2014 at 13:51 |
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they have glossifier for plasti-dip that in copious amounts actually looks pretty good. So you could do gloss black which could look pretty good.