This wasn't supposed to go like this. But, here we are. Again.
I bought a 2010 NC2 Miata Grand Touring 6MT w/Sport Package a few months back. I was planning on getting back into autoX and with all the new SCCA classes that the NC would be competitive in, it seemed like a good idea at the time. For reference, I've owned an NC2 in the past and loved it, so it seemed like a good idea to jump back into the water and get another one.
Fast forward a bit and just as I was finishing up my latest round of projects on my 128i, I realized that I accidentally built it to the hilt of the rules to run in a local BMW CCA autoX class. I was planning on using the 128i for the occasional track day, but when I realized I already set it up well to run local autoX, it hit me: why would I build a second car to dodge cones when I just finished one?
So, I was on the fence about what to do with the NC. They're great cars and a blast to drive. I was going back in forth in my head about what suspension to pick up... researching 2.5L swaps... ITB's... and of course, patiently waiting for the new FM turbo kit to start hitting the shelves. In the meantime, I have just been pitching it around on the street, enjoying it in stock form.
Today I burned a day at work (I have about ~700 hours worth of time in my banks-I need to burn a bit from time to time). I had absolutely nothing planned, so I figured I would go on a test drive and maybe write a quick review. It's been a long time since I've driven an NC back to back with an ND.
I found a dealership about 1.5 hours north of me that just picked up a 2020 ND2 Club 6MT w/Recaro/BBS/Brembo package and only 4000 miles on the clock (single owner, no accidents, etc). Apparently an older couple just traded it in due to them not really driving it over the past 4-5 years. Since they're a bit tough to find used in this spec, it seemed like a good idea. I had a long drive up there in the NC2 and took it on a full hour-long test drive, so I could really compare them. You know, for science.
My thoughts:
-The interior ergonomics are interesting... the legroom is rated at being identical in both cars; which, I'm not convinced that's accurate. Granted, I have modified the seats in my NC2 a bit, but the NC certainly felt like it had a slight edge in total legroom. It also has more lateral room to splay your legs out just a bit. Normally, this leads to less irritation in my touchy right knee... but on my hour-long test drive, I noticed no pain in my right knee in the ND, despite the fact that it was pressed into the center console almost the entire time. I can't say why- but my only guess is maybe something to do with the floor-hinged gas pedal (in the ND) vs the floating gas pedal (in the NC).
The NC is a wider car- it has more shoulder room and the seats are more accommodating to wider drivers. I'm not sure if this matters much, but I certainly noticed it. The Recaro seats in the ND also keep your legs pushed a bit closer- which might not be the case in the cars with the base seats, but the Recaro ND2 certainly felt a bit more confining in the lateral space department. Granted, these seats only have 4000 miles on them, so they might loosen up just a bit with time (for the record, my NC2 only had 29k miles on it).
Headroom was difficult to judge, as I've cut up my NC2 seats a bit, so they're a bit lower than stock. If both cars were stock, I would say they would be pretty even.
I can't really say which I found more comfortable, as they are very different. I'm inclined to say the NC is more comfortable- the seats felt a bit softer and cushier and there's a bit more room to spead yourself out, but for whatever reason, I kind of enjoyed the ergonomics of the ND.
-The transmission in the NC is good- very good. In the past, I think I found the 5MT was a bit smoother, but compared to anything that isn't a Miata or an S2000, the NC 6MT was excellent, especially once is has a bit of heat in it. The ND2? Yeah, it's better. It just slots into gear a bit smoother. We're not talking night and day, it just feels like a more refined gearbox. I understand that it's not nearly as stout as the NC's beefier 6MT, which makes sense, as it feels like a lighter box in general, that's just a bit easier to work.
Both of them have featherweight clutches that are easy to work and pedals that are perfectly setup for heel-toe downshifts.
-I'm not really much of a fancy interior guy, but the ND is a much newer, more modern car. Of course it's going to be nicer and include more tech. Not really a fair comparison due to them being separated by a decade.
-Handling was a mixed bag... the ND2's front end is just a bit more eager to change direction- I believe it has a faster steering rack ratio, and you can feel it. The NC's hydraulic steering rack has considerably more feel than the ND, but for an EPS setup, the ND isn't bad, it's just not old-school good.
In my estimation, both of these cars have far too much body roll. Steady-state, single direction cornering isn't terrible, but quick back and forth transitions (I took quite a few roundabouts on my test drive) make both of them feel sloppy and all over the place. In this arena, the NC actually feels slightly more composed, but that's not saying much. Dear Mazda: when you release a car with a "Sport Package" or "Club" package, please consult Honda when choosing spring rates.
They're both fun cars to pitch around at speed, but neither of them are nearly as sharp as say, an S2000 that you can buy for similar money.
-Brakes... I don't know if this is fair to compare. I have no idea what pads are in the NC and the ND has Brembos. While the ND's stock Brembo calipers don't give a ton of feel on initial tap, they have more stopping power when pushed.
-Freeway ride. This one shocked me. The NC was alright at ~75mph speeds for over an hour, but it never really felt planted, per se. No, I haven't checked the alignment, but I don't believe it was really out of spec. I think it's just a short wheelbase car that wants to change directions. It's a bit bouncy on concrete freeway expanses, but certainly livable. It's a bit harsher than I would have guessed for a car with such soft spring rates.
The ND rides a bit smoother at the same speeds and inspires more confidence while doing it. I'm sure there's some EPS programming that goes into this voodoo, but I believe they also run considerably more positive caster. All I know is that the ND rides smoother at 75mph, tracks straighter and feels more confidence inspiring during freeway lane changes. It's nuts that the ND actually has a shorter wheelbase... if I didn't know better and you put me behind the wheel of both cars, I would have guessed the ND had the longer wheelbase on the freeway.
-Power... ahhh, yes, power. I'm in Colorado. We're at high elevation and these cars aren't boosted. Neither of them are going to blow your socks off... but there is a noticeable difference. The ND2 feels considerably faster than the NC2. Despite the fact that they both rev to ~7500rpm, neither of them feel like an old school VTEC machine- no crazy cam-switch induction noise or high RPM pull... but both of them have pretty linear torque bands. The ND just has more of it. I know they're only rated ~14hp apart (167hp vs 181hp), but they feel further apart than that. A good bit further. I know the ND is ~150 lbs lighter, but if they were the same weight, I would guess the ND2 felt like it has 30+ more horsepower, with a healthy helping of extra torque. The ND2 feels like it would keep up with an AP2 S2000 (at least at lower speeds), even if it doesn't quite have the same engine character... the NC2 feels playful and has decent midrange, but there's no one in their right mind that would say it would keep up with the ND2.
-Fun factor. They're not terribly far off, but the ND2 is the more fun car to pitch around. It's a lighter car, with better brakes, a shorter wheelbase, a better gearbox, a more mongoose-like front-end and noticeably more power. That sounds harsh and I really don't mean it to be. They're not that far off- the ND is just a bit more fun in almost every respect.
Although the NC isn't without it's charms- there's a bit more space inside the interior, the hydraulic steering rack offers more feedback through the wheel, the transmission is far more robust, the aftermarket for it has exploded and they run a simple, carbon-build-up free port injection motor that offers greater ease in the realm of aftermarket fuel/tuning solutions. But on this day, as much as I love the NC, I had to concede that the ND was more fun to drive.
When I came back from my ND2 test drive, they offered me a sum of money for the NC2 that I wasn't willing to accept. I made a fairly aggressive counter offer, letting them know if they met my terrorist demands, I would buy the car. I was expecting them to politely say no. After a minor wait, they came back and shook my hand. They gave me nearly as much as I paid [retail] for the NC2 just a few months ago and cut the price on their ND2 by a couple of grand. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. E36 M3. I really wasn't trying to buy a car today, but this thing followed me home.
Well, so much for the turbo NC idea.
I now have a couple of questions for all the ND owners out there:
1. I would like a bit more headroom. I've seen the three options- Paco, Aurora and Jass- what's your recommendation? I'm not sure if it's relevant, but I would like no loss of legroom (I need to keep all of it!) and I prefer to keep the stock rake if possible (my right knee is a bit sensitive to aggressive seat rakes). Suggestions?
2. Due to spending a small fortune on mods for my 128i and now buying an ND2, I'm going to be poor for a while... translation: I'm going to lack the funds for large upgrades of any kind for a while... but this body roll is no bueno. Recommendations on the most cost effective way to get this car to stop swaying back and forth like an alcoholic during happy hour, without ruining the car?
