NC1 Miata *Take Two*

Let me introduce myself! I’m located in the St. Louis, MO area, and have been reading GRM for the past couple years now, and have loved the variety of projects. I finally felt I had a project worthy of starting a build thread. Come along as I get you caught up on the last year of NC1 ownership.

After speeding an inordinate amount of time trying to decided what should replace my aging MKIV VW Golf (2.slow). I came to the most logical conclusion. Miata.

At the time I was living in Cincinnati, and began looking for a NC Miata since they seemed like the best value for performance. Especially since most NAs had been battered by the rough winters (salt), and clean/low mileage NBs were close to NC1 money.

After a few months of searching I found a 2006 Silver NC1 with 63k miles for $8k in Central KY. It wasn’t perfect, but was rust free, and cleaned up pretty well.

January 2017

So Why Take Two?

Fast forward a few months.

I had relocated to St. Louis, and was getting ready for work on a Sunday afternoon, as one of the neighbors knocks on the doors and I was greeted with this…

May 2017

Someone had smashed into the rear of the Miata, and drove off. A hit and run left a low mileage NC1 totaled. After fighting with the insurance company over 30+ emails, and 15+ phone calls, we agreed on a reasonable settlement. A settlement that included me keeping the totaled silver NC1. With the insurance check in hand it was time to start searching for a replacement.

The NC Miata market is one the hardest to understand. Prices are completely unattached to reality, and have no ties to mileage or age. NC2s with high mileage (150K+) are listed for over $15k, and rusted NC1s needing transmissions for $5k. Originally, I was searching for a NC1 that needed a heart transplant, since the silver NC1 was a perfect donor, but wasn’t able to find any candidates.

After some searching I found another 2006 with only 60k miles. It was a bit rougher with some surface rust on the rear suspension, hail damage, and a faded interior. However, I was able to pick it up for $6.5k which I thought was a steal! With the bronze Sparcos, it cleaned up pretty well.

August 2017

You got a color upgrade with the second car! Looking forward to this. 

Watching with interest.  An NC is on the short list for my new daily/autox car. 

Nice NC...I really wanted a blue one when I bought mine, but the deal for my Brilliant Black was too sweet. 

The NC Miata is a fantastic platform. To steal a quote from Bob Hall (I think) " The NA/NB is a better Miata, but the NC is a better car". 

Many NC1 guys have replaced the 2.0L with a 2.5L. I haven't driven a 2.5L, but like the idea, should my 2.0L die.

Bibs said:To steal a quote from Bob Hall (I think) " The NA/NB is a better Miata, but the NC is a better car". 

 

Heck, I used to say that line about the NA vs NB. I think it's actually in the GRM buyer's guide I wrote a loooong time ago. The NC will ask less of you as a daily driver than the earlier cars do, but it's got a very different character. You have to decide which one you prefer. Also, spend extended time in the NC before you buy because the seats don't suit everyone after 30 minutes.

I love that blue. Best color they ever put on the NC, and it was there right at the beginning. Burgundy (aka Copper Red Mica, I think) was really popular, so you'll find that one a lot.

Love my NC. Now that we have an NA to compare, I still prefer my NC overall as a DD but agree that the NC seats suck. When my 2.0 goes, it will definitely be replaced by a 2.5, but the 2.0 provides pretty good performance as it is.  Do the basic mods (Swaybars, shocks and springs) and put some decent tires on it and it will be very hard to remove the grin from your face.

My son needed a new car last summer and I found him three cars to drive (he lives on the other side of country in Seattle). His criteria was fun to drive, stick shift and decent fuel economy. So I found him a Civic SI, VW GTI and a cream puff NC (2006 special edition, will every option in that amazing metalic blue with only 26k on it). He drove all three cars, went back and forth, and finally said "what am I thinking, of course I want the Miata"!  Every time I talk with him he raves about how much fun it is to drive. 

Sorry you had to do a 2nd take, but definitely a better color (mine is silver, but love the blue).

If that blue car is on the stock Sport suspension with Bilsteins, get some shocks in it stat. They sucked when they were new.

Thanks everyone for the kind words, and warm welcome.

I agree with the comparisons between the NA/NB and NC. I've spent some time in NA/NBs and never could find a comfortable seating position with being 6' 3". It was always easier to look over the windshield. I haven't got a chance to sit in a foamectomy car though, maybe that would change my mind about the NA/NB.

I'm looking for this NC to be a reliable DD, and a way to get started with autox.

If this NC is going to be a good daily, it has to be able to handle the midwest winters...

When I first purchased the blue NC I went through and replaced all the fluids/filters. I also put a set of the Centric Stoptech Street pads, and new rotors all around. The Stoptech Street pads are awesome, but they dust like crazy, worse than the Hawk street pads I've had in the past. Thank god for bronze wheels!

The coolant tank had also seen better days after 11 years of heat cycles. Especially since they are prone to cracking once they start turning brown. I was drooling over the aluminum replacement, but decided OEM was good enough at $55 vs $225 for the aluminum bling tank.

The silver NC had a Hotchkis 27mm Front SB installed before it was totaled, which found a home on the blue replacement. I also added a Eibach 16mm Rear SB to complete the set. I was orginally leaning toward the Hotchkis rear sway (21mm), but people reported it as being too stiff.

Safety 3rd!

Bigger is Better!

Seriously, a set of Tokico HTS shocks will make a massive difference. 

Keith Tanner said:

Seriously, a set of Tokico HTS shocks will make a massive difference. 

Keith, I'm sure you're only recommending those because the sample photo on flyinmiata is a winning blue NC 

But once it starts to warm up, springs/shock or coilovers will be the next purchase.

I know what I like! 

FM’s first R&D NC was (is) a blue 2006 Sport named Nancy. It didn’t take much of a test drive before the shocks got tossed. 

Keith's right about the stock Bilsteins... even in our NC3 Club they weren't very good.  We've been on FM springs with Konis for a couple of years and like the combo.

Great color on #2... wish there had been more choices when we bought ours.  A Club would have looked really nice in that blue! 

Mom's had a 2006 from new.  5 spd. Always loved that car but the cupholder is designed to hit the soft spot in my knee when I man spread to fit the steeringwheel in my crotch.

because large 6' 3" guy.  

She only has 53k miles on it now.  (1.2 mile drive to the school she teaches at.)

It's on it's third top. (second one dad did a bad job of installing a cheap aftermarket top).  

It's also totalled two SUV's with minor damage. (rear ended both times, the suburban had the motor pushed back and the miata needed a new rear bumper and exhaust.) 

I have wondered about steeling it from her when she decides to upgrade.  Keith since you're posting here, why does FM only offer a supercharger and not a turbo kit for this car? Seemed random since so much of your biz is turbo miatae.  

You might be able to fix your cupholder problem by swapping in the door cards from a later NC.

It's possible we'll have a turbo for the NC in the future. It doesn't matter which form of forced induction we offer, we get lots of people why we don't offer the other   We offer turbos for the NA/NB, supers for the NC and both for the ND. Hard to draw a conclusion from that.

As others have mentioned, if the 2.0 ever lets go, it will be replaced with a 2.5. Hopefully my 2.0 hangs on for awhile, but seeing low mileage 2.5s for $400 on car-part are quite tempting.

Does anyone have experience with the fitment of hideaway hitches (hard dog or FM) and aftermarket exhausts (single or dual)? My GF and I are planning a roadtrip to New Orleans this spring, and she agreed to take the miata. I'd like to use a hitch rack to carry a full size spare, and possible a suitcase.

Temperatures are starting to creep up allowing for top down weather in February.  As the temperature climbs it also causes the mod-bug to start bitting again...

With that I introduce the most important NC Miata mod of them all "The Stubby".

All joking aside, it was time for the stock antenna to go as it was starting to crack, and flaked to pieces when it was removed.

I'm also hoping to have suspension picked out, and ordered within the next month. Right now I'm looking at coilovers in the sub $1000 category and leaning towards either the Tein Flex Z or MeisterR CRD+. The ride height adjustability is appealing of coilovers, but I haven't ruled out a shock/spring combo like Keith suggested if they offer better performance. 

Any suggestions?

Welcome aboard, and congratulations on your new NC. I seriously considered one before my recent NB purchase. I was put off by the higher prices for some of the things like roll bar, etc. 

Also wanted a hard top, but not a power one. 

For suspension, if you need coilovers, don’t get ones with adjustable preload or independent body length or whatever they pitch it as.  That’s the sign of a half-assed implementation and decreased overall travel. If it was my car, I’d be doing the FM springs and good shocks. Better way to spend your money. Or I’d save up for the Fox, as the NC Fox is the best suspension we sell for any Miata. Seriously, it’s the benchmark for all of them. But it costs.

Of course I’d recommend the FM stuff, but don’t forget that I’m in the unusual position of being able to change it if I don’t think it’s the best on the market. So naturally I do think it’s as good as you can get because that’s where I stopped and said “yes, that’s it, that’s why I’m willing to put my name on and drive for the next 25 years”.  

I'll give an unbiased opinion on the Fox suspension. Pure and simple the best suspension I've driven on a miata. Heck, one of the best overall from any car. It just works. plain and simple. Doesn't beat you up, corners flat and grips without drama.  I will not be able to drive another miata again without it. 

Thanks guys for your input on suspension options. I still haven't decided on suspension since it seems like it hasn't stopped raining for the past 2 months. I've read quite a few reviews fox and they definitely sound like the best options out there. Unfortunately $2k is more than I want to spend.

Today was the first auto x event for the STL SCCA Chapter. It was cold, rainy and never got above 40 degrees...  It was also my first time running autox. It was a blast just trying to improve each run, especially since I went through the finish line backwards in the 2nd run.

A few week ago I completed a quick cosmetic modification to modernize the look of the NC. I've never used plasti-dip before, and gave it a try on the silver roll-bar covers.

Old:

New:

However the softtop rubs on the roll-bar cover whenever it is put up or down, which caused it to wear through pretty quickly. I pealed off the plasti-dip (surprisingly easy) and gave them a few coats of satin black. Which will hopefully fair better. Worst case scenario I rob the unpainted set from the wrecked silver NC. Its awesome having a parts car.

Sunday was Event #2 of the STL SCCA Solo season, and besides a little rain, it was another success. It was 100x better running the BFG Rivals, compared to the cappy all-seasons, and I was a lot more competitive. I ended up finishing 2nd in the STR class. Its been blast trying to keep up with the other drivers in the STR class with stock suspension, when they are all running coilovers.

What happened to this guy?

_ said:

What happened to this guy?

Good question.