Club NC vs Sport ND for daily use.

We have a '13 Club PRHT which is my wife's DD. The new ND is a fantastic car, but after having the PRHT, I wouldn't DD a Miata without it. The NC also seems to have a bit more interior space. I was never really an NC fan, but IMHO Mazda finally got the styling right with the NC3.

The factory suspension sucks. I've upgraded ours, but FM's Fox coilovers are on the list when I can scratch together the funds. I rode in their NC last summer at the track, and it's really good.

The only major drawback of the PRHT is that it's a PITA to fit true rollover protection. FM has a solution, and it works, but it's not ideal. For us it's not really an issue, as we really only track the NC at FM Summer Camp and HPDE where we can get away with the factory roof. Our NA is the track rat.

The NC will be the Miata that time forgot....and for good reason.

That's a little harsh, but it does appeal to a different group than the others. I think it will remain strong in the "drive to eat" club scene for a long time.

I always figured the NC suffered the misfortune of being the same price as a Boxster in the used market. As a total package a modded NC is the most attractive Miata (to me) that's been built so far. I haven't driven the ND yet but i've driven and worked on NA/NB/MSM including one that goes 119mph in the 1/4 mile and autocrossing on wide 13" r-comps, as well as owning a lightened/modded NA for a short while, and i think the NC addresses most of what i don't like about the others. I just can't picture it ever being the thing i'd want to buy at the price they go far. The world is basically my oyster at anything over 5k. Too much competition.

(Again talking about the Fox suspension)

Since I live in salt land, how do the Fox coilovers hold up to the elements?

They have Kashima Coat bodies, which is some sort of super anodizing and the same gold color you see on their bike shocks. Same thing they use on snowmobile shocks too, so that has to be worth something. The bodies are aluminum, and the fittings on the end are (I believe) anodized aluminum. Like all coilovers, I'd want some anti-seize on the threads.

Kashima Coat is apparently very corrosion resistant according to the manufacturer: http://www.kashima-coat.com/en/experience/characteristics1.php