What year of Miata to avoid.

If your read the massive wiki on these cars it'll tell you.

NickD wrote:

accordionfolder wrote: In reply to NickD: Brakes on the 1.6s are fine. Many laps of Laguna Seca, Sonoma, and Buttonwillow.

2 consecutive runs of the Tail Of The Dragon: Massive fade, yanking up on the steering wheel trying to stop, with stock 1.6L rotors and Porterfield pads. My friend also had the same issue on his '90 with the Flyin' Miata '90-'93 Brake Upgrade Kit. The next year I came back with the 1.8L front brakes and DBA slotted rotors all the way around and Porterfield pads and had no issue.

I wonder what Keith has to say about that.

Trackmouse wrote:

NickD wrote:

accordionfolder wrote: In reply to NickD: Brakes on the 1.6s are fine. Many laps of Laguna Seca, Sonoma, and Buttonwillow.

2 consecutive runs of the Tail Of The Dragon: Massive fade, yanking up on the steering wheel trying to stop, with stock 1.6L rotors and Porterfield pads. My friend also had the same issue on his '90 with the Flyin' Miata '90-'93 Brake Upgrade Kit. The next year I came back with the 1.8L front brakes and DBA slotted rotors all the way around and Porterfield pads and had no issue.

I wonder what Keith has to say about that.

Sounds like something else was wrong (bad fluid? Old lines?). I can guarantee my runs at 5 sets x 20 minute sessions at Laguna are harder than anything on the street ;) ( or Sonoma for that matter)

1.6s are fine with good fluid and decent pads.

What kind of fade? Hard pedal but no stop, or soft pedal?

The former is pad fade. If so, did you bed the brakes?

The latter is overheated fluid.

I love when people chalk up the experience of improved parts to "it must not be made well". As if there own hillbilly backyard install couldn't possibly be the issue...

Just like in road racing, you dont use brakes on the Dragon to go fast. If you "cooked" your brakes it was either a mechanical issue or driver-induced. No offense intended but the Dragon is my playground and most of the time in NA miatas.