Contemplating ND Mods

[_Ben]

Hi all, I’m considering adding the usual subtle mods: Cobalt exhaust, Eibach springs and some sensible spacers. I’m just wondering if anybody has done these and had any unwanted side effects or regrets about doing it?

I have no intention of taking the car on track - it’s more for B-road blasts and the odd road trip. I live in Norfolk and make regular jaunts to Somerset. I don’t want to ruin the car and make it unbearable for the long motorway miles. I’ve never done any modifying before. Any thoughts on how the mods I’ve mentioned might impact the car on British roads?

Ta!

[CeramicMX5ND2]

Hi Ben. It looks like it may have had the Dealer-Option sport springs already fitted?!
Just my opinion, I’d leave it alone and enjoy it
Rob

[MX51MJR]

Hello Ben,
One of the first “mods” I made to my ND was a sports exhaust. For me any “performance” enhancements were secondary to the noise difference. The “burble/rumble” I got was fantastic. Never offensive but really noticeable none the less.
Later came the Eibach lowering springs. I did this for the look. The wheel gap on my 1.5l Sport NAV on 16” wheels always look excessive. Lowering by 30mm took a chunk of that out, (well 15mm of the gap, but it was enough). There was noticeable less body roll too.
I never went for spacers.
I have a 2.0l now on 17” wheels, I do not intend lowering it, but the exhaust was swapped over on the same day I bought it .
As ever, tell your insurance company of any “modifications”. For me at the time it was an extra £20 a year for the springs and the exhaust.
I confess to buying the exhaust used of eBay, no idea who’s exhaust it is but job done .

[MX-5BRU]

Hi Ben,

Cobalt is a great option, you get a lovely tone from it, but no drone.

Eibach lowering spring, cosmetically make the car look so much better IMHO, with no impact on ride comfort.

Spacers, I’m personally not a fan of, get a wheel that fits right with the correct offset. a 7.5 inch wheel with an et40 on a 215/45/17 works well.

Hope this helps.

Bru

[MX-5BRU]

This is my old RF:

[MX51MJR]

Wow, you have really closed the wheel gap with those springs fitted.

This is a before and after of my 1.5l Sports NAV. With the Eibach lowering springs fitted

I better point out that the bottom picture is the before

[ian.prossor]

I have done all 3 to mine, you can see the before and after (and everything else) here:

ND RF Launch Edition No.207

I keep updating What have you done to your MX-5 today? but have only just thought of creating a specific “build” thread collating everything I have done so far, so here it is! Intro My ND RF 2.0 Launch Edition was purchased as a birthday present to myself in June 2019 to replace the NC 2.0 Sport I was using as a daily at the time, both seen here on collection day with me looking goofy in the middle: [Collection] Why an RF? I feel in love with the RF when I first saw it as it reminded me of m…

25mm spacers will cause rubbing so keep it more sensible than me

[exiled-viking]

Done a few mods have a look at my thread might be good for a laugh or the odd idea most of the stuff I do is hand made if I can …regards tony