That would be excellent as I am thinking of getting some 16" for track use.
Definitely, these cars are so sensitive to any changes you make. I can tell the difference just moving the car around on my drive with the track wheels on. I think a 17x8 and 215/45/17 is probably the threshold before you start to spoil the dynamics but again depends on the tyre, the weight of the wheel etc etc. I love the response and adjustability of the car on a narrower tyre but I have to say when really pressing on the 215 cup 2’s just feel lovely, the car is set and planted.
That would be great I think if I had done more research I would have got 16’s initially but tyre choice is also a limitation.
Pro Race wheels either 16’s or 17’s?
I recently committed to another track day with MOT, this time at Donnington which I had done earlier in the year where it was wet and rather sketchy with Cup 2’s as I couldn’t generate enough tyre temperature. Dry and warm evening this time though so could really push on and the car gave me a lot of confidence. I have driven at Donnington a lot with various cars, but the ND felt so nice here, I could play with the balance and almost trail brake/back the car into the corner, felt infinitely adjustable from corner entry to exit.
I ran the car with the 14mm rear cusco anti roll bar this time which made the car feel very secure but certainly has a rear bias now but in a good way. I still think a disconnected rear bar feels better for road use though and the 16mm rear bar provided in most upgrade kits is certainly too much for these cars (with coilovers anyway).
Whilst the day was very well run as always, there was a broad mixture of cars on track and they allowed cars to overtake on either side while typically most providers mandate your overtake on the left only. I thought this would work well but initially it was absolute carnage with very little awareness from certain drivers. Fortunately, as is often the case with trackdays things petered out and it became a very enjoyable evening.
Overall, the ND is proving to be one of the best cars I have owned, it blends modern tech with back to basics driving engagement so well. The lack of weight and overall balance of the car means you can exploit and enjoy both on the road at lower speeds and on track when pushing on. As I have mentioned many times the car is very sensitive to weight balance and overall motion ratio particularly at the rear. However I wonder if some of this is due to the movement I have had in the rear spherical bearings and how this affects the dynamic toe built into the ND suspension design at the rear. Big shout out to @MechanicalDesigner at www.performancebushes.com great product at a great price that work very well indeed so far.
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Lotus or mx5 nd?
The lotus had far more sense of occasion, looked incredible, people actively got out of your way, sounded better, faster, better steering feel, more stability yet on British roads I got increasingly frustrated with it to be honest. It was on Nitrons so rode well but just didn’t have the suspension travel to deal with our quite frankly disgraceful surfaces. It felt like the suspension mounting had been sheared off of you hit a pothole. I would love another for sure, if I lived in Europe it would be a no brainer.
The ND now I have spent a small fortune on it does certainly have some of the lotus magic but the performance and chassis balance is more accessible and useable which is very appealing. Never going to be as special but it’s a more complete car that covers road and track use very well indeed.
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@The_Fonze: If you’re still using Motul Gear 300 LS 75W-90 in your ND2’s rear differential, I was wondering if you’ve heard strange noises from the car’s rear?
You can hear a sample of this noise over at miata.net:
Regarding Lotus and before purchasing my ND2, I looked/waited two years for an Elise R S2 (2007 onwards) with airbag dashboard, touring pack and aircon. I test drove a 1.6L Elise S S3 which felt faster than expected and eventually an Elise R S2 which its condition was not as described and awfully rattly.
Back then I bought into this Lotus “magic carpet” ride/compliance but walked away after both test drives wondering if my expectations were too high for the factory fitted Bilstein/Eibach suspension.
I always liked the look of the ND1 during the same time period but wished it had more power. When Mazda announced the ND2, I waited a little bit more for discounts then put down a deposit on a new 30th Anniversary after discovering dealers were struggling to shift them.
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Hey! I’ve not experienced that no, certainly seems very noticeable from the video on the forum. Did you change the diff fluid yourself? I know the fluid level is critical and as its capacity is so low even a slightly incline can throw it off so maybe worth checking. Like you mention could also be the friction modifier in the oil not working well with the pre load that has been set in certain diffs maybe?
Yeah the lotus’s that I’ve experienced certainly don’t have that magic ride that most journalists claim. However they are very particular and subtle changes can make a big difference. The front anti roll bars as standard are solidly mounted using a delrin (hard plastic) bushing so there is no give, combine that with very little weight and front suspension travel isn’t ideal on our shocking roads. Lotus also revised the front roll bar mount design/position on later cars and I replaced the delrin with a polybush insert which was transformative. As you will know the wishbone rubber bushings become brittle with age so I don’t think they helps either. Essentially one car can be completely different to another based on so many different factors to a great degree I’ve found with any other car type. Great things though, the level of connection and feedback was sublime.
Just to state really good thread. I enjoyed reading this and have learnt much.
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That’s what it’s all about, appreciate the feedback let me know if you have any further questions.
Oops, completely forgot about your reply, sorry! 
Over two weeks ago, I enabled sound recording on my dashcam to capture this strange noise. Strangely, it hasn’t done it rhythmically since then 
I’ve decided to revert back to Mazda’s own Long Life Hypoid SG1 differential oil for my ND’s upcoming service. Also, I may look at polyurethane exhaust hangers for both aftermarket centre section and rear silencer.
Rather than go back to the Mazda stuff why not try a non LS version of oil which is what the Mazda stuff is. I have used Millers CRX LS 75w/90 NT+ in the differential for some time with no problems but the non LS would work too but withstands heat better than the Mazda stuff.
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Hi, no problem at all! It does seem odd that the noise has dissipated. It’s quite ironic that the Mazda stuff is classed as “long life” when in reality it should be changed rather regularly. As Chris says that Mazda stuff isn’t the best but worth a try to see if the noise returns. Have you checked the torque on the diff mounts and the PPF brace?
@The_Fonze I’ve noticed you run a guardian design steering wheel and I’m wondering how is it holding up to wear?
Also, is the one you have the corsa 355mm and would you change anything if you ordered again?
I also have a Guardian Designs wheel and other than one point on the alcantara where I hold the wheel the most my RF wheel is still beautiful!
It has been on since December 2022 and I have done ~40k
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Honestly it is showing no signs of wear at all, they use very high quality materials which you would expect at the price point.
I originally ordered the 330mm wheel and they accidentally supplied it with the thicker padding which I hated. This made me rethink the size and settled on the Corsa which is 355mm as you say and slightly smaller than OEM. It feels just right to me now.
355mm corsa
330mm supplied with thick padding
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That 330mm reminds me of a Caterham wheel! What didn’t you like about it, apart from the thickness? I’m guessing it was a faster but heavier steer?
Yeah I didn’t like the thickness at all you loose all feel, thinner is definitely the way to go for feedback. The 330mm diameter felt a little too direct from centre for me, but also going to depend on alignment and setup of the car.
