ND RF Launch Edition No.207

[ian.prossor]

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:

Why an RF?

I feel in love with the RF when I first saw it as it reminded me of my MR2 Mk2 T-bar.

I like that fact the profile is maintained with the roof up or down as I much prefer the style of a Targa/T-bar than a fully convertible roof.

I was invited to attended the Mazda MX-5 RF VIP Preview Event hosted by Mazda in Manchester which I duly accepted and thoroughly enjoyed, Roadster Blog did a great write-up of this:

VIP MX-5 RF Preview Event

My RF

And here is No.207 in all its glory with my family plate on it after I had owned if for about a fortnight:

Modifications

March (2020)

• Started my list of modifications:
  • Cravenspeed Stubby Aerial
  • Cobalt Delrin Door Bushings
  • Zunsport Lower Half Grille

April

• Sumozo Interior LED Bulbs

October

• Roadie Red LED Rear Strip
• Cre8 Red Reflective Tape to make the LED Rear Strip reflect brighter

November

• BLiNK Motosport fitted the following and did a fast road alignment:
  • Cobalt Stainless Steel Rear Silencer
  • IL Motorsport 25mm Wheel Spacers
  • Eibach Pro Sport Lowering Spring Kit
• IL Motorsport Center Console Storage Box Light
• Mazda Sound Tube Delete and IL Motorsport Sequential Rear Indicators
• Jeff_jthspace Battery Cover

And this is what No.207 looks like after the lowering springs and spacers:

July (2021)

• SmartTOP Roof Controller

October

• Michelin Pilot Sport 4s all round
• SQIIRL MODS Fire Extinguisher Bracket

I finally got round to having the rest of the piano black “aero” kit fitted, I still think it is ridiculous that the Launch Edition came with the piano black roof, mirror caps and boot spoiler but not the rest of it:

• Front Air Dam Skirt
• Side Air Dam Skirts
• Rear Air Dam Skirt

So this is what No.207 looks like after the the rest of the aero kit:

February (2022)

• Rear Bushes and an alignment at Roddisons
• Spyder Grille
• Velco Number Plate Clips
• Underglow…

June

• 17x9 Advanti Storm S1 Wheels
• 4x Michelin Pilot Sport 4s in a 245/40R17

July

• Wilwood Dynapro 6 Piston Calipers in Lamborghini Candy Blue
• Mazda Standard Rear Calipers powder coated to match (from a breaker)
• Rear Discs & Pads

October

• MX5things DRL Harness
• PLATEHOLDER Number Plate Clips

December

• Guardian Designs Custom Steering Wheel

May (2023)

• MX5things ACC/IG Controller
• MX5things Roof Controller
• 2x Michelin Pilot Sport 4s in a 245/40R17

July

• BC Racing BR-RS 8kg/6kg Coilovers
• Cusco Front Strut Brace
• Superlight Rear Strut Brace
• Freaky Parts Brembo Big Brake Kit
• Mazda Standard Rear Calipers powder coated to match (traded rears with @DC04R)
• Rear Discs & Pads

September

• Superlight Front Chassis Brace
• Superlight Center Cross Brace
• Whiteline Uprated Anti Roll Bars
• Paco Motorsport ARB Reinforcement Kit
• HEL Perfromance Braided Brake Lines

November

• ISR Performance Muffler Delete

I also took a trip to Caffeine & Machine and got some more up-to-date photos:

Awaiting Fitting

• Aurora Auto Designs Lowered Seat Rails
• MX5things Window Controller
• ISR Performance Mid Pipe

Dreams

• Verus Engineering Aero Things (the diffuser is gorgeous)
• BBR Super 200

Events

Attempted Regularly

• Bunch of Fives

Future

• 2024
  • Japfest
  • Goodwood Members Meeting
  • IOW Takeover
  • Tatton Park Classic & Performance
  • National Rally
  • Goodwood Festival of Speed
  • TunerFest North
  • Simple Japanese
  • Oulton Park Gold Cup
  • USC
  • Tatton Park Passion for Power
  • TunerFest Midlands
  • Silverstone Festival
  • TRAX
  • Goodwood Revival

Pasts

• 2023
  • National Rally
  • Goodwood Revival
  • Silverstone Festival
  • Tatton Park Passion for Power
  • USC
  • Oulton Park Gold Cup
  • TunerFest North
  • Goodwood Festival of Speed
  • Spring Rally
  • Donington Historic
  • Japfest
• 2022
  • TRAX
  • Silverstone Classic
  • Oulton Park Gold Cup
  • TunerFest North
• 2021
  • Classic Motor Show
  • National Rally
  • Goodwood Revival
  • Japfest Silverstone
  • Oulton Park Gold Cup
  • Silverstone Classic
  • Goodwood Festival of Speed
• 2020
  • MX5OC Sunset & Shine @ Caffeine & Machine
  • MX5OC Breakfast @ British Motor Museum
• 2019
  • Goodwood Festival of Speed

[Jeff_jthspace]

Nice. Here’s a quick list of what I’ve done, in no particular order.

Full Black ZunSport Front Grill

Front and Rear Air Dams in Piano Black

Hyper-bright front LED Indicators

Smoked Front Yellow LED Fender Lights

Smoked Grey LED Side Indicators

Mirror Covers in Piano Black

Smoked Rear Red LED Fender Lights

Sequential LED Rear Indicators

Hyper-bright LED Reverse Light

Pulsing High Level Brake Light

Shaped Rear Number Plate in Piano Black

Mazda Logo Tyre Valve covers

Mazda Logo Door-Shut covers

Gas Strut Bonnet Lifters

Clear Wind Jammer

Jinba Ittai logo on windjammer

Window Activation (by MX5Things)

GPS Tracking Dash Camera

Android Auto/Apple CarPlay Interface

Centre Dash Magnetic Phone Holder

Carbon Fibre gear lever surround

Short length Charge AA/CP USB Lead

Centre Cubby Shelf and Document Net

Rear Bulkhead Map Storage Nets

CB install in boot, display handset in cabin

Whole Car 9 year Ceramic Paintwork Protection

Door Open LED warning lights and stickers

‘Leather’ Cabin Carpets by Carbon Miata

‘Leather’ Boot Liners by Carbon Miata

Cobalt Stainless Exhaust

Matt Black Battery Shield

Cross car red LED behind boot lip (by Roadie)

Oh, I forgot - one new windscreen and surround due to unintended internal mirror removal by yours-truely!

[dodger421]

You can retrofit CarPlay without replacing the infotainment system. The parts cost me £195 ish from a Mazda dealer in 2019. Fitting it took about 45 minutes for the firmware update and 3 hours for the hardware but I was also fitting the SmartTop controller, front/rear dashcams, welcome lights and scuff plates at the same time.

Latest Firmware, parts list and full instructions available Here

[ian.prossor]

That is exactly the plan!

[GarethC]

Just make sure you understand the implications of upgrading the the very latest firmware if you want to use touchscreen with CarPlay, its a lot easier to implement touchscreen if you’ve taken the time beforehand to understand what firmware level you are at and the consequences of diving in and upgrading to the very latest version (if you then decide you want touchscreen too).

[dodger421]

Sorry Ian, the way you’d written it I thought you meant replacing the entire CMU

Yes, firmware “tweaks” will stop working with the firmware required for CarPlay so you don’t get to use Touchscreen while driving anymore if you had made that “tweak”.

The buttons on the steering wheel and centre console still work perfectly while driving, and the touchscreen is fully functional when stopped. Nothing really lost in my opinion; the controls you frequently need are already under your fingers, why go to the effort of reaching across to the screen?

[GarethC]

Touchscreen still works fine with CarPlay in mine, you just need to understand the pitfalls of upgrading to certain versions and the work involved to negate issues if you want to continue to use tweaks. My MX-5 is a third car and the least driven, I personally find CarPlay far safer to use with touchscreen as often I’m not familiar with the positions of the controls when driving the car and don’t have to take my eyes off the road when using the screen.

[dodger421]

It’s horses for courses, mines a daily driver and I find the controls on the wheel easier to use.

That and fingerprints on the screen bug me

[IanH]

I did the touchscreen mod on the ND1 and haven’t bothered on the ND2, both because the controls are easy to use and I hate fingerprints on the screen also.

[ian.prossor]

I couldn’t think of a better way to phrase it

I currently have the screen is set to ‘Turn Display Off and Show Clock’, a USB with all my music on and use the wheel controls.
If I want to change the folder of the music I use the ‘Commander Switch’.
My main want for Apple Car Play is because I prefer Waze over the built in Nav and use my phone on a suction cup at the moment.

So I guess I don’t need to worry
I also agree with you and @IanH, I hate fingerprints on the screen

[Jeff_jthspace]

I didn’t like Waze, so I use Apple Maps regularly and like it. My screen is usually turned off if I am not using the Navigation, my music is on a tiny USB that is all but invisible as only the black plastic bit sticks out from the slot.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07MPCJDXS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[ian.prossor]

I have an almost identical setup for the exact same reason:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B077VXV323

[dodger421]

Snap, except it’s an older version that’s not all black. Great minds and all that.

Mine seemed to get alarmingly hot in use, but that was when I used to drive regularly from Basingstoke to Glasgow in my last car , not noticed it so much in the MX-5.

Getting back on track you’ve done a lot of work and the car looks excellent. Lowering springs and a cobalt back box are my future plans I think.

Did the launch edition come with the aluminium scuff plates and pedals?

[ian.prossor]

The RF Launch Edition didn’t come with aluminium scuff plates or pedals.

The RF Launch Edition did come with these as standard:

• LSD
• Bilstein Dampers
• BBS 17" Alloys
• Recaro Seats
• Alcantara Dash Panel, Door Trim, Shifter Boot and Handbrake Boot
• Bose Sound System
• Piano Black Roof, Door Mirrors and Boot Spoiler

And of course the nice Limited Edition numbered badge

There are probably a few other things I might have missed that the RF Launch Edition came standard with but those are the key ones for me.

[GarethC]

Interesting that it came with the door trim, shifter and handbrake boots. They didn’t bother with those on the Recaro and I had to add them myself (along with the Japan only option armrest). But I guess they pick and choose what to add as suits the price and atleast the Recaro comes with the full aero kit.

[ian.prossor]

@GarethC

Japan only option armrest

What is this you speak of?!

[ian.prossor]

Side note, I have updated the original post as I had completely missed out the fact I went to the Preview Event for the RF!

[GarethC]

Mazda part N243-V1-190

[NEW] JDM Mazda Roadster ND Center Console Lid Alcantara Genuine OEM MX-5 |...

[ian.prossor]

As much as I want it now I know about it I don’t think I can stomach Postage: £81.41

[GarethC]

I think they are just playing around with the price and price of postage, the item is usually more expensive than that from what I recall and postage cheaper. But granted, either way its over £200 which is more than I paid. But prices of most things are going through the roof.