ND3 better steering feel?

[WazWii]

What is making such a difference to the handling?

I have not heard people talk poorly about the 1.5. I get great turn in on my standard 2 litre with standard dampers/shocks. It can’t be the LSD as that makes only a small difference.

Thanks.

[Wrinkly_Rover]

I wish I knew but the 2.0l ND2 is night and day different from my old 1.5l ND1, maybe I had a duff one, but it was definitely dead in a straight line, so would wander off to the left or the right. No I don’t think the LSD would have made a difference either. Regards saying you haven’t heard about it see below.

ND motorway handling

My model of MX-5 is: 2016 ND 1.5 I’m based near: Bristol I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: ND wandering on motorway Hi folks, I owned an NB FL for quite a few years, then switched to a 2nd hand ND in February last year. I’ve noticed that, though the steering feels great at up to 50mph on local roads, it’s quite hard work to keep the ND going in a straight line on the motorway. I’ve tested the car on straight stretches of motorway; if I centre the car in the lane and hold t…

[The_Fonze]

Sure thing it’s in the “readers rides” section on this forum:

Mx5 ND2 30th - Road and Track finding the balance

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 journ…

[WazWii]

I wonder what the issue was. Strange. Hopefully someone can chime in here.

[BlueAgave]

I would say thats a simple case of getting the tracking done.

[Wrinkly_Rover]

I suppose until you have driven another version and you are happy with yours then you will never know. I thought my old one was great except for the dead feeling, turn in and cornering was fine although a bit soft, but when I got this new one it showed the shortfalls of the other. It’s the same with the difference between the 1.5 and 2.0l engines, I think the 2.0l in the ND2 is far superior but a lot of people think the 1.5 is better but that might have been up against the old 2.0l, I never drove one so I can’t comment.

[WazWii]

To be honest I have been having these thoughts. I don’t think my MX5 is handling right and it seems off. Hard to put my finger on it. It will get tested and inspected soon though. Plus the upgrades. Alignment would help I reckon.

[Wrinkly_Rover]

It will be interesting to see if the alignment makes a difference, it did on my MK2, I took it to Formula 1 tyres and they made it worse, word of warning there I think.

[ND12]

@Wrinkly_Rover

but a lot of people think the 1.5 is better but that might have been up against the old 2.0l, I never drove one so I can’t comment.

I drove both around the time of purchasing my ND1 2L, in fact, the tried the 1.5L more.
When I went for a test drive in the (now old) 2L, I preferred it. My beef with the 1.5L is that I kind of put my foot down and nothing much happened. There was the ‘got to rev it out’ thing going on, but when I tried that too on the 2L down the same twisties, it just felt far more pokier. Saying that, I still liked the 1.5L and I’d have been happy enough with it, I just preferred the 2L (and no, I don’t do motorway ‘cruising’)

[WazWii]

Well that is odd. My car was taken to that franchise once by the previous owner according to the logs. I think it was a MOT that was done. Cannot quite remember. I will double check.