Hi all, brand new member and new owner here! Just bought my Uncles MX5 NC (3.5) and it feels like a remap and exhaust manifold will give me some easy gains at low risk and low costs.
Read some bad things about BBR on here, living in Birmingham any suggestions on who to go to please?
Thanks. Iain
Have you used them/use them? If so, general servicing, or something else?
I looked them up on google street view and that micro wide looking country road leading for a while to that place looks horrendous!
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Yes, manifold fitting and exhaust work on my NC2.
I only recommend places I’ve used personally and would use again.
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I’ve recently bought a car with suspension upgrades from Performance Link that the previous owner had completed. Have to say its a joy to drive, really planted 
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I certainly recommend Performance Link and I’m going back in April (it’s my car in the pic). They are very fastidious in their work.
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It’s only 0.7 miles of that to the B road, though, according to Google Maps.
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The access is absolutely no problem at all
I was scared on street view when I was going down that lane.
Thanks all, will call and get a cost. It does feel these are the easier “starter” upgrades to get done. I was scoping insurance for the upgrades and not too bad, about £65 more. I work for a manufacturer of wrap film and actually if I add that to the insurance it’s crazy! Even though technically it wouldn’t cost me much the insured costs is nuts.
Thanks again, excited to start my ownership journey and appreciate the support on the forum
1st thing get the suspension geometry set up by a good mx5 specialist. Sometimes it’s miles out and can be transformed.
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You’re exactly right.
You can do the manifold in two ways:
- Fit an improved one, retaining the cat or
- Fit a proper one without a cat.
The second is way better as the cat is very restrictive, as you’d expect considering where it is. And you still have a cat in the exhaust itself for the MOT.
I have a mate who’ll put you in a remap that will take into account the manifold alone and later most other bits you’d ever add, such as intake, exhaust and cams. By the time you’ve done all those you’ll be at 190+hp - or 180ish without the cams, which are the expensive part of the BBR200.
The most important thing about the map is that it removes the hesitations Mazda build in to help reach emissions and fuel consumption targets. It also makes big improvements to torque.
On my early NC with just an exhaust, the map took it from 110mph before braking at for the chicane at Donington to 118mph. Only 8mph, you might say, but a big difference in lap times.
I also had a BBR200, converted by BBR with the cams as well. Very impressive.
And a 25AE PRHT BBR300 turbo which was supercar quick at a tenth of the purchase and running costs.
I’ve been less impressed with BBR’s after sales support with a heat shield that melted causing extensive damage to a turbo 2.5L NC. IIRC they said I should have used the spacers (not supplied) and followed the instructions (not supplied).
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Thanks @BARMY1, sounds good Dave. So remove the manifold cat? Should still pass the MOT ok you say?
I’ll see if there is one for sale on here, what sort of cost do you think for a new/used improved manifold?
How much for your mates remap?
Sorry, lots of questions!
Cheers
Iain
Hi there!
I went for this (before bbr200) and was very impressed. Lots more midrange and top end on standard setup (no exhaust manifold etc)
Pretty cheap but definately worth it imho.
ps, passed mot no worries (NC 3.5 too)
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Thanks Simon @Ducatitotriumph appreciated mate.
They’ve a sale on right now…. £225!
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My experience with Superchips was not not good, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend them. See mp post above.