I thought I would jot down some of my thoughts after a week with my RF. Maybe Iāll look back on the thread and have a good chuckle and hopefully it will be of interest to other owners and prospective owners.
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So in no particular order
The car feels much quicker than it appears on paper, I had a turbo NB a few years back and while I know the RF is much slower I don't really notice it much. It is definitely as quick as a 530d in a straight line up to 80mph.
It is tight inside. I'm 6"1 and 100kg and I use every bit of space, that said once I'm in the fit is perfect for me with no uncomfortable edges.
The ride is very sensitive to both weight and tire pressure, more than my NB seemed to be. An extra person makes the motorway ride much smoother and a couple of psi down on the tire pressures helps (still within recommended range). On the topic of suspension, others have complained about body roll but I don't agree. If you are taking it on track or similar then yes but mine is a DD and feels like a great balance between comfort and sportiness.
The gearbox seems to need warming up, nothing wrong when cold but it seems to get smoother and easier after 5 miles.
The roof button feels the wrong way to both me and my wife. I want to move the button in the same direction as the 'handle point' on the roof moves i.e. up for open. I'll probably get over this one quickly. Also 13 seconds is forever once you are used to the 2-3 seconds of the NA/NB roof!
Fuel economy is good. 320 odd miles on 35l for the first fill, the on screen average seems to stay around 40-42 mpg
Exhaust note is terrible. No seriously. It just hits all the wrong notes all the time. I knew this before I bought it though and I have plans for changing exhausts so I can live with is for now. I would be a bit disappointed if I expected to keep it like that forever.
The locking tab for the rear storage compartment pushes on the outside trim when it closes. This is by design but I expect that it will eventually mark it. I plan on either putting a small piece of Teflon tape or learning to press the clip every time I close it.
I will be looking at making a rear luggage holder for touring that mounts on to the hard dog tow hitch. I really don't like the look of the ones I found. Maybe someone can suggest one or let me know if you are interested and maybe I'll have a batch made.
Just like the NB, the seat squeaks when full reclined against the roll bar. As a guy who needs the extra space I can feel the difference between fully reclined and one click off of fully reclined. I will probably look into fixed rails if I can gain even 1/2". Again if anyone has any recommendations please let me know, otherwise I will look at making them myself.
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If I think of anything else I will add it to this thread.
Logically I agree 100% but intuitively I find myself wanting to push the button up to āliftā the roof and press it down to close. Iāll get used to it Iām sure.
Don,
Any time, I know how much I have learned from forums so just trying to return the favour.
1954,
Thanks, I have already drooled over the BBR bits and I will probably head down there to see if they have a demo I can drive but I will give it a few months until the bank account has recovered.
Exhaust note is a very subjective topic, this is clear when considering that some people honestly like the sound of rotaries with straight through pipes that make your ears bleed, so Iām not at all surprised that someone else likes how it sounds and Iām a little jealous that you wonāt be spending money on the exhaust to get the sound you want. It is also possible that the RF roof changes the sound quite significantly as I donāt recall having any complaints about the exhaust when I tested the soft top model. Maybe someone will take me for a spin in their soft top at a club meet to compare. For me the exhaust is very quiet (which is definitely not a bad thing) at low RPM and once the revs climb enough to hear it it becomes very tinny. Again it may be a function of the RF roof.
Yes you are right about it being subjective. I hate the sound of a boy racer fart can exhaust! The RF may sound different due to the fact it has a little bit more soundproofing (so I have heard) and the āFlying Buttressesā may have a significant effect on the sound heard from within the cabin. My ND with the hood up sounds nowhere near as good with the hood up as it does with it down!
The standard exhaust does improve as miles are put on it, however I think your issue is probably down to the extra insulation/roof on the RF. Mazda do sell a sports silencer from Bastuck, but is was quite an expensive option compared to some after market offerings. I went with the BBR Sports on my ND ST, was lucky to pick it up from ebay for Ā£150. It was like new, and has given me the sound I wanted. It is loudish on full throttle @ 7500rpm on my 1.5 love it.
I bought some velcro strips and used the soft side to stick to the plastic behind the seat to stop the rubbing, it works well. It did take me a while to find a suitable seating position.
Can I be cheeky and ask you, Andrew, and any other RF owners, how youāre getting on with the roof-open wind noise ?
I had a test drive in an RF automatic yesterday and found that the 'box is an acceptable option for those , like me, who need or prefer an auto, but the test route didnāt involve any driving above 55 mph so I havenāt experienced faster open top driving yet. Personally, I close my roof (on my NA) if Iām going on to motorways for any distance, so as long as things are reasonably calm at speeds of 60 ish, Iād accept that.
I do the same in that I seldom drive top down if I think Iām going to be doing over 60 for any length of time, I bought the hard top for a reason.
In general so far Iāve been pretty happy, buffeting and noise are quite low up to 60 and from 60 to 80 starts to get a little intrusive and annoying as you would expect. I have been surprised at how much the rear section catches the airflow at motorway speeds, certainly more than my NB roll hoop ever did and I think that a small ālip spoilerā type deflector on the windscreen surround would go a long way to reducing wind noise at higher speeds.
I am also looking into removing the sound pipe that connects the intake with the passenger compartment for quieter top up driving; it isnāt present in the auto so you wouldnāt have to worry about that.
Thanks for your reply Andrew; as long as itās ok up to and around 60, thatās good enough for me.
Re your earlier comment about the exhaust sound, I was quite pleased by the sound with top open, but didnāt experience the roof-closed effect; Iāll be interested to read about what you decide to do to pep yours up a bit when youāre ready to make the modification.Ā
So a few weeks in and I already have a few more thoughts and have changed my mind on a few bits and pieces.
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First off, the ND has reminded me of why the MX-5 is the ultimate sports car. The way it feels pulling in second and third through the curves is just addictive. I think Iām preaching to the converted here but the ND cements what the NA perfected and that is doing more(fun, handling, grip) with less (power & weight). An impressive feat considering the level of driver comfort and features.
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In terms of mods/improvements I went ahead and got an anti-slip mat which I secured between the headrest and the roll hoop. That sorted out the squeaking when the chair was all the way back.
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Iāve also had to adjust my driving style slightly because of the short ratios, coming from driving mostly diesels recently I have found that I am more comfortable in a higher gear in the 5 than I would expect, often preferring 3rd when turning at intersections over second. That is also a testament to how good the bottom end torque is and how smoothly it pulls at very low RPM.
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Iām starting to enjoy the exhaust note but I still find it a little flat at times. Maybe I will enjoy it in a few more weeks, who knows.
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Much to my wifeās horror I have started to salivate over this:
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The twin centre exhaust looks amazing to me. Yes I know it looks like the F-type but honestly, have you seen the F-Type? Itās gorgeous! Why wouldnāt I want it to look that good?
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I also like the look of the Open Flash Tablet as a path to incremental improvements, anyone have one and can make recommendations?
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The final thing and something I really miss from my previous car is a reverse camera. Given everything else that is on this car with the lane departure and blind-spot warning etc. you would think it would be included. Does anyone know of an aftermarket unit that will integrate with the OEM screen?
As Paddyman says, your exhaust should develop a more bass sound as it cokes up a bit, so that might be enough for you, but I agree that the F type lookalike system looksĀ juicy.
Re the reversing camera, I think there must be an OEM system available as it is fitted as standard to all Fiat 124ās, and many non- UK market NDās have them.
love it.
