I’ve had my metallic red NC 3.0 2.0 Sport for just over a year and really love it.
However I’m thinking of trading it and getting a dark blue NC 3.5 2.0 sport. There are several reasons,
I would get a lower mileage car
It would have slightly better performance
Cruise control
External temperature
SWMBO prefers the blue colour.
The only down sides are I’d not know quite what I’m getting. My current cars been undersealed. I’d also have the fun or updating the audio system again.
I wonder if anyone else has upgraded from 3.0 to 3.5. was it worth it.
Not sure what your reference to external temperature is…
It all depends of course on what you’re looking for and how long you intend to keep the car, I went from an NC soft top to an NC2 PRHT, it was also lowered and on 18" wheels.
I only kept the NC2 for 10 months (bought an ND and traded the NC2 for slightly more than I had paid for it), handling was excellent, ride was boneshaking and I didn’t get on with the PRHT.
The NC2 has some subtle upgrades over the NC1 as the model has evolved and is arguably a bit nicer car, how much will probably depend on the price to change and as above what your intention is for length of ownership.
External temp - the digital thermometer in the trip.
I think the issue here is like you say, what you are getting. Personally I love the metallic red but that’s just me. I doubt you would feel the difference in performance on the road. Yes the lowered suspension makes the car look good but is very hard but I wouldn’t change it to normal height at all. Lower mileage is meaningless. You can get a badly maintained low miler and a very well maintained high miler. It’s how it has been looked after that matters unless you are over 100,000 and things start to naturally wear out. There is a lot to be said for sticking with what you know. Sometimes we have to admit we just want a change and try to justify it in other ways. If you fancy a change just do it.
Thanks lightweight,
Your comment on the NC2 having a harder ride would be a deal breaker with SWMBO. The things I’d like would be nice to haves and whilst my NC1 remains a weekend and holiday car it’s ok. I do miss cruise control though.
Go with her on a test drive and see what she thinks. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not uncomfortable, just hard. But it does get noticed! The only other issue of course is watching your road height as it’s easy to bottom out.
You don’t say whether the NC 2 has been lowered or not if it hasn’t been and is on stock suspension it will give you a perfectly compliant ride even with the Bilstein shocks. Mazda made a few changes to the suspension on the NC 2 by revalving the shocks , and lowering the ride height slightly . Other changes were stronger engine internals , and stronger valve springs .I believe they also added an oil cooler as well.
