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View Full Version : How much power is enough for your Miata? (POLL)



concealer404
07-30-2012, 06:04 PM
This has been bugging me.

I've given a couple people rides in my Miata and they think it's fast and that i'm crazy, have a skewed view on what's fast/quick and what isn't.

My Miata feels SLOW to me, and this is a car that dyno'd 245whp.

Soo.... vote! What's enough for your Miata?

kung fu jesus
07-30-2012, 06:11 PM
Fast is what you make of it. Too much power and you overcome the mechanical grip of the car and it no longer feels like a Miata. I've had mine up to 240bhp. It was fun, but too hard to control in tight, rapid corners. 150 to 180bhp and under 2400# loaded is perfect to me.

Grip Driver
07-30-2012, 06:27 PM
Fast is what you make of it. Too much power and you overcome the mechanical grip of the car and it no longer feels like a Miata. I've had mine up to 240bhp. It was fun, but too hard to control in tight, rapid corners. 150 to 180bhp and under 2400# loaded is perfect to me.

I'm with Fu on this one. My MSM was 210 to he wheel and was difficult to control at times, especially in auto-x. My 90 is 170 to the wheels and more livable and overall, a more fun car to drive. I would still like to drive a V8 swapped car, I'm really curious what that is like.

I<3flippyheadlights
07-30-2012, 07:07 PM
I'm gonna chill in the 150-200 HP crowd. I have sat in a few differenet Miatas (sadly never driven one) but I think I have a sound voice now. Would it be fun to break tires loose whenever? Hell ya! But I think it would get old when you can't push your car because you will lose it. Thats why I love the stock miata. But also thats why I really love Randy's SC LE. Its probably around 150 and its tons of fun. Get another miata, make it lighter, toss on a SC and you're sitting with 150 bhp and around 2000 pounds. Thast sounds perfect.

xjdesertfox
07-31-2012, 12:54 AM
enough? 120whp

desire? I drove a miata with 320whp(on a mustang) and It was bliss. Im shooting for a similar power range next year. ~250hp+ miatas are FUN

iRoadster
07-31-2012, 02:02 PM
I've always thought that right around 150 whp is perfect for an NA.
Now if I could only make that kind of power with my car...

The Driver
07-31-2012, 02:04 PM
When my Miata goes turbo, I'd like 215-230 at the crank, with a torque curve as flat as Florida...

afc2112
07-31-2012, 02:06 PM
I'm gonna chill in the 150-200 HP crowd. I have sat in a few different Miatas (sadly never driven one) but I think I have a sound voice now. Would it be fun to break tires loose whenever? Hell ya! But I think it would get old when you can't push your car because you will lose it. That's why I love the stock miata. Thats why I really love Randy's SC LE. Its probably around 150 and its tons of fun.

Lucky. I want a ride in that thing...Maybe even drive it! lol

Anyway, I say about 230-250 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque would be fun.

Phatmiata
07-31-2012, 02:21 PM
Lucky. I want a ride in that thing...Maybe even drive it! lol

Anyway, I say about 230-250 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque would be fun.

Arvin, next time you are at the local meet just remind me, my car is totally stock other than the S/C so there is a lot more room for upgrades. But the S/C is great because it feels like how the car "should" have came from the factory. The supercharger on my Miata is a very reliable, usable, controllable power.

However ........... :twisted: .......... I still want a Turbo because I have one on the MINI and it just feels flat out FAST! :burnout:

tsingson
07-31-2012, 02:58 PM
My other NB made 117whp and I thought that was enough for me. I loved it in the corners and it never felt like I would lose control but fast enough for me to make people think twice.

psulja
07-31-2012, 08:53 PM
I'm hoping to go for boost over the winter and will be aiming for around 180whp to start, and then later maybe aim for around 220whp if I get bored with 180. But I would rather have it running reliably at 180whp than having issues at 220whp.

ctrench
07-31-2012, 10:43 PM
realistically i want 160hp from my 1.6...

there is never such thing as too much horsepower; if i had the opprtunity for a LS9 with 640hp (from the new ZR1) hell yeah count me in!!

Advancedspecv
07-31-2012, 11:56 PM
Coming from the supra world I love a high hp car. I think I'd be happy around 250whp, im hoping that it will give me a similar feel to my 400hp supra. There is just something about a car that can bark 4th gear that gets me excited lol :)

iamdallas
08-01-2012, 04:46 AM
I'm looking for somewhere between the 250-300 range. That should be pretty sweet.

atank
08-01-2012, 05:22 AM
With the handling of my MSM on the twisties 201-250hp is a good median for me.........

The Phen
08-01-2012, 10:52 AM
My MSM was sitting at a poorly tuned 190whp. It was fun, but there was just something not quite right about the car. I bought the FMII conversion and messed with the tune a bit and the car became a completely different beast. It no longer feels like a science experiment, thanks to what the P.O. did to it. I'm not sure of what the power is right now, but I like it a lot more than I did. I'm guessing around 240 whp as is.

concealer404
08-01-2012, 10:55 AM
My MSM was sitting at a poorly tuned 190whp. It was fun, but there was just something not quite right about the car. I bought the FMII conversion and messed with the tune a bit and the car became a completely different beast. It no longer feels like a science experiment, thanks to what the P.O. did to it. I'm not sure of what the power is right now, but I like it a lot more than I did. I'm guessing around 240 whp as is.


Mine dyno'd 245whp @ FM but feels slow as balls, and definitely runs like a bad science experiment. If i can't get bribe, beg, and plead to get someone to touch this terrible EMS that is Hydra and tune the car this month, i'm selling the POS ECU and putting in a Haltech.

The Phen
08-01-2012, 11:34 AM
Huh. That's weird. There is a guy in Pittsburgh who worked with mine, and had no problems with it. He actually asked me to spread the word. If interested, I can pass along information.

concealer404
08-01-2012, 11:35 AM
Huh. That's weird. There is a guy in Pittsburgh who worked with mine, and had no problems with it. He actually asked me to spread the word. If interested, I can pass along information.

That's kindof a far drive. :lol: I appreciate the offer, though!

The Phen
08-01-2012, 11:39 AM
I hear ya. I was just in Indy over the weekend for the Grand Am race.

concealer404
08-01-2012, 11:46 AM
I hear ya. I was just in Indy over the weekend for the Grand Am race.

Oh nice!!!! :)

Really with my situation, at the end of the day, if i can't easily get face-to-face support on this EMS, then it's 100% worthless to me. I have no interest in tuning the car myself, troubleshooting it myself, none of those things. I have other race cars i build and deal with, this was just supposed to be a fun toy that i wouldn't have to worry about, and i don't have the time or motivation to deal with it.

I know i have support via phone or email, but if the car can't be tuned correctly in person, i'm not optimistic about my chances via email. :lol:

The Driver
08-01-2012, 11:52 AM
Oh nice!!!! :)

Really with my situation, at the end of the day, if i can't easily get face-to-face support on this EMS, then it's 100% worthless to me. I have no interest in tuning the car myself, troubleshooting it myself, none of those things. I have other race cars i build and deal with, this was just supposed to be a fun toy that i wouldn't have to worry about, and i don't have the time or motivation to deal with it.

I know i have support via phone or email, but if the car can't be tuned correctly in person, i'm not optimistic about my chances via email. :lol:

I'm no Hydra fan, but I have a friend that lives in Denver (E.G. FAR from Flying Miata) and he has updated his Hydra over email. Why don't you give it a shot? I mean you already spent all that $$ on the software!

concealer404
08-01-2012, 11:56 AM
I'm no Hydra fan, but I have a friend that lives in Denver (E.G. FAR from Flying Miata) and he has updated his Hydra over email. Why don't you give it a shot? I mean you already spent all that $$ on the software!

The car had a Hydra on it when i bought it (this particular car was one of the first Big Enchilada cars, assembled BY FM in 2006).... and i took it to FM in person to have them tune it. There's a local business that can tune it, but he's not a great business man and seems to hate making money.

The Driver
08-01-2012, 11:58 AM
The car had a Hydra on it when i bought it (this particular car was one of the first Big Enchilada cars, assembled BY FM in 2006).... and i took it to FM in person to have them tune it. There's a local business that can tune it, but he's not a great business man and seems to hate making money.

Still, have you contact FM? I'll give 'em a shot!

I<3flippyheadlights
08-01-2012, 12:25 PM
I really haven't heard anything too good about the hydra system. The longer this thread goes on, the more I like the idea of DIY turbo.

The Driver
08-01-2012, 12:28 PM
I really haven't heard anything too good about the hydra system. The longer this thread goes on, the more I like the idea of DIY turbo.

No offense, but what the heck does the software has got to do with anything?

I will be going the FM route for Turbo and AEM for software. There are almost limitless options...

I<3flippyheadlights
08-01-2012, 12:30 PM
I have no idea! But everytime I hear Hydra it is followed by pissed off people.

concealer404
08-01-2012, 12:35 PM
I have no idea! But everytime I hear Hydra it is followed by pissed off people.

Because it sucks, and every update is filled with empty promises and crap that never works right.

But that's another thread. :lol:

I want about 350whp for my Miata, and it'll probably happen in the next year and a half. :D

John J
08-01-2012, 12:36 PM
Since I own a LS2 coversion with around 375 HP and prior to that it was a srock 1.6 1990 Miata nothing else would now satisfy me now. Other factors is complete upgrades in suspension, brakes, and stiffening which further helps. The car can run anywhere from being a turtle to an all out beast depending how you drive the car. The MPG ranges between 18-33 MPG depending on driving factors. It handles better now than when I first bought the Miata.

The Driver
08-01-2012, 12:37 PM
I have no idea! But everytime I hear Hydra it is followed by pissed off people.

Well there is MSPNP and AEM... It still has nothing to do with the hardware...

I do know an few happy Hydra people, but for what they charge, they should ALL be happy customers...

richterat83
08-01-2012, 01:26 PM
226 is perfect (for me) for daily driving

but i'd say 150-200 for an auto-x car

Chops
08-08-2012, 11:53 PM
I say if I could get 150-160hp reliably out of the 1.6, I'd be content.