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Thread: revlimiter Drives an ND

  1. #1
    Forum Sponsor revlimiter's Avatar
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    Cool revlimiter Drives an ND

    A wild ND appears!


    This is something I’ve been putting off for a while. I didn’t want to drive an ND. See, I know myself. I’ve been me for a while now and am pretty good at it. I knew I would want one after driving it.

    I was right. I want one. The ND is fantastic.

    But let’s back up a bit.


    Sharka gathers attention.


    It was a boring weekday morning without much to do. I found myself in the position to be driving an ND for an extremely cool and unexpected reason the following week (more on that later), so I wanted to try one out locally first. Get a feel for the car before others saw me drive it, you know?

    So Sharka and I drove over to University Mazda here in Albuquerque and parked. I went inside while Sharka preened in the lot. A few minutes passed and I happened to look out the window. The photo above tells the story. The salesmen were loving by my ancient Miata.

    LOVING it!

    I went out, popped the hood, and chatted a bit. The guys were super nice, but they weren’t just being nice, you know? They really were impressed by my ridiculous blue car. And it felt GOOD. Nothing like positive feedback.

    But there were NDs to drive. The hood closed and I got in something a couple decades newer.


    Soul Red, flappy paddle shifters, and a twisty road.


    I wasn’t particular about which ND to drive, I just wanted to try one. Any one. Manual transmission was a plus, but a car that wasn’t buried five cars deep was a bigger plus. This little Soul Red “pre-certified” car was my tester for the morning. It was accessible and had a key. It won.

    I didn’t manage to get the car’s details. No idea what package or trim level it was. It had the leather seats and red-painted door sills inside. 6 speed automatic with the paddle shifters. They look to be upgraded wheels, so I’m guessing there was also an upgraded suspension or differential or something, but that’s just a guess.

    Really, I didn’t plan to have an awesome drive that would get a blog post. I shot all the pix with my phone. I didn’t bring a Go-Pro. I just wanted to see how the ND drove.


    These would have to go...


    The gauges were okay. A bit dim actually. I was surprised that they weren’t brighter. But the central mounted tach? Loved it.

    If and when I get an ND, those plain faces will be the first thing to go. It needs a little more style behind that steering wheel.


    Insert apology about blurry phone pix here.


    My test drive ranged all over. I did some freeway cruising, some stoplight sitting and a bit of on-ramp hard accelleration. It doesn’t sound too exciting, but it was all in the name of getting to a nice twisty section of road that I didn’t know existed so near to town.

    The ND feels solid. Very very solid and well built. Know that new-car fresh feeling? It had that in spades. Everything was tight and fresh.

    The paddle shifters were really quite nice. I didn’t expect to like them much, but they really grew on me. I doubt I’d purchase a car with the auto, but… man. 6 speeds, nice rev-matched downshifts (computerized of course), a nice feel to the paddles, and the possibility of just letting the car shift for itself when stuck in traffic? Not bad.

    The steering wheel really made the paddles though. It was a pleasure to hold. Probably the nicest stock steering wheel I’ve ever sampled. And this is coming from a self-professed steering wheel nut.

    The suspension though. For a stock suspension? I’m really impressed. It felt nice and firm. Body roll was not much of an issue at all. The car handled well and didn’t feel like a floppy noodle. It took the twisties with composure and didn’t even mind being a bit sideways once or twice.


    At least you can actually SEE the engine.


    The engine. Well… it’s an engine.

    Getting out of Sharka and into a stock Miata is NOT a fair test. Not one bit. The power to weight ratio of a turbo Miata is just not something a stock car can begin to go up against.

    But the ND did okay. It revved nicely and had power all the way up to the too-soon redline. (I believe it was shifting around 6250, right on that first red tick mark.) It felt very comparable to the power in Bucky, my 2001 NB.

    Arguably, the engine was the most disappointing thing about the car. I need to drive a manual and see how that changes things.


    Such a face. I love this face.


    That’s right. I wrote “I love this face” on the above photo. I’m smitten.

    My ND tester was red, as you can see. Soul red. I’m not at all a red car fan. No offense to red car lovers out there… I’m just not one. I prefer something in the blue spectrum. I really like shades of white as well. And stripes? Yes. But I’m not really much of a red lover.

    And yet I still love that face, red and all.


    Smooch!


    So… that’s it for me. I’m gonna need an ND in the stable. It won’t be immediate (most likely) as I don’t have a place to park it. I couldn’t let go of Sharka or Bucky either. But I need an ND.

    It calls to me. It’s waiting for me.

    Mazda did an outstanding job with the car. Everything I’ve read in the various reviews over the last year is dead on. It’s a masterpiece.

    Though many reviews were comparing it to the NA. I don’t think that’s quite right. To me, it feels like an evolved NB. It feels like the designers chipped off a bit here and tweaked a bit there. Like the NC never even existed (sorry NC fans) and they jumped straight from the NB to the ND.

    The ND is amazing.

  2. The Following 18 Users Say Thank You to revlimiter For This Useful Post:

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  3. #2
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
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    I needz to drive one! Every review just makes the need more real.....
    '01 NB2 aka MisF1re: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....218#post207218
    '97 M aka Warbird, gone but not forgotten: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....B&goto=newpost
    Instagram: @greasemonkey2000

  4. #3
    Stalled - Fire it up!
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    What about the issues that are reported with ND, with transmission failing in the first place? For me it does make the car less desirable, at least for now...

  5. #4
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! CollinMB's Avatar
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    This sounds like a similar story to myself. Went from NA to NB to ND. I agree that it feels like an upgraded NB as opposed to NA, similar power, chassis, and steering feel.

    The car you drove sounds like it was a Grand Touring. It has leather, extra sound deadening, and nav stock, but no LSD and no Bilsteins. The Club trim has those.

    Honestly, for you, if you want an ND wait till they're on the used market. Only reason I sprung for one so soon was I live in a condo and don't have room for a car that needs work and just wanted something I could enjoy daily and not have to dick with. The new tech is nice, but not essential. You could get the same effect by putting a double din in Bucky.

    All that being said, it would be nice to have some Revlimiter gear in my ND ;)

  6. #5
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power MLambert19's Avatar
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    I've yet to get my hands on one, although the dealer that sold me my NC would gladly let me. I know myself, too!

    I did the whole Miata thing kind of backwards. NB2 Mazdaspeed to PRHT NC2 to 1991 NA6.

    I'd have a hard time springing for an ND with current NC1 prices so low. You can literally find PRHT GT 6 speed cars with 30K miles for $14,000 or less if you look around. Maybe the NC is the NA's husky kid brother, but I'd take another one in a heartbeat for 1/2 the cost of a ND.

  7. #6
    Admin / Pit Boss / Miataholic Phatmiata's Avatar
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    Great review

    I'm avoiding them intentionally so I don't get the new car bug.

  8. #7
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power Airbrush1's Avatar
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    Love the review, I sat in one (also an auto) at work and felt a bit cramped in it (similar to how I feel in an s2k). I feel like the windshield is closer to my face than it should be. That said, I have also been avoiding driving one so that I avoid the new car bug as well.

  9. #8
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift NCGreasemonkey's Avatar
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    Love the review!

    Almost every Sunday Noir and myself head to Biscuitville for a a nosh. We pass the local Mazda dealer as they reset the cars on the lot for display. I have had to resist pulling Noir on to the sidewalk for a shot with the various colors of ND's available since the red seems to be the most purchased. But I have resisted. Noir revs and the salespeople give a thumbs-up, though.
    ... Rick

    Quote Originally Posted by Hammerhead View Post
    ...and don't be like an NCGreasemonkey.
    For the thread on Noir click below
    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....e-light-Slowly

  10. #9
    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    Don't do it man. Wait until the RF is a few years old with almost no miles.


    No todo que es oro brilla.

  11. #10
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift JamieH's Avatar
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    ND is fantastic, will be even better once the first year bugs/issues are worked out... and Mazda finally starts painting them in good colors.

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  13. #11
    Individual-1 ☚ ☻ ☛ Agent☣Orange's Avatar
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    Hell yeah! Like yellow...


    No todo que es oro brilla.

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  15. #12
    3,000 rpm - starting to feel the power BRGNA8's Avatar
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    Great review! If you do get one, please...no flappy paddles!!! It's just too nice a car for it NOT to have manual!

    I had the opportunity to drive an MX-5 ND (1.5) and a Toyota 86 back to back. Must say, although both cars prioritise fun over outright performance, if I had to pick I would get the ND. 200kg (440lbs) less weight than the 86, thus making throttle response feel a tad more energetic and instantaneous, shorter gearing and albeit less torque than the 2.0 version, it has a higher redline which I personally prefer. Plus, it's a convertible and there's nothing better than going through the corners on a good stretch of road with the top down on a nice sunny day.

    Check this video out



    Pretty cool video from Carfection. Agreed with buying the ND 1.5 over the 2.0 motor and that these are cars which are made to be driven, not to be stored as garage queens. Disagree over how "aggressive and snarly" the styling is. Styling wise, Mazda needed it as I think it's quite a big step up from the bloated soap-bar bubble look of the previous NC model but each to their own. Overall though, I think it's safe to say that both the NA and the new ND are winners.

    The ND MX-5 is doing for Mazda what the MK5 Golf GTI did for VW. It's taking the elements which were good, throwing away the bad and keeping it simple. It's the original, updated.

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  17. #13
    Forum Sponsor revlimiter's Avatar
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    Well, it's been a couple days since my test drive.

    I still want one.

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  19. #14
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! benpopham's Avatar
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    I sat in one a week or so ago, and now there is a brochure on my coffee table, with a letter on top asking me to come test drive one.

    My wallet hurts.

  20. #15
    Supporting Member Hammerhead's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by revlimiter View Post
    Well, it's been a couple days since my test drive.

    I still want one.
    I won't drive one, because of this ^^.

    And, I'm too cheap to want 2 monthly car payments.

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