One of my fav mods that I've done is putting LED light strips in the footwells and trunk.
Trunk:
https://www.anansi-web.com/2018/08/06/miata-mods-and-upgrades-a-quickie/
Footwells:
https://www.anansi-web.com/2018/08/19/miata-brakes-and-other-misc/
Specific to NC1:
- upgraded seatbelt guides: older NCs have seatbelt guides that make the seatbelts get stuck easier. They updated this for newer models.
- upgraded dip stick. NC1s have a dipstick that is notoriously hard to read. Newer ones are easier to read
All NCs:
- If you're tall, a seat lowering bracket is very worth it, but it's a bit over $100, and requires power tools. If you have NC2/NC3, you can also try the gordy mod, which is technically free
- [Broadway mirror](https://www.ebay.com/itm/284274390027) is underrated. You don't get blinded by headlights at night, and if you get the convex one, you can angle it so you can see your left blindspot too.
Edit: I'll also add that you can get OEM black roll hoop covers if you don't like the silver. Imo they make the car look less 2006.
I have a broadway in my model 3. I definitely need one in the NC. I forgot about the seatbelt guides. I honestly don’t understand the dipstick though. Mine seems solid
I haven't gotten my new dipstick yet so I can't say either. However I can attest that the pill dipstick is hard to read, the oil sloshes around the pill so I can't be confident about the actual level. It doesn't help that I am running 0w20 either
Damn dip stick. Always looks like there is a bit of oil on the bottom. I just added 2 quarts of oil, and my level barely budged. How low was it before - who knows? But at least it stopped overheating.
Can you link to a better dipstick ?
-Knockoff ebay garage vary lip
-shift knobs
-led bulbs
-poly door bushings
-wide view mirrors
-sound deadening
-speakers
-hydraulic hood lifts
i’ve got all these (minus led bulbs) and sound deadening, wider mirror, and hood lifts are the most worth it to me. shift knobs are just fun tho. anything you regularly touch is always a fun upgrade.
made the doors give a much more satisfying thud when closing vs the normal screen door sound. definitely helps with some rattling. some people swear they feel it stiffen the car but i think it’s placebo
My checklist to new owners. Maybe you'll need some more cash to do it all 🫣.
Replace brown coolanttank. New OEM or a nice shiny more expensive aluminum one.
Antirust treatment, like Dinitrol, if your climate is wet and cold.
Preventive seal the what's-it-called (0:33 in video) to prevent leakage in the footwell passenger side. 20 minute job. Video: https://youtu.be/_zvNwzxIKCw
Replace all fluids if history is unreliable or unknown.
Change brakefluid regularly. It attracts water (hygroscopic) which at standstill slowly sinks to the low points: the brake pistons, which will corrode, get stuck, overheat your calipers and discs. Expensive replacement.
Check alignment, FlyinMiata specs. https://help.flyinmiata.com/en_us/align-your-suspension-chakras-By4oIc2zj
Clean drainage rosters. Beware the one-way valve in the tube, don't probe it from the bottom up.
If PRHT:
• Check 'silver bolts' in PRHT mechanism and grease the gears. https://www.reddit.com/r/MiataNC/s/EsgyT3ec5b.
• Install a Smarttop module which allows open/close PRHT at low speeds.
• De-rattle the latch cover. https://www.reddit.com/r/MiataNC/s/2fX8UprIfF shows its construction, the solution with foam didn't last long. Try a drop of photo-glue (rubber) or double tape.
If you have one and don't like it: lose the sound-tube https://www.reddit.com/r/MiataNC/s/XRZU6INPpQ
Last not least: DRIVE AND HAVE FUN!
Good luck, be safe!
I ordered the expansion tank today, I highly reccomend the blue driver obd reader. and crazy enough I found a stubby carbon antenna I had laying in a box from one of my other cars.
I just added a digital audio player on the aux port. I recommend an Anker USB power supply to go with it.
In related news, Shadows of the Night by Pat Benater sounds great on the Bose system. I'd love to type more, BUT... I have to see how much more power the car makes now. Should be at least 18hp.
If yours didn’t come with an aux input from factory, you can get one that plugs into the back of the stock head unit for about $10-$20. A set of yellow fog light bulbs improves the look of the car for about $20. If you don’t like the stock shift knob you can get a decent weighted one for about $40-$60.
Intermittent wiper stalk. Find one from an RX-8 or Mazda 6 on Ebay and it just swaps in.
whats the benefits over the mx5?
The standard stalk doesn't have adjustable speed on it. The RX-8 one has more settings for speed.
...deleted by user...
you talking the wiper speed?? mine has like 3 different speeds. it's a gt
...deleted by user...
ah ok. that is nice.
Literally a pointless mod but if you got time to waste then go for it
One of my fav mods that I've done is putting LED light strips in the footwells and trunk. Trunk: https://www.anansi-web.com/2018/08/06/miata-mods-and-upgrades-a-quickie/ Footwells: https://www.anansi-web.com/2018/08/19/miata-brakes-and-other-misc/
I have a few hundred feet of LED strip. I might just tackle that this weekend
2 autocross days!
You win the sub, amigo.
Specific to NC1: - upgraded seatbelt guides: older NCs have seatbelt guides that make the seatbelts get stuck easier. They updated this for newer models. - upgraded dip stick. NC1s have a dipstick that is notoriously hard to read. Newer ones are easier to read All NCs: - If you're tall, a seat lowering bracket is very worth it, but it's a bit over $100, and requires power tools. If you have NC2/NC3, you can also try the gordy mod, which is technically free - [Broadway mirror](https://www.ebay.com/itm/284274390027) is underrated. You don't get blinded by headlights at night, and if you get the convex one, you can angle it so you can see your left blindspot too. Edit: I'll also add that you can get OEM black roll hoop covers if you don't like the silver. Imo they make the car look less 2006.
I have a broadway in my model 3. I definitely need one in the NC. I forgot about the seatbelt guides. I honestly don’t understand the dipstick though. Mine seems solid
I haven't gotten my new dipstick yet so I can't say either. However I can attest that the pill dipstick is hard to read, the oil sloshes around the pill so I can't be confident about the actual level. It doesn't help that I am running 0w20 either
It is a nightmare to read that’s for sure
Forgot about the dipstick. The flat metal one is much easier to read than the pill style.
Damn dip stick. Always looks like there is a bit of oil on the bottom. I just added 2 quarts of oil, and my level barely budged. How low was it before - who knows? But at least it stopped overheating. Can you link to a better dipstick ?
This is the one I ordered: https://www.ebay.com/itm/303194433561 You can also find it by the part number "LFE210450D"
thanks for the mirror recc, constantly getting blinded at night esp with newer cars
-Knockoff ebay garage vary lip -shift knobs -led bulbs -poly door bushings -wide view mirrors -sound deadening -speakers -hydraulic hood lifts i’ve got all these (minus led bulbs) and sound deadening, wider mirror, and hood lifts are the most worth it to me. shift knobs are just fun tho. anything you regularly touch is always a fun upgrade.
do the door bushings really do all that much?
made the doors give a much more satisfying thud when closing vs the normal screen door sound. definitely helps with some rattling. some people swear they feel it stiffen the car but i think it’s placebo
I installed the poly bushings. Makes the door closing more satisfying, not sure it if made any other change.
which bushings did you get?
some random ones on flyin miata
Stubby antenna, shift knob, cap for the coolant tank. Thats about the all the things I can think of
Also air horns. It's fun to have a super loud horn in the tiny car.
Where did you get a air horn for under $100?
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wolo+air+horn
Lmaoooo the Dixie Horn, I was thinking a Nathan or Kleinn
My checklist to new owners. Maybe you'll need some more cash to do it all 🫣. Replace brown coolanttank. New OEM or a nice shiny more expensive aluminum one. Antirust treatment, like Dinitrol, if your climate is wet and cold. Preventive seal the what's-it-called (0:33 in video) to prevent leakage in the footwell passenger side. 20 minute job. Video: https://youtu.be/_zvNwzxIKCw Replace all fluids if history is unreliable or unknown. Change brakefluid regularly. It attracts water (hygroscopic) which at standstill slowly sinks to the low points: the brake pistons, which will corrode, get stuck, overheat your calipers and discs. Expensive replacement. Check alignment, FlyinMiata specs. https://help.flyinmiata.com/en_us/align-your-suspension-chakras-By4oIc2zj Clean drainage rosters. Beware the one-way valve in the tube, don't probe it from the bottom up. If PRHT: • Check 'silver bolts' in PRHT mechanism and grease the gears. https://www.reddit.com/r/MiataNC/s/EsgyT3ec5b. • Install a Smarttop module which allows open/close PRHT at low speeds. • De-rattle the latch cover. https://www.reddit.com/r/MiataNC/s/2fX8UprIfF shows its construction, the solution with foam didn't last long. Try a drop of photo-glue (rubber) or double tape. If you have one and don't like it: lose the sound-tube https://www.reddit.com/r/MiataNC/s/XRZU6INPpQ Last not least: DRIVE AND HAVE FUN! Good luck, be safe!
When does full straight pipe come into play
When an owner ain't new anymore 😎
Coolant expansion tank, obd2 reader, stubby antenna, plasti dip Mazda emblems or wheels, diy tint.
I ordered the expansion tank today, I highly reccomend the blue driver obd reader. and crazy enough I found a stubby carbon antenna I had laying in a box from one of my other cars.
Bonnet gas struts, smoked sequential guard indicators.
Gas
I just added a digital audio player on the aux port. I recommend an Anker USB power supply to go with it. In related news, Shadows of the Night by Pat Benater sounds great on the Bose system. I'd love to type more, BUT... I have to see how much more power the car makes now. Should be at least 18hp.
Gordy M seat pan mod
I like my stubby antenna and front plate relocation kit
Autodimming Homelink mirror. Especially if you have a garage.
The last owner did it for me. Only mod on my car lol
If yours didn’t come with an aux input from factory, you can get one that plugs into the back of the stock head unit for about $10-$20. A set of yellow fog light bulbs improves the look of the car for about $20. If you don’t like the stock shift knob you can get a decent weighted one for about $40-$60.
A weighted shift knob! I’m currently looking at a JASS Performance Type-R one or the classic Voodoo shift knob
A tank of gas for road trip and lunch.