Speaking from experience, or typical internet opinion? I've driven both. The Miata (at least any suited to Auto-X, not counting the newer models) is a much less livable car than the Sol. It's a noisy tin can. The wind noise is really something phenomenal.

If I were going to choose a car to dedicate to track use, then yes certainly the Miata is a better pick. But for the other 99% of life, I'd choose the Honda every time.

Of course, I might as well be talking to myself. You're not getting any of this.

edit: I should have quoted. Addressing Sequel.

 

This is exactly what I meant. I'd never DD a Miata .

I wasn't impressed with the Del Sol at all, but then again I wasn't impressed with an older Miata. I got to Autocross the new MX-5 and I was impressed with how much they've improved it.

 

30+ years of driving experience really goes a long way toward getting the utmost performance from a vehicle. Even though I might've had fairly decent capabilities in my younger days, one's skills continue to improve with age.

 

how about gutted with I/H/E
what would that produce?
190hp @2600?

 

Hi... thank you for calling the internet. One of our associates will be with you shortly.

 

I've got no problem driving my Miata every day. You've just got to weigh the bad against the good.

 

gutted would have some advatange.. less weight on initial jump.

BTW u dont need to be gutted to beat manual s/ced tc's.. i do it all the time and im just i/h/axleback ..with some minor extras

 

that would be 13.7 lb/hp.
a stock tc would have to put down about 219ish hp to keep up with that.

This is all at the crank btw, not at the wheels.

LOL @ PETE. "Minor extras"

 

no NOS also... just an upgraded head... =) even when i was near stock head and same set up.. same result.. its even on youtube.

 

random but...how much lbs. exactly is the tC back seat?

cause i want to take mine out..just didnt know how heavy it really is...

 

Did you bump your head??

Basically I was talking down toward the drivibility of the Del Sol, Miata isn't a winner either... But I would rather have the RWD platform.

All in all, I should have said something about the MR2, which beats both of these cars.

 

60 or so for the backs.. probably 5-7 for the bottom.. I never weighed them.. I just remember from removing them and moving them around my garage.

 

The spare tire and jack is the bulk of the weight.

To Insomniac, you won't start to lose weight until you start pulling out the things you'd want to leave alone, ie. sunroof, radio/speakers/wiring, windows/motor...

 

Don't forget A/C. The whole system passes 80lbs-- close to 3% of the total weight.

 

wow..thats kinda overboard. i mean its still my daily and want it for all its cool interior functions.
but ill be taking the seats out just to feel even the slightest bit of "oomph".

 

Back seats + cargo stuff + spare will give you the equivalent to about 3-4 hp. The only thing I noticed when I did it in my 05, was that I could hear the fuel pump.

 

^ lol

 

i can hear the gas sloshing around in my gas tank.
and your gonna hear everyyy single road noise. even the smallest little pebble sounds like a boulder, and driving in the rain...reallly annoying.

 

^ Yeah, I forgot about the gas sloshing around. When I did my seats yesterday, I found out that the newer tC's actually have more deadening in them than the 05's (not sure about 06/07).

 

Tyler, I hope you didn't bet on this like you bet on the Civic Si being just as fast, LOL.

If you did, just gut your car and beat him then put all your stuff back in.

I thought about gutting my car completely (one of the kids I know did it to his 3rd gen Eclipse and got it to run a 15.9, .4 or something faster) but for a meek difference IMO it isn't worth it.

I'll be taking my back seats and panels out when I get a cage and braces put in back there after boosting.

How about!

Gutted tc @ 250whp vs Gutted stock? :D