Supercharged MX-5 - Is the BBR MX5 worth it?

[@mrporsche4236]

Would have this over most porsches

[@clkgtr12]

me too this over anything below the 911

[@OurTim]

10 years ago, I drove the Boxster against the 911 and then brand new F-Type. Boxster was, hands down, best one of the three. You could enjoy it completely every day and not feel like you were missing out on anything, or like you weren't near the car's full potential. This little MX-5 felt the same.

[@mrporsche4236]

Main problems with porsches. If they just rear wheel drive which most of them are they have no steering control over about 140kmh. Like no steering zero. The gear ratios are far too tall not enjoyable.Pre 2005 engines run too hot. They are just too unreliable too expensive to buy and maintain. Mx5 has none of those issues and is alot more engaging and alot more fun. Thats a fact not an opinion. Some porsches are beyond special most are terrible

[@edgarsdzerins]

For most people most Porsches don't have a chance on the track! Mazda is light, precise and fast through corners. 99% Porsches could do nothing when I went to the track with standart ND manual with diff.

[@lucianolucidi8624]

​@@edgarsdzerinsi love my 200hp red RF but Porsche is Porsche. A cayman well driven doesn't give any chance to our beautifull mx5. C' mon

[@miniscenesgb]

Love the car - even more impressed by your filming, editing and presenting skills

[@andrewstevenson6540]

I'm sure that's a great car but so is a standard 1500 nd. Best car I've ever owned and I've had cars with more than double the power.

[@heroictesticles6870]

1.5 gets gapped by soccer moms on their way to get grocery. While handling and feel is the best part of any MX5, they aren't fast at all. The 1.5 is pedestrian.

[@airooter]

I get 0-60 by 6.3, without killing my transmission. If I do it harder, I could get 5.9 without any tunes.

[@MegaWayfarer]

And what about the number of complaint I am reading on forums? One chap is complaining about a cam knock post super 200 conversion. They are not patient enough to answer pre sales questions. You don't want to be having to be going back to them after every niggle especially if your travelling long distances to get the job done.

[@OurTim]

Honestly, I can’t answer that question but there are plans for more BBR content in future and I am more than happy to put these kind of questions to them. My channel is honest and real, nothing faked. If there is a genuine question to be asked, I will always go the extra mile to get an honest answer.

[@MiniClubman-tv7nt]

I agree fully, aftersales can be much better

[@Ambryu1]

I'm a little mad at B.B.R right now because I AVO turbo charged my nd mx5 and paid them for a tune to get my car running but it ran horribly, I loved their big cams 200 kit but if your not running everything that they offer they are reluctant to help you.

[@Accost2u]

It’s why I wouldn’t buy their kits. Their customer service is very inconsistent so I wouldn’t be comfortable spending several thousand with them.

[@spaceboat875]

Wow thanks for the insight. BBR if you’re reading this, you just lost a client.

[@sjdyt]

I want one! Had a standard NC and ND-RF. I need some excitement back in my life.

[@OurTim]

You know your NC... kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGjSoYyEq8efn8k&lc=UgwV5ChrXGRm8dbgMlR4AaABAg

[@BoostedNDMiata]

I don’t know about the Supercharged versions but my BBR Stage 2 Turbo ND1 makes >300 whp @12.5 psi. Worth it? Definitely!!

[@OurTim]

"Smile so much bigger!"

[@venomking3602]

You turbo lovers always watching supercharge videos

[@timsgta]

Better watch that transmission hope you had work done

[@Peertje1982]

No gearbox problems?

[@SashaNaronin]

What did you do to make sure your transmission survives that? I know a few ND owners and they almost all have that issue

[@jamesjdm1982]

What is the size and offset of the wheels?

[@aerotus888]

Awesome car and video. Thanks!

[@BGcontentproduction]

Great video! subscribed!

[@jeff8ball]

Thanks for the vid!

[@michaelbaker9590]

Excellent video alot of money though would go for an arbarth 124 spider or a GB Sportscar kit car built in Nottingham . Would love you to do a video on them

[@OurTim]

Thanks! I’ll reach out to them 👍

[@airooter]

Another point - the supercharger and other charges eat stock transmissions like I my eat my breakfast :) So, worth it to spend 7.5k and then rebuild a transmission\or buy a new one? Don't think so. Use stock power, it's more than enough

[@heroictesticles6870]

If it was more than enough then no one would be interested in adding more. People get used to 500whp and want more, the ND2's paltry 181 at the flywheel/160 at the wheels is not very exciting at all.

[@johntechwriter]

You could have an excellent point. Unlike most car manufacturers, Mazda builds their own transmissions, and they are featherweight. Early ND1 transmissions were too light - underbuilt at 15 lb! - and were prone to failure. They’ve been upgraded of course but not for this kind of duty. Having owned a turbo Miata, I recall running it hard through the gears more frequently than before it was modified. And that brings up the dark side of forced induction. In a way you feel obligated to drive faster. In a 250+ hp tiny roadster, things can happen awfully fast. The stock Miata is very forgiving, but in my turbo Miata, fearing snap oversteer, I lost confidence in corners, and the car was no longer fun to drive. After a couple of months I sold it.

[@mountainbikerpaul2267]

@@johntechwriterVery interesting comment, I've had my ND1 1.5 for 6 years now and always felt it had plenty of power for fun on British B roads.

[@justinbennitt835]

There have been a few revisions to the ND gearbox, apparently by 2019 for the ND2 they resolved the issues. I've had a BBR upgrade on my ND2 for 6 months and so far no issues handing 215bhp.

[@airooter]

@@justinbennitt835 nope:) the problem still exists. Check hpde discussions. Unfortunately the transmission isn't reliable enough

[@2donuts273]

I'm saving up for a used ND..til then I can't really comment much.😅 But it does have all the looks and possibly might become all time classic like its brother the FD3S.

[@OurTim]

Keep saving and I'm sure NDs will come down... or you can get this kind of performance for a lower price with a NC... kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGjSoYyEq8efn8k&lc=UgwV5ChrXGRm8dbgMlR4AaABAg

[@johntechwriter]

I own an ND2 and last week swapped with a friend’s NA. A totally delightful car in its own right. Its hydraulic steering was superior to my car’s electric. I have never driven a. Miata I would not own.

[@hypnotechno]

how does it affect insurance

[@justinbennitt835]

fully declared BBR Super 220 upgrade plus Eibach upgraded anti-roll bars and shorter springs and my insurance inceased by about £120.

[@kakarot81]

I purchased the BBR Super 200 kit for my 2010 NC Miata with 60k miles, and unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed with the results. Right from the start, I experienced significant bogging in first gear from a standstill. On steep inclines, I had to rev the engine past 3,000 RPM just to prevent it from stalling. I had a mechanic install the kit, then paid another for a more refined tune. After still experiencing issues, I consulted a third mechanic to ensure the camshafts were installed correctly. He confirmed they were, but after further frustration, I had him reinstall the stock camshafts, hoping for a better driving experience. Overall, I'm incredibly dissatisfied with this kit and the amount of money and time I spent on it. This experience has left me feeling let down, and I will never consider purchasing from BBR again.

[@OurTim]

Have you spoken to BBR about this?

[@hypnotechno]

can i get one fitted in portugal?

[@johntechwriter]

This looks like an excellent implementation of forced induction. But here in California no forced induction Miata will pass smog. I’m surprised they do not do more stringent testing in the U.K. or Europe. If not now, they will soon, and then what do you do? Here in the USA the most respected turbo Miata specialist, Flyin’ Miata, has discontinued all their forced induction offerings for this reason. Having owned four MX-5s , one a 275 hp turbo, I’d stick with the one I have now, a naturally aspirated ND2. It gets to 60 in under 6 seconds and gets all the way up to 141. The fantastic aero helps with the top end, and at 70 mph with top down you can converse on your iPhone using Bluetooth wireless earbuds with ANC. At that speed the cabin is nearly still. I’ve had my 2019 ND2 Sport, the base model, to 135 and the car was fully planted. It’s faster than my Series 2 E-Type in every metric, and far more fun to drive. If you can’t make serious time in an ND2, it is not the car’s fault. And bear in mind, sports cars are not hot rods. Their personality is entirely different. For me, nimble handling beats hammering the throttle between corners every time. Oh, and a tip to Tim: Lose that horrid black perforated wind blocker behind the seats. You can get a clear acrylic one from Cravenspeed for US$100. Much improved visibility, and your car is no longer blighted by the cheesy original.

[@justinbennitt835]

For the ND model, BBR only do a forced induction upgrade on the ND1, their Super 200 and Super 220 upgrades for the ND2 keep it naturally aspirated. They don't currently do an engine upgrade for the ND3.

[@Howfieldguitarrepairs]

Mazda commissioned them?

[@dg7438]

Nice! Do they sell to the states?

[@reinaldo8787]

Just get the hks gt2 kit in the US. It is basically the same.

[@dg7438]

@@reinaldo8787 Thanks

[@johntechwriter]

It won’t pass California smog, that’s for sure. I’m surprised they do not do more stringent testing in Europe. If not now then soon, and then what do you do? Having owned four MX-5s , one a 275 hp turbo, I’d stick with the one I have now, a naturally aspirated ND2. It gets to 60 under 6 seconds. And all the way up to 141. I’ve had it to 135 and the car was fully planted. It’s faster than my Series 2 E-Type in every metric, and far more fun to drive. If you can’t make serious time in an ND2, it is not the car’s fault.

[@65hi863dhyu]

Great video

[@boguszniewiadomski1040]

I would worry about not very robust for extra torque ND gearbox

[@OurTim]

Maybe. I’m sure after 7 years of development and hundreds of conversions, BBR would have found that issue and offered a fix. I really doubt they’d set customers up to fail like that!

[@thierrylerinckx1340]

Yes that's the only thing that would hold me back from getting this. The gearbox hasn't a stellar bulletproof reputation. Especially in the early Nd versions. Wonder what the experience at BBR is?

[@mattguerra82]

I also looked into that. The solve is to replace it with the NC transmission - and it seems like BBR already offers that in their website

[@MidLoafCrisis]

When I was getting my NC1 fettled there was a another customer with an ND who had exactly this problem with his gearbox... That has really put me off them, plus I'm too tall

[@MegaWayfarer]

@@mattguerra82 My NC2 gearbox is the weakest link. When I purchased it I had change the gear shift guide before which made it almost impossible to select second from first. That fix was a 70% improvement. When I talked to BBR they said it is a known issue and it would be a waste of money trying to fix instead proposing a brand new box costing 3K.

[@kristianmiles156]

Is there any way of getting this set up landed in Australia?

[@OurTim]

I can't speak on behalf of BBR but they do sell it as a DIY kit if you are handy with the spanners or know a good mechanic?

[@kristianmiles156]

@@OurTim thanks Tim. Definitely I’m not that handy with the old spanner but it’s definitely worth looking into!

[@OurTim]

@@kristianmiles156 Worth looking into the costs for sure, when you contact BBR, please let them know about this video 👍 if there is anything else you want to see or know, let me know!

[@ianbradley2153]

Have a 25th anniversary edition with a bbr 200 package but stage 2 SC is defo in my future

[@OurTim]

Hopefully you enjoyed this video and it inspired you!

[@johncrofts6058]

i got the 25th AE, fully forged , turbo, running a safe 320bhp. Makes you smile!!!

[@edwards4409]

Just 5.3 I thought the ND2 already did 5.7 0-60

[@johntechwriter]

Correct, 0-60 in 5.7 secs as tested by Car and Driver. It is significantly quicker AND faster than the ND1. Its 181 hp is perfectly balanced to the car. That six-speed manual has no overdrive gearing - it’s a true close-ratio six-speed, meaning you always have the right gear available in any situation.

[@edwards4409]

@johntechwriter so in theory this set up with the new engine can maybe get to some high 4 0-60?

[@joewildwest2241]

did you notice the steering wheel is on the wrong side

[@OurTim]

It is, quite literally, on the right [side]... 😉😉

[@thisguyovahere6692]

Would love to do this to my recaro but it's just £££'s 😢

[@OurTim]

Yeah but think of the smiles....

[@thisguyovahere6692]

@OurTim I dont doubt it, I've heard that the earlier ND's have gearbox issues so a bit dubious.

[@OurTim]

It’s a running theme of the comments here… maybe BBR should let me test one over a longer period 😉😉

[@EdA-bz3bu]

my wife has owned boxsters and miatas and *she laughed her ass off* when she herd they "rather have the miata".

[@elbukiss]

Prefiero al miata, definitivamente

[@heroictesticles6870]

Still better value for the money. Boxster isn't twice the car that is for sure.

[@BrateTebra123]

Well you got snobby wife, that's why

[@azzman73]

Classic "with a wheel at each corner"

[@OurTim]

By that I mean there is very little overhang thus weight is all kept within the wheel base of the car. Greater overhang - I.e. wheels not quite at the corners but further inbound - can impact the handling, especially the cornering ability. It’s a overly used cliche yes but there is some reasoning behind it.

[@matth8205]

They look fun but that’s a lot of cash to sink into a Mazda. If I found a used one in good condition at sensible money it could be an option but to buy one then spend all that money 💰 think I’d go for a Porsche in the end. Indy running costs aren’t that much and you won’t lose as much on it at resale.

[@MiniClubman-tv7nt]

They always mix up the numbers… Its 0-100 kmpu (62 mph) 7.3 sec not 0-60 7.3 sec. And they compare it with a 0-60 after the tune. Thats a big difference because u cant get to 62mph in second gear. U have to shift to third gear. And that cost u at least another 0,4 sec. Because the gear box really sucks, u cant shift quick with that crappy thing. I drove first year with 160pk, than tuned and drove a year with 210pk bbr 200+ and now 9 months with 265pk bbr 200+ stage 2 supercharger. The latest tune is slower to a 100kmpu but so much faster 80-200kmpu compared to the 200+ bbr tune. And it hoses gasoline so much more. Im empty after 300km on 35 liters full tank. The character did change, i have a vtec feel starting from 3500 - 6800 revs a minute. Would i do it again ? Nope i would buy an elise and get a vtec engine. The nd has an annoying air restriction and an ecu that still controles everything. The car is to digital to my taste. I have a 2016 nd and bought it in 2019. It got a second gearbox cause the first completely shattered after 55k. Its the latest nd1 version box (4th revision). If u have any questions just ask.

[@BrateTebra123]

Are ND2 gearboxes finally withiut issues?

[@MiniClubman-tv7nt]

@@BrateTebra123maybe

[@justinbennitt835]

@@BrateTebra123 from what I read, the gearbox issues were sorted by 2019, hence I went for an ND2 rather than an ND1. I had a BBR Super 220 upgrade fitted 6 months ago by BBR themselves and so far no issues. The Super 220 increases the redline to 7800rpm so it probably now does 60 mph in 2nd, I don't care about standing 0-60 times myself so haven't attempted to time it.

[@MiniClubman-tv7nt]

⁠@@justinbennitt835i have the same redline cause of the bbr sharper camshafts and no it still doesnt go to 62 in second gear, and i know because of the ecutec Bluetooth dongle. The gearbox of the nd2 is the same as the nd1 version 4. They changed eventually the flywheel into a single one. Bbr did my conversion in sept 2023. After the new gearbox. It is stil in one piece. If u want to know more about the crappy gearbox, call paul rodinsson in Sheffield. He was the first in the UK with a nd1 and racing mx5 and offers better gearboxes.

[@rcmakingtracks18]

I need a bigger nob, so I'm off to bbr, seriously...

[@hellaacapella]

As much as I think overpowered/ swapped monster Miata’s are absolutely bad ass… from a realistic standpoint I just don’t feel like the chasis, rivets, weld points, bushings and other components, especially the tons of plastic would withstand those repeated kinds of forces and stress…

[@miner4236]

it's 220hp, not 450. I doubt the chassis cares, but just my opinion

[@OurTim]

The car didn't feel any way stressed with 250hp. Felt OEM 👌

[@hellaacapella]

@@OurTim that’s good to know!!!

[@miner4236]

@@OurTim any intel on reliability ? Looking for around 250-270hp too eventually

[@OurTim]

@@miner4236 only things I heard were gearbox issues - the NC is a stronger unit from what I've heard

[@markzawada5927]

You got it wrong when you said bbr spent 7 yrs developing the sc kit . They did nothing of the sort they purchased the design & rights from corten miller when they went bust back in 2021 , it was them who developed it so don’t give the credit to bbr.

[@OurTim]

That was quoted directly from BBR. Do you have a link/source for your info? Happy to add this insight to descriptions and future videos 👍

[@markzawada5927]

I don’t have a link but am sure if you google corten miller super charger installations there will be some info floating round on the net , I was ready to have my nc converted by them when they went under , once bbr took it over I intended to have them do it but the price went up significantly so I decided against it . Anyone in the mx5 community will confirm the facts also. Plus if you type in corten miller sc mx5 on here I’m sure you will find vids of converted cars which you can compare the engine installs to confirm this also. 👍

[@OurTim]

@@markzawada5927 good man, I’ll take a look

[@becauseiwasinverted7971]

I can confirm that as well. Looked at the corten Miller stuff which then became BBR branded when they took over. You can buy it all from rotrex anyway in the US. BBR did not develop this for 7 years, but there is prob 7 years from CM selling the kit. No way it was developed for 7 years before first customer sale either. To the point about this being cheaper to run than Porsche, I'd say depends on how long you keep it. £30k Porsche boxster residuals will be much better than a modified 8 year old ND sport recaro.

[@njw7255]

👍

[@user-gk5eh8bt7c]

A Z4 M4.0 is a better option.

[@apj.-.-.-.-.-.-.-119]

no it isn’t

[@mikeb9569]

If you want stylish cruising, perhaps. If you want to thrash your car and dance with it in the corners like a hooligan, I would choose MX5. If M4 is a steak knife, MX5 is a scalpel.

[@itaybutavia1204]

from experience Rotrex supercharged have A lot of problems

[@OurTim]

Interesting. BBR said they spent 7 years developing this conversion so I would have thought issues would have been found by then. They don’t seem the company to want to do bad on their customers.

[@itaybutavia1204]

@OurTim I had 2011 mx5 nc2 with Kraftwerks supercharged...only 30,,000km and the super dead But any way good luck to you

[@OurTim]

@itaybutavia1204 oh dear, sorry to hear that, and thank you, hope you enjoyed the video 😊

[@itaybutavia1204]

@@OurTim ❤️

[@venomking3602]

Maybe because your not taking good care of them because alot of other ppl don't have problems

[@alessandrocauso8579]

A question... Is this 1.5 or 2.0?

[@OurTim]

2.0