This is my "new" 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata. In the
fall of 2010, this car replaced my dark blue 1997 Miata STO Edition.
This is my fourth Miata and it is IMHO far and away the best Miata
ever made... newer or older. It has all the built-in fun of a Miata
but with the power to match the handling. A Miata with balls!!!
But with the confidence of a factory installation. Turbo kits
for Miata's have been around for years. However, they are very
expensive and come with all kinds side effects that can affect the
driveability and reliability. This car has almost every MAZDASPEED performance option available
standard from the factory and originally under a 4 year warranty. It is a
conservative design that makes them just as reliable as a normal Miata.
I had pretty much ignored the MSMs. I
never really saw one. Then, one of my friends bought a Lava Orange MSM
and soon after let me test drive it. As soon as I drove it, I had to have one.
This may be my last Miata... unless Mazda comes out with a
must-buy ND someday.
These pictures were taken after installing the
newly painted hardtop and a set of fall/winter/spring wheels and tires.
MAZDASPEED Standard Features
Powertrain
- 1.8L DOHC turbocharged and intercooled
16-valve 4-cylinder engine
- 180 hp@6000 rpm; 166 lb-ft torque@4500 rpm
- IHI turbocharger with 8.5 psi
maximum boost
- Front-mounted air-to-air intercooler
- Iridium spark plugs
- Larger radiator core; increased cooling capacity
- Higher-capacity oil cooler
- Euro-spec fresh-air duct
- Red wrinkle-finish valve cover; anodized
aluminum MAZDASPEED oil cap
- Short-throw 6-speed manual transmission
with shot-peen-hardened gears
- Heavy-duty clutch
- Heavy-duty 25mm driveshafts
- Bosch torque-sensing limited-slip differential
- Sport-tuned stainless exhaust with large
MAZDASPEED exhaust tip
Suspension and Brakes
- Silver-painted shock-tower brace
- Optimized steering rack
- MAZDASPEED-tuned and lowered
double-wishbone suspension which includes:
silver-painted BilsteinŽ shock absorbers with firmer tuning; red-painted larger front and rear stabilizer
bars; higher-rate springs
- Power-assisted 4-wheel disc brakes with silver-painted
calipers, standard Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) and
Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
Exterior Enhancements
- 17" x 7" Racing Hart™ aluminum alloy wheels (sold mine)
- W-rated 205/40R17 Toyo Proxes R28 unidirectional high-performance tires
- MAZDASPEED front and rear air dams and rear spoiler
- Smoke-tint headlight housings
- Body-color cap for inside rearview mirror with MAZDASPEED logo
- Unique exterior colors: Velocity Red Mica and Titanium Gray Metallic
Interior Enhancements (GT Model)
- Black leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob with red stitching
- Black leather-trimmed upholstery*
with red stitching
- Silver gauges with MAZDASPEED logo
- Canvas convertible top
- MAZDASPEED floor mats, stainless-steel
scuff plates and alloy foot pedals; silver
mesh finish on center panel and shift panel
- 225-watt AM/FM stereo with automatic level control and in-dash
6-disc CD changer
- BoseŽ 6-speaker sound system with door mounted tweeters
Mods and Upgrades
- Enkie PF01 15x8 Silver Wheels
- Z-rated Bridgestone 205/50R15 Potenza RE-11 Extreme
Performance Summer Tires
- W-Rated Toyo 205/45R16 Proxes4 All-Season Tires on
Mazda 2004 OEM Wheels for All Temperature Use
- Autometer Boost Gauge (Installed in Left-Side AC Vent)
- Throttle Body Elbow upgrade from BEGi
- TurboSmart BOV (Blow Off Valve) upgrade
- TurboSmart MBC (Manual Boost Control)
-
Oil Pressure Sender
Upgrade with Low
Pressure LED
-
Oil Pressure Gauge Modification
-
Hardtop
- Racing Beat Mazdaspeed Turbo Muffler
-
Thompson Oil Filter Relocation Kit
- Moss Interior Light Kit
- Dual-Tone Loud Horn Upgrade
- GROM USB/iPhone Adapter for Bose Radio
