The 1991 turbo 1.8 liter that I bought is still going well, car & driver are both alive and uninjured. I have been driving it very carefully, almost re-learning to drive the car. I spent 5 years with the ability to give my miata near-maximum to maximum acceleration under almost any circumstances. That has changed considerably now.
I assume you got wide performance tires on there at relatively low pressure?
Anyway, that is one thing I like about the Sebring SC. It has enough power to give a kick, but not enough to have to worry about it unless the steer is turned in low gear. Keeps the feeling of a car that can be driven without a frown of concentration.
215/40/16's. I have been experimenting with the pressures, but they seem to like the same range as my 195/50/15's from the last car. The wheels are one inch larger, 1.5 inches wider, and they weigh less than the stock 2000 15 inch wheels did. I probably would have bought 15's myself, but they do look very nice. 16 inches is definitely the largest I would ever put on a miata.
The car can still be driven fairly civilized, the main thing is how fast the power comes on if you floor it, at any rpm. It is running 8 or 9 pounds of boost right now, I don't know if I will ever raise it. Also, this car weighs a decent amount less than my last one. No A/C, no power steering, no power windows. It is an entirely different beast.
If you want to give it a spin, send me an e-mail next time you are coming to Austin. We can go tear up Lime Creek Road, carefully of course, and the car does have a Hard Dog Hard Core rollbar, along with 5 point harnesses in both seats in case we got too crazy. ;-)
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