That's a very good idea. My MSM is by far the best handling car I've ever owned. Nothing else is even close. Most of them have been front-drivers and they start to push well in advance of anything bad happening. But this thing is so neutral I'm worried that whenever I finally succeed in making it break traction I might be so close to the limit that I might not be able to reign it in. So the empty parking lot is a great idea.
I shouldn't expect anything to break by doing this, right?
Nah, just give yourself plenty of room. You'll find that the Miata is very sensitive to weight shifts from getting on and off the throttle (i.e., throttle steering). Near the limit, the back end will come out if you lift abruptly, and you might spin. Don't try to overpower the rear tires with your turbo, just learn how everything reacts to gradual inputs.
Ya, gradual inputs and turbos tend to be somewhat mutually exclusive. I'm not sure how the MSM setup works but it's normally a challenge to keep the boost from kicking the power up 'all at once' which is what Lanny's warning you about on exit. Have fun, the limits are where all the fun is ;-)
Chris
99BBBWell, no, not "break" per se. You've got a pretty new car, so you're not going to be able to do much damage. One concern for older cars that get pushed to the limits (specifically drifting) comes when suspension bushings, already old, dry, and cracked by time and moisture, get beat to hell by being slammed into sideways motion. I learned this the hard way when I had to replace trailing arm bushings on my 95 Civic.
A newer car's bushings should be able to handle this extreme force quite well, but keep it up or try it on an older car and you might want to consider investing in polyurethane bushings for the whole car. The handling and smoother ride benefits alone are worth that upgrade. (Can you tell I want a set for my 96?)
-r0ll
Carb>
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.