I recall reading an article comparing a bone stock miata, mazda speed miata, and the magazines tuned miata. The author when trying to form a hypothesis made a remark about the magazines miata either being viewed as a finely honed track machine or a mismatched collection of aftermarket parts. I'm starting to feel the latter is the case with most tuned cars. I feel as though when developing a car an auto manufacturer such as BMW has a whole fleet engineers tuning the engine (intake, exhaust, head, cam, etc...) and the suspension (spring rates, shock dampening, swaybar diameters, etc...). They try hundereds of spring rates, etc. My experience with aftermarket parts is that they never have done exactly what I have wanted them to or if they do make something better there is always an equal and opposite reaction (they make something else worse). Perhaps our cars come tuned from the factory as one complete package? For example, sway bar rates depend much more on spring rates than the average person realizes. Yet people choose this route to reduce understeer when many other factors such as camber and spring rates also effect the balance of a car (in particular understeer & oversteer).

 

I've felt the same way for some time, which was why I decided to do the H-Sport TVS for my suspension. I figure they've designed the stuff to work together.

Now I'm thinking seriously about returning almost everything to stock, or trading for a JCW MCS so that I won't have anything left to mod (except maybe the suspension, battery, brakes, --OH, NO, I'M DOING IT AGAIN!!).

Seriously, though, I think you're right on the money, but part of that "total package" also includes the lowest common denominator: the driver who just wants transportation. We add goodies to our cars to increase performance, knowing full well that we're giving up compliance, silence, and comfort to do so.

We also sometimes throw our money in a great big hole.

 

I think factory cars are a complete package, but you have to look at who they're intended for. Factory cars are dialed in with inherent understeer for the general public, for a whole cross-section of drviers.

 

Yes, factory tuned means that it is tuned with a certain goal. For example, the suspension is set up to handle "well" while maintaining a "nice" ride. Going aftermarket you can definately improve handing, but you will sacrifice this ride. Same sort of thing with the engine. The main goal of the factory is not maximum horsepower or torque, they are also looking at things like MPG and engine longevity. You can get more with aftermarket tuning, but may be sacrificing some of these things.

 

It's all about the $$. And cars are "tuned" to have mass market appeal.
You are right about trying to tune the car as a complete package. It's always good to have a goal in mind, as what the end product of your tuning will be and go from there.

 

There is even rumor of an S being de-tuned because you can change the pulley size and get much much more horsepower, but selling a 115hp and a 200hp that are athstetically similar at such a close price range and it would be very hard to pitcha Cooper in a generallly HP minded US market. In '07 it is quite likely the difference between models could simply be in hood scoop and computer programing of the ECU. These car were also designed to be mod friendly, there is a reason beyond $$ that dealers will go so far as to install mods. MINI knew that this car was going to have an appeal to those who like to tinker with the looks and the engine, and its part of the same reason there is a billion different combonations availiable for the factory, these cars were made to be inheriently unique. Is the factory car a complete package yes, but it is also one that can be tweaked to become exactly what each owner want s from their car. The # of engineers is why there are still new exausht systems and intakes being developed, it is why so many people have an ever changing one or two mods a year getting the car closer to that persons idea of perfect, instead of the factory idea of perfect, and it comes down to just the little details and the reason that so many of us know the difference b/w a 12% 15% and 17% pulley.

 

a few years after we both turbo'ed our miata's a buddy and i had a long talk about this exact topic. We had gone way to far & really "aftermarket engineered" the fun right out of the miata. Way too much money, time and effort.

Anyway, the short story is, really take a look at what the engineers did with the car (esp something like a MINI or a Miata)....i am sure that they were on to something. Then, look at the "tuned" option that the offer (JCW/Mazdaspeed). Both offer a little more than the stock car, but not the stupid levels that the aftermarket can achieve. My guess is that the folks who get paid to to design these cars think that that is a pretty good level for them to operate at on a regular basis.

well, this is all pretty random...but anyway, the path I am taking with my MINI will not be too crazy. Already have a intake & exhaust, plan to add a pulley and maybe a swaybar. That is about it. Enhance the stock parts some, nothing too radical that really changes the character of the car.

I hope my ramblings make some sense.....

 

"finely honed track machine or a mismatched collection of aftermarket parts"???


Ask the question- Can mods be mismatched? Yes, sure it can happen but there are many reasons for it. Depends on how you define mismatched?

If a car is modded for a car show, then mismatching of upgrades for the purposes of show/appearance would be not only appropriate but the norm.

If a car is modded for track only use then that is one extreme while many of us use our MINIs as daily drivers and need a measure of comfort along with added performance and that is what defines "matched" vs "mismatched".

Here's an example. You have a daily driver and you enjoy both performance and great car stereo. You can add a bunch of loud performance mods but between the droning of the exhaust and blast of Wide open throttle you can't really enjoy your music (unless you add hundreds of watts of audio power, a big subwoofer or two, and lots of sound deadening). But when you play your car stereo, now you can't hear your engine and exhaust!

Is this mismatched? In some respects it is but I usually have the windows down when on the track so I can hear the MINI while at other times for daily driving I have the music on. My choice.

As for custom tuning and using aftermarket parts, the factory engineers have plenty to work with but the constraints of budget, price of the car, durability of the parts, and time given to do the tuning, can lead to a middle of the road final outcome. Cars are built for the masses, not with specific individuals in mind. If you want fine tuning then you can go that route. Many of us choose a simplier approach of buying aftermarket adjustable parts and then doing the fine tuning ourselves to some degree. Good examples are adjustable suspension parts- camber plates, coil overs, rear swaybars, and rear control arms. We can change the settings and alignments and fiddle with them. But we are constrained by their limits of design unless we do more mix and matching.

In the end it really depends on what your intended use will be. For street driving you don't have to be perfectly matched but for heavy track use that would be different.

If you have a final picture in mind that is carefully thought out then you will have an easier time doing what is needed to reach that goal with a few adjustments along the way.

Keep in mind that finely tuned also means you might need more help doing the tuning than you can do on your own. This could take more time and expense and also result in more compromises- tune for performance and lower your mpg or reduce ride comfort.

Don't assume that your selected mods are doing everything you had intended them to do. Maybe we can start a thread listing all the mods we've removed over time and why. Many of us have been through more than one set of wheels, tires, springs/suspension, rear swaybar, CAI, exhaust, brake pads, etc.