Miata 5-speed or Conquest TSi 5-speed?
 

I'm interested in finding a gas saver car that CAN be more fun than the run of the mill 4-banger that gets zero attention and can't be made fun.

I race SCCA with my Camaro Z28 and there are A LOT of fast and fun Miata's at the events. I talk to the people to find out they average 22-24 mpg even on race days and 30+ highway mileage.

I've been thinking of finding a dull little SOHC 5-speed car and selling my SL2 w/ the MPG thrashing automatic trans. I think I'd rather find a fun little sporty 4-banger like the Miata.

While saying all this, I'm 6'1" and 200 lbs so I'm not even sure I'll fit into the Miata's. But I can see a 30mpg OEM Miata being transferred easily into obtaining 40+ MPG w/ the use of aero mods and maybe a regeared 5th gear and axel ratio.

Then I'll have another toy for SCCA incase the Camaro ever pukes on me.

Thoughts on the Miata?

Also considering the Chrysler Conquest TSi which is a turbo 2.6L 4-cyl SOHC RWD 5-speed car.

Thoughts?

If you want fun to drive, get a civic SI 92-00, that gets 35mpg+ highway. They weight less than 2300 pounds and got about 125 hp at high rpm. They are cheap to, just add 1k$ on suspension and you got yourself a go kart.

Is it possible to regear the Miata for mpg?

I had a Honda Beat.

*Super rare head turner
*40 MPG without trying
*An absolute blast to drive (5 spd)

Then again, it was very hard to come by. A Miata might work.

The Miata is under 2300 lbs and has 130 hp. That, and I find FWD impossible to be "fun". I've owned 4 Camaro's, all with posi traction. After that, there is no such thing as FWD fun.

Perhaps there are no regears for Miata's, but that rear diff should have some aftermarket support. I was thinking of picking one up with high miles (purchase price of $2,500 or less) and just hypermile it until it fails (if ever) and at that point, rebuild w/ turbo/supercharger and make it an autocross or track car and find a new gas miser.

Since I rarely carry anything in the trunk of my vehicles, and I'm single w/ no children and a dim social life, I carry no passengers other than my g/f from time to time.

I think the little Miata is right up my alley. I was hoping to hear a response here from someone trying to hypermile one to see what is possible.

I raced for MAZDA and also was involved with Spec Miatas...5'11" and 210#. There is a lot of room in a stock Miata. I did have to design a special rollcage for racing and deactivate the parking brake (leg was pulling it up slowly). Very tuff little car!

Project84 -

When I think of the Miata, it reminds me of the Del Sol. Here is a thread on a Del Sol that has a righteous belly pan :

Belly Pan Installation, Honda Del Sol
https://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=671

I am pretty sure that this car has since been de-gassavered and sold.

CarloSW2

RWD ownz FWD

If you want a fun FWD, infiniti G20. 1991 is lightest/best. corner like a mofo: floored in 2nd gear @7krpm/60mph 90 degree turn wheel at the lock and no understeer

There's enough support for miatas, you oughta be able to find a nice 3.5 or so rear end easy from someone looking for more torque of a 4.1 rearend. remember, non-turbo power comes from sheer efficiency. good headers, good 2" exhaust, etc etc.

Hmmm... Infinity G20 gets 24mpg combined according to the new epa figure. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calcu...lumn=1&id=7803
Thanks cfg83 for the link in your sig.
91 Miata is also rated at 24mpg combined https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calcu...lumn=1&id=7490

Well.... to throw a wrench into things a bit...

I went and looked at a Conquest TSi for sale a week ago and was surprised to find upon arrival there was body damage that was never discussed over the phone.

I was so upset I sent the guy a nasty email w/ a low ball offer and he responded asking only a few $100 more.... now I'm intrigued.

Conquest TSI - 2.5L 4-cyl turbo at 8psi stock, 5-speed manual and RWD.

So.... which do I pursue? Miata will cost more initially, and being N/A at 130 hp its far behind in power. The Conquest needs some work, but I could have a total investment of $2,000 and be driving it. Being turbo, it gets good mileage anyway and the tunability is endless, not to mention there is already a boost controller and upgraded turbo on it.

PS: I drove the Conquest... it's a DRIFT machine. I had to smile after hitting boost and getting loose.

Which year Conquest was it? I raced an 88 Conquest a while back and it was incredibly fun! It has buttloads of low end torque! Basic upgrades are cheap for these cars since they're related to the 1990-1994 Eclipse/Talon/Laser.

It's the '87 which to my knowledge, is the lowest BHP car they brought to the U.S. in mass quantities (87-89).

It has a weird problem though where it seems to be loading up under 3k RPM and when max boost hits in at 3k RPM it feels amazing until you shift.

mods include ported/clipped 18g turbo.

the guy selling it has totally messed a bunch of stuff up after the turbo swap. He made "custom" turbo pipes which won't even clear the factory hood, so he had to remove the hood. He also states he replaced the injector wire connector ends because the OEM ones are prone to dry rot... so I'm thinking maybe when he did that, he re-wired something wrong.

this has gone way off topic... sorry.

EPA figures aside, in my time driving one (granted it was a 91 so the lightest by 200 lbs) I hit 22 mpg with a dragging brake and horribly out of alignment front end driving it like a madman (it's so hard not to). 25 mpg was what it got around town whether I beat it or babied it and over 30 on the highway.

I've heard good things about conquests too. like they're really toyota starlets rebadged and repaneled. but that's just what I've heard. chrysler has a long standing relationship with mitsubishi, not toyota so I dunno.

They are the same as the Mitsu Starion this may be what you're thinking of... but on the Toyota thing, anything is possible..?

I'd rather get a turbo car because my buddy just found a 323 GTX and I want something to compete w/ him since my Z28 will mop the floor w/ his '87 Supra Turbo. It's just friendly competition.

When not beating it, I'd have MPG goals in mind... so this does apply to GS.org hehe

It sounds like the car you drove might have had a boost leak. It's common on older turbo cars, not too hard to fix. That'll cause the power to sag just before it hits boost. Another clue is that the turbo doesn't spool up until 3krpm with the 18g. It should hit boost around 2300rpm.

The car I raced had a 14b off a stock DSM. It spooled up around 1800rpm.

Since the Conquest is a turbo car it'll suck up the gas when driven hard. If you can restrain yourself (good luck!) you might be able to get the same mpg as your current ride.

Here's some good threads: https://www.starquestclub.com/forums/...f1fd3884a33845
https://www.starquestclub.com/forums/...er=asc&start=0

And here's my favorite thread. It gets better as you go. https://www.starquestclub.com/forums/...ic.php?t=62234
Sorry to tease you so hard,
also send my apologies to your friend with the 323GTX :)

yes, mitsu starion. or whatever. thats it.

When I was looking into Miatas, I read that that the MSM 6 speed would fit, but the cost wouldn’t outweigh the little increase in mileage, as the final gears aren’t that differet. I also remember reading about the rear end being interchangeable with a Mazda TurboII. Don’t know what it entails, but I don’t ever remember much being said about them being good on gas. I think I quit looking because the LS1s had about the same FE numbers.

I really would like to see someone hypermile an F-body. I think that the amount of power it can make down low would more than allow very low gears to be used, and the PCM cracks that are available, could get some very good tuning. How about an LS1 miata hypermiler?

I'm the owner of a '94 Z28 6-speed and I have to tell you... although my car is slightly modded and has a PCM tune to make more power, it only averages 15 mpg city and on a 500 mile round trip, I averaged 22.3 mpg on the 250 miles there, and then I REALLY tried and only got 22.9mpg on the way back.

So... LT1 cars are just too "old school" to get any mileage.

LS1's are still too expensive for me. I agree though that an LS1 w/ a 2.73 rear and a 6-speed would get great gas mileage. Remember though, that the LS1 isn't a conventional SBC and its peak hp and tq numbers are higher in the RPM's.

The LT1 makes peak torque at 2000 rpm (325 ft. lb)

LS1 peak torque is 4000 rpm (340 ft lb)

I've heard from an LS1 Rx7 guy that he averages 39mpg highway

miata rear end
 

If maximum gear selection is the goal Currie enterprises makes a Ford 9inch that fits the Miata. Every gear ratio on the panet available for a 9incher.:thumbup:

Jim

Miata
 

My first thought for a hypermiler was a Miata. I always wanted one, and they were designed to be simple and modifiable. Almost everything that makes a car a good race car also makes a car a good hypermiler... low weight, aerodynamically slippery, racing transmission, different rear-end gear ratios. All these things can just easily increase fuel efficiency as acceleration and top speed. And all of these types of mods are available in many forms for the Miata.

And it's a classic design. And again, the early ones at least were meant to be tinkered with.

Dust, I've been day dreaming about modding a mid 80's Firebird (best in aerodynamics on all of the F bodies). Getting the G10 from a Metro, turbocharging it, then getting an adaptor plate made to bolt that motor up to a T56. Adjusting the throttle so that 50% pedal throttle would be 100% throttle on the throttle body, then having the remaining pedal throttle effect the tension on the wastegate spring. This would give you 0 vacuum so pumping losses would be minimal, and at the same time it would allow you to have power if you pushed the pedal all the way to the floor. The T56 would make sure the G10 is always at WOT while accelerating or cruising at highway speeds.

Sorry for the thread jacking.........

I'm all for you getting a Miata, but no one gets 24 mpg on race days! I don't care who you are, haha. :)

Oddly enough that this thread was brought back to life... I have just picked up a Miata 1.8L M5 with a T3/T4 turbo setup in need of troubleshooting/finishing....

It will not be making any good MPG numbers if I have anything to say about it.... sorry, boost is just too addictive. Hoping for 10psi and 200 whp.