Just curious to what model you guys think is better. I have found a few 88 FC (N/A and tII) for sale and don't know if I should get a 89 and up instead. Should I just spend a little more and get a 89 and up model?

 

if you can afford to, yes. But finding an S5 T2 isnt easy or cheap. And i'd get am S4 T2 before i got an s5 n/a.

 

hell yeah exactly what nopr said

 

what do you guys think of a 88 FC SE model with moonroof? for $2000

 

88 was the best year for the FC, it had the most models, and the most reliable year.

The S5 cars (89-91) had mouse belts; as well as were (on average) 150 lbs heavier than the S4 models.

Mazda took quite a few short cuts in the build trying to bring the costs down on the S5 models, resulting in many parts being more expensive to replace as well as more likely to fail in the first place (for example the stabilizers bars end links on the 89-91 models were made of plastic instead of metal leading to earliy failure and the inability to put tuneable endlinks on- or the PD which became a welded on part to the primary fuel rail on the S5 models, doubling the price of the commonly needed replacement part.

In addition the non turbo S5 models only had a minimal increase in power (for example the torque increase between the S4 non turbo and the S5 non turbo was only 2 ft/lbs).

Get a 88 before any S5 model

 

not to mention that s4 models have the bulletproof manual oil sending unit, and the s5's have electrical ones that fail without notice....and there goes the motor......i have an 88TII and an 88GXL, i love my GXL and you should be able to get one for under 2000.....and i am going to marry my TII(just kidding), which you should be able to find for about 2500-4000. iam going to tell ya if you see a TII ****** it up, bc if ya dont, you'll regret it.

 

So is a SE 88 with 109K miles, moonroof worth it? Because I am going to look at it tonight. Is it easy to mod this car?

 

If you get a nonturbo, enjoy it for what it is. You could do full exhaust and get some more power, but a turbo II has waaaay more potential.

What are you looking for in a sports car? A well maintained 88 SE is going to be pretty low maintainance all things considered.

 

I am looking to make it either for autocross or drift. What do you think?

 

an NA is very reliable if ya take care of it...mine has 170k and it runs like a champ....with a custom cold air intake, straight 2.5" exhaust, and weight reduced i ran a 15.8 at the track, my TII with idle issues, every thing in the car, stock boost with only a down pipe runs a 14.9....a TII with weight reduction , an air/fuel controller, straight pipe and a boost controller can give ya low 13's but it's all in what you want in a car.

 

you gotta have boost to drift these days so save your time and money to get a TII for a few hundred bucks more.....too bad ya dont live near me bc there's a TII sitting in a junk yard by my house, it runs fine! i cranked it yesterday bc i went for window switches and the guy tried to sell it to me for 1500!!! it has an exhaust already too....some idiot traded the junk yard his TII for a mustang they had, i wish i had the money.

 

I am trying to get the car for a $1000. This way I can put the extra money for a turbo kit and suspension.

 

just curious, are ABS brake and LSD important when it comes to autocross or drifting?

 

My opinion is the S4 T2 over the S5 T2.

Rtek 7

 

Are you trying to tell us you're trying to turbo a non-turbo FC?

I'd highly suggest you read the stickies / FAQ's and ask less questions.
Learn how to do efficient searches.

Your questions have been answers million times over, and it'll be easier if you did an efficient search.


-Ted

 

I'm not sure about the ABS for AutoX or Drifting but it helps to have a LSD for AutoX and Expecially drifting.

 

It looks like I am an official owner of a 88 FC, SE, N/A in white. I like a lot already. It pulls pretty hard for an n/a.

 

get the turbo 2 or you will be asking us "how to turbo my NA" in 2 weeks

 

bottom line is...buying the turbo 2 is much cheaper than turboing the N/A

 

Bottom line, YES. There's tons of threads on turboing the N/A. The easyist way to do it is just swap in a TII engine and ECU.

 

I run a 89 Auto vert and i love the hell outa it for what i use it for, witch isnt anything special. but im fine with dumping 2k for a intake and exaust and getting just a little more power. but hey what ever floats ur boat, i like it.

 

I drive a 88 SE FC and i love it. Never had a car i could cherp 3rd gear in. i got common bolt ons I/H/E too. Got mine for 1k. Im happy with this car. We might be puttin ga turbo in it though. N/A to turbo conversion.

 

I drove the car around today and it feels great. Not as nice as my old S2000 but is a good project car. I am going to get I/H/E and possibly a LSD also. I am not going to turbo it.

Just cusious why the back end of ny car drifts out a lot easier then my brothers turboII. Why is that?

 

You're running "smaller" tires, and they probably suck.


-Ted