Would've gone with Absurd Flow and diy the rest if I had the know how that I do now. But I didn't so I don't really have any regrets.

 

keep it coming guys, this thread is great. I am just starting my turbo install, and lots of good advice here.

 

Never would have bothered with the emanage or with retrofitting an NA cas once I went with the MS.

 

I saw them before. Broken ring lands suck!!!

 

I would have built a motor(didnt realize how cheap belfab is) rather than the faster(time wise), mildly cheaper crate option

I would have looked longer for a car thats already sorted, projects are fun, leaky rain rails that lead to rust are not.

I would have done an NB.

 

No big do-overs here, just small things. 25% of the parts that I buy never make it on the car, I either change my mind before installing them or install it and decide "nah" and sell them. The only big regret I have is buying my actual Miata. I was younger and didn't know anything about buying cars, has a lot of rust that showed up later that I now have to fix. Should have shopped around more.

 

Do over list:

-Not spent 10 + hours pulling the original loom and computer out of an MX5, and then later deciding on MS
-Get a MS way waaaay earlier
-Focus on modding one thing instead of trying to be the man and mod engine, chassis turbo, steering, paint, etc etc
-Not be a cheap *** all the time by trying and to rangi up homemade parts.

 

I have no regrets with how I have done my build. Although I often wish I would have chosen an older Porsche to build instead of the Miata.

 

paid begi to install
3" downpipe
maybe kept the 1.6...we'll see after tuning.

 

I'll take that 1.9 with 99 head off your hands if it helps.

 

I see this thread as being required reading for us noobs. I hope more of the vetrans chime in. Anybody else got parts regrets while I'm editing my build parts list?

 

+1


I built my car with knowledge gained from here and from other auto-projects, but all the mistakes I made were definately worth it. You can tell someone a million times that the stove is hot, but they won't truly know unless they burn themselves on it.
Methinks no one will heed any warning you give them ;p

But, I would have:

bought NEW intercooler piping/intercooler/turbo instead of a used one. Although everything worked perfectly, save for a needed rebuild, I eventually replaced it with what I really wanted, versus what I wanted at the time.
And because I wanted it to look prettier

 

Not regrets, no mistakes. <knock on wood>

Except for being hosed on downpipes, twice by members on this forum and once by Begi to be exact, none of which I had control over; thats the only thing im really pissed about.

 

Wouldn't have spent so much on an SR20 T25 that ended up needing a rebuild.
Parallel MS install instead of standalone. Not sure why I even chose standalone, seems like an unnecessary pain in the ***.
Wish I hadn't settled on KYB shocks, not that it is turbo related.
Biggest of all, I wish I hadn't rebuilt a stupid 1.6, should have just rebuilt a 1.8.
I'll have more once I get to my install i'm sure.

 

Look for a better base car vs. someone elses ex-project to start. Never use a blitz BOV on anything again and to kick anyones *** for trying to sell one to anyone. Should have boosted the car the second day i got it instead of waiting over a year. just so much wasted fun time :( /cry

 

Would have gotten full refund for the hosed turbo I bought, rather than a partial refund and the parts. Also, would have saved longer for a real IC setup. Still looking, if anybody has something

 

???
I've been using one since Jan. '07 with no issues, so have many other people.

Don't really have any do-overs I can think of. Got the car when it was already pretty well sorted, just did a lot of things that I wanted.
Now it's completely taken apart and I'm building the engine and drivetrain up to be exactly the way I want instead of the stock engine and older FMII kit.
Forged rods, tri-coated pistons, MSM MBSP and oil pan, lightly worked '99 head swap with Supertech valves and viton seals, BEGi log manifold and downpipe, GT2871R, 6-speed, cryo'd 3.636 rear gears (coupled with the Cusco 1.5way LSD that was already installed).
Still have to decide whether I want to do the FM intercooler kit or just a DIY kit, trying to keep the amount of failure points down is tough with the DIY route.
And hopefully BEGi will get their new turbo intake manifold done in time for me to put it all back together.

 

Please elaborate.

 

it hasn't happened yet, but i have a feeling before long I'll be saying "i wish I had bought a hard top instead of another soft top"

 

For the same price + some patience I could have more displacement.