So I'm gathering parts for my 2000 and naturally I have come to a fork in the road.

I don't want to go overboard on spending on this car, so I have a tough decision to make.....spend on an EFR turbo set up or put XIDAs on.

Car is 90% street car, will see few track days and even less autocrosses. Engine is currently bone stock.

I like the XIDAs for obvious reasons. I like the EFR setup for the headroom it gives for power upgrades in the future. I can enjoy it at power levels the stock engine can handle, then once built, get more power out of it, never worrying about upgrading turbos.

What say you?

 

Xida, wheels/tires, more power. In that order.

 

xida. efr will kill transmissions and rods. plus driving crazy on the streets is more fun on comfort and handles. speeding tickets not so much. you also appear to be on stock suspension.

 

^ +1.
Make the car more capable and get to know the car, then add power. You can learn to become a better driver with good handling and less power.

 

Suspension first. It makes all the difference. Turbo later.

Even cheap turbos are fun, but cheap suspensions will suck the fun out of every drive you take.

I want Xidas badly.

 

xida first for sure

 

a sloppy turbo miata is probably more fun on the street

but a good handling naturally aspirated miata is faster on the track.

 

+1 on Suspension.

good suspension faster car no matter what. You will get more bang for $$

Powerful car on bad suspension/tires = gets beat around an autox/track by a stock miata with good suspension and good tires. (lol my old turbo 92 was a pos on suspension haha)

 

For a street car I say turbo.

If the usage is 90% street then why do you need baller suspension?

I'd say the biggest issue with your choice is that the EFR is a lot of turbo for the stock block. I am currently struggling with the same issue. I worry about running my EFR on the stock block, it won't take much to bend the rods.

So if you do choose EFR first, you'll be standing on the edge of a slippery, slippery slope...

 

Both.

 

 

there is about a metric **** ton of things you need to support EFR or any other turbo

like a giant radiator, to start with.

 

I appreciate all the input, but in all seriousness, I side more with Efini on this. This is a street car, I really have no need for such an uber suspension on a street car.

I realize how baller XIDAs are, but it seems like a lot of wasted money/potential to be used on a street car. My 97 is my beater car and would rather take that to the track to beat on rather than my nice street car.

I know the EFR is a bit much on a stock block, but my collection of parts I have amassed includes rods/injectors/radiator. I'm not opposed to building my engine, but I'm in no rush. One turbo to rule them all is quite enjoyable, plenty of room to grow.

Here is where I'm at right now:

XIDAs with cheaper WRX turbo set up (like my 97, I like it and it's cheap)

OR

VMAXX with EFR turbo set up


I don't want this to be a VMAXX vs XIDAS. This is my personal opinion/choice. Unless someone can convince me the Tein Street Advance is better.

 

your choice is basically: street car vs race car.

 

I hated having a good turbo setup on a sub-par suspension.

I still hate having a good turbo setup on a slightly-above-par suspension.


I utterly loathe, and cut, myself for not owning a 1.8L.

 

I think that's a great post. Similar to the "Why not both?" question, maybe it should be "Why get either?"

Why not a decent suspension + a decent turbo setup? If the car is 90% street and you are not in a hurry to build the block and replace the gearbox and you "don't want to go overboard on spending on this car," I might be inclined to suggest the best answer is "neither."

 

Better Suspension > More power, and this is coming from a forum that is built around making more power.

Better suspension doesn't effect reliability. More HP does. Argue it. I dare you.

 

I actually pulled the trigger on this decision 1.5 years ago, and went with the EFR on a completely bone stock suspension street car . It was really fun. Especially if you have rods waiting, just get the EFR and get your car sorted, and start at 8psi. Move up a psi every month or so and you will probably blow your motor at 12-14psi. During wastegate adjustment I hit 13psi one time, and damn that was a whole new level compared to my usual 10psi.

 

Deleted "outside the point" comment

 

that's outside the point.