The Best Miata Short Shifters & Shift Knobs
Stick shift is important to the car community. And sadly, it’s becoming a lost art.
It’s not the most efficient or advanced way to change gears but it sure is 10 times more rewarding than driving an automatic; especially when you do it right.
If you feel the same way, and things like rev-matching or getting a series of perfect shifts is your idea of a good time, we highly recommend getting a short shifter for your Miata.
If you strongly believe that modifications which actually work are always expensive, think again. Short shifters work exactly the way they’re supposed to and don’t cost much.
Thanks to a simple design and advanced manufacturing techniques, you can get your hands on a good quality short throw shifter for less than a hundred bucks.
In this guide, we’ll look at some of the best short throw shifters and shift knobs you can buy for all generations of the Mazda Miata MX-5.
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Mazda Miata Headlight Conversions
If you’re asked to describe the way a car looks, words like “angry” or “intimidating” may come to your mind. A lot of work goes into making a car look like that.
A car’s headlight design makes its overall look pop and helps shape an “expression”. That’s why aftermarket lights make your car look so different.
Most of us who modify cars are looking for that aggressive look, yet almost everyone agrees that the Miata MX-5 looks “happy” or even “cute” from the factory.
In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at some of the coolest Mazda Miata headlight conversions, that can help you personalize your car.
How to Get the Best Miata Cold Air Intake
If there was a list of the most easily accessible performance upgrades, cold air intakes would be number one. You could call it a ‘gateway’ upgrade which sets off a chain of many other modifications.
To be more accurate though, we’d like to call cold air intakes a ‘support’ upgrade.
A cold air intake is part of the collection of little things that add up. Though it will change how your car sounds, it does not create power by itself. Instead, it helps your already modified engine to manage it’s additional power more efficiently.
You will observe a noticeable power gain from your new cold air intake when you pair it with other aftermarket upgrades.
In this guide, we’ll show you whether cold air intakes live up to their hype, how to use them correctly, and how to find the best cold air intake for your Miata.
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The Best Car Covers for Your Miata
Mechanical maintenance isn’t the be-all and end-all of responsible car care. Covering your car is one of the best things you can do to keep it clean and protected from the elements.
Cars parked out in the open are prone to damage and faster wear because of natural factors like rain, hail, snow, tree sap, dust and so on. Of course, these threats will vary depending on where you store your car.
A good car cover goes a long way by protecting your car against such threats. It’s worth noting that sun/water damage is very expensive to repair and you can easily avoid this cost by simply keeping your car covered when parked.
Putting the cover on and taking it off every day may be a little tedious and annoying for some people but trust us, it’s worth it.
Car Care Tip: If you find your car coated in a thick layer of dust, avoid wiping it down with a dry cloth. Doing this will result in fine scratches as the dust particles scrape the car’s surface. Always wash the dust off with a hose first, then wipe the water off with a damp cloth in one direction, to protect your topcoat.
In this article, we’ll highlight the most important qualities that car covers need to possess and help you choose the best car cover for your Miata.
Best Miata Radiators: Performance Upgrades & Cheap Replacements
The radiator is a key component of your car’s cooling system. What it does is simple, yet vital. Your engine produces heat; the coolant absorbs this heat, passes through the radiator tubes where it cools down and gets circulated back to the engine.
This is, of course, an oversimplification of how it actually works, but you get the idea.
When maintained properly, a radiator should last for over 10 years. We’ve even seen great examples where radiators have lasted for a car’s lifetime! If you drive the NA or NB Miata, we strongly recommend that you get your radiator checked if you haven’t because as of today, these cars are between 15 and 25 years old and most of their stock parts are going to need replacement.
In this guide, we’ll explore some of the best radiators for your Mazda Miata MX-5. Whether you are seeking an upgrade or simply needing to replace a failed radiator with a similar unit, you’ll find it here.
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350z vs 370z Comparison: What Is the Difference?
The infamous 350z vs 370z debate is a hot topic in the JDM community and for good reason. Nissan single-handedly changed the face of racing and affordable performance with the Z range.
They proved that it is possible for automakers to build high-performance sports cars at a price that many people can afford while introducing an entire generation to the pure joy of driving one.
In this guide we’ll cover the key differences between the 350z and 370z, see what it’s like to own either one, and decide which one’s worth buying.
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Infiniti G35 Coilovers: Your Best Options
Whether you’re on the track or off, suspension upgrades dramatically transform your driving experience. Most performance enthusiasts turn towards coilovers over lowering springs and regular shocks because of the added tunability.
In this guide, we’ll cover some of the best G35 coilovers you can buy, and help you choose the right one.
Tip: You will find that the Infiniti G35 and Nissan 350z have many interchangeable parts and that’s because both cars were built on the same platform.
They share a very similar chassis and the same 3.5 litre Nissan VQ V6 engine, though from factory they handle differently as they are built for different driving styles. Most Infiniti G35 Coupe coilovers also fit the Nissan 350z.
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Nissan 350z Wheel Spacers: Good or Bad?
The difference between wheels that fit well and wheels that don’t can make or break how your Nissan 350z looks. And while shopping for 350z wheels you can be selective about the width and offset of your new rims, it’s not always possible to find the perfect combination to make your new set up sit perfectly.
For this reason, more and more Nissan 350z’s are running wheel spacers, to make sure the wheels fit exactly how they should.
Wheel spacers can help make your car look better by helping you get the perfect 350z wheel fitment. And while the difference would only be felt on the track, they can improve handling too.
They’re also one of the most inexpensive Nissan 350z mods around.
This guide will help you to find the best 350z wheel spacers for your car, based on the size of wheels you’re planning on using, and how flush you want them against your car’s body.
The Best Test Pipes for a Nissan 350z
Test pipes are aftermarket parts that replace the catalytic converters in your Nissan 350z.
Catalytic converters or “cats” can be a drain on power and they can choke your engine. Nissan didn’t put them on the 350z because it improve performance – emissions standards almost worldwide saw them put on the Z33.
Replacing them with test pipes is a good, inexpensive way to bring more airflow, power, and better fuel economy to your 350z.
Test pipes will usually increase your car’s sound, bringing with it a bit of rasp and drone. Sometimes the sound can get so loud that you might find yourself breaking sound ordinance laws. Some 350z owners like this, while other’s don’t.
Since you’re reading this article, we’re guessing you’re part of the crowd looking to remove their 350z’s catalytic converters for good!
If you’re taking your car to the track, or if you love the aggressive sound that test pipes offer, then this is the guide for you. Here we’ll help you find the best 350z test pipes based on price and quality.
Top Engine Oils for Your Nissan 350z
You may not think about the motor oil that goes into your 350z very often, but it can make a real difference in the way your car performs – today and long into the future.
With the right oil in your Z, your VQ engine will be nicely lubricated and run smoothly.
Quality oil keeps engine heat down, the engine clean, and running it’s best. In many cases, you’ll also see a improvement in fuel efficiency.
If you have old or bad oil in your Z car, from leaving it too long between changes, you’ll run into a heap of problems. Dirt will accumulate in your engine and clog areas that are designed to let clean oil through. Your engine will wear quicker, and engine component failures will happen more often.
If you’re trying to keep your Nissan 350z in tip-top condition, you should run the correct kind of oil, change it when needed, and treat your car better than Nissan intended.
This guide will touch on the correct 350z oil types (depending on climate and what kind of driving you’re doing), and then we’ll show you some of the best oil for your Nissan 350z.