Holy crap I'm slow! I went to the drag strip with a few people from work and got spanked by everyone I raced. The first was against a Jetta 1.8T, which was expected. The second was against a '96 civic with lighter than stock wheels and a CAI. The third was against a '90 Integra with intake removed for race and full exhaust.

My best time was around 17.25 second and my reaction time was decent. It could have been my driving, because this is my first time at the strip with a car (the last time I was racing my motorcycle.) It could have been the larger diameter wheels (MP3 size, but without the extra 10 hp that the MP3 has. I thought the OZs where light enough to compensate, but more of the mass is probably on the outside of the wheel, creating more rotational inertia.

I guess I need to spend more money on go fast parts now that my car handles like a 911 (Road and Track)

 

for the track , so lightweight 15's should do you good, with a set of good tires
Bruce

 

You obviously have your car setup for handling, so why worry about 1/4 mile performance? The Handling aspect of a car is much funner than the straight line aspect. The fact is, your never gonna pull on that 1.8T without a Turbo and built up internals, and you won't pull on a stang GT, or Camaro z28/ss, or even a Trans am. Why am I comparing those cars? Because they are in the 1/4 mile class, when "we" (4 banger guys) start modding our cars for straight line racing we have to worry about the Stangs, Camaro's etc. They become our competition, unless you want to throw in I/H/E and hang with other cars like yours that don't have the handling mods and added weight, but are just as capable in the 1/4 mile as you. Pick a side, its hard to have both. The civic I can see you pulling on with some mods and lightened wheels, the integra, if its an LS/GS yes, if its a GSR, no chance bud

 

Ok, just cuz a magazine puts a MP3 against several high-end cars doesn't mean that is'a anywhere near as GOOD as those cars....

 

Hey dre2000,

Did you actually read my post? I said the MP3 handles like a 911, and did not mention anything about it being "as GOOD" as those cars. Think before you write, retard.

 

I'll just have to console myself by taking my Kawasaki ZRX1100 to the strip on Tuesday. It should be somewhere in the elevens.

 

Come down here to Texas and I will bring my hatch, I have a NOS kit laying around I could always hook up, I should be in the 8's with it

 

Yeah. Not a great time for sure. Probably practice launching for a while. Even with 17 wheels you should still be able to pull mid 16's.

Really want to blow people away stick nitrous on the ride for one run at the track. Spray a 100 shot for one run against something.

You'll get a kick *** time and people won't believe it And the 2.0l stands up against a single shot of 100. Although I still don't recommend it

 

NO NO NO. It doesnt handle like a 911. I meant "as good a handler" by "good."

A new 911 will run circles around you in a skidpad.... the MP3 (better than YOU) pulls .83g in the skidpad and a 911 pulls .91g. REAL close handline there

So you pull .83g's and you think your a porsche in the curves? Hell, the new MAzda MPV (mommybox) pulls .80g's i gues it's a porsche too

Even my 12 year old car pulls .89g's (STOCK), so if ANYONE, i should be saying i handle like a porsche :

 

The following paragraphs are excerpted from the Road and Track Article I was referring to. This is a link to the complete article.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/features...eID=220&page=1

It was in our November 2001 issue that we included the Mazda MP3 in our "Ten Hot Cars You Can Afford" cover story. And it sure made a bold statement about its handling prowess, as the MP3 was absolutely sensational, demonstrating genuine sports-car performance. So this time every editor immediately voted for this compact 4-door sedan to be included in our best-handling car shootout.

On paper, the Mazda MP3's 2.0-liter, 140-bhp engine powering the front wheels appears out of place in this group of sports cars. For pure acceleration, the MP3 is snail-pace slow. But its aggressively tuned front MacPherson struts and rear trapezoidal-link suspension allow the car to corner with the best. The steering is linear with a crisp and quick initial turn-in to help make the 2900-lb. car feel nimble. Toss the MP3 into a corner and the chassis follows the intended path nicely with no surprises. There is not the usual heavy understeer associated with front-wheel-drive vehicles. With 205/45ZR-17 tires all around, the not-so-boring sedan can zoom through the slalom cones with an average speed of 70.2 mph, which equals that of the Porsche 911 Turbo.

Herta was impressed by the Mazda's level of competence on the track. "Wow!" he said. "The suspension is quite good. The chassis is very balanced and it does pretty much anything you ask it to do. As I turn the steering wheel, I can feel the front tires loading up and the car follows it as if riding on rails. And once the front bite starts to fall away, I can also feel it through the steering as the turning effort gets lighter."

For the road or the track, the Mazda MP3 is an easy car to drive, and drive fast. Herta notes: "As soon as I exit the pit, right away I am at ease. There is no need for taking a lap or two to get used to the car. I would love to see this in a sport model fitted with a turbocharger and more damping control, and then see just how much quicker this car would be around the track. That would be a real ride."

 

Lets see. Prosche $120,000 MP3 $20,000. Hey dude if you had the money to buy a porsche but you bought the MP3 instead you would have $100,000 to put into making it accelerate fast. you already got the handling down. Me. Id go with the MP5 drop $20,000 into the motor and then buy a condo in the Keys.