Get rid of the 2 or buy new wheels?

[ngd298]

I've been trying to trade my 2 for this car-
http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp?tab=photos&paId=501076996&recnum=&listingId=109780902&paId=501076996&listingRecNum=43&criteria=sf1Dir%3dASC%26mkId%3d20073%26stkTyp%3dU%26mdId%3d21492%26rd%3d250%26crSrtFlds%3dstkTypId-feedSegId-mkId-mdId%26zc%3d24656%26rn%3d0%26PMmt%3d1-1-0%26stkTypId%3d28881%26sf2Dir%3dASC%26sf1Nm%3dlocation%26sf2Nm%3dprice%26isDealerGrouping%3dfalse%26rpp%3d50%26feedSegId%3d28705&tracktype=usedcc&pageNumber=&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=descending&sortfield=PRICE&certifiedOnly=false&&aff=national

I'm just completely fed up with this car. I've been through 3 sets of tires and I can't get it to stop shaking at >60 mph. It wouldn't bother me so bad, but it's a brand new car- it shouldn't shake. Plus, I have the rx7 for fun, the s10 for winter, and the metro for mileage and short trips, so the only thing I use the 2 for is long trips (interstate), which it can't do without vibrating me half to death. Ive put $3-4k into trying to make it into something it isn't (sports car) and I'm really starting to regret putting basically $20k into a car that is less fun than a $200 rx7 and uses more gas than a $375 geo. Sorry guys, I just need to vent.

The speed3 is a no-go, they are only offering me $8k for it, so my decision now is-

1: buy ANOTHER set of wheels
2: try to buy some stock alloys and pay $300+ for 25mm spacers
3: sell it for $9,900 and pay the loan off and use the 2k difference as a down payment on a nicer/sportier car.

What do you guys think?

 

[Joker2]

Just buy some good quality lighter wheels (see the latest issue of Grassroots Motorsports for some choices). The difference between 90 dollar wheels and ones ranging from 125-200 is huge. The Mazda2 like the MX-5 Miata is quite sensitive to unsprung weight. Also the quality of the tires matters. That being said I assume that you had the front end bits carefully checked out and that you never had any curbing or other impact with the car. Also the bearings were checked for play, right?

 

[ngd298]

I have had some impacts, but everything has been checked and it has had a recent 4 wheel alignment. The BFG tires helped a lot. I may get some wheels and try it but I'm just so sick of throwing money at this car.

 

[eyeballs]

Quality wheels shouldn't cost you too much as long as you don't need a flawless finish. Check out some national and regional motorsport forums and you should have plenty of good options on used racing wheels. RPF1, 6UL, Kosei, SSR, etc. I paid no more for my 10.8 lb kosei's than I got selling my stock wheels, and they are in great condition. Also, try pulling out the rear bar and see if that helps. I definately noticed some added harshness with it.

 

[ngd298]

http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda-Performance-Part/61-0609.html
Kind of liking these. Thoughts? Are these quality wheels?

I thought about rpf1s but I'm not sure I like them on the 2.

Feel free to suggest other wheels. I'd like 15s but ill probably get 16s since I have brand new 16" tires that road force balanced out to under 6 lb each (25 lb or less is good)

 

[DrWebster]

If I were you, I'd try to get to the root of the vibration/shaking problem first. Buy/borrow a set of factory wheels and run them without spacers if you can, just to see if the harshness is there. If it is, the problem is with the car and you'd need to dig deeper (maybe return to factory suspension as a test). If not, you know the problem is specifically with your wheels. I wouldn't throw money at new wheels if you don't know for sure that they will fix the problem.

 

[Joker2]

Get the RPF1 in 15" or ask Brian to order you a set of Team Dynamics in 15x7 like mine. Do not get 16". Tire choice and prices are much better in 195-50-15 or 205-50-15. The RPF1 has been used on racing Miatas for many years and is a wheel that is not just light but also strong. The Team Dynamics is the prime Spec Miata wheel and also very strong and priced nicely. This is wheel for the ETCC race series also. My fourth choice is from D-Force in 15x6 and you can see that at Phil's Tire Service. My third, mostly sold out by now is the 6UL by 949 Racing. A wheel that is light and strong and an Autocrossing favorite for Miata Honda Civic CRX Mazda2 and other pilots.

I recommend staying away from Konig or similar cheap wheels because they do not take well to impacts. If your roads are well maintained you can ignore my advice and save about 30 bucks per wheel. Cheap wheels also have larger manufacturing tolerances in roundness and runout which is why they take a lot to balance properly.

 

[eyeballs]

I love the RPF1's. But there are also plenty of other good wheels out there. Just look for low-pressure cast with heat treatment or shot peening. Gravity cast (with the exception of enkei MAT) are going to be of lesser quality.

Kosei wheels are manufactured in japan, and have some very lightweight options. I especially like the K4R, and I am running an older/lighter K1-TS (10.8 lbs vs the newer ones which are ~12lbs). K1's look awesome but are slightly heavier (spec miata legal).

That being said I had a set of rota attacks (gravity cast) on my wrx for years which lasted through rallycross, plenty of rutted gravel and dirt forrest service roads, and one very hard hit to an underwater curb which bent the lip and was otherwise perfectly functional for a a couple more years until I sold the car.