S2KSeeker

Call me cautions (maybe smart, but my wife would argue), but the vast majority of my modifications for the track have been with safety in mind. Fixed race seats, harddog roll barr with lowered harness bar, 6 pt harness, hans device, etc....

To give a little background, I have an 03 AP1 with 70K on the clock. Outside of upgraded braking compenents, UK alignment, and stock wheels with Dierzza Star specs, the car is stock.

I have about 20 track days under my belt and have noticed some limitations in my current setup for some time. My laps are always within 1 or 2 seconds of each other and feel that I am pushing the car as far as I am willing knowing I need to drive it home. (In my optinion, maybe 9/10ths to 9.5/10ths). Although I'm sure a professional driver in my car would make me realize I'm only at 7/10ths! This is a weekend fun car and the modifications I make are for track days in mind so not concerned about daily drivability.

I am comfortable with the current engine and braking setup, but feel the limitations are in cornering ability. Low speed understeer as well as what feels to be a fair amoutn of body roll/lean at both low and high speed are my main concerns. Would like the car to feel more composed/flat when cornering. I've read too many posts over the past 2 days and think I'm in information overload!

With a budget in mind, I'm not sure what options are avaiable. I have very little interest in purchasing a quality coil over setup simply because I dont' want to spend a significant amount of money. But, I am wondering if there are some less costly options that will enhance handling such as various sway bars, lowering springs (Eibach or Swift) w/ stock shocks etc. The answer I fear is that they only way to improve the stock handling is to buy a quality set of coil overs and that all other cheaper options will not improve lap times or improve handling. Would like to keep the cost to $1,000 or less. Wasn't sure if I should post in suspension forumn or here, but since I am specifically interested in implications for the track, I posted here. Thanks in advance for your input.

Squirtle

Stock wheels with Direzza tires are probably what your complaints are stemming form.

Get larger wheels and larger tires and possibly a front sway bar. I'd do that before coils if you're budget-minded.

davidnyc

You have to ask yourself, what are your goals?

I have a basically stock '07 that is primarily a track car with similar mods to your car. I "thought" I was driving well, until one track day a local Spec Miata champion rode with me. I don't time myself, but I know with him in the car (extra 200lbs or so), we were still doing 10mph faster at the end of straight. Basically, with him, I was driving better and going faster. But, I am about to do coilovers and sway bars. Why? See below.

If I just want to have faster times, initially the best thing to do is just have seat time and learn how to drive at the true 9/10ths and not what we think is 9/10ths (sort of what you mentioned in your post).

If I want to have more "fun" and have the car feel better, then upgrade. Stiffer suspension, etc. etc. feels more like a race car and may emotionally make you/me feel better without actually being any faster (initially, but in the end should be faster than stock). This is why I am upgrading my suspension. Just for fun.

With your budget, I think the best thing to do is seat time, learn how your car handles with different tire pressures, etc. etc. Once, you are maxing out your setup, then go bars, springs, coils, etc. OR you can do what I am doing and wasting money for the fun of it.

chuhsi

r-comp tires and way more front and rear camber with aftermarket camber kits?

odb812

I'm not sure what a UK alignment is (using factory specs from the United Kingdom?), but I think first thing is to max out your front negative camber (~-1.9) and get your rear somewhere that suits your taste(I went -1.9 rear as well). After that I would say going to 17x9" wheels with 255 tires all around. Then you can go for an adjustable sway bar or camber joints to get more camber in the front.

rip_ej1

As Squirtle said, I'd upgrade to larger wheels/tires...square of course.

robrob

I like this answer and advice (UK alignment is very mild adjustment from US factory spec).

FluKy15

This is exactly what I hope to be doing to my car next year, with the exception that Ill be doing a 235/255 setup on PF01SS enkei wheels. There is a local guy to me who only put 255 square on his s2000 and ran absolutely incredible lap times in our local time attack, after talking with him I dont want to mod much of my s2000 anymore.

thomsbrain

The Eibach sway bar pair are cheap, easy to install, and reduce roll over factory bars, with little to no downsides in ride quality. But also make sure you max out your camber too, for a cheap improvement. I would do those things before worrying about coilovers.

Torque Obsessed

I'm the least experienced person here and am the slowest on track, so consider the following just opinion and not fact...

1. I've read in some of the Star Spec discussions that they aren't very good in the AP1 16" sizes, but they really come alive in 17". I don't know if that's true, but I've never found any tire that seemed to make much grip at all in the OEM AP1 16" sizes.

2. I picked up a used set of AP2 V1's and ran Star Specs in 215/245 (stock 17" AP2 sizes) last weekend at my first track event @ Roebling Road. They made so much grip I literally never found the courage to find their limits. I thought they were simply amazing, and that's not even a wide/square setup. My arm hurts from bracing against the door all day because of all the grip in the turns.

3. I was never impressed with the "feel" of the OEM AP1 suspension. I have a street setup that felt great on track @ Roebling but most likely isn't truly "fast"; it just feels good. Comptech adjustable lowering springs + Koni Yellow shocks + Comptech sway bars front/rear + strut braces front/rear/upper/lower. This combo makes the car feel much more controlled and composed. It's like a totally different car, yet it still rides great on the street. I'm lowered about 5/8".

4. Eibach springs are always great for the street, and I hear good things about Ground Control as well. Like most of my mods, they might be less than you'll truly want on track but are still a nice improvement with no downsides for daily driving.

If I was trying to improve the feel of the car without spending tons of money, I'd find a used set of springs/shocks (don't do one without the other), a used set of 17" wheels and some sway bars. That should be a very nice improvement without costing you a ton of money. The car feels amazing once you dial it in...

Now that I'm hooked on going to the track, I'll be doing the safety stuff - roll bar, seat, harness - and a baffled oil pan. I probably only got to 8/10ths in my sessions because I didn't want to go off track and was still getting used to what the Star Specs can do.