Applicable to: '99 + 1.8 liter
MK2 front Airdam install
I was supplied this item without the instructions and fixings, but after being told they would take 2 weeks to arrive, i thought a DIY job was in order. So i bought some self tapping screws and some small clips to screw into for extra strength and installed it, it is definitely a 2 person job but straight forward even with no intructions, i used 2 jacks to raise each side of the car and had it installed in about 1 hour and im very happy with the results.
The car looks much better and more sporty and as others have commented i did notice the car feels more stable at higher speeds. A highly recommended addition.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '99 +
Flexible abs air dam with brake vents.
Instructions rather confusing but OK if you take it sensibly. For fitting, follow the guidance by others here.
The difference in the handling at speed is noticeable. I felt vulnerable on fast busy roads with occasional feelings that cross winds were having more effect than I would wish. The air dam has cured that completely. Travel on Motorways (UK) is now a breeze - steering with the little finger in poor conditions would not be out of the question (if I was mad enough to do that). Not only that but it looks good. Thoroughly recommended for stability above 65mph.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to '99 + 1.8 liter
Factory front Air Dam for 1999 Dark Green Miata
What I thought would be an easy installation, took longer than expected. First of all, there was suppose to be 7 convex marks on the front bumper where you would drill 7 holes to mount the air dam....well, no marks on MY bumper !!! Had to attach the end retainers to enable me to properly mark the drill points. Holding the piece and making sure that it is flush in the front as well as on each end was a real pain...and without another set of hands (my wifes) I could not have done this job. Also, It is important to mention that without ramps...ya know the ones that allow for enough clearance....this job would have been impossible. I did call Mazda service about not having the proper markings on the bumper and asked them if there was another way to mark the places required for drilling...They replied... NOPE !!! So I was on my own...
The end result looks great but allow enough time if you don't have the markings on your car...all in all it took me about 2 hours. Also, it is important to note that with the air dam installed, it significantly reduces your clearance...but you can still use Rhino ramps !!
Not an installed item
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
The factory Air Dam from Mazda.
Relatively easy to install, looks great on the car (a little more aggressive, but tasteful), and as others have mentioned, a definite improvement on high-speed stability (freeway speeds and up).
It's a lot of money for a piece of plastic, but not so much compared to other body kit pieces. I'm very happy with the results, overall, and would definitely purchase one for any applicable Miata.
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter
Mazda factory chin spoiler. Painted black but paintable to match car body color. Has built in air ducts to cool front brake disks. High quality, light weight, flexable and more forgiving than fiberglass for those accidental bumps. Comes with mounting hardware and instructions.
I ordered mine from GoMiata in CA but found out that it shipped from Trussville Mazda in AL. It arrived in a pretty beat up box, but upon opening the box all was in excellent condition. I set out to install the spoiler right away. I was looking for something to make the car look a little more aggressive without looking like a Hot Wheels car. I raised the front of my car (Zoe, a Red 91)and put it on jackstands. This made the installaion very easy. There are six bolts that attach the air dam under the chin of the car that you need to drill holes for. Also, there are an additional four existing bolts that need to be removed and re-installed to mount the air dam. Finally, you drill small holes for the last four mouning screws. The beauty of all this is that no metal is drilled in this installation (no bare metal to worry about rust forming in).
All in all, I'm very happy with the installation. It looks great, just what I hoping for. The car looks more down on the ground, like a cat ready to pounce. I left mine black but I may paint it later. Removing it for painting should be very easy. I took it for a high speed run (100mph) before and after the installation to see if there was any performance difference. I feel it made a real difference. The car felt much more planted to the pavement; not floaty like before. Much more in control. I feel bang for the buck, the factory air dam is well worth the price. You get form and function, which you can't say for a lot of add on's out there.
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.8 liter
The front airdam came from Trussville Mazda. I bought it cheaper then anywhere else. Since my car is black so i did not need any painting to match the car. That's good thing about having black Miata. I also installed mud guards and did not need to paint to match the color. It does gives aggressive look. It transferred my car from being a women's car to MANLY car.
Installation was easy. I had my housemate work with me and it took about total of 30 minutes to install. The kit came with extra bolts and nuts, I thought which was very nice. Using that instruction provided with that item, we had no problem figuring how things fit. We drilled holes on the bumper cover. Once I looked at it, I never thought about removing it in future. The airdam seems like missing part of Miata that should have been provided with original equipment or sports package. Also ride was nice, it seems to bring car down to street level that it does not seems to get lid of jumpy feeling I had going though curves and so forth. Not it seems to ride much better.
I recommend this item to anybody, who is interested in changing that Miata look and if you want to have better control of that car, i highly recommended. I have webpages covers about front airdam and pictures, the site url is http://miata.cardomain.com/id/tomlin1
Difficult to remove without leaving damage
Applicable to: '90 - '97 1.6 liter 1.8 liter
Spoiler that fits under front bumper. Has air ducts for brake cooling.
Not nearly as substantial a piece as I was expecting. Very light, very flexible, which are both good I guess.
Easy to install. I just used screws in place of the bolts with the kit. Looks better painted IMHO, though I'll likely have to touch it up from time to time. Pics at: http://www.geocities.com/jdachik/Miata.html
Under 30 minutes to remove completely
Mazda Front Air Dam purchased from my local dealer at a discount.
Installation was done without a lift or ramp with made the installation a bit more difficult, a good two person job, took about an hour.
I was aprehensive of drilling holes in the wheel wells for the top lip of the air dam, in the event I ever wanted to take it off. I ordered an additional bag of hardware from Roebuck to get some additional clips which I used instead of the screws and it's worked very well. I highly recommend the use of additional clips rather than screws. I like the look - the fit is perfect - ground clearance is reduced to approximately the height of a beer/soda can.
Color matched (red) air dam.
I purchased the product from Roebuck Mazda. Delivery time was 3 days. I was very pleased with the quality of workmanship and appearance. The red finish perfectly matched the classic red exterior of my mint 92 Package A. It had no blemishes or dull areas that I could find.
There,however, were some missing hardware upon closer inspection of the materials received. I informed Roebuck and was immediately sent the missing items in two days.
The instructions that came with the product was clear and concise with plenty of drawings. No chance of confusion or messing up the installation here.
Installation was simple and easy. With the help of my brother in aligning and supporting the unit under the front fascia, I/we were able to complete the installation in less than one hour. We would have been able to do this in 30 minutes but we didn't have a ramp to use to raise the car for easier access to the underside.
The installation started with the attachment of the dam to the fascia using two existing outboard bolts. Next, was 6 clips to secure and align the dam with fascia. Then came the installation of 6 bolts which required simple drilling. This step bolted the dam to the fascia at predefined points across the length of the dam. Finally, 4 self tapping screws secured the brake air ducts and the far edges of the dam to the wheelwell.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the product and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cosmetic and functional upgrade to their roadster. I certainly love the more aggressive look of the car....
More info at: http://members.xoom.com/kuulei
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12 May, 2006 |