Mazda Miata MX-5 Performance Projects (Motorbooks Workshop) Paperback – December 14, 2003

If you own a NA or NB Miata there are two tools you must have... a factory shop manual and this book. I'm an experienced 60 year old gear head, been wrenching on bicycles, motorcycles and cars since I was a toddler, so by now I pretty much can figure out how to take most anything apart and put it back together. But every vehicle has it's unique challenges and the Miata is no different. Whether you're an experienced mechanic or a total newbie, this book is perfect to help a new Miata owner become acquainted with her or his vehicle. It will keep you from making the dumb mistakes that can cost you time, money and stress. The "projects" approach to this book really help get you up to speed, catch you up on maintenance, build on one another and can even start you down the upgrades path... all in an easy to digest fashion with tons of tips that only an experienced Miata enthusiast would take for granted. Ignore the reviews that say this book is dated, not true, the basics you need to know are still the same and the authors knowledge is waaaay more reliable than the misinformation and opinions you'll find on the web forums.

I have completed nearly half of the project in the book with great success. Instructions are usually right on and he makes upgrades and maintenance accessible to this amature mechanic.HOWEVER, for the 2002 Miata NB, the information about the rear brakes is woefully inadequate. There is an adjustment screw in the rear brakes that the book mentions only in passing with little explanation as to what it is for. After and hour of nearly destroying my calipers trying to get the pistons back into them, I went online and found that the adjustment screw is of vital importance when changing the brakes of the Miata LS. You must back the screw out and the piston follows. If he had just put that simple sentence into the book I would have completed my driveway brake job in an hour without the additional stress and time.

I bought this book when I decided to replace the timing belt, gaskets, water pump, front seals, belts and hoses on my Miata. You might as well replace all those items when the front end is apart! Instructions were straight forward on what is required. I did have one issue with a cam being a notch off but I blame that on the fun part of aligning everything under pressure when installing the new belt. This wasn't a fault of the book and only required another 1.5 hour break down to correct. So spend plenty of time staring at the alignment of the cams with the new belt before reinstalling everything or else you'll have a rought idle and throw an engine code just so you can break down the front-end again. As I said, not a fault of the book and the illustrations are very good.

This book is amazing. If you are a 16 year old girl, and your dad just got you a Miata, this is the book you need. Tanner breaks things down in a way that your Haynes or Chilton's manual does not. It's super easy to read, and Keith has an absurd amount of experience. I've already put anti-sway bars in my girlfriend's car, replaced her timing belt, replaced the CAS sensor and valve cover gasket in my car, all with a wrench in one hand, and this book in the other. If you have a Miata, and you are thinking of working on it yourself, then you really must have this book. It's worth twice the money.

If you don't have any Miata books this is a great first book since it does cover all the basics e.g. oil change, coolant, timing belt, Adjusting Timing, Brake bleeding/flushing, etc. This book covers the 1st gen and 2nd gen, i.e. NA and NB cars only.I don't have a Chilton or Haynes manuals to compare since I long ago lost faith in those to publishers, after all how can one thin book cover all 3 generations when the third gen car literally shares no components with the earlier cars?There are a couple "Performance" topics but generally I'd put "Mazda Miata Performance Handbook" by Garrett ahead of this book, but Garrett doesn't cover the real basic stuff so this is a good companion.

This book is a great start to give ideas to Miata owners of the enhancement potential of their cars. The book assumes a good fundamental knowledge of cars and starts from that base. The projects range from the mild to the wild - yet always staying within the property of enhancing the Miata; not turning it into what it is not. Miata enthusiasts will find the book a delight to read, even if none of the projects are done. Well-written, easy to follow, and the author does a good job of encouraging owners to take that first step to personalize this beautiful car.

PROS:This projects book is helpful for the beginner mechanic. I'm no expert, so I can't speak for experienced mechanics. It has helped me locate various parts on the car and give me ideas for future projects.The build quality of the book is very sturdy. Pictures are large and clear.CONS:More detail could be provided for each specific project. However, the book does a good job of getting you started and understanding the purpose of your project.

This book has a lot of fun projects for the home mechanic but the detail leaves a lot to be desired. If you want a step by step guide then don't buy this, go with a chilton manual instead. However, if you just need a broad overview of the job and a few color pictures then this is the book for you. Also the quick facts box at the beginning of each project is nice touch. It tells you what you need, the projected time and cost, and the recomended skill level.

Having poured over the pages of Keith Tanner's 'Find it, Fix it, Trick it' as an introduction the world of the lil' Mazda MX-5 ('Mazda Miata' in the US and 'Eunos Roadster' in Japan) this book ('Miata MX5 - Performance Projects') seemed like the next logaical step, to add greater depth to my knowledge and reveal more layers to the lil' roadster.It's worth pointing out that the book only covers the Mk1 ('NA'), Mk2 ('NB') and Mk2 'Facelift ('M2.5' or 'NBFL', depending on where you are in the world). It only briefly mentions the Mk3 ('NC') model, which was hadn't even been released when this book went to print for the first time.If you're used to a comprehensive workshop manual (e.g. Haynes, Clymer, etc), then you might initially think that this is a little on the 'thin' side (I did), but it worth reading through and seeing what's actually on offer here.The sections are all logically laid out, with 'getting yourself organised' (what tools are needed, how to get the car ready, etc), 'general maintenance' (there's a surprising amount of things that need checked, not least with the transmission); before moving onto the more advanced enhancements and modifications that can be made to the car.There's an expectation that you're going to have a reasonable level of mechanical understanding (e.g. you're more than happy to do an oil change), with a little more help offered when approaching things like a Limited Slip Differential (LSD) installation. Suffice to say, some of the projects are reasonably advanced, but they're put in such a way as not to seem impossible to someone that's prepared for the job.Chapters (or 'Projects') are concise, giving an outline of the pro's and con's of the task, what'll be needed (parts and tools), along with guidance on getting the jobs done. Again, the projects aren't exhaustive and are focused around the more common work that's done (how to swap a roof, how to service or upgrade brakes). There's a number of performance enhancements set out, which is where I feel the real value comes from.Some enthusiasts might know all these things already (for the internet is a wonderful thing), but the book sets it out in a 'no nonsense' format and takes away some of the pitfalls when comparing different models and specifications.If you only enjoying 'driving' your MX5, then perhaps this isn't the book (although the general maintenance is still valuable). The real treat is for those that are looking to maintain, upgrade, enhance and sensibly modify their MX5 and their driving experience.Note: Yes, the book's written primarily for the U.S. 'Miata', but most of the information can be applied to Mazda MX5's and Eunos Roadster models as well (if you remember that the steering's on the other side!)

I just set my timing up using this amazing book, and set it to 14deg BTDC there is a noticeable difference with the MX5 feeling a bit more lively. Love the quality colour images and the explanations are well done too; if I can understand them pretty much anyone can. I've fitted a cam angle sensor and a cam cover gasket too, I'm also looking at fitting a NB head on this car although I may need a few more tools before I attempt that one.What this book does is give you an enthusiasm for the MX5 and it gives you a good understanding about your car. I also bought  Mazda MX5 1.6 Workshop Manual  to compliment it and give me a grounding of the fundamentals of this amazing car.I have grimy fingers again for the first time in 20 years, taking me back to my youth and all the tinkering I used to do with cars. Mazda MX5 1.6 Workshop Manual

This is a great book for anyone wanting to improve there MX5

This is not a Haynes manual so if you want detailed workshop manuals look elsewhere. However, if you own an MX5 and fancy having a go at doing some work on it yourself this is a great place to start. It is written with great enthusiasm and in an easy manner.

Good reading with pictures to match. Would have been better if corrosion had been mentioned.