Mazda Rotary Club

Hi guys! After spending years lusting after FD, seems that (for insurance purposes) i need to get a UK-spec model. Trouble is, although i know a little about the imported cars (in terms of model variants, initial equipment, specs etc) i\'m pretty much clueless about the UK ones! :rolleyes:

So, could any kind soul tell me what kind of spec the UK FD is? I\'m presuming there was only one model?

Also, all the examples i\'ve seen so far have been standard, externally. Would aftermarket, post \'99 spec kits fit onto a UK model in the same way as they would an early jap car?

Finally, what kind of mods would be required to boost the power to a level similar to the jap cars (255~280bhp)? Anyone know why it is less? Down to ECU tuning, or something more important like different sized turbos etc?

Thanks for any help! :)

Hi mate,

I\'m not all that clued up on the many different variants of FD but I\'ll tell you what my UK spec is;

238bhp, 2 Seater with rear storage buckets, Single oil cooler, Front Mazda strut brace, Rear Mazda strut brace, Leather seats, 16" Mazda rims, Electric windows, Electric sunroof, Air conditioning, Cruise control, Leather shin/knee rest on inside drivers-side tunnel, Manual gearbox.

As far as I\'m aware the only difference body work wise is the recess in the rear bumper for the number plate so any kits you\'ve been eyeing up should still fit  no problems  :)

I\'m also told that any engine mods for a Jap rex will be fine for the UK one too and that the drop in bhp is due to a slightly different ECU setup.

I think this is all correct but feel free to amend any mistakes guys.

Brad.

as well as the UK ECU dropping the BHP, there is a pre cat on the uk model which causes the power to drop to 237

The UK models have TWIN oil coolers. Other than that, it is as above.

Fish

I thought it was the twin oil coolers that set the efini apart? rather than just the uk models.
That being said the only FD model I would want is one with a reciept for an engine rebuild....

To start with the quick way to find a U/K car with out further investigation is the main bumper Badges that are unique to a European car, and the rectangular rear number plate.

Hope this helps

If you look through this thread you will find an excellent pristeen example of a U/K car
http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8068

p.s. with the fact that ony 124 were brought over here for sale by Mazda, the law of averages says there must only be around 50 left by now, including the one l butchered

Surely more than 1 in 2 survives.  50 would seems a bit low!

Nah,

High Performance, Rear wheel drive +  always dry U/K roads !

Putting it nicely, these cars have quite a high attrition rate!

Me & Lee can try & kill a few jap uns if that\'d help? :eek: lol
er coat for Mr _Si....;)

Pfft I done a proper job on mine, none of this months to fix stuff.

It does seem a high number, as they only people on the Forum I can think of that have killed one are myself and Glenn.  Maybe I have forgotten a few.

Lee

I guess a lot of people won\'t publicise the fact that they have written off their car.  There is another regular poster on here that killed his import FD a couple of years ago.

Kevin

QuoteOriginally posted by Fish
The UK models have TWIN oil coolers. Other than that, it is as above.

Fish

Didn\'t realise, cheers mate.

FYI,

Also of note is the fact that you wont be able to decat a UK spec car and get it to pass the MOT emissions. You can get rid of the pre cat though and it will still pass.

The ECU is different its an N3A7  (on mine anyway).

I\'m soon to put a PFC into mine.......


Paul

I\'ve got a \'95 UK FD. I\'ve been told that it is very simple to remove the pre-cat & fit a standard jap down-pipe that will release the extra bhp taking the car up to the standard c.255 bhp jap level BUT because of the UK ECU i will need a re-map (especially if i was to improve the induction kit). Has anyone with a UK car done this or got any experience?

QuoteOriginally posted by Kevint
I guess a lot of people won\'t publicise the fact that they have written off their car.  There is another regular poster on here that killed his import FD a couple of years ago.

Kevin

Kevin is right, there are many many more, sadly we lost one on the quiet as recently as JAE, poor bloke had the car two weeks became a full member and not JUST an internet member, brought the car to JAE on the Sat, then killed the car totally around a telegraph pole on the way home when it started to rain !!!, real real good thing was that nobody was hurt.

Now tell me again why l believe that is all that are left !    ;)

just7,

I have a \'93 UK FD and have been accumulating performance parts, Cat Back, HiFlow cat, Jap spec downpipe, M2 Airbox, 1300 cc injectors. I have on order a PFC and commander.

I have tried to find out in vain if a \'93 PFC will plug into my car. I\'ve even got the wiring diagram for the UK spec car. (I know its different to the US version I have a wiring diagram for that car too. but I have been unable to get a Jspec ecu pin out diagram).

I was told by Rotechnics that wires on the harness need to be cut but it cant be the same ones as the US car. Some one else told me that a pfc will plug straight into Euro spec cars. BTW they will fit it for me for a charge.

In the end I\'ve just orderd one and am going to plug it in and see what happens. I think it should just work.

If it does then I\'ll put all of the rest of my bits on. Dont want to think about what will happen if it doesnt work.

Paul

lol i am but a humble beginner in this killing car thing (http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/contrib/blackeye/lol.gif) seen a few pix of others who\'ve mullered their cars & never a pretty sight but wouldn\'t be surprised if Clives guestimate wasn\'t far off the mark
Si

I killed my last UK Rx - so 50 probably a good guess.
My silver UK one is for sale!

someone said earlier that only UK models have twin oil coolers but my import also has them, how can that be????

I dont recall anyone saying that, and if they did they are wrong :)

it was FISH although i probably just miss read it.... :o

I can believe there\'s only 50!

After my slippage in the wet coming off a roundabout, I was lucky the curb stopped me or else I\'d of been down a steep slope on my roof!!:eek:

Alot of fun they are, but something like that put\'s things into perspective - now I\'m gonna just go bonkers on track/drift days rather than dodgy British roads! ;)

Adrian,

This man might be worth talking to in case you ain;t seen this thread yet.


http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8137 (http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8137)

I thought that all the Type R and R2 models had twin oil coolers so the UK one must be like the R2, as all the UK FD3s only had 2 seats.......

I thought that all the Type R and R2 models had twin oil coolers so the UK one must be like the R2, as all the UK FD3s only had 2 seats.......

QuoteOriginally posted by paul C
just7,



I have tried to find out in vain if a \'93 PFC will plug into my car. I\'ve even got the wiring diagram for the UK spec car. (I know its different to the US version I have a wiring diagram for that car too. but I have been unable to get a Jspec ecu pin out diagram).

I was told by Rotechnics that wires on the harness need to be cut but it cant be the same ones as the US car. Some one else told me that a pfc will plug straight into Euro spec cars. BTW they will fit it for me for a charge.

Paul

Hi Paul,

My car is a 1992 U/K car and the PFC pluged straight on, no problem.

Hope this helps.

Reading post about FD owners fear of rain.
One answer:
Toyo Proxes F1s
They totally revolutionised my FD\'s wet handling.
Also much kinder to alloys when parking near kerb.

Thanks Clive

Thats good to know.

Paul

Good grief! First of all, thanks to EVERYONE for their input! :wave I\'ve been so busy at work lately it\'s been almost impossible to even read the posts, let alone post anything!

Got a good idea as to exactly what constitutes a UK FD now, interesting to note the twin oil coolers, surely a fairly sought after factory option?

Also, i can quite believe that 50% of the UK cars are no longer on the roads. Why? Because when i called Elephant to find out how much extra i\'d have to cough up for an imported FD, their answer was about £80 LESS than a UK car! :eek: At first i was a bit dumbfounded, but thinking about it, if they have had half of their policy holders claim on a written off car, the premium for it would go up dramatically. Which might also explain why an Intergra Type-R would have been £500 MORE than a UK spec Supra. :confused:

What i don\'t get is if the model itself is the problem, i would have thought it would make the import MORE, but it seems i\'m wrong! Totally ecstatic about it too, although the UK cars are great, i was really looking forward to sending a \'wish list\' Miguel\'s way, and it just seems your money goes further when buying an import.

So, all being well, it turns out the info i gained about UK models might not concern me after all, but once again thanks to everyone for your input! Seems like it benefitted others too, which is great!

:cool

Your actually right about the money going further, I\'m toying with the idea of selling my UK model and spending the cash on a modded import, also feels abit wrong modding a UK model if they\'re becoming a bit rare :p

Not a bad plan matey. I just love the idea of putting on a blank sheet a wish list, and just playing the waiting game! TBH any FD would be a dream come true for me, but i figure if i\'m going to take the plunge and go gor it, i may as well bide a bit of time and get the best i can!

I wonder if the UK ones will become collectors items? Have all the characteristics!