UK FD Owners...please help!!

[FDDreamer]

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!

[Brad]

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.

[BlitzBoy]

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

[Fish]

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

Fish

[spanerhed7]

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....

[clive]

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

[J4P RX]

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

[clive]

Nah,

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

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

[scooby_si]

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

[J4P RX]

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

[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

[Brad]

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

Fish

Didn\'t realise, cheers mate.

[paul C]

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

[just7]

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?

[clive]

Originally 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 !