Flyin' Miata Koni Stage 2 suspension package (NB chassis)

I installed this kit on my 99 NB, and I was amazed at the improvement. Rode like OEM (firm but never harsh), but cornered 100% better. Quality, fitment, lack of rattles, etc. was just amazing for this price point.

I know lots of folks will prefer the V-MAXX kit for similar money, to get the height adjustment. That's a personal preference, of course. For me, the preset ride height of the Konis was perfect - lower than stock but not stanced and cambered. Never rubbed once in any driving condition (running 15x8s with 205 tires). It looked purposeful - more go than show. I loved it.

I initially thought I ruined the car after installing this. The stiffness would've been appreciated on a track but here in the great northeast, where each municipality competes with the other for greatest manhole to road surface difference, it was not.
The back end took a while to settle all the way down. The front end was noticeably lower as soon as I put the car down. After living with this setup for a month, with the shocks dialed in as the paperwork suggested, I can't wipe the stupid grin off my face. I have since adjusted the shocks 1/4 turn tighter than the recommended base setting for daily driving.
Did it make my car faster? While the answer should be obvious, I can no longer shift out of 4th on any road with a speed limit 50 mph or lower as the car easily travels 70 mph with the same "feel" as it did originally at 50 mph.
My car is a 2001 with sport suspension and 6spd transmission with 16" wheels. Daily driven and has yet to see a track, though I'm hoping that will change if I can swing some vacation time for summer camp.

I went back and forth to either change out the rear shocks, one was leaking or spend the money and buy this kit for 55,000 99. Well I spent the money and couldn't be more pleased, the ride is great (I did have a dead rear shock) and could tell right away on the twisty road to work a big difference with the handling. And the car looks great with the 3/4 of an inch lower ride height.

I installed the FM Stage 2 Koni suspension package on my ‘99 Leather Edition about 18 months ago. The car had 128k on it at the time and was still on its original suspension. I’ve had the car for 11 years, and it has always been my daily driver/commuter car. I have a set of Kumho all-season radials on the car. I do not race, but I do drive with considerable gusto and especially enjoy the twisties we have in wonderful abundance in western Oregon. The new suspension transformed the car. With all 4 shocks set at 2 or 3, I find that it is highly communicative and remains comfortable. Road irregularities get felt but don’t upset the car, and urban obstacles like speed bumps and any but the steepest driveways pose no problem. As the grins accumulate and the turns come more quickly, the car responds immediately and accurately, and body roll is non-existent. There is no suspension–related noise. I’ll be taking a 2,000-mile trip in the near future and am considering dialing the suspension back a bit, but it’s easy to do – takes perhaps 10 minutes on the Miata, including removing and later restoring a bit of trunk-accessed sheet metal protection for the gas filler pipe. Last and probably most importantly, my wife continues to think of the car as comfortable. I’m absolutely pleased with this modification.

(Tip from FM: you can bend down the corners of that sheetmetal by hand. This lets you reach inside to adjust the shocks without disassembling anything)

I drive a nearly stock 2003 equipped only with this Koni package, 205/45 R16 BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 tires, and FM's recommended alignment. This suspension package feels nearly as comfortable on the street as stock but is a noticeable performance improvement. I recently attended an autocross school where my instructor repeatedly commented on how much grip the car had and how neutrally it handled, and other drivers approached me to say how composed it looked over the bumps compared to the other Miatas at the event. The proof is in the pudding, and my times were about 2 seconds faster than the stock NB Miatas with similar tires.