SPEED3 Owners thread - Page 5

quote:

ORIGINAL: trueREDspeed3

the mazdaspeed 3 has some serious potenial. i still want to know where I can get the mazdaspeed 3 accessories that add 30 hp . here is another link to the same forum where I get into a fight with evo owners


http://forums.evolutionm.net/showthread.php?t=240019&highlight=mazdaspeed3

lol, some people think #'s make a car superior then another. by the way welcome to this forum on here we don't down talk other cars its just childish

Hey guys.  New Here.  I have a Black Mica S3 that I picked up a couple weeks ago.  I've been a member of msprotege.com for a few years as well as a moderator of club3g.com for the past 6.  I'm pretty well learned about the upgrades available for the S3.  The intercooler that was posted earlier is actually from www.protegegarage.com.  Ken, the owner is a great guy, and makes very good, street tested parts.  With that new breather you get 20 extra horses, dyno proven, for 500 bucks.  That's actually pretty damn good value for that much power.  They tested it with multiple runs and it sees very little (a 1 or 2 hp loss) heat soak loss, despite it being on a dyno.  The stock TMIC lost 10hp after its first run.  No, I don't have any affiliation with the guys. :)  Other than the TMIC, you can get a FMIC of course, but that will run you over a grand.  I plan on going TMIC for that stealthy appearance.  The ducting is great anyhow. 

Now, as for the CAI - AEM makes one that has a dyno gain of about 28hp. and costs around $350.   So, the  chance Mazda has to make 30 or more with an exhaust/CAI combo is almost guaranteed - however, the rumor is that it will be 1300 dollars.  Thanks, I'll put on the AEM.  Now, these parts won't add together to 50hp, but they'll broaden the curve a bit, I'm sure. 

Last thing - the only things I dislike about the car are the shifter, as others have said.  It's just not a very good gearbox.  It has a joystick like return to center, and a notchy feel.  Some have said that replacing the rubber bushings with aluminum should help.  We'll see.  That will be the first thing I'll want to correct.  The second thing is the audio system.  I've never been much of a fan of Bose, and this system proves why.  It just isn't a full range system.  But hell - I'll turn it off and listen to the car's underhood audio system.  Cheers guys.

the shifter like automatically returns to center, as for the bose system i didnt care much for, and the xenon lights I said Im sure I can add on later thats why I went right for the sport model instead since it was avail so fast to me.  Yeah I am very interested in that cai exhaust combo wonder how much it will be for labor

it shouldn't cost too much for labor, being it isn't all that difficult to install the upgrades

Hello Damion!  Got a link to the AEM intake?  I'll be looking myself but at last glance i could'nt find anything for our cars. 

I have about 600 miles on mine now, and the shifter is getting better (either that, or I am getting used to it). It doesn't feel as stiff and clunky in 1-2-3, as it did before.

Yeah they cleared my purge valve and CEI light, but they ordered a new purge valve as well. Basically, the valve is just sticking. They told me if the light comes on again, just ignore it.

No other problems to report, and it is still a blast to drive.

hey , thanks for having me. I got mine back and it turned out to be a o2 sensor. I still have this clicking sound from under the passenger seat. sounds like a loud relay. I too would like a link to this aem CAI
 
mike

Just put my deposit down and will be zoom-zooming in about 3 weeks. I test drove one yesterday and fell in love. coming from a civic this is a rocket. Hopefully i don't have the problems that have been going around

nice, have they been selling these over msrp?

Yea msrp does'nt seem to be something people pay attention too.  Alot of peeps will pay what the dealer say's it costs.  Sad really.  I tried to use Mazda's S-Plan and my local dealer told me to run along that they could get MSRP.  I looked around for two weeks calling every Speed dealer within 500 miles.  I was dissapointed to find no one would.  Then i go a dealer an hour away to do it.  Got there and all and they wanted to take the deposit on a car and the wait would be like two months.   As i'm about to leave and think about it, my local dealer  calls and says they'll do S-Plan +500 on the car that i had test drove there which happened to be exactly what i wanted.  I could take delivery immediatly and they offered 1500 more on trade-in  WOOHOO lol.  Signed and sealed 3 hours later.  To anyone looking at aquiring one there are two things you'll personally have to balance.  One, the limited number and rick of not getting one or what you want without much travle and such, and Two, the fact that the dealer wants money but when they sit on something too long knowing they can get another if they scoot the ofirst off the lot, they  will call you back.  They will deal, but they will never let on in the beggining.      You have hand.   
 
As for markup yes one dealer in baltimore told me that they had a TrueRed GT with nave for 28,500 and they would'nt budge.  I all but laughed and politley got off the phone, but according to the inventory thing it's goone and now replaced with two silver gt's.  Not sure what the sale price was but you can bet it was'nt a 'deal' 

i'll see what happens in the next coming year, maybe i'll be able to get one for cheap if they start producing alot more of these cars, i wouldn't pay more then 23k and my dealer gets maybe one every other week and they are usually sold the day they get it in. its just a waiting game for now

I got mine for 23k out the door for a silver speed3 sport. The bad thing is that I have to suffer 3 weeks in a 127 hp Civic EX. The torture!!!!!!!!! On a side note my wife is possibly getting a CX-7. She drove it and loved it. we might be a mazda family.

sadly to report the stupid cel light came back on again tonight

If they produce more it will have to be next year. The 5000 number alloted for this year is firm, and will not increase (according to my friend who owns a dealership). Your best bet would be to try and find a used one. But a car like this, can be difficult to find in perfect shape, and 100% stock.

quote:

ORIGINAL: bill1986

i'll see what happens in the next coming year, maybe i'll be able to get one for cheap if they start producing alot more of these cars, i wouldn't pay more then 23k and my dealer gets maybe one every other week and they are usually sold the day they get it in. its just a waiting game for now

One more thing. My friend also told me he expects (realistically) to get 8-9 of these cars this year. He has already received 4, and each one sold in a matter of a day or 2.

They have not released it yet, but here is the link for their intake on the speed 6

http://www.aempower.com/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=351

You can view performance data on the bottom for dynos.  The 3's intake should be very similar.

i don't see why the numbers wouldn't increase, this could be a very hot selling car, i don't think mazda would make the mistake of making it a very limited production car when most of the speed3's are sold in nano seconds. but it will happen to the speed 6

Hey anyone out there wanna help me out with a HID conversion.  The stock lowbeam HID's as nice and all and when they flick on they're a cold blue and then warm to a white.  This is nice and I am not looking to be a gaudy blue purple thing but i want something alot brighter.  I am not really sure how to go about the install aside from having it done at the local speedshop.  MAzda does'nt supply directinos they say it's dangerous.  WOOO If i'ma get brighter light a shock or two is worth it! lol There are Mazda3's rolling around town with hella awesome HID's and i wanna know what they are, and how, it sure is'nt stock.  Thanks
 
PS if you have links to these things that'd be great, but i'ma good listener.

Hey man, I am only telling you what I heard from a very reliable source. This has also been repeated in just about every review I read as well.

quote:

ORIGINAL: bill1986

i don't see why the numbers wouldn't increase, this could be a very hot selling car, i don't think mazda would make the mistake of making it a very limited production car when most of the speed3's are sold in nano seconds. but it will happen to the speed 6

im not saying it couldn't happen its just that i don't want it to happen

If you wait a couple years I will probably be ready to sell mine. I have a habit of keeping my toys about that long. LOL!

I also have some conflicting information about whether or not they are going to make a 2008 S3. The service advisor at the dealer told me they are not. I read somewhere on the internet that they are. I have not had a chance to call my friend that owns the dealership to ask him directly, but maybe next week I will have a chance.

quote:

ORIGINAL: MikeMS3

Hey anyone out there wanna help me out with a HID conversion.  The stock lowbeam HID's as nice and all and when they flick on they're a cold blue and then warm to a white.  This is nice and I am not looking to be a gaudy blue purple thing but i want something alot brighter.  I am not really sure how to go about the install aside from having it done at the local speedshop.  MAzda does'nt supply directinos they say it's dangerous.  WOOO If i'ma get brighter light a shock or two is worth it! lol There are Mazda3's rolling around town with hella awesome HID's and i wanna know what they are, and how, it sure is'nt stock.  Thanks

PS if you have links to these things that'd be great, but i'ma good listener.

 
here is what I'm gettting
 
 eBay Motors: JDM 6K 8000K D2S HID Bulbs Mazdaspeed3 Mazda3 04 05 06 (item 1300

Looks good and 'the price is right'.  I'll be searching around for information on the swap.  It does look like a much more in depth process, from my vantage point.  Heck even the highbeams were a bit of a struggle with the surronding's being so close.  I fear removal of the head lamp it'self may be included.  ICK   Last thing i wanna do is mess with the position on the headlamps and then be forever pissed cause it is'nt just right.  I'm so so very critical with stuff like that.  Thanks for the link there i saw the auction was almost over i don't know ebay that well so i'll have to check it out later with the buy now thing.  But i got the vendors name.  Thank you.

I'm in the Greensboro, NC area.  I've had my sliver GT speed3 for 11 days and have 425 miles on it.  No issues with anything except front brake dust.  I dealt with the same on my old Ford Focus until switching to Mintex pads - I'm sure somebody will turn up an alternative to oem pads at some point to remedy this.
 
So far, the car is great!  Practical, power, handling, sleeper looks, price - it's exactly the car I've wanted for quite a while - considered GTI, but even the dealer sales guy admitted to strange electrical issues at times - also hated plaid interior and $3k for leather option package ( with other stuff of course ) was just too much$$.  Subaru WRX wagon was also more money and with the front hood scoop, I didn't like the look.  Backseat room was also inferior to the speed3. 
 
Can't wait to get out of this meeting at work and take the long way home..............

Hey bro, I am over here in Winston-Salem! Contrats!

quote:

ORIGINAL: silverspeed3

I'm in the Greensboro, NC area.  I've had my sliver GT speed3 for 11 days and have 425 miles on it.  No issues with anything except front brake dust.  I dealt with the same on my old Ford Focus until switching to Mintex pads - I'm sure somebody will turn up an alternative to oem pads at some point to remedy this.

So far, the car is great!  Practical, power, handling, sleeper looks, price - it's exactly the car I've wanted for quite a while - considered GTI, but even the dealer sales guy admitted to strange electrical issues at times - also hated plaid interior and $3k for leather option package ( with other stuff of course ) was just too much$$.  Subaru WRX wagon was also more money and with the front hood scoop, I didn't like the look.  Backseat room was also inferior to the speed3. 

Can't wait to get out of this meeting at work and take the long way home..............