Yup, here it is:
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/disp...ehicleCode=MS3










EPA, city/highway**, Manual Transmission
18/ 26
18/26

Required Fuel-Premium Unleaded
91 octane
91 octane

** These estimates reflect new EPA methods beginning with 2008 models


But I do stand corrected on the curb weight though.
I wonder if that's driving weight or bare weight? 'Coulda' sworn I read 3300 lbs somewhere when the '07's came out.

 

So what are the typical gains from the different bolt ons an which ones are the best? Ive been plinking around on some different sites listed in the performance site list but its a bit overwhelming and there are just so many choices.

 

lmaooo!!! in due time.. hahaha..

 

That's a very subjective question.
If you listen to the hype-monger's they will tell you "up to" 15hp from a CAI. I don't know of anyone who's actually dynoed a CAI for 15 additional hp. Do you?
If you read some forum posts,some will claim a cat-back gain of20-30hp. Again, difficult to believe.
I have both, and not eBay junk either, and the advanced timing mod, and lighter wheelsand I'd be surprised if my total gains were more than about 12 @ the wheels. Fuel mileage has remained the same no matter what.
From the eBay sellers, you can gain 25hp and fuel mileage from a resister "chip." Do you believe that?
Or installing a metal swirl diffuser in the intake tube will make your car a racer?

There is only one way to determine for sure what the gains from a mod isandthat's to dyno, dyno and dyno.
Personally, I don't have the time or the money forthat, and since my car is my DD and not a dedicated track car it doesn't make too much senseeither, as much as I'd like to know for sure.

 

Seems like yall must be a small community then. I would have thought there would some people out there that had a cai, turboback, tuning and had some verified gains. I see there are turboback exhausts that run a grand which is fine if Im going to pick up 25+hp but if its only going to net me 10 then that is a very poor return on investment. Im mainly looking for personal experience or where you have read someones experience. Like which exhaust nets the most gain, or a decent gain and is still quiet when cruising down the road. Or an underdrive pulley does nothing or gains 20hp. I put no merit whatsoever in the claims of the manufacturers or ebay stuff. I will not put anything on my vehicles from ebay unless it is a known brand name at a good price. I read in another thread where one of the mods saw a dyno for a turboback/cai MS3 putting down 280whp, thats a pretty nice gain and would be worth 1500 bucks to me between those two upgrades. Has anybody used any of these kits from this site?
http://www.turbo-kits.com/mazdaspeed3_turbo_kits.html
The gains look nice and make sense but Im afraid with the "reace pipe" it will make the car sound like a typical fart cannon ricer and I dont want that. I have heard some imports with a deep rumble to their exhaust that I actually like. According to that site for about 4K I could have a 400whp car using one of the smaller turbos to keep driveability, with that combo I think I would be happy with the performance and I dont see any of that reducing mileage if I kept my foot out of it. Now the question is, to what hp is the stock motor good to? It seems judging from the sigs and threads around its kind of an unknown. What are people using to tune motors that have been opened up some? As soon as my ankle heals and I get out this walking boot I will be going to drive one and see how I like it for sure then go from there. As I understand it 08 is the last year to buy one new correct? Thanks to everyone who has helped me so far.

 

+1

 

Hey 1slow01Z71: On the subject of recalls, there are 2 safety-related issues: one involving the # 4 engine mount and another with the OEM all-weather floor mat (yup, a floor mat recall!); check out the NHTSA website for complete details: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls/recallsearch.cfm. There is a 3rd issue with the 'speed3 which is a recall campaign involving emissions, requiring the reprogramming of the Powertrain Control Module. This applies to 'speed3s with a 6/28/06 - 05/31/07 build date range. Note that this is a voluntary recall campaign so it does not necessarily appear in automotive recall search databases (since it is not necessarily a safety issue). Mazda claims that having this remedied will not affect the vehicle's performance. A forum member reported that there was a noticeable difference in performance after he brought his car in for this recall, but I experienced no such issue, nor have I read/heard of other owner's doing so. Admittedly, if I didn't reside in CA, with its strict emissions laws, I would not have had the recall work performed, but I would not have been able to renew my vehicle registration otherwise! Interestingly enough, the EPA city/highway mileage estimate on the 'speed3 changed from 20/28 on 2007 models, to 18/26 on 2008 models. This leads me to conclude that Mazda made the wise decision of trading off fuel efficiency in favor of retaining the 'speed3's performance when addressing this emissions issue. This, after all, is a performance car, and fuel efficiency (though important) is not at the forefront of most of its owner's minds. It should also be noted that EPA methods have changed for 2008, so it can be argued that the fuel efficiency on both model years may be identical, just measured differently now by the EPA. With that said, the DISI 2.3L turbocharged DOHC I-4 is still one of the most power-dense engines around that manages to achieve relatively good fuel efficiency. The fact that it's on Ward's 10 best engines list for '07 and '08 speaks volumes about this engineering marvel. From a firsthand experience, on a recent roadtrip (of approx. 1K miles) I averaged 25 mpg according to the trip computer (but the comp. is usually off by 1 - 1.5 gal. and I have a pretty heavy right foot).

About some of the other reported issues with this car: (1) squeaky brakes are not an issue on mine (2) the gas tank valve cap requires at least 3 half turns when closing to avoid activating the "check engine" light warning (just observe this and it's a moot issue) and lastly, (3) the transmission: I have read many auto journalists and racer wannabes point this out as one of the 'speed3's "flaws," however, I truly feel that Mazdaspeed intended the transmission to have this distinct feel (do they really think Mazda spent all that time and resource on R&D only to produce a mediocre shifter?). What others may describe as "notchy" is simply the shifter being heavily weighted at the center to help you navigate through the gears, as long as your shifting is deliberate and not lazy. I think that this is very nicely paired with the engine's nature of having massive low to mid range torque.

I'm somewhat of a purist and don't get into aftermarket upgrades of any sort, so I can't offer you any recommendations/suggestions in that area.

If for nothing else than to seem less biased, here are a few, albeit minor, issues I have with my 'speed3: (1) brake dust on the front wheels was pretty bad in the beginning, but lately, has been less apparent (2) the tailpipe tip needs to be constantly wiped down, as it frequently turns black from the engine running rich fuel (3) the glove box door rattles when I put a lot of items in the door's inside pocket, but the rattling goes away when it's emptied (4) lastly, though it's by no means intolerable, the wind noise at highway speed is a bit more substantial than the standard 3's. I'm guessing that the 'speed3's domed hood contributes to this. As a counterpoint, the car is so smooth and stable at high speeds, that apart from the sensation of being pushed back against its remarkably comfortable seats and actually glancing at the speedometer, you are usually driving faster than it feels.

With all that said, I could go on for days telling you why the 'speed3 should be your next car, but all the awards and accolades for this car is abundantly accessible by simply reading the articles generated by any search engine. If you've not already scoured it, the SPEED3 Owner's thread in this forum should give you much ownership perspective on the 'speed3: https://www.mazdaforum.com/m_31138/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm. It's a lot of reading, but it will help you make the most informed decision regarding your possible purchase of the 'speed3. Good luck!

 

thank you for the well thought out response. That was exactly what I was looking for. The reason why im getting so picky about performance is im considering getting rid of my 2500HD and just borrowing my dads truck when I need to pull something, if I do that then I want something that will run pretty dang quick. I think a 400whp ms3 would hold me over lol.

 

I'm glad the info was useful to you. After seeing what's in your stable, I can see where your need for speed comes from. I couldn't resist, so I'm posting links to some of my favorite articles on the 'speed3, which I've bookmarked when I was still researching the car. The first 2 contain plenty of information on what went into developing the car, the next 2 are well written editorials that I found very entertaining to read, #s 5-7 are comparos against other cars in the segment, and the last 3 will probably be the most useful to you, as it has a lot of information about the car's tuning potential, specifically using Mazdaspeed's own performance parts, which, after installment, still preserves the car's original factory warranty. Have fun!

1. http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/ma...ed3/index.html
2. http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...d_3/index.html

3. http://www.windingroad.com/features-...7-mazdaspeed3/
4. http://www.mensjournal.com/adventure...ive_mazda.html

5. http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...omparison_test
6. http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...omparison_test
7. http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=31&article_id=5244

8. http://www.drivingsports.com/blog/20...azdaspeed.html
9. http://www.jtuned.com/content/templa...5&zoneid=3
10. http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...ticleId=122361

 

i am not trying to be negative or anything, but if you are a domestic guy, get something rear-wheel-drive. a front-wheel-drive car will never have the same traction or acceleration as a RWD. if that is what you are used to, just get RWD or AWD. i like some FWD cars, but after i swap from my rx7 to a FWD car, i feel like i just can't push it hard.