hey guys my name is mike, i currentally drive a 99 civic and love it to death but i was recently t-boned by some chick who ran a stop sign. i got all the work done so the car is ok but i dont like driving something that was in a accident. so im looking into a mazda3 i currently work at a mazda dealership when im out of school and know my way around the cars but the dealership can only teach you so much (aka nothing about performance upgrades, tuning, etc) so im here to learn more so if i do end up with a mazda i can get racing again. i have run my civic a few times at auto-x, and would like to get on the course asap. if i buy a mazda it would be eighter a speed3 (my all time favorite car) or a 3hb. so i have read all the intro threads and know that searching is the key but if you guys have any links that you think would help i would appreaciate it. i would eventually like to turbo the car (if i dont get the speed) but i wanna do it right aka built head forged rods and pistons but all in time. thanks for any advise or links

 

Skip Barber has a driving school and they only run non-Speed 3s. That in itself is pretty good proof of the stock handling.
Also, I keep reading, searching and waiting and haven't seen much as far as upgrades and tuning on these like you see on those Honda motors.

 

hi and welcome to the mazdaforum. thats a shame about your honda, but its great you decided to look into mazdas.

there are more mazdas on at any racing events on any given day than any other car. i regularly auto-x my 3 wagon in the STS class and am more than competitive. the speed3 is a beast though. good luck with your decision.

 

thanks for the welcome. as for the driving school, like i said im a porter at a mazda dealership and have been woking there for two years now and all the porters there are well awair of the performance and handeling of these cars haha (he have are fun too, always safe but lets jus say was have a big empy sortage lot in back or our dealership) i have driven the 4door the hb and the speed and if i have my way and can afford it (not the car but the insurance) im going for the speed. b/c out of all the cars i have driven it has to be one of the best and i have driven all the speeds that mazda has made some damn nice caddy's and a few bmw M series (3,and 6). but i have till this summer to find out what im going to do. but thanks again for the welcome.