Hiya,

I'm a 28 year old guy, who recently bought a 2018 Mazda 3 GT. Previously owned a 2007 Mazda 3, that had passed more hands than Geralt of Rivia. Trying to learn more about anything automotive; and this place seems to be the best place for it. I'm a sweet baby boy to owning a new car; and I want to make this thing last, and, if possible, how to mod it effectively, without destroying anything.

As a side note, and a forewarning: If I ever make any Initial D jokes, know that I am not sorry.

Cheers to self-educating!

 

The best mods would be better tires (and lighter weight wheels if you have the coin) and racing lessons to teach you more about car control. Any other mods will reduce the value of the car.

 

Welcome to the forum. I agree with shipo regarding modifications. Mazdas are so well engineered that anything you do to them is likely to reduce reliability with little benefit in performance.Brake upgrades may be worthwhile. I went with drilled and slotted rotors when it was time for a replacement on my Mazda 3. While I didn't have a problem with the brakes before and can't really tell much difference, I suspect they are better!

I also bought a second set of 16" wheels and winter tires (Michelin X-Ice3) for the Pennsylvania winters.

I strongly recommend regular maintenance and synthetic oil to have the best chance of a long life.

 

Two comments:

• Drilled rotors look cool, however, they reduce the swept area of the brake pads and as such reduce stopping effectiveness.
• Late model Mazda SkyActiv engines *require* 0W-20 synthetic oil to maintain their warranty.

 

New 2018 touring 6MT owner here myself! Tuning in to see what others have to share.

 

Welcome to the forum. If I didn't have my rush hour and city commute, I would consider a 2018 3 Touring sedan with the manual transmission. While the manual is available in the hatchback in 2019, I suspect it won't be available long. I believe Mazda's manuals are the best available and it is a shame that they are available on fewer models each year.