Potential Owner - Questions!!!

[zenofspeed]

Hi all,

I'm simplifying my life so I'm selling all my toys (360hp 95 FD, 300hp 91 MR2, 2007 600rr, and stock 87 CRX.) and I'm going to buy just one car. I test drove the Mazdaspeed3 and it was a whole lotta fun for the money. Plus it is a wagon and doesn't attract tickets. I have some questions though:

1) Is $24,500 a good deal for a 2008.5 GT with every option (nav and all)?

2) What are the first 2 to 3 mods most people do on a mazdaspeed3?

3) How's the "at-the-limit" handling?

4) At what power level does the FWD really become a problem?

5) What is the weight distribution and how can it be improved?

6) does anyone track their mazdaspeed3, and how does it perform?

7) what are the car's flaws and/or downsides?

THANKS FOR ANY FEEDBACK!
-Ian

 

[mdavis]

1) Is $24,500 a good deal for a 2008.5 GT with every option (nav and all)?

2) What are the first 2 to 3 mods most people do on a mazdaspeed3?

I can help with these two.

1.) Average numbers, not great, but not terrible. I got a used (less than 10k) 2007 with every available option for $20,000 8 months ago or so.

2.) Motor mount, intake.

 

[zenofspeed]

I can help with these two.

1.) Average numbers, not great, but not terrible. I got a used (less than 10k) 2007 with every available option for $20,000 8 months ago or so.

2.) Motor mount, intake.

Well for a used one 7k miles or so, I have found $20k.

So the motor mounts fail on these? Where should I get aftermarket ones?

thanks,
Ian

 

[TheDoc]

1) Is $24,500 a good deal for a 2008.5 GT with every option (nav and all)?
Is that out the door?

2) What are the first 2 to 3 mods most people do on a mazdaspeed3?
Intake, motor mount, test/mid pipe.

3) How's the "at-the-limit" handling?
Very neutral. Obviously lends itself to understeer, but not horrible.

4) At what power level does the FWD really become a problem?
Boost is limited in first, second, and third gears. 240whp in first gear is going to cause wheel spin. At about 300 it will be tough to drive.

5) What is the weight distribution and how can it be improved?
I don't remember exactly, but something like 60/40.

6) does anyone track their mazdaspeed3, and how does it perform?
I've done some autocross and one track day. It does excellent considering it's wrong wheel drive.

7) what are the car's flaws and/or downsides?
Weak rods, complex ECU. Summer tires are scary if you're in a snowy climate. Front wheel drive is... not that fun. But... all things considered, a 29/30mpg comfortable daily driver with enough power to put a smile on your face- the car is a great value.

 

[MicaSp33d]

Well for a used one 7k miles or so, I have found $20k.

So the motor mounts fail on these? Where should I get aftermarket ones?

thanks,
Ian

only some had the motor mount failed ...

but a new rear motor mount is a must have. On the stock mount you get wheel hop when you get on it ... aftermarket mount will help put that power to the ground.

i would recommend TRZ motor mount for our cars, have not heard one issue from these mount yet.

the MS3 gets good gains from just an intake. Also get a new bpv since the stock one can be known for leaks.

- the handling is great for a FWD car. Can carve corners as good as some rear drive cars. I have my rear sway bar on the stiffest setting with stock front and this things will take on the twisties.

 

[derspi]

2) First 2 mods I did were H&R coilovers and rear sway bar. The rear motor mount should be my first mod but it's still on back order. Most ppl go with the motor mount and one of the various small mods to the shifter as these are two established flaws of the MS3.

4) At stock, it already is a problem considering they had to LIMIT boost in the first 3 gears. Even stock, it's too much for this car and any other wrong wheel drive car with this much torque.

5) I believe 60/40 is correct. Not much you can really do to improve this - maybe relocate the battery but you're probably better served by changing the handling balance by messing with the suspension (ie. stiffening the rear spring rates, swaybar, etc.)

7) Weak rear motor mount, tranny is a tad sloppy & rubbery, stock exhaust is quite pronounced & sporty sounding (not a downside to some), stock suspension is unnervingly floaty on big undulations at high speeds (felt underdamped to me).

Good luck in your search, like someone else mentioned, despite its flaws, the MS3 is great bang for the buck. If you want something better and more polished with the same level of performance, expect to pay quite a bit more.

 

[SPEEDYHANS]

I can help with these two.

1.) Average numbers, not great, but not terrible. I got a used (less than 10k) 2007 with every available option for $20,000 8 months ago or so.

2.) Motor mount, intake.

lmao cool i got my 07 TR ms3 GT for 21,000 out the door lol

 

[mdavis]

lmao cool i got my 07 TR ms3 GT for 21,000 out the door lol

well congrats on getting maybe the best deal anyone has ever seen

 

[zenofspeed]

- the handling is great for a FWD car. Can carve corners as good as some rear drive cars. I have my rear sway bar on the stiffest setting with stock front and this things will take on the twisties.

Are the stock sways adjustable or is that an aftermarket one?

1) Is $24,500 a good deal for a 2008.5 GT with every option (nav and all)?
Is that out the door?

No - plus TT&L I've been doing lots of dealer shopping and this is the best offer I've got so far.

Boost is limited in first, second, and third gears. 240whp in first gear is going to cause wheel spin. At about 300 it will be tough to drive.

What psi does it boost at in 1 through 3? 4, 5, and 6?

7) all things considered, a 29/30mpg comfortable daily driver with enough power to put a smile on your face- the car is a great value.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Like I said, I've still got my 310WHP RX7 but I want something more comfortable and spacious but that is still fun. I was originally looking at STIs. G35, BMW 135i, but I decided to take it down a notch to the $25k range and thought this was a good bargain.

It kinda seems like this is a good car to leave alone, if you are happy with the power. After years of modding cars, I just want one that I don't need to mess with too much to be happy.

So my list so far is:
Rear Motor Mount
BPV
CAI

I think I'll do those and just leave it be until stuff breaks.

 

[Kain]

The stock RSB is not adjustable. He has an aftermarket one.

I wouldn't spring the extra $2k for the nav. It's a mediocre system that any $500 Garmin or Tom Tom can outperform. When I got my '08.5 GT w/o nav four months ago, I paid $23k before TTL. Not sure if the '09s are carrying a premium since it's just the start of that model year, but invoice shouldn't have changed.

 

[mdavis]

I agree that the nav system is mediocre, but it looks so much better than a Tom Tom stuck to my window

 

[zenofspeed]

The stock RSB is not adjustable. He has an aftermarket one.

I wouldn't spring the extra $2k for the nav. It's a mediocre system that any $500 Garmin or Tom Tom can outperform. When I got my '08.5 GT w/o nav four months ago, I paid $23k before TTL. Not sure if the '09s are carrying a premium since it's just the start of that model year, but invoice shouldn't have changed.

I don't even want the nav. But the other "Best" offers I'm getting are $24,500 with Sirius (which I do want) and NO NAV. This dealer beat those offers by throwing the nav in. And I'm talking about the 2008.5 models, not 09.

i hate stock nav systems. They just break over time.

 

[TheDoc]

What psi does it boost at in 1 through 3? 4, 5, and 6?

15.6 max... kinda. It depends on who you listen to. The system is complicated, but the basic gist of it is this (I don't remember the exact numbers for first and second- they are based off of percentages but are about what you'd expect to see):

The ECM monitors steering angle (to limit wheel spin and torque steer). In first gear, depending on your steering angle, you will see between 7 and 10 PSI. In second gear you will see between 10 and 13.5. In third you will get between 12 and 15.6. 15.6 is the stock boost and that will run 4-6 aside from spikes, which will be as high as 18-20. There is a trick to turn off the steering angle monitor along with the DSC which will allow you to hit "max" boost regardless of angle... meaning 1st - 10, 2nd - 13.5, 3rd - 15.6, 4th - 15.6, 5th - 15.6, 6th - 15.6.

The stock BPV "leaks" off boost towards the upper RPM range to allow for smoother driveability/less drivetrain shock... a replacement BPV/BOV will hold boost longer. Also, the addition of a manual boost controller will do away with the OEM boost control completely..

 

[714ms3]

well congrats on getting maybe the best deal anyone has ever seen

Also perhaps the biggest lie we have ever seen, unless of course it was used......

 

[CoolWhip]

2) What are the first 2 to 3 mods most people do on a mazdaspeed3?

Intake/MM/Bushings (A MUST!)

7) what are the car's flaws and/or downsides?

Shifter.

THANKS FOR ANY FEEDBACK!
-Ian

 

[SPEEDYHANS]

yea it was under 10k of corse thats way i put lol cause i got the smae deal