Mazdaspeed 3 with "MPS" additions?

[Silver Ecstasy]

So let me give you a little background behind this before I ask the question:

Back when I had my GTO, people would love to purchase parts from the Holden Monaro to convert their US GTO to visually look like the Monaro, or add features that were cut on the GTO as it transitioned from the Monaro-to-GTO (ie. Pre-wired for Oil/Elec gauges at top of dash, shift light can be programmed since it's still on the car).

Based on pictures, it's safe to assume that the Euro-spec Mazda 3 MPS (mazdaspeed3) has cut outs in the front of the bumper for what looks like windshield solvent sprayers for the headlights. If I remember correctly, that's a European Union law that all vehicles have manually (or automatic) adjustable headlights and headlight cleaners from the factory (Volvo has wipers, other cars have solvent sprayers that pop up automatically).

How hard/expensive do you think it would be to swap front bumpers and mechanisms into our US-spec Mazdaspeed3's? Since i'm interested in a long-term ownership with my MS3, i'm interested in adding unique add-ons that would be different but useful. The headlights get caked with salt and snow extremely quickly and shorten the effectiveness of the lights. And don't get me started on the side mirrors fogging/clouding up. My next mod will most certaintly be the heated mirror mod.

Any help or resources would be extremely helpful (ie. if you guys know if any good MPS sites that I could get this info from). I think I'll need to get dimensions ultimately because with the GTO, the Holden bumper wouldn't bolt on without changing out the headlights. The headlights were wider and shorter than the GTO headlights and that extra space was filled with the Holden bumper. So i'm hoping it won't be too expensive like the GTO was to convert something as simple as a front bumper.

These indents infront of the headlights are what it would be. And I can't imagine it'd be too difficult to install/wire/run plumbing.

 

[jam_asian85]

It's gonna cost you an arm and both your legs to get that over here, lol.
I'm not sure if you're familiar with the MPS areo package mirrors (looks like M3 mirrors), well I was looking to get those brought over here from the UK and the mirror alone cost a little over $700 unpainted for the pair so imagine the cost of a bumper plus freight ... yikes !!!

Anywhooooo, good luck with your project. Sorry I wasn't any help.

 

[Silver Ecstasy]

Well I have a slight advantage with my dad working at a Lincoln/Mercury dealership. He's been doing auto body for the past 30 years. I'm hoping to order everything through him and help him with the fitment, prep and paint. A repaint on the existing bumper would cost around $300-$400 anyhow whenever I decided to repaint all the paint chips. You figure I can atleast get $500 est. just selling my existing front bumper to whoever may need it after sliding into a snowbank this winter, to put towards the project.

This may all work out.

I just need to make sure the dimensions are the exact same and that the car is already wired/appropriate for it.

-Bumper measurements
-Windshield solvent plumbing
-Sprayer motors and wiring

 

[jam_asian85]

Aren't you lucky, lol.
If you're worried about the headlights why not just invest in the 3m film, it'll help to prevent hazing

 

[Silver Ecstasy]

True, or I could rain-x it. But how sweet would the wiper set up be!

 

[GETxERxDONE]

its not the hazing hes worried about, its it being covered in snow and crap.

but heres what i would do since it will cost a ton of money to do that. im sure there are alot of cars that have this but ill use VW as an example. im pretty sure the GTI and some other VW models have heated washer fluid squirters. so what if you bought that whole assembly and put that in the bumper instead of paying all that for the OEM stuff that prob cost over 1500 once its all said and done, that is if you dont need a new bumper or something. and itd be heated so if it is snow you can just put water in the bottle and you would be squirting warm water on the headlights.

 

[Hank3]

PM'd you with a link from the "other" forum. It has pictures of the actuator and of it working.

 

[Silver Ecstasy]

Thanks Hank!

Yeah it is the snow and salt covering the lights.

 

[Silver Ecstasy]

So I've thought up a new idea.

As long as the US Mazdaspeed 3 doesn't have any clearance restrictions in the bumper, I will instead just order the washer actuators/sprayers and just cut the wholes out in the bumper and have the washer covers painted the same color as the car. This way I can save on the cost of the new bumper since really theres no real need for it.

 

[GETxERxDONE]

kinda like what i said?

 

[Silver Ecstasy]

Whoops, yeah exactly what you said LOL.

 

[speed3guy]

It's gonna cost you an arm and both your legs to get that over here, lol.
I'm not sure if you're familiar with the MPS areo package mirrors (looks like M3 mirrors), well I was looking to get those brought over here from the UK and the mirror alone cost a little over $700 unpainted for the pair so imagine the cost of a bumper plus freight ... yikes !!!

Anywhooooo, good luck with your project. Sorry I wasn't any help.

IDK about that... but I do know that I was gonna get the auto exe bumper last year around this time and contacted Ken @ PG about it.. and it was gonna cost around 1100.00 for the bumper and freight from Japan. So giving that the bumper was like 650-700 at the time... thats 3-400 bucks in shipping fees.