Just Switched from the 2.0 to 2.5 and i love it just have some questions

Drmic2011

Member
so the dealer messed up my paperwork and pay off for my trade in voilla i get the 2.5 hatch... which is nice n fast, besides the obvious turbo i would like it to end up being just about as fast as the MS3 how can i do this? secondly can someone tell me the key differences between the MS3 and the M3 2.5
 
supercharge or turbocharge. your about 100hp behind the ms3.

ms3 has a different block, so no bolting parts right up. we also have oil jets that shoot up the bottom of the pistons for cooling. We have direct injection. we have a stronger gearbox and drivetrain. a stiffer suspension. a stiffer chassis, forged internals....

wait for a turbo kit to come out.
 
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Tri-point turbo kit (when it's released - should be good for 250 whp, which is more than a stock MS3)
Limited-slip differential
Springs and dampeners or coilovers
Front and rear anti-sway bars
Wider (225/40-18 or 225/45-17) and better tires
MS3 front calipers/rotors/pads OR upgraded stock rotors and pads
Stainless brake lines

After all of that, you should have a car that's performs a little better than a MS3 is almost every regard. Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up costing you about $5,000 more to build, and that's if you DIY. If you wanted MS3 performance, it may have been a better idea to buy a MS3.
 
Why not just get an MS3 though. You'll end up spending more money on the turbo set up, voiding your warranty, and will likely have reliability issues to boot. Either be happy with it or consider getting a different car.
 
i was going to but then i found out i'm not deploying, if i was going to deploy i would have gotten the ms3

If you tax that 2.5 another 100 hp without drivetrain upgrades also + multiple internal engine upgrades you are looking for a breakdown somewhere and then somewhere else and no warranty to back it up---so if you are smart you wont touch it and just enjoy it --if you want a hot rod buy a used one with cosmetic damage and good internal condidtion and have fun --but that new 2.5 hatch it made to run smooth as silk and I have one messing with it is dangerous and you will regret it !
 
A lot of times it is cheaper to just buy the hotter version in the long run. Installing a turbo kit on nearly any car can be such a headache because it complicates a lot of things.

The worst part about turbo/superchargers is the tuning.
 
A lot of times it is cheaper to just buy the hotter version in the long run. Installing a turbo kit on nearly any car can be such a headache because it complicates a lot of things.

The worst part about turbo/superchargers is the tuning.

if Tri-Point would release their kit for the 2.5L engine, this would not be the case because the kit comes with everything you need, including a pre-programmed AEM FIC piggyback. unfortunately for us 2.5L owners, they currently have no plans to release their kit for the 2.5L engine, according to their AV Rep, Nicole.

if you've got a first gen 3, the kit for the 2.3L is currently on sale for $3400, so it's actually significantly cheaper than buying an MS3! and you'll have the piece of mind of knowing your kit was tested for more than 20k mi. by Mazda's official race partner, so there should be absolutely zero headaches.

I was about to buy the new MS3 but instead settled on the 3s since the payments on the 3s are roughly $100/mo. less (4.99% for 72 mos. versus 0.0% for 60 mos.). that's about a $7200 difference, and for that amount, I'm sure you could build a turbocharged 3 that outperforms the MS3 (edmunds estimates that you could replicate the Tri-Point-tuned 3 sedan from SEMA 2009 for about $5000, and that thing supposedly runs upwards of 300 whp).
 
if Tri-Point would release their kit for the 2.5L engine, this would not be the case because the kit comes with everything you need, including a pre-programmed AEM FIC piggyback. unfortunately for us 2.5L owners, they currently have no plans to release their kit for the 2.5L engine, according to their AV Rep, Nicole.

if you've got a first gen 3, the kit for the 2.3L is currently on sale for $3400, so it's actually significantly cheaper than buying an MS3! and you'll have the piece of mind of knowing your kit was tested for more than 20k mi. by Mazda's official race partner, so there should be absolutely zero headaches.

I was about to buy the new MS3 but instead settled on the 3s since the payments on the 3s are roughly $100/mo. less (4.99% for 72 mos. versus 0.0% for 60 mos.). that's about a $7200 difference, and for that amount, I'm sure you could build a turbocharged 3 that outperforms the MS3 (edmunds estimates that you could replicate the Tri-Point-tuned 3 sedan from SEMA 2009 for about $5000, and that thing supposedly runs upwards of 300 whp).

$3400 - significantly cheaper than a MS3-??? Thats incorrect ---Mazda 3 /2.5Hatchbacks in the USA come in 2 trims Sport and GT if you get either one the sport is about $22 and GT $23.5 w/o the two possible upgrades and the MS3 comes two ways with the upgrades or w/o $23 w/o $25/with so wheres the "significanly cheaper " The speed is a smokin great deal if you dont want an automatic and dont mind NOT having Xenons and rear Leds and Full leather on the seats . --Oh yeah - No sunroof either
 
A lot of times it is cheaper to just buy the hotter version in the long run. Installing a turbo kit on nearly any car can be such a headache because it complicates a lot of things.

The worst part about turbo/superchargers is the tuning.

Damn I can read the serial # on your heater with my zoom --
 
$3400 - significantly cheaper than a MS3-??? Thats incorrect ---Mazda 3 /2.5Hatchbacks in the USA come in 2 trims Sport and GT if you get either one the sport is about $22 and GT $23.5 w/o the two possible upgrades and the MS3 comes two ways with the upgrades or w/o $23 w/o $25/with so wheres the "significanly cheaper " The speed is a smokin great deal if you dont want an automatic and dont mind NOT having Xenons and rear Leds and Full leather on the seats . --Oh yeah - No sunroof either

I got my 3s Sport for $17k out the door with an extended warranty (5 years/100k mi.) and with 0.0% financing for 60 months. (MSRP was about $20k and would've been about $21k w/ the ext. war.). The lowest I could get them to go on the MS3 was $22k out the door without the extended warranty and with 4.99% financing for 72 months. That's definitely significantly cheaper for the 3s! And the port-injected 2.5L engine has more hp potential than the 2.3L DISI engine.

Sure, I don't have adaptive xenon headlights or (partial) leather seats like the MS3, but those are not necessary to me. Don't get me wrong, I love the MS3! My point is simply that you could do a reliable turbo build on the Mz3 for less than the cost difference between it and the MS3, and it could even have more power.
 
If you tax that 2.5 another 100 hp without drivetrain upgrades also + multiple internal engine upgrades you are looking for a breakdown somewhere and then somewhere else and no warranty to back it up---so if you are smart you wont touch it and just enjoy it --if you want a hot rod buy a used one with cosmetic damage and good internal condidtion and have fun --but that new 2.5 hatch it made to run smooth as silk and I have one messing with it is dangerous and you will regret it !

I've heard that the stock internals on the Mz3 are safe up to 300 hp, perhaps even more, and I've heard the 2.5L has a forged crank, so that's a good start if true. Also, Tri-Point tuned the 3 from SEMA 2009 without upgrading the internals or the drivetrain, and as I said above, it supposedly has over 300 whp (in case you're wondering, they added their own custom turbo kit and their rear sway bar, KW coilovers, RX-8 R3 wheels w/ Yokohamas, and a custom brake system consisting of pieces from an MS3 and a Mazda5 as well as parts from StopTech). Will you benefit from upgraded internals and drivetrain? Of course. Is it necessary? No.

Obviously, if you're going to do a turbo build, you wait until your warranty expires, or you find a dealership that is friendly to modding.
 
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Tri-point turbo kit (when it's released - should be good for 250 whp, which is more than a stock MS3)

well yeah but just an intake will pass us into the 250-260 whp range

it's a moot point anyway - as I said above, Tri-Point has no plans to relaese their kit for the 2.5L engine, according to their AV Rep, Nicole.

assuming the kit were available, you could add more to the Tri-Point kit to get above the 250 whp (intake, cbe, etc.), just like adding an intake to the MS3.
 
I've heard that the stock internals on the Mz3 are safe up to 300 hp, perhaps even more, and I've heard the 2.5L has a forged crank, so that's a good start if true. Also, Tri-Point tuned the 3 from SEMA 2009 without upgrading the internals or the drivetrain, and as I said above, it supposedly has over 300 whp (in case you're wondering, they added their own custom turbo kit and their rear sway bar, KW coilovers, RX-8 R3 wheels w/ Yokohamas, and a custom brake system consisting of pieces from an MS3 and a Mazda5 as well as parts from StopTech). Will you benefit from upgraded internals and drivetrain? Of course. Is it necessary? No.

Obviously, if you're going to do a turbo build, you wait until your warranty expires, or you find a dealership that is friendly to modding.

This is true , about the up to 300hp--but dont put any extra weight or passengars in that car and hammer it all over town ---Its built that way to handle the MAXIMUM GROSS vehicle weight ,, not tuned up to 300bhp and then loaded up to that weight in addition to ----cocktail for disaster---go ahead do it....you'll C
 

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