BillTheCat
Member
- :
- 2009 Mazdaspeed3 Sport
To the OP... it all depends on what you mean by "maxing out" your MS3. Do you want to make it into a straight line drag monster, barely if at all streetable? Or do you want to simply get the most out of it that you can without compromising daily driveability?
Several others have already said it, and I don't mean to be harsh or pile on, but from the list of mods you want, you obviously don't know much about cars, or this one in particular.
Just in case you didn't catch a few of the previous references, there are no "headers" on a turbocharged car. Not sure why some of them seemed to laugh at the idea of an exhaust manifold upgrade, except that it may be overkill/unnecessary. And drag radials are for the drag strip. Only for the drag strip. They stick like hell and wear out faster than Bill Clinton jogging uphill eating a Big Mac.
That in mind, in your position, I would...
1- Keep the MS3, go with the known bolt-on mods that are producing results, and SAVE your excess cash.
1a- #1, but spend the excess cash on a sportbike for thrills, or buy an older performance car to tinker with & learn on. Read up on the mods people do to it, ask for help modding yours, and learn as you go. I had a blast modding my MKIII Supra Turbo all to hell, blowing 3 head gaskets, rebuilding the engine once & turbo 3 times along the way. And I learned a TON about how the darned things work. Still no expert, but I know enough to keep myself out of trouble now.
1b- #1, but as suggested before, use the cash to get yourself some performance driving training. It may sound like admitting you can't drive, but it isn't. High performance driving is not something you learn by asking questions on a message board & practicing on the street. One on one instruction from a trained professional & lots of track time will not only give you the skills to succeed on the track (or in street races, but let's not even start on that), but make you a far more competent daily driver as well. Autocross schools are also a great way to learn car control that can come in very handy in accident avoidance, regaining control of a car that's gone squirrely under you, etc.
2- Sell the MS3 and get a car for which there are far more tuning options- such as a WRX/STi.
I only say this because it would be a shame to see you grenade the engine on the MS3, since it is a fairly new car, and a very capable daily driver.
Best of luck in your quest.
Several others have already said it, and I don't mean to be harsh or pile on, but from the list of mods you want, you obviously don't know much about cars, or this one in particular.
Just in case you didn't catch a few of the previous references, there are no "headers" on a turbocharged car. Not sure why some of them seemed to laugh at the idea of an exhaust manifold upgrade, except that it may be overkill/unnecessary. And drag radials are for the drag strip. Only for the drag strip. They stick like hell and wear out faster than Bill Clinton jogging uphill eating a Big Mac.
That in mind, in your position, I would...
1- Keep the MS3, go with the known bolt-on mods that are producing results, and SAVE your excess cash.
1a- #1, but spend the excess cash on a sportbike for thrills, or buy an older performance car to tinker with & learn on. Read up on the mods people do to it, ask for help modding yours, and learn as you go. I had a blast modding my MKIII Supra Turbo all to hell, blowing 3 head gaskets, rebuilding the engine once & turbo 3 times along the way. And I learned a TON about how the darned things work. Still no expert, but I know enough to keep myself out of trouble now.
1b- #1, but as suggested before, use the cash to get yourself some performance driving training. It may sound like admitting you can't drive, but it isn't. High performance driving is not something you learn by asking questions on a message board & practicing on the street. One on one instruction from a trained professional & lots of track time will not only give you the skills to succeed on the track (or in street races, but let's not even start on that), but make you a far more competent daily driver as well. Autocross schools are also a great way to learn car control that can come in very handy in accident avoidance, regaining control of a car that's gone squirrely under you, etc.
2- Sell the MS3 and get a car for which there are far more tuning options- such as a WRX/STi.
I only say this because it would be a shame to see you grenade the engine on the MS3, since it is a fairly new car, and a very capable daily driver.
Best of luck in your quest.
