MS3 newbie q about mods

[Breezy]

Hi all!
I just came back from a dealer that has a MS3 07 with some, what look like, well done mods that include aftermarket intake (injen) and HKS pop off valve, and turbo gauge. Also reports of different turbo, and 1 resonator removed. It was a Florida car, silver, and everything else looks pretty stock.

So my wife and I love this thing .. makes laugh stupid when it hits the boost .. only with these mods I'm a little worried about what the car could have been treated to in it's first 17k miles. On one hand I'm getting a pretty stealthy, evil ride, and on the other maybe a snake pit of trouble, though nothing seems wrong now.

The dealer says also that Mazda will honor the balance of the 3 yr powertrian warrantee on this car wit hthese mods. Can that be right? He gave me the contact at a Mazda dealer to check it out.

Would you do this deal? Does the warranty thing make sense to you? Damn this car is fast, and I saw a maximum of 15lbs on the gauge. What is "stock" boost?

Thanks for any responses!

 

[Ben Nast]

I highly doubt the turbo is different.

 

[palerider]

I highly doubt the turbo is different.

Maybe its been replaced with the new stock turbo that doesnt smoke like crazy. That seems likely quite frankly considering it was an 07.

To the op.... skip it 100%. I would bet that there were other mods done...that have now been undone. Maybe exhaust, possibly boost, new turbo but same engine, who knows...

And as far as the mods on there... the injen is the cheapest of the intakes, the bov is simple, gauge can be installed.... you can always do these and more on a car you feel more confident has not been modded.

Find one that isnew, or used bone stock(hopefully its been that way)....and then off you go. If you decide to still get this car, use this argument to get a killer deal.

Good luck...

 

[Breezy]

This dealer took this car to a Mazda dealer that checked over the car thoroughly and looked over the mods. They indicated that with these mods the engine should be producing about 350 hp, which seems high to me, but I will say that this car pulls pretty damn hard. Oh, and it has been chipped and a large throttle body too.

This, BTW the same dealer that indicated the car would still have it's 3 yr powertrain warrantee, but the 5 year warrantee would be void. I feel I'm getting a great deal as is .. it's an 07 with 17k miles, for $17.9. Is that good or not?

Thanks very much for the replies!

 

[jville]

350 is definitley and exageration. Maybe your pushing 15 more than stock(270ish). Even with a killer tune. Without meth injection or a fmic your no where even close to pushing 350.

 

[Breezy]

So I'm learning a bit more about the most desirable mods for the MS3. According to Mazda Speed anyways. They start with a better headpipe, then intake, then intercooler, basically. This car might have an aftermarket headpipe .. I don't know without looking again.

I can attest that is a lot of waste gate noise, for sure. It sounds pretty much like a race car, the way the waste gate comes in and out, with a whistle. DOes that mean anything?

Back to my big orig question, how much psi boost does a stock MS3 have?

One more thing to add .. I'm reading lots of guys saying the power drops off at 6k. Not in this car .. it would run to redline but seemed to flatten out around 6500 rpm.

Thanks

 

[niz55]

So I'm learning a bit more about the most desirable mods for the MS3. According to Mazda Speed anyways. They start with a better headpipe, then intake, then intercooler, basically. This car might have an aftermarket headpipe .. I don't know without looking again.

I can attest that is a lot of waste gate noise, for sure. It sounds pretty much like a race car, the way the waste gate comes in and out, with a whistle. DOes that mean anything?

Back to my big orig question, how much psi boost does a stock MS3 have?

One more thing to add .. I'm reading lots of guys saying the power drops off at 6k. Not in this car .. it would run to redline but seemed to flatten out around 6500 rpm.

Thanks

stock15.6

6500 is about right. You have a intake thats why. No need to take it to 6500. 6000 is perfect.

Dont buy that car. Just get a new ms3 for 21.5. You rather have this car new.

 

[redspeed]

Oh, and it has been chipped and a large throttle body too.

Eh, I don't think so. No chips for ms3, and, a larger throttle body? Probably not, but the only thing I can think of is a ported throttle body.

Who told you about this mods?

 

[Ben Nast]

If it doesnt have the 5 year powertrain and it been modded you should look elsewhere.

 

[Breezy]

Well, I'm off to look for new ones .. where can I get one for 21.5??? Any thoughts. Seems like quite a discount to me but I guess car sales are slow these days ..

Thanks everyone for chiming in!

 

[Ben Nast]

You can get used, I got my 07 with 5k miles in mint condtion from a toyota dealer for 19.5k. Just make sure it has the full warranty and isnt or wasnt modded. I saved a lot on payment and down payment. Mine was owned by some woman that couldnt afford it. She traded hers for a new Corolla.

 

[Breezy]

OK, it's now sitting in the driveway .. a NEW 08 GT. Bought it for $24k, including the rear view mirror option ($) and Serius radio option, whihc I have no use for, BTW. It's really red. Love the zenon's, wow!

Thanks for the advice everyone!

PS, if anyone is looking for the car I was talking about search for Rallye Motors, Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio. They're on the Auto Trader network too. The owner said he had another MS3 coming in soon .. a Mazda exec car with 7k and totally stock.

 

[palerider]

How much faster was the used one than the new one? Im still curious about a potential turbo upgrade the first one had..... especially if the dealer said it had 350 hp supposedly.

Do they feel basically the same? Is the new one just quieter?

 

[Breezy]

It was significantly faster, all at the sacrifice of around town driveability. It was crazy fast. The new car is crazy fast in the right conditions where the modded car was just crazy fast everywhere.

I do not know why some people want these really noisey pop off valves. I really think tht if it wasn't for that whistling we might have bought it. Do those pop off valves really do anything over the stock ones if you're not raising the boost?

 

[knowledge007]

It was significantly faster, all at the sacrifice of around town driveability. It was crazy fast. The new car is crazy fast in the right conditions where the modded car was just crazy fast everywhere.

I do not know why some people want these really noisey pop off valves. I really think tht if it wasn't for that whistling we might have bought it. Do those pop off valves really do anything over the stock ones if you're not raising the boost?

The whistling was not the Blow off Valve. The sound you were hearing was the turbo spooling due to the Cold Air Intake. If you plan on upping the boost later on, or seriously modding your speed, then yes I would suggest replacing the stock By Pass Valve and getting a better BOV. It will hold your boost and would not leak.

 

[Breezy]

Well, that clearly explains why Mazda uses the stock intake design then. They wouldn't sell too many with all that whistling going on. Thanks for putting me straight on that.