My Mazda2 - "The Grasshopper"

[GrasshopperCO]

Hello all!

I am a newly registered member of the forums, but I bought my Mazda2 Sport MT back in August 2012. I'm loving it so far, albeit I'm getting the serious urge to mod it as soon as I can afford it. The car's still stock, but I'm doing my best to keep it looking good (the pic below is from today, 9 months and 6,300 miles after I picked it up). It's really growing on me, and I'm hoping to keep it for a long time. I'm also open to suggestions about what would be the best performance mod to do first on a budget (I was thinking of getting a CS exhaust system) or a good car audio Double-DIN head unit to replace the stock stereo.

Thanks for having me!

 

[Minimazda]

All depends on what YOU want for the car. The first thing I put on my car was the CS Short ram which now has the air duct. I have done a little bit of everything to my car. The CS exhaust is amazing and you will fall in love with it but I would go with the intake first, better mpg and with the slightly louder sound it's not as big of a jump going from stock exhaust to the CS one.
And you have some strange budget if the CS exhaust system is a part of the list, I spent $550...The intake and air duct (best to get both at the same time) are a lot less expensive and will leave you more money for the audio improvements.

In the end it is up to you. It's what you want to get out of the car and what you want to see it do. I try to keep mine balanced with the Mods so nothing is overpowering another. Too much power, not enough handling or vice versa isn't fun to me.

 

[GrasshopperCO]

Money wise, you make a good point...I'm not going to be able to afford anything for awhile (I'm a 21 year-old full-time college student...so just having to pay for the car itself is enough at the moment), and I was mainly shooting for the exhaust because of the throatier sound it provides over the stock exhaust (at least from what I've been able to discern watching the video.) Nothing particular is at the top of my list at the moment, as I'm just trying to figure out what sort of parts are out there...then I can decide which will be the most cost-effective mod for me to do first, which I imagine will be the CS SRI and air duct. That's ~250 from the CS website, so that's a bit more manageable than the $550 it would take to get the exhaust system w/ a racepipe.

In terms of ultimate goals, I want to achieve that same sort of balance you described. I do want more power, but I also want to get new wheels and tires (mainly just high-quality, lightweight wheels to reduce weight...every bit helps) and eventually do some suspension mods and handling improvements to create a DD that's more fun to drive, better-sounding and better-feeling than stock without wearing me out on long drives.

For the time being, I'm just planning on doing cheaper, minor stuff to make it a little bit better all-around.

 

[eyeballs]

cheap but good mods (all under $100): corksport short shift kit, awr engine mount, corksport torsion bar.

 

[Minimazda]

Lol yea I'm working full time and going to college full time too so finding the funds gets a bit difficult. Getting the balance right does take time, I;m in the process of getting headers so i'm also going to be getting a torsion bar and do some interior improvements as well. Just remember that you can make paint your best friend! It's fun what a bit of paint can do to improve the cars look.

Eyeballs listed some good mods too! Those are always some good ones to look into, especially if you want to keep that balance of performance. Shift kit with SRI and duct along side torsion bar would be great. Watch out for the CS shopping cart...sometimes you can get a bit carried away with all those little things and next thing you know you're spending $300 on "little things".

 

[Tom_Mazda2]

Hello all!

I am a newly registered member of the forums, but I bought my Mazda2 Sport MT back in August 2012. I'm loving it so far, albeit I'm getting the serious urge to mod it as soon as I can afford it. The car's still stock, but I'm doing my best to keep it looking good (the pic below is from today, 9 months and 6,300 miles after I picked it up). It's really growing on me, and I'm hoping to keep it for a long time. I'm also open to suggestions about what would be the best performance mod to do first on a budget (I was thinking of getting a CS exhaust system) or a good car audio Double-DIN head unit to replace the stock stereo.

Thanks for having me!

Welcome to the Mazda2 community!

If I could make a suggestion for your first mod it should be a Corksport SRI with the Air Duct and a Corksport Cat-back Exhaust with racepipe. This will give you about an extra 10hp and few more MPG's. The combo will also make your Mazda2 sound awesome!

I have a large list of mods on my Mazda2 and if you have any questions about them then feel free to shoot me a private message.

- Tom

 

[mykflo]

That green is awesome n I regret not waiting for it sometimes. Anyways... welcome! I agree that the corksport system is awesome. But I don't revommend getting just one. U need bi th the intake and the exhaust. That being said get the intake first then save up for the exhaust but do plan on getting both. I know u on a budget but u NEED both! Haha.

 

[GrasshopperCO]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys! I do think I'll be getting the SRI and air duct first, then do some minor interior and exterior improvements (CS stubby antenna, LED interior lights, etc.) One of my greater ambitions is also to get the 3d Carbon Body Kit, since I think it'll add some character and uniqueness to the car.

 

[inspekt]

I say it to every spirited green owner. I'm jealous. I mean, I love the silver, but every time I see the green, I wish I had one. Good choice! I look forward to seeing what you do with it!

 

[GrasshopperCO]

Upgrade List

I just compiled a "wish list" of all the things I want to do to my 2, when I get the money. And now I'm realizing just how expensive that's going to be...LOL and now I need a drink (drunk).

Below is mainly another copy of this in case I need to remind myself what I want, and I can excitedly cross things off the list as I get them

[table="width: 1250, class: grid, align: left"]
[tr]
[td]Performance[/td]
[td]Exterior Accessories/Mods[/td]
[td]Interior/Electrical Accessories[/td]
[td]Stereos/Stereo Accessories (Stereos in order of preference)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS SRI & Air Duct ($240)[/td]
[td]3d Carbon Body Kit, Full ($850) - Includes:

• Front Lip
• Side Skirts
• Rear Lower Skirt
• Rear Roof Spoiler

[/td]
[td]Boomerang XT Armrest/Center Console, via Amazon ($125)[/td]
[td]1. Clarion NX702, via Sonic Electronix ($700)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS Exhaust & Racepipe ($550)[/td]
[td]CS Skid Tray ($230)[/td]
[td]CS LED Lighting Kit ($70)[/td]
[td]2. Pioneer AVIC-Z130BT, via Sonic Electronix ($770)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS Front Sway Bar ($200)[/td]
[td]CS Stubby Antenna ($33)[/td]
[td]Integrated Bluetooth Kit, via Mazda Gear ($190) --> *NOTE: This depends on what sort of stereo setup I get...this will wait until last[/td]
[td]3. Kenwood eXcelon DNX6190HD, via Sonic Electronix ($750)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS Torsion Bar ($100)[/td]
[td]Mazda Rear Bumper Guard ($62)[/td]
[td]Metra Double DIN Dash Installation Kit, via Amazon ($35)[/td]
[td]4. Jensen VM9725BT, via Sonic Electronix ($400)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS Front Strut Tower Brace ($130)[/td]
[td]Mazda Fog Light Kit/Switch ($380) --> *NOTE: Does anyone know where you can get these cheaper than through Mazda's website, or have a better alternative than OEM?*[/td]
[td][/td]
[td]5.Power Acoustik PNX-761, via Sonic Electronix ($420)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]AWR Dog-bone Engine Mount, 70 Durometer ($75)[/td]
[td][/td]
[td][/td]
[td]Accessories include:

• Rear View Camera
• Bluetooth Microphone

[/td][/tr]

[tr]
[td]CS Lowering Spring Set ($200) OR H&R Spring Set ($220)[/td]
[td][/td]
[td][/td]
[td][/td][/tr]
[/table]

Hopefully this can serve as a springboard for any other newbie like me who doesn't know where to start...And it's always nice to dream, isn't it? If any of you guys have any suggestions as to what else I could put on my list or replace with something better, let me know here or drop me a message. Thanks!

 

[eyeballs]

Certainly nothing wrong with the corksport exhaust w/o the intake. I have the exhaust with racepipe, and it sounds good without being loud plus there is noticeable improvement in power up top. Only issue I had was fittment was slightly off. I do plan on getting the intake setup sometime this year though.

On another note....spirited green ftw!

 

[Minimazda]

That looks like a good list to me! I'm sure there will be lots of little things you'll do along the way. You don't intend on buying any sort of springs? Springs with the adjustable struts/shocks is always nice...again another price tag on that list though. As for the fog light kit I found on some random website a really cheap set. Since I only need it for the housing, replace the lights, i figure the cheapo ones would work fine then add in the OEM switch because all the wiring is there. Are your windows tinted or going to get them done? That can add SO MUCH to a cars appearance especially ours, and with that bright green. I have the aquatic blue so in such a BAM color the darkness helps make it a bit less easter egg like.

 

[GrasshopperCO]

Certainly nothing wrong with the corksport exhaust w/o the intake. I have the exhaust with racepipe, and it sounds good without being loud plus there is noticeable improvement in power up top. Only issue I had was fittment was slightly off. I do plan on getting the intake setup sometime this year though.

On another note....spirited green ftw!

I think I'm going for the intake first, just because it's cheaper.

That looks like a good list to me! I'm sure there will be lots of little things you'll do along the way. You don't intend on buying any sort of springs? Springs with the adjustable struts/shocks is always nice...again another price tag on that list though. As for the fog light kit I found on some random website a really cheap set. Since I only need it for the housing, replace the lights, i figure the cheapo ones would work fine then add in the OEM switch because all the wiring is there. Are your windows tinted or going to get them done? That can add SO MUCH to a cars appearance especially ours, and with that bright green. I have the aquatic blue so in such a BAM color the darkness helps make it a bit less easter egg like.

I added the CS lowering springs to the list. Do you have any recommendations for adjustable struts and shocks? I did notice the CS ones (and I figured that'd be a safe choice since CS seems to be a go-to place for everything else), but like you said, that is another quite hefty price tag on the list.

I'm probably going to do a light to moderate tint on the windows, but I haven't started thinking about that yet. I want to focus on the minor improvements and the stereo unit first, I think. Whatever ends up tickling my fancy when I have the money

 

[Minimazda]

I would go with the corksport adjustable struts and shocks. Aside from them alone being an awesome company and the deal you get if you by both CS lowering springs and the struts/shocks I find that they have the most reliable items. I think there is only one other brand out there that offers the adjustable struts/shocks but CS offers such a large amount of adjustment and the ease of it is a big bonus.

I chose darkest legal for my tint and it looks great. Although living in Florida it's pretty much required. I have yet to improve my stereo, the stock is loud enough and I'm just gonna wait till I blow those speakers before buying new ones.

 

[ScorpioGTX1]

Oddly, one of my favorite mods thus far has been the CS interior lighting kit. Having the cool white LED dome light is such a huge improvement that you can't help but notice it every time you drive it at night. It makes the car feel way classier. Seems silly, but it's true.

Also, this is just me, but I'd advise you to get better tires before dumping a bunch of money into handling upgrades. The all seasons that come with the 2 are easily the most performance limiting factor when your car is stock. I feel that your money will be better spent on sway bars or shocks once you have a set of tires that can actually take advantage of them. I'm also a college student, so I know that dropping $400 all at once on rubber hurts, but trust me that it's the best handling upgrade you can make for the price.

 

[GrasshopperCO]

I would go with the corksport adjustable struts and shocks. Aside from them alone being an awesome company and the deal you get if you by both CS lowering springs and the struts/shocks I find that they have the most reliable items. I think there is only one other brand out there that offers the adjustable struts/shocks but CS offers such a large amount of adjustment and the ease of it is a big bonus.

I chose darkest legal for my tint and it looks great. Although living in Florida it's pretty much required. I have yet to improve my stereo, the stock is loud enough and I'm just gonna wait till I blow those speakers before buying new ones.

I'll keep the struts/shocks in mind - thanks

Oddly, one of my favorite mods thus far has been the CS interior lighting kit. Having the cool white LED dome light is such a huge improvement that you can't help but notice it every time you drive it at night. It makes the car feel way classier. Seems silly, but it's true.

Also, this is just me, but I'd advise you to get better tires before dumping a bunch of money into handling upgrades. The all seasons that come with the 2 are easily the most performance limiting factor when your car is stock. I feel that your money will be better spent on sway bars or shocks once you have a set of tires that can actually take advantage of them. I'm also a college student, so I know that dropping $400 all at once on rubber hurts, but trust me that it's the best handling upgrade you can make for the price.

I wholeheartedly agree - What tires would you recommend? I've been doing a bit of digging in the tires and rims section, but didn't really find anything that really stood out. I've seen good reviews on the BFG g-Force tires...the only complaint I saw was road noise, but it's not like the stock Yokohamas are all that quiet.

 

[Joker2]

For a DD only, my tire choice would be the BFG Sport Comp 2 or the Yokohama S-Drive. These tires should run you about 400 installed and balanced and they are good enough to autocross on. Leave the hardcore Rivals AD-08 RE-11 ZII for the nut jobs and crazies! The tires I recommended above are not for cold nor snow. For that look for used Miata wheels in 15" by 5.5 or by 6 and buy winter tires. Your mind will be blown away by how much fun this little car will be. And you will be safer too! I cannot recommend all-seasons because I would never drive on them.

 

[GrasshopperCO]

For a DD only, my tire choice would be the BFG Sport Comp 2 or the Yokohama S-Drive. These tires should run you about 400 installed and balanced and they are good enough to autocross on. Leave the hardcore Rivals AD-08 RE-11 ZII for the nut jobs and crazies! The tires I recommended above are not for cold nor snow. For that look for used Miata wheels in 15" by 5.5 or by 6 and buy winter tires. Your mind will be blown away by how much fun this little car will be. And you will be safer too! I cannot recommend all-seasons because I would never drive on them.

I'll keep those tires in mind...thanks! With summer and fall coming up, it wouldn't be a bad time to get those tires. I drove on the stock all-seasons this winter, and while it wasn't as horrible as I thought it'd be, next winter I think I'm going to spring for some good winter tires.

 

[ScorpioGTX1]

I wholeheartedly agree - What tires would you recommend? I've been doing a bit of digging in the tires and rims section, but didn't really find anything that really stood out. I've seen good reviews on the BFG g-Force tires...the only complaint I saw was road noise, but it's not like the stock Yokohamas are all that quiet.

I like my BFG g-Force Sport Comp 2s. Grip with them is astounding, and braking is phenomenal. Although road noise was a little bad at first, once the tires broke in after 50km, they got a lot quieter. They even fare pretty well in the wet. I was driving home last night in freezing rain and they didn't give me any trouble.

 

[Andres3165]

I just compiled a "wish list" of all the things I want to do to my 2, when I get the money. And now I'm realizing just how expensive that's going to be...LOL and now I need a drink (drunk).

Below is mainly another copy of this in case I need to remind myself what I want, and I can excitedly cross things off the list as I get them

[table="width: 1250, class: grid, align: left"]
[tr]
[td]Performance[/td]
[td]Exterior Accessories/Mods[/td]
[td]Interior/Electrical Accessories[/td]
[td]Stereos/Stereo Accessories (Stereos in order of preference)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS SRI & Air Duct ($240)[/td]
[td]3d Carbon Body Kit, Full ($850) - Includes:

• Front Lip
• Side Skirts
• Rear Lower Skirt
• Rear Roof Spoiler

[/td]
[td]Boomerang XT Armrest/Center Console, via Amazon ($125)[/td]
[td]1. Clarion NX702, via Sonic Electronix ($700)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS Exhaust & Racepipe ($550)[/td]
[td]CS Skid Tray ($230)[/td]
[td]CS LED Lighting Kit ($70)[/td]
[td]2. Pioneer AVIC-Z130BT, via Sonic Electronix ($770)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS Front Sway Bar ($200)[/td]
[td]CS Stubby Antenna ($33)[/td]
[td]Integrated Bluetooth Kit, via Mazda Gear ($190) --> *NOTE: This depends on what sort of stereo setup I get...this will wait until last[/td]
[td]3. Kenwood eXcelon DNX6190HD, via Sonic Electronix ($750)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS Torsion Bar ($100)[/td]
[td]Mazda Rear Bumper Guard ($62)[/td]
[td]Metra Double DIN Dash Installation Kit, via Amazon ($35)[/td]
[td]4. Jensen VM9725BT, via Sonic Electronix ($400)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CS Front Strut Tower Brace ($130)[/td]
[td]Mazda Fog Light Kit/Switch ($380) --> *NOTE: Does anyone know where you can get these cheaper than through Mazda's website, or have a better alternative than OEM?*[/td]
[td][/td]
[td]5.Power Acoustik PNX-761, via Sonic Electronix ($420)[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]AWR Dog-bone Engine Mount, 70 Durometer ($75)[/td]
[td][/td]
[td][/td]
[td]Accessories include:

• Rear View Camera
• Bluetooth Microphone

[/td][/tr]

[tr]
[td]CS Lowering Spring Set ($200) OR H&R Spring Set ($220)[/td]
[td][/td]
[td][/td]
[td][/td][/tr]
[/table]

Hopefully this can serve as a springboard for any other newbie like me who doesn't know where to start...And it's always nice to dream, isn't it? If any of you guys have any suggestions as to what else I could put on my list or replace with something better, let me know here or drop me a message. Thanks!

Don't forget the headers

Andres