New 3 owner; wanting to start with the basics...

[TonsterPS]

I just purchased a 2005 Mazda 3 S 5-door HB. Black on black leather, MT, super stoked and ready to ease myself and the new car into some upgrades, starting with the suspension.

I'd like to drop it a bit (pro-kit drop, not sportline drop) and after lurking for a while and reading some old posts, it doesn't seem to answer my question definitively. Are the Eibach Pro-Kit springs the pretty much the same as the MazdaSpeed set? If the drop is ~1.4 inches, is the camber adjustment necessary (comes with the MazdaSpeed set)? Any other suggestions?

Also, I'm wanting the front and rear sway bars from Eibach. Anyone have any experience with these? Are the benefits noticeable? Easy install? Or is something as simple as a front strut tower brace enough?

Again, thanks so much for any advice/answers to my questions. Feel free to message me, respond here, or shoot me an email!

Excited to be part of the Mazda family! So far, I'm loving it and looking forward to unlocking some of the potential of the 3!

 

[Akaveli]

Welcome!! I'm not sure if the prokit is the same as the MS springs. I know the prokit drop is 1.2 all around and MS springs might be 1.2 as well. As far as Sway bars I'm suggest either Hotchkis, Racing beat or MazdaSpeed Sways.

 

[TonsterPS]

Thanks Akaveli! I had the Sportlines installed on my last car (1998 Nissan 200SX SE-R) along with other suspension upgrades, and while I was happy with the performance, as a daily driver, it was just too harsh of a ride, so that's why I'm looking at going the ProKit route for a modest drop, better performance, aesthetics, but without losing too much 'comfort' (it pains me to say that....). Am I makin sense here?? I hope so!

Anyway, what parts do you have from Progress and Vibrant. I've seen their names thrown around here a bit. Opinions?

Last question for now... the TRZ "Dog Bone" Rear Motor Mounts seem pretty freakin popular and easy to install from the little that I read. Do they have the same effects on a lowly (non-MS) 3?

 

[Akaveli]

Thanks Akaveli! I had the Sportlines installed on my last car (1998 Nissan 200SX SE-R) along with other suspension upgrades, and while I was happy with the performance, as a daily driver, it was just too harsh of a ride, so that's why I'm looking at going the ProKit route for a modest drop, better performance, aesthetics, but without losing too much 'comfort' (it pains me to say that....). Am I makin sense here?? I hope so!

Anyway, what parts do you have from Progress and Vibrant. I've seen their names thrown around here a bit. Opinions?

Last question for now... the TRZ "Dog Bone" Rear Motor Mounts seem pretty freakin popular and easy to install from the little that I read. Do they have the same effects on a lowly (non-MS) 3?

I currently have progress springs and progress rear sway bar. The progress springs give me a 1.3 drop all around which I'm starting to get bored of and the look isn't aggressive enough. I plan on going lower to either a 1.75 or 2.0 inch drop. The rear sway bar compliment the springs but I want a thicker bar. Progress is only 20mm and OEM stock RSB is 20mm. Vibrant I have their top strut bar which is eventually coming off once I order the weapons r ETD. The bracket won't be compatiable with the strut bar.

I currently have the TRZ RMM and I'd recommend it. It is 10x better then the stock mount.

 

[tsunami]

i have the awr motor mount from way back and it is as good as i had hoped. any motor mount is easy to change (for the bottom that is) they all require the same thing except the cork sport inserts. as far as rsb i would recomend the mazda speed (i think its the same as racing beat but am not 100% on that) it offers the thickest bar from what i remember and i have it on now, had the progress rsb and it is so much better i couldn't even imagine going from stock to the mazdaspeed version.

 

[TonsterPS]

Again, thanks for the info!

After much deliberation, I think I'm going to start with the following:
- TWM Short Shifter (unless the ARK gets a better review...)
- Eibach Pro-Kit or Progress Springs for the 'modest' drop; if there are recommendations one way or the other, I'd appreciate them!
- TRZ RMM; again, all I've seen is positive comments. I'll go with the softer set to keep the daily drivability intact.
- Front strut bar; lots of options (and price ranges) here...is the $55 = or =/= to the $170 variety based on y'alls experiences?
- Intake/air filter (non-CAI); probably just a K&N, but I'd consider a SRI

I'll probably hold off on the rear sway bar for now...tsunami, you're saying the MS RSB>>>>Progress?

 

[Akaveli]

to give you an idea. Per A.O.D

All Rear Sway Bars

Progress-22mm - solid
RB - 27mm hollow
HotChkis-32mm hollow Bar
MazdaSpeed(Mz3 Specific) - 21mm - solid bar
Eibach-26mm - solid bar
H&R- 26mm solid bar
MazdaSpeed3(stock) - 26mm solid
MazdaSpeed3 (aftermarket) - 26mm - solid bar
F2 - 25mm solid bar
Whiteline - 22mm

 

[tsunami]

i have the mazdaspeed kit front and rear as the mazdaspeed accessory kit not the ms3 part and its a 26mm bar not a 21. it rules!!! i haven't put the front on yet and i love the way the rear made my car feel

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

The front sway bar will hurt you more than it will help you. You need coil overs for the front sway to be of any help.

 

[TonsterPS]

Interesting...I imagine that the rear-sway bar would really firm things up in the rear, which makes a lot of sense; I'm surprised that the front would actually hurt more than it would help. Again, I'll probably hold off on the sway bars until after the other stuff goes on regardless.

Speedster, any opinions on the front strut bar? I just put a cheap-o eBay version on my previous car (first 'mod') and I noticed a pretty significant improvement. Is the $170 one that much better than the $55?

 

[smelly3]

which coilovers? i thought about tein ss but i also dont know what needs to be done, meaning will i have to change the shocks in the rear or will the pro kit ones i have on have to come off or can i leave them on

 

[tsunami]

speedster how do you figure... remember this is on a reg n/a 3 not a speed3. with lowering springs and improved dampers i don't see how a front sway would "hurt" you in anyway??

 

[boosthead]

Depends on your driving. If you run auto-x, the larger front bar will cause the car to not rotate as well. If you do track days, the larger front bar will add much needed roll stiffness up front.

 

[tigermack]

If you're gonna change springs, change your struts/shocks at the same time.