New Mazda3 parts for 2006

[goldwing2000]

Just spoke with my tech guy who just got back from a "round table" meeting with Mazda. I only talked with him for about 20 mins but apparently 2006 is going to be a hot year for our little 3.

These are some of the parts that he was told should be coming:

Aluminum hood
Aluminum deck lid/rear hatch
Extensive use of carbon fiber
Mazdaspeed full exhaust system with high-flow cats

He also said that he worked with the design engineers on where to route the plumbing for a turbo. (yippy)

I'm sure there is a certain amount of speculation involved but he seemed pretty confident of these parts and even had a few specific details about the exhaust (O2 sensor placement, brick design, etc).

There was some discussion of the rear suspension and a few of the techs were working on a revised upper control arm with heim joints that would allow for adjustment of rear camber and caster. That wasn't an official discussion with Mazda, just a few gearheads trying to solve a problem.
I'm working on that one myself and hope to have a solution soon. I'm actually willing to go as far as fabricating a new, longer control arm to make up the 2.5-3.0 of negative rear camber. I'll fiddle with it this weekend.

So! Lots of good news on the horizon but, as always, tempered with reality. ALL of this is dependent on FoMoCo for funding and resources. If Ford goes belly-up, development takes a dirt nap. (shrug)

 

[Loose]

Wow!

Wow! Those are some pretty dramatic changes to lighten the car up. Can't wait to see the diffrence it makes. You mentioned a turbo. Did your source speculate on whether they were considering the hatch, sedan or both. I would like to see the wagon with the "speed" package (AWD, turbo, lightened w/ stiffer suspension.) I realize there is a contingency that would like to see the sedan get the package. I wish that Mazda would apeze us and dress both vehicles.

I spoke w/ the dealer in town here and his opinion was that Mazda was not even going to touch the 3 until they could get the RX-8 out the door w/ the speed package. After all the RX is the name-sakes flagship....

GW, once again...you da man! (2thumbs)

 

[Mazda3Zoomer]

Hot i was gonna wait a couple of years before i get an aftermarket exaust system, but now that words out about a mazdaspeed exaust, ill definately look out for it.

now i just need to find a CF hood and im straight.

 

[Jericho123]

Has there been anything reported about the development of the new parts?

 

[mazda3zoom]

thats reall sweet GW, just one think though. Why would they make the hood aluminum? our hoods already weigh nothing, when i took mine off to pull the motor i couldnt believe how light it was. the rest of the stuff i could see being useful....but that one sounds like a waist of time IMO. How much weight could be shed by doing this?

 

[CZ-75]

thats reall sweet GW, just one think though. Why would they make the hood aluminum? our hoods already weigh nothing, when i took mine off to pull the motor i couldnt believe how light it was. the rest of the stuff i could see being useful....but that one sounds like a waist of time IMO. How much weight could be shed by doing this?

Aluminum dents more easily and is harder to fix, so perhaps this is a bone tossed to the dealers to give them more profit from bodywork.

 

[goldwing2000]

s***, man... that info is a year and a half old already! I'm sure the ideas have been either scrapped or changed.

 

[mazda3zoom]

s***, man... that info is a year and a half old already! I'm sure the ideas have been either scrapped or changed.

haha i thought this was a new thread. I didnt even look at the date. (hah)

 

[menus87]

i have an 06 mazda 5dr with the s touring pkg so is ne of this on my car cause i didnt see ne of it on my description of my car ???

 

[bbrich57]

Hot i was gonna wait a couple of years before i get an aftermarket exaust system, but now that words out about a mazdaspeed exaust, ill definately look out for it.

You might well change your mind when you see their prices. When I looked several months ago the MS catback system was $1100.00, more than twice what a MagnaFlow, ARK or other aftermarket system costs. How much more would the complete system cost from Mazda. Could it be that much (any) better? "I don't think so, Tim!"

 

[goldwing2000]

You might well change your mind when you see their prices. When I looked several months ago the MS catback system was $1100.00, more than twice what a MagnaFlow, ARK or other aftermarket system costs. How much more would the complete system cost from Mazda. Could it be that much (any) better? "I don't think so, Tim!"

Do you realize that the post you are replying to is almost two years old?

And the person you're replying to hasn't logged on since last August?

Just asking...

 

[bbrich57]

Do you realize that the post you are replying to is almost two years old?
And the person you're replying to hasn't logged on since last August?

I wouldn't have a way to tell when the last time this person logged in was, but to be honest, no, I hadn't looked at the date of that particular post though I knew some were older... just not older than me! <^_^>
If "zoomer" no longer participates, perhaps someone else could use the information/opinion?

 

[goldwing2000]

I wouldn't have a way to tell when the last time this person logged in was

Sure you do! Just look at their user profile. It has a "Last Activity" date. (thumb)

If "zoomer" no longer participates, perhaps someone else could use the information/opinion?

It's definitely possible. I think my point was that this info is so outdated, anybody who is interested has probably already ruled out the over-priced Mazdaspeed system. Especially if they've been looking around the forum and seen the other options.

Thanks for participating, though!

I'm going to go ahead and close this thread so nobody else stumbles upon it and thinks the original post is still valid.

If anybody REALLY feels that they can't live without putting some more information in here, just PM me.

(locked)

 

[tsunami]

uhhh dude you didn't lock this?

 

[goldwing2000]

uhhh dude you didn't lock this?

Yeah... I did. It shows being locked but it's still taking replies. (scratch)