Potential Mazdaspeed3 buyer

thanks guys. on the way home from work i didnt even realize i was doing 80 already lol.

==edit==
just curious. how many of you guys are rockin turbo timers? and should it be one of the first few things to purchase? (im such a newb to boost. my first FI car.) thanks in advance.
 
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Love my Speed for the past 1.5 years. I like getting stopped in parking lots being asked questions about it. It does not draw attention like the Evo which is a plus.

MPG-25 daily driver (mixed driving) and 30 mpg on the highway.

I have had Hondas and to me they just feel cheaper than the Mazdas. The Fit may be a little more practical so if you feel better eeking out a few more MPG stick with it.

The cons:

Shifter takes some getting used to. Interior db level is quite high at interstate speeds.
 
yeah, I've read about both methods... honestly I drove her hard as soon as I hit a few hundred miles. After each hard driving session, I'd drive around out of boost to let it cool down properly. Plus a oil change at 1000 miles is a good idea I think.
 
thanks guys. on the way home from work i didnt even realize i was doing 80 already lol.

==edit==
just curious. how many of you guys are rockin turbo timers? and should it be one of the first few things to purchase? (im such a newb to boost. my first FI car.) thanks in advance.

You don't need a turbo timer. Modern turbos like ours that are oil and liquid cooled still circulate coolant after shutdown. There is no reason to sit there idling to circulate oil like the old days.

I'd still recommend driving around at low rpm out of boost for a little after a hard run. This cools everything down fairly quick. I never go out and beat the crap out of it and then just immediately shut it off.
 
You don't need a turbo timer. Modern turbos like ours that are oil and liquid cooled still circulate coolant after shutdown. There is no reason to sit there idling to circulate oil like the old days.

I'd still recommend driving around at low rpm out of boost for a little after a hard run. This cools everything down fairly quick. I never go out and beat the crap out of it and then just immediately shut it off.

The manual says to let it idle for at least 30 seconds after a drive. I've been trying to stick to that ritual. I usually have crap to do when I park the car anyway; it gives me no excuse to not put up the windshield sun shade. I get to lower my pulse and slowly release my deathgrip on the steering wheel as well.
 
The manual says to let it idle for at least 30 seconds after a drive. I've been trying to stick to that ritual. I usually have crap to do when I park the car anyway; it gives me no excuse to not put up the windshield sun shade. I get to lower my pulse and slowly release my deathgrip on the steering wheel as well.


manual?? pffft... who reads manuals?! :D
 
I get to lower my pulse and slowly release my deathgrip on the steering wheel as well.

It's funny you say this because I've noticed lately more adrenaline surges. I've had other cars as fast as this but this one seems more wild as if its on the edge of control sometimes. After 4 months of ownership, it still gets my heart pounding.
 
Yea man I suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder and sometimes get pretty fidgety when sitting in a car with nothing to do (traffic, etc.).

Now that I have the Speed3 (my first manual by the way), all that anxiety gets channelled directly into driving concentration. It's quite therapeutic.
 

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