[powertrip]

Hey all, I'm going to have to pick up a daily driver due to the arrival of our first baby. I'm looking closely at the Mazdaspeed 3 due to the fact it's a practical hatchback, but still has a decently peppy engine. Are any of you familair with the permance gains you can get with basic bolt-ons and a tune? Thanks for your input, and hope you all are having a nice weekend .

[TLud]

Originally Posted by powertrip

Hey all, I'm going to have to pick up a daily driver due to the arrival of our first baby. I'm looking closely at the Mazdaspeed 3 due to the fact it's a practical hatchback, but still has a decently peppy engine. Are any of you familair with the permance gains you can get with basic bolt-ons and a tune? Thanks for your input, and hope you all are having a nice weekend .

My brother picked up one not too long ago. I actually liked driving it better than his IS350. It's a really fun car to toss around and, like you said, very practical. You can probably add about 40-50 whp with the Cobb Accessport stage 2 map. Keep in mind though that traction and torque steer will be limiting factors, which is why the car has a power limiter in 1st gear.

[powertrip]

Great info my friend . That was the route I was thinking about going: Cobb Accessport, Cobb downpipe, maybe an intake and a good tune. Good point on the torque steer too; I recently rode in a well tuned MS3 and the torque steer was arm wrenching.

Originally Posted by TLud

My brother picked up one not too long ago. I actually liked driving it better than his IS350. It's a really fun car to toss around and, like you said, very practical. You can probably add about 40-50 whp with the Cobb Accessport stage 2 map. Keep in mind though that traction and torque steer will be limiting factors, which is why the car has a power limiter in 1st gear.

[Nawaaz]

The MS3 is a performance car to be reckoned with.

I like the brand new one that just came out. It looks very eye catching with the new over design, and especially that front end hood scoop.

It's a very nice car though.

[JCtx]

It's a good car, but too small, especially now that you need to carry a car seat IMO. And a turbo???
I briefly considered a small car too, but for a little more money, settled on the Accord Coupe 6MT V6. And at 5.6 0-60, it's not slow at all (probably neck and neck with the MS3). Probably not as 'tossable' as a lighter MS3, but it's a much more comfortable car, handles very well, has plenty of linear power, and it's a joy to row that 6-sp tranny. And if you ever need to go on a trip, or drive clients, etc., a more 'mature' car is a better choice. If you want a Mazda, check out the new 5. I wasn't thrilled with that silly happy face, but that's just me. Oh, and I would definitely check out the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe V6. Good luck, and let us know what you decide .

[TLud]

Originally Posted by GatorBlue371

What is your budget? Honestly I read your post, saw what you drove, and thought... STi.



MUCH better performance stock, much better aftermarket gains, much nicer car, and for the badge whore in all of us STi > MS3.

With the mod's you mentioned running before, you will likely be able to run with and away from your M3 in the STi while having the practicality of 5 usable seats in a hatchback, safety of AWD, and the fun of TORQUE.....


Another way to look at it is you'll put all of those mods on the MS3 just to be able to hang with a stock STi.

Sti and MS3 aren't remotely at the same price point.

[Seminole]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

It's a good car, but too small, especially now that you need to carry a car seat IMO. And a turbo???
I briefly considered a small car too, but for a little more money, settled on the Accord Coupe 6MT V6. And at 5.6 0-60, it's not slow at all (probably neck and neck with the MS3). Probably not as 'tossable' as a lighter MS3, but it's a much more comfortable car, handles very well, has plenty of linear power, and it's a joy to row that 6-sp tranny. And if you ever need to go on a trip, or drive clients, etc., a more 'mature' car is a better choice. If you want a Mazda, check out the new 5. I wasn't thrilled with that silly happy face, but that's just me. Oh, and I would definitely check out the new Hyundai Genesis Coupe V6. Good luck, and let us know what you decide .

The Mazdaspeed3 is a five door hatchback, the Accord and Genesis are two door coupes. The Mazda has 3 inches more rear legroom than the Accord. Not to mention it will be a lot easier to put a kid in a car seat when there is a back door and not lean into a coupe. Lets not even talk about cargo space, which the Mazda has 5 more cubic feet more than the Accord.

[ooowowizstev]

If your budget allows it, i would definitely recommend going with an sti instead.

[DocSean]

I owned one, PM me if you want any specifics, sick of getting into Sti debates on this forum.

[11Past9]

I would never buy one and this is my backed up and educated opinion from experience.

-The engine is built with very weak internals, Mazda is known for doing some things well in a particular car and then neglecting other things. There have been a significant amount of engine issues associated with the lack of attention in this area.

-The stock turbo is maxed out, once you get your bolt ons done the stock turbo is begging for its life and though it will function you will need to upgrade the turbo for anything above the basics

-Transmission problems: There have been a significant amount of issues reported regarding syncro failures

-These problems have been known to happen in stock or modified cars. So modification is NOT to blame. People have blown motors by being on the highway in 6th gear and boosted half way, let off and pshhhhhh.

Mazda in many cases has made a good car on paper, and in initial quality and skimped hard on what needed to be made sure was top notch to begin with. The MS3 has horrible ergonomics and the power straight up DIES above 5,000 RPMS. The handling is not as spectacular as it is made out to be, 600ft skid pad hits about .87g, not bad but you will have traction problems as well in anything but dry pavement. Not exactly torque steer but there won't be much fun unless you are on the dry.

I personally do NOT like these cars, there are others that are better for the money. Magazines blow this thing up as if it's the best thing for the price ever built but it is not, not at all. I have driven many my self, and know people with stock and modified MS3's and I would like to formally say stay away.

If you want something that won't give you those issues, grip and is in fact faster in the straights as an 08+ STi, responds to modifications just as well and for around the same price with the same utility NEW then buy one of these:



However if you want to go used there are a million cars I'd rather have.

[07-335XI]

If it just didn't have that smiley face front.

Aside from that the car is pretty nice especially with a tune.

Or take a look at a 5-Door WRX.