The new Mazdaspeed 3

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Captain Slow
I picked this up Monday, and so far I have no complaints. It's everything I wanted/needed and more. Lots of power (compared to the SVTF anyways), great handling, comfy interior, lots of cargo room...it's just a great little car. I added a few appearance things so far (not bad for 1 day of ownership), and a few performance things are already in the mail. Anyways, here's some photos from yesterday and today:

At the dealership:
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Today, before the fog light covers and HIDs
8-5-08beforeHIDandFogLightCoverssm.jpg


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Today, after the fog light covers, but before the HIDs
8-5-08AfterFogLightCoversbutBeforeH.jpg


Picture to show what the halogens look like to compare to HIDs later
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Front end off during HID install
8-5-08HIDinProgresssm.jpg


End Result
8-5-08AfterHIDsm.jpg


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The HIDs are a 6000K conversion kit from XenonDepot, and the foglight covers are from Headlight Armor.

I'll clean it up a bit the next day I can...they sprayed so much tire shine on this thing that it got all over the sides of the car LOL. Then I'll try to take some better quality pictures. Hope you like!
 
I like it. Really digging the HID headlights. I want some for my car, but I just cannot justify spending $200 plus on them.

What other goodies did you buy? CAI and exhaust?
 
I like it. Really digging the HID headlights. I want some for my car, but I just cannot justify spending $200 plus on them.

I had a set off Ebay on my Talon for about a year and they were AWESOME. i paid like 70 shipped and had great success, came with a two year warranty on bulbs and ballasts too.


Nice Mazda! Not to sound noobish about that car but turbocharged right? I knew the other mazdaspeeds were but don't know about the new ones.


Edit: Found a link! 10 bucks plus 53 shipping LMAO!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/XENO...006QQitemZ160268561750QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
 
Yes, turbo 2.3L I4. 263hp, 280lb/ft torque. 6 speed with LSD. In addition to the HIDs I bought the yellow foglight covers, an upgraded bypass valve (recirculated BOV...stock one leaks), and boost gauge. I'm ordering the intake this week :)
 
haha i love the shipping scams on ebay...im surprised they let the people get away with it. It keeps them out of the higher fee bracket

Ive bought a few kits so far off of ebay. The first one for my GTO I had zero problems with. The second one I put on my GN had the passenger side go out and I havent had a chance to see if its the bulb or the ballast
Did this kit come in a box in horribly translated english with an old lady on the front of the box? One of the funniest things i had ever read
 
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Did you buy new from the dealer or pick it up used? I have thought about looking for one out here in AZ but no dealers will deal on them. They want sticker for them.
 
Did this kit come in a box in horribly translated english with an old lady on the front of the box? One of the funniest things i had ever read

I got mine from XenonDepot. They are Phillips ballasts/bulbs. If you had one go out, it might be as simple as a loose wire or bad ground. I'd check that out first. I had a kit in my old GTO, and one light would shut off or not fire, and it turned out to just be a loose wire.

Did you buy new from the dealer or pick it up used? I have thought about looking for one out here in AZ but no dealers will deal on them. They want sticker for them.

Got it from a local dealer. Shaun (Stinger1987) helped me get S-plan pricing.
 
No, I don't live near Detroit. I got it at Thelen in Bay City.

Got the DashHawk installed last night....man, I love that little thing.
 
Congrats - Those Mazda 3's are damn nice. A friend of mine had a Mazda 3 wagon and that thing scooted around pretty good!
 
Ordered a CorkSport test pipe today...should free up a couple of horses and make the exhaust a bit more pronounced. Love the fact that these things don't sound ricey with exhausts (no high-pitched rasp)

Also waiting on a Cobb intake that I bought from WhiteOut. Just waiting for them to get back into stock, although it might be a while. I read today it might be as long as 8 weeks :eek:
 
Video of the Corksport Test Pipe...before and after.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vejJyBejvc"]YouTube - Corksport Test Pipe - Mazdaspeed 3[/ame]

Very slight change in exhaust volume, and a bit of a power gain. It definitely needs to be mated with the CS downpipe to be fully put to use, but that'll have to wait until next year. Also ordered a stiffer motor mount (the stock one is very flimsy), and a higher flowing turbo inlet from RPMC. The stock inlet is very pancaked in the middle and fairly restrictive. The RPMC unit helps reduce spool time by a few hundred RPM, and should help the car gain about 5 whp. The motor mount should be shipped soon...the turbo inlet is being shipped next week, and the intake is still backordered as far as I know.
 
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