Karl on Cars

I drove this car too, Karl, and while you thought the tq-steer got old quickly, I found it to be predictable and easily managed once you learn the power-curve. But yes, it was more pronounced than the stock MS3.

I reckon the stock MS3 would be fine by me! I love loud engines but loud exhausts just irritate me too much!
 
I hear cold-air intakes make engines prone to water damage. Is this true? I was considering installing one in my Protege......
What is the process by which louder "free flow" exhausts increase power?

The engine acts like an big air pump - restrictions on either end make the engine work harder to do its work - the easier you make it for it to inhale and exhale the better.

In the mystic land of Great Britain they have this thing called a Suzuki Swift sport, only 123 bhp, but it's 400 lighter than a MINI Cooper. Imagine that thing with a high pressure turbo! Or for that matter a MINI Cooper S John Cooper Works, now there's a hot hatch.

The MS3 was made to be on a reasonable price range. AWD was consider but made no sense since the prime car of choice was the MS6. Now we know the MS6 will be gone this year and probably Mazda will let the horses free with AWD in the near future for the MS3. For better traction wait for the WRX and EVO at your dealer near you.

I doubt it, Mazdaspeed doesn't seem to have a lot of resources at its disposal. They can only work on one car at a time (excluding individual parts), and always when a car is near the end of its cycle.

Thanks for the explanation, rick8365!
 
I think iskch ir right about the MS3.....in its current form it costs more or less the same as a fully loaded Mazda 3 GT.

This things looks like a station wagon. It's hideous.
 
Obviously I'm not the target market segment...

So why was this car here, Karl? If you can't share, I understand. I was surprised to see it because it (obviously) isn't bone-stock like the MS3 and WRX that were here.

Blackadder, they arent prone to water damage unless the filter is SUBMERGED in water. Of all the tuners I know with CAI's NONE have had hydrolock.

What about the ECU upgrade that I hear MazdaSpeed has available, was this car equipped with it?

Karl, I think the Evo and STI look far more boy-racer than the MS3. I've seen the MS3 at a dealer and sat in it (they wouldn't let me drive it unless I was buying.....I test-drove the Mazda 3 GT instead.). I'd say it's very subtle and looks and feels like a lower-end luxury car rather than a boy-racer. Apart from the seats, it's hard to tell the difference between the stock MS3 and the 3 GT from the interior......most people can't tell them apart from the exterior!
Even the extreme version in your photo looks nicely done and not boy-racer at all. On the other hand, while I love the Evo for its engineering I can't get past that ridiculous spoiler wing!!!!! It's interior doesn't look great either, although I could live with it. The STI also looks too raw.
 
Billy May, I think the MS3 hatchback looks very good, although I'd say the Protege5 looks better when it has the roof-rack. There are several cars which look far better in hatchback or station wagon form than in sedan form, eg, Mazda 3, Protege, the older Subaru Impreza, Subaru Legacy, Mazda 6 and the VW Golf/Rabbit/Jetta. Whereas the current Golf is a very good looking car, the Jetta is almost ugly!
I remember when I was looking for a (used) car last year, I decided on the Protege after reading about it on Edmunds.com, msn.com and Car and Driver. At a bus station one day, I saw the Protege5. I suddenly lost interest in the Protege...... Guess what I drive now!
 
Thanks for the info, HondaAcura4! :)

I think this car was here for us to experience/review the Mazdaspeed accessories.
 
When I say boy-racer I'm talking more about the car's driving nature than looks. The exhaust, the torque steer, the louder intake roar. They are all very boy-racer-ish traits, and they seem to gel with the Mazdaspeed 3 well...almost too well...
 
I agree, the basic Mazdaspeed 3 doesn't look overly boy-racer-ish at all -- though even in base form it drives more boy-racer-ish than the WRX. Whether that's good or bad depends on your perspective.

Thanks for the clarification, Karl. Hmmm......I'll probably find he MS3's boy-racer character tiring after a while. At the same time, I find the Mazda 3 a little too refined: its engine is just too quiet for my liking and it feels somewhat heavy. The Protege was perfect........my ideal car would be one with the Protege's character but the interior, power and lighter clutch of the Mazda 3 or MS3!

Is Mazda selling scads of these MS3's ?
Last I read. the whole Mazda 3 series is wildly popular and in short supply here.
As for added bling Karl described, I'd rather see useful chassis, engine and interior trim improvements for the bucks the bling costs.

I disagree, Kurtamaxxx. The Mazda 3 as it is now is just about perfect......and it's still currently ahead of its competition. Since the new model is to be released in 2009 MY, it's better for any engine, chasis or interior trim improvements to be applied to that next model.
 
The only improvement I'd make to the current model is the stereo....I'd like to see MP3 CD playback standard and a premium system that matches that of the Lancer GTS. Well, and make more the driver's seat have more adjustment.....the Protege's front seats are better in this regard. Otherwise the current interior (of the GT model) exceeds my expectations by a long shot!
 
Meanwhile, there is always a large market for people wanting to make bling improvements.....so why not cater to them while making a healthy profit?

If you don't like the exhaust, you can change it (either for more power or less/different noise. ) Though to me the only time it gets unnecessarily loud is while engine braking. On thottle it sounds fine to me.
 
I got pulled over in a slightly lowered civic hatchback simply because the cop said it looked "boy racerish" errr you mean blue tinted lights? I was doing less than 5 over the limit. no tix of course because I wasn't drinking. It probably good that the speed3 looks similar to the std 3. The driver knows he has the goods where it counts.
 
The STD 3 gt with bose audio and sunroof upgrade topped out at 22.5k The speed 3 gt with the bose (minus the sunroof) was 24.5K I'll take a turbo, better seats, brakes, suspension, 6sp tran for two K. Any guesses on how much that would cost to upgrade later even just the motor? Guess which will hold it's value better? the modded 3 or the stock speed?

Well said, nemo (except for the blue tinted lights part...I'm personally not a fan)! :o) It's like people who mod their WRXs to STI-levels of power, handling, etc., which is why I don't try to go mod my WRX "too" much. I've already sunk so much money into it on light mods--probably enough to make up the price difference to the STI if not more. :(
 
http://www.danielsternlighting.com explains why blue tinted lights are bad news, my friend.

Not everyone in this segement wants that "boyracer" look. Ive been tinkering with my 95 Civic sedan Ex since 1997 (4 different engine tranny combos/setups, multiple suspensions) and I dont care for all the spoilers, scoops, lips and all that garbage but for some strange reason Iove the Evolution. I prefer something that doesnt look like it would do much (my car) or the MS3 but when challenged can kick ass or is at least put up a good fight.
 
An even greater example would be that myserious black 1994 Lexus SC300 running around here. It just looks slightly lowered with some 19 inch rims. But further examination brings out the HUGE painted flat black intercooler mounted in the front bumper. This car reportedly made over 950whp on a dynojet! Talk about a sleeper! Corvettes, Vipers, bikes beware!
 
The only "bling" if thats what you want to call it on my car currently are HID equipped projector headlights, yellow HID in OEM projector foglights, and some 16 inch Rota GT3 (bronze/polished lip) rims. The exhaust looks stock and isnt loud (RS-R Ex-mag). The only thing that really gives any indication of modification is the loud suction of the ITB's as you can hear them from a pretty good distance.

ITBs!?! *drool* What sort of engine/tranny setup are you running anyway?