any evo x owners come from a mazdaspeed 3?
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: United States
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: United States
Coming from an MS3 I can assure you that, though the 1/4 times for the X may be faster, it's entirely thanks to the launch advantage of AWD.
From a roll I really doubt a stock X would gain any ground on a stock MS3. The MS3 is a highway *****, that thing gets to 120 like a bat out of hell.
From a roll I really doubt a stock X would gain any ground on a stock MS3. The MS3 is a highway *****, that thing gets to 120 like a bat out of hell.
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: West Palm Peach, FL
reliability? look here
http://www.mazda***********.org/foru...e-thread-6113/
that list hasnt been updated since 09 either. when mine blew i asked the mod why it wasnt getting updated, he said that once he blew his he just got too depressed to do it. and that if he had updated it, it would be closer to 60+ cars.
and besides that, even if you built the motor youre destined for low 12's tops. its the only car i know that no matter how much money you throw at it you cant make it any faster than that.
http://www.mazda***********.org/foru...e-thread-6113/
that list hasnt been updated since 09 either. when mine blew i asked the mod why it wasnt getting updated, he said that once he blew his he just got too depressed to do it. and that if he had updated it, it would be closer to 60+ cars.
and besides that, even if you built the motor youre destined for low 12's tops. its the only car i know that no matter how much money you throw at it you cant make it any faster than that.
reliability? look here
http://www.mazda***********.org/foru...e-thread-6113/
that list hasnt been updated since 09 either. when mine blew i asked the mod why it wasnt getting updated, he said that once he blew his he just got too depressed to do it. and that if he had updated it, it would be closer to 60+ cars.
and besides that, even if you built the motor youre destined for low 12's tops. its the only car i know that no matter how much money you throw at it you cant make it any faster than that.
http://www.mazda***********.org/foru...e-thread-6113/
that list hasnt been updated since 09 either. when mine blew i asked the mod why it wasnt getting updated, he said that once he blew his he just got too depressed to do it. and that if he had updated it, it would be closer to 60+ cars.
and besides that, even if you built the motor youre destined for low 12's tops. its the only car i know that no matter how much money you throw at it you cant make it any faster than that.
Ouch
That seems too risky to me, looks like I'll be looking for another daily then
if you're only gonna get simple mods, intake, inlet, bov, etc... even a dp + exhaust
you should be safe. i had zero issues for 26k miles with the inlet, intake, bov, and mounts.
i was going to get an exhaust but it was not needed, and cobb discontinued the downpipe and intercooler, so i just got to lazy to upgrade those
you should be safe. i had zero issues for 26k miles with the inlet, intake, bov, and mounts.
i was going to get an exhaust but it was not needed, and cobb discontinued the downpipe and intercooler, so i just got to lazy to upgrade those
Evolved Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,016
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From: Denver, CO
A buddy of mine has an 07 speed 3, and I was quite impressed when we had the chance to do a quick run against each other from a running start in 2nd gear. I smoked him, of course, but not by much. The thing that saved my *** was that he had to shift. Each time he did, he'd lose a car length.
The car is impressive for what it is, but the Evo is better.
The car is impressive for what it is, but the Evo is better.
It's funny, a lot of our MS3 customers end up getting Evolutions down the road. The Mazda is a fun car for sure.
It's one of the only cars customers would prefer to have a top mount over the front mount due to all the hacking it takes to fit a front mount. I also hear the exhaust is not very fun to change. Requires cutting?
Michael
It's one of the only cars customers would prefer to have a top mount over the front mount due to all the hacking it takes to fit a front mount. I also hear the exhaust is not very fun to change. Requires cutting?
Michael
Evolving Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 122
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
i have an evo x mr and my girl has a 07 ms3, the ms3 is good bang for the buck for what it is , but not even close to the same league of car.
mind you my evo is modded and the ms3 is not (scared to mod the ms3 AT ALL)
the mazda has had tons of issues crop up over time, the bushings and suspension in general is clunky and noisy and creaks in cold weather
several CEL lights,
electrical wonkyness as well,
ongoing valve problems, i am constantly concerned about reliability with the ms3 plus, even with high end winter wheel/tires it is absolute **** in the snow....
mind you my evo is modded and the ms3 is not (scared to mod the ms3 AT ALL)
the mazda has had tons of issues crop up over time, the bushings and suspension in general is clunky and noisy and creaks in cold weather
several CEL lights,
electrical wonkyness as well,
ongoing valve problems, i am constantly concerned about reliability with the ms3 plus, even with high end winter wheel/tires it is absolute **** in the snow....
Well, it's a done deal. I bought black GSR with SSS this morning. I pick it up Sunday. Did all the dealing and finance via email and phone and simply have to drive 5 hours to go pick it up.
I had them tint the windows, then they put it back inside where it'll sit until I pick it up. Ordering an Accessport for it as we speak.
I'll post some higher quality pics once I get it back home.
I had them tint the windows, then they put it back inside where it'll sit until I pick it up. Ordering an Accessport for it as we speak.
I'll post some higher quality pics once I get it back home.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque, NM USA
I just posted something in another thread, I think it'll go well here too.
Mileage: before any mods I got a consistent 28 MPG driving it to New Mexico from Texas. Day to day I drive almost exclusively in the city and am happy when I get 23 + MPG and am disappointed if I get less than 20. I don't beat the car but I'm definitely driving the car faster than the average person. Someone who is more conservative might be able to get 25 MPG in the city.
Reliability: There are people having engines blow up. There are people with smoking turbos (which I understand are being taken care of by Mazda if you're not modding). There have been a few people who have had their engine fall out onto the road while driving. How likely is it that one of these will happen to you? VERY UNLIKELY. If you're going to mod your engine you have to know that there are risks involved. If you pretend that you can mess with whatever you want but still have the car function perfectly you're bound to be disappointed.
Remember that MS3s are considerably less expensive than Evos. Ten grand is a big dividing line in the car market. How much easier is it for a twenty-something to get a $23k loan for a practical MS3 compared to $33k for a high-insurance-cost, supped-up rally car? I speculate that a disproportionate number of Mazdaspeed 3s were sold to young, first-time-modders. I know I fell into that category when I bought my MS3. I think it's fair to say that first-timers are more likely to screw something up than more experienced people. Cars that have been screwed up are more likely to fail. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to "put two and two together" and conclude that it's likely that Mazdaspeed 3s have had a high failure rate because they have had a high inexperienced-modder rate. That isn't to say all failures can be attributed to poor modding ability, but some certainly can be.
I can hear people now: "What about those who were stock but their motor blew up anyway?" I speculate that a lot of the people claiming their cars were "bone stock" are simply liars. The others are flukes. How many "stock" motors have blown up? Ten at most? What's that, a failure rate of one in 20,000 or so? I remember seeing an Evo X that had apparently caught fire and burned up the whole engine compartment - flukes happen to even the best cars.
Personally: I did have a CEL. I don't remember what it was for exactly (it was something like some kind of pseudo-choke valve that wouldn't reopen in cold weather). I took it to the dealer and they fixed it. After that the biggest problem I've had is the plastic strap broke off of my gas-filler cap - now I have to set the cap on the pump while I'm filling the tank.
My previous car was a Mazdaspeed 3 (2007 GT) with a few light mods (short ram intake, short shift plate, stiffer rear motor mount, AccessPORT using Stage 1 map, one step colder spark plugs, new back pressure valve, lighter rims (17s instead of 18s), wider tires (235 compared to 215) - saved 8 lbs per wheel if I remember right, and a stiffer rear sway bar). That car is a bunch of fun to drive! Going from 6th to 3rd at highway speed to pass is a blast! As is putting it in 2nd (top speed ~50 with my mods) while driving around the city! If it was all wheel drive I probably wouldn't have moved to the Evo. It's not like the car was a beast to drive or anything, but if you put the pedal down you better be holding on when the turbo kicks in. The torque steer and lack of grip made launching difficult, but when you got it right it was like being shot by a slingshot. I realize it's not as fast as the X in 0-60, but it is still pretty darn fast and possibly faster from a roll.
I have limited experience in Evo Xes so far (one test drive in one X and ~150 miles in the X I bought) so I reserve the right to change my opinion as I learn more...
Honestly, the Evo X SST feels slower than my Mazdaspeed 3. I'm pretty sure the Evo is actually faster than my MS3, but the all wheel drive and S-AWC make the car feel like it's accelerating less quickly. And until the turbo kicks in the 2.0 liter motor is down-right gutless. Mashing the pedal off the line is kinda disappointing (the launch control function may help if you're willing to hold the gas and brakes at the same time - something I'm not keen on doing myself). Once the turbo spools up the car turns into a rocket though. The SST is awesome! Buttery smooth and sounds really nice too. I think with some practice with the paddle shifters I'll get back the freeway passing prowess that the MS3 has.
Since I drove my Evo X (MR Touring) away from the dealer I've had an opportunity to take it around some fairly twisty roads near where I live. All I can say is "holy crap does this thing handle well!" I was able to accelerate through what were formally "white knuckle" corners in my MS3. I was pushing it and I didn't even hear the tires squeal (perhaps they did, but I didn't hear them). Going from the fear and reality of FWD under steer to Super All Wheel Control is dramatic. Some people might say it's like "night and day"... which I would say is an exaggeration. I'd say it's like "evening to night" or like comparing a decent smart phone camera to a decent point-and-shoot camera - both will take nice looking photos, but the point-and-shoot will always be better.
I have limited experience in Evo Xes so far (one test drive in one X and ~150 miles in the X I bought) so I reserve the right to change my opinion as I learn more...
Honestly, the Evo X SST feels slower than my Mazdaspeed 3. I'm pretty sure the Evo is actually faster than my MS3, but the all wheel drive and S-AWC make the car feel like it's accelerating less quickly. And until the turbo kicks in the 2.0 liter motor is down-right gutless. Mashing the pedal off the line is kinda disappointing (the launch control function may help if you're willing to hold the gas and brakes at the same time - something I'm not keen on doing myself). Once the turbo spools up the car turns into a rocket though. The SST is awesome! Buttery smooth and sounds really nice too. I think with some practice with the paddle shifters I'll get back the freeway passing prowess that the MS3 has.
Since I drove my Evo X (MR Touring) away from the dealer I've had an opportunity to take it around some fairly twisty roads near where I live. All I can say is "holy crap does this thing handle well!" I was able to accelerate through what were formally "white knuckle" corners in my MS3. I was pushing it and I didn't even hear the tires squeal (perhaps they did, but I didn't hear them). Going from the fear and reality of FWD under steer to Super All Wheel Control is dramatic. Some people might say it's like "night and day"... which I would say is an exaggeration. I'd say it's like "evening to night" or like comparing a decent smart phone camera to a decent point-and-shoot camera - both will take nice looking photos, but the point-and-shoot will always be better.
Reliability: There are people having engines blow up. There are people with smoking turbos (which I understand are being taken care of by Mazda if you're not modding). There have been a few people who have had their engine fall out onto the road while driving. How likely is it that one of these will happen to you? VERY UNLIKELY. If you're going to mod your engine you have to know that there are risks involved. If you pretend that you can mess with whatever you want but still have the car function perfectly you're bound to be disappointed.
Remember that MS3s are considerably less expensive than Evos. Ten grand is a big dividing line in the car market. How much easier is it for a twenty-something to get a $23k loan for a practical MS3 compared to $33k for a high-insurance-cost, supped-up rally car? I speculate that a disproportionate number of Mazdaspeed 3s were sold to young, first-time-modders. I know I fell into that category when I bought my MS3. I think it's fair to say that first-timers are more likely to screw something up than more experienced people. Cars that have been screwed up are more likely to fail. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to "put two and two together" and conclude that it's likely that Mazdaspeed 3s have had a high failure rate because they have had a high inexperienced-modder rate. That isn't to say all failures can be attributed to poor modding ability, but some certainly can be.
I can hear people now: "What about those who were stock but their motor blew up anyway?" I speculate that a lot of the people claiming their cars were "bone stock" are simply liars. The others are flukes. How many "stock" motors have blown up? Ten at most? What's that, a failure rate of one in 20,000 or so? I remember seeing an Evo X that had apparently caught fire and burned up the whole engine compartment - flukes happen to even the best cars.
Personally: I did have a CEL. I don't remember what it was for exactly (it was something like some kind of pseudo-choke valve that wouldn't reopen in cold weather). I took it to the dealer and they fixed it. After that the biggest problem I've had is the plastic strap broke off of my gas-filler cap - now I have to set the cap on the pump while I'm filling the tank.
Last edited by Hirudin; Aug 13, 2010 at 04:45 AM.