Mazda 3...thoughts?

[Mr1der]

91-96 Escort GT baby!

I got this crazy urge to build a turbo car and terrorize anything I can find in it...

the awd British TX3 Laser became a rally threat after cosworth got it:D

[Bubba1]

Mazda 3? Ok. Small, cheap, tossable. If I was going to buy a small cheap tossable Mazda, I'd buy a Miata LONG before a 3. If you're under 6' tall, Miata is one of the more fun cars out there. I've driven a few of them on the street and on the track, andthey never fail to put a smile on my face.

[Mr1der]

stupid under 6 foot part...

I wanted to drive the 6 speed one at the Rev It Up too:(

the 3 is a bit more practical though:D

Turbo Miatas are the scary!

[Bubba1]

There's a guy I know that attends to some of the track events I do with a supercharged Miata. Surprisingly quick and no lag. Good driver too.

[Mr1der]

which supercharger did he opt for? the screw type or the Jackson Roots?

any boosted miata is scary now that you mention it though.

there's a guy that drives a neat yellow first gen at the local autocross, I find myself giggling when the BOV releases:D

[cory2081]

don't think I'd call the plastic cheap personally, if you think about it, the plastic isn't gonna transfer heat anywhere near as bad and lead to a cooler charge, it might not as last as long or be as pretty, but hey, so long as nothing gets hot enough to melt it:D

did you know the Focus SVT uses a high heat plastic intake manifold?

Mazda apparently did a lot of R and D on the chasis of the protege when they built them, it's supposed to be very rigid and provide great handling. They tend to be quite a threat in SCCA racing...

Have you seen the piping on a Mazda Speed Protege?? Thin, very thin and the clamps CANNOT be removed or it voids the warranty b/c once they are removed they will no longer tighten up. Did you read the articles about that car?? How the piping blew off several times?? That is just cheap. Ummm, you think I didn't know about plastic intake manifolds??? Here's a small list of engines that use that as I can recall right now.......

GM 3800 V6-3100 V6-LS1, Chrystler V6s, Ford 4.6 V8-5.4 V8-3.8 V6 etc.

Most new engines have composite intakes b/c they are cheaper to make, lighter, and transfer less heat. A composite intake is thick and cannot be compared to the cheap piping on the Protege.

[89240sx]

I've seen one before, personally I think it would look a lot better as a 3 door.

[Mr1der]

didn't read any reviews of them cory, hadn't heard about the pipes blowing off, that's pretty crappy:(

[cory2081]

yeah, i read an article of a magazine (forget which one) where they compared the mazda speed protege, srt-4, spec-V, and SVT Focus. They said the protege was crap and the pipes blew off numerous times.

[AREITU]

Have you seen the piping on a Mazda Speed Protege?? Thin, very thin and the clamps CANNOT be removed or it voids the warranty b/c once they are removed they will no longer tighten up. Did you read the articles about that car?? How the piping blew off several times?? That is just cheap. Ummm, you think I didn't know about plastic intake manifolds??? Here's a small list of engines that use that as I can recall right now.......

GM 3800 V6-3100 V6-LS1, Chrystler V6s, Ford 4.6 V8-5.4 V8-3.8 V6 etc.

Most new engines have composite intakes b/c they are cheaper to make, lighter, and transfer less heat. A composite intake is thick and cannot be compared to the cheap piping on the Protege.

You come off as a real muscle head, considering every engine you listed is American.I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that you own and operate a Japanese car. Back on topic, I can think of at least two Japanese motors that use composite intakes, and they don't go through two sets of them by 65,000 miles, nor do they look like round pieces of compressed fiberglass. Certain GM ones are definitely of high quality.

[hatebobbarker]

to me the mazda 3 screams RALLY ME!!!!!!!!!

i sound like im ona a subaru forum