Time to give up!

[zumzumzoom03]

Well I think it is time to cut my loss with my '03 MSP just got towed into Mazda and I think the LSD went out. So far this car has cost a lot of money and I'm giving up. On that note I am thinking about the Mazdaspeed 3 and would like some input on that.
1. In a few years am I going to be experiencing the same frustrations?
2. Did mazda actually learn from the MSP's issue and not cut corners?
3. Has anything been done or needs to be done to the engine to beef it up or did they just slap a turbo on an engine that really wasn't meant for that?

All of the cars with comparible hp and ratings are hitting the 30g mark and I am scared on how Mazda pulled off a lower price. If anyone has any input it would be greatly appreciated.

[YARDMAN]

sorry bout that yow. what happened to it?(poke)

[zumzumzoom03]

Why I'm giving up.....
Had the car for about 5 months so far this is what has been done
1. Timing belt change
2. New springs and suspension parts that were missing(400+labor)
3. New steering rack(Expensive)
4. New front and rear brakes
5. New front motor mounts becuase my engine was moving like crazy
6. New rear sway bar bushings(Clunk)
7. Engine reflash (hesitated like a bitch fixed the problem though)
8. Uknown issue... Car moves a little but once you get it going something starts slipping. Possibly the LSD but who knows.

Other issues I don't care about..
1. Needs new alarm system. Lights stay on when I have it set.
2. Needs new tires in the back.

I believe that is all that I had done but its in the shop now so the list could take off.

[socommatthews]

damn that sucks.sounds like somebody dogged the shit out of it before you got it.

[ZoomVT]

well to answer your questions about the ms3.
Since i am not very familiar with the msp myself i cannot tell you how much they learned from their mistakes but most people opinions say that they have; and they have done a quality job.
The engine in the ms3 is the same engine in the current Mazda 3, Mazda 6 and CX-7. Also the MazdaSpeed6 has the same engine with the same turbo on; but with a different tuning. The same can be said of the CX-7. Although they have slapped a turbo to an existing engine; this engine was designed from the beggining to take a turbo and be very strong.
This new engine has been receiving very good reviews in regards of wuality and reliability so far. I dont think you can expect the same issues you had with the msp; this car was well thought out; at least much better than the msp seems to be.

[zumzumzoom03]

Thanks for the info. I am always up for more information though. Make me sleep better at night.

[69RMSP]

1. Timing belt change
(This has to be changed on all cars)

2. New springs and suspension parts that were missing(400+labor)
(I would of changed shocks + springs)

3. New steering rack(Expensive)
(i could imagen :( )

4. New front and rear brakes
(all msps get warped rotors)

5. New front motor mounts becuase my engine was moving like crazy
(the ms3 is going to have the same problem with motor movment, awr f/r motors mounts best mod IMO)

6. New rear sway bar bushings(Clunk)
(This happens to most of us. two vendors make "clunk fixes")

7. Engine reflash (hesitated like a bitch fixed the problem though)
(get an afc and your car well drive so good!)

8. Uknown issue... Car moves a little but once you get it going something starts slipping. Possibly the LSD but who knows.
(Clutch chatter? usally happens when its cold outside or mabey your clutch is slipping)

[Refonbass]

well to answer your questions about the ms3.
Since i am not very familiar with the msp myself i cannot tell you how much they learned from their mistakes but most people opinions say that they have; and they have done a quality job.
The engine in the ms3 is the same engine in the current Mazda 3, Mazda 6 and CX-7. Also the MazdaSpeed6 has the same engine with the same turbo on; but with a different tuning. The same can be said of the CX-7. Although they have slapped a turbo to an existing engine; this engine was designed from the beggining to take a turbo and be very strong.
This new engine has been receiving very good reviews in regards of wuality and reliability so far. I dont think you can expect the same issues you had with the msp; this car was well thought out; at least much better than the msp seems to be.

the engine is not at all the same as the engine in the mazda3 with the exception that it happens to have the same displacement.

[Bufalo]

Was yours the one that was on the lift at Jack Giambalvo with the shattered diff a few weeks ago?

[210_ZOOM]

are you gonna sell anything if you get the MS3?

[dread]

The only mazda's that have that engine are the speed 6 and cx-7. It is definitely not just a beefed up version of the 2.3 in the mazda 3. It has direct injection and forged internals.

[Kansei]

the engine is not at all the same as the engine in the mazda3 with the exception that it happens to have the same displacement.

Are you serious? :P

It's the same MZR 2.3 with direct injection, a different intake manifold (if I recall correctly it's Au instead of the plastic that the normal 3 uses), and a turbo.

I hadn't heard ANYTHING from mazda or elsewhere about forged internals, but even then it is still the same engine. Don't get me wrong though.. it's a damn good engine.

[Kansei]

The only mazda's that have that engine are the speed 6 and cx-7. It is definitely not just a beefed up version of the 2.3 in the mazda 3. It has direct injection and forged internals.

that's contradictory.. direct injection and forged internals.. so yes, it is JUST a beefed up mazda3 engine. I still don't believe it has forged internals until I hear that from a trusted source but that's cool if it's true.

[ZoomVT]

Thanks Kanzei. For a little while there i doubt it myself. It is just a beefed up version of the same engine; with the added benefit that the engine was design with this end in mind.

[javanc]

that's contradictory.. direct injection and forged internals.. so yes, it is JUST a beefed up mazda3 engine. I still don't believe it has forged internals until I hear that from a trusted source but that's cool if it's true.
I dont know if this is what your looking for as proof? YOUve probly already read it but if Mazda says it used forged internals I guess i believe them.
http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?pressitem_id=4384&make_id=227&vehicle_id=1399

[Kansei]

I dont know if this is what your looking for as proof? YOUve probly already read it but if Mazda says it used forged internals I guess i believe them.
http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?pressitem_id=4384&make_id=227&vehicle_id=1399

Um why did you assume that i've read that? If I had.. I wouldn't have denied the forged rods.

So yeah, it has upgraded rods, that's good. That being said I never read much about the normal mazda3 engine, who knows it could have them too :P.

It's good that they've learned from past mistakes, but it is still the same engine. To make huge power you'll still need forged pistons and probably sleeves or something (aluminum block).

[javanc]

sorry i forget that not everyone is obsessed with reading like me. Yes it has sleeves, but i dont know about the reg. 2.3. Ill look into it again. I was reading an article somewhere about all the Mazda engines, just have to find it again.

[Kansei]

sorry i forget that not everyone is obsessed with reading like me. Yes it has sleeves, but i dont know about the reg. 2.3. Ill look into it again. I was reading an article somewhere about all the Mazda engines, just have to find it again.

If you like reading that stuff you'd have a BLAST on the mazda engine wikipedia articles.

[Refonbass]

thanks someone for proving for me that its not the same engine as the regular 3. I was too lazy to search for proof!:)

[Kansei]

thanks someone for proving for me that its not the same engine as the regular 3. I was too lazy to search for proof!:)

It is the same engine. It is the MZR 2.3 with new rods and a new fuel injection system.. oh and a tuuuurbo :)

[dread]

The block in the speed 3 looks different than the regular 3 from the pictures I have seen, but I don't know for sure

[BKK Jack]

How about same-same, but different?

I think if you read the Car and Driver article passage where they talk about the advice the Mazda engineers gave them for getting a fast 0-60 time, you might sleep a little better:

"Calls to Mazda yielded tips: Pop the clutch at 2900 rpm, upshift at 6000--redline is 6700--and flat-shift through second and third (which means don't lift at all--the mechanical equivalent of dropping a Steinway on the clutch and half-shafts and violating our test procedure).

"'Don't worry,' the engineers said, 'it won't break.'"

[69RMSP]

thats amazing :P


"'Don't worry,' the engineers said, 'it won't break.'"