New to the 3...kinda! (SP23)

[whitemp5seattle]

(hi)

Just got a new-to-me SP23 today! As much as I lovedmy p5 hatchback, I got the sedan for a great price and couldn't refuse the deal. Black leather interior (as opposed to the saddle brown), no nav or moonroof (but thinking about aftermarket moonroofs). Completely stock...for a few more days at least :p

Hoping to do the following eventually:

shortshifter (about to get on the TWM sale)
tint
drop (springs + struts)
rear sway bar
front strut bar
intake/header/exhaust

plus the little mods like ipod integration, etc.

Here's a pic:

http://lh6.google.com/beautifultomorrow/R-rQ8nOdv3I/AAAAAAAAA6c/nEwIiVMc7zw/s400/DSC03644.JPG.jpg

I'm really looking forward to learning more about the 3! Any suggestions on parts/brands/etc are welcomed!

Jeffrey
whitemp5seattle

A little sidenote: it's funny that I'm finally getting a 3 - my mother, my boyfriend, and another one of my friends all bought mazda3's after riding in my p5. I'm finally joining them!

[ProtoType5]

(rockon) Glad to see your back on the road...

Nice lookin ride....A little fastr than the P5???

[whitemp5seattle]

thanks! yup just a little bit faster. no turbo or anything, but at least it takes regular unleaded! (2thumbs)

[sanblaster]

Very cool dude. Other then the interior what other options were stock on teh sp23?

[whitemp5seattle]

TPMS, bose sound system, HID, special finish on the alloy rims, carbon grey paint, heated leather seats, I think that's about it?

http://media.ford.com/newsroom/feature_display.cfm?release=19950

[sanblaster]

Love it!

[B1GHAM]

The SP23 was a special edition of the Mazda 3 available in one color (carbon gray) produced in small numbers. It was what a Grand Touring is today - only when the SP23 came out, there was no such thing as a Mazda 3s GT.

cool car dude, awesome find.

[whitemp5seattle]

thanks! The two things I wish it had were a moonroof and a turbo, but you can't win all the time, right? If I had more cash and weren't planning on selling the car at the end of next year, I would have jumped on the ms3. In the end though I'm really happy with my purchase :)

[seanmcsean]

looks good jeff! can't wait to see it in person.

[ronin12]

Congrats on the new ride. Looks nice.

[AtenzaNY62]

that looks black instead of grey...... anyways mazda3's are nice, go turbo one day!!

[CTt3P5]

Congrats again on the new ride. Nice 'to-do' list as well. Of course your f/s thread will help take care of some of that. ;)

[Reitrof]

Congrats Jeff.

[whitemp5seattle]

thanks Bruce! It's not a miata, but it's the next best thing in my price range! (2thumbs)

[bazooka joe]

mazda 3 ftw! congrats jeff!

[Chicoloco]

Congrats! I hope you enjoy your new car as much as you enjoyed your p5. :-)

[FrancoNemo]

(hi)

Just got a new-to-me SP23 today! As much as I lovedmy p5 hatchback, I got the sedan for a great price and couldn't refuse the deal. Black leather interior (as opposed to the saddle brown), no nav or moonroof (but thinking about aftermarket moonroofs). Completely stock...for a few more days at least :p

Hoping to do the following eventually:

shortshifter (about to get on the TWM sale)
tint
drop (springs + struts)
rear sway bar
front strut bar
intake/header/exhaust

plus the little mods like ipod integration, etc.

Here's a pic:

http://lh6.google.com/beautifultomorrow/R-rQ8nOdv3I/AAAAAAAAA6c/nEwIiVMc7zw/s400/DSC03644.JPG.jpg

I'm really looking forward to learning more about the 3! Any suggestions on parts/brands/etc are welcomed!

Jeffrey
whitemp5seattle

A little sidenote: it's funny that I'm finally getting a 3 - my mother, my boyfriend, and another one of my friends all bought mazda3's after riding in my p5. I'm finally joining them!



love it bro! congrats! great car/color to get! sometimes i wish i had gotten the sedan but i got a better deal on the hatch plus it was instock no orderin bs!


as far as mods

-Fujita CAI (when you get it cut it into a SRI) way better!! (c my pics on the how to sectio)
-Tein S-Tech for springs!!!
-TWM Short Shifter!!
-For 3000k HID!
-ARK///Magnaflow//or Borla exhaust (i got magna bc i was low on cash) videos on an exhaust thread!!
- def some rx-8 wheels on it!!!
-Vibrant headers!
-NGK iridium
-i could keep on goin! lol

check out my ride on my cardomain page (link below)
enjoy the 3! keep us updated on mods!!!
let me know how u like the shortshifter when you get it!!!

ohh and as far as the whole family with 3's same here my buddy andre0121 (Speed3), Older bro 08 sedan 3, Sister 08 sedan 3 abd ne 08 hatch 3(band)

[whitemp5seattle]

ohh and as far as the whole family with 3's same here my buddy andre0121 (Speed3), Older bro 08 sedan 3, Sister 08 sedan 3 abd ne 08 hatch 3(band)

wow that's seriously a mazda family! thanks for the advice on the mods!

[Akaveli]

congrats on the purchase!!

[FrancoNemo]

wow that's seriously a mazda family! thanks for the advice on the mods!


haaha chea! my dad was thinkin bout gettin the CX7 for my mom! all i thought was WTF.. my mom is gonna have a turbo and im not. (help) (encourage lol

[whitemp5seattle]

lol oh noes! mommy can't have a faster car than you! :p

[FrancoNemo]

(drive)
lol oh noes! mommy can't have a faster car than you! :p

how sad would dat be! faster is ok but c'mon she gets a turbo b4 i do. dats just wrong lol doubt she's gettin it thought.

[whitemp5seattle]

aww that's too bad...the CX-7 is one of the few SUVs I would drive

[FrancoNemo]

aww that's too bad...the CX-7 is one of the few SUVs I would drive

idk all i like is the engine not feelin the inside nor the look! all i had b4 was trucks and SUVs i had an 05 Chevy Equinox, 04 Nissan Frontier, then 06 Chevy Colorado,now that gas sucks im on the 3. i def. miss feeling like the king of the road bc i was bigger that everyone else lol (drive2) now im always like (attn) fuk dont run me over when i c a lifter F-250 on my ass. lol

[krimsonviper]

thats a nice ride man. hey if you ever get the rx8 rims becareful with the drop if you lower them, they tend to rub if you dont watch how big of a drop. also, if you do get them, you going to sell the stockers? =)

[whitemp5seattle]

thats a nice ride man. hey if you ever get the rx8 rims becareful with the drop if you lower them, they tend to rub if you dont watch how big of a drop. also, if you do get them, you going to sell the stockers? =)

thanks for the advice on the rx-8 rims. I think I'm going to stay with 17's for now...I think... (eekdance)

[Lani]

Nice car Jeffrey! (thumb)

[whitemp5seattle]

Nice car Jeffrey! (thumb)

thanks Melanie! just gotta fix her up a little bit ;) and then you'll see a pimpin' mazda driving around T-town hehe

[BinoMP5]

wow that was quick... you have yourself another Mazda already.... thanks for staying loyal... just by looking at the parts available on protegegarage.com.... err... mazda3online.com for you specifically... its going to be a fun car to mod... especially since its a SP23...
hmm... and since your intake is in front, get ITBs... so that every time you open your hood.... you see those giant throttle bodies.... and yes you can still boost if you wanted.... but it wont be as showy...
i would pick the 2.3 if i had to get a new-used car if my P5 were out of commision

congrats once again

[krimsonviper]

you know this is rediculous, but whats SP23? Im guessing its a chassi code, but whats its model specific?

[whitemp5seattle]

SP23 is just a special trim level that came out only in 2005. I believe only 2000 were made? Heated leather seats, bose sound system, special badges, etc.

[whitemp5seattle]

wow that was quick... you have yourself another Mazda already.... thanks for staying loyal... just by looking at the parts available on protegegarage.com.... err... mazda3online.com for you specifically... its going to be a fun car to mod... especially since its a SP23...
hmm... and since your intake is in front, get ITBs... so that every time you open your hood.... you see those giant throttle bodies.... and yes you can still boost if you wanted.... but it wont be as showy...
i would pick the 2.3 if i had to get a new-used car if my P5 were out of commision

congrats once again

what is this ITB you speak of?

[BinoMP5]

Individual Throttle Bodies
Even though its on a 4A-GE and a K motor... i bet itll look good still... its better for NA builds but people have used them for turbo builds
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r150/L1m1t/itb.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r150/L1m1t/itb1.jpg
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r150/L1m1t/itb2.jpg

[whitemp5seattle]

omg. those look scary. can I retrofit them to shoot missiles at bad drivers?

[bazooka joe]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velocity_stack

how's the car running jeffery? comin up for the spring cleaning?

[whitemp5seattle]

when's the spring cleaning?

[bazooka joe]

looking like end of april

[whitemp5seattle]

I'll be there! I just bought some Zaino z-9 and z-10 for the seats. I need to find out how to get dog hair out of the carpet though...it's really stubborn!

I installed a TWM short shifter yesterday though - it's awesome! (2thumbs) Install took under an hour and I didn't even have to crawl underneath the car for anything - the install takes place completely in the cabin. Soooo much easier...

[bazooka joe]

ya, good luck with the dog hair! i still find some in the wifes explorer and there has been a dog in that car for 9 yrs!

[FrancoNemo]

I'll be there! I just bought some Zaino z-9 and z-10 for the seats. I need to find out how to get dog hair out of the carpet though...it's really stubborn!

I installed a TWM short shifter yesterday though - it's awesome! (2thumbs) Install took under an hour and I didn't even have to crawl underneath the car for anything - the install takes place completely in the cabin. Soooo much easier...

any pictures???

[whitemp5seattle]

I'll take some this weekend - the only picture I took so far I took from a bad angle and you can't see the height of the shifter (hand)

got a bunch of things to install or in the mail on their way to me right now:

DDM Chromium angel eyes, 6000k HID conversion kit, red EL door sills, aluminum pedals, Audio Link ipod connector, F2 CAI, '07 tails, Redline leather shift and e-brake boots, new rear brake pads, adding more to the list as the days go by...

[Akaveli]

TWM short shifter!!

[whitemp5seattle]

(rockon)

[Crazee D]

got a bunch of things to install or in the mail on their way to me right now:
DDM Chromium angel eyes, 6000k HID conversion kit, red EL door sills, aluminum pedals, Audio Link ipod connector, F2 CAI, '07 tails, Redline leather shift and e-brake boots, new rear brake pads, adding more to the list as the days go by...

DAYUM! Thats awesome! :cool:
Mazel Tov on the new ride, Jeff.
I'm sure it will give you many miles of smiles
(drinks)

[KronixKid22]

Never even saw the new car, looks really nice! Congrats!

[whitemp5seattle]

thanks! hopefully I can make the next NEPOC meet!

[Antoine]

How did I miss this thread? Nice 3...Congrats! (thumb)

Your P5 sig is one of the classic sigs...Will you be carrying on with the same sig style for your new 3?

Enjoy the 3 Forum...:D

[whitemp5seattle]

How did I miss this thread? Nice 3...Congrats! (thumb)

Your P5 sig is one of the classic sigs...Will you be carrying on with the same sig style for your new 3?

Enjoy the 3 Forum...:D

Thanks Antoine! Yeah I'll probably do something similar for my next sig...just gotta get around to it! I'm in New Zealand/Australia for a few weeks though, so no new sig until I can get home and take pics. I saw a SP23 driving around today though!