Test drove a MS3

[SVgamer72]

Sunday on my way back from a trip to Knott's I popped into Galpin Mazda in Santa Clarita, Ca. I drove an 08.5 Speed3 GT, and I found myself less than impressed with the performance.

I have read over and over again how much of a beast the MS3 is, but it sure didn't feel like it to me. It had great power, pulling hard and smooth, but didn't come across as "eye popping". I hammered it pretty good in 2nd and 3rd but never got the tires to break loose. Even if it had come across as a "beast", I was really turned off by the FWD after being spoiled driving my '07 MX-5.

After I left the dealership I realized that I drove with DSC/Traction on. (bang)(bang) So now I am thinking that I screwed up and came away with the wrong impression. Should I drive back down (It's a 90min drive) and drive it again with DSC/Traction off?

I am going to hit the local Subaru dealer this evening and drive a WRX and STI as a comparison before making up my mind.

[Shiroi_ms3]

The MS3 does reduce the turbo power in the first three gears to reduce torque steer.
You should also test drive the EvoX that thing is a beast.

[mordant80]

The MS3 is a fickle SOB. Maybe you drove it when it was in a bad mood. Some days mine feels much faster than others. Seen other members post about this as well.

[Nachtsturm]

You don't have the blue law in california?

[pmh67]

I wouldn't be suprised if the dealer put 87 octane in for gas and the ECU is limiting the performance....

[mdavis]

couldnt get the tires to break loose?? i find that hard to believe.

go ahead and drive a new STI and an EVO X im sure you will be VERY impressed, i was! and with a 34,999 and 32,999 starting price tag im sure you'll also be impressed with how light your wallet feels.

[gregstinson]

As far as some days the car feeling sluggish..


I've noticed this several times and thought it was just me..but if people are talking about it...Hmmm, interesting

Turning off the traction control will surely let you start spinning. I had to turn it off in the snow this past winter or i would have never of gotten un-stuck

[Olestra]

Call me Canadian but 10k price difference is a lot but I don't think it's outrageous. STI and EvoX in Canada go for 50k after options/tax.

[mordant80]

I like the 87 octane theory, you never know what they put in it. Before you make any decisions I would test drive one from another dealer and see what you think.

[Donas64]

I rode in an MS3 with a CAI and it was freakin fast. An evo or STi might be faster from a dig, but from a roll, I don't think they would murder an MS3. It would be a drivers race. It did not feel slow at all and certainly much faster than a WRX. I don't know if it was as visceral as an Sti I had an opportunity to ride in a few years ago. that thing was a complete animal.

Alas, this is an example of why I prefer NA to FI. I like consistent reliable power. I don't want to deal with vacuum leaks, turbo lag, limited boost etc.

I just want smooth, linear, repeatable power and thats why I'm always a tad skeptical of turbo cars.

I'll tell you what though, riding in the MS3 was a real thrill and I was throughly impressed.

[gregstinson]

... i just scheduled my re-flash for friday after reading that service bulletin

[Shiroi_ms3]

... i just scheduled my re-flash for friday after reading that service bulletin

Whats in the new service bulletin?

[phillyb]

with the dsc off, the wheels spin much more and gives you much more a drivers feel as opposed to having a computer assist my driving.

"yes computer, i meant to turn me wheel erratically like that"

[StealthWyvern]

I rode in an MS3 with a CAI and it was freakin fast. An evo or STi might be faster from a dig, but from a roll, I don't think they would murder an MS3. It would be a drivers race. It did not feel slow at all and certainly much faster than a WRX. I don't know if it was as visceral as an Sti I had an opportunity to ride in a few years ago. that thing was a complete animal.

Alas, this is an example of why I prefer NA to FI. I like consistent reliable power. I don't want to deal with vacuum leaks, turbo lag, limited boost etc.

I just want smooth, linear, repeatable power and thats why I'm always a tad skeptical of turbo cars.

I'll tell you what though, riding in the MS3 was a real thrill and I was throughly impressed.

Eh... I don't know about you gut theirs days that my f150(very rare) and P5 feel faster then others.

[controlo]

Sunday on my way back from a trip to Knott's I popped into Galpin Mazda in Santa Clarita, Ca. I drove an 08.5 Speed3 GT, and I found myself less than impressed with the performance.

I have read over and over again how much of a beast the MS3 is, but it sure didn't feel like it to me. It had great power, pulling hard and smooth, but didn't come across as "eye popping". I hammered it pretty good in 2nd and 3rd but never got the tires to break loose. Even if it had come across as a "beast", I was really turned off by the FWD after being spoiled driving my '07 MX-5.

After I left the dealership I realized that I drove with DSC/Traction on. (bang)(bang) So now I am thinking that I screwed up and came away with the wrong impression. Should I drive back down (It's a 90min drive) and drive it again with DSC/Traction off?

I am going to hit the local Subaru dealer this evening and drive a WRX and STI as a comparison before making up my mind.

fuck galpin. the finance manager there is a dick. if it's the same guy, he's bald and cocky. if you don't think this car is a beast from a roll, you probably wont thing any car anywhere near this price range is a beast from a roll. hehe. it was probably hot as shit and just didn't wanna perform for you or something. give it another shot with another mazdaspeed3. try it at night so it's a little cooler. :)

[phillyb]

try it early in the morning after it's cooled all night...

[gregstinson]

Whats in the new service bulletin?

It probably doesn't affect you, but anythinhg made before Nov. 07 may have lean fuel probs and start to feel sluggish. They sent out a bulletin offering a reflash. Somehow i missed this.

[Shiroi_ms3]

It probably doesn't affect you, but anythinhg made before Nov. 07 may have lean fuel probs and start to feel sluggish. They sent out a bulletin offering a reflash. Somehow i missed this.

ohh alright, thanks for the info.

[mdavis]

It probably doesn't affect you, but anythinhg made before Nov. 07 may have lean fuel probs and start to feel sluggish. They sent out a bulletin offering a reflash. Somehow i missed this.

do you have a website that lists the VIN numbers affected. I've got an 07

[Gmac03]

Sometime this car is a beast and other times it just doesn't have it. The only thing I can think of that changes is the temperature and not so much the temp outside but the temp that the intercooler is at.

I bet that thing gets really heat soaked being top mounted. I've looked into ways of cooling it, but none of them are very efficient. The only other option I've thought of would be alco/meth injection, but that is guaranteed to void my warrantee and thats not what I want to do right now.

Gmac

[nate0123]

who cares if the tires break loose or not? is that really an indicator of performance? or just that the tires aren't up for the job?

[kickniteasy]

who cares if the tires break loose or not? is that really an indicator of performance? or just that the tires aren't up for the job?

my thoughts as well. Aren't the tires NOT supposed to break loose?

[Kindred]

do you have a website that lists the VIN numbers affected. I've got an 07

Just call your dealership and have the service dept. run your VIN to see if your car is eligible for any TSBs/Recalls.

[happy and angry]

Sometime this car is a beast and other times it just doesn't have it. The only thing I can think of that changes is the temperature and not so much the temp outside but the temp that the intercooler is at.

I bet that thing gets really heat soaked being top mounted. I've looked into ways of cooling it, but none of them are very efficient. The only other option I've thought of would be alco/meth injection, but that is guaranteed to void my warrantee and thats not what I want to do right now.

GmacThis car (and all forced injection cars) is very sensitive to changes it atmospheric conditions. Temperature, pressure, humidity... the car will be a beast one day and just sorta fast the next because of these things.

It happens. It's just something we have to deal with.

It's probably not heat soak on a test drive. It really takes a while to heat soak an intercooler, you've gotta be running it hard for a while for it to happen.

[coololddude]

i traded a 06 MX5 for my MS3. if you did not notice a humongous difference in power, i betcha someone slipped you a downer, or two, or three!!

[dan1101]

Are you sure you were revving it enough? Maybe you're used to a lower-revving engine like a V8?

You don't need to get near redline, but things get most interesting in 3rd or 4th around 4-5,000. The power does seem fickle sometimes, but you should be able to spin the wheels easily from a stop.

[SwampAss]

Sometime this car is a beast and other times it just doesn't have it. The only thing I can think of that changes is the temperature and not so much the temp outside but the temp that the intercooler is at.

I bet that thing gets really heat soaked being top mounted. I've looked into ways of cooling it, but none of them are very efficient. The only other option I've thought of would be alco/meth injection, but that is guaranteed to void my warrantee and thats not what I want to do right now.

Gmac



it's a turbo car. My 1.8T GIAC GTI was the same way. Hammer it from the start and it flies....hammer it from halfway through a gear and it's just not the same.

[phillyb]

do you have a website that lists the VIN numbers affected. I've got an 07

mycarstats.com should help you. i have an 07 ms3 and just called, they said i had no new recalls or anything

[Donas64]

This car (and all forced injection cars) is very sensitive to changes it atmospheric conditions. Temperature, pressure, humidity... the car will be a beast one day and just sorta fast the next because of these things.

It happens. It's just something we have to deal with.

It's probably not heat soak on a test drive. It really takes a while to heat soak an intercooler, you've gotta be running it hard for a while for it to happen.

I honestly could not deal with it. I think it would irk me to no end and I'd always think there was something wrong with my car.

[DreSEL]

Sometime this car is a beast and other times it just doesn't have it. The only thing I can think of that changes is the temperature and not so much the temp outside but the temp that the intercooler is at.

Both my NA Sentra SE and my turbocharged SE-R used to do this. I had the ECU in my SE-R reprogrammed to run a turbo by someone who really knows about these computers. He said that Nissan (and most car companies) uses 2 separate programs to run the engine. The main program backs out timing and adds more fuel if the ECU detects certain conditions like high temps, etc. But if those conditions persist, the ECU switches to a more conservative program and it stills retards timing if needed.
So he made the 2 programs the same, made the rad fans turn on at 203F instead of 212F, and he programmed the ECU so it wasn't over sensitive to retard timing. After that my car ran the same everytime, except when driving it hard in very hot weather.

[Betelgeuse]

I'll be honest, I have no such issue. Yeah in the morning it feels a little quicker and heat does play a role like in any car, but when I ask it for performance, I get it. It has yet to let me down. I think some of it is driving habit. If you drive all day like an old lady, the ecu might adjust and not respond as quick. I keep the revs between 3-4k so it's always ready for when I stomp on it. Another thing is gear selection. Something as simple as being in too high a gear for the situation can make the car seem sluggish as the engine has to work too hard.

[happy and angry]

Temps will range from 15 degrees C to 35 degrees C over the course of a day in the Ottawa valley, and one day it'll be 0% humidity, the next closer to 90%. Performance can really vary because of conditions here.

[TonyMS3]

Whats in the new service bulletin?

Originally Posted by TonyMS3 View Post
http://www.mrlilguycdfps.com/random/4208HPFP_TSB.pdf

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showt...=tsb+fuel+pump

It's not new, but someone asked about similar problems that I had experienced prior, so i posted the TSB I used. The first link is the original TSB.

[Gmac03]

Both my NA Sentra SE and my turbocharged SE-R used to do this. I had the ECU in my SE-R reprogrammed to run a turbo by someone who really knows about these computers. He said that Nissan (and most car companies) uses 2 separate programs to run the engine. The main program backs out timing and adds more fuel if the ECU detects certain conditions like high temps, etc. But if those conditions persist, the ECU switches to a more conservative program and it stills retards timing if needed.
So he made the 2 programs the same, made the rad fans turn on at 203F instead of 212F, and he programmed the ECU so it wasn't over sensitive to retard timing. After that my car ran the same everytime, except when driving it hard in very hot weather.

Calum? JWT?

I have a 99 G20, that i'm finishing the tune on via Emanage. It is such a pain in the ass, at times I wish I went with a reprogrammed/reflashed ECU.

Gmac

[mordant80]

Man, I miss my sr20. That was the most bulletproof car I have ever owned.

[PureDrive]

Man, I miss my sr20. That was the most bulletproof car I have ever owned.

Damn right...Nissan needs to bring it back. Even today, it is a great, great engine...

[100$ GUY]

What I liked most about this thread was the maturity of the answers here.
Saying what the OP said in NASIOC for example, talking about the wrx, would have been such a disaster and getting flamed big time, but here....didnt happen.

:D