Leather in a MS3?

[Weedly]

There is a sweet 08 with 15,000 km on the odometer...black with black leather uphostery....I didn't think these cars came with leather as an option. Is it possible that the original owner had them done custom? In any case, it is in immaculate condition and is priced at under $24K Canadian.

To all you Canadian owners...that sounds like a pretty good deal doesn't it?

Any comments appreciated.

Thanks

[Kindred]

I didn't think these cars came with leather as an option.

Sport or GT model? It's fairly common knowledge that the GT comes with leather and the Sport doesn't.

[mazdaspeedster3]

leather Bolsters though, not the whole seat. Is the entire seat leather or leather with Alcantara? Either way it is probably a GT.

[Weedly]

The entire seats, front and back, are leather and there are leather inserts in the door panels also.

[Kindred]

The entire seats, front and back, are leather and there are leather inserts in the door panels also.

If that's the case, then it's custom.

[Wastegate13]

Canada also did not have Sport and GT trims. Just one that was kind of a mashup of the two.

No factory leather, no TPMS and a flippy key!! Nav also was not available on the CDM cars if I recall.

[Weedly]

Well I'm pretty stoked because I bought the car and I get it on Monday! The dealer insists that it is a custom leather interior that cost the original owner approx $3000. I didn't get a whole lot knocked off the list price but I think it was an amazing opportunity to begin with. As soon as I get it I will take some photos of the interior and post them.
Man, I am looking forward to Monday!!(dance)

[derspi]

May have been a swapout of the MS3 cloth seats for regular Mazda3 GT leather seats. Only other possibility is having them custom wrapped because Canadian spec MS3s only came with cloth seats (same as the US spec Sport model seats).

[Weedly]

Wow...I just picked it up and drove it the 50 km or so home on all the twisty, up and down back roads I could find....holy ^&$@....what a gas!
In any case, here are some shots of the interior. Let me know if these seats are from another Mazda product or if you think they are custom.
Thanks

[Wastegate13]

They look to be custom. The leather seats from the GT trim on the regular 3 has perforated inserts.

[mr_mazda329]

those seats are nice. The need red stitching tho.

[Weedly]

The lower part of the seatback and the seat itself have perforations but my camera wasn't set to a high enough resolution to show them.
Red stitching is very nice but I'm not complaining about what I ended up with.

[Wastegate13]

The lower part of the seatback and the seat itself have perforations but my camera wasn't set to a high enough resolution to show them.
Red stitching is very nice but I'm not complaining about what I ended up with.

You're right. Now that I look closer I can see it. Those are just the regular Mazda3 GT seats.

EDIT: Now that I look at it they have larger bolsters than the regular 3 seats. Maybe they are just recovered MS3 seats. They look very nice whatever they are.

[bluelion]

looks nice but would look nicer with red stitching along with "mazdaspeed" stitched in them like the from factory....

[Weedly]

Thnks...I really like them too and as for the red stitching...I have always liked the black "stealth" look so pure black upholstery is good with me. Speaking of that.....can you guys give me an idea of the best way to black out the chrome painted Mazda emblem on the grill? Is it best just to use matte black paint or is there a better way? I figure that by keeping everything black and perhaps even debadging it, for the vast majority of people out there (including cops) it will go unnoticed.

[viper117630]

Those seats are freaking awesome! Question, what are those two things that look like buttons behind the hand brake?

[Element]

Those seats are freaking awesome! Question, what are those two things that look like buttons behind the hand brake?

Probably buttons for the heated seats.

[robin2660]

Cool beans, Weedly. Now I want to look in junk yards and price an interior even though I'm too cheap to buy it!

[Wagonbacker9]

Thnks...I really like them too and as for the red stitching...I have always liked the black "stealth" look so pure black upholstery is good with me. Speaking of that.....can you guys give me an idea of the best way to black out the chrome painted Mazda emblem on the grill? Is it best just to use matte black paint or is there a better way? I figure that by keeping everything black and perhaps even debadging it, for the vast majority of people out there (including cops) it will go unnoticed.


the more prep you do, the better the paint will stick. I just hallf assed it and scuffed it up with some fine sandpaper, and a couple weeks later (it was winter) i had sand chips in the paint. it came off for an aftermarket soon after, but just do your prep work.

[Weedly]

Element has it right...those are the controls for the heated seats....a very nice feature here in Canada!

[Nliiitend1]

You're right. Now that I look closer I can see it. Those are just the regular Mazda3 GT seats.

EDIT: Now that I look at it they have larger bolsters than the regular 3 seats. Maybe they are just recovered MS3 seats. They look very nice whatever they are.

Bingo.

That's what my vote goes to....

[Sport6]

Bingo.

That's what my vote goes to....

Yeah they look like the standard seats recovered.

They look really nice!

But that said, coming from a black leather interior in my 6, I am glad that my leather interior in the MS3 has the mesh inserts. Keeps things a lot cooler.

Jealous of the heated seats though, miss that from my 6.

[derspi]

My hunch is that those are regular Mazda3 GT leather seats. The giveaways in my opinion are the perforated centres, the little side airbag tag still attached to the outer shoulder seam and the addition of the heated seats. I don't recall MS3s (even Canadian spec) ever having heated seats as even an option but the Mazda3 GT has them. Adding heated seats to an MS3 would be easy if you just swapped in a set of regular Mazda3 leather seats that already have the heating elements built into them.
And I'm pretty sure the wiring for the switches are already in place, just need to get the switches, the panel and plug them in.

[Nliiitend1]

My hunch is that those are regular Mazda3 GT leather seats. The giveaways in my opinion are the perforated centres, the little side airbag tag still attached to the outer shoulder seam and the addition of the heated seats. I don't recall MS3s (even Canadian spec) ever having heated seats as even an option but the Mazda3 GT has them. Adding heated seats to an MS3 would be easy if you just swapped in a set of regular Mazda3 leather seats that already have the heating elements built into them.
And I'm pretty sure the wiring for the switches are already in place, just need to get the switches, the panel and plug them in.


I don't recall the regular MZ3 seats being shaped like that though...I seem to remember the upper portion of the seat back having a totally different shape. (dunno)

EDIT**

Here's a pic of the regular MZ3 leather seats:

http://mazda.jbcarpages.com/3/2004/Artikelbilder/2004%203%20Seats3.jpg

[Sp33dFr33k]

Congrats on the car. I personally hate leather and is one of the main reasons I got the sport. I think the stockers look better with the stitching and see that as a downgrade, but as long as you like it.

[derspi]

Just my hunch but you're right, the shape of the seats in the OP's pics look very similar to the MS3 cloth seats. I guess for once, the salesman really wasn't lying and they are custom!! The previous owner paid quite a bit for that setup then.



I don't recall the regular MZ3 seats being shaped like that though...I seem to remember the upper portion of the seat back having a totally different shape. (dunno)

EDIT**

Here's a pic of the regular MZ3 leather seats:

http://mazda.jbcarpages.com/3/2004/Artikelbilder/2004%203%20Seats3.jpg

[Weedly]

Ya...as I say...I was told that it was a $3000 custom job. If you really like it you guys on the west coast have the connection....the car was originally purchased at the Courtnay, BC dealership and the interior was done somewere nearby. Funny thing is that Im one of those guys that swore never to get leather but after only a few days it is really growing on me. Whatever they are the seats are extremely firm and well bolstered...just the way they should be!