Adventures with my 2

Bluegs03

Member
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2012 Mazda 2 2001 Miata
Hey Mazda 247 forum go'ers!
This is my Mazda 2 5sp in red touring trim, bought it with 47 miles on the clock. Since the mods have started (albet very slowly) i figured it was time for a build thread. I bought the car as my other car, a 2001 miata, is getting progressively more uncomfortable to daily with its racing seats harnesses no power steering a/c etc. Long term plans for the car are to enjoy the fantastic gas mileage and do a very non competitive STF scca autocross build. Anyway enough talk and more PICTURES! As thats what everyone wants to see.

So the journey begins last July when I trade in my 03 mitsubishi eclipse for a 2012 mazda 2
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Heres another shot at the dealership
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I enjoyed communiting around for a while and got to know the car
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Then I decided to do something a bit... crazy, a 14,633 mile round trip drive of the US including Alaska.... Solo, in a brand new car.
I left Dallas Texas in August and returned in November. It was quite the drive and you get to know the car pretty well after a drive like that!
I will say that if you remove the top part of the back seat it does make a fantastic bed like area for you to stretch out on (stash). Ill try not to throw too many pictures at you guys so let me know if you want to see some scenery instead of the 2.

This is on the pass above lake city CO,
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Up through Canada to the Alaskan highway!
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Made it!
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LOVING the gas mileage, seriously there's no way I could of afforded it in my old car with 23 mpg
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Driving through Cali
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Had a blast at Laguna Seca, its like a back to roots for your car!
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Anyway the car stayed stock throughout the journey, afterwords is when the mods started!
A fun story from the trip through, I got a chance to use the Mazda roadside assistance program! Yep if you lock your keys in your car at 3am in Canada they will come out for FREE and unlock your car. Despite the car being bought in another country and despite it being Sunday morning and no local locksmiths are picking up there phone. Cant say enough awesome things about these guys!
 
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The current mods on the car are pretty simple,
-clear bra on hood, headlights, fenders, side mirrors
-got rid of the whip antenna for a shorty from ebay (getting some static so not too happy)
-got the fancy a/c dials! (oooh!)
-light weight reduction
-rubber floor mats
-6UL's 7.5 inch from miata
-Injen Intake
Obviously due to payments the mods are pretty limited but I am very excited to announce that the brand new Corksport adjustable shocks and H&R springs have been payed for!
Also I am just about 3/4ths of the way through the stock tires so it will be time to upgrade! Thinking some S-drives but not sure yet.

Future mods!
-lithium ion battery (when stocker dies)
-a dedicated autocross set of wheels for the 2 (excited about these!)
-custom 2inch exhaust that Ive been planning
-corksport rear torsion bar
- a performance alignment
-GET THE CAR PAYED OFF lol

expect the next installment to be me adding the suspension on the car, cant wait!
 
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Awesome thread! Love the car too. I really want to go to Laguna Seca one day. Might have to fly there one day, rent a Miata, and fly back the next day.
 
Good thread! Looking forward to seeing what you do with your 2 - and Laguna Seca = JEALOUS!
 
Thanks all!! Laguna Seca was definitely a highlight! Im over in Carrollton area of dallas, you?
 
go for scenery + mazda2, or just one or the other. They're both good... especially with the 2 being that nice red colour. I always see a spirited green one go by work, then i stop working to admire it. A week ago an MP3 went by... i made everyone stop working to admire that.
Thanks for the pictures mann... makes me want to go get our protege stuck in the snow so i can get some pictures of it ~in nature~
 
Great color, my wife's MZ2 is True Red and she loves it. We will be traveling with my MZ2 this summer to the easy cost of Quebec, you're giving me idea's.
 
1 question, the car in the first picture is a sport model All of the rest of the pictures are a touring model. Same car that was upgraded with the touring lights and wheels?

-Derrick
 
Yea I noticed that too. I was thinking maybe that wasn't his exact car, perhaps he test drove a sport model and took a photo.
 
I think actually, in the first picture, the mitsubishi is his old car, there just happens to be a red sport there.
 
Haha I thought i got all the typos out of there! Ya its a 5 sp haha, and the sport model was the loaner car they gave me until mine was shipped in. Big news though I got the adjustable shocks installed and got a small pictorial for you guys! Thanks for all the welcomes and comments it fun to be apart of the 2 family.
 
Ok so last thursday i arrived home to a set of large boxes on the front porch (boom05)!! Of course much excitement ensued combined with many racing car noises and crys of joy.
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I opened all the boxes like a kid on Christmas and surveyed my spoils.

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Then I got cracking on installing all the parts, I didnt get a ton of pics because lets face it you guys have seen this stuff already!

Got the stock rear shock and spring out.
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New stuff all in.
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Stock front suspension out,
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Then things got interesting, I had the worst time getting the top nut off the stock springs/shock. The instructions said to put a 6mm allen key into the top to stop it spinning when you turned it. I couldnt for the life of me find a place where it made it stop spinning. I stuck that key in every hole (thats what she said) and around and around it went. So I got fed up went to my shop and used the air tools and it popped right off! Hurray! The final results were well worth the effort though as you can see.
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So the Million Dollar question was it worth the $600 or so dollars I spent? Hell yes it was! If I did nothing but commute from work it would still be worth it for the increase in comfort. This is the first time in lowering a car that a decrease in ride height hasn't meant a compromise in comfort. In fact its better than stock, thats saying loads as I bought the car for its sporty nature and this adds another layer to it! For giggles I turned it up to the max stiff setting and it was comparable to my miata, almost no body roll and razor sharp turn in precision. Im LOVING this it makes me excited to drive the car again! Ill post results after the alignment but I doubt it will change much just add a level of refinement to the car. Great job by Corksport getting this product to the people and making it fantastic in the process. If anyone has any questions about the shocks/springs or wants a specific picture I can do that too. Thanks again for reading!
 
Oh and because I cant help myself here are some of the better pics from the drive to Alaska
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My Favorite picture from the trip this is in Northern Canada, Alberta maybe?
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This is Alaska, very overcast most the trip
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SALMON!!!
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Alaska is very big!
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Me on a dirt road in Denali national park see i really did take the 2 there!!
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Hope you enjoyed the pics I know I enjoyed being there! Oh and to the guy thinking about taking the 2 around Canada Do it!! I liked it alot the Canadians loved the 2 I got tons of comments on it, where as in the US it was almost invisible.
 
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Thanks for sharing your stories and posting great write-ups... Everyone here who contributes content like this just makes the forum that much better. Keep it up!
 
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