Love my 2012 Speed 3, but......

[desertmike680]

I just got my 2012 Speed 3 in October and its an amazing car, but there are some things that Mazda could have done better. Here is my list of what I think they could have improved upon:

1. Interior. I dont mind the red bolsters on the seats and doors, I actually kind of like it along with the leather cloth combo. But, they really could have made the interior a little classier with a few more silver or chrome accents on the dashboard, center console and on the doors. Along with the rest of window buttons lighting up red and auto up/down for all the windows as well. Really? What were they thinking?

2. Sunroof with the Tech package. Again....I dont think its rocket science and a lot of us can agree, thats its really nice to have a sunroof. Necessary? Of course not. But its always a nice feature.

3. Rear bumper. Ok, it should look like Gen 1. Or the after market bumper you can get from Japan that costs a butt load of money. I dont mind it that much, but it does look much less aggressive then gen 1.

4. Rims. Love the design of the rims, although they have should done them in gun metal and painted the brake calipers red too. I know a lot of us have already painted both of them and I plan on doing the same, but you know, how much does it really cost them to do a little more paint? Yeah about that.

Other then that, I do love the car. I had a certified preowned 08 infiniti g37 sport for about a year, and it was the biggest piece of crap I've ever owned. I swear that car drove me absolutely crazy. Beautiful and classy, yes. Horrible clutch, transmission, brakes, CPU, MPG, RWD....... Dont waste your money.

What do you guys think? What do you really like or dislike about the Speed 3's and what do you think MAzda could have done better?

[jv83]

in before asshole bleeding from being totally anal raped....sun roof.....dis ni....

[Dmurray06]

No car is absolutely perfect, every car has its things you like added or changed, unless you spend big $. I believe the main reason for not adding a sunroof was it added a lot of weight and something I read about it being a week point in the body, due to torque put on it when under heavy load. I actually really like the interior, Cept I wish the LEDs and seat colour matched. My $.02

[dereeek]

I'm not picky, I bought the car for the motor and price, thats all.

[desertmike680]

Good point Murray!

Totally agree. I love the car regardless and there's always things that we believe could be better or whatnot.

[uncorked11]

The car is heavy enough,a sun roof and additional weight in the form body strenghting would make it heavier, I would have preferred a diet for this car.

[speed d3mon]

ew, red calipers on a stock car, no thanks.
mazda isn't going to do customization like that for you

[dspider]

what ? you didnt notice any of these things before u bought it ?
mazdaSPEED ...u want luxury go get something else
you bought the wrong car fool

[Mike@Stratified]

The only thing I wish my 2011 had that it doesn't: side mirror defrost.

[breakfstincluded]

I wish it had bigger tits sometimes

[Elusivellama]

Originally Posted by RacerMike The only thing I wish my 2011 had that it doesn't: side mirror defrost.

The only thing I wish my 2010 had that it doesn't: Blind Spot Monitoring System (in exchange for my useless 6 CD changer system, iPhone bluetooth streaming ftw).

In response to the OP... the 2010 model year had your silver/chrome accents. If you really want the silver/chrome, you could probably buy the parts at Mazda and swap them in yourself. Moonroof would have added weight, also kills your headroom, and water will find a way to get through those rubber seals eventually. Automatic touchless car washes already shoot a tiny bit of water through moonroof seals (on my old Mazda anyway), very unnerving to say the least. When all is said and done, it's better to focus on what Mazda really skimped out on (ex. rear motor mount, for starters) and fixing those...

[dspider]

Originally Posted by RacerMike The only thing I wish my 2011 had that it doesn't: side mirror defrost.

double check that . my 2011 no tech has heated mirrors but they only turn on when you use the rear defogger

[Deww]

Originally Posted by speed d3mon ew, red calipers on a stock car, no thanks. mazda isn't going to do customization like that for you

Agreed, Besides I wouldn't want red any way's. I would want white since i'm driving a silver one. But the next person might want black, or yellow, or blue. Thats what customization is all about. And I wouldn't want a sun roof either.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

1. Interior is actually quite an improvement over Gen1s.

2. Bah, I have a sunroof in my 335- I can count on on hand how many times I've used it. Adds weight and reduced headroom.

3. I agree here 100%. I thought the middle/bottom portion was a separate piece. I was planning on having it painted to match the front bumper inlay. After closer inspection I see that it is NOT a separate piece. Boo!

4. Easy enough for you to do yourself.

Keep in mind all of these gripes are "relative". When you factor in what your are getting for the price it's not so bad after all.

[Black Metal]

MAZDASPEED= RACE CAR, OP WANTS RICE CAR.

[adrager622]

I wish the 2010+ MS3's fuel pump didn't crap out after adding something as simple as an intake or AP. I mean, if the motor itself can easily handle over 400whp, why not have a stronger fuel pump in there. But it's a simple fix so oh well.

[anavrinIV]

Originally Posted by Bubba Ho-Tep 1. Interior is actually quite an improvement over Gen1s.

This is the only point that I disagree with, but I'll admit that I HATE the red spotted interior. both are comfortable (I test drove both when I was searching for a speed, but ended up in a gen1) but the red look is almost intolerable imo.

I don't like sunroofs or convertibles, plus they add weight and take away stiffness. I'll keep my hardtop thank you.

As far as wheels and calipers, paint the damn things yourself. A production company won't do things to a mass market car that could detract from sales. No one ever bought a car because it had painted calipers or silver wheels, but I'm sure plenty of people would stay away when the car starts getting all ricey.

What mazda should have done is stiffened up the shifting, put on wider wheels and tires (215s standard, really?), and put on a working rear motor mount.

[darth_speeder]

sounds like you want a car modded by DUB. its all cosmetics you're complaining about

[JDR767]

I actually prefer the lack of chrome inside. Looking at what aftermarket HU that are out there and they seem to be chromed out...ugh

[wankular]

Needs more cupholders too.

[importriders]

I would not have bought the MS3 if it came the way the OP described. The only thing I semi-agree in is the rear bumper. I also don't like the red dots.

[snOhio]

am i the one that thinks the stock mz3 hatch wing looks better than the speed one?

[gotspeed]

Originally Posted by snOhio am i the one that thinks the stock mz3 hatch wing looks better than the speed one?

yes for genpu ... not for genwon.

[kpacker51]

You lost me at sunroof.

[SmoothVanilla]

Originally Posted by snOhio am i the one that thinks the stock mz3 hatch wing looks better than the speed one?

YES. the speed one completes the look, as gay as some ppl feel it is lol.

I love the interior. I would pbbly delete the dots from the seats if i could, but I actually like it on the doors. I agree about the rear bumper. OR make the speed the only model with dual pipes?

I think mazda did a pretty great job with the car myself. All i would change is the wheel gap.

[Stingray69]

It's not a Miata...............I'm happy.

[BLK_MS3]

Originally Posted by desertmike680 Horrible clutch, transmission, brakes, CPU, MPG, RWD.......

Did you just knock the fact it is RWD? Nobody prefers FWD to RWD that I know.

Originally Posted by anavrinIV ... put on wider wheels and tires (215s standard, really?).

Well remember a gen 2 has 225's.

[funzie]

The first thing I did with mine was to swap out the nasty cloth and leather interior to full leather.

[emag remrofni]

Originally Posted by adrager622 I wish the 2010+ MS3's fuel pump didn't crap out after adding something as simple as an intake or AP. I mean, if the motor itself can easily handle over 400whp, why not have a stronger fuel pump in there. But it's a simple fix so oh well.

Gen juan and gen poo have the same pump. It's different fueling logic in the ecu that fucks everything up.

Originally Posted by funzie The first thing I did with mine was to swap out the nasty cloth and leather interior to full leather.

Why?

[anavrinIV]

Originally Posted by BLK MS3 Well remember a gen 2 has 225's.

True, but still not enough with even minor boltons, if not stock. With just the mods in my sig I easily spin my (granted, only 215s) all the way through first and second, even with traction control on. which is why I'm going at least 245 summers when I get new wheels.

[adrager622]

Originally Posted by emag remrofni Gen juan and gen poo have the same pump. It's different fueling logic in the ecu that fucks everything up.

Ya that's right. Forgot it's technically the ECU logic. Well, then I retract my previous statement haha. Thanks for the correction.

[SmoothVanilla]

actually I was thinking and I found a few nitpicks too lol.
1) way too many buttons on steering wheel lol
2) not crazy about how the tail lights angle out at the rear, I wish they where sounder and followed the lines of the car more.
other than that so far I love it.

[Damon]

The only complaint on my '12 non-tech would be the fact that my seats are red while they made every led blue, would have preferred all black over the red dots. Can't really complain about anything else seeing as it's a 25k racecar.

[mswierse]

1. Less silver and no chrome on interior would be ideal for me. Would definitely like the rest of the buttons to be lit up (sad to say, like a VW). And yes, one touch up and down for at least both front windows... again like VW.

2. I'd rather have the stiffness of the car without a sunroof.

3. I don't mind the rear bumper, but regular 3's should not have dual exhaust IMO.

4. Wheels are very cool for stockers... wish they were 8" wide though.

I was going to say heated mirrors too, I'll have to see if they are with the rear defroster on.

[ruthless013]

OP needs a gti.

[Midnitehours]

This ain't no fucking chevy, keep the chrome where it belongs, old muscle cars and rice'd honda's,

are you really that lazy that you can't hold a switch up or down? let me guess the lack of an auto tranny also deflated your half chubb?

Sun roofs are heavy increasing roll point, and they take away structural stiffness.

the only thing mazda could've done better from the factory is loose weight off the car.
The rest is what modding is for.

[fortressofcomfort]

Originally Posted by mswierse 3. I don't mind the rear bumper, but regular 3's should not have dual exhaust IMO.

I *believe* only the 2.5 Mazda 3s have dual exhaust. The regular 2.0s only have won pipe.

[BLK_MS3]

Originally Posted by fortressofcomfort I *believe* only the 2.5 Mazda 3s have dual exhaust. The regular 2.0s only have won pipe.

Either that or the higher option cars have duals. Either way the dual tips on a non-Speed are smaller.

[skawt01]

So at around 17K miles, this car has actually turned out to be a piece of shit: It rattles worse than the 2 Toyota's I had prior, has alignment issues that wear out the tires prematurely (which cannot be fixed?), plenty of confidence-eroding noises, overly long awkward clutch, vague shifting, super flimsy rear hatch cargo area base, clackety-clack-drive you nuts rear hatch lock mechanism, and now a VVT/Timing Chain recall BS, and a few other nitpickies.

I am selling it in Sept 2012 when the new WRX releases. I am 'this' close to hating this car. First and last Mazda for me, no doubt.

[silvapain]

No car with one exhaust manifold should have 2 tailpipes. That shit is OEM rice.

Goodbye OP.


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