Who plays in the dirt?

[brandin820]

Originally Posted by El_Diablo I've always wanted to set mine up with a Mazda 5 strut/spring package for winter with some RA flaps and maybe a slightly larger diameter snow/AT tire than I already run. These cars are already quite capable in the snow, that would make it a freakin tank, lol.

That's pretty much exactly how I'm gonna run mine except I'm thinkin starting with normal 3 springs/struts and see exactly how much it lifts it

[El_Diablo]

Around 1/2 to 1 inch.

[Frnchplayr15]

Hey nothing wrong with wanting to do rally. But stock these cars would suck. I have an obsession with Rally cars so I know what you mean. Get some more rally gear and it would do well. There a few Mazda's in FWD category of WRC. I used to have an old 3 that had the rally look its in that CS thread. Glad its gone though. I have a 20" light bar that I've been wanting to put on my roof rack just for winter and then remove it for summer. Good luck I'll sub to see what you end up doing.

[brandin820]

Originally Posted by El_Diablo Around 1/2 to 1 inch.

That's what I've heard I'm excited to see how it sits and if it's enough or not

[El_Diablo]

Nope, not high enough... not if you're wanting to go at it rally style.

[brandin820]

Originally Posted by El_Diablo Nope, not high enough... not if you're wanting to go at it rally style.

Fair enough. Still the idea is to keep it dual purpose and not purely off-road. I just think the 1.5-2" the 5 setup gives might be a little much for my liking. Plan is to start with the 3 setup and go from there

[El_Diablo]

Just park your car next to a normal 3 hatch and you'll be able to tell the difference..

[CrawlingMS3]

The dirt is my friend. There's a picture of my old Jeep and my speed that has been attacked my muddy chicks while at the local mud pits

[smurugby12]

Pics of muddy chicks?

[usgiorgi]

So with the paint being so thin, how does it hold up? I feel like all the sand will bring the paint down to bare metal in no time haha.

[CrawlingMS3]

Originally Posted by smurugby12 Pics of muddy chicks?

Here's one of them. All I got

[Yousuf]

Yikes, I've only driven mine in the rain like 2-3 times when I had nothing else

OP maybe you should get the car wrapped or plasti-dipped to protect the paint

[MichaelGear]

I haven't taken her off-road, nor do I expect to do on purpose. :knockwood: But I did get her airborne on a desolate, but paved, country road "by mistake" one time. Saw a long stretch of empty and decided to hit the speed limiter...at ~110-115mph I arrived at a little creek-bridge over a farm drain, didn't look like anything until I got there...then the little dip-n-lip before the bridge made itself known and we were all four off. "Safe and easy" landing with minimal grinding up front. Great fun, but not something that I'd try to repeat. I've got the CorkSport flaps on her because I lived on a gravel road, but I like them so much that I've left them on after the move.

[Yousuf]

Whenever I do go back home and fuck with the speed3 I like to get it slightly airborne on raised and curved intersections, makes me feel like a fucking rally driver!

[brandin820]

Originally Posted by usgiorgi So with the paint being so thin, how does it hold up? I feel like all the sand will bring the paint down to bare metal in no time haha.

I guess I'll just have to find that one out!

Originally Posted by MichaelGear I haven't taken her off-road, nor do I expect to do on purpose. :knockwood: But I did get her airborne on a desolate, but paved, country road "by mistake" one time. Saw a long stretch of empty and decided to hit the speed limiter...at ~110-115mph I arrived at a little creek-bridge over a farm drain, didn't look like anything until I got there...then the little dip-n-lip before the bridge made itself known and we were all four off. "Safe and easy" landing with minimal grinding up front. Great fun, but not something that I'd try to repeat. I've got the CorkSport flaps on her because I lived on a gravel road, but I like them so much that I've left them on after the move.

Sounds like a blast! But agreed not something I'd want to do on a normal basis.

It finally rained here in az a couple days ago so the mazda got muddy here's some pics my girl and I took

[brandin820]

And another

[MichaelGear]

That last one would make a great avatar photo...the muddy mirror.

[AKmac11]

Hey, I play in the mud! Oh....we're talking about off-roading?

[brandin820]

Originally Posted by MichaelGear That last one would make a great avatar photo...the muddy mirror.

Already taken care of

[brandin820]

Originally Posted by AKmac11 Hey, I play in the mud! Oh....we're talking about off-roading?

As long as it involves dirt it's fair game brother. Title of thread says "Who plays in the dirt?" not "Who rally races their speed?"

[brandin820]

Here's a video my girl took riding shotgun on a dirt run at night 3/29/14.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wArbGtCRGqE

[Spec]

I thought this was about butt sex, never mind.

[2k4_8]

Exactly why I bought both of mine new...wow

[MichaelGear]

I think there may be something wrong with your stereo, there's a horrible noise coming out of it. ;-)

[brandin820]

Originally Posted by 2k4_8 Exactly why I bought both of mine new...wow

Yeah you never know the kind of idiots that drive these things I'm not the only one out there ha

Originally Posted by MichaelGear I think there may be something wrong with your stereo, there's a horrible noise coming out of it. ;-)

Justin Moore ftw! But yes I didn't expect it to be that loud in the video it seemed quiet in the car

[RoadRunner6]

stoked to find this thread. Unfortunately I can't help myself when going on a drive to not hit up a dirt/gravel road and get a little sideways and rally that shit. BTW to all you haters the FWD does fine in the dirt/gravel/snow and it's actually good to learn if your goal is to get into rally/rally x.

My paint has paid a major price however, as you can imagine. I really should of invested in 3m paint protector and mud flaps from day 1. Really want to get into rally x without having to buy a project car. Anyone ran into trouble doing rally x in a genpu speed? How much do mudflaps help? Just ordered some yesterday, yet to install.

BTW if/when it comes time to trade it in, I don't forsee many dealerships noticing after a good polish. What they dont know wont hurt them.