I purchased the car new on July 14, 2007. From 5,000 miles to 69,000 miles I ran a 5,000 mile )CI using M1 5W-30. At 69,000 miles I extended the OCI to 7,500 miles(still using M1 5W-30) and at 115,000 miles I switched to M1 EP 5W-30. I have a UOA performed at every change; here are Blackstone Lab's comments at 146,000 miles:
In all honesty I was a bit disappointed with reliability over the first 70,000 miles; during that period it required:
1. A new turbo(Per a TSB- not exclusive to my car, most all of the early models all had turbo replaced due to smoking at idle)
2. A front strut
3. A variable valve timing actuator(Again per a TSB)
4. An EGR valve
All but the EGR valve were replaced under warranty. After the EGR issue I began using Top Tier fuels exclusively and no EGR issues have returned. I also began using Techron regularly to keep the injectors clean.
At 59,000 miles it required new front pads and rotors. At 71,000 miles the rear shocks were toast and I had them replaced with OEM pieces. In retrospect I wish I had gone ahed and installed KONI FSDs at all four corners but at that point I was relatively certain I was going to sell the car.
Since that time I really haven't had any significant issues arise. At 5.5 years and 97,000 miles I replaced the battery. At 131,000 miles the the dealer fitted a new thermostat and rear pads(the original rotors were still good!). At 133,000 miles a friend and I replaced the front anti-roll bar bushings(the OEM replacements were a whopping $28).
Modifications: I rarely leave any of my cars totally stock and this car is no exception. My goal was to increase the horsepower/torque as well as handling without affecting everyday usability and comfort.
1. Mazdaspeed Cold Air Intake(43,000 mile)- Mazda claimed a 25 hp increase and it did chop 0.60 seconds off the 30-70 mph times in third gear.
2. Hypertech Tuner(136,000 miles)- A very mild "canned" tune-bought used for $230-it chopped another 0.40 seconds off the 30-70 mph times. I haven't dynoed the car yet, but I'm estimating the car is making at least 280 measured at the front wheels.Fuel economy was unaffected- if not improved a tick at cruise.
3. Focus ST/Electric Rear Motor Mount(145,000 miles)- I wanted to control motor movement a bit better without adding vibrations. The Focus mount was inexpensive($60) and works great.
4. 225/45-18 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires on 2nd Gen MS3 wheels- Wow. All I can say is that so far I've run out of courage before I've run out of grip.
5. KONI FSD struts/shocks(132,000 miles)- I replaced bump stops, strut mounts/bearings while I was at it. A massive improvement all around, and I wish I had fitted them sooner.
6. James Barone Racing Adjustable Rear Anti-Roll Bar and billet mounts(142,000 miles)- At present I'm running it at the intermediate setting(50% stiffer than OEM) and it has provided the neutral balance I was seeking. The bar was replaced at 149,000 miles pursuant to a recall from JBR(a supplier missed a weld on a batch of ARBs and their was a chance mine was part of that batch. While I was at it I installed new OEM links and they quieted things down a bit.
Maintenance: I follow the schedule in the owners manual- except that the transaxle gets Motorcraft XT-M5-QS Synthetic Transmission Fluid every 30,000 miles and the brake fluid is flushed annually.
Fuel economy averages @27 mpg.
I am very happy with the car as it now sits. It has ample power, superb handling, and is still docile enough that passengers can't tell that it's been modified.How much longer will I keep it? Hard to say, but there are very few used cars under $30k(or new under $40k) that I like better. I may hold out for the rumored 300+ hp AWD Mazdaspeed 3 expected sometime in 2016.
Quote:
We'd tell you this is another great sample from your MS3 (which it is), but that's old news for this engine. This is the 20th report for this engine, so you've got some very solid unit/location averages established for this motor, and this report is only adding to the good numbers displayed in that column. Basically, we're really just trying to tell you how good this report is in a way that you might not have heard before. Keep up the good work, this engine is in great shape as far as we're concerned. The TBN of 4.6 is plenty strong. Zoom zoom!
