Trading up.

[Mazda3X2]

I am hoping to be able to move into a Mazdaspeed3 this summer if all goes well. My lease is up soon on my 04GT and to make this happen I have to first sell my toy. It is hard owning 3 vehicles anymore.

I test drove an MS3 on the weekend and what a blast to drive! It felt so similar yet so different from mine, and I loved every second of it.

I just had a few questions for the experienced owners.

1/ Will my winter rims and tires from the 04 (16") fit the MS3?

2/ Do the CWP ones come with slightly darker 18" wheels? On the one I took out, it looked as though they were darker than the other non-white MS3's I had seen.

3/ If you stay out of the boost is fuel ecomony close to the regular 2.3?

4/ Any regrets spending the extra 6 grand on top of the regular 3's price for what you get?

[Unoriginalusername]

I am hoping to be able to move into a Mazdaspeed3 this summer if all goes well. My lease is up soon on my 04GT and to make this happen I have to first sell my toy. It is hard owning 3 vehicles anymore.

I test drove an MS3 on the weekend and what a blast to drive! It felt so similar yet so different from mine, and I loved every second of it.

I just had a few questions for the experienced owners.

1/ Will my winter rims and tires from the 04 (16") fit the MS3?

2/ Do the CWP ones come with slightly darker 18" wheels? On the one I took out, it looked as though they were darker than the other non-white MS3's I had seen.

3/ If you stay out of the boost is fuel ecomony close to the regular 2.3?

4/ Any regrets spending the extra 6 grand on top of the regular 3's price for what you get?

1. those wheels should fit
2. 08.5 ms3's have a gunmetalish type wheel finish that is available on all colours
3. I get 640-680km per tank on weekend trips up north etc. with only a few times in heavy boost passing and that is with the mods i have.
4. no

[silvermist99]

1. I test fitted 16s steelies on before they do fit. This will depend on the rim I think.

2. all 08.5 models come with darker polished rims, the majority of owners here posting pics are 07/08 models.

3. fuel economy is more or less the same compare to the 2.3 but it needs 91 octane.

4. no regrets 80% of the time, the car is a handful to drive sometimes when I'm not in the mood, it feels like I paid extra money to torture myself with its harsh suspension, catchy clutch, exhaust drone. I wish mazda made a middle version with less power & softer suspension, the regular 3 was too slow for me. I would have gotten something inbetween instead.


I am hoping to be able to move into a Mazdaspeed3 this summer if all goes well. My lease is up soon on my 04GT and to make this happen I have to first sell my toy. It is hard owning 3 vehicles anymore.

I test drove an MS3 on the weekend and what a blast to drive! It felt so similar yet so different from mine, and I loved every second of it.

I just had a few questions for the experienced owners.

1/ Will my winter rims and tires from the 04 (16") fit the MS3?

2/ Do the CWP ones come with slightly darker 18" wheels? On the one I took out, it looked as though they were darker than the other non-white MS3's I had seen.

3/ If you stay out of the boost is fuel ecomony close to the regular 2.3?

4/ Any regrets spending the extra 6 grand on top of the regular 3's price for what you get?

[WeatherB]

I am hoping to be able to move into a Mazdaspeed3 this summer if all goes well. My lease is up soon on my 04GT and to make this happen I have to first sell my toy. It is hard owning 3 vehicles anymore.

I test drove an MS3 on the weekend and what a blast to drive! It felt so similar yet so different from mine, and I loved every second of it.

I just had a few questions for the experienced owners.

1/ Will my winter rims and tires from the 04 (16") fit the MS3?

2/ Do the CWP ones come with slightly darker 18" wheels? On the one I took out, it looked as though they were darker than the other non-white MS3's I had seen.

3/ If you stay out of the boost is fuel ecomony close to the regular 2.3?

4/ Any regrets spending the extra 6 grand on top of the regular 3's price for what you get?

I just went through the same exact thing about two months ago and changed from a 2007 Mazda3 to a 2008.5 Mazdaspeed3.

1. No, because of the bigger brakes you will need to get 17" winter tires. I plan on giving my 16" winter tires to my parents for their 3.

2. Yes, they come with the bright finish wheels. They look fantastic but not sure how long the finish will last.

3. No, because you will never stay out of boost. :chuckle Right now I get about 50KM less per tank on my Mazdaspeed3 than I did on the Mazda3. I don't drive the car hard either. However, you have to keep in mind that each tank costs about $6 more. As a disclaimer, I am still in the "break-in" period and I did notice an increase in gas mileage on the Mazda3 after about 10,000KM or so.

4. No, well worth it. But the transmission sometimes feels like you are actually reaching into it and pushing the gears manually.

[Fobio]

Try fitting the 16's before calling them off...I bought mine from a guy with a '05 MZ3, and the 16" snows fit, but just so...

I also didn't buy the MS3 to save the planet...sorry...so I avg less than 500km per tank...

[monty0501]

The responses above are enough to answer your questions so I will just put one general comment:
I had an 07 GT Sport for a year before moving to the speed3.
I have never looked back.

[mleblond]

1. 16" mazda steelies do fit. I used them last winter but opted to go to 17" for this winter.

2. Who cares, sell them right off the bat and get after market rims from Allen @ Simply tire

3. If you are concerned about gas mileage then don't buy the car. You will spend lot's of money on gas for this toy. I suggest you pick a gas station with some sort of rewards card as you will rack them up! I normally get anywhere from 350km-600km a tank. But rare are times when you drive out of boost.

4. You only live once, no regrets at all.

[Mazda3X2]

Thanks guys for the answers and advice. It sounds like the MS3 would be right up my alley. Now to make it happen.

[craigrodrigues88]

yeah I am another who made the switch, and I would never look back!

[blackspeed3]

I was always told 16 inch wheels wont clear the calipers. I have 17 inch mazda 6 rims for my winters.

[Mazda3X2]

I was always told 16 inch wheels wont clear the calipers. I have 17 inch mazda 6 rims for my winters.

I test fit my 16" Mazda steelies onto my friend's MS3 a couple weeks back now and they fit. Clearance for the calipers was fairly tight but no interference anywhere. I also had called the place where I bought them from (Tiretrends.com) and the guy there had told me that the Mazda 16" steel wheel would clear. I'm pretty happy about saving the money if I needed to upgrade.