Lowered MS3 considering returning to stock

[dreadlock]

I bought my 2007 MS3 lowered on H&R springs. From what I've gathered looking at other speeds, its about a 1.5" drop. Recently I've been considering going back to stock height for two main reasons.

1st and most painful, is hitting curbs and other inclines. I had a ramp put in at the top of my driveway leading into my garage because the front plastic piece under the bumper would hit. The ramp is already sinking after 4 months, and I can only park on one side of the garage now, as the other side I hit. This along with any other driveway entrance or plaza driveway is a constant teeth clencher.

2nd. Rough ride! As in any lowered car this is expected, less spring means more road. However I've never really experienced the stock springs. For those who have driven stock for awhile then lowered, did you feel a big difference? Maybe another speed driver would be interested in a day to drive each others cars to see the difference? Or possibly H&R springs aren't that good? Most of the talk on here is about Eibach vs. Tein...

How are you other lowered folk doing with this? I go super slow and on an angle (when possible) over anything that looks remotely hazardous, but I still find myself scrapping WAY more than I would like...My front bumper is about 3.5" off the ground at the lowest point. The plastic piece is getting sorta worn down...

Some pics


http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz338/hoonter/MS3/IMG_4304.jpg
http://i841.photobucket.com/albums/zz338/hoonter/MS3/IMG_5474.jpg

[Unoriginalusername]

i'd go eibach or cobb if i were to do springs. but if i were doing it again, i would go stock springs and put on cobb sway bars and save up for some coilovers vs. the springs route

[Thrizzl3]

ever consider higher sitting springs? or coils?

[dreadlock]

i'd go eibach or cobb if i were to do springs. but if i were doing it again, i would go stock springs and put on cobb sway bars and save up for some coilovers vs. the springs route

Car has front and rear Hotchkis sway bars...not as good as the cobbs I assume

[Mazda3X2]

I'm on Eibach Prokits and don't have many issues. They lowered the car about 3/4" all around.

The only thing I find problematic is when they don't plow our street and my lower front valance ends up plowing through an inch or two of snow in the center of the lane.

[Tokic_o]

i love the H&R springs !!! I WANT!!

[stevenma188]

Um, just to confirm, the Speed3 in stock form is lower than a MZ3 right? I was going to install S-Techs on my MZ3, but if you are having problems with only a 1.5" drop, I'm worried.

[starscream]

I went from stock MS3 to Cobb springs... no issues here.

I still have my stockies ;) :D

[-cj-]

You could always try backing into the garage? I'm on Cobb springs and they're fine. Not too rough and I rarely scrape.

[hatthi]

+1 for Cobb. Great springs.

[jspeed_3]

I went from stock MS3 to Cobb springs... no issues here.

I still have my stockies ;) :D

wanna sell me ur OE springs??

[dreadlock]

Seems like cobb springs are the favorite around here, wish I had had the choice.

So no one finds their ride extra bumpy or anything like that? Even after switching from stock to lower? As I said, I've never experienced stock so just trying to get my head around it

[hatthi]

Cobb's are firm but not jarring. My wife actually doesn't even notice a difference when she's in my car. She still thinks I'm stock. :chuckle

[horto]

do all you speed3 freaks with cobb springs have stock struts? or have you upgraded? (oem struts seem to be a little... fragile)

[Dave_The_BMXER]

Looks real nice! Are you still on stock struts? Could have an affect on the ride quality.

[hatthi]

do all you speed3 freaks with cobb springs have stock struts? or have you upgraded? (oem struts seem to be a little... fragile)

Mine are stock for now. Been lowered for about 15,000 km.

[Uni-Body]

I had H&R springs on my old Mystere back in the day, and I found they were really stiff and rough also. I just grabbed eibach pro kit springs for my GTi this past summer and the difference in ride comfort is definitely noticeable. Eibach's in my situation are very nice to drive with.

[swales]

I'm on Pro-kit springs and never had any problems. I'm also still on stock shocks

[duke2010]

cobb springs lower the speed 3 about an inch right? do you guys know where to buy them? im still debating between prokits and cobb...cobb looks like a good compromise between the h&r and prokits...

[horto]

cta pat


cobb springs lower the speed 3 about an inch right? do you guys know where to buy them? im still debating between prokits and cobb...cobb looks like a good compromise between the h&r and prokits...

[horto]

and SSG had prokits on sale ...


cta pat

[duke2010]

cta pat

got a website?

[Iceman_F1]

got a website?

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=178

[duke2010]

thank you Mr. Iceman

[Thrizzl3]

thank you Mr. Iceman

lmfao

[Iceman_F1]

thank you Mr. Iceman

Sadly, I can't tell if that's sarcasm or an honest thanks so I'll take it as an honest thanks and say Your Welcome :chuckle


lmfao

What? I can't be a Mr? People can't be polite? :chuckle

To be on topic...despite lack of speed3...I do believe the speed3 already had lower/better springs than a regular 3. So to lower it 1.5" in ADDITION to what a normal 3 is like, yeah, I guess I can see where the scraping comes in.

I've only been driven in 1 speed3 before which was ZoomZoomBoy's and I am unsure if that is lowered or stock in terms of springs, but if it was stock, I'd be happy with leaving that as is. Looks good, had great turning and was comfortable!

[kid_icarus]

Maybe it's me but i find the cobb's to be maddeningly rough.

There is probably "rougher" and harsher
but really... any rough road i hit, i feel is rather rough

i don't know how to explain it
maybe the feeling is just exaggerated to me.

[Fuman]

Um, just to confirm, the Speed3 in stock form is lower than a MZ3 right? I was going to install S-Techs on my MZ3, but if you are having problems with only a 1.5" drop, I'm worried.
if you go s-tech on mz3, don't ever enter Times Square from the rear (no perv thoughts plz).

op - If you are still scraping when you are angling then you have no other choice but go back to a different spring. Cobb or OEM is fine. If you find the current ride harsh, Cobb springs are still stiffer than OEM, by how much I'll let the ms3 guys chime in.

[Unoriginalusername]

Maybe it's me but i find the cobb's to be maddeningly rough.

There is probably "rougher" and harsher
but really... any rough road i hit, i feel is rather rough

i don't know how to explain it
maybe the feeling is just exaggerated to me.

x2 they are very firm. I wouldn't have bought them again i don't think I would stay OEM with Cobb Sways and or save for coil overs vs. the springs approach again.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

To be on topic...despite lack of speed3...I do believe the speed3 already had lower/better springs than a regular 3. So to lower it 1.5" in ADDITION to what a normal 3 is like, yeah, I guess I can see where the scraping comes in.

I've only been driven in 1 speed3 before which was ZoomZoomBoy's and I am unsure if that is lowered or stock in terms of springs, but if it was stock, I'd be happy with leaving that as is. Looks good, had great turning and was comfortable!

I think the drop on the MS3 is an inch lower than a regular 3. I could be wrong.

My MS3 is stock Derek, in terms of suspension. The car doesn't need aftermarket springs IMO unless you are going to track it regularly and even then, there are better options. The OEM ones are plenty good enough in performance terms and I'm not a big fan of the let's turn my car into a snowplow thing. Most people think my car is lowered anyway because of the stance with the summer tires and rims...

I agree with UOU. If you're going to mod the suspension, get some good coilovers, ideally with EDFC so you can adjust the ride for what you need and when. I believe (M)iniscule (P)enis (S)yndrome had some up for sale and were at a steal of a price. Was considering them myself.

[silvermist99]

even with stock springs it is very easy to scrap everywhere w/ the long front overhang & spd bumper especially in places like downtown.

[duke2010]

do any of you speed 3 owners with cobb/prokits springs have pictures of your lowered ride just so we can compare the 2 in terms of drop? i just wanna see the difference in the height...if the diff is not that obvious i would go with prokits which wont be as stiffer as cobb

[silvermist99]

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2635/167/79/756965530/n756965530_6478519_6831344.jpg

left stock, right cobb

[swales]

My MS3 is stock Derek, in terms of suspension. The car doesn't need aftermarket springs IMO unless you are going to track it regularly and even then, there are better options. .

I lowered my speed because I got rid of those heavy ass 18" rims and put on lightweight 17's.

[alhope34]

I want to get cobb springs so I can actually carry 1500lbs in the back without the rear tires dissappearing into the wheel wells lol.

[duke2010]

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2635/167/79/756965530/n756965530_6478519_6831344.jpg

left stock, right cobb

got any fender shots?

[horto]

I want to get cobb springs so I can actually carry 1500lbs in the back without the rear tires dissappearing into the wheel wells lol.

1500lbs of what? :P

[alhope34]

1500lbs of what? :P

Engineered hardwood flooring, patio paving stones, etc.

the back lowers by about 3.5" and the front raises in the air by about 3". About 5" of wheel gap in the front.

[cosic]

Engineered hardwood flooring, patio paving stones, etc.

the back lowers by about 3.5" and the front raises in the air by about 3". About 5" of wheel gap in the front.

Lol buy a pickup truck!

So you guys are saying the Cobbs are a comfortable - not so stiff, daily driver ride? Anyone want to take a guess on how Cobb springs, stockers, and 20mm spacers would work, rubbing wise?

[alhope34]

Lol buy a pickup truck!


Why?

[cosic]

Why?


I want to get cobb springs so I can actually carry 1500lbs in the back without the rear tires dissappearing into the wheel wells lol.


Engineered hardwood flooring, patio paving stones, etc.


Just thought it makes more sense than an MS3

[alhope34]

Just thought it makes more sense than an MS3

Not really. Springs are much cheaper than a truck, not that I even have money for springs right now. Trucks use much more gas, look ugly as hell, waste space on the road. Not to mention I rarely carry anything that heavy and I don't have an extra $55 a month to park a vehicle I'd use once or twice a year.

When I get a bike I'm going to be towing it around places but it will obviously be on a trailer which will put barely any weight on the back. The MS3 is very capable of pulling weight, just the springs are a bit soft. Even when I had all that weight in it I had no problems starting from a stop heading up the steep parts of Woodbine on my way home.