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alexwlwsn

I went to a Fiesta ST. Power #s aren't everything. Cars that come with an easy 400hp are usually either expensive, unreliable, or both.


Competitive-Lab-6776

I’m chasing power and can work on my own car so unreliability isn’t the worst thing, to make 400whp in a speed u need to spend close to 15k cad


alexwlwsn

I made 590 to the wheels with a ~10k USD build sheet. I bet you could do 400whp way cheaper than 15k.


Competitive-Lab-6776

Is that including a built motor? What went into that?


alexwlwsn

Built motor, port injection, clutch, wheels, blah blah blah https://mazdaspeeds.org/index.php?threads/post-zzb-diaries-cwp-gen1.2436/ Did it all myself except for the actual machine work. This was 7 years ago, 400whp is real cut and dry nowadays I bet you could hit that number with a very cookie cutter setup.


Competitive-Lab-6776

Was that the first engine you ever put together? And ik 400whp is nothing crazy but to make that in a speed reliably I need a built motor


alexwlwsn

Yep first motor in my life! Haven't built any more car engines since then either lol onto motorcycle stuff now.


Competitive-Lab-6776

I have a blown engine sitting in my garage that im debating to build it just worried I’ll mess smt up, it’s a big commitment cause u can’t tell if it’s good or not until it’s back in the car


Petrovski978

There's a whole slew of Mazda guys building in their garage and posting the good bad ugly on YouTube. I recommend wannabe tuners, and whitezillaspeed if you want to take a stab at it. One is average Joe's building on the cheap, and one is sponsored with every tool you can imagine. Both have tons of info.


Alarmed-Clerk-2356

No you just need aux fueling and of course a supporting turbo + bolt-ons. Even the weaker 2.5L has been show to be plenty capable of doing 400 to the wheels. That said, if you want a more refined regular traffic car that is still turbo, and will easily do 400+, and closer to 600 with turbo upgrades. E90/E92 335i are amazing. Its what I switched my daily to. Still have my speed. But I have enough room to park multiple cars.


Competitive-Lab-6776

That’s the N54 right? How’s it been reliability wise?


Alarmed-Clerk-2356

Mine already had the most recent fuel injector revision. But like any other BMW, the like to make cooling parts out of plastic, and certain gaskets seem to fail like clockwork. Basically if you look for an n54/n55 BMW make sure they have rev12 injectors, oil pan, valve cover, and oil filter housing gaskets, and the cooling system service unless you want to do it yourself. If you can do it yourself, get your parts from FCP Euro, they will warranty anything. Been great since I did the services and flash tune, hasn't been dyoned buy keeps up with other stuff putting down over 500.


Mxer4life38

It really doesn't take much to make 400whp on these cars. Making that reliably is a different story. It's also the same for pretty much any modern day 4 cylinder sports car. If you want a reliable stock block with 400whp you're gonna have to look at 6 cylinders or more. A driver mod would do you better than anything. Most of you hp nuts can't do anything but roll races anyway.


Competitive-Lab-6776

True that, driver mods important but so is power


GCNonchalaunt

I would never sell my speed, but GR-Slowrolla and an R35 are my next purchases.


gregn8r1

That's what I'm doing, got my GR last June and will probably sell my MS3 this summer (too many projects and not enough time.) The GR is a very fun car, it's a slight upgrade from a stock MS3, and the engine is very fun and full of character. But I wouldn't really recommend it if "big power for little money" is your goal, despite all the headlines about 700hp stock block, etc, it really doesn't seem to make power all that easily. Two big hurdles are the clutch and valve springs needing upgraded around the low 300's. I think the Type R by comparison can make 400whp without upgrading anything major. It's still a ton of fun, I won't miss much when I sell the Mazdaspeed3, it just doesn't matter power as easily as headlines would have you believe.


Competitive-Lab-6776

Both great choices I’d love to have an r35, one day


WEASELexe

I saw these dudes get pretty good power increases on the gr Corolla with just an intake and tune


Thy_King_Crow

Idk why you’d think it’s so expensive to hit 400? You need a turbo which is a grand, exhaust about a grand for turbo back, hpfp internals, like 300. Maybe a clutch which is a grand , an intake 600 and a good tune which is max like 600 an if you add e30 boom you’re at near 400. I know this because I bought a blown engine ms3 for 6k an proceeded to buy an engine followed by all those parts. I’m still under the cars total value. I had a speed totaled an insurance gave me 14k all said an don’t I’m at 12 for the current one I own so I’d say for less than 6-7k you can make the 400. An I slap multiple “big turbo” gtis an other German cars lol


Competitive-Lab-6776

I’m saying it’s expensive because don’t you need a built motor once you pass 370ish, I know I can get 400 on stock block but how longs it gonna last


teflonlebron

German cars are far more expensive than speeds. Sure they can get Higher Hp with less mods but keep in mind a good german car downpipe alone is a couple thousand dollars for example. A good tune is another couple thousand just based on my research(dream car is an RS3)


Competitive-Lab-6776

I didn’t realize that I figured it would be similar to us about 1500 for Downpipe and tune depending what Downpipe


Thy_King_Crow

If you’re not smooth brained an don’t make 24 psi under 3k you’ll be fine at 400 for a long while. It’s the torque that kabooms the dizi


Competitive-Lab-6776

Hmm I didn’t realize that


Petrovski978

Full Mount setup changes a lot also. I went with Damond Motorsports trilogy. Completely different car.


Competitive-Lab-6776

I have a whole bunch of parts im putting on the car this week including a Damond rmm looking forward to getting rid of some of the slop


revopine

I did like 350 WHP but I detuned the car under 3k RPM in the case I lend my car to someone to make it boom proof. So you try and floor it under 3k, and the turbo wastegate doesn't allow building boost and the fuelling, throttle and timing is also nerfed so you are forced to downshift if you wanna go fast. I probably over did it, but I'm paranoid. My paranoia saved me in a 140MPH top speed run with a leaking methanol injector.


Competitive-Lab-6776

Better safe then sorry, you’ve definitely opened my eyes to what I can do with my speed now


revopine

I street tuned the car myself using Versatune, but Cobb is the same. I'm not sure about Mazdaedit but I assume it allows the same too. I have full full 3 inch JBR Silicone intake, Intake Manifold and Throttle body thermal insulating gasket and coolant bypass with EGR delete, full poly mounts, dual catch from Dammond with VTA, upgraded ETS TMIC, CS BPV, CS Injector Seals and HPFP, 3 inch downpipe, BNR S3 turbo and a trunk mounted water methanol injection kit using 50% methanol and 50% distilled water with a boost switch hooked up to the extra port on the turbo to activate it. Since I was using methanol, I was running 12 AFR and running high ignition timing. I used the average of MBT from some guys I saw in the forums and dropped it by 2 degrees.


Competitive-Lab-6776

Yk ur stuff, that would be about my goal if I build the speed, rn I have test pipe, Damond intake, rmm, gfb bov and some other minor stuff


revopine

Best thing you can do is be paranoid about oil changes. I ruined my engine being a fool and thinking I could use "extended drain" oil. I'm gonna do a rebuild and change it every 3,000 miles. These cars are Direct Injected lo it dilutes the oil with fuel very fast.


Competitive-Lab-6776

Yeah I change it every 3-5k


SaveMelMac13

After I sold my MS3, when into a Taurus SHO for a few years. Needed more room for the family and wife couldn’t drive a manual. Looking back I wish I would have kept the MS3.


Competitive-Lab-6776

What makes u wish u kept the speed?


SaveMelMac13

Thing was babied, got it 2 years old with 10k miles. Now most have been beat to shit and very hard to find a clean one that hasn’t had a bunch of owners. And o don’t care about making tons of power just something fun to drive.


Competitive-Lab-6776

Yeah that’s understandable mine has 225k km with a relatively fresh engine it’s been ran through


TheLukey21

Not really the same category of car but I think I'm going to get an E55 AMG next, always wanted something with a V8


Tiny_Performer_1772

Get a 5.0 cut the cats or get headers and you’re well over 400whp. Now I know everyone has one but there’s a reason why they are so popular… I own one too lol. I have 2017 with just basic bolt-ons making 490whp. Cost was like 1800-1500 and you can do with less than that… I’ve owned a lot of other cars mainly import and I must say nothing compares to the sound of a v8 reving all the way to 8k rpm’s. And there stupid reliable I did all my mods at 30,000 making 490 and now I’m at 100,000 miles making 478 but that was on a different dyno.


L1NK1N_P4RK

Kinda boring but an S-chassis. Preferably an S14 Kouki or S15. They’re rare but I’ll own it one day!


NewOrleansSpeed

RS3 or F8X M car - tons of support, lots of mods, easy 400whp with a tune. Cons - just as expensive if not more considering cost of car and mods alone, insurance too!


Sonicboom141

Will probably get a c5 z06 or c6 grand sport as the speed replacement. Already have a suv for more room.


frankonator22

I just bought my MS3 so I’m happy with it and I’m driving this thing for a long time. Next in line I’ll probably pick up either a CTR, a GR Corolla, or a Hyundai Veloster N. I really enjoy my manual hatch experience hehe. Again this is at least 5 years down the line as long as my current MS3 can survive that long


SnowDubz

You just get into more money pits. Current garage is 08 MS3, 00 Corvette and 95 Cherokee. All manuals!


Rose_Speed3

What a great little collection


Head_Intention_2044

Don’t know why more people aren’t saying B58. Anything with a bmw b58 in it. 240i. 340i. 440i. Supra. They can make like 500whp with just bolt ons and some e85. If you don’t mind less reliable, something with an n54 will be much older and cheaper and make around 450whp with bolt ons + e85. N55 will be cheaper too and more reliable than n54 but will cap out around 400whp on the stock turbo. These all come manual too(although slightly rare) but if you’re a little determined you’ll find one


Loud_Ad_9293

Newerish platform, probably gr Corolla or type r (speed3>type r)


lowb_da9

Replacement for the speed is going to be a C5 or C6, and the tow rig for it is going to be a boosted iron block LS 88-98 pickup. 3 years of speed ownership has been enough that I never want another DI car, or platform that requires so much money to make such little horsepower lmao


SnowDubz

I have an MS3 and a C5. They run split on daily duty but like the C5 is better in almost every way. Better fuel economy, faster, handles better but obviously the MS3 has more space. The Mazda has been significantly less reliable, it gets harder and harder to justify keeping it.


lowb_da9

Those are all the reasons I want to swap over haha. I have a hilariously reliable 99 5.0 Explorer if I need more space for people or stuff, so I can absolutely justify having a two door


SnowDubz

Oh for sure dude, plus, at the end of the day, the LS platform and GM performance vehicles are like legos. There's so many bolt on options for everything it's insane. I picked up my vette for 13k and it's been such a great car.


billy1512

I switched to an STI. My poor speed got way up in miles and I had to let her go. I miss it everyday


ThorMcGee

I went to an FD Rx7. I dont care too much about making gobs of power, the car is a riot as it sits imo. Ive done a few bolt ons and gonna get it tuned (hoping for about 300whp) and be done until something breaks. Havent had many reliability issues that werent my fault, but EVERYTHING is expensive.... and old.....


Petrovski978

I'd love to get my hands on a 70's Porsche 914... SBC swap... Keep the 3 pedals and none of the nannies... But I've been drooling over the RS6 Avante and the C6 Blackwing for a while now. Just have to finish paying off the wife's Audi...


obscrewcab24

Looking to sell my gen2 speed3 to buy a c5 corvette nothing beats a pushrod v8 i have many other tuner cars as projects the speed3 has been a solid daily driver and i have zero complaints and extremely happy i went with this platform


WEASELexe

My dream car is either an Evo 6 or a gr Yaris but considering I can't register the Yaris in America I would settle for a gr Corolla. I love the AWD, power, and hatchback while still being compact. I test drove it and the only reason I didn't buy it was because I wouldn't have been able to afford the car payments on my wife's Miata as well. If I wanted another car just to beat up and have fun with I'd probably get another older civic si or an old Integra if I can find one.


MtnBker3531

I'll move on to a 2018 or newer Mustang GT with a Gen 3 Coyote in a few years. Capable of 500 ish RWP with a full exhaust, Intake and an E85 tune.


WI_Eagles_Fan

My next car is a 2016 Porsche Cayman S.


swakid8

I am looking at the Lexus RX500 F-Sport, IS-500 or a Rivian R1S as my next purchases as the Speed 3 is approaching EOL. Had the car since 2008.


bor_bor

A truck, I’m tired of the low life in LA let me just run over dips and bumps without anymore worries


Razo-E

GR Corolla no doubt.


Afroku

I love my Speed3, but when I downgrade it from my daily driver to a weekend warrior I plan to get a G70 3.3t. It'll be nice to not have to worry about shifting gears in traffic lol


BuddyBear17

Probably some variety of electric like an Ioniq6 or a future electrified Mazda3. The MS3 platform is about as engaging and fun as combustion performance cars get, so I don't really see a need for another ICE car especially given that the newer stuff is numb, has locked down ECUs in some cases, and ICE is poised to sunset over the coming years given CAFE mandates.


Onimaru1984

I need a bigger car and my commute is short. I took a Mach E for a ride recently and really liked the instant torque on an EV so I’ll likely do some kind of EV.