2011 MazdaSpeed3 POV Drive & Review! How is it in 2024?

Today we take an in-depth look at the second generation Mazda Mazdaspeed3 and how it holds up in 2024! My example is lightly modified and making around stock power. We run through things that I like and don't like, things that I'll change and things I plan on keeping. In the second episode of this car everything will be just the way I want it and we'll revisit the car when its current state is still fresh in my mind.
Enjoy the video and please leave any feedback in the comments!
Chapters:
00:00 - 00:09 Intro
00:10 - 01:49 Overview
01:50 - 11:40 Exterior
11:41 - 20:04 Interior
20:05 - 22:08 Engine
22:09 - 31:24 POV Drive
31:25 - 35:24 Final Thoughts

[@EvoBeard]

Had mine for nearly 2yrs now, it's my daily for work and I've done a few road trips in it too, such a fun car and they aren't common so can surprise people! Similar Exhaust to you and intake my car made 285bhp on the dyno (after I installed upgraded HPFPI), with a tune (and increased boost) from Freektune it made 300bhp, upgraded TMIC and TIP with another tune netted me 322bhp. On US 93 pump gas (99 RON UK). I fitted an FMIC and a CS 3.5in and a re-tune, dyno is in mid August, so I'll know what it's now running then.😁 Glad you've got knowledge of the platform, I was gonna say to check you have upgraded HPFPI but you had a modded 6 so you know. Regarding the shifter, if it gets a bit funky getting into certain gears, you can adjust the cables on the stick side as they stretch over the years, there's a video on YT from James Barone (JBR Shifter) where he shows how to do it.

[@markedmediaa]

@@EvoBeard Thanks for watching! I plan on keeping the car for a while and want to do everything right so I can enjoy it for years to come. My Speed6 made ~280whp with similar mods so I hope to make around 300whp with the next setup. Thanks for the tip on the shifter, I’ll definitely look into it!

[@jamesrather1510]

@@EvoBeard 322whp with a k04 sounds a little dubious unless you're on an E30 tune. 280-290 wheel is typical for full bolt on, tuned, on 93 with the stock turbo.

[@ChrisFowskae]

If you have Xenon/HID, you cant switch to LED, they require the Xenon/HID bulb with your ballast (silver box with wire on headloght housing). Going to LED would be a downgrade in that sense unless pulled the lense off and you fully swapped to BI-LED projector or MLED projector. As for the "ones that dont blind people" you were talking about, thats putting LEDs into reflector housings, terrible. And if you use LED turn signals, you will have to get in line resistors to prevent hyper flashing. 09 MS3 crystal white pearl owner here 🤙🏻

[@markedmediaa]

Ah ok, good to know. My AFS doesn’t work either so I guess taking the tint off is the only route to go. Thanks for watching!

[@jamesrather1510]

Don't rip out your VTCS. It's not a significant restriction, the shutters are active only during light load conditions, and you'll get rough idle at startup and a permanent CEL that tuners can no longer disable as a result of the US EPA ruling a few years ago. Leave it as is.

[@markedmediaa]

@@jamesrather1510 too late, as long as I have the module plugged in the CEL doesn’t come on. I just deal with a rougher cold start and I don’t have to pass emissions where I’m at. Thanks for watching!

[@TrueNookaKing]

Those are not gen 1 mazdaspeed 3 wheels, those are mazda 3 wheels. The tail lights are tech package tail light and are completely clear, and they are led, the led being the only thing that's red when you push the brake. The gauge cluster color for your car is red and blue for 2010 -2011, 2012 + got the white gauges with the updated information screen. Only 2013 got the big screen navigation, but in my opinion it's trash and you should get an enon head unit, it's amazing. If you feel your shifter is sloppy look into corksport shifter bushings. 2012 tech package red mica owner ❤ reporting in. Looking forward to future videos.

[@markedmediaa]

@@TrueNookaKing Thanks for watching! Yea I realized when I was editing that I said Mazdaspeed3 instead of Mazda3 wheels 🤦‍♂️ That’s interesting, I thought the red and white gauges were for the base model cars. I kind of figured the big screen was trash but it’d be easier to put in a CarPlay unit. Thanks for all the info though and I look forward to making more videos!

[@Flimina]

I’m soooo honrey rn 🤤🤤

[@electriccherry6090]

I love these cars, I got a new white one with 88k miles on it, did all the maintenance and it’s fully stock, plan on doing an intake and a tune here soon, how many miles/kilometers have you put on it since you owned it ? And has it been reliable ?

[@electriccherry6090]

Awesome vid btw

[@dmorris2587]

I am on my second one now. First one was basically full bolt on and tuned and very fast. I was younger and dumber and totaled it unfortunately. Back in February I bought another one. This one is totally stock and had 163k miles on it. Has it lived its entire life stock? I have no idea and probably not. Risky buy for sure but I test drove a bunch of gen2s and ended up with this gen1 because it felt overall better than all the others I drove even at such high mileage. So far I have put around 5k miles on it and it runs like a top. No issues. Including a two 4 hour trips that were all highway. Got just under 28mpg on that trip which is exactly what it is supposed to get on the highway. It also seems to burn very little to no oil so I figure it must be alright. Hope that gives you some piece of mind. I also don't drive it like a pissed off teenager. Sometimes I get into it because man you have to because these cars are so fun but I mostly drive it like an adult. I like to think that since I totaled one so many years ago that now this one is like an old dog or cat and I have adopted it so that it can live out its golden years with someone who will be nice to it and give it a good last leg of life.

[@markedmediaa]

I drove mine 3400km from Ontario to Alberta and the only “issue” I had was a rough idle when my boost temps got to 160F+, but it went away as soon as they cooled down. Both the speeds I’ve owned have been really reliable, but I did lots of preventative maintenance as soon as I got them. Enjoy the new car!

[@JohnKowalskyDrive]

How is it? Still awesome! Hey let me know if there's a difference with the wider turbo inlet pipe. I've read someone claimed 15whp more but I doubt it. Such a coincidence, I just ordered mine and it will arrive on friday. Can't have an open air filter here though(Law in Germany) Btw how do you set launch control? Wouldn't use it for launching personally, but it sounds nice the way it bounces off.

[@markedmediaa]

Thanks for watching! In the follow up video I’ll definitely let you know how the turbo inlet helps. You have to get it tuned if you put one in though, I’ve heard it’ll mess up the engine if you don’t. Launch control is also part of the tune that’s on the car and you can change it in the accessport. Cheers!

[@JohnKowalskyDrive]

@@markedmediaa I have a stage 1 tune, I'll check if it throws any codes.

[@EvoBeard]

@@JohnKowalskyDrive It won't throw codes, any air flow increase modifications messes with the AFR of the engine as the tables on the ECU doesn't account for the changes well, causing the engine to run lean (typically) which makes it go bye bye if pressed hard. Make sure you have upgraded HPFPI and your "stage 1 tune", is that via a local tuning company or via the Cobb Accessport? If it's via a local tuning company then get rid of it asap and get a proper tune via someone reputable in the platform with either Versatune or Cobb Accessport. Atenza Tuning is probably closest to you in Europe, and I think they E-tune, otherwise the guys in the US like Freektune, Will Dawson /PDTuning are your best bet as they know these platforms like no other, and even a crap low end tune can do bad things for these cars. Bigger TIP can make a decent difference, for comparison I made 300bhp then fitted a Mishimoto TIP and a CP-E TMIC, retuned and upped to 322bhp, so split that as you can, TIP did give some lovely turbo noises though. :D

[@JohnKowalskyDrive]

@@EvoBeard Just a question why are upgraded hpfp internals needed?

[@hallymoto3898]

@@JohnKowalskyDrivemakes them run lean as they’re already on their limits from factory. Even just an intake change needs hpfp internals.