So before I go on, I just want to lay out my plans. I'm not going extreme, just subtle as this Mazda 3 GT is my daily driver and I don't need something totally off the hook.
So...
On the day I picked up my new ride.
Winter setup...
Summer setup...
Just picked up my summer wheels and had them installed. Wheel shop discovered FAST wheels made a mistake in their math, as the guys had to use a pair of 3mm wheel spacers for the front end as the wheels/tires did not have enough clearance.
Mario at Bodykit Warehouse had to call them and notify them of this minor issue. Hated having to wait a month for these wheels, but so worth the wait.
You can pick up a wheel with your pinky finger! Wish I had taken a picture to show you guys.
Love these wheels! As soon as it came out of the garage, I was over the moon. One of the guys had to get pictures of my car, as I am the first of their customers with these wheels. And they were amazed at how well these wheels look, especially on a black car.
So before I go on, I just want to lay out my plans. I'm not going extreme, just subtle as this Mazda 3 GT is my daily driver and I don't need something totally off the hook.
Love these wheels! As soon as it came out of the garage, I was over the moon. One of the guys had to get pictures of my car, as I am the first of their customers with these wheels. And they were amazed at how well these wheels look, especially on a black car.
I whole-heartedly agree with the guys at your shop. Your choice of summer wheels looks really sharp!
I'm curious, did the steelies that you run for your winter set-up come stock? (I ask because here in the US, only the 2.0L SV and iSport trims come with stock steelies, and your car is a GT trim level.)
Mazda gave them to me with free winter tires. Which were absolute crap! I soled them off, and am using my 17" MSRs from the Lancer I had as winter wheels.
The 2.0L M3 I test drove did not have steel wheels. It came with 16" alloys. I did not bother to ask which trim level, but I know on the most basic, you get steelies up here.
First shop I was going to was advertising ceramic tint for $350. No one answered their phone, no one returned my calls or emails to book an appointment, so they were out.
Next shop was one I dealt with before. They booked 4 cars in at the same time (9 am) and none of the employees showed up. Myself and the three other customers all left by 10:30.
Finally found a shop behind where I work and they were done within 3 hours.
20% tint all around $250 and change.
Very pleased with the results and came with a lifetime warranty.
I knew these subs would pound when turned up, but...DAMN!! Love the bass on these things. Felt like the car was going to fall apart!
:grin2::grin2::grin2::grin2:
A friend called me a 32 year old child. And she is right!!
Absolutely happy!:grin2:
So I started having a shimmying/vibration sound coming from the front end of my car in June. I thought it was the brakes but they turned up fine. It crossed my mind that it could be the 3mm wheel spacers, so I checked in with Bodykit warehouse and we talked, came to the conclusion that this was the problem and had them taken off. So far so good, no vibration or shimmying. I will have to grind down the back of the centre caps as they don't sit flush with the wheel hub, and they stick out in the wheel. No big deal, I will get that done in October when I switch up the winter tires/wheels. So anybody who is thinking of wheel spacers, just give you heads up they might not work.
The frame looks cheap, but its all I had as the anti-tamper license plate screws nearly slipped through the license plate holes, so I needed something to temporary keep it in place until I get some better ones.
As for the vibrations from the wheel spacers, I figured out the problem was they were not hub centric and there were 5 stud slots plus a few extra cut outs, so even when they were bolted into place, they still moved.
So what I am going to do is talk to my boss about using the EDM wire machine and the CNC to make up a set of proper wheel spacers and try again next spring.
Got the mud flaps installed. As I said in another thread, I was surprised that they did not stick out more. I like these as they nearly tuck in and that they do their job as I work in two construction sites so there is ALOT of road debris flying around.
So I got the grille, emblems, and the lower window trim plastidipped today.
Just have to get touch ups in a few spots and get the fog light rings dipped as well. Have to admit it makes the car look better.
I will admit I did not do this myself. I do not have the patience and time to do it myself, so I paid someone to do it. The guy told me he has experimented using plastidip on other mechanical parts of cars, so he showed me the brake calipers of a scrap car he has, along with putting the stuff on headers, manifolds, etc, just to see what it will work on. And yes he does this as part of his detailing, auto mechanic, powder coating business. His car is also plastidipped, an older Subaru WRX.
I will get more pictures tomorrow of the whole car.
A$$clown clipped my left front today. Staying in my lane turning right and the loser swerves into me! Of course I have him on camera so that is FINALLY paying itself off. Clear proof he's at fault!
In the picture with the arrows and circle, I noticed there is a hole in my bumper. I am wondering if that happened because it was a glancing hit?
And sadly I will need a new headlight. I have a piece of the clear housing in my car. I pulled it out from between the bumper and the light.
I also find it total irony on two fronts. (1) The article from Car & Driver on their long term test of the Mazda3 Hatchback mentioned one of their guys had an accident and had to replace the bumper, and (2) I was hit by another Mazda.
Hopefully my insurance will not skyrocket because I live in the worst city in Canada for insurance claims. But knowing how things work, my insurance will go up to $200 a month. And I am praying I do not get a Honda Fit/Toyota Yaris as a rental. I already told my insurance I cannot physically fit in those two tiny cars, and the Mazda2 is no better. I have tried and failed.
So I got the JBR OCC installed yesterday. Thanks to Steve at Tess Auto who took the time and got it in perfectly.
Steve did not use the supplied hose in the JBR kit, he used the PCV hose in the car, attached it and as he said, no real issues with it. And he did not locate the drain hose to the underside of the car as the splash shield was in the way. He just left the drain switch attached to the catch can so I can reach in and drain it instead of crawling underneath the car.
As we talked, he agreed that the DI motors need a catch can installed, and he had done this work before. So if anyone in the GTA need one installed, go to Tess Auto in Toronto, and you will not be disappointed.
So I took the opportunity to start sound deadening my car. Started in the trunk for now. Did two layers on the floor and one on the wheel wells. I plan on adding another layer on the sides next Saturday.
Took 4 hours to do this and I used 25 sq ft of the 100 sq ft from Fat Mat. Looks like I will need to get more sound deadening if I do the roof.
Roof is done. I might add a second layer later this year.
Not easy removing the trim pieces, headliner. Had to gut the trunk again to do the roof. Also slapped a few pieces behind the speakers on the C-Pillar.
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