burnsmz wrote:Ok, my 2008.5 MS3 has about 4K miles on it and I feel like adding a little kick to the beast. I see that SU has a deal on motor mount and shift bearings for $140
(www.streetunit.com/MAZDA3_Engine_Mount_and_Solid_Shifter_Spacers_p/su30.htm). What's the latest feedback people have on these? Is this a good package deal, or are there others I should look at. Does the 08.5 speed really need a new motor mount, I though I heard that they had modified the mount for .5 (I could be totally wrong)
The SU motor mount is awesome! You will definitely love it, and the vibrations are not terrible. The Shift Bushings are also awesome! Makes the shifter feel more connected and less vague. Its also a great price for both, something you should definitely get. And Mazda said they fixed the mount for '08s and that was discovered to be BS, so your .5 may very well be plauged by a bad mount, but there is currently no replacement for that mount. There are some being designed, but none available to my knowledge.
burnsmz wrote:More specifically I am really getting sick of the messy gearbox and may look into a short throw here shortly. I have heard some good things about the COBB but how does the TMW compare? What else should I look at? But I understand you want the shift bearings for the Cobb; will the SU work with it?
A short shifter is also a must IMO. I have the Cobb SS and its fing sweet! Its a bit complicated in comparision to the bare bones TWM piece, but it is worth the extra money. You get the option of adjusting both shift throw, and height. And even at its lowest setting, its not as obnoxiously low as the TWM. IMO the TWM is way to low. Shift bearings? I'm not sure what you mean there.
burnsmz wrote:Finally, I'm still looking at other mods for the ms3, and if you have any suggestions on what else to look at I would be very interested. The car is stock as of now, and my first install was going to be the MS CAI but I may soon be moving someplace with heavy rain and I don’t want to risk the hydrolock on a puddle. I’m also trying to keep the warranty good for a little while which means no drastic changes.
The MS CAI was just re-released by Mazda after the original piece would tend to pop otherwise good motors. Make sure you buy a brand new one, and not a used one if you do. If you choose another intake, i would heavily suggest the Cobb SF Intake. Its a terrific intake that you will never, ever have to worry about hydrolock. The Cobb piece would only void you warranty if the dealer decided to blame a major problem with the car on the intake. Most dealears won't care, and IMO if the intake is instaled properly it would never cause any problems at all.
