Bought a grinning idiot and joined the hot hatch club - Aaron's Mazdaspeed3

[Rygar]

The car is made in Japan so I avoided the USDM forum

I've been considering replacing my Mazda3 for about a year but I had no idea what to get as a replacement. I've probably posted a few times around here about what to get as a second car.

Mazdaspeed3 was a contender - I had looked at a few and test driven a 2012. I also considered an FRS, WRX, a 2014 Mazda3 or getting another JDM. Basically I'd look at anything neat in the price range of a 2014 Mazda3, so I'd go on Autotrader and surf away from time to time.

Found this 2010 on Kijiji - tech package was standard in 2010, wasn't a necessity but a nice bonus. Being sold by the original owner, it has been winter stored since he got it, and he was selling at a very good price IMO. He gave me the entire service history, and a few extra tidbits of information (like a non-factory alignment that will avoid eating the tires like the factory specs do). Met the guy and he was a definite car guy and he loved his car. He was also a clean freak so that helped

He was also exceptionally accommodating and I had the car looked over at Halifax Autosport with Agency and it came back with minimal to no issues so I pulled the trigger.

Very happy with it! I do feel a bit bad that it is going to see winter time....

And yes it does look like a grinning idiot.

[rhdgc8]

Nice pick up! I see a lot of those around Moncton, they must be a good reliable car. Whats your plans?

[Rygar]

Thanks, I have always liked the Speed3s, and finding this one so well looked after was almost too good to be true lol.

No plans yet other than to winterize the heck out of it - there is a control arm and another part underneath I need get the rust off and repaint, nothing major. Then undercoat and Krown treatment which pains me a bit to drill holes into it...

I might put an intake cone on it, more for the sound than anything else, but in truth I am a fan of stock. Same attitude with my Evo V.

[bgalway]

nice car, only let down is fwd.

[Rygar]

nice car, only let down is fwd.

Haha, thanks!

It's not so bad, not much fun in the winter but fun enough overall.

[rhdgc8]

Ya awd speed3 would be sick!

[jdmvip]

Nice buy Rygar but did you snub the JDM Subaru for the sake of EVO?
Seriously though it is an unusually clean local car and I love the front end especially the scoop.

[Rygar]

Ya awd speed3 would be sick!

Rumour has it the next one is going to be AWD.

[Rygar]

Nice buy Rygar but did you snub the JDM Subaru for the sake of EVO?
Seriously though it is an unusually clean local car and I love the front end especially the scoop.

Once you go Mitsubishi you don't go Subaru

I have a rusty control arm to clean up before undercoating, but other than that it's all good.

[rhdgc8]

Rumour has it the next one is going to be AWD.

Oh really? Now that will be a big seller.