Hey,

So just signed up to the forum for some Intel gathering! Just a little background of my car history:

- 2010 FN2 Civic Type R: Kept this car the longest, but sold due to the inevitable depreciation once the new Type r came out
- 2008 MX5 Roadster Coupe: Had a fun few months of this but lack of space was becoming an issue!
- 2010 Audi A3 1.8TFSI Black Edition: Very good stable car with great mpg, but it was just a little... boring!

Now my current car is a 2005 EP3 Civic Type R Premier because I just wanted to see how it compared to the newer one really. It's a lot more fun to drive in my opinion but trade off is the lack of creature comforts!


So that's it! I'm now considering a MK2 Mazda 3 MPS as I want to chase a bit more power and felt a turbo car was the way to go. Plus it helps that cosmic grey premiers are demanding a small premium at the moment

I was actually considering to turbo the Civic but felt it would just be money lost if I ever decided to sell it, plus it's pretty much stock which is hard to come by these days! So my question is, any of the members gone from a EP3 to Mazda 3 MPS? How did you find it?


Also with regards to the mk1 to the mk2 Mazda 3 MPS, is there any reason to choose the mk1 over the mk2 besides preferring the styling of the mk1? I read somewhere some of the older Mazda 3 are better equipped as standard but I'm not sure if that's the MPS or other models?

Mk2 is solid choice. Comes with lots of kit as standard. Will be a different driving experience to the type R. When the turbo kicks in you get a kick of torque

Yeah totally different animal and style to drive, I'm also getting used to mine after having rev NA's or Tuned TDI's

Welcome to the club

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Finally Purchased May 2015- 3 MPS Mk1 Aero Facelift Crystal White Pearl~ Sure Aeros Intake and TIP/GReddy TI-C 3" Catback/Cobb AP v3/J-Tune Rev5/Autotech HPFP Internals/GFB TMS Respons BOV/Heko Wind Deflectors/Cobb Shift Knob/Torque Solutions Solid Shifter Bushings/Dewipered Rear window/Uprated Xenon's/HID Main/Interior LED Conversion/RallyFlapz and Plenty Purple Bits............ Made 317bhp (270whp) and 326lb/ft at the national meet May 2016 ****** Currently ZZB, Will rebuild over time

Welcome to the forum.

Completely different to your previous cars but a good choice. The mk1 imo is better looking but looks are subjective so it what you like. The mk2 doesnt feel as mad as the mk1 its allot more grown up. They are same engine etc. They both can easily achieve 300bhp if you ever wanted to mod and if you hang around in here for long you deffo will.

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Wisseco pistons, Manley h beam rods, Arp main stud kit, Arp head stud kit, Fidanza ali flywheel, Cpe Balance shaft delete, Damond Egr delete kit, Inlet manifold butterfly delete, Coolent bypass, Cpe injector seals, Htp 3" intake, Aem cone filter, Bnr stage4 turbocharger, Grimspeed 3port bcs, Bosch 3bar map sensor, Ngk 1 step colder, 3" catless downpipe, 2nd decat delete, Cxracing custom pipes, Treadstone tr8 fmic, Sure short shift kit, Mme solid shifter bushes, Custom 676g gear knob, Xspower manifold, Devils own meth injection, Forge recirc valve, Autotech hpfp, Jbr thermal intake gasket, Hel stainless lines, Rear defuser, jbr air dam, Mk2 alloys, Versatuner.

Yeh the only turbo car I have had was the Audi but that wasn't really a hot hatch!

When you say the MK2 is a lot more grown up, can you elaborate? Is the MK2 a facelift or a completely different chassis? Also is the torque steer really as bad as everyone makes it out to be in these cars? I have read that a rear engine mount and transmission mount does help the problem somewhat...

But yeh, if I do get one I doubt it will stay standard for long! From what I have seen on here so far, this is what I would get:
- Intake
- Exhaust
- Aftermarket Inter-cooler (haven't set my mind of a front mount or top mount)
- Accessport V3

No idea what sort of power it will be pushing after all that! I'm also guessing a new fuel pump will be needed according to the Cobbs website...

I've had my mk 2 for 2 months nearly, and they are very nice to drive around normally and I was pleasantly surprised with the fuel usage if you can keep your foot off the loud pedal. I'm getting 22.7mpg city driving. I went to my parents in Bedfordshire at Christmas and it cost me 25 quid to get there, which is about 175 miles. However, once you put your foot down its a different story. You'll be holding on with both hands! Just got fuel pump internals and a Cobb v3 and it has changed the lower gears completely, the limiting done by the ECU can feel overbearing when you first spank it in the lower gears but even an off the shelf Cobb remap sorts that out, so I can't wait for a custom map and a few more mods for 300bhp.

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Autotech internals // HTP 3" Full Intake // CP-E Top Mount // Stoptech Rotors/Pads // HEL braided lines // Corksport Hood Scoop // Cobb AP v3 // GFB Respons // Bilstein B12 Pro Kit // Whiteline Rarb and links // 4" Custom Tips // CFM 9 Peg Army // VVT done at Young Motors // J-Tuned

I see so many people mentioning the fuel pump internals! Is the stock one really that bad? I've never done anything with fuel pumps before so I am a bit put off about the thought of needing to change it for just a stage 1 or 2 remap!

So answering a few questions in sequence here..

Yes the chassis is different on the mk2. For the mk2 you have a considerable upgrade in the steel used to provide a significant increase in torsional stiffness. The suspension arms are also lighter and stiffer. The anti roll bars are the same, but the mk2 has much better dampers and slightly stiffer springs than the mk1 aero. The mk1 non-aero only differs in chassis terms in that it doesn't have the eibach springs fitted as standard.

The MPS doesn't really torque steer at all. Another myth propagated by thicko journo's who don't know the difference from kickback. The MPS (like the FRS) has a mechanical LSD so you can get very good front end grip if you fit a suitably stiff rear ARB (the OE one is far too soft) and decent tyres.

The engines are very similar but not exactly the same. The ECU on the mk2 is derived from a Volvo product and is significantly more complex than the mk1. This is normally a good thing, but there is one issue in that when you modify the car, the map on the mk2 tends to add fuel cut to manage det (which would be right for a stock car) but can lead to issues if you're putting more demand on the high pressure fuel pump. The stock part is perfect for the stock car, but if you mod a mk2 it's just one thing you add to the parts list. It's the same pump as you would use on the VAG engines. It's an easy job so don't worry!

As for kit, the mk2 has more than the mk1 - dual HID adaptive front lights, heated windscreen, RVM etc..

Not that i'm biased or anything, what with having my mk2 up for sale...!..

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Remember; The most important nut is the one holding the steering wheel

ah hey james! funny enough it is your car that I spotted on here and autotrader that got me looking into these cars more! unfortunately I am not even in the country at the moment until around May time so won't even be able to sell up my car till around then! Highly doubt your motor will still be around :(

thanks for clearing some things up for me! I think I remembered what I meant with regards to the kit, I remember before when I was looking at the MK2 sport model, the facelift ones I believe with the double din touch screen sat nav came with missing features such as keyless entry... although I didnt know that it had HID and RVM or the heated windscreen (I had that in a focus ghia which was a godsend on icy mornings! always thought it was just a ford feature though). Are all these standard or optional extras?

Been watching a fair few mod install guides on youtube of Cobb parts, and the fair straight forward bolt on parts are making me want the car more and more...

I would highly recommend signing up the forum as full paid member as it will give you access to mountains of more info and insight..

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Finally Purchased May 2015- 3 MPS Mk1 Aero Facelift Crystal White Pearl~ Sure Aeros Intake and TIP/GReddy TI-C 3" Catback/Cobb AP v3/J-Tune Rev5/Autotech HPFP Internals/GFB TMS Respons BOV/Heko Wind Deflectors/Cobb Shift Knob/Torque Solutions Solid Shifter Bushings/Dewipered Rear window/Uprated Xenon's/HID Main/Interior LED Conversion/RallyFlapz and Plenty Purple Bits............ Made 317bhp (270whp) and 326lb/ft at the national meet May 2016 ****** Currently ZZB, Will rebuild over time

What sections are hidden to non paid members? seems pretty conclusive as it is now!

Lots...

to the club btw

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Now Sold...Mk1 3 MPS Aero Facelift;-Corksport Stage 2 SRI+TIP//Forge BPV V2//Custom 2nd Cat & Resonator Delete//Cp-e REM 60a//SF Ssp//Kinugawa Banjo Bolt//Rear Tints//6k H-Lights//L.E.D.S//Shell Helix Ultra 5W 40//K&N Oil Filter//Goodyear Eagle f1 asymmetric 3's//

*Gone but not forgotten; moist silver mazda 6 mps*

**Winners only do what losers dont**

Just looking at your initial list, you've missed an hpfp.
They're regarded as pretty mug needed before any remappy jiggery pokery :p
Welcome to the forum and let us know how it pans out

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Mazda 6 MPS
Mazda 6 MPS
Mazda 6 MPS

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Edge 2016 Groupbuy #2 - viewtopic.php?f=84&t=24079

Hi and welcome OP to MPSOC

James pretty much nails it here, the mkii feels a bit more polished to drive purely because the upgrades to the chassis, but in performance terms the difference is minimal and if anything the mki a tad quicker in a straight line.

I'm an ex Honda nut hmwho came over to the turbo dark side, the MPS is pretty much the opposite of the Honda's for the road manners it has.
The MPS is a great drive but more a sledgehammer that is needs to be man handled around bends and has fantastic in gear grunt where as the civic is a lightweight scalpel you would thread through bends with a bit more finesse.

But as a daily the Mazda is head and shoulders above my old EP3's and FN2's, it's comfy, has a boatload of kit and the instant pick up and go in gear shove means you barely need to rev them to get going.

I'd recommend test driving a few to see if you like the MPS

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New motor - 2015 Mazda 2 Skyactiv 115 Sport Nav
Previous motor - 2010 Mazda 3 MPS running BNR S3 Snail and the usual bolt ons.