Hi
I would like to no what upgrades i can do to my mx and the best places to get them from?
regards
Emma
Why would i need to have the wheels aligned as it is a new car?
I was thinking more along the lines of after market equipment, i.e grills, spoilers, skirts, mud guards, air diffusers, chrome roll bars, upgraded headlights, clear indicators, carbon fibre engine bits, what are the best engine upgrades, high lift cam, gas flowed head, bigger injectors, supercharger, turbo, air filter i.e replacement or typhoon induction or similar
Wanting to make my mx look more unique like i have with my rx8 [:)]
Regards
Emma
Because when Mazda import them into the UK they fit springs that are 30mm higher than the original design spec, but do not adjust the suspension alignment to suit this new (and dumb) setup - why it is done is a mystery as the claims it is to fit EU pedestrian safety regulations have been disproved.
There are two ways round this - either re-lower the car to its correct height using Eibach spring set or similar (which should recalibrate the alignment correctly automatically) or have a full geometry alignment done by Wheels in Motion or similar. Until that is done your car will not drive properly or fulfil its potential - mine felt pretty nervous at motorway speeds and the DCS warning light came on far too easily on cornering until it was re-aligned properly)
The cheapest approach is just getting alignment done (£100) but given it sounds like you have a budget to work with and are as concerned with looks as performance/safety, you will probably want to get it lowered with Eibachs, since the car looks considerably better lowered to original spec height (until then, the wheel arches look a bit 4x4 and gappy) - as a guide I got teh Eibach Springs, had them fitted and had the alignment completely calibrated for a total of £400.
It is definitely true to say that this is the best money that can be spent on a new Mk3. In terms of tinsel or tat to make it more ‘you’, check out MX-5 Parts from link above to see all the chrome options. In terms of performance and personalisation, I find the Mk3’s exhaust note a bit refined and quiet so you may want to consider a new sportier back box (around £400). In terms of handling, sway bar kits are usually high on people’s list. There is a Mazdaspeed intake (and a K&N) but I have not heard impressive reports on either.
Oh and if you hang on a few months, there is a new Cosworth supercharger kit if you feel financially and performance adventurous! (3K+, takes you to 200bhp)
Until then, you might want to just spend £20 on chrome heater control surrounds and enjoy a good country lane blast! ;o)
Thanks for the info [:)]
Can you recommend anywhere or know anyone that can recommend to me somewhere to have this done near where i live in Bristol?
Also do you have the make and part number to do the said job?
Regards
Emma
Hiya Emma - I don’t know anywhere near you, but if you contact Tony at Wheels in Motion (http://www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk/) he will probably know somewhere suitable closer to you than he is.
Was your car brand new? If so I have heard of people claiming the cost of re-alignment off the warranty once they have a readout from the alignment centre demonstrating it was not correctly aligned in first place. Also if it is new you will want the Eibachs fitted by a Mazda dealer probably to make sure it does not invalidate the warranty - you might want to check that out! Mazda do offer this as an option on cars so it is all above board as long as you use correct springs. There is a certain set of springs considered ‘official’ and I think they are dark blue.Personally I got these:
http://www.mx5parts.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/943
Hi Emma, With regards to wheel alignment the only place I know of around here Isn't that near, Its a Subaru specialist in Tewkesbury called Powerstation ( www.powerstation.org.uk ). I heard good things about them so as I was in the area working one day, I went for a chat. I don't want to sound like I'm on there marketing team so all I'll say is that when I get around to fitting my new suspension I'll be getting them to setup the geometry.
And with reference to upgrading your mk3...... Have you thought about selling it and getting a MK1, A supercharger or turbo kit and a brake upgrade? Personally I think that's the best upgrade anyone could make :) (Que the MK 2/2.5/3 owner retorts...... and MK1 owners nodding in agreement, LOL ).
Except the Mk1 isn’t as balanced and still wont brake as well, even with upgraded brakes ;o) (just fueling the fire here - I love both)
Any car I lower my ample ar$e into suddenly becomes unbalanced… But come on, Admit it, You wish you Had pop up headlights in your life… Your among friends here, Just admit it. 
Ooh I am not risking a £15k car on the track… I wish I had taken my Mk1 for a blast though - you always feel more relaxed thrashing a £1500 car! Interesting Youtube vid comparing Mk3 with Mk2 where they find that though the Mk3 has better chassis and more even 50/50 weight distribution, the back end skips out too easily in the wet and unexpectedly the Mk2 handles better. The conclusion is that the Mk3 has too much power comparatively (or rather that the Mk2 is underpowered to the perfect level where you don’t lose the back end throttling hard out of corners in the wet) So a stock MX-5 Mk1 or Mk2 shoudl be best handling, as I presume FI would also create this problem?
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XvZY5H-Xl0g&feature=related
Had pop-up lights - twice ;o) Not the feature I miss most from a Mk1 lol
You forgot to highlight the next word (which was the important one) = comparatively, ie compared to the Mk2.5 which has ten less bhp. And this is not my opinion - I am just paraphrasing them! I am not good enough a driver to give my own opinions on such matters, except I test drove a Mk2 and 2.5 around the time of getting my Mk3 and the 3 had considerably more oomph to my untrained seat-of-the-pants ;o)
Maybe they had been drinking? They certainly seem very excitable…
Hi Emma
If you have n RX8 as well then do the mods on that. Boingies on a Mk3 are compulsory as to what everyone else has said. The RX8 has many more options for upgrade - I had one with full Tein race suspension and various other bits - the Mk3 is a drivers car like the RX8 just without too many options for performance upgrades.
When I get my sport next year then it will be slung round a track as my RX8 and my Mk1 has been, it’s the only place to drive them properly.
If you want to play that much then maybe swap to a Mk2/2.5 as there are lots of options.
Just my 10p’s worth [;)]
To be honest, I wouldn’t risk a £15k car in a supermarket car park let alone a track, I’d be afraid of the careless ar$es swing there doors into it, Like they’ve done it to my MK1 over and over again… If I ever catch one of 'um, I think there head might get a door opened into it “Over and over again”…
Anyway, Yea, In 10 years there might be a thriving MK3 tuning culture, But its no way near the MK1/2/2.5 level yet, So mod the RX8 for now.