great review mate. It's hard to understand why car reviewers like you get so little views despite the effort and time you put into your videos. keep them going👍
Hey I’m a fellow turbo 3 owner to! I took my car to the track as well I have mods done to my car mainly much better tires I was running continental extreme contacts still all seasons but leagues above stock and they were 225s instead of 215s. Front strut bar, corksport axleback and corksport intake. I’d highly recommend all these mods on this car honestly. As you mentioned tires and brakes are this cars biggest weakness as I experienced as well. Different tires helped a lot and so did the front strut bar. The intake is mainly for sound but the axleback I found helped me figure out what the car was doing from sound I used the Paddle shifters. You can also turn all the safety features off on the car by pushing one of the buttons so TC doesn’t interfere. I’ve also dragged the car once. It’s a fun car definitely is and can’t wait for more people to take it out! Great video
You forgot the most important thing. Go at least 7 pounds higher on fronts than rears. You re very welcome .Divine intervention. A Christmas card would be nice.
I'm genuinely surprised the brakes didn't fade into oblivion by lap 4. Well done Mazda! And to be fair, they don't market this car as anything but a faster Mazda 3, and it is just that.
I've been combing RUclips for track day experience reviews of the Mazda 3 Turbo. I started looking way back in February '22, when I ordered mine. I'm past 5k miles now and am really happy to have found your video. Subscribed!
I have one in machine metallic grey with the corksport 83mm Corksport cat-back exhaust and the JB4 tune computer. It makes around 300 horsepower and is super fun. It's a 2023 and I've already gotten significant wear on the OEM Bridgestone Turanza tires. I plan on getting new wheels and tires soon. Super sweet car. I've kept up with Maserati's in the knobs (mountains) near me and absolutely love this car.
I took my M3T to an autocross event. Bone stock. The trainers loved it, and I shaved a dozen seconds off my initial time after 3 runs. I'm sure with the ExtremeContacts replacing the Bridgestones she'll do much better next time. Next mods are going to be cosmetic (wrap, and full black out). Then, it's on to better brakes!
yep, I just did the same about a month ago, although I wasn't bonestock. I had extreme contacts 225's, rear sway bar, the 80mm cat back from corksport and the "not too low" springs from them as well. Handled amazingly and I ended up taking off ~15+ seconds through my 3 runs. I was definitely taking it easy on the first run as I just put the springs and swaybar on the night before but I still had a ton of time left to shave off.
I would love to see someone trsting the turbo 3 with propper summer tires. I also drive a turbo 3 and the tires were my first complain. The all seasons that comes woth the 3 are meant for electric and hybrid vehicles, so very little grip.
I just bought a Mazda 3, picking it up tomorrow. I love the car and the test drive, but one thing that worries me is the torsion beam. When driving at high speeds and switching lanes aggressively, it really was worrying to see the rear wiggle back and forth, but that was my only critique. Is this something that is noticeable/annoying over time? I used to drive a 22 civic sport and had no issue with this, but overall I like the Mazda more
This car rips in downhills on mountains yet i find myself not having enough power to run the uphill competitively enough without feeling like i was playing catch up on every corner/ flat spot i could. Been seeing tons of these things in the ca touge scene
This is the coolest video about the mazda3 I’ve seen on RUclips. I was on the fence about buying one of these and this pretty much sold me completely. How has your soul red paint held up? I’ve read some have had problems with chipping. Do you have PPF on your car?
Wow! I would’ve come along to be your water boy! Elevation and Eau Rouge aside, it reminds me of Spa with the scenery and chicanes. Well done, Jimmy! A track day if in my bucket list. But let me get ahold of a Miata first 🥹
@@carlosvera6780 the 3 isn’t designed for the track so extra cooling could help especially in warmer climates. I don’t think it’ll out right fail, but it could see it overheating during longer sessions on hot days.
That's I'm saying this car is being overlooked I think with proper suspension and stickier tires probaby rear sway bar for more rotation to take advantage for that power on exit.
Nice job! Looks like a fun track. I just did some charity laps in my 2018 hatch last weekend at VIR and had a blast. Looking forward to doing it some more.
Ok be honest, when you saw that Acura TL pass your first thought was "ok, as soon as I get home I'm going to order some coilovers, big brake kit, pilot sport tires and a flash tune"...right?😂
7:10 The track you used looked smooth. The torsion beam suspension WILL make itself known if you hit a mid-corner bump. These situations unsettle the rear and it takes a fraction of a second too long for the chassis to regain composure. Haven't even taken my 3 to the track yet, and just from street driving I can already feel the rear suspension's limitations.
Thanks for the help in understanding if it was worth it to pick one up for $500 off this guy. I'll definitely be doing it now even if it is gonna be a couple of years max before I can race it
Mazda 3 AWD feels like the AE86. An economy grocery getter car that can go fast and has sliding potential. The only difference is the weight of being an AWD and an Automatic.
This car is not for the track. Too many reasons. No LSD, Too soft, Small brakes, Torsion rear(no adjusments), AWD is not sport orientated, Heavy for that type of car, Unexcited engine etc etc. Its a very good comfortable street car with some good chasis for the street. Thats it. Better ti buy old 3 and put mods. Older 3`s with 2.5 N/A engine can go as fast with some tune and mods. They are lighter and overall more edgy. The N/A engine revs and sounds better. There are tunes/mods to up to 200+hp and rev to 7000 rpm`s. You clearly dont understand what fun track car is. No one will buy this 3 for track days. Waste of money. Not to mention that i30n/Elantra will make circles around this Mazda. Dont get me wrong i drive Mazda 6 and my next car will be Mazda 3 2.5 FWD i like tis cars for the street with some mods. But this is not track cars.
LOL! Do the best you can with what you have! I tracked a 2007 Dodge Charger, V6/AWD. Suspension mods, intake/exhaust/tune, better brake pads and fluid, Sumitomo HTR ZIII tires. Ran a 2-minute lap time at Mid Ohio. Also ran a track day in the rain at NJMSP on Thunderbolt. I was passing people I had no business passing, but I had the grip and AWD! Fun times! Kudos to Jimmy Mak for having FUN! Enjoy! I am also familiar with the sound of tires screaming in agony- upgrade the tires (Nitto 555's might be good) as well as the brake pads. Hi-Temp brake fluid might be needed if you still get brake fade with better pads. You will learn so much more about what you and your car are capable of in this kind of setting. You WILL be a better driver for it.
I agree for the most part. This car does feel sporty enough for everyday driving for it to be fun. But it is also very comfortable as well. This car is for people who a very comfortable daily driver that still a bit of sporty and fun to drive. Not a true hot hatchback. Honestly this car handles pretty well even with the torsion beam rear, but it still has it limits.
Just because it wasn't built with the intention of being a track car, doesn't mean it can't be one lol The best track cars are the ones that are most reliable and get you the most track time without issues, and it turns out, low HP economy cars do this extremely well
@@veselingramatikov we heard with GVC plus and torsion beam the 4 gen is more mobile for the rear than the 3 gen . In thailand 3 and 4 gen have the 2 liter 165 HP , the difference is only chassis
great review mate. It's hard to understand why car reviewers like you get so little views despite the effort and time you put into your videos. keep them going👍
Appreciate it! Just gotta keep at it
100% agreed. his videos need to be shared on reddit and forums!
Hey I’m a fellow turbo 3 owner to! I took my car to the track as well I have mods done to my car mainly much better tires I was running continental extreme contacts still all seasons but leagues above stock and they were 225s instead of 215s. Front strut bar, corksport axleback and corksport intake. I’d highly recommend all these mods on this car honestly. As you mentioned tires and brakes are this cars biggest weakness as I experienced as well. Different tires helped a lot and so did the front strut bar. The intake is mainly for sound but the axleback I found helped me figure out what the car was doing from sound I used the Paddle shifters. You can also turn all the safety features off on the car by pushing one of the buttons so TC doesn’t interfere. I’ve also dragged the car once. It’s a fun car definitely is and can’t wait for more people to take it out! Great video
Thanks for commenting! That’s awesome to hear. Sound mods are needed to ensure you can use those paddle shifters, I couldn’t hear a thing! Lol
You forgot the most important thing. Go at least 7 pounds higher on fronts than rears. You re very welcome .Divine intervention. A Christmas card would be nice.
@@joeryan1160can u explain further pls
Did the 225's fit on your stock wheels?
Did you ever get it tuned for the intake. Just wondering if it’s needed.
Great idea to take this car to the track. Mazda should love that it did so well, especially on All-Seasons, regular pads and no special fluid changes.
For sure!
I'm genuinely surprised the brakes didn't fade into oblivion by lap 4. Well done Mazda! And to be fair, they don't market this car as anything but a faster Mazda 3, and it is just that.
I've been combing RUclips for track day experience reviews of the Mazda 3 Turbo. I started looking way back in February '22, when I ordered mine. I'm past 5k miles now and am really happy to have found your video. Subscribed!
I have one in machine metallic grey with the corksport 83mm Corksport cat-back exhaust and the JB4 tune computer. It makes around 300 horsepower and is super fun. It's a 2023 and I've already gotten significant wear on the OEM Bridgestone Turanza tires. I plan on getting new wheels and tires soon. Super sweet car. I've kept up with Maserati's in the knobs (mountains) near me and absolutely love this car.
Was thinking about the jb4 in mine, is the install pretty simple?
I took my M3T to an autocross event. Bone stock. The trainers loved it, and I shaved a dozen seconds off my initial time after 3 runs. I'm sure with the ExtremeContacts replacing the Bridgestones she'll do much better next time. Next mods are going to be cosmetic (wrap, and full black out). Then, it's on to better brakes!
yep, I just did the same about a month ago, although I wasn't bonestock. I had extreme contacts 225's, rear sway bar, the 80mm cat back from corksport and the "not too low" springs from them as well. Handled amazingly and I ended up taking off ~15+ seconds through my 3 runs. I was definitely taking it easy on the first run as I just put the springs and swaybar on the night before but I still had a ton of time left to shave off.
I would love to see someone trsting the turbo 3 with propper summer tires. I also drive a turbo 3 and the tires were my first complain. The all seasons that comes woth the 3 are meant for electric and hybrid vehicles, so very little grip.
Love it! Cheers from a 3rd gen owner
Thanks for stopping by!
I just bought a Mazda 3, picking it up tomorrow. I love the car and the test drive, but one thing that worries me is the torsion beam. When driving at high speeds and switching lanes aggressively, it really was worrying to see the rear wiggle back and forth, but that was my only critique. Is this something that is noticeable/annoying over time? I used to drive a 22 civic sport and had no issue with this, but overall I like the Mazda more
This car rips in downhills on mountains yet i find myself not having enough power to run the uphill competitively enough without feeling like i was playing catch up on every corner/ flat spot i could. Been seeing tons of these things in the ca touge scene
The stock tune is what’s probably holding your power back. Highly recommend to get tuned and fix that issue
Pretty cool. Keep up the good work
Thank you! I certainly will
keeping it in auto and keeping traction control on is insane but cool vid
This is the coolest video about the mazda3 I’ve seen on RUclips. I was on the fence about buying one of these and this pretty much sold me completely. How has your soul red paint held up? I’ve read some have had problems with chipping. Do you have PPF on your car?
I got the full front end ppf cause Mazda has thin paint.
Wow! I would’ve come along to be your water boy!
Elevation and Eau Rouge aside, it reminds me of Spa with the scenery and chicanes.
Well done, Jimmy! A track day if in my bucket list. But let me get ahold of a Miata first 🥹
Nah just take whatever! It’s so much more fun in a stock car because there are zero expectations.
@@JimmyMak 2007 CRV? I’ll wait for my Miata, thanks 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@carloscanizares4699 perfect automobile! It has a k24 and Vtec what else do you need? Lol
I'd love to see you return with sticky tires and better brakes.
Me too! I would love to try.
What’s your opinion about the transmission performance in a track day? Do you think that it will work okey or it will break/fail?
@@carlosvera6780 the 3 isn’t designed for the track so extra cooling could help especially in warmer climates. I don’t think it’ll out right fail, but it could see it overheating during longer sessions on hot days.
That's I'm saying this car is being overlooked I think with proper suspension and stickier tires probaby rear sway bar for more rotation to take advantage for that power on exit.
Great review.
Appreciate it!
Nice job! Looks like a fun track. I just did some charity laps in my 2018 hatch last weekend at VIR and had a blast. Looking forward to doing it some more.
Ok be honest, when you saw that Acura TL pass your first thought was "ok, as soon as I get home I'm going to order some coilovers, big brake kit, pilot sport tires and a flash tune"...right?😂
@@jbm0866 just need better tires! That alone would have helped lots.
As a NYer I can tell immediately when someone is Canadian if they say Mazda.
7:10 The track you used looked smooth. The torsion beam suspension WILL make itself known if you hit a mid-corner bump. These situations unsettle the rear and it takes a fraction of a second too long for the chassis to regain composure. Haven't even taken my 3 to the track yet, and just from street driving I can already feel the rear suspension's limitations.
I have one and I can second this I don't even know if sway bars are the play... for like backroad driving togue ts
Is this on 2014 to 2018 models as well?
@@TheSleepyMechanic0524 No. Gen 3 had independent rear suspension. Mazda moved to a torsion beam to fit the AWD system on Gen 4.
Thanks for the help in understanding if it was worth it to pick one up for $500 off this guy. I'll definitely be doing it now even if it is gonna be a couple of years max before I can race it
If you ever get a chance, go to streets if willow in Ca, very technical track which allows my mazda3 to complete with higher hp
Would love to. Always wanted to go to Willow and Laguna Seca but it’s like a 18 hour drive for me hahah
Do you have the track times of all the finishes?
As a wheel 2 wheel racecar driver, welcome to the club of being broke for the rest of your life, track life!
Oh I know it!
Would an auto be ok too?
Mazda 3 AWD feels like the AE86. An economy grocery getter car that can go fast and has sliding potential. The only difference is the weight of being an AWD and an Automatic.
Give us more input on it's handling dynamics please!
I want to take the Mazda 3 out again next year with better tires to see how well it does. When I do I'll be sure to post my findings.
Good video 👍
You gotta power slide them comers lol
No it is not. But still a great car. Needs new brakes and suspension. That 6 spd auto is such a bummer too. Needs a manual and/or fast 8spd
Dude, you're just coasting on the track, not going for laptime.
Really cheifin on that vape
'Mauz'-da or 'Mat-su-da'. Never 'Maaz'-da.
This car is not for the track. Too many reasons. No LSD, Too soft, Small brakes, Torsion rear(no adjusments), AWD is not sport orientated, Heavy for that type of car, Unexcited engine etc etc. Its a very good comfortable street car with some good chasis for the street. Thats it. Better ti buy old 3 and put mods. Older 3`s with 2.5 N/A engine can go as fast with some tune and mods. They are lighter and overall more edgy. The N/A engine revs and sounds better. There are tunes/mods to up to 200+hp and rev to 7000 rpm`s. You clearly dont understand what fun track car is. No one will buy this 3 for track days. Waste of money. Not to mention that i30n/Elantra will make circles around this Mazda. Dont get me wrong i drive Mazda 6 and my next car will be Mazda 3 2.5 FWD i like tis cars for the street with some mods. But this is not track cars.
LOL! Do the best you can with what you have! I tracked a 2007 Dodge Charger, V6/AWD. Suspension mods, intake/exhaust/tune, better brake pads and fluid, Sumitomo HTR ZIII tires. Ran a 2-minute lap time at Mid Ohio. Also ran a track day in the rain at NJMSP on Thunderbolt. I was passing people I had no business passing, but I had the grip and AWD! Fun times!
Kudos to Jimmy Mak for having FUN! Enjoy! I am also familiar with the sound of tires screaming in agony- upgrade the tires (Nitto 555's might be good) as well as the brake pads. Hi-Temp brake fluid might be needed if you still get brake fade with better pads. You will learn so much more about what you and your car are capable of in this kind of setting. You WILL be a better driver for it.
I agree for the most part. This car does feel sporty enough for everyday driving for it to be fun. But it is also very comfortable as well. This car is for people who a very comfortable daily driver that still a bit of sporty and fun to drive. Not a true hot hatchback. Honestly this car handles pretty well even with the torsion beam rear, but it still has it limits.
Just because it wasn't built with the intention of being a track car, doesn't mean it can't be one lol
The best track cars are the ones that are most reliable and get you the most track time without issues, and it turns out, low HP economy cars do this extremely well
@@RossomeSauce1 older gen 3`s are better for this.
@@veselingramatikov we heard with GVC plus and torsion beam the 4 gen is more mobile for the rear than the 3 gen . In thailand 3 and 4 gen have the 2 liter 165 HP , the difference is only chassis
Your English is great 👍 are you esl?