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Mazdaspeed test drives

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  • roadburnerroadburner Member Posts: 17,348
    Does anyone know if you can purchase all season tires for this car, and if so where?

    The Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S is available in the 215/45ZR18 size. Tire Rack has them for $131 each. Mazda calls for a Y speed rated tire, but a Z rated tire should suffice unless you intend to track the car. I don't plan to drive my MS3 in icy/snowy conditions, but if I did I would buy a set of winter tires mounted on aftermarket wheels. It only takes @45 minutes to swap them over, and the increased capability in the nasty stuff is well worth the trouble, IMHO.

    Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive

  • tiff_ctiff_c Member Posts: 531
    Hey, I am very interested in purchasing the new Mazdaspeed 3. I've realized though that it comes with 18 inch summer tires. Does anyone know if you can purchase all season tires for this car, and if so where? I think they only way to drive the car in the winter would be to buy winter tires for the car, which would be an unfortunate pain. Any input would be helpful.

    A friend of mine is a Mazda salesman and while we usually hang out and watch Top Gear when he's not busy and I have some free time. I have thought about trading in my WRX on the Speed3. Bottom line, if you want it you will NEED snows if you live in Upper mass or New hampshire or any of the snowbelt areas. I run Nokian WR's on the WRX for winter basically that's November to early May. No idea what I would have to run on a Speed3 but maybe Nokian RSi's since it has all that torque. I don't think you will need anything but Nokian WR's unless you are upstate New York, or upper NH or Maine. They are a great all season tire, no idea about FWD tho, but they have the snowflake rating. The RSi's are better but wear out faster on dry pavement. My Rex loves the Nokians! Don't use all seasons in the Summer :confuse:
  • scoobastevescoobasteve Member Posts: 3
    Since I'm poor, but will need to buy snow tires for my MSP3 GT, I'll be buying 215/55-16 Blizzak WS-60 snow tires on black steel wheels for the winter. It won't look pretty, but it will get the job done. I'm going to buy them through Tirerack, $624.00.

    I just joined so I know I'm late for most of this discussion. I test drove a MSP3 way back in February or March of 07. The dealership had no problem with me taking it out. I didn't end up buying it at that time. In July, I was driving by the same dealership and they had a Cosmic Blue GT in their used car section. I pulled in and again was allowed to drive the car without any trouble. I got a good deal and bought it on the spot. It had 10K miles on it and was fully loaded except for the Nav system. I even got them to install Sirius for free :)

    Hey aviboy97, I live in CT and bought my Speed3 in Hartford. Where do you work?
  • rsalyerdsrsalyerds Member Posts: 1
    I went to an imports dealer in Hamilton NJ called Hamilton Imports. They sell Mazda and VW. Let me test drive the Speed3 with no problem at all. It was actually one of the most stressfree experiences of my life and I'm now been driving the 08 Mazdaspeed3 for a couple months and love it. But they're not officially a mazda dealer, they just happen to sell mazdas so maybe thats why there wasn't a test drive problem.
  • networkguynetworkguy Member Posts: 53
    But they're not officially a mazda dealer, they just happen to sell mazdas

    I didn't think a dealer could get a Mazdaspeed model unless they were a Mazdaspeed approved dealership. Regardless, welcome to the happy owners club :)
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    didn't think a dealer could get a Mazdaspeed model unless they were a Mazdaspeed approved dealership.

    1,000,000,000% correct. It is IMPOSSIBLE to get a Mazdaspeed3 from Mazda Motors of Japan UNLESS you are a Mazdaspeed authorized dealer!
  • indydriverindydriver Member Posts: 620
    I don't understand why you would want to downgrade the three season performance of your Speed3 by putting all-season tires on it. Remember that the great skidpad, slalom and braking numbers all the magazines raved about are almost entirely due to the tires. If a car comes with OE "summer" tires, you just have to plan on buying winter tires to go with it. That way, you will have max performance all year long. All you have to do is call TR. You can buy decent alloys for $100 ea. Make your life easy and put a new set of TPMS in there. Then you can change over in your garage whenever you like. BTW, if you want max traction, TR will tell you to go -2 on your winter tire/wheel combo with WS-60 Blizzaks. Smaller tires are better tires in the snow (greater psi in the footprint). Plus, 16's are a lot cheaper than 17's or 18's.
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