Lost steam

[kulluminati777]

im guessing i joined the mx3 community too late. I hear of "legends" of the mx3 world selling there mx3s, theres never any new development on products or group buys, its almost impossible to find erebuni replica mazdaspeed stuff lol and evil yeti.com is no more and the closest website to that is corksport and even they have almost abandoned the mx3 completely. I read through old threads and i wonder "man is the forum glory days over?" i mean come on the guy who made the site doesnt even have a 3 anymore and the website hasnt been updated since 2007. HAS MX3.DOM LOST THE STEAM?






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[MrMazda92]

Many people have given up on them, as the cars are getting older. I'm sad to see it, but I understand their motivations. They want something reliable for their family, or just something different. I don't feel the same way, but I do understand the motivations.

I've fallen 100% in love with MX-3s, from the unique look to the priceless feeling of taking 30 MPH corners at 60 without worrying even remotely about losing control. I own one MX-3 right now, and am looking for another as my girlfriend's project. I plan to own at least 1 more aside from those 2, but it will be a ways down the road at this point.

I know the cars are getting old, and I know it would be easier and cheaper to buy a 240 or a s----vic and rice it out. I don't care, not in the slightest. I found a car that fits my personal expectations quite nicely, and I'm sticking with it indefinitely. Others likely feel the same, but I can't speak on their behalf. I can speak for myself, and say that I'll stick it out as long as I am able. For what it's worth, there are items still being developed, just not in mass quantity. The market isn't there, sad as it is to admit... There's still progress being made, mostly performance items. Anything cosmetic is either 1 time off, or "how the hell did you find that omg I thought they were all gone".

I encourage people to stick it out, as long as you enjoy the cars. For my part, I'll be coming to MX-3.com until the site is no more. I'll try to avoid that day happening, if at all possible.

[Sleeper6]

Ya as much as I hate to say it the whole car community is coming to a halt. Whether its economics taking its toll or just public approval is at an all time low its pretty hard for anyone modifying their car. Then add to that what your working with isn't exactly the run of the mill civic that was mass produced with a mass after market following, figuratively your looking at a car with the exclusivity of a DC2 type R nowadays that had pretty much no aftermarket hype when it came out. Personally thats what makes this car for me, ppl still have no idea what it is and its still relatively powerfull in stock trim. Now figure for someone as your self whose new to these cars and you start off looking for the rarest of rare parts I can understand why your frustrate. Afterall did you ever look up the numbers of exactly how many Mazdaspeed mx3's were ever produced? Personally my first one Ive ever seen was being parted out and a second in the uk that wasnt even a full MS package. I only hope to find one one day in the US.

Oh as for any car that might have lost its steam, just tell that to the ole timers in my neighborhood that still blow kids rice away with their 37 T buckets and 57 chevys. I only hope to be that guy one day looking back at you from the mirror of my 3

[Daninski]

We are a special breed. We don't follow the common Honda path and are proud of that fact. Innovation and developement, check out wytbishops bushings and other projects that have happened over the last couple of years. Jesse's thin visors, Protege steering rack upgrade, anti wheel hop mod, CF rear hatch with lexan and other successful improvements. People do move on and I think rust has played a big part in that. I personally enjoy driving my car and being different. These little cars are so cool and look so nice when taken care of. Most of the Hondas, Neons and Cavaliers in my town look like crap. People think that by simply owning one with a fart can muffler they're cool. Sir, I think not. IMO

[wytbishop]

I think that the inevitable truth is that the MX-3 will fade and for the most part die in the years to come. The OP is right, aftermarket support was never strong and now the few supporters that we did have are leaving the MX-3 behind. Even rockatuo is liquidating its remaining stock of replacement parts. In the years to come guys who can only afford to have one car will not have MX-3's jsut because they have to have something that they can get parts for. The few guys like Dan and I and others who can afford to have a project car that isn't their main transportation, and love the MX-3 will be the last.

Soon I plan to buy a parts car or two and start stockpiling because I do want to drive my MX-3 for 15 more years. Sadly the MX-3 will die and this site will eventually end as well.

[Inodoro Pereyra]

I read through old threads and i wonder "man is the forum glory days over?" i mean come on the guy who made the site doesnt even have a 3 anymore and the website hasnt been updated since 2007. HAS MX3.DOM LOST THE STEAM?

In MY opinion...yes...unfortunately.
I don't think the MX-3 is gonna die though. But as it is, I think mx-3.com will have to evolve, or it's eventually gonna die.

However, I see this as the natural evolution of the hobby.
Look at hot rodders: decades ago, everybody and their dog had either a Camaro, a Bel Air, or a '32 Ford, just to name a few. You can say they were the civics of the hot rod world. Today, most every snob hotrodder wannabe with too much money for their own good owns one. They have become the dime-a-dozen hot rods.
But every now and then, in between the mass of cookie cutter "unique" cars, you find somebody proudly showing off his Edsel, and something magical happens: nobody gives a damn about the Edsel being probably the ugliest American car ever made.
And, even more rarely, somebody shows up in his NUMBERS MATCHING, uber rare car, that he modified himself, just because he didn't feel like dropping a big block Chevy and calling it a day. And that guy steals the show, because, regardless of which car he has, everybody understands HE is a real car enthusiast, not just somebody who wants to look "cool" while driving.

Same happens with imports. I'm sure 30 years from now, there's gonna be tons of old guys paying a fortune to get a civic, or a 240 sx. And most people won't even know about that little Mazda coupe from the '90s, same way today most people have never heard of a little '70s jewel called the "RX-3".

So here's more of the same. If you look carefully, you will realize that the real MX-3 guys in here are very few. Most guys here own an MX-3 as a means to an end, being not to belong to the civic crowd, or to have a cheap sporty car, whatever. Sooner or later, they will "outgrow" ( ) the MX-3, like many did in the past. But the real MX-3 guys will keep at it, with or without the forum.

[MrMazda92]

I'm with Inodoro's car show analogy, he's dead on for that one... It makes me wish I had money, more than ever. ;( I'd pour money into MX-3s, if for no other reason than to ensure that a few survive. Mine wouldn't fall into that matching numbers category, at least not for a while. I've still got almost everything it sold new with, minus the Owner's Manual, OEM stereo, and rear mudguards.

Daninski and wytbishop are right too though... It's going to be hard seeing fewer and fewer of them. I'll save the ones I can, and I hope others will too. =) My current car is a daily driver, and i intend to keep it a daily driver until I have another reliable car to use. I don't mind parking it for a while, to work on the projects I've got piling up. I know it won't ever be a show car, and I'm okay with that. If circumstances are convenient, and I trip over the right minty MX-3... I'll jump on it. It'd be dry stored with a partially disassembled drivetrain. Can't hurt what you can't drive, housefires and vandals aside.

[Mooneggs]

to the op: You are new - this site seems to go in cycles... When I first came on here, mysefl and other newbies gave some reviving to the site by starting my International Projects and bringing to light some items that people hadn't cared about since Taras was around... I haven't been on here much recently but I see a bunch of new guys on here answering questions and trying to make their mx-3's better (kind of like the next generation). Like Daninski mentioned, I think some of the best parts/upgrades for the mx-3 have come out through this forum in very recent years (Wytbushings, CF rear hatch, mfactory LSD, adjustable cam gears, slim visors) and looking at marco's work on supercharging and ITB's that I could see people replicating in the future... I would consider myself one of the 'real mx-3 guys' inodoro mentions (as most of you would probably agree) and I doubt I will ever get rid of mine. Stereoking15 and I are actually going to be beefing up our mx-3's even more with full adjustable coilovers w/remote resevoirs, big brake kits, roll cages, etc. We plan to dominate in the local NW autocross racing scene (we just had a meeting about this last week with our racing team).

I love having a unique, fast, comfortable, exciting car that nobody knows what it is or why it's so fast. And for me it's important that my cars are unique among the unique (hence the International Projects)

[AaronTietje]

I def. don't have money to have a project car but I'm doing it anyway. On the pluss side, I do have an attached garage that I can restore my mx3 in....even if it takes 5years.

As an added precaution, I have removed my heating system from my mx3. This way I won't be tempted to take my 3 out in the salty NY winters.

I come from the probe community (15probes ) that has tons of mods and support, so it is def. more difficult to find parts for these cars and keep them going. On the other hand it is def. worth the chalenge. I these cars and have a good feeling that we have not seen the best mx3's drive by into the sunset just yet.

[kulluminati777]

Yes yes and yes i love the feedback. I guess its an up and down thing with this forum i just wish someone could talk to the head honcho of the site to update for him or have him update it. I mean i spend half me early adulthood using the search bar when alot of it could have been; A) put in the FAQ or B) put ont the actual website which i have only visited one or two times. I was telling the mrs the other day that it is great to have a car in a world of 100 mustangs and 1000 chevy trucks. to stand out and have a classic imo. She thinks im crazy when i tell her i plan on restoring the entire car to a "new" a spec mazdaspeed mx3 or what ever the official name would be.Its her car and you can really tell from the inside and you guess would crap your briches iyou saw th interior. but the outside i own. I have the bumper official half side skirts, and hopefully im getting a wing from Mdavis (pray for me). When i get back to the states i plan on having it cleaned up of ALL the rust and getting a freash coat of black mecca slapped on. Full restoration is taking place but most for the looks because it is way to expenive to get the mx3 fast but i do plan on the klze once i have to place the k8 for the second time i should have put the ze in the first time and i am saving up for a full coilover type deal and i have little mods here and there like oil cooler ss brake lines and hoodzys cold air intake just to name a few. I always wanted a turbo as well becuase i love the sound (im a ricer at heart and if you seen my car you would think so too) But anyways i hope that i dont have to end up going to a diffrent forum anytime soon

[Nd4SpdSe]

Unfortunately I'm going to have to be the pestimistic. I don't know, but I don't see 80s and 90s FWD imports having the same stature as old muscle cars, people wanting to restore them and such, I just don't see it. The Rx3 is different, I know of a guy doing one right now. It's in the same category as those restorings the old 280's. FWD cars really only be restore worthy is they're true classics, or cult classics, like the Mini and the Corrado, but the ones that will be sought to restore are the old Volvos and Bimmers, coul deven see the Subaru SVX being in there. I only see the cars getting run down and used as beaters and eventually fade away. It's the RWD cars that will survive and find home with restorers.

Honda's would be no different, but they're got such a strong cult following that they're continuing to keep updating the old cars. Things like the K-series and now the Accord/TL V6 swaps are what are keeping those cars going and popular, as well as the vast aftermarket they existed and still exist. The only thing that would revive the Mx-3 at this point would be a new drop in swap kit for a new-style motor, but IMO, it's too little too late.

I was in the glory days of the Mx-3, it was really good times. I had my car for 9 years, most people don't keep their cars nearly that long. Rust was a big factor in my moving on. Especially in the search for looking for a new one (part reason I didn't want an FD, age, and I didn't want a JDM import) and then realising how much money I would have to spend to "step it up". When I did my ZE swap back in 2003, for it's day, it was a fast car, especially for the price. Just think of back then was cars were out, just coming out, and what wasn't even out yet to compete with it. Once the motor went, I knew I needed to kick it up a notch. I didn't believe in doing forced-induction on the Mx-3, I didn't believe it was a system that the Mx-3 would totally benefit from except for just straight-line speed. After much time in searching for a new mint Mx-3 that I couldn't find, and working on gathering parts, doing the math that a new motor would run about $15'000 in parts and machine work to make a jump similar to that from going from the K8 to a ZE. At that point, you realize that money can be better spent on something new, was itching for something RWD anyway. I wasn't going to invest money into a car for the sake of the car or the community. It was good to be an influence and a rolemodel, but that wasn't the point. I just did what I wanted my car to be. Besides, I don't feel that I fit in or like the new Mx-3 demographic, and I want get in a new community and find something to what the Mx-3 club used to be like.

I miss the Mx-3, the old crew and community. My Mx-3 was my very first car and turned out great, which is encouraging to what can happen with a new clean canvas and new skills and knowledge that didn't exist when I first started working on her. The only regret is that I never got to use the CF hatch w/Lexan window, made an electrically adjustable rear CF wing, or got to get the CF fenders done and matching CF MS bumper. Fortunately for me, the Rx-8 had all the CF parts available, and then some

[Hendie]

I've had my MX-3 since I was 21 I'm 27 and I'll have it when 81 if I have my way. I've got thousands in mine and more in memories. I never drive it in the winter thats what Quattros are for! ( I put her in the garage). No body rust with 180,000 miles, 9 previous owners, and a police chase, and ditched twice(all on the car facts). I've been wondering about getting all the forums collected on to a CD. Incase the site dies? Any ones thoughts on that? Or who to contact? PM me