New old member

[smokinAMD]

Hey guys, back after a long absence. In case some of you remember, I had a 1999 Opal Blue GLS Coupe with the Razzi kit, with quite a few other mods. I traded that in on a 2005 Mazda 3s Sedan back in December of 2004. Don't regret doing it, my alero was a turd, It was cheaper to buy a brand new car and have a payment then worry about dealing with a car out of warranty that kept breaking.

I owned the 3 for about a year and a half, and had quite a bit of fun with it. Did an intake, header, full exhaust, plus engine management and ended up getting about 202whp out of it Had a full suspension under it, upgraded brakes, etc, etc, etc, but after racking up 197k miles on it in under 2 years, it was time to go. Realistically, I would have kept it and just bought another new car, I loved that car, but I was offered a hell of a deal on trade in on it, so I traded it in for a faster car, ala, 2007 Mazdaspeed 3. Which is an absolute freaking blast, not the most practical car by any stretch of the means for winter, which is why I'm back on these boards. I knew I wasn't going to drive the speed during winter, as well, it would be mindless suicide trying to control that beast, so I'd pick up a winter beater. Originally, I thought I'd be looking at a 89 civic crx or some turd of a Toyota, but I stumbled upon a 2002 Alero that needed some work for dirt cheap.

I picked up a 2002 GL coupe with its "sporty" ecotec, mated with a 5 speed for a mere $1200. You may ask how I got it for dirt cheap? Easy, car had 90k miles on it, the clutch and the brakes were shot, radiator had a leak, struts were bad, one spring broken in the rear, and it needed 4 new tires. $300 in tires, $150 clutch, $350 for all new rotors, pads, calipers, drums, shoes, a $125 radiator, $400 for struts, and then finally $150 for an eibach prokit setup it was on the road again, passed inspection and emmisions with flying colors. So for $2675 I have a car that gets better gas mileage then any of my current cars, is farily comfortable to drive, and I won't be embarrased to drive in the winter. I actually think this alero is a lot more fun than my old one, but I'm pretty sure the addition of the 3rd pedal helps out quite a bit. Obviously, acceleration leaves quite a bit to be desired, but it gets the job done, handling isn't all that great either. But, I am spoiled by the fact that I have a Mazdaspeed 3.

This thing sure does kick the speeds ass when it comes to gassing it up, 35mpg versus 26, and don't have to put premium in it. Tires are a whole hell of a lot cheaper too, gotta love 15's!

I don't really plan on doing much to it, I put in some parts I had in the old 3 sedan before I traded it in, namely my eclipse cd8445 headunit with ipod controller, and sirius, and then a 50watt 6000k hid kit. I'll probably be looking for a set of projectors here soon, as HID's without projectors is well, kinda stupid. Andebra, you still making these projectors?

I'm really happy with the purchase, it will be a great car for winter use, and possibly daily driving while I'm doing the upgraded turbo in the speed 3, I'm hoping to get that done over the winter, but that all depends on wether or not an upgraded fuel pump comes out for the direct injection system.

Sadly, I don't have any pictures of it yet, had an unfortuante incident with my digital camera, aka, dropping it out the window of my buddies SRT-4 neon while he was doing about 130mph. Ooops. Just picture a silver alero coupe on 15" alloys and you'll get the idea.

[cherrington17]

welcome back smokin.

[jackal2000]

welcome back dude

[AnderbrA]

Welcome back. Still thinkin of pickin up the projector projects again...since you have 2 aleros now, you can send a set of headlights to get the work done on. ;)

[smokinAMD]

Don't have two, just the 2002. The '99 Was traded in on a Mazda 3 in December of '04.

[TheEdgeofSanity]

hello and welcome back / nice to meet you :) (you haven't been around since i've been here)

[CharleyO99Alero]

***

^^^ Ditto the above! :Hi:


***

[natedawg9640]

turbo's FTW but for some reason we'll all come back to the ho...

how's that speed3 do 0-60 and in the 1/4? I just got an 07 WRX... but alas the alero was just too dear to me to sell.

[smokinAMD]

turbo's FTW but for some reason we'll all come back to the ho...

how's that speed3 do 0-60 and in the 1/4? I just got an 07 WRX... but alas the alero was just too dear to me to sell.

I'm not sure what the exact numbers are to be honest, under 6 seconds for sure, Faster then a WRX and an SRT-4 Caliber.

I'm waiting for engine management right now to fully take advantage of my mods, Cobb accessport release date will be announced at SEMA, but I'm leaning more towards the C-PE Standback myself, as I already have several C-PE products on my car. Intake, downpipe, and exhaust (aka, turboback exhaust). The standback will also allow me to run 2 different maps, race fuel, and 93 octane. Supposedly the standback will also allow you to have a map so you can run your BOV in VTA mode without a problem. I'm running my HKS in VTA and I haven't noticed any difference between that and recirc, but some people have noticed backfiring and running pig rich when they did VTA. If anything, when I had the stock bypass valve on, and then threw the HKS on in recirc, I'm pretty sure I noticed some compressor surge, which is why I went to VTA.

The car is a real hoot though, its tire shredding fun from a roll all the way through 3rd gear, even though it's boost limited in first and second gear. I couldn't imagine what that car would be like if you had full power available to you in first and second, I imagine you'd just be sitting in place in a smoke screen. :lol: I've barked the tires grabbing 6th at 90mph a few times, haha.

There are some things that need to be addressed though, the motor mounts in the speed ABSOLUTELY SUCK!!! Sadly theres only one mount with upgrade options available for it, I have one of them, and while it does help A LOT, there are still 2 other mounts that need to be addressed. Namely, the transmission mount.

It's about as street legal to a race car as you could get without spending serious money. I have yet to find another car out there (New), that offers what it does for the price.

It's a shame that it's only going to be made for 2 years, too bad Mazdaspeed cars don't have a full production line like say, SRT vehicles from Dodge, or SS vehicles from Chevy. If that was the case, the aftermarket support for it would be much greater.

I guess I'm lucky in the regard that my engine is shared with the now discontinued Speed 6, and the CX-7, and most likely the new Mazdaspeed Miata whenever that comes out. That could help out aftermarket a bit...time will only tell. Or maybe Mazda will recognize that they are leading the Hot Hatch segment and continue production past 2008? Who knows!

Anyways, going to clean up the Alero tommorow and see if I can make it look a bit better, going to give it the claybar treatment and a good 3 stage wax. I have a pretty good feeling that claybar is going to be pretty nasty looking when I'm done. Probably will change the gear oil too, I think I have a few quarts of redline sitting around my garage. Probably should look into what type it takes first, heh.

[Oldsman]

welcome back

[doubleN0alero]

Welcome back man

[pawzbear]

nice choice on the mazdaspeed 3! good to have ya back.

[cutelilcntrygrl]

always wondered where you went. welcome back.

[smokinAMD]

While I don't have any pics of the new Alero, I got some of the speed 3 and the old 3, and I think a few of the old Alero.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/DSCF2172.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/DSCF2174.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/DSCF2179.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/DSCF2180.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/DSCF2197.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/DSCF2200.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/DSCF2185.jpg
I miss my katskinz!

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/DSC_2629.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Engine/DSCF1819.jpg
I bet a 2.3 liter MZR would fetch a fortune on race day! :p

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/MISC/25-bhoins.jpg
The old Alero!

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Speed3/DSCF2341.jpg
After door molding removal, obviously.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Speed3/DSCF2322.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Speed3/DSCF2321.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Speed3/DSCF2285.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/10-14-07067.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/10-14-07065.jpg

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e111/smokinAMD/Mazda/10-14-07093.jpg
New shoes.

Gonna have to dig around for more pics of the old alero, it sure was a looker. Maybe someon on here has it now? Who knows!

[Oldsnut]

Welcome Back to the hood! They always seem to come back.

[troyertrain]

ha, you were one of the first that i remember to leave the alero for another car. nice to have you back smokin, and those are 2 really gorgeous 3's...

and how did you put 200k miles on your first 3 in 2 years??? wowzers thats a lot of miles...

[smokinAMD]

ha, you were one of the first that i remember to leave the alero for another car. nice to have you back smokin, and those are 2 really gorgeous 3's...

and how did you put 200k miles on your first 3 in 2 years??? wowzers thats a lot of miles...

I was driving about 250 miles a day for quite some time, and then my parents moved to Texas, so I went to visit them a few times, visiting family in Colorado, visiting family in Nebraska, visiting friends in Chicago, Went to North Carolina like 7 times, Kentucky a few times, New Orleans twice.

I really miss that 3, if I could have kept it, I would have, but I was offered such a good deal on trade I would have been stupid to pass it up. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into that car. It only left me stranded once which is more then I could say for the old Alero. But of course it left me stranded 950 miles from home, and I had to tow the bitch home. Hence the picture of no engine under the hood, that was a fun experience, but I built it even better and stronger after that incident.

I can tell you this much, working on the Alero can be a lot easier then working on a Mazda. For one, you don't have to remove the damn bumper to change turn signal bulbs on the Alero. At least thats the case with the Factory HID's on the speed, I didn't have factory HIDs in the sedan, so I didn't have to remove the bumper to change a stupid turn signal bulb. You can also remove the stock exhaust on the alero in one piece without dropping the rear suspension like you have to do on the 3. I was less than pleased to find out I had to cut my stock exhaust in half to get it off the 3's. Also less then pleased to have to weld it back together when I took the sedan back to stock to trade it in.

Alero also has both 3's beat in replacment part costs. HANDS DOWN! Fine example, throwout bearing for a the 3s sedan I had, $127. For the alero? Yeah, I got an entire clutch kit, pressure plate, disc, throwout bearing for $150. Granted, I didn't need to replace the clutch in the 3, but I had the motor out of the car to do work on it, so I figured I might as well. And don't get me started about how much I perfer the tire pressure monitoring system in the Alero compared to the speed 3, my sedan didn't have it thankfully.

I don't know, I might do an intake on the Alero, it's really strange to drive a quiet car, LOL. I question if the car is running sometimes, untill I look down at the tach. The old 3 sedan, with a header, no cats, no resonator, 2.5 inch piping, and just a muffler, you knew it was running. Had a pretty good rumble to it. And the speed 3 with a nearly solid rear motor mount, no cats, no resonator, no muffler, just 3 inch turbo back exhaust, you REALLY know its running. Between the vibrations and the loud growl, its unmistakeable. It's not as loud as you would think, the turbo quiets it down quite a bit. I might throw in the infinity kappa speakers I had in my 3 sedan in the Alero as well, thought about putting them in the speed, but the Bose package really isn't THAT bad, could definantly be better though.

I'm actually enjoying this alero a lot more then I thought I would be. BTW, it is sporting some aleromod.com decals, I found some the other day when I was going through some boxes in the storage room of my apartment. I could have sworn I put them all on my old Alero, I guess not. I do plan on getting the windows tinted here soon, I can't stand this fish tank thing thats going on, it's pretty lame. I feel naked without my tint!

[Cliff8928]

Are you sure your Alero is a GL? It should have 16s on it if it's a '02 5-speed GL.

[smokinAMD]

Has power windows...IIRC you coudln't get power windows on a GX. Also, if it was a GX, wouldn't it have steelies with hubcaps?

[antichrysler]

That's a pretty nice mazda I must say. Speed 3 is pretty solid. You had to take your bumper off to swap the HIDs? That's pretty weird. Mine were a bitch to get in but I didn't have to take the bumper off.

[Cliff8928]

Not necessarily. Alloys were optional on the GX and GL1. The 5-speed was only available on the GX or GL2 with the 16" wheels and FE3 suspension.

Easy way to find out is the 5th digit of the VIN. the GLs have a "L". It's also possible that someone switched out the wheels sometime in the last 5 or so years.

[Daytona]

Welcome back!

[FrankTheTank]

welcome back man.

[Trickyslick]

Welcome and have fun...

[misslindseysue]

MINI Cooper S > Mazdaspeed 3.

But.. nice choice, I do like the 3.

[smokinAMD]

MINI Cooper S > Mazdaspeed 3.

But.. nice choice, I do like the 3.

But, but, but....Wheres the torque? :haha:

On an autocross course, I'll give you that much. The normal 3 and the Mini are in the same class provided they are both stock, HS. I'm not sure which class the cooper s is. Mini is much more forgiving for people that aren't that experienced, however, I do believe a 3 won HS at SCCA nationals this year.

Speed 3 was in DS when it was stock, it was fairly competitive. But with mods, I'm in STU, which is the same class as the big bad Evo's and STi's, which....well, is asking for a spanking, especially with the way courses are designed in the St. Louis SCCA division. Seem to favor AWD quite a bit more.

[Naich]

welcome back again man!

[misslindseysue]

I have 192 ft-lbs at WOT. :)

Haven't been auto-xing yet, only had the car for 3 months.

[smokinAMD]

I have 192 ft-lbs at WOT. :)

Haven't been auto-xing yet, only had the car for 3 months.


Impressive for a 1.6 liter, I'll give it that.

I got mine dynoed bone stock the first week I had it, put down 242whp, and 272ft/lbs. Not too shabby since its rated at 263hp and 280ft/lbs at the crank. Haven't gotten dynoed since I've done some mods, but I reckon its around 285whp and 330 torque when comparing my car with cars with similar mods.

Planning on any JcW upgrades Lindsey?

[misslindseysue]

Dunno about JCW - Crap is expensive. But give me a few more months and he'll get some presents. I got it tinted last week, and winter wheels/tyres are going on tomorrow. I have $175 to spend on accesories, so I have to see what I can find for that. I really want a boost gauge, and Dennis thinks I need a blow-off valve. But I just spent $1100 on his winter shoes, so everything else will go on my Christmas list.

[pawzbear]

oohhhh im so jealous of you and that mini!!!!!!!

[lonnie]

Welcome back!

[lonnie]

Where are the pics?

[smokinAMD]

I just bought a camera last night, I'll get around to it eventually.