MP3 or Mazdaspeed struts- worth it?
 

I just ordered new springs from Racingbeat and I'm unsure about buying struts to go with them.

Here is what I want: great handling and a comfortable ride. The car handles pretty good with stock hardware- especially after I put the new 17" rims and tires on, but I want more. I know the springs will make the car handle even better, but will I be kicking myself down the road if I don't get the struts? Of course, if I did get the struts, I would eventually get the thicker sway bars. I bought the springs partly for better handling and partly for better looks.

1. Is the better handling worth the money?

2. Will the ride become so harsh that it will irritate me on long drives?

3. If I pop for the adjustable struts, will the lowest setting still be harsher than the stock struts?

Thanks- any help would be appreciated.

Sean

The first question is impossible to answer for anyone but you. It's your money and car, so whether it's worth it or not is up to you. The Racing Beat springs don't lower the car very much, so I'm not sure what you mean by looks, but they do work very well. They work best with the increased compression and rebound rates of the MP3 or MazdaSpeed struts. The ride shouldn't be much harsher than stock with the Racing Beat springs. Since they maintain more of the suspension travel in front, the car doesn't hit the front bump stops as often as with other lowering springs. That improves both the ride and the handling of the car. The adjustable MazdaSpeeds are slightly stiffer than stock in front even on the lowest of the 4 settings. The rear struts are variably adjustable from slightly softer, to much firmer, than stock. I wouldn't say they are harsh, they match the stiffer spring rates of the Racing Beat springs better than the stock struts. The larger Racing Beat/MP3 sway bars probably improve driver confidence more than the struts or springs by dramatically reducing body roll. Since the stock seats are only so supportive, body roll is the most discomforting feeling to the driver IMO. The MP3 sway bar kit comes with a new rear crossmember to fit the stronger brackets. The install isn't too difficult, even for the crossmember. The front bar is a challenge to install since it is mounted above the front crossmember. With some time and patience it can be done by one person in a home garage though.

Thanks for the response Eric. I will probably go ahead and get the MP3 struts. I really like the idea of eventually having the perfectly tuned MP3 suspension and the lower price appeals as well. I'm pretty sure that I would kick myself if I didn't get them now when I'm paying to have the springs put it anyway.

I was hoping to find out from people who had them if they thought the set-up was worth the money for the improvement gained. It seems like you do- especially combined with the thicker sway bars.

As far as looks go, I prefer a small gap between the tire and quarter panel, but it is too large now. Also, since I went for the 45 series tires instead of the 40 series with my 17" rims, my ground clearance has increased. The .85" drop the racing beat springs give me will drop the car slightly compared to stock, tighten that gap up, and still give me a decent comfort level (I hope).

It says in the FAQ that neutral handling is hard to achieve, but Racing Beat did it with the MP3. I suppose that means if I chose different springs, shocks or sway bars, I would not have neutral handling. This is another good reason to go with the Racing Beat set up instead of lower springs that might look cooler to some people.

I think that's what I'm going to do also. I've talked to the local dealer and they gave me the prices on all the suspension parts. Since it's not a whole ton more expensive to get the real MP3 struts those are the ones I'm going to use. Those and the MP3 sway bars. .5" is what they say the springs are good for. Since I'm going to continue to use a 16" rim for a while (tires only have 7500 miles on them) that should still give it a better stance. They said they'd knock off 20% if I order at the same time.

I went with the Racing beat springs, which are supposed to lower the car .85" They told me that Mazda didn't want to drop the car as much as Racing Beat suggested, and that's why the Mazda drops the car .5". I chose the Racing Beat springs because I wanted a slightly lower drop and because I suspect Racing Beat probably got it right the first time and Mazda then raised it a bit for the masses. In addition, the MP3 springs are more expensive.

I went with the Racing Beat springs for the same reason. After removing my Eibach springs to install them, they are noticably higher than the Eibachs. You will still have a couple inches of gap between the fender and tire.They do ride and handle better though, IMO. It just depends on what you want.

Yes, the MP3 has a great stock suspension, so you should be happy with those parts as they will duplicate the feel of the MP3 on your car just fine. The weight distribution, suspension geometry, stabilizer bars, and front to rear spring rates have the most to do with the car understeering, being neutral, over oversteering. A FWD car is always going to understeer at the limit due to weight distribution, but the MP3 does a great job of minimising understeer and making the limits high. Using the MazdaSpeed struts Vs. MP3 struts, or MP3 springs Vs. Racing Beat springs doesn't make much difference, other than given you some adjustment for different road conditions. In the Chicago area, that comes in handy for me. ;) The suspension geometry and stbilizer bars are the same, and the balance between front and rear spring rates is very close. I would look at ordering the MazdaSpeed or MP3 parts through either Mazda Motorsports or Mazdastuff.

http://www.mazdamotorsports.com
http://www.mazdastuff.com