BensonHsu.com

The Tanabe engineers from Japan were here last week, so I dropped off the Mazdaspeed 3 at Tanabe so they could do some R&D work.

They test fitted a bunch of parts and realized that because of the intercooler ducting in the hood, the strut tower bar from a regular Mazda 3 (or Axela in Japan) would not fit. They also realized that the rear springs they thought would work wouldn’t due to the car’s bumpstop and damper dust boot cover. I never got to see or drive the car with the springs, but I imagine it would be a nice improvement. The car handles nice already, but it looks like a 4×4 sometimes.

What did work out though, is the front underbrace. As you can see below, the front underbrace goes right beneath the engine. Driving towards the freeway from Tanabe always provides for a nice suspension test because the roads are so junky and uneven. The car feels a bit more tight under uneven surfaces and initial turn in response is nice.

On a side note, gas mileage increased significantly after the 3,500 mile mark. Gas mileage went from 23-24 to 26-28! I’m amazed and so much happier with the car now.

Multiple sets of 18×9, 18×10 Enkei RP03s
Check out my zilvia.net classified ad for more info!

You can also e-mail if me if you want.

I think pet peeves are natural expressions of passion for things you love. In this case, it’s Nissans, drifting, etc.

Over the years I’ve been kind of desensitized to a lot of my previous pet peeves, like when people compare my drifting to what they saw in the first Fast and the Furious. At first it made me want to hit something. Now I have no choice but to brush it off. Or how about when people pronounce “Greddy” as “g. ready” or “greedy”? I’ve heard that one too many times. Or how about when people say my car is a Silvia? Okay I’m starting to get fired up. Time to get to the point.

There is one major pet peeve that still bugs me. The use of “motor” in case of an “engine”… An engine is powered by some sort of fuel. A motor is always powered by electricity. Your B16a or SR20DET is NOT a motor – it’s an ENGINE! Don’t tell me about your motor swap unless your power window motor crapped out and you replaced it with a new one. Don’t tell me about your JDM turbo motor! Oh, and here is the most common abuse: “motor oil”.

Okay that concludes today’s class of Haters 101. Your essay on “Why I will let pet peeves ruin my life” will be due tomorrow, thanks.

Another part that I bought brand new that has lived its life and is now dead. After 6 years, my HKS has HAD IT… bugs, rocks, curbs, other cars… do me a favor and stay away from this new intercooler ok?!!

I picked up a new Greddy LS Type intercooler. I was a bit weary of Greddy’s last cheapo intercooler, but they updated it and have now released the LS type… the quality SEEMS better and doesn’t look like a carbon copy of those Taiwan pieces of junk. I wasn’t about to spend ANOTHER $1,000 on ANOTHER intercooler – I’m a new dad who has tons of bills to pay. Give me a break! Oh well, we’ll see how it holds up!

YEAH I KNOW – my car is filthy. Shut up!