Hey all,
To start with, I was considering Civics or Toyotas for my first car. Eversince I test drove the 3, I was in love with Mazda. Come on, the console itself is enough for making an obvious choice. I just bought a Mazda3 from a private seller a couple weeks ago. Its a 2004 mazda3 which has done like 46k and is in gud shape.

That being said after I bought the Mazda 3, I ended up having lots of questions. Was looking around a blog/forum that I could refer to answer many of my questions and doubts. Hope I'll find the answers here. :-)

First question I had was about the suspension. Sorry for being a total newbie, I just know theory about stiffer suspensions being ideal for that thrill and fun but apparently North California isn't famous for smooth roads. Suspension now isn't that bad but I think I'll prefer little smoother suspension. My friend nearly threw up yesterday while I was cruising(trying to) along the notorious 101. Any points on how can I change to smoother suspension and if its a costly deal? Is a tuning of any kind possible? (Its said that the one who asks is a fool for 5 mins but the one who never asks is a fool for ever) :-)

 

welcome friend glad you decided to pick the mazzy . To answer your question i never heard of any companies putting out softer springs and far as the tuning goes it depends, you can try to build an all motor car but you will be hard pressed to find support from aftermarket companies but if you decide to go forced induction there are a couple of options but you will feel that hole in your wallet if you dont know what to get and who to get it from, but if your talking about having the ability to alter the stock ecu or even "chip" it that is a no gain situation there, many have tried to improve the stock ecu but all it does is refuse EVERYTHING and laugh at you, if you like anymore information about your 3 and you cant find what your looking for the mazda 3 section feel free to pm me

 

I have lowered mine, to me the stock suspension was a little soft, but it is not slammed. I used the Mazda Speed suspension and it still rides excellent but has the stiffness that is needs for cornering.
As for the roads in Tennessee, I think our engineers went to the same schools.
Welcome to the site.

 

Tell your friend to take some motion sickness meds. I don't know of any reason for a company to develop softer springs for a car, I think you'll have a hard time finding anything. It would hinder the handling of the vehicle.

Northern CA has bad roads? I lived there (Pleasanton, CA) for a few years. You don't even have winter for crying out loud.

Here in Detroit it's not considered a pot-hole until you have to send in Search & Rescue to find the last car that fell in.

 

I'm from Santa Clara area. Most roads are good, my bad I somehow ended taking few bad ones to commute to work. Am getting used to the suspension now, only that I was bit skeptical about it during the first week of driving the car I bought.
Also the thing that was worrying me was that when I first test drove the car, I didnt feel much stiffness. that was like 2 weeks before I bought the car. Made me think if something went wrong between me testing the car and buying it.
But am loving my car, its awesome fun. And is a definite headturner :-)

Some bird pooped on it today in my office parking lot :-(. I am looking for the bird, if I get it I'll stone it and will put the photos in here. :-)

Speaking about potholes, have a look at this. http://www.allowe.com/Humor/Pothole.htm.