Top 6 Best Mazdaspeed 3 Coilovers: The Ultimate Guide
Are you looking to lower your Mazdaspeed 3 to improve its looks and handling? Coilovers are one of the best upgrades you can do to these cars. In this blog post, I’m going to cover what you need to know about selecting and installing coilovers for your Mazdaspeed 3 and which are the best coilovers to buy.
Why You Should Install Coilovers On Your Mazdaspeed 3
While the Mazdaspeed 3 was designed to perform well from factory, installing a set of coilover suspension is going to significantly improve the handling and give you the ability to fine tune your suspension setup.
One of the main reasons people install coilovers is for their ability to adjust ride height. Coilovers allow you to raise or lower your car, either by winding the spring perch or the whole shock body up or down, so that you can set the ride height exactly where you want it.
Another reason coilovers are installed is to improved handling. Coilovers tend to be stiffer than factory suspension, and when combined with the lower ride height, lower the center of gravity and reduce body roll, which increases handling responsiveness and tyre grip.
Most coilovers these days also feature the ability to adjust the damper stiffness, allowing you to fine tune the damper settings to your liking and quickly change when you need to, for example if you go to a track day.
Mazda 3 Vs Mazdaspeed 3 Coilover Differences
You will find that some coilovers are listed as either for Mazda 3 or Mazdaspeed3.
The suspension between the two cars is physically identical and will bolt in to both models. The only difference is that the spring rates are likely to be different on the factory suspension to accommodate the extra weight of the turbo parts on the Mazdaspeed3 (also called Mazda 3 MPS).
However, most coilovers are made to fit both models, with the same spring rates for both. If you are particular about your setup and know what you want, check to see if you are happy with the listed spring rates for the coilovers you are looking at. Many coilover companies will give you the option to choose custom spring rates and will revalve the dampers to match.
If you don’t know what spring rates you want, just go with the standard ones that go with the kit. These will be suitable for the majority of people.
The Best Coilovers for the Mazdaspeed 3
RS-R Sports*i
Price: $1699
Models available for: 2009-2018
Well known for their extremely high build quality and amazing ride, RS-R coilovers are some of the best available.
The Sport*I coilovers are their top of the line road going performance coilover that is designed to give you maximum driver feel and responsive handling while still retaining a comfortable ride.
Ride height adjustment on these is done by the shock body, which means you retain full suspension travel at all ride heights and can adjust the spring preload.
These feature monotube dampers with special oil that RS-R has engineered to give you maximum feel and responsiveness. They give you 36 levels of dampening adjustment.
The strut mounts on these are steel with rubber bushes which give you the perfect blend of road comfort and performance.
These also feature RS-R’s titanium composite springs which are more durable and lighter than standard steel springs.
This is an extremely high quality performance kit that is perfect for street cars that will see track time and performance driving.
GET MAZDASPEED3 RS-R SPORTS*I FOR THE BEST PRICE HERE
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KW V3
Price: $2484-2774
Models available for: 2010-2013
The KW V3 is a very highly regarded coilover kit designed to give you high road comfort while still being a high performance coilover.
These feature twin tube dampers that are 2-way independently adjustable, allowing you to fine tune both the rebound and compression settings. KW tunes the springs and dampers on every kit specifically for the vehicle it’s made for, with extensive testing, to ensure the highest performance and quality possible.
KW are also known for their extremely high build quality and corrosion resistance, with the shock bodies being made from their special INOX-LINE stainless steel which, combined with the composite spring perches, will never rust or seize. KW back this up with a lifetime guarantee.
Ride height adjustment is done by the spring perch on these, which means you lose suspension travel as you go lower. KW gives you a recommended lowering range, and if you go beyond this you risk blowing the dampers and voiding the warranty. So if you plan on going super low, make sure you check if these coilovers can handle the height you are after. Chances are there are more suitable kits out there.
If you are looking for a high performance street coilover that can handle track days, gives you the ability to independently adjust your dampers and give you a very good ride on the street, these are a great choice, especially in harsh weather areas.
NOTE: These use factory top mounts, so be sure to order new ones if buying this kit so that you can replace yours.
GET MAZDASPEED 3 KW V3 FOR THE BEST PRICE HERE
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Fortune Auto 500 Series
Price: $1799
Models available for: 2010-2013
The Fortune Auto 500 Series are a highly customizable performance oriented coilover.
One of the things that makes these special is the fact that they are modular and can be upgraded to a higher spec, all the way up to 2-way dampening adjustable with external reservoirs.
The dampers on these are monotube and feature a high flow piston with digressive valving designed to give you maximum driver feel and control over the car. They give you 24 levels of rebound dampening adjustment.
The ride height adjustment is done by the shock body and will lower the car from 1-3, with a Super Low option that will go up to 5 inches lower than factory.
As I mentioned, this kit is very customizable, with Fortune Auto giving you the option to select custom spring rates and valving, upgrade to Swift Springs, Super Low option and more.
They also come with aluminium pillowball top mounts with camber adjustment on the Mazdaspeed3.
Another thing that makes Fortune Auto coilovers special is that they have very strict quality control, testing every damper on the shock dyno and hand assembling every kit at their facility in Virginia, USA. They also back up their kits with a 5 year warranty, which is one of the longest in the industry.
If you are looking for a performance coilover kit that is customizable and can be upgraded, these are a fantastic choice and are not even that expensive when compared with other high end kits (which usually offer less features).
GET MAZDASPEED3 FORTUNE AUTO 500 SERIES FOR THE BEST PRICE HERE
BC Racing BR Series
Price: $1195
Models available for: 2004-2022
The BC Racing BR Series coilovers are an extremely popular kit that is highly customizable and offers fantastic value for money.
These coilovers are well known for their good build quality, long list of features, great performance and comfortable ride, all for a very low price.
The BR Series are designed as a street coilover that can handle track use and feature monotube dampers with linear valving for a more comfortable ride and give you 30 levels of adjustment which adjust compression and rebound simultaneously.
The ride height adjustment is done by the shock body and will lower your car from 1-3 inches, with an Extreme Low version going up to 4 inches lower than factory.
These also come with front camber plates and aluminium top mounts on the rear.
BC Racing also gives you a range of customization options including custom spring rates and valving, Swift Spring upgrade, Extreme Low and more.
These are a superb all round kit that is the perfect choice if you are on a bit of a budget and want a coilover kit for your street car that can handle track use.
GET MAZDASPEED 3 BC RACING BR SERIES FOR THE BEST PRICE HERE
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ST X
Price: $1274
Models available for: 2010-2013
If you are looking for coilovers for your daily driver that are going to give you a comfortable ride and go low, these are a good choice.
ST coilovers are actually made by KW, and aside from not having the INOX-LINE stainless steel shock bodies, are practically identical to the KW V1 kit. These have galvanized shock bodies which aren’t quite as resistant to corrosion, but still do a decent job and allow these to be sold for a lower price.
Aside from that, they feature all the good stuff that KW coilovers come with, including springs and dampers that are specifically tuned for the car, the composite spring perches designed to never seize, and ride height adjustment that will go 85mm lower than factory.
These don’t give you the ability to adjust dampening, but have a good reputation for having a great ride on the street even at very low ride heights, making them a good choice for daily drivers that want to go low.
NOTE: These use factory top mounts, so be sure to order new ones if buying this kit so that you can replace yours.
GET MAZDASPEED 3 ST X FOR THE BEST PRICE HERE
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TEIN Street Advance Z
Price: $980
Models available for: 2004-2009
If you are on a budget, the TEIN Street Advance Z coilovers are going to allow you to adjust the ride height and dampening and give you good ride quality for under $1000.
These feature twin tube dampers designed to give you a more comfortable ride, with damper oil that is designed to handle extreme temperatures and withstand intensive driving. They give you 16 levels of dampening adjustment and are compatible with TEIN’s EDFC electronic dampening control system.
The ride height adjustment is done by the spring perch, which does mean you lose suspension travel as you go lower.
TEIN use a special powder coat they developed on the springs and shock bodies along with a special ZT coating on the adjustment threads to make these coilovers extremely resistant to corrosion.
TEIN coilovers are well known and well regarded for their high quality and performance, making these a great option if you are on a budget and want coilovers for your street car.
NOTE: These use factory top mounts, so be sure to order new ones if buying this kit so that you can replace yours.
GET TEIN STREET ADVANCE Z FOR THE BEST PRICE HERE
Cars owned: Mk2 Golf with 1.8T swap, BMW E28 with M30B35 swap, BMW E36 328I Mtech, BMW 750IL, Nissan 300ZX, Honda Civic EF
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