New MS3 in Burlington - Trouble with Front License Plate

[napkin]

Hello all.

Picked up my 2008.5 Pearl White form Jeff "the biz" last Tuesday May 6th.
29 km when I picked it up. Is that too much for a new car. "Har har har"
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/29km.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/29km2-1.jpg
I now have 975 km.

Used to have a 98 Protégé. She died. This is for her. "Thank you for the good times!"
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/1998ProtegeTE.jpg

Does any one else HATE the front license plate position?
Our cars have a super huge lower grill and it is hidden by a stupid license plate.
Come on. I mean which looks better? It is no contest. (The picture on the bottom is photoshoped)
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/frontplates.jpg
Has any one done something to upgrdae with the front License plate?

[kid_icarus]

hey there WELCOME to the forum!!!

a lot of ppl actually remove the "plate" holder and use zip ties to attach the license into the bottom side of the grill.

[dentinger]

where you at Canadian tire on fairview today by any chance?

[QEWmazdaPrez]

Gratz on the MS3! Spiffy wheels on the .5 :) Are you listening to Sirius?

[x_o_k_x]

i was thinking to completly take it off..is that illegal?

[kid_icarus]

in quebec it is.

here u can get away with it until a cop gets bored

[napkin]

where you at Canadian tire on fairview today by any chance?

Yeeah I was. I was picking up a "6X"s coupon for gas.

[napkin]

Gratz on the MS3! Spiffy wheels on the .5 :) Are you listening to Sirius?
Thanks. the wheels are awsome!
I rotate between my CDs and the Sirius comedy stations. It is a nice mix of entertainment on my drive to and from work. But I cannot see paying $15 or so a month for it.

[monty0501]

Congrats on the ride :)
BTW...what do the 08.5 rims look like?

[Garu]

They are same style but they have slight darkish tint in them.
The interior is another story completely. Different coloured seats, piano black trim, MP3 support, new gauge needle...

Monty I told you to get 2008.5!

[dentinger]

thats what i noticed. the wheels looked a bit darker, with a more metallic look to them.

[Jeff-TheBiz]

The coolest diffence IMO is a small Mazdaspeed logo on the end of the dash strip...

Come on Jeff, post a pic.

[Cardinal Fang]

I'd love to see a picture myself. Welcome to the board by the way.

[huyzel]

Congrats on the sweet new ride.
Where's the MoT plate covers? :)

here's an example of the plate relocated on a CWP MS3 (Garu's)
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=24678

[napkin]

Thanks for the nice welcome all.


Where's the MoT plate covers? :)


I got a MOT plate holder on the front…
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/MOTfrontplate.jpg

And a TM3 on the rear. Picked up the plate holders and some stickers when I got the car.
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/TM3rearplate.jpg


The coolest diffence IMO is a small Mazdaspeed logo on the end of the dash strip...

Come on Jeff, post a pic.

Below pics are of what makes the 2008.5 different.
This is only my list based on my knowledge. If I missed any let me know.

The “bright” finish alloy wheels. Just like the 2008 only lighter.
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/rearwheel.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/frontwheel.jpg

MP3/Sirius deck.
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/sirius_mp3.jpg

We all know this one.
The Piano black trim with MazdaSpeed inlay.
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/MSpiano.jpg

But did you know this one?
Chrome door handles.
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/leftdoor.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/rightdoor.jpg

And the most important… illuminated vanity mirrors.
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/illuminatedvisor.jpg
…cause being able to check your self out in the dark is great for helping you get a good 60 foot time at the track. “Har har har”.

-=- And -=-
My favorite is the white needles on the gauges.
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/whiteguage.jpg

[visco9]

great lookin ride!

me thinks they should make black licence plates with white lettering. that would blend in nice with the lack grill.

[jaM3ican]

Used to have a 98 Protégé. She died. This is for her. "Thank you for the good times!"
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/napkin_photo/1998ProtegeTE.jpg



Dude that made me cry

:chuckle


Welcome to the club *sniffle sniffle*

[b]

Welcome to the club. I'll honk if I see ya around town.

[el_gato]

nice ride! it would be nice if the license plate didnt obstruct the grill. looks great regardless.

[SonicBoy]

Those new wheels look gunmetal almost. I thought when they said bright finish, they meant what is on the RX8 Aniversary edition. Saw one of those the other day and they look like cloudy chrome or something. Sorry I don't have any pics yet.

[Thrice08]

Welcome and nice ride man, love the wheels in the gunmetal.....wish it was mine lol

[Speedy2008]

The coolest diffence IMO is a small Mazdaspeed logo on the end of the dash strip...

Come on Jeff, post a pic.

I totally agree. I want to buy one. Where can I find one?

[WeatherB]

At first I was not a fan of those white gauges, but they are growing on me.

I love how they look at night.

[1flycdnM3]

Congrats on the new ride!

Always nice to see another Burlington member as well and that you have stuck with the Mazda family all these years.

I will also wave to you if/when i see you!
Welcome to the board!


:)

[monty0501]

They are same style but they have slight darkish tint in them.
The interior is another story completely. Different coloured seats, piano black trim, MP3 support, new gauge needle...

Monty I told you to get 2008.5!

Ah its ok :)
My favorite part of the changes are those sweet needles!!!

Car's looking good, you wont regret the purchase!

[SSmoked]

sweet looken ms3 u got there. loven the new color on the rims, and those white needles are soo sexc.

[Unoriginalusername]

another ms3 plate mount i've seen
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/cndxrs/DSC_01453_1_2_tonemapped.jpg

[Jeff-TheBiz]

another ms3 plate mount i've seen
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/cndxrs/DSC_01453_1_2_tonemapped.jpg

Love the look.... any hassles/tickets yet?

[EvilDeadFan]

Nice ride. I had an interesting way of removing mine...

A raccoon hit ME a few months ago. New bumper cover. I told them not to mount the plate, so they didn't. Now I have no holes in the front bumper (currently an 06gt, but am going for an 08.5 MS3 tomorrow) and for a while I was rocking a custom plate holder I made out of Home Depot parts and a Wal-Mart tinted plate cover.

Then downtown Ottawa about 2 months ago, someone parked so close to my car, it crushed the custom plate mount without harming the front bumper.

Soo.. I've kept it off now for about a week, and I have a new different style of mounting the plate (again to the lower grill instead of the stock location) and will keep it off until I get bothered about it. I have the Home Depot bag which is full of mounting hardware (long bolts to go through the lower grill, and washers and nuts to hold it steadily in place).

I hate the look of front plates. They cost more, they ruin the aerodynamics and hinder enging cooling, and since when does a police officer chase a suspect from.. the front.. ;)

[napkin]

Love the look.... any hassles/tickets yet?

Sweet Thanks for the pics. I am still undecided on what I am going to do with my front plate.

I took it for a long road trip to Montreal for the last weekend in May. Awsome drive, good gas miliage as well.

The only hassle so far is during that trip I also noticed the Bass in the radio cutting out. I am now aware of the TSB and others with the same problems. Not sure what I am going to do. Get it replaced or leave it? It is just a radio.

Tickets = No. But I have been pulled over.

The weekend of the 17th, just 11 days after getting the car I was pulled over by an OPP. Funny story kinda.

Was crusing around the roads at my buddies cottage, close to long point, and I pulled on to a side road to check my road map. When I was done looking at the map I did and 3 point turn just as a OPP was comming driving down the main road.

I did not think anything about it and just drove away.

He followed me for 100m then flashed the lights.

Asked me why i "left when you saw me comming".
I said "it was just a conensidance that I was leaving as you were comming".
He just ran my name for warrents then I was on my way.

My nerves were totally going crazy.

It all worked out.

[napkin]

Oops, I was not paying any attention to what people were posting. That why I am still a "noob".


another ms3 plate mount i've seen
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v252/cndxrs/DSC_01453_1_2_tonemapped.jpg

UOU. Thanks for the pic. That looks awsome. I think this weekend I am going to eather mount it like your pic but off set to one of the sides.

[SP33D 3]

i was told the front plate is for when a cop is coming at you from the opposite direction so they can pick up your license plate from their camera on the dash

[WeatherB]

Waawaaweewaa, you had exactly 29km on pick-up too?

[cwp_sedan]

You guys should check this thing out!
http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=114563