I miss my car

My car has been in the shop for about a week now for warranty rust repair so I have been either taking the public transit or hitching rides with my girlfriend.

For the most part being chauffeured around has not really bothered me but seeing the latest pictures of Kevin’s hatch on the Mazda 3 forums really made me miss my own car because like JDR‘s car Kevin’s has been one which I look to for inspiration.

More specifically I look to both cars as a base for what sort of specs I should consider for my next set of wheels, I have been watching Kevin’s build for awhile now and I have really liked the last two sets of 17″ wheels he has chosen.

I’ve been debating whether to step up to 18″ wheels for my next set or stay at 17s and Kevin has shown that when you choose wheels with the right design, width, and offset there is really no need to go up to 18″ wheels on a Mazda 3.

The design of Kevin’s new SSR Vienna Kreis wheels (17×8 +29/+37)  look closer to 18″ wheels than 17s and the width/offset combined with his low ride height give the car an aggressive look that doesn’t take away from the attractive lines of the early Mazda 3 hatch.

If you are curious as to which suspension keeps this car inches from the ground, Kevin is on BC coils with a locking collar removed up front (an alternative to the shorter spring/cartridge setup) and out back he just chose to leave the rear perches in the box.

Keep up the good work Kevin,  you’ve inspired a lot of Mazda 3 owners, including myself, to step their game up (or is it down?)

For lots more photos of Kevin’s car check out his thread on the Mazda 3 forums.