Smiley Car, Smiley Driver.
 

I decided to save some money and buy an economy car. Cheap parts, cheap insurance, etc.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvi7FUGKYcY)
This is the video that really sold me on the car.

This 2300 lb Mazda 2 really is a fun daily driver. It feels like a go-kart.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8728/...87488de83e.jpg
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8736/...befc3054_n.jpg

My Plan is to make it a street legal race car setup for AutoX.
1. Lightweight race wheels and performance tires are first. Followed by snow tires for the steelies. (This car sucks in snow). Rims may be one of Enkei’s line of race wheels (RPF1, etc.) or Sparco wheels.
The rest in no specific order.
2. Racing Beat Exhaust. Corksport Exhaust gives more power, but it is not street legal and it is too loud. Sounds more like a “RICER” as they say. The Racing Beat Exhaust sounds sporty without being too loud.
3. B-Spec Race springs, shocks, antiroll bars, performance brake pads, performance filter.
4. Remove back seats. Barely any legroom for passengers anyways.
5. Install bucket seats. Stock seats are way too cheap and unsupportive.
6. Purposeful exterior additions=JDM window visors and mud flaps.
7. Thoughts for the future. 197hp Fiesta ST Turbo engine swap, or 167hp MX-5 MZR engine swap. I think the Mazdaspeed 2 SEMA car is too much with it's 2.3L 263hp turbo engine.
Everyone in the Mazda forums wanted me to get a stubby antenna, but the stock long antenna just works with this car. It makes it look like a toy remote control car, adding to the fun factor.

Right...

left.

Should've just bought a Fiesta ST. by the time your done with this, it will be a terrible car to drive daily. probably rattle really badly cause all econoboxes arent insulated for ****.

I did want a Fiesta ST, but there are a few problems with it.
1. They are selling for more than MSRP just like the BRZ/FRS when it came out.
2. Reliability and Consumer Reports quality ratings and reviews are poor.
3. It costs $15,000 more than my Mazda 2.

I daily drove a lowered car with race springs and exhaust for almost three years so I know what to expect.

I don't plan for this to be a daily driver anyways. As it is now, I only drive it once or twice a week. It will be an emergency second car if the actual daily breaks down and it will be an autox car.

My wife and I are using a Honda Fit as a daily driver. We are trying to save up for a Subaru Outback to tow our JetSki and SeaDoo. We also want the Outback for safer driving in the winter, mountain trips, and long road trips.

:bigeek: :bigeek: :bigeek:

It is a fun car as a daily driver, but I don't daily it. I'm just saying that the low 100hp does not bother me in regular traffic.