Where/How are you mounting the front tow hook? Do you have to cut the grill?

 

The genuine Mazdaspeed cars have a bracket fitted that modifies the position of the front tow hook hole . Plus a cut in the mesh with a plastic insert fitted to finish off the hole.

 

is yours the jdm version? i know they differ from the us ones. sonic has the jdm one here in the states

 

yes

 

Could you share what those differences are?

I actually have a JDM front mazdaspeed bumper w/ that bracke and I havent taken off the front bumper yet, but it looks like the front core support that the tow hook bolts to is thicker than the JDM version.

 

looked at mine yesterday quickly and didnt see where it goes. is it behind the black strip across the top of the rad inlet?

 

@sonicsdaman

iirc the black piece at the top of center opening doesnt span the entire way where the usdm does. think the latter is a little thicker as well

 

JDM have smaller crash bars.



When you take off the bumper look for the part number stamp, should be under the USA driver side headlight/side marker, otherwise you have a knockoff



Differences between the two other than the crash bar would be the USA version has a dark plastic insert that covers the larger crash bar while the JDM has a smaller under the mesh cover.

US


JDM



Now how to spot a knockoff gets much easier once you know what to look for.

Firstly fitment will be terrible especially around the side markers and the duct inlets will look wavey.


Next the body line going down from the side markers stay straight and don't concave at the oil ducts like the legit.

 

Yep.

Looks like i just need to get a JDM crashbar.

Appreciate the info @sonicsdaman

 

Wait a minute, not that I think about it...what about the rear tow hook point if you have the mazdaspeed diffuser?