My 2008 GT Stormy Blue Mica
Thread Starter
Spastic Monkey
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 414
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From: Kirkland
My 2008 GT Stormy Blue Mica
Been a while since I've posted or been here. After finally installing everything in/on my car over the past few weekends I washed it and took some fast pictures tonight before the sun went completely away.
Mazdaspeed front / side skirts
The little black things in the black bit of the bumper are laser shifters from the Escort Passport SRX
No more egg yolks...
Went with the rear aero flares instead of the Mazdaspeed rear - I personally like this look better
Mazdaspeed front / side skirts
The little black things in the black bit of the bumper are laser shifters from the Escort Passport SRX
No more egg yolks...
Went with the rear aero flares instead of the Mazdaspeed rear - I personally like this look better
Last edited by TheBri; Feb 8, 2009 at 01:15 PM.
Thread Starter
Spastic Monkey
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: Kirkland
last bits
The gain **** for the sub is hidden here - the iPod marinating in the back half
The mute button for the SRX - when my hand is on the shifter all I need to do is extend my index finger to hit it
The gain **** for the sub is hidden here - the iPod marinating in the back half
The mute button for the SRX - when my hand is on the shifter all I need to do is extend my index finger to hit it
Last edited by TheBri; Feb 8, 2009 at 01:15 PM.
whines all the way home
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,402
Likes: 2
From: Towson/Baltimore, MD
Great pics for a great color, good choice, Stormy blue was a JDM color only when I picked up my TiGrey,,, I wanted that color because I had the HyperRev of the RX8 in it was a SB w/ the MS kit...
Thread Starter
Spastic Monkey
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: Kirkland
The **** in the cup holder is a gain **** for the sub amp (JL 500/1). That seemed like a good place to hide it out of the way.
The Metra kit as a whole wasn't bad. Very straight forward. I originally used their labeled NAV control wires and that didn't work so much. I finally tapped one of the reverse lights and the e-brake and everything was golden.
To be quite honest the hardest part of the entire install was getting the wires into the front doors. There is little to no room to make that happen. It's a bitch. The only other part that really irritated me was stuffing everything up behind the dash when it was all installed. The wires for the climate controls are ridiculously short and Metra doesn't give you extentions. Bastards.
Thread Starter
Spastic Monkey
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
From: Kirkland
I also feel I should add a bit of a rant. So if you're down.. whatever.
I can't believe Mazda doesn't just sell the car with clear corners. I also can't believe anyone wouldn't just immediately replace the horrible orange corners. They look terrible. It cost all of about $70 to get the clear corner and stealth bulbs that are orange when they are on to improve the look of the car by 100%. Replacing the corners is a walk in the park. Replacing the other orange bulbs with stealth bulbs that are actually orange when on (and perfectly legal everywhere) was pretty easy and cost next to nothing. For well under $100 USD and a small amount of time you can improve the look of your ride tremendously. Just sayin'...
I can't believe Mazda doesn't just sell the car with clear corners. I also can't believe anyone wouldn't just immediately replace the horrible orange corners. They look terrible. It cost all of about $70 to get the clear corner and stealth bulbs that are orange when they are on to improve the look of the car by 100%. Replacing the corners is a walk in the park. Replacing the other orange bulbs with stealth bulbs that are actually orange when on (and perfectly legal everywhere) was pretty easy and cost next to nothing. For well under $100 USD and a small amount of time you can improve the look of your ride tremendously. Just sayin'...
I also feel I should add a bit of a rant. So if you're down.. whatever.
I can't believe Mazda doesn't just sell the car with clear corners. I also can't believe anyone wouldn't just immediately replace the horrible orange corners. They look terrible. It cost all of about $70 to get the clear corner and stealth bulbs that are orange when they are on to improve the look of the car by 100%. Replacing the corners is a walk in the park. Replacing the other orange bulbs with stealth bulbs that are actually orange when on (and perfectly legal everywhere) was pretty easy and cost next to nothing. For well under $100 USD and a small amount of time you can improve the look of your ride tremendously. Just sayin'...
I can't believe Mazda doesn't just sell the car with clear corners. I also can't believe anyone wouldn't just immediately replace the horrible orange corners. They look terrible. It cost all of about $70 to get the clear corner and stealth bulbs that are orange when they are on to improve the look of the car by 100%. Replacing the corners is a walk in the park. Replacing the other orange bulbs with stealth bulbs that are actually orange when on (and perfectly legal everywhere) was pretty easy and cost next to nothing. For well under $100 USD and a small amount of time you can improve the look of your ride tremendously. Just sayin'...
Registered
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,390
Likes: 0
From: Lewisville, TX
I bought the steering wheel controls and tapped the feed from the OEM wiring harness. I had to program it to recognize the controls but it does in fact work. I am very happy about that. Being able to adjust the volume and whatnot from the steering wheel is really nice after replacing the horrible BOSE sound system.
The **** in the cup holder is a gain **** for the sub amp (JL 500/1). That seemed like a good place to hide it out of the way.
The Metra kit as a whole wasn't bad. Very straight forward. I originally used their labeled NAV control wires and that didn't work so much. I finally tapped one of the reverse lights and the e-brake and everything was golden.
To be quite honest the hardest part of the entire install was getting the wires into the front doors. There is little to no room to make that happen. It's a bitch. The only other part that really irritated me was stuffing everything up behind the dash when it was all installed. The wires for the climate controls are ridiculously short and Metra doesn't give you extentions. Bastards.
The **** in the cup holder is a gain **** for the sub amp (JL 500/1). That seemed like a good place to hide it out of the way.
The Metra kit as a whole wasn't bad. Very straight forward. I originally used their labeled NAV control wires and that didn't work so much. I finally tapped one of the reverse lights and the e-brake and everything was golden.
To be quite honest the hardest part of the entire install was getting the wires into the front doors. There is little to no room to make that happen. It's a bitch. The only other part that really irritated me was stuffing everything up behind the dash when it was all installed. The wires for the climate controls are ridiculously short and Metra doesn't give you extentions. Bastards.
I did a corksport install for a guy about a year ago and I ended up having to make a wiring harness for his stereo. It wasn't much fun and you definitely have to cram everything back into a small pace with little slack.
The metra kit looks much nicer because it doesn't have the stupid extension plates like the corksport does.
When you say getting the wires into the front doors, what wires were you running? The Avic antenna wires or something else? I assume you're working with the stock amp.
Thread Starter
Spastic Monkey
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 414
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From: Kirkland
The real pain in the *** with this one is the big converter box that everything plugs into (the climate controls, display, etc...). The thing is big and bulky and the wires for the climate controls are just too damn short. They should really include a 3" extension for each of them - that would leave some wiggle room to ease the stuffing of components under the dash.
I didn't take pictures of the install this time but found one of the door from the previous install. I've since painted the baffle black.
Isn't that Strato blue that is a JDM color? I believe stormy and phantom blue have always been in our market.
Registered
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,390
Likes: 0
From: Lewisville, TX
looks awesome, fitment on that kit is gorgeous. 
I think I read in one of the other Metra threads they have extensions now, I'm going to see about getting them to ship them with the kits if they're not doing so already, I haven't put mine in yet but I could tell just by looking at it that I'm going to have to do something so next time I talk to them I'll get the scoop. They're actually sponsoring me for this year's show season so maybe I have a little bit of pull now 
I think I read in one of the other Metra threads they have extensions now, I'm going to see about getting them to ship them with the kits if they're not doing so already, I haven't put mine in yet but I could tell just by looking at it that I'm going to have to do something so next time I talk to them I'll get the scoop. They're actually sponsoring me for this year's show season so maybe I have a little bit of pull now
