Hey there everyone. My name is Zak and I'm from central jersey. In the (hopefully near) future I'll be getting my first truck and my first diesel vehicle at that. My last car was a 2012 Mazdaspeed3 putting about 310hp to the wheels. Nothing crazy, just bolt ons and a tune with the stock k04 turbo. It got totaled not too long ago unfortunately. I'm gonna miss that thing but now on to my next adventure. I want pretty much what everyone wants: stock 12v 2nd gen 5 speed 4x4 extended cab in good shape. Don't care about bed length but would prefer a short bed just because I lack need for a long bed. This will be my daily driver and toy at the same time.

Plans once truck is acquired:
1. Mechanical maintenance if not done recently by previous owner and proven to me. Just making sure everything's operating properly 100%. KDP fix if not already done.

2. Interior and audio. I'm coming from a 10 speaker Bose sound system in the Mazda with navigation and all that and I like interior comfort and cleanliness even when an exterior is filthy. Head unit with navi and Bluetooth + speakers. Also just a general refresh of the interior (dependent on the pre-existing condition). Also, boost, egt, fuel pressure gauges for future modding.

3. General exterior maintenance (once again dependent on the condition of the truck). Light restoration or replacement, fix a broken grille, etc. Make the truck look presentable pretty much.

4. Tuning fun (not in order)
Intake
5" exhaust (stack(s) maybe?)
3k or 4k governor springs kit
fuel plate adjustment/modification
Afc modification

5. After or while tuning I plan on having the entire truck professionally plastidipped. While I hate plastidipped cars and would much rather vinyl wrap them, on a truck I believe the dip will make sense. It's cheaper than paint/vinyl wrap, resilient to scratches, will protect the paint underneath it, available in some crazy colors (I'm thinking metallic red with some orange pearl in it), and if I get sick of it down the road I can redo it a different color. Also, planning to dip it will allow me to be less picky when initially searching for a truck, as color is not important.

At this point you're probably thinking "great another kid ruining a diesel by making it pretty and not using it". Well you're wrong. While I do like to keep my vehicles looking nice, I'm not afraid to use them to have fun. I used to take the speed3 which was lowered a bit through mud and dirt trails on my powdercoated wheels and blow people's minds haha. I like to have fun, in moderation of course.

6. Lift and wheels/tires

How much money I still have will determine when this gets done. I will be going big.

7. Metal bumpers

Very expensive, not super priority. Although these might get bumped up the list depending on condition of stock bumpers/me seeing awesome ones and deciding I need them NOW.


This truck will be my new love. I taught myself how to rip apart, mod and do everything and anything to the speed3, and I plan on doing so with the truck. Work (besides dip) will be done by my hands along with assistance from friends.

I'm not sure how the community here is, but the mazdaspeedforum really provided me with a family of guys and girls. We'd hang almost every week and always have install days and anyone was always down to help another person in need. I can only hope to find another group like that, and if there is one, I'm willing to participate and help anyone out with anything and learn in the process.

Well that's me. I'll be reading each and every day here as well as on the other cumminsforums.

Thanks for reading (if anyone actually takes the time to read all this)