Does 2003 Shinsen include "sport" supspension?

I'm shopping for shocks for my '03 Shinsen, and I'm finding
conflicting info on whether the Shinsen has the standard
supsension (which will fit KYB AGX shocks) or the "sport"
supsension, (which requires different shocks than the standard).

For example, both miatamania.com and http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/5361/03.html
say that that the Shinsen comes with a 6-speed transmission and
sport suspension. Mine came with a 5-speed, so does that mean
it's _not_ the sport supsension?

Is there an easy way to visually identify sport vs. standard
suspension?

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! My LESLIE GORE record
at is BROKEN ...
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On 2009-10-12, Grant Edwards > wrote:

> Is there an easy way to visually identify sport vs. standard
> suspension?

Somebody suggested looking for a sticker on the passenger side
door sill. 2003s don't seem to have that sticker, so I'm still
in the dark.

Is it true that the sport suspension was only available with
the 6-speed?

--
Grant

On 2009-10-13, Grant Edwards > wrote:
> On 2009-10-12, Grant Edwards > wrote:
>
>> Is there an easy way to visually identify sport vs. standard
>> suspension?
>
> Somebody suggested looking for a sticker on the passenger side
> door sill. 2003s don't seem to have that sticker, so I'm still
> in the dark.

The OEM shocks are black. The sport suspension came with
yellow Bilstein shocks, so this must be the standard
suspension. I think.

--
Grant

Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2009-10-13, Grant Edwards > wrote:
>> On 2009-10-12, Grant Edwards > wrote:
>>
>>> Is there an easy way to visually identify sport vs. standard
>>> suspension?
>> Somebody suggested looking for a sticker on the passenger side
>> door sill. 2003s don't seem to have that sticker, so I'm still
>> in the dark.
>
> The OEM shocks are black. The sport suspension came with
> yellow Bilstein shocks, so this must be the standard
> suspension. I think.
>
That sounds correct - Bilsteins are usually yellow.
The link you gave also said that the suspension package for the LS only
came with 6 speed, so either something's awry with the description, or
the car you've got isn't a Shinsen, but perhaps has some extras.
Unlikely anyone would change a 6 for 5 speed, but people do strange
things at times.
There /should/ be a sticker on the chassis inside the door panel. If
it's not there, it was probably taken off for a reason.

Do you ever get that feeling that you're just talking to yourself, Grant?
;-) Actually, I'm pretty sure that it doesn't matter to you, which it had
because you're going to use the same KYB's to replace either one, right? I
think it only matters if you're doing an OEM replacement, the adjustable
KYB's will work on either, I I believe.

What are the other differences of the 'sport' suspension? I'm guessing
possibly beefier springs (not sure about that) and possibly beefier sway
bars (not sure about that either). I think it's quite possible that upgraded
shocks are the only different components. Hopefully someone will correct me
swiftly (and tactfully ;-) if I am wrong.

Chris
99BBB

"Grant Edwards" > wrote in message
...
> On 2009-10-13, Grant Edwards > wrote:
>> On 2009-10-12, Grant Edwards > wrote:
>>
>>> Is there an easy way to visually identify sport vs. standard
>>> suspension?
>>
>> Somebody suggested looking for a sticker on the passenger side
>> door sill. 2003s don't seem to have that sticker, so I'm still
>> in the dark.
>
> The OEM shocks are black. The sport suspension came with
> yellow Bilstein shocks, so this must be the standard
> suspension. I think.
>
> --
> Grant

On 2009-10-13, Chris D'Agnolo > wrote:

> Do you ever get that feeling that you're just talking to
> yourself, Grant?

Sometimes. What worries me is that I sometimes disagree.

> Actually, I'm pretty sure that it doesn't matter to you, which it had
> because you're going to use the same KYB's to replace either one, right? I
> think it only matters if you're doing an OEM replacement, the adjustable
> KYB's will work on either, I I believe.

According to the web sites of several people who sell the KYBs
(e.g. summit racing), they won't fit a sport suspension.

> What are the other differences of the 'sport' suspension? I'm guessing
> possibly beefier springs (not sure about that) and possibly beefier sway
> bars (not sure about that either).

Shorter, stiffer springs and heftier sway bars. Some of what
I've read implies that the springs are mounted slightly
differently as well. Presumably the spring difference is why
KYBs won't fit a sport suspension (though presumably if one
also changed the springs they would work).

> I think it's quite possible that upgraded shocks are the only
> different components. Hopefully someone will correct me
> swiftly (and tactfully ;-) if I am wrong.

--
Grant

On 2009-10-13, Me > wrote:

>>>> Is there an easy way to visually identify sport vs. standard
>>>> suspension?
>>>
>>> Somebody suggested looking for a sticker on the passenger side
>>> door sill. 2003s don't seem to have that sticker, so I'm
>>> still in the dark.
>>
>> The OEM shocks are black. The sport suspension came with
>> yellow Bilstein shocks, so this must be the standard
>> suspension. I think.
>
> That sounds correct - Bilsteins are usually yellow. The link
> you gave also said that the suspension package for the LS only
> came with 6 speed, so either something's awry with the
> description, or the car you've got isn't a Shinsen, but
> perhaps has some extras.

It had Shinsen badges on the fenders, Shinsen floormats,
Shinsen hats, the Shinsen interior uphostery and trim, Shinsen
exterior paint color, and Shinsen roof. The window sticker
said Shinsen. I'm pretty sure it's a Shinsen model.

I believe that the descriptions I've found on the web for
Shinsens are wrong (at least they don't match up with any of
the Shinsens I looked at when I bought mine in early 2004). I
sent corrections to one of the authors of such a feature list
but was ignored.

> Unlikely anyone would change a 6 for 5 speed, but people do
> strange things at times.

I looked at three Shinsens. They all had 5-speed transmissions.

> There /should/ be a sticker on the chassis inside the door
> panel. If it's not there, it was probably taken off for a
> reason.

According to my research, Mazda stopped putting those stickers
in Miatas sometime in 2002. Nobody with a 2003 reports finding
such a sticker.

--
Grant

"Grant Edwards" > wrote in message
...
> On 2009-10-13, Chris D'Agnolo > wrote:
>
>> Do you ever get that feeling that you're just talking to
>> yourself, Grant?
>
> Sometimes. What worries me is that I sometimes disagree.
>
>> Actually, I'm pretty sure that it doesn't matter to you, which it had
>> because you're going to use the same KYB's to replace either one, right?
>> I
>> think it only matters if you're doing an OEM replacement, the adjustable
>> KYB's will work on either, I I believe.
>
> According to the web sites of several people who sell the KYBs
> (e.g. summit racing), they won't fit a sport suspension.
>
>> What are the other differences of the 'sport' suspension? I'm guessing
>> possibly beefier springs (not sure about that) and possibly beefier sway
>> bars (not sure about that either).
>
> Shorter, stiffer springs and heftier sway bars. Some of what
> I've read implies that the springs are mounted slightly
> differently as well. Presumably the spring difference is why
> KYBs won't fit a sport suspension (though presumably if one
> also changed the springs they would work).
>
>> I think it's quite possible that upgraded shocks are the only
>> different components. Hopefully someone will correct me
>> swiftly (and tactfully ;-) if I am wrong.
>
> --
> Grant

afaik, the shinsen (japensese for something like new or fresh) was somewhere
between the base model and the ls. it was cheaper than a ls but had many of
the ls upgrades. marketed for younger price conscious consumer with styling
extras including the gray paint, blue top, blue seats and blue interior
accents. though i could not find anything conclusive about it, it would
make sense that it is a 5 speed (not 6) and standard (not sport) suspension.
a great looking car.

"Christopher Muto" > wrote in message
t...
> "Grant Edwards" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 2009-10-13, Chris D'Agnolo > wrote:
>>
>>> Do you ever get that feeling that you're just talking to
>>> yourself, Grant?
>>
>> Sometimes. What worries me is that I sometimes disagree.
>>
>>> Actually, I'm pretty sure that it doesn't matter to you, which it had
>>> because you're going to use the same KYB's to replace either one, right?
>>> I
>>> think it only matters if you're doing an OEM replacement, the adjustable
>>> KYB's will work on either, I I believe.
>>
>> According to the web sites of several people who sell the KYBs
>> (e.g. summit racing), they won't fit a sport suspension.
>>
>>> What are the other differences of the 'sport' suspension? I'm guessing
>>> possibly beefier springs (not sure about that) and possibly beefier sway
>>> bars (not sure about that either).
>>
>> Shorter, stiffer springs and heftier sway bars. Some of what
>> I've read implies that the springs are mounted slightly
>> differently as well. Presumably the spring difference is why
>> KYBs won't fit a sport suspension (though presumably if one
>> also changed the springs they would work).
>>
>>> I think it's quite possible that upgraded shocks are the only
>>> different components. Hopefully someone will correct me
>>> swiftly (and tactfully ;-) if I am wrong.
>>
>> --
>> Grant
>
> afaik, the shinsen (japensese for something like new or fresh) was
> somewhere between the base model and the ls. it was cheaper than a ls but
> had many of the ls upgrades. marketed for younger price conscious
> consumer with styling extras including the gray paint, blue top, blue
> seats and blue interior accents. though i could not find anything
> conclusive about it, it would make sense that it is a 5 speed (not 6) and
> standard (not sport) suspension. a great looking car.

this article describes it well...
http://www.autobytel.com/content/res...a/Year_si/2003
appears that the 6 speed is on the special edition (SE) and not the shinsen
(though the shinsen was a limited prodction run it is not what mazda labled
as the 'special edition') and that is probably where the confusion comes
from.

On 2009-10-13, Christopher Muto > wrote:

> afaik, the shinsen (japensese for something like new or fresh)
> was somewhere between the base model and the ls. it was
> cheaper than a ls but had many of the ls upgrades. marketed
> for younger price conscious consumer with styling extras
> including the gray paint, blue top, blue seats and blue
> interior accents. though i could not find anything conclusive
> about it, it would make sense that it is a 5 speed (not 6) and
> standard (not sport) suspension. a great looking car.

I really liked that fact that it had cloth upholstery. Leather
is just too hot. Unfortunately the cloth seats havn't worn
well, and new seat covers look to be on the horizon after the
shocks and tires.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! I feel ... JUGULAR ...
at
visi.com