bang/thud when shifting

Welcome to the board. If you just bought an 08 then the mounts could have taken a beating by the last driver. A good visual inspection is in order. It could also be the exhaust touching the chassis on hard shifts. If you change your own oil you can check the rear mount.

1) rear mount...with a bright flashlight make sure there are no cuts or tearing in the rubber. Might be hard to see but it might also be obvious.

2) Passenger side mount...look to see if oil had been running down the side of it. The oil will leave a stain trail. Stain trail means failure.

3) Transmission mount...must remove the battery to see this one. Large bolt thru mount should be snugg and should say 10.

Or... wheel hop... lol

Thanks for the feedback! Just bought car 5 weeks ago, it was a 2008 leftover. Its only got 500 miles and that was the first time I got into it that hard. I dont think its wheel hop...would it hop with the DSC/ traction control on?
I'll defenitley check the mounts and exhaust ASAP.

[quote author=cuda link=topic=137131.msg2958070#msg2958070 date=1235496061]
would it hop with the DSC/ traction control on?
[/quote]

For a little bit, yes

[quote author=justint5387 link=topic=137131.msg2958122#msg2958122 date=1235497189]
[quote author=cuda link=topic=137131.msg2958070#msg2958070 date=1235496061]
would it hop with the DSC/ traction control on?
[/quote]

For a little bit, yes
[/quote]
and that is when you'd hear the noise... the bump stop hitting lol

I had the same problem with my 07. Get the Cork Sport lower motor mount inserts. Since the upgrade 30K no more loud bang/thud at all when shifting.

Had the same problem here. Many driveline issues result due to the inherent amount of engine movement and resulting driveline movement from the soft rear mount. Replaced the rear mount and most of the issues went away.

Dialed in the suspension, and wheel hop pretty much goes away as well.

Of course all of these modifications have an affect on comfort which bothers some folks, and does not bug others.

You can read all about much of this in the mods section of the forum

I get a thud mainly going from 2nd to 3rd or 3rd to 4th. I think its linkage related...or the clutch? idk it doesnt happen all the time..but it does make me wonder..I just keep saying to myself its a race car they make noises

first time i got on her hard today, ~550 miles on 09 ms3 and i heard a horrible knock or bang when i went from first to second, seriously thought i broke something. everything seems fine though. ordering rear engine mount monday. I think the exhaust hit the body. traction control on, i'm still spooked happened 30 minutes ago.

[quote author=CloudX link=topic=137131.msg3176995#msg3176995 date=1244957930]
first time i got on her hard today, ~550 miles on 09 ms3 and i heard a horrible knock or bang when i went from first to second, seriously thought i broke something. everything seems fine though. ordering rear engine mount monday. I think the exhaust hit the body. traction control on, i'm still spooked happened 30 minutes ago.
[/quote]
The midpipe is notorious for banging against the middle of the tunnel, an upgraded rear mount solves that

+1 for wheel hop explanation. I get it going over manhole covers.

God, that's so disturbing, that's an engineering flaw in my book. I'm getting a rear mount asap. Pretty crappy you have to do that. I'm changing the oil this week so I may as well change out that mount. I never want to hear that sound again lol!

[quote author=TruboPower link=topic=137131.msg3177601#msg3177601 date=1245017868]
[quote author=CloudX link=topic=137131.msg3176995#msg3176995 date=1244957930]
first time i got on her hard today, ~550 miles on 09 ms3 and i heard a horrible knock or bang when i went from first to second, seriously thought i broke something. everything seems fine though. ordering rear engine mount monday. I think the exhaust hit the body. traction control on, i'm still spooked happened 30 minutes ago.
[/quote]
The midpipe is notorious for banging against the middle of the tunnel, an upgraded rear mount solves that
[/quote]
EXACT same everything for me. 09, huge BANG when shifting from 1st to 2nd under a sem-hard run. Happened 2 times now, but other than that, all seems well.

My cp-e rear mm is shipping Friday

Just ordered the SU rear Motor Mount... but they said they're not making them right now so it won't be here for about a month. My friend who's a mechanic is coming over tonight to check and tighten all the mounts. I'm not taking them out and lock-tite's the threads... just going to life the tranny an inch with a jack and tighten down to spec w/ a torque wrench.

yeah, i get the ku-chunck when shifting hard in 1-3. haven't put in my cp-e yet, so lazy lol.

[quote author=CloudX link=topic=137131.msg3178734#msg3178734 date=1245081391]
God, that's so disturbing, that's an engineering flaw in my book.
[/quote]

No, it's not an engineering flaw. Give Mazda more credit than that.

Wheel Hop? Banging noise? It's driver error.

Drive the car properly (the way that the Mazda engineers intended it to be driven) and you will have no such problems.

The problem is with the kids that are driving it like it was a '60s muscle car.

I'm not a kid.... and that happened to me once. In first to 5500rpms then shifted to second and bang... I don't get it. It happened once and i don't remember if i did anything wrong. I installed my mount today, it shifts so much smoother now. and i can feel that there's a stronger connection there. badasss

[quote author=GT1 link=topic=137131.msg3237685#msg3237685 date=1248120623]
[quote author=CloudX link=topic=137131.msg3178734#msg3178734 date=1245081391]
God, that's so disturbing, that's an engineering flaw in my book.
[/quote]

No, it's not an engineering flaw. Give Mazda more credit than that.

Wheel Hop? Banging noise? It's driver error.

Drive the car properly (the way that the Mazda engineers intended it to be driven) and you will have no such problems.

The problem is with the kids that are driving it like it was a '60s muscle car.
[/quote]

Agreed, you can drive around this and be just as fast (or faster if you are good). There's no point in shifting this hard.