Should I buy a new MazdaSpeed3 ? Opinions?
06-17-2009, 02:08 PM
#21
Race Director
Almost all the newest Mazda's are uglier than sin. They might be great little cars but I would not be able to get past that ugly to even consider one, especially with all the competition they've got.
06-18-2009, 10:26 AM
#23
06-18-2009, 09:30 PM
#24
Melting Slicks
Just came back from the dealer.He has 1 09 leftover there sticker is 18,500 will sell for 16,300,drove the 10 also going back tomorrow with my trade.Its for my daughter she likes the look of the old bodystyle too.I like the 10 better but the deal is the 09...............Will see what tommorow brings...........
06-18-2009, 11:56 PM
#25
Race Director
I like the 09 VW GTI with DSG but the mazda 3 speed is cool too.
You might want to buy a beater and just keep the vette?
Just another option....
You might want to buy a beater and just keep the vette?
Just another option....
06-19-2009, 09:56 AM
#26
Race Director
Just came back from the dealer.He has 1 09 leftover there sticker is 18,500 will sell for 16,300,drove the 10 also going back tomorrow with my trade.Its for my daughter she likes the look of the old bodystyle too.I like the 10 better but the deal is the 09...............Will see what tommorow brings...........
06-19-2009, 11:30 AM
#27
Wow! $16,300? That's an EXCELLENT price. I almost bought a Mazda 3 for my son until I talked to my insurance agent. He ended up with a 97 Honda Civic CX (We later added intake, exhaust, springs, shocks, pillar pod tach, clock, etc) and my daughter, a 2002 Protege. Neither require full coverage.
06-19-2009, 03:13 PM
#29
Race Director
I guess I mentally inserted a "speed" after Mazda and couldn't believe a dealership would let a "speed" go for that price. We're talking 100 less HP for the 3 vs the "speed3". Regardless, it wouldn't make sense to buy a kid a car that is that fast.
06-19-2009, 03:39 PM
#30
Racer
Member Since: May 2008
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I own a HPDE school and have owned Wagon WRXs and have an STi. I get to drive a lot of cool things on the track. The speed3 is a great car! Very fun. COBB TUNING makes a lot of great products for that car!
I also love the AWD in the Subaru platform.
I also love the AWD in the Subaru platform.
06-19-2009, 03:52 PM
#31
06-22-2009, 09:27 PM
#32
Instructor
Member Since: Jan 2006
Location: Keller TX
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Hope it works out for you. I love my 2007 that I bought to keep miles off the Vette. No issues after 14k miles. Very fast on the highway in top gear. From a roll in 6th from about 70 is a thrill ride without a downshift. As others have said very easy to mod cheaply. 24hp from a CAI. The 2010's use the same engine rated at the same levels but gain a couple hundred pounds.
Likes:
Very torquey, averages 24.5 mpg, roomy enough in back for my 12 year old, handles great for a FWD car, very good brakes, will haul a ton with the back seat folded, lots of features for the money as in HID headlights, Bose audio and a NAV that works better than the one in my wife's Escalade, I paid $26k for a genuine 155 mph car.
Dislikes:
Shifter is a bit notchy but this seems to be getting better with age, OEM tires had to be replaced in 13k miles, I bought a black car and live in Texas, I'm 40 now and every kid in a Honda wants to race me.
Likes:
Very torquey, averages 24.5 mpg, roomy enough in back for my 12 year old, handles great for a FWD car, very good brakes, will haul a ton with the back seat folded, lots of features for the money as in HID headlights, Bose audio and a NAV that works better than the one in my wife's Escalade, I paid $26k for a genuine 155 mph car.
Dislikes:
Shifter is a bit notchy but this seems to be getting better with age, OEM tires had to be replaced in 13k miles, I bought a black car and live in Texas, I'm 40 now and every kid in a Honda wants to race me.
Last edited by Rich S.; 06-22-2009 at 09:40 PM. Reason: Added text
06-23-2009, 04:05 PM
#33
Hope it works out for you. I love my 2007 that I bought to keep miles off the Vette. No issues after 14k miles. Very fast on the highway in top gear. From a roll in 6th from about 70 is a thrill ride without a downshift. As others have said very easy to mod cheaply. 24hp from a CAI. The 2010's use the same engine rated at the same levels but gain a couple hundred pounds.
Likes:
Very torquey, averages 24.5 mpg, roomy enough in back for my 12 year old, handles great for a FWD car, very good brakes, will haul a ton with the back seat folded, lots of features for the money as in HID headlights, Bose audio and a NAV that works better than the one in my wife's Escalade, I paid $26k for a genuine 155 mph car.
Dislikes:
Shifter is a bit notchy but this seems to be getting better with age, OEM tires had to be replaced in 13k miles, I bought a black car and live in Texas, I'm 40 now and every kid in a Honda wants to race me.
Likes:
Very torquey, averages 24.5 mpg, roomy enough in back for my 12 year old, handles great for a FWD car, very good brakes, will haul a ton with the back seat folded, lots of features for the money as in HID headlights, Bose audio and a NAV that works better than the one in my wife's Escalade, I paid $26k for a genuine 155 mph car.
Dislikes:
Shifter is a bit notchy but this seems to be getting better with age, OEM tires had to be replaced in 13k miles, I bought a black car and live in Texas, I'm 40 now and every kid in a Honda wants to race me.
this is a very fair review. either way, if you're looking for a MS3... mine is still for sale.
08-25-2009, 11:50 PM
#36
Racer
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You have to admire the Mazdaspeed 3 when it looks like this next to a Viper.
Amazing what a test pipe, modded air box, boost controller and racing slicks can do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lp-wZlzKVw
That is almost as fast as a 2005 Chevrolet Corvette C6.
Amazing what a test pipe, modded air box, boost controller and racing slicks can do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Lp-wZlzKVw
That is almost as fast as a 2005 Chevrolet Corvette C6.
Last edited by Brentvino169; 08-25-2009 at 11:53 PM.
10-20-2009, 10:57 AM
#37
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Thanks for the input guys....
I just pulled the trigger... got a new 2010 MazdaSpeed3, Liquid Silver, stripped.
So far I'm loving the car. Very different from the Vette of course, but quite fun to drive for HALF the price of a Vette... and I can carry the wife, baby, stroller, etc all at the same time, I have a roof rack for it now too, etc.
This car seems to be a good cheap tool for zipping around town and doing chores, going to Home Depot to get 2X4s, taking the baby to grandma's house, etc.... stuff that is either hard or impossible to do with the Vette.
This Mazda is certainly no replacement for the Vette by any means, but it's a lot more fun than a typical dull auto-tranny SUV or mini-van etc. It's a good compliment to the Vette I think, makes a good all-purpose "beater" car that still provides enough fun to make you not feel so terrible about not driving your Vette.
I just pulled the trigger... got a new 2010 MazdaSpeed3, Liquid Silver, stripped.
So far I'm loving the car. Very different from the Vette of course, but quite fun to drive for HALF the price of a Vette... and I can carry the wife, baby, stroller, etc all at the same time, I have a roof rack for it now too, etc.
This car seems to be a good cheap tool for zipping around town and doing chores, going to Home Depot to get 2X4s, taking the baby to grandma's house, etc.... stuff that is either hard or impossible to do with the Vette.
This Mazda is certainly no replacement for the Vette by any means, but it's a lot more fun than a typical dull auto-tranny SUV or mini-van etc. It's a good compliment to the Vette I think, makes a good all-purpose "beater" car that still provides enough fun to make you not feel so terrible about not driving your Vette.
10-21-2009, 01:30 AM
#39
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
I've only put 170 miles or so on it so far.... just got it. So far I really like it. It's a pretty big contrast to the Vette of course, it is what it is, a small 4-banger with a turbo, but it's neat... and ya gotta love the price.
I'm about 6' and have long legs. If I adjust the driver seat the way I like it (pretty much as far back as it can go), there is very little room behind me... a youngster might fit ok, that's it. However, if I had to, I could move my seat forward a bit (sacrifice a bit of comfort but still be ok) so that a small adult could fit.
The front passenger seat... I can adjust it to a spot where I am able to get in front and back and be reasonably comfortable.... showing me that you could have an adult in the front and rear at the same time. Neither would be wallowing in extra space, but they'd fit and would not be in pain... and even be pretty comfortable.
Because I'm tall and have long legs, I can consider this car a three-adult car. This is more than I can say for my wife's Mustang GT which is truly a two-adult car only. In that car you cannot put a decent sized adult in the front passenger seat and one directly behind in the rear at the same time... well, you could but they'd be quite cramped and uncomfortable.
But for me, one of the big features of the MazdaSpeed3 is being able to fold the rear seats down and essentially have a little station wagon. The rear cargo area, once the seats are folded, is quite large... the bed is about 5' long and I think about 41" wide minimum... you can pack a lot of stuff in there. Plus you can put a nice roof rack on pretty easily which just adds that much more flexibility. Considering this car is pretty small, you should be able to haul a lot with it. The max load capacity (passengers and cargo combined) is 850 pounds... not bad considering it's a "tiny" 4-banger with low-profile tires etc.
Once I actually put some miles on this Mazda I'll likely write a review and post it here. It's still too early for me to really give the car an honest accurate rating / review at this time. But so far, it seems that it will handle all my needs, and it's fun to drive... and it's half the price of a new Vette or less... again, it makes a great all-purpose "beater" car for those times when the Vette just can't carry what you need to carry. And it sure beats driving some ultra bland boring auto-tranny SUV.
I'm about 6' and have long legs. If I adjust the driver seat the way I like it (pretty much as far back as it can go), there is very little room behind me... a youngster might fit ok, that's it. However, if I had to, I could move my seat forward a bit (sacrifice a bit of comfort but still be ok) so that a small adult could fit.
The front passenger seat... I can adjust it to a spot where I am able to get in front and back and be reasonably comfortable.... showing me that you could have an adult in the front and rear at the same time. Neither would be wallowing in extra space, but they'd fit and would not be in pain... and even be pretty comfortable.
Because I'm tall and have long legs, I can consider this car a three-adult car. This is more than I can say for my wife's Mustang GT which is truly a two-adult car only. In that car you cannot put a decent sized adult in the front passenger seat and one directly behind in the rear at the same time... well, you could but they'd be quite cramped and uncomfortable.
But for me, one of the big features of the MazdaSpeed3 is being able to fold the rear seats down and essentially have a little station wagon. The rear cargo area, once the seats are folded, is quite large... the bed is about 5' long and I think about 41" wide minimum... you can pack a lot of stuff in there. Plus you can put a nice roof rack on pretty easily which just adds that much more flexibility. Considering this car is pretty small, you should be able to haul a lot with it. The max load capacity (passengers and cargo combined) is 850 pounds... not bad considering it's a "tiny" 4-banger with low-profile tires etc.
Once I actually put some miles on this Mazda I'll likely write a review and post it here. It's still too early for me to really give the car an honest accurate rating / review at this time. But so far, it seems that it will handle all my needs, and it's fun to drive... and it's half the price of a new Vette or less... again, it makes a great all-purpose "beater" car for those times when the Vette just can't carry what you need to carry. And it sure beats driving some ultra bland boring auto-tranny SUV.
10-21-2009, 10:47 PM
#40
Race Director
Nice looking hot hatch...
good color choice too!
Best of luck with it.
good color choice too!
Best of luck with it.