Dave68

My MX6 GT weighed 2700 lbs and had more than 220 lbs-ft or torque (with more boost than OEM) and my 3000 lb 3 feels similar in Sport mode. What Sport mode does is reduce the need to depress the gas pedal more than half way - essentially the same effect as increasing torque.

Then again, both cars had/has auto transmissions. You are right in that manual trans cars seem to benefit more with added torque, but winding out my MX5, especially beyond 5000 RPM is something I could rarely do in my C5 without:
a) Attracting the attention of LEOs
b) Having soccer moms chase me with fists clenched

I don't think I'd like to drive a manual transmission, well insulated luxury/sport car. The feeling of open air, small/light vehicle driving is accentuated by manually rowing gears. If I want quiet, smooth driving, I drive my wife's AWD Lexus.

6spdg37s

Just ordered a roc euro CAI for it

E in Phila

You make the strangest mental backflips to justify your preferences.

Rowing the gears in a German fast sports sedan is entertaining for the same reason that rowing the gears in a convertible is fun.

E in Phila

Here's the real deal Dave: Mazda does not now make, nor has it ever made, a car that approaches the desirability of an Audi S4/S5. So your contributions to this thread are basically ridiculous.

Dave68

...spoken by someone who obviously never tried both, back-to-back.

There is a HUGE difference between driving a light weight vert vs a much heavier, heavily sound-insolated sedan or coupe. It'd be like enclosing a motorcycle with a large sound-proofed shell and expecting the experience to be the same as riding a bike with no helmet or heavy leather clothing.

When I lived in CT, I appreciated having a big, silent vehicle, since that was a better choice on rainy, snowy, and just cold days. Here in San Diego, verts are everywhere.

6spdg37s

I prefer driving stick in everything and anything its available in

E in Phila

I owned a bmw 330 convertible (sport / stick) and I loved it. I've driven a stick Miata, didn't love it. Nimble, but too small (I'm over 6'1") and underpowered for my taste.

My favorite car aside from my relatively light and nimble 911 was a big ol' 2001 M5.

All stick, all fun. Your preferences in cars are fine, but your arguments in defense of them are always idiotic.

Dave68

How much does your 911 weigh compared to an S4? You're actually agreeing with me if there's a significant difference. I've had two cars, simultaneously since 1980. One is always manual and the other, auto. My choice of which one to drive was swayed by the weather, the traffic, and the road conditions since the auto was always more comfortable on certain roads and conditions. I will never have two manual cars. The current crop of autos are far more fun than even 15 years ago. Paddle-shifting can be lots of fun.

E in Phila

I'm not agreeing with you all. My 911 weighs less than an S4, but my m5 weighed about the same. Both cars wouldn't be nearly as much fun with an autobox.

Your theory that stick is only fun in a small convertible is ridiculous, period.

Dave68

What I'm saying is that having a more direct "connection" with road and machine is a big part of driving excitement. A rolling bank vault may be fun to you, but you are part of the minority. For God's sake, get out on your mountain bike and enjoy a canyon ride. Breathe in nature's smells that don't include leather.

E in Phila

What?!

Do you have any sense at all of how strange you are?

Witt748

Now I'm picturing Dave68 as Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men


Anton Chigurh: Alright. Let me ask you something. If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?

Carson Wells: Do you have any idea how crazy you are?

Anton Chigurh: You mean the nature of this conversation?

Carson Wells: I mean the nature of you.

E in Phila

Dave68

A reminder for the E and Witt:




Don't worry, we understand your "slight" lack of driving dynamics comprehension......

Witt748

Yah ok, friend-o

6spdg37s

thanks for scewin my thread up everybody ! lol Mazda makes a fine car I just don't want one end of story.

NoOne

To clear somethings up.

The B9 is not coming out until MY17, even if they make it by then. So the '16 will be still be the 8.5. Have your dealer do a search. I was going to order mine but I ended up searching and shipping to my dealer. Mine is a '14 but I bought it in August of last year when '15's were already arriving, ended up paying $700 under invoice.

If your getting this info from your dealer I would check with another one, what they are telling you does not sound right.

I have a '14 Stingray and a '14 S4 which is my winter car. Fantastic car and I looked at the 335 as a comparison. BMW's interiors have gone down hill and the great steering feel is not there like it used to be.

The S4 interior while a bit dated is much higher quality overall. The DSG is incredible as is the 3.0T, best power train combination I have driven. What it lacks in steering feel it makes up for in grip with the AWD. You have to learn to drive the car on the gas.

Mileage is so-so but I leave it in Sport mode 100 percent of the time.

As someone else said get the B&O, its only $800 and a huge difference. The Sports Diff and ADS are must haves. When the car starts to understeer just apply more throttle. If you can get used to driving on the throttle in corners it will do some pretty silly things.

We liked it so much we just picked my wife up an SQ5

Get the 19's too with the summer tires, the all seasons are terrible. Even with the summer tires its a crap shoot. I got the Continentals which was so-so and replaced them with AWS3's a month after I got it. You might get Conti's, Pirelli's, or one or two other brands.

My wife's SQ we got lucky and it came with Pirrelli P-Zero's. We had driven the Macan Turbo which I preferred but she liked the interior in the SQ more. The Pirrelli's on the SQ make it almost on par with the Macan with Michelin all seasons.

It's a perfect complimentary DD to the C7. The engine/trans combination make up for any short coming you can think of. Get Audi Care or get them to throw it in with the car. The 30K DSG maintenance is $800 and Audi Care will cover it, plus if your leasing its a +1 point on the residual.

So if you lease in the end Audi Care ends up being around $350 over the course of 36 months.

The Ibis White Black/Magma combo is great. I could not find one and ended up with Daytona Grey with Black Nappa but my wife's SQ is Ibis/Black/Magma and gets tons of compliments.