Took a MazdaSpeed3 for a ride...

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Oct 8, 2005
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Wherever the Coast Guard sends me.
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'07 Volvo XC70 Polestar, '01 Miata SE
I wrote about this in the "Random Thoughts" thread, but I thought more about it and maybe it deserves it's own thread. I know a lot of you know by now that I'm looking for a new car. I have my heart set on a Volvo S60R, but being as they are hard to come by in my area, I've started to consider other options.

I went to a dealership yesterday that had a lot of great cars trying to see if they had anything for me. After sitting in an RS4 and an S8 (holy crap for crap! :shock2:), I began to cry and moved on. There was an awesome white/gold STI on the front end of the lot right as you pulled in, so I asked one of the reps immediately about it and they said it was already sold. They got it in a few days ago and someone who works there nicked it quick (I loved how they left it out though to attract attention). Anyway, I found a dark blue Infiniti G35 with black leather and fully loaded....SOLD. ....ugh, son of a bitch...

Moved on to a silver MS3 just because a lot of people raved about it when it came out. Thought I'd give you my impressions and see if you guys had any other thoughts.

http://img216.imageshack.**/img216/9402/mazdaspeed3front341xo9.jpg

I've always like the exterior looks of the MS3, but my only gripe is that it's very limited in its colour options (White, Black, Red, Girly-Blue, Charcoal). I liked how it was edgy and looked like it was coming out of it's own shell with all those bulges. On the flip side because of all these beefed up lines, it seems a bit "backwards baseball cap", a quality yob-mobile. I could see myself driving one, I really could, but the idea of "A few years down the line will I still look right in it?" started to ping in the back of my head. But hey, if I were to keep a car that long, I'd have to like it right?

http://img88.imageshack.**/img88/8601/jf07msp3interiorsx6.jpg

The interior was quite a surprise to me. Good driving position with a decent quality of materials. The seats were a woven cloth/leather mix and because of that held me like no other. The gearbox was solid like any new car, but I did notice a high pitched whine when coming to a stop and shifting into first gear. I was wondering if that a normal thing for a new car, or just how the MS3 was. Either way, it was kind of annoying as I usually shift into 1st when coming to a stop. The steering wheel and shifter had a great feel in my hands though the steering wheel could have been a bit thicker.

I really hate test driving a car with the salesmen in the car with me. I once took a MiniS out on a test drive and gave it the beans shifting into third getting onto a motorway. The salesmen looked and said "You don't own it yet", which frankly made him lose the sale, immediately. Is there a way I can request to take a car out on my own, or in the US is there a minimum age you need to be in order to do that? Regardless, I was able to give it some guff at one point of the ride and my god there is A TON of power. I wish there was a better road I could take it on to get a feel for the ride and torque steer, but it was all shitty city traffic driving.

All in all, I think I would really like to own this car, but I'd need to drive it a few more times to find out if it's right for me. I love the looks and power, but hate that it lacks in other important-to-me areas (no sunroof, no heated seats). One thing I am sure of however, it looks ruddy fantastic in white and with dark wheels.

http://img182.imageshack.**/img182/9092/mycarmu7.jpg

http://img182.imageshack.**/img182/6568/p1010488ave6lv8pd4.jpg

Last cool thing, the salesman was a quiet but pretty cool guy. My phone rang as we were driving and he said "IS THAT A TOP GEAR RING ON YOUR PHONE!?!". That made him a lot cooler in my book. Cheers, where ever you are mate.:lol:
 
every time I see the seats, and seeing it in that last photo makes me depressed I can't afford one :(

Nice review though.
 
Didn't read your full review, but I liked all the cars you mentioned before the MS3, but the MS3 itself... :yawn:

Edit: Went back and read your full review (lol), and I'm pretty sure unless you know people it'd be difficult to get a test drive alone. I've test driven a couple cars on a pretty much no questions asked basis, just validated my license. Every time I had a reasonable salesman who let me drive as I pleased.
 
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Drop a deposit on the car and they'll let you drive it all day long by yourself. :D
 
Didn't read your full review, but I liked all the cars you mentioned before the MS3, but the MS3 itself... :yawn:

Edit: Went back and read your full review (lol), and I'm pretty sure unless you know people it'd be difficult to get a test drive alone. I've test driven a couple cars on a pretty much no questions asked basis, just validated my license. Every time I had a reasonable salesman who let me drive as I pleased.

Usually when I go with my father, sort of like our thing to test drive together, they let us go out alone no questions asked. It's nicer because we have a comfort zone with each other and don't have to worry about a salesman slapping us on the wrist. That way we have the freedom to drive the car away, park in a lot and inspect it all over. Plus we can enjoy the car for what it is and not have some idiot in the back saying: "Yep, this car does have a sunroof, erm... well not this car but others on the lot do... well, I'm not sure if this trim level comes with one, but we have em". Like WTF does that mean!?
 
so how many beans does this have?

is it anything like the 260 from the MS6?
 
Usually when I go with my father, sort of like our thing to test drive together, they let us go out alone no questions asked. It's nicer because we have a comfort zone with each other and don't have to worry about a salesman slapping us on the wrist. That way we have the freedom to drive the car away, park in a lot and inspect it all over. Plus we can enjoy the car for what it is and not have some idiot in the back saying: "Yep, this car does have a sunroof, erm... well not this car but others on the lot do... well, I'm not sure if this trim level comes with one, but we have em". Like WTF does that mean!?

When I bought my Mustang it was from a private owner, and he let me and my dad take it out alone. I thought he was nuts. I'd never let anyone do that unless I knew them. It is definitely nice to drive a car without the owner/salesman breathing down your neck...you can pay full attention to the car. We did the same thing on this particular test drive as you mentioned; parked and looked it over closely. I ended up buying that car for steal with a couple negotiating points I noticed while looking at it on the solo test drive.

I always wondered what I'd do when the time comes to sell my bike...hmmmm...might have to ride bitch around town with some guy :|
 
*snip*
I always wondered what I'd do when the time comes to sell my bike...hmmmm...might have to ride bitch around town with some guy :|

Go sidecar.

OT: Looks great. I wish I could go test drive cars... but you have to be 18, correct? My mom has fun doing that then scaring the pants of salesmen by giving cars the beans right out of the parking lot....
 
so how many beans does this have?

is it anything like the 260 from the MS6?

It's rated at 264bhp 280lbs torque :mrgreen:. We're talking like STI territory with this car. Only problem is that it is FWD. It sorta reminds me of the Astra VXR (never drove one, but just in principle) and the whole time I heard Clarkson talking about dying in a fireball, backwards, up a tree.

I always wondered what I'd do when the time comes to sell my bike...hmmmm...might have to ride bitch around town with some guy :|

Dave.... why ya gotta gay my thread?

OT: Looks great. I wish I could go test drive cars... but you have to be 18, correct? My mom has fun doing that then scaring the pants of salesmen by giving cars the beans right out of the parking lot....

I think you do have to be 18, but every state may be different. My old GTI I bought when I was 17. For that my father test drove it out of the lot, we switched and I drove it around, then we switched again to bring it back.
 
If your looking at the MS3 then you have to look at the MS6. AWD, better styling (in my opinion) and same great turbo motor.

mazda12.jpg
 
^ In that case he would have to go used, which he may or may not want to do.

And how many Mazdaspeed 6's do you see in used car lots?
 
I found one with 21,000 miles for 18K around Dallas, my dad bought it and he has been using it as his daily driver. Its been a great car, very fun to drive, the midrange torque is awesome.
 
Back in 2005 I was looking for my first car and I narrowed it down to the Scion xB or the Mazda 3...the latter was just too expensive for me :( Great looking car though.
 
Dave.... why ya gotta gay my thread?

You started it...talkin about MS3's and all. OH SNAP! :p

So this car is a serious contender for your future wheels then? Seems like you've been mentioning a few other models since the S60R, open to suggestions?
 
Me likes, Mazdas = reliable too! Can do a lot worse that this.

I like Mazda as well but from what I hear they are not particularly reliable. Obviously I don't expect it to be a Honda or anything but from what I hear from drivers it's just a bit above American stuff :(

Kind of a shame I do like the MS6 and the MX-5.
 
If your looking at the MS3 then you have to look at the MS6. AWD, better styling (in my opinion) and same great turbo motor.

mazda12.jpg

I disagree. I think it's a much more practical car, but I can't stand the styling. I hate the wheels, I hate the head lamps, I hate how high off the ground the front fascia is, and most importantly I hate how after the wing mirrors it appears to not be styled at all... it's just a regular 4 door blah. Maybe I feel that because the styling is not balanced (the front is over styled, the rear they gave up on).

You started it...talkin about MS3's and all. OH SNAP! :p

So this car is a serious contender for your future wheels then? Seems like you've been mentioning a few other models since the S60R, open to suggestions?

:lol: I love you, Dave. (Man Love Rules OK)

I wouldn't say it's a serious contender just because I'm not 100% in love with it. I am however 100% in love with the S60R, I'm just having the devils own time of trying to find one in good nick within 100miles of me. Because of that, like I said before, I'm becoming complacent and anything that's not too common and somewhat interesting (STIs, G35s, MS3s, R32s, etc.) is starting to blip my radar. I've never driven any of those cars so I might not actually be able to live with one. But, I have driven the S60R twice and love it. So I think I just need to be patient and wait for my baby to come.

/My favourite part about it was that the key fob is chunky, said "R" on it, and is the same as an Aston Martins :mrgreen:.
 
I wouldn't go with a MS3, i've stated and linked many many reviews by respected journalists in the past, its a lackluster car. Don't mean to be a jerk.
 
I like it a lot. Based on your review it's cool to drive aswell.
It seems perfect for young(ish) people.

*curses the fact that you get to drive a 264hp car at age 22*
(taxes here would be something like 5000?/year on that. And don't get me started on insurance)

So I'd advise you to go for it. Seems like a cool car, relatively quick, and since it's japanese it'll outlast the earth

Oh, and trust me : you don't want a sunroof or heated seats. They add weight and ruin the handling :mrgreen:
 
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