need some input on new car

[Alexsered]

Well, I've only owned, wrenched on, and raced BMWs since 1983, so I can't possibly know as much about them as you; after all, you have a friend who owns one.



Again, anyone who actually needs FWD or AWD to drive in the rain should do everyone else on the road a huge favor and start using public transit...

The FWD and RWD is a safety issue, just going around a turn and tapping the gas a little too hard can throw the rear end out.

So when you replace a part on your BMW, is it not 3 times more expensive for that part than lets say a mazda? At least, that's what I've seen the ballpark to be, about 3 times more expensive.

 

[///M Compact]

The FWD and RWD is a safety issue, just going around a turn and tapping the gas a little too hard can throw the rear end out.

That's simply ridiculous, if you actually believe that I don't know what to say...

So when you replace a part on your BMW, is it not 3 times more expensive for that part than lets say a mazda? At least, that's what I've seen the ballpark to be, about 3 times more expensive.

And just where exactly have you obtained those numbers? Online Mazda parts wants $16.79 for an MS3 oil filter; I just paid $7.40 for a BMW OEM filter for my 3er. OEM pads for the 3er are $82(although I use Axxis), while Online Mazda Parts wants $174 for MS3 front pads- and my local Mazda dealer(NOT the one I use for service) wanted $270 for them.
Here are a few more examples:
OEM BMW rotors? $56 front, $55 rear
OEM MS3 rotors? $95 front, $65 rear
OEM BMW fuel filter: $29
OEM MS3 fuel filter: $18
OEM BMW air filter: $17
OEM MS3 Air filter: $14

I don't know what "ballpark" you've "seen", but I don't find any BMW parts that cost twice what the equivalent MS3 part costs-never mind three times as much.

 

[intak3_bLkMs3]

lol peeps getting mad. i would go with the s2k personally but it sounds like the rsx is the most reasonable choice

 

[///M Compact]

lol peeps getting mad. i would go with the s2k personally but it sounds like the rsx is the most reasonable choice

Watch that s2k; drive it through some heavy dew and you'll probably kill yourself...
(nervous)

 

[Unkillable2]

i think you shouldn't be able to drive for as least 3 years!!! it would be like going to jail to atone your sin for murdering an awesome speed 3! lol but on the serious note... DON'T buy an Eclipse!!!!!!!! that was my first car and i had it for 4 months before i got the speed 3. it was REALLY boring to drive! not sure if it's jsut my luck but i took mine to the dealer and paid a grant for it to fix all the little things, 3 months later, little more problem came up. i love the car since it's my first car but once you drove a speed 3, it'll make just make the eclipse even crapyer!

 

[happy and angry]

The FWD and RWD is a safety issue, just going around a turn and tapping the gas a little too hard can throw the rear end out.

What? What the hell are you going on about here? Learn to drive, and don't make the mistake of confusing ease of with with quality.

 

[Nismothecat]

have any of you guys actually driven a rwd car? you guys make it sound like the back end slides out with little or no effort. i dont know about you guys but most of the previous cars ive owned have been RWD (2 240's, 66 bug, and lexus sc300) and i have only spun once and that was because i took a turn way to fast in the rain.

 

[Alexsered]

What? What the hell are you going on about here? Learn to drive, and don't make the mistake of confusing ease of with with quality.

I have driven in the snow plenty of times, people complain about the summer times on the speed3, I was driving to work on them last year when we had 6 inches of snow with no problem, i don't understand how people can say its like driving on Ice with them, you can't drive normally when it's snowing or raining, no matter what tires you have.

All I was saying was, if I had to choose in order of what kind of car I would drive in really bad weather, it would be AWD, than FWD, and last RWD. Who would drive a RWD car in snow over FWD and AWD? Seriously people (drunk)

 

[Alexsered]

That's simply ridiculous, if you actually believe that I don't know what to say...



And just where exactly have you obtained those numbers? Online Mazda parts wants $16.79 for an MS3 oil filter; I just paid $7.40 for a BMW OEM filter for my 3er. OEM pads for the 3er are $82(although I use Axxis), while Online Mazda Parts wants $174 for MS3 front pads- and my local Mazda dealer(NOT the one I use for service) wanted $270 for them.
Here are a few more examples:
OEM BMW rotors? $56 front, $55 rear
OEM MS3 rotors? $95 front, $65 rear
OEM BMW fuel filter: $29
OEM MS3 fuel filter: $18
OEM BMW air filter: $17
OEM MS3 Air filter: $14

I don't know what "ballpark" you've "seen", but I don't find any BMW parts that cost twice what the equivalent MS3 part costs-never mind three times as much.

Come on man, either you get an awesome dealer discount or something, I can look up OEM part prices from BMW, just the front rotors of a 2003 335xi part number N1000-118542 is 185.96 cents. I didn't have time to go through all the parts, but man, you must be really really lucky to be paying those kind of prices for OEM BMW stuff. Oh yeah, that dude here at work asked him if doing this kind of service at bmw was actually that cheap, and he laughed at me. His oil changes are billed to be around 200.00 some dollars. I mean, he could be lieing, but why?

I'm not knocking you if you are paying those prices, but you would be the first person to tell me that maint. on a BMW is cheap.

 

[///M Compact]

Oh yeah, that dude here at work asked him if doing this kind of service at bmw was actually that cheap, and he laughed at me. His oil changes are billed to be around 200.00 some dollars. I mean, he could be lieing[sic], but why?

He may not be lying, but he's not very bright if he is actually paying $200 for an oil change. He sounds like the kind of pitiful sap who walks into the first dealer he sees, hands over his credit card, and grabs his ankles. Guess what? BMW dealers aren't the only shops that will screw guys like your "friend"

I'm not knocking you if you are paying those prices, but you would be the first person to tell me that maint. on a BMW is cheap.

Well, yes, you are knocking me. But I give up, go ahead and keep believing that it costs stupid money to maintain a BMW properly; it works into that sour grapes riff that you obviously love to repeat. Me? I'm going by experience- not second or third hand hearsay.

 

[Alexsered]

He may not be lying, but he's not very bright if he is actually paying $200 for an oil change. He sounds like the kind of pitiful sap who walks into the first dealer he sees, hands over his credit card, and grabs his ankles. Guess what? BMW dealers aren't the only shops that will screw guys like your "friend"



Well, yes, you are knocking me. But I give up, go ahead and keep believing that it costs stupid money to maintain a BMW properly; it works into that sour grapes riff that you obviously love to repeat. Me? I'm going by experience- not second or third hand hearsay.

It's on his bill, but you of all people should know the BMW free maint. He doesn't pay for oil changes and such, but he still gets a slip for it. Its a 2008 335xi, I just did some research on bimmerforums and nobody there is paying less than 150 for just an oil change. I'm sorry dude, but maint. on a BMW is expensive, nobody is going to agree with you that it's cheap.

Anyway, back to the original topic, did you decide on the RSX S? Seems like you are kind of sold on it already.

 

[///M Compact]

I'm sorry dude, but maint. on a BMW is expensive, nobody is going to agree with you that it's cheap.

Well "dude", I sincerely hope you keep on believing that.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

I'm not trying to say you are lieing, but anybody that know anything about cars would be very hard to agree with you that maint. a BMW is that cheap. BMW and CHEAP cannot be used in the same sentance, I don't think anybody here is going to believe that a BMW is cheap to maint.

that is also too much work to keep an s2000, getting snow tires, trying to drive it in the snow, or rain. I say, get the rsx s and you won't regret it at all. Really cheap to maint. the parts are everywhere and FWD is always easier to drive than RWD ifyou can't afford AWD.

Where do BMW's come from? FWD is a lazy mans way out of the snow. Rear drive with traction control is FAR better than any FWD set up ever created. FWD is not your answer when you can not get AWD. Almost every manufacturer is dumping FWD and going back to RWD. BMW (designed to be driven in the Swiss Alps and the Mountains in Austria never had a FWD car and have yet to have problems in snow.

 

[Alexsered]

Where do BMW's come from? FWD is a lazy mans way out of the snow. Rear drive with traction control is FAR better than any FWD set up ever created. FWD is not your answer when you can not get AWD. Almost every manufacturer is dumping FWD and going back to RWD. BMW (designed to be driven in the Swiss Alps and the Mountains in Austria never had a FWD car and have yet to have problems in snow.

Its the fact that there is less weight on the rear wheels, c'mon guys, are we really talking about RWD being better than FWD and AWD in the snow? When you have no weight on the tires, they will slip alot more. They can all be driven in the snow, and I've driven 500+ hp 5.0L GT Mustangs in the snow, but the chances of me getting stuck at a light are much greater on a RWD car than a FWD car. It comes down to how many pounds per square inch does the contact patch of the tire have, and with the engine in the front, a FWD car will be better than a RWD car, stability control and traction control can be added to both, but FWD will still win.

Why do you think Pickup truck that do not have AWD throw bags of salt, or rocks in the bed of their truck? to add to the weight on the rear tires. This is almost as good as the guy that wanted to put the Subie STI hood on his Mazdaspeed3. lol (thumb)

 

[Sacrilicious]

ok, this is getting retarded. the fact of the matter is that if he's worried about snow, then snow performance WILL factor into his decision. in that case, his preferences are going to run: AWD->FWD->RWD. how much he weights this is entirely up to his personal tastes.

as it stands, i see no reason why AWD is out of the picture, because based on the cars i see on his list, a used WRX is WELL in his price range, and would be really freakin cheap to mod afterwards. AWD wins...go home, everyone!

 

[tiagotiago]

so i totalled my little ms3 about 2 months ago and i have been driving my 92 dodge stealth. well she's starting to die on me so im just gonna buy a used car. im trying to stay in the 10-15k range cause im buying a new condo too. so heres what ive come up with thus far in no particular order

04 srt4
04 330ci
06 cobalt ss
02 s2000
05 g35x
02 is300
04 rx8
03 protegespeed
04 eclipse
06 lancer ralliart
03 rsx s
04 a4
im taking into consideration fuel type since gas just keeps going up.
and i kno this is a mazda forum so it may be biased towards the 2 mazdas on there. any input would be great

I'd also be considering the rsx, like many others here; the ralliart too, I remember car mags saying it was a nice handling car.

If awd matters, then I'd consider the g35x.

The s2000 would be nice, but if it was me, I'd have to see if the engine has enough torque to make me feel comfortable in day to day driving.

Keep us posted on your choice.

 

[ms6acton]

i would love to get an old evo or sti but up here in canada we only got the evo this year, and old sti's are still 30+k. even older wrx's are pretty pricey 20+k.. stupid canada lol. tonight im going out to test drive a 06 cobalt ss and then a 07 lancer gts. maybe i should just give up my hunt for a nice car and buy a 03 jetta tdi like my mom suggested haha (she drives one) and im not knocking vws...

 

[Sacrilicious]

that sux that you can't get scubbies...be careful with VWs, though...their reliability is...spotty...=/

 

[ms6acton]

yea im not a big fan of vws personally.. after having to drive my moms around for the last little bit.

 

[PCspeed3]

dude just get a honda accord or civic Si or somthing, not the fastest or nicest car on the road, but they do good on gas and they last forever.