2.3L worth it?

[TheFa1isOutdone]

I went shopping for a mazda3 with the parents again yesterday. It looks like to get the car I want will be 15k, or 17k if I want to upgrade to the 2.3l. Those numbers are a bit rough, but it's looking like about 2k extra in the end to get the S edition.

My question is.. is it worth that much dough? I'm checking it out.. and it looks like it only adds 12 hp to the car? How can it be that low? I was expecting more like 20-30 HP added, but not 12. I'm sure the torque is a bit upped as well, but how can this minor power increase be justified? I test drove both and honestly, I couldn't feel much of a diff in power, just a lil diff tone from the engine when I went WOT.

Does the s model add anything else? I didn't look around the car enough to notice much of a difference, and I didn't even think about it until I got home from the dealer. Now I'm sure there are cosmetic upgrades and such, but I'm strictly talking about the motor. What else is the third of a liter adding?

 

[Matthew1785]

I thought the 2.3L was standard on all models....

 

[sanblaster]

I thought the 2.3L was standard on all models....

2.0 or 2.3

2.0 is like 148 and the 2.3 is near 160

 

[sanblaster]

I believe Mazda does that so that they do not kill other vehicle trims and models. They can't sell a 2.3 mazda 3 with 220 hp because then people wouldn't want to buy the v6 6 with 215hp. Honestly I think most of their vehicles are highly under horsepowered.

 

[freediverdude]

My advice would be to look on the mazda website to compare the standard features on the different trim levels. The 2.0l comes in "sport" or "touring", and is called i sport or i touring, and the 2.3l comes in sport, touring, or grand touring, and is called s sport, s touring, etc. So an i touring would be similar feature-wise to the s touring, but there are differences, there's really 5 trim levels of the car. So just educate yourself on what the typical features are for each one, and then when you look at the stickers with the trim level up at the top you'll know.

 

[dread]

get the 2.3 liter turbo, thats definately worth it.

 

[Akaveli]

My advice would be to look on the mazda website to compare the standard features on the different trim levels. The 2.0l comes in "sport" or "touring", and is called i sport or i touring, and the 2.3l comes in sport, touring, or grand touring, and is called s sport, s touring, etc. So an i touring would be similar feature-wise to the s touring, but there are differences, there's really 5 trim levels of the car. So just educate yourself on what the typical features are for each one, and then when you look at the stickers with the trim level up at the top you'll know.

(bow) OMG thats the best post this guy has made since whining about his car! Kudos to you man!

Ok back to the topic, I'll agree with freediverdude.

 

[B1GHAM]

My advice would be to look on the mazda website to compare the standard features on the different trim levels. The 2.0l comes in "sport" or "touring", and is called i sport or i touring, and the 2.3l comes in sport, touring, or grand touring, and is called s sport, s touring, etc. So an i touring would be similar feature-wise to the s touring, but there are differences, there's really 5 trim levels of the car. So just educate yourself on what the typical features are for each one, and then when you look at the stickers with the trim level up at the top you'll know.

Exactly. You are getting more than just an engine with the S (2.3l 4cyl) trim.

and where as its only 12hp difference, you can feel it when driving the vehicle.

For instance i touring vs. S touring.

i touring you have the 2.0l 4cyl w/ 5 spd manual or 4 spd auto.
S touring you have the 2.3l 4 cyl w/ 5 spd manual or 5spd auto.
different gauges/trim in the i vs. S
std ABS/SAB/SAC in the S touring optional in the i touring.
17" wheels on the S touring vs. 16" with the i Touring...

thats just the basics... I could go into further details... but you need to drive both and learn online (through mazdausa.com) what the differences are and decide what level (i or S) you really want/need.

 

[TheFa1isOutdone]

Thanks for the answers. I just asked because it's .3 liters bigger without much of a power gain, and when I drove it, I felt practically no difference, and just heard a throatier tone when in WOT.

Mazdaspeed is out of the question Dumb car-dealers don't know how to sell a car to an 18 year old when his parents are around

 

[Akaveli]

Thanks for the answers. I just asked because it's .3 liters bigger without much of a power gain, and when I drove it, I felt practically no difference, and just heard a throatier tone when in WOT.

Mazdaspeed is out of the question Dumb car-dealers don't know how to sell a car to an 18 year old when his parents are around

hhmmm....maybe you should have tried the dealership freediverdude went too.

 

[freediverdude]

I swear I think an overhaul of how dealerships sell cars needs to take place. No more commission salespeople, no more steering people to certain models unless they insist on what they want (Honda did this to me too), and no more switching off to a hard sell person.

 

[Olestra]

[Offtopic]^Completely agreed.

I always come out of the dealership feeling one of two things:
I just got taken for a fool and so I come out feeling really bad about myself.
Or I feel like I'm a cheap bastard who had to beg to get a certain price on the car I wanted.

I've never had a good dealership experience.

I'm also pretty young and was on my first new car. When I went to the Honda dealership, nobody talked to me or greeted me, I had to ask to talk to a saleman. Then the guy proceeded to give me car pricing written on the back of a business card. It felt like he didn't want to waste time or a brochure. He even told me I couldn't get an 07 SI b/c they were gone. They hadn't even come out yet. It was crap.
Not until I went back with my parents did they take me seriously.

freediver's posts in this thread make me believe even more that he was throwing us for a loop in his crying thread. =) [/Offtopic]

Ontopic, I'm really glad I got a 2.3 - there seems to be more aftermarket options for the 2.3L, especially the hatch.
If you're going auto, you'll get a 5th gear.
If you're going stock, never plan to mod, and can't feel the difference between 2.3 and 2.0 -it's 8hp (156 and 148), almost nothing- then you may want to save yourself 2 grand. =)

 

[freediverdude]

How dare you accuse me of just making up a story?? WTF! I'm sorry, but if you don't believe me, you can just go eff yourself.

 

[jersey_emt]

The 3s (2.3L) has a lot more torque than the 3i (2.0L). Not sure of the exact #, but it is more than the difference in HP (148 vs. 160).

 

[Tronix102]

yah and plus u get really nice extra's like heater leather and hid lights and stuff.

 

[MM3Canuck]

I believe Mazda does that so that they do not kill other vehicle trims and models. They can't sell a 2.3 mazda 3 with 220 hp because then people wouldn't want to buy the v6 6 with 215hp. Honestly I think most of their vehicles are highly under horsepowered.

Agree, the 2.3 should have had at least 185hp. 2.3l and then156hp wtf?

(dunno)

 

[jeffmsp]

the motor is designed to last 300,000kms with some 18 year old beating the s*** out of it.

 

[TheMAN]

I've driven many bone STOCK 2.0l mazda3's myself... manual and auto... they are both slow as dog s***.... they're supposed to have more power than the P5 but it just doesn't have the pep like a stock P5 does... sure the 3i weighs a little bit more than the P5, but being such a slug is ridiculous... it always feels like the engine is straining and the gearing is too tall, but it's not! it has the same gearing as the P5! even an auto P5 drives better than a 2.0 manual 3!

if you don't get frustrated at driving a slow car and want better gas mileage, get the 2.0... otherwise get the 2.3... sure the gas mileage on the 2.3s are total s***, but at least it drives good!