as far as the evo and sti thing....in my view its just silly to pay 10k more for a car that isnt any faster in a str8 line and only slightly better handling....but it wont cost me 10k to make my ms3 handle just as well.
If you want to go fast in a str8 line and you bought an evo or sti you are a fool.
Odd comment... First, both cars you mention ARE faster in a straight line (than the MS3). 2nd, I highly doubt ANYONE bought it solely for drag racing. Clearly there are better options for that. However, as already eluded to, for when they DO want to drive fast (in a straight line) each car is more than capable. Since everything is relative, granted they're not going to be travel at funny car speeds, but they'll be about as any (reasonably priced stock) car out there.
As far as the handling goes... while the MS3 is being hailed as a great handling car (as well as being fast) let's not fool ourselves here. Granted, there are other variables to consider but, taking the skidpad test for starters, it's bested by .5 & 1.0 by the Sti & Evo respectively. That's a lot more than a 'slight' advantage. Can you put 10k into an MS3 to make it handle 'just as well'? I sure hope so! but realize there's more to great handling than tighter/lowered springs.
Lastly... for an extra 10k, you're getting more than a faster/better handling car. You're getting a car with a more massive upside and the aftermarket to support it. Try putting down 500hp to an MS3. In addition to (potentially) not being able to handle that kind of power, (where's the proof it can?) Suddenly the delicate balance the mazda engineers were able to achieve is going to be thrown off just a tad. No longer will the car have the same handling characteristics. In short, torque steer will be 5x the problem it already is. In addition, with the aftermarket being 1 billionth of the other 2... getting the necessary parts will not only be difficult but also a lot more pricey. As for the other 2... achieving that type of power is relatively easy and inexpensive. Combined with the # of success stories out there, because both cars can easily handle that type of power, if done right, there's not much of a reason to worry about your car detonating.
Here's the bottom line. If you have no plans in dramatically modifying your car, the MS3 is about as good as it gets for this price range. But let's not become a bunch of SRT-4 guys here and think our cars offer the best of both worlds. For the price you pay, when compared to the 2 kings of the hill, there are some serious limitations. Depending on your needs, these may or may not be a factor.
