Back to the ZoomZoom!

[Ki||ian]

I'm baaaack!

Been quite some years since I've posted here since I got rid of my 03 Protege5 but now I'm back with the new 2014 Mazda3!

After selling my P5 before college I purchased a 2000 BMW 323i. Just last Wednesday evening on my way home from a shoot (I'm a professional photographer) it broke down. The next day I learned it need, among other things, a new transmission for a total of $7000 in repairs on a car worth $4300 on a good day. Not wanting to dump that kind of money into a 13 year old car it's now on it's way to the junk yard.

A few months ago I saw the pics of the new 2014 Mazda3 and immediately wanted one. It was the first time I got so excited for a car in an affordable price range. While I loved my BMW and it was a blast to drive, they are not affordable for someone in my self employed financial situation.

After I was pre approved for a loan I was so ecstatic to buy the new 3 that I couldn't sleep the night before. I had called my local dealer and while they didn't have the model I wanted in stock they were able to get one from a nearby dealer. The had it brought over and I walked in and walked out with a brand new Jet Black Mazda3i Touring 6spd manual! I'm sure they don't often have some one come in and know what they want right away!

Can't be any more excited to be back in the Mazda family again!

For reference this was my old Protege5 that some may have seen some older posts.

Now this is my new bad boy!

 

[npaladin2000]

Congrats and welcome back! Got some pics? I haven't seen the black in person yet.

 

[Ki||ian]

Yea, updated the original with a flickr link instead of FB link.

 

[npaladin2000]

Very sharp. I might have gotten black if the red weren't so absolutely frigging sick in person. Right up to the first look in person I was considering Jet Black, and Titanium Flash. And NOT considering Soul Red. One look at the Soul Red in person and I caved though...

 

[Ki||ian]

Soul Red is definitely a SICK color on the car but with such low stock all over the place, especially for manuals, and needing a car asap I went with black. Both colors were top of my list.

I really feel like they hit this one right out of the park in the body styling. I have zero complains and think it simply STUNNING for a $20k car! The only complaint I have is with the white because in every photo I've seen the contours on the rear quarter panel blend in too much.

 

[npaladin2000]

It's even stunning for a $27k car. The initial run of 2.5L cars were all Soul Red Grand Tourings with almond interiors, so I didn't have a lot of choice. After seeing it in person, I didn't feel I needed any other choice though. I didn't want a manual, and I DID want the 2.5L and Xenon headlights. And as it turns out, I wanted the LED tails and the adaptive headlights too, those make a really noticeable difference. I was originally contemplating the i Touring with the tech package.

Then again, I'm a guy who spends 2+ hours a day in his car.

 

[max75]

I looked at all the normal priced sedans hefore I bought my 08 cx9 gt with 9200 kilometers last week, and the mazda 6 in red with the tan leather is the nicest looking full size sedan there is, the local small dealer had about 4 white ones, yuk! And one black one, alright, but the red one, really nice.

 

[JoeSakic19]

Nice car bro. The Black mica is not a color that I like on every mazda but on this 3 it looks great !

Hope you have fun with it.

 

[TenOfSwords]

Excellent choice.... Waiting impatiently for the arrival of a Jet Black 2014 Mazda3 2.0 SKYACTIV-G 165hp Optimum trim (Danish version) in the beginning of November. Been driving Mazda continuously since '76 so deciding on the new 3 without having seen it in person was actually pretty easy.(yes)

 

[chumlet]

That is a beautiful car! And a 6 speed you can't beat that congrats on the purchase!