Calling all MS3 sport owners

[CHICO2003]

So I'm pretty sure I'm going to pull the trigger on an MS3 within the next week or so. In addition to choosing the color, I need to choose a trim level.

I'm wondering if any of you sport owners have any buyers remorse and wish you had gotten the GT instead.

I've been pretty spoiled with my current car. The audio system is ridiculous. in dash pioneer nav/dvd w/bluetooth and ipod adapter... high end kickers throughout powered by the stock msp amp... and an 8" mtx thunder powered by another. all in all, the sound is amazing. So it wasn't exactly a shock to sit in the GT and listen to the bose stereo... only to feel dissapointed. it's certainly better than most stock systems but... not even in the same league as mine. so.... needless to say, regardless of the trim, their days would be numbered. that pretty much negates the stereo benefit of the GT.

Then there's the seats... I must admit, those partial leather seats are pretty badass. both seats feel about the same (the sport may have felt slightly more comfortable for some reason) but, if price wasn't an issue... I'd lean towards the GT seats.

lastly (unless I'm missing something) are the HID headlamps. naturally these are pretty sweet... but, if the stereo and seats are relative non-factors... is the benefit of having HIDs really worth an extra $1500??? Hell no! I can have those badboys installed for... i dont' know... 1/15 that price!

Seriously though... am I missing something here? The sport seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[MS3Chik]

i have no regrets getting the sport..i wouldnt change it..i love the seats, and everything is great!

 

[Derek88]

I bought the sport MAINLY because I saw a GT in the showroom and I test drove a GT. Both cars had like 300 miles on them and BOTH had wear on the driver's seat bolster. After many people getting in and out, the leather was cracking and looking like crap... I knew I would be driving mine almost everyday, so I opted out for that leather. But I wanted HIDs. The option was expensive, and when those bulbs go out, that's even more money. If I want those really bad, there is something called "aftermarket." The Bose was nice, but I wouldnt really use the system to its limits- I like to hear the turbo and exhaust more.

I like my sport. It was cheaper, and less stuff to go wrong after the warranty.

 

[BluMicaR]

Go sport. I don't need gadgets, I need all out balls down speed! Those feckin' options just add weight to the car; get them in carbon fiber or screw it!

 

[CHICO2003]

that's a good point about the leather seat bolster... never thought about that.

as for the HID lights... i hear the front bumper has to come off just to replace them. while that's certainly not going to equate to the cost difference, if you're not planning on swapping out the radio like me and have a thing for leather seats... i suppose I can see the benefit of going with the GT.

So was I missing anything? someone told me the tail lights and door trim were different.... but they looked exactly the same to me.

 

[Betelgeuse]

No regrets here on the sport, hids do nothing for me and I came from a car with leather seats which I didn't care for after a while. I'm no in-car gadget freak and if need be, I can still connect any accessory I might need in the future.

 

[MS3Chik]

No regrets here on the sport, hids do nothing for me and I came from a car with leather seats which I didn't care for after a while. I'm no in-car gadget freak and if need be, I can still connect any accessory I might need in the future.

me 2 i hate leather...all i need is my ipod plug in and im all good.

 

[poof100]

I just got my 08 Speed3 and I debated between the Sport and GT. I could have gotten both for under invoice, but I went with the Sport. I sat in both and compared stereos and I thought the Bose sounded like garbage. Plus I figured I can change the speakers and install my own stereo for cheaper. I also wanted the HIDs, but for $1500 more, I wasn't going to pay that for just some Lights. I actually like the Cloth seats better than the part leather ones in the GT.

I love my Sport so far and I wouldn't change a thing. I figured I didn't need the small extras that came with the GT model. Then again, I'm somewhat spoiled/biased, as we got a fully loaded CX9 GT with all of the gadgets. So that made my decision a little easier since we already had one car with the works

JP

 

[SwampAss]

sport here. Don't care about other options. Power windows, door locks are the only things I use. Those are standard. The only thing that might have swayed me would have been a sunroof. I miss one of those big time.

LED tails, HIDs, rain sensing wipers don't interest me. If the seats were ALL leather, that's a different story. Just bolsters? Pass.

 

[stevekt]

I drive a Sport MS3. The first thing that drew me to the Sport was the price vs. the GT. Next I decided I really didn't want leather or leather trimmed seats. I saw an interior photo of a relatively new GT and it looked as though the leather portion of the seat had aged dramatically in a short period of time. Also I wan't sure how comfortable the leather would be on a hot day. I've always had cloth seats. They just seem to work for me.

I also read some not so stellar reviews of the Bose audio system in the GT. I'm not much of an audio guy. I'll listen to regular FM most of the time and ocassionally a CD. It didn't make much sense to me to pay extra for a poorly reviewed audio system if I wan't even an audiophile. I honestly don't know how good or bad the Bose system is, just relating what I've read on the net.

Automatic lights and wipers sounded pretty cool but I thought the sensors on these items would likely be rather delicate. They seemed like something that might be likely to malfunction. I'd rather decide myself when to turn on my lights and wipers.

The HID headlights, LED tailights and mileage computer are things I wouldn't mind having on the Sport. The other extra features on the GT did not seem like plusses after thinking it through and it didn't seem wise to pay extra for things I really didn't want. Additionally if I really wanted a GT, I would have spent another 2 months collecting up more down payment money in order to get my desired monthly payment. In the end it made more sense to me to buy a Sport.

I love my Sport and have no regrets!

 

[rodney]

i got the sport just for the "CAR" and not for all the extra bells and whistles HID's and LED tail lights but other than that i didn't really want the leather because it starts to crack over time, and rain sensening wipers is useless, im not that lazy, and the bose doesnt catch my attention because i would just throw a better aftermarket system in it that sounds much better which i have already done

 

[SwampAss]

We all have the mileage computer. It's just hidden in the sport. Check out the how too section.

 

[stevekt]

We all have the mileage computer. It's just hidden in the sport. Check out the how too section.

It's hidden DAMN GOOD on the 2008 Sport models! I'm waiting for someone to crack the code on this one.

 

[numbnuts22715]

I got the Gt, and Im glad I did.
I really like the HIDs, I really like the alarm, and I really like everything else it has.
I wasn't interested in changing a lot of things out, I did on my last car, and it got stolen, so I didn't wanna waste my time and money with that. I wanted to buy something that had pretty much everything I wanted right out of the box.

I think I would have been plenty happy with the Sport though as well. It's not only the goodies that came witht he Gt that I like. When it really comes down to it, its the car itself that I like. The extra features don't really matter all that much to me, it was just easier for me to get the GT.

 

[Hirudin]

I wanted to ask about the options specifically so I started a new thread as to not hijack this one... Calling all MS3 GT Owners

 

[johnnyB5646]

I really like the cloth seats and the regular headlights. Alittle more sleeper, but maybe there are just too many cops in GA. I hated the Bose and really am not satisfied with my stock plus a 12inch Kicker pushed by a Phoenix Gold amp. The back speakers are "boomy'" yet easily distorted and the fronts are basic stockers. The radio I love but also suspect is the major POS in the system. All in all, you'll want to replace ANY stock system if you have already aquired a taste for it. And I hate leather, it rips, it cracks, it ends up looking like cheap vinyl. Sport is also fastar...j/k

 

[CHICO2003]

Good stuff guys... thanks for all your insight. 99% sure I'm going with a sport. (assuming the same type of deal can be had for both) ... was quoted $300 over invoice for a GT... will be nice to save $1500 can put that towards a CAI and tints... not to mention snow tires

 

[redspeed]

Go with the sport. The half leather seats and rain sensing wipers in the GT are (ghey) imo.
I really wanted the HIDs, but the aftermarket versions are way cheaper.

 

[CTGrey02]

If your really that concerned about the price, by all means, get the Sport. I definately enjoy the auto wipers though. I dont have to fidget with the controls to turn em off and on in light mists. The auto-on HID's are just bad ass. I can see so much more than I can on any of the other cars I have due to these things. Aside from that, the stereo blows. I wish that was a seperate option. I hate these package deals.

 

[CHICO2003]

so, in hindsight... do you wish you had gotten the sport and just added the HIDs later?